It's "SKOALS," not "SHOALS" Airport in Galveston

Jim O'Donnel from the Jamaica Beach Weather Observatory sent me an email about the name of the airport on Galveston Island:

The correct pronunciation is "SKOALS" (like the chewing tobacco).  It is pronounced just like most other words that begin with "SCH" such as school, scholastic, schooner, schedule, etc.

It is probably due to the fact that a "shoal" is closely associated with the coast that the airport name is always mispronounced.

I trust Jim. But to be sure, I called the airport in Galveston and the lady who answered the phone said, "Good afternoon, Scholes (SKOALS) Airport."  I said, "Thank you. You just answered my question."  After I explained why I was calling, she told me no one pronounces it correctly.

O'Donnel worked at the Scholes Airport weather office for many years. He said the airport was named about Robert D. Scholes who was a longtime airport manager. Apparently, some family members still live in the Galveston area and would prefer we pronounce the name of the airport correctly.

A few lifelong Houstonians who work in our newsroom had trouble believing this. "Everyone pronounces it "SHOALS," they said!  How could so many people be so wrong?