It's all Trew: Parade honoring mothers-in-law drew thousands

After more than 500 weekly columns my faithful readers are aware that some articles are true and others may have a Trew twist and a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor. So help me, the following is true, taken from the book, "Amarillo - The Story Of A Western Town." I credit Paul H. Carlson with the story and all is based on published facts. The story begins in the hard, dry, financially troubled year of 1934 when Gene Howe, editor and publisher of the Amarillo Globe-News Corporation and his "Tactless Texan" newspaper column somehow offended his mother-in-law Nellie Donald. She and other mothers-in-law rebelled in retaliation causing such a ruckus that Howe, in humble retreat, announced that on March 5, 1934, Mother-In-Law Day would be celebrated along with the Amarillo Fat Stock Show celebration. First intended as a small local event to placate the offended, the celebration drew national attention when Will Rogers mentioned the upcoming celebration on his national radio show. Hollywood paid attention and sent camera crews down to record the unusual festivities. Mothers-in-law from across the nation including first lady Eleanor Roosevelt sent greetings of varied nature. On the appointed days the celebration filled the hotels as mothers-in-law arrived in droves. A parade down Polk Street drew an estimated 6,000 viewers...Amarillo Globe-News