That afternoon a teacher threw a switch in the school's workroom and an explosion occurred, killing over 450 school children and teachers. The New London school explosion was truly a national disaster, and the entire nation's help and sympathy were extended to grieving New London residents.
There were few regulations regarding the use of natural gas. Natural gas is odorless and colorless in its original state, but no law required that a malodorant be injected into it so leaks could be smelled. After the explosion, inspections found other schools with gas leaks and dangerous accumulations.
The next day, the Gerhard brothers announced that they would take up a collection for the New London families to help them bury the dead and care for the injured school children. Collections were taken at both the Texan and Martin Theatres, and the Gerhards kicked off the drive with a $20 donation from each theatre (about $300 per theatre in 2007 dollars). The shows were suspended for a few minutes about 8 p.m., and audiences were asked to donate to the fund. The fund drive raised $97.82 (about $1,450 in 2007 dollars).
Before the days of television, obtaining current news stories wasn't an instant process. Sometimes it was weeks before details of major happenings reached a wide audience. Back then, movie theaters ran "news reels" between the main features to show people what was happening in the world.
The Hindenburg, a zeppelin that was the largest airship ever built and the pride of Nazi Germany, exploded upon landing at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in Manchester Township, New Jersey on Thursday, May 6, 1937. On May 13, the Texan announced that the Universal News Reel that it would show on Tuesday, May 18th and Wednesday, May 19th would show pictures of the Hindenburg's landing and fire.
The Mt. Pleasant theatres, like others Northeast Texas theatres, ran some a lottery called "Bank Nights" for a few months during 1937. So far, we haven't determined how they worked, but in June, 1937 the Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that bank night lotteries had been conducted in violation of existing laws.
Therefore, the Gerhard brothers announced that beginning June 21 the bank night features at the Texan and Palace theaters would be discontinued. This required changing the Texan's schedule. The Texan had been running a single day picture on Thursdays, but moved the single-run show to Saturdays, with the same picture shown again on Sundays. Other single-run shows would be run on Sundays and Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and Thursdays and Fridays.
When the Martin re-opened following being totally rebuilt on Friday, September 10, 1937, it once again became Mt. Pleasant's premier theatre and showed only first-run pictures. The Texan was converted to second class pictures, or those which had previously been shown here and the Texan's admission was reduced.
On September 21, the Texan was remodeled to hold more customers, but not as elaborately as was previously planned. The Theatre's business office was moved to the Martin, leaving more seating space in the balcony.
Titus County was very racially segregated, and Afro-Americans were not allowed to buy a movie ticket and sit on the main floor with other patrons. None of the Mt. Pleasant theatres had accommodations for Afro-Americans. The Gerhards remodeled the Texan's balcony to provide sixty seats for Afro-American. A separate entrance was made and a stairway leading to the balcony was built from outside the lobby.
The building that the Texan Theatre once occupied has been remodeled several times since the Texan was closed and has been the home of several businesses. The first business to move into the building was Farragh's Jewelry, followed by Rhea's Jewelry. After another major re-design and update of the building's front, the building is currently (2008) occupied by Daisy's Bridal Shop.
