School bricks find new home

Like many of you, I have so many wonderful memories from my years attending Twelfth Street School.

Open windows during warm weather, cafeteria in the basement, library in the main corridor upstairs, the fire escape, Wesley’s Grocery across the street and tall steps at the front entrance where the Taylor Duck Band from the “new” high school on Texas 95 North gathered to march to the stadium at home football games.

Irene Michna told me one time about a blackbird that would fly into Mrs. Sakewitz’s classroom through an open window and steal pens and pencils from their desks. She said they were always excited to see their feathered friend and always left something on their desks for him to take.

My own memories include the time I was stung by a yellow jacket on the playground and was sent to the office to have my wound treated. I still remember watching as Principal Rowena Stone opened her desk drawer, pulled out a packet of tobacco, mixed some of the contents with water, and applied the paste to the affected area on my arm.

Who could forget teachers like Mrs. C. C. Wilson, Mrs. Mary Lu Haase, Mrs. Margaret Bunnell and Mrs. Nettie Robertson? And legendary principals like Mr. Foy Wilks, Mr. Ivan Leschber and Mrs. Stone?

After T. H. Johnson Elementary School opened in 1983, Twelfth Street School closed. Constructed in 1912 at a cost of $20,000, the muchloved campus had served its purpose and was soon demolished.

But that’s not the end of the Twelfth Street School story.

The next time you visit Sweet & Southern Finds on the corner of Main and Sixth streets, stop for a moment and notice the bricks that enclose the front part of the shop.

Those bricks are from Twelfth Street School.

The building started out as a Magnolia Service Station built in 1923. It later became a part of Socony Mobil Oil. Original paint colors from those companies can still be seen peeking through later coats of paint in several areas of the shop.

Often referred to as a filling station, fuel options for motorists at that time included regular leaded gas as well as a new, better quality gas known as ethyl.

Lloyd and Nell Steger bought the property at 519 N. Main St. in 1983. Their plans called for transforming the old gas station into a new home for Nell’s Merle Norman Cosmetics studio that had previously been located in the Piggly Wiggly shopping center on Lake Drive.

“We were sitting (in the parking lot) at H-E-B (currently Temple College on North Main) and looking across the street,” Lloyd recalled. “This place had most recently been a vending business and a taxi service. It had a For Sale sign on it and that’s what got us started. We began looking into what it was going to take to change this building from an old service station to a cosmetic store.”

Joan Cabaniss, a family friend, offered to bring a few of her architectural students to study the building and to produce renderings of their vision for transforming the site. Nell picked the winning plan and renovations began.

The canopy, where cars drove through to reach the gas pumps, would become the front room of the store and needed to be enclosed.

“Lester Jacobson was a builder and told me where we could get some of the Twelfth Street School bricks,” Lloyd said. “There was enough of them to enclose the canopy, but in the meantime, we were made aware of some seepage problems with underground fuel tanks from nearby service stations.”

Although no seepage had been detected with the old storage tanks at this particular location, the Stegers wanted to make sure it was not going to be a problem. So, they had the two 5,000-gallon tanks and another smaller tank filled with sand and cement as part of renovations to the building.

The enclosed canopy, which I like to call the Twelfth Street School Addition, became the front room of the store and opened as Merle Norman Cosmetics in 1984. This business venture brought Nell and her daughters Sabrina Aunspaugh and Stacy Roznovak together for several projects over the next few years.

Stacy opened her business, Nails by Stacy, in 1984 in what had previously been the office for the gas station.

The two original bay areas, one for automotive repairs and one for car washes, were included in the renovations and were leased to various businesses through the years.

Familiar names many readers will recognize include The Paper Caper, The Nest Egg, Sugar and Spice, Little Liberty’s Tea Room, Java Junction and a bridal shop. After Merle Norman closed, Nell turned the main area into Collections Unique Boutique.

Local artist Suzanne Huser joined the team in 1986, bringing her painted T-shirts to sell. She also painted a mural on one of the inside walls commemorating the building’s origins with Magnolia Petroleum.

Her floral, Taylor Duck and seasonal painted items are still sold in Sweet and Southern Finds today.

“This whole building was Mom’s baby,” Stacy said. “She always had a passion for historical things, so having a little piece of history right here was always important to her and she loved her little spot here. She would say, ‘We’re not making any money, but are we having fun.’” In 2016, Stacy’s daughter Karyn Morris opened Sweet & Southern Finds, a charming gift shop with a wide variety of merchandise that includes Taylor memorabilia. Karyn’s sister Katelyn Townsend also helps with the business, and Katelyn’s 1-year old son Tatum is already spending time there.

This year they are celebrating, “A Decade Downtown.”

Lloyd and Nell have owned several businesses in Taylor over the years. Karyn remembers those stores as places where people met to visit as well as shop. Today, she sees that tradition continuing at her business.

“I love getting to do this with my family,” Karyn said. “I enjoy Taylor and meeting people from surrounding areas and those who are just driving through. I get to keep up with people I know, and I see a lot of new faces discovering Taylor.”

Stacy agrees –– the whole family has grown to love the traditions and this spot on North Main Street.

“We just have a heart for this little building,” Stacy said. “Mama had a vision for it and it’s been fun to keep it alive for her. Her sweet presence is always here. We just love it and are proud that Karyn wants to carry it on and put her little touch on it.

Join me here in a couple of weeks as we explore another tale from Taylor. Until then, be proud of where you’re from.

Crow is a longtime Taylor resident and retired from the Taylor Independent School District after 40 years of service. For a topic or a suggestion, reach out to Crow via emily.treadway@ granitemediapartners. com.