Houston
Chronicle
Feb. 6, 1955
The TV set is a particular Hobby with Gabby— whose full name is incidental. He is the official tuner at evening
gatherings, and his selection of programs gives his aged partners little chance to nod and dream of the past.
FOR THOSE AT THE OLD FOLKS HOME, GABBY IS
A L in
к
With To morrow
GABBY twirled the dial of the big television set,
and the strains of nostalgic hillbilly music
filled the air. The audience settled back com¬
fortably as lights overhead dimmed.
Halfway through the piece, the picture on the screen
shifted suddenly to Madison Square Garden, and the
roar of fight fans filled the room.
Gabby had done it again! The little guy command¬
ing the TV set grinned in the reflected light.
At 70, Gabby, so aptly nicknamed by his fellow
travelers in the sunset of life at the Harris County Old
Folks Home, can't be content with soft music. His is
a restless soul, concerned only with the present.
He bends the ears of all who will listen. And he is
continually bringing forth some new project for the
other 52 men and women who look to the county for
subsistence. He is a link with tomorrow for those
whose life is mostly in the past.
6
By Bill Trent
Gabby’s home is big enough for his talents. There
on Highway 90, just outside the city limits of Houston,
are 85 acres, a two-story clublike house with accomo¬
dations for nearly 100, a hospital ward, dental equip¬
ment, fire alarm system, artesian well, acres of garden
in the summer, and woods to roam in.
He likes to give advice when one of tlie seven women
boarders has her hair waved. And the cook seldom
gets through a day without a few pertinent suggestions
from Gabby. He can lecture at the drop of a hat, and
his past covers the seven seas and includes a stint in
the squared circle of boxing.
It is no letdown for Gabby to live on what was once
described as the “poor farm."
He considers the superintendent, Charles Green, as
a friend — a host whose wealth permits him to serve
fine foods and provide “very” comfortable lodging. He
gets the finest medical care the county has available.
And the three nurses on duty at all times are to his
liking.
Gabby says it took some getting used to, but he now
can appreciate his neat-as-a-pin surroundings after
nearly a year at the home. He’s “seen worse,” Gabby
tells his host with a grin.
Mr. Green has been superintendent at the old folks
home since 1937, and he agrees with Gabby. He, too,
has seen worse surroundings for the county’s elderly
persons.
“My wife and I try to make it a real home,” the
superintendent says.
And Gabby is a living example of the county's right
to point with pride to the results of Mr. Green's efforts.
He, at least, is “living it up.”
THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE ROTOGRAVURE MAGAZINE, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1955