Huajilla Unit hears history of D’Hanis Brick and Tile

Huajilla Unit President Irene Dubberly presents speaker Joan Langefeld with a jar of Huajilla honey. The longtime Hondo and D’Hanis teacher, who presented a history of the D’Hanis Brick and Tile Company, is a descendant of the Carle family that established the D’Hanis Brick and Tile Company in the early 1900s.

The Huajilla Unit of Texas Retired Teachers Association met October 22, 2018 at the D’Hanis Community Center. Approximately 56 people were in attendance, as unit President Irene Dubberly opened the meeting. The prayer and blessing was given by member, Lewis Stroud. Guests and five new members were recognized, after which the treasurer’s report was given by Sam Dubberly. The president then announced the deaths of two unit members, Larry Hausenfluke and Vivian Zinsmeyer. Members were encouraged to donate to the unit scholarship fund in memory of them.
Lola Hill, chairperson of the Children’s Book Project, reported that $273 was collected at the previous meeting. This is a project of TRTA units all over the state and has been successful in buying new books and getting those books into the hands of children every year. Another state project, the TRTA Foundation, donated a great deal of money to Hurricane Harvey relief last year and will probably be donating money to victims of the recent central Texas floods.
Ms. Dubberly then announced plans for members to attend the district fall conference in Boerne on October 24. Members voted to help defray the cost of those attending by having the local unit pay a portion of their fees. The Huajilla Unit is scheduled to receive a $500 award from the state association for a membership drive. That presentation will be made at the conference in Boerne.
In a legislative update Ken Hanson encouraged all members to vote in the mid-term elections and to stay in contact with the newly elected officials concerning retirement benefits. In observance of the upcoming Veteran’s Day, Ms. Dubberly then read a list of names of veterans from the local community.
The program was then presented by Ms. Joan Langfeld of D’Hanis, who relayed the very interesting history of D’Hanis Brick and Tile. Ms. Langfeld’s great-grandfather, Louis Carle, Sr., was one of the founders of the company, and her father served as a long-time foreman of the company. Members were treated to a lively story of the company’s beginnings over 110 years ago, including where original equipment came from, various steps in the creation of the bricks, and some of the historic buildings that are made of D’Hanis brick.
After the meeting and program, members were treated to a delicious lunch served by D’Hanis Lions Club. The hostesses for this meeting were Jean Sexton, Janet Curtis, Esther Johnson, Deborah Zerr, Judy Moffett, and Joan Langfeld.
The next meeting of the Huajilla Unit will be held November 19, 2018, 10:30 am at Vines on the Rocks Winery in Dunlay.