School Days, School Days: Dear Old Golden Rule Days | Part 1

Vintage mid-century school portrait of students dressed formally for a school photograph.

Published in 2011, the late John Eddie Vogt’s book, Witches, Bitches, and Other Small Town Folks, brings to life the quirky, unforgettable, and entertaining tales of growing up and living in Kendall County from the 1930s through the 1960s. Thanks to the gracious permission of his family, The Kendall Gentleman is honored to share excerpts … Read more

Jason Abbott: The Quiet Work of Protecting a Generation

Portrait of Jason Abbott holding a Nikon camera, former Boerne police officer and school resource officer.

“If I can go home at the end of the day doing 51 percent more good than bad, I am doing okay.” For years, the hallways of Boerne Middle School North carried the familiar rhythm of adolescence. Students moved between classes with backpacks slung over their shoulders, laughing with friends, worrying about tests, and navigating … Read more

Bill Whitworth and the Quiet Work That Holds a County Together

William “Bill” Whitworth standing on his Sisterdale ranch with cattle and sheep in Kendall County, Texas

There are men whose names end up etched into stone, and there are men whose work becomes so foundational that no one remembers who laid it in the first place. William “Bill” Whitworth belongs firmly in the latter group. His life does not read like a résumé. It reads like a ledger. Work done. Responsibility … Read more

The Erosion Nobody Notices Until It’s Too Late

Portrait of The Kendall Gentleman publisher standing outdoors in the Texas Hill Country at sunset wearing a cowboy hat

Erosion is quiet. It doesn’t show up all at once. It doesn’t kick the door in or make a scene. Most of the time, you don’t even notice it happening. Things still work. Mostly. They just don’t work the way they used to. A fence leans a little more every year. A gate doesn’t close … Read more

One Year In, Still Building

Michael G Ethridge, Publisher of The Kendall Gentleman, reflecting on the magazine’s first year in Kendall County.

One year ago, The Kendall Gentleman was nothing more than a stack of proofs on a desk and a quiet sense of calling that wouldn’t let go. There was no grand rollout. No venture capital. No consultants telling us what men wanted or how this should look. Just a conviction that something had been lost, … Read more

Still Carrying the Load: General Leroy Sisco

General Leroy Sisco standing outdoors at sunset wearing a black cowboy hat and red shirt, representing a lifetime of military service and leadership.

I first met General Leroy Sisco several years ago at a campaign event for Quico Canseco. It was one of those introductions that happens in passing. A handshake. A few words. A sense that the man in front of you carries gravity, even if you don’t yet know why. The room was loud, the night … Read more

Jerry McKenna: The Sculptor of Three Lives

Elderly sculptor smiling in his studio beside a detailed football sculpture and a championship football helmet.

When you sit with Jerry McKenna, time slows down in the best way. The man has lived enough for three lifetimes, and he talks about each one with a steadiness that comes from earned peace. His voice is gentle, his memory sharp, and his stories roll out one after another with the calm of someone … Read more

The Resolve That Built Us

Bearded man leaning out of the window of a weathered vintage truck inside a rustic barn.

Every January, something interesting happens. People start talking about resolutions. Gyms get crowded. Grocery carts fill with greens. Planners fly off the shelves. Everyone seems to be searching for a fresh start. There is nothing wrong with that. A resolution shows hope. It tells the world that a person wants to be better. But over … Read more

Never, Ever Give Up: The Man Who Dug Deep and Saved Texas Water

Donny May leans against a barn wall at sunset on his Bergheim ranch, reflecting strength, humility, and faith.

If you drive east of Boerne, where the land begins to rise and the trees crowd closer to the road, you’ll see a stretch of fence that tells you exactly who lives there. Simple white signs with bold red letters, speaking the kind of truths that make people honk, grin, and nod their heads. They … Read more

The Standard We Keep

Michael G. Ethridge, publisher of The Kendall Gentleman, photographed against a black background for his December 2025 editorial, “The Standard We Keep.”

Over the past few months, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about standards. Not the kind codified in rule books, but the kind we used to carry within us. The ones that shaped how we looked, spoke, worked, and lived. Somewhere along the way, we’ve let too many of them slip. When I was … Read more