LAREDO, Texas, Thursday —We had a delightful drive yesterday from Houston to Victoria, Texas. Victoria is an old town for this part of the world, having celebrated its centennial some years ago. Mrs. Royston Nave, our hostess, made us most comfortable. Soon after our arrival, we started to drive through the streets of the town. W. headed the procession and when we came to the reviewing wing stand, stopped and joined the Mayor, the other officials and their wives. Various high school bands from Victoria and neighboring towns, passed and looked very youthful and smart. Decorated cars which carried various other important people came and waved at us gaily. I think I rarely looked over a square with more children in it. If children mean riches, Victoria, is indeed rich.

A press conference followed and a very pleasant small reception at our hostess' home took place after it. Later there was a small dinner before the lecture. Afterwards we went to a reception for the members of the Bronte Club, who sponsored the lecture. This club is one of the oldest women's clubs in the country, and I was particularly interested to have several people speak to me of my old friend, Mrs. Percy Pennybacker.

I never come to Texas without thinking of her with affection and regretting that she is not here. A valiant and gracious woman, her presence still lives in the memory of her friends.

At 8:00 o'clock this morning, we left Victoria with Mr. and Mrs. Rubin Frels and Mrs. McCutcheon again as our hosts. We drove first to Goliad. Here a National Park is being established and a veterans CCC camp under the guidance of the National Park Service is rebuilding the buildings which once were here, on the old foundations. They have done research work in Mexico and found the old plans.

Among their men, extraordinarily good workmen have been developed. The ironwork and the woodcarving delight the eye. I could not help congratulating these workmen on a job of historic reconstruction which would be worthy of specialists in every line of work.

We visited the old church and saw the monument to Fannin and his men. Even the administration building is in keeping with everything else; hand hewn beams, hand wrought nails, all made on the spot. I do not think this could have been accomplsied unless the director had been an artist with a real feeling for the work he is doing.

After a stop in Alice, Texas, where, in a very comfortable hotel, we had a cup of coffee with cinnamon toast or doughnuts, as our individual taste precribed, we continued on our way to Laredo, which we reached before two o'clock.