Texas War of Independence - Alan Huffnes

The Texas War of Independence, 1835-1836:

From Outbreak to the Alamo to San Jacinto.

By Alan C. Huffines.

Oxford, England and New York: Osprey Publishing / Random House, 2005. Maps, photos and illus, bibliog., index.
Paperback; 96 pages; ISBN: 9781841765228, US Price: $14.95, UK Price: £9.99, Canadian Price: $21.00
http://www.alanchuffines.com/ http://www.ospreypublishing.com/ http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/

Huffines has studied, served in the military, written Blood of Noble Men: The Alamo Siege and Battle and articles, and consulted on the recent Alamo movie, the one with Dennis and Billy Bob. Here he provides a summary of the Revolution. The volume is loaded with graphics. Huffines begins with Hidalgo Revolution of 1810 but places the 1836 revolt in context: Texas was never really Spanish, only claimed and sparsely settled; it was still the northern Protestants against the southern Catholics; it’s England and Spain. But leaving all that behind he continues noting the troubled Mexican stability and nascent democratic principles until Santa Anna effects his dictatorship. The author makes a readable narrative of the usual story, but two things also stand out. One is the inserted chapter on Col. Juan Almonte, son of revolutionary Morelos, the 1834 inspector, and Santa Anna’s Chief of Staff; it’s good to drop into a bit of relative depth on the Mexican side. The other is the abundance and quality of illustrations, often large and in color; and they may take up half the space, leaving the remaining 50 pages a brisk read.

The summary could also serve as supplementary reading for 7th graders.

Blue Bell Ice Cream - Dorothy McLeod

Blue Bell Ice Cream:

A Century at the Little Creamery in Brenham, Texas 1907–2007,

by Dorothy McLeod MacInerney. College Station: TAMU Press, 2007. ISBN 978-1-58544-594-3 (1-58544-594-0), cloth, $19.95, 10 1/2x10 1/2. 152 pp., 90 photos (color and b&w). 28 drawings, 2 paintings, 1 map, 3 line art. 2 charts. http://www.tamu.edu/upress/

This is history youngsters will love.

MacInerney, used her academic tools to spoon her way through Blue Bell’s archives, and you’ll find her serving delicious. Now a hundred years old, the "Little Creamery in Brenham" is the unofficial ice cream of Texas. Here you’ll find the stories of the people, ideas, the technology, and, yes, the famous Jersey cows. The German heritage Kruze family has moo’ed their way into the top echelons of national sales and for good reason. You’ll enjoy the volume on Texas culinary history, social and cultural life, and keen business instincts to boot. I enjoyed buckets of Tin Roof and Southern Blackberry Cobbler while reading, but you may differ.

Music History

The Texas Heritage Music Foundation

http://www.texasheritagemusic.org/

Alternative history can drift into music for your students outside the traditonal history corral.

“The Texas Heritage Music Foundation was established in July 1987 to preserve and perpetuate the traditions of Texas music, to examine the background of Texas music, to trace influences and patterns in Texas music and to document the role Texas music has played in society, and to provide free educational programming to the Texas community.”

Environmental History

TSHA Conference Programs About Environmental History

http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/about/meeting/2007-program.pdf

If your students are not motivated by traditional Texas history. The TSHA demonstrates that new options are very possible.

The recent Annual Meeting of the Texas State Historical Association provides evidence of and impetus toward the social movement to re-attachment ourselves to the earth. The industrial, transportation, and information revolutions that have disconnected us from history’s natural focus on a “sense of place” have contributed to humanity’s alienation from its bedrock environment. Several programs at the conference demonstrate that our re-attachment is entering a more formal stage. Some of those programs were:

“Texas Environmental History: A Roundtable Discussion”
“ ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’: Wind Power History in Texas”
“A Blend of Science, Art, and Culture: The Maps of the Texas General Land Office”
“Texas State Parks and Renewed Focus on the Contributions of the 1930’s America: Preserving and Interpreting the Civilian Conservation Corps”
“The Politics of Disaster: A Roundtable Discussion on Oral History and the Politics of Blame” [Regarding Hurricanes Katrina and Rita]
“Lone Star Landscapes: Texans and Their Environment in History”
“Confronting Twenty-First-Century Environmental Realities in Texas”
“Environmental History of Houston and the Gulf Coast”

Revolting Women Novelists - Bibliography

Revolting Women Novelists

If you're wishing to demonstrate to your youngsters that the independent woman in Texas is quite the long and honorable tradition, you may string this set of novels before them. There are, of course, more shocking novels of late, but these may do in the meantime.

The WTM editor recently had the occasion to speak (2007) to the “Friendship Club” in Houston. The topic was “Revolting Women Novelists: Some Texas Literary History: Pushy Women in Texas Literature Should Be No Surprise.” The talk pointed out the contributions of:

L’HEROINE DU TEXAS, an anonymous novel, our first by any account, and featuring a French heroine in the 1810s.

AUGUSTA EVANS WILSON (1835-1909), born in Georgia, and our first novelist with Inez: A Tale of the Alamo.

AMELIA EDITH HUDDLESTON BARR (1831-1919), b. Lancashire, England, and among her many were Remember the Alamo, that inspired John Wayne.

MAUD CUNEY-HARE (1874-1936), born Galveston, was not a novelist, but her play indicates a stereotype-breaking ability for this African American writer and musician and historian.

MOLLIE EVELYN MOORE DAVIS (1844-1909) born in Alabama. Her Wire Cutters preceded Owen Wister’s Virginian and Andy Adams’ Log of a Cowboy to make her the first to write the modern Western novel. Under the Man Fig Tree reveals more than just the “good old boy” network of a small town.

MATTIE RUTH CROSS (1887-1981), born in Sylvan, Texas, and as she breaks out of her Golden Cocoon she punches holes in typical novels by featuring the sharecropper of East Texas and branding a few wild bulls on the UT campus.

EMILY DOROTHY SCARBOROUGH (1878-1935), native Texan. Her novel The Wind sure brought shock to the bucolic West Texas ranching tradition.

LEONORA VILLEGAS DE MAGNON (1876-1955), born in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. For revolution read her La Rebelde.

KATHERINE ANNE PORTER (1890-1980) born at Indian Creek and reared at Kyle, is the best selection of genuine literature for the writers’ writers. Begin with Pale Horse, Pale Rider.

LENA ELITHE HAMILTON KIRKLAND, (1907-1992), born at Big Sky Ranch near White Chapel, near Coleman. I just enjoy her Love Is a Wild Assault.

SHELBY HEARON (born 1931, Marion, Kentucky), modern Queen of Texas Letters, begin with Armadillo in the Grass.

ANITA RICHMOND BUNKLEY (born Columbus, Ohio) and J. CALIFORNIA COOPER (born 1966, Berkeley, California) now lead the award-winning African Texan women into the broader range of novels and literature. Both have gone through the revolutionary doors. Bunkley entered with Emily, The Yellow Rose. Cooper’s emancipating Family and The Wake of the Wind awaken knowing readers to her ties to East Texas. Of course, Toni Morrison once taught English at Texas Southern University. WH

Portal to Texas History - UNT

The Portal to Texas History:

Embark on a Voyage of Discovery
http://texashistory.unt.edu

A triple star of excellence for the Portal and youngsters

[[ EXCERPTS BELOW are from a March 2006 report by Dreanna Belden to Will's Texana Monthly on the Portal. Be sure to check out the Portal's up to date offerings.]]

By Dreanna Belden, Coordinator for Grants and Development - UNT Libraries, P. O. Box 305190, Denton, Texas, 76203-5190, Phone: 940-369-8740 & Fax: 940-369-8882
Introduction
Texas history can thrill us with its bigger-than-life heroes and heroines, champions, charlatans, and rogues. Who can forget the bravery of the defenders of the Alamo or the shenanigans of Jim Hogg? Filled with life, Texas history holds the rich potential to enchant school children and captivate learners of all ages. At the University of North Texas Libraries’ Portal to Texas History, the dream of providing unique online historical content is becoming reality.

In 2002, the UNT Libraries began planning the Portal to Texas History project to address the recognized needs of two user groups: students, teachers, researchers and life-long learners wanting improved access to primary source materials held in libraries, museums, historical societies and archives around the state; and institutions needing assistance with digitizing and making copies of their holdings available on the internet. Creation of the technical infrastructure for the project proceeded with funding from a competitive Texas Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund grant.

The Portal to Texas History currently hosts content from twenty-five collaborative partners, such as the Dallas Historical Society, the University of Houston, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, and many others. Through recently funded grants, the Portal will be adding materials from twenty new partners in the next two years. The Portal currently hosts over 46,000 pages of primary source materials, and this amount will exceed 100,000 by the end of 2006.

Portal Mission Statement
The Portal to Texas History offers students and lifelong learners a digital gateway to the rich collections held in Texas libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and private collections. The Portal team at the University of North Texas will provide strong leadership by supporting collaborative efforts with its partners, while pursuing the goals of accessibility, best practices, and preservation of historical material.

Portal Highlights for March 2006. Resources on the Portal to Texas History. The Portal currently hosts over 46,000 pages of primary sources, and will exceed 100,000 pages of content by the end of 2006. All of the materials are freely accessible via the internet, and include books, maps, letters, diaries, and photographs. Materials in the spotlight this month include:

Maps. Map of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway. Published by Rand McNally & Co. around 1877, this map includes train schedules and advertisements. ““How’s Your Health?” If not very good, why not take a trip down through the wonderful Indian Territory over the picturesque Mo., Kan. & Tex. R’y, enter Texas at Denison, and then passing on down through the wonderful cotton fields and stock ranches, visit the beautiful and historical city of San Antonio, the oldest, healthiest and most beautiful city on the Continent, being to this country what Nice is to Europe, the place of resort for all failing in health. Consumption, Asthma and Rheumatism never originate, and, if not too far advanced, a residence will cure these maladies. In a population of 20,000, the death rate last year was only twelve in 1,000, smaller than in any other city in the world.” http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-2440

Books. Rangers and Sovereignty, written by Texas Ranger Dan W. Roberts, and published in 1914. Captain Roberts listed two reasons for writing this memoir. First, he wanted to record the accomplishments of his command, Texas Ranger Company ‘D’ of the Frontier Battalion. Second, his friends in his company had pestered him to write a true account of their actions, illustrating the needs of the service, their performance of duty, and their part in ending the “Indian problem” plaguing Texas. He proudly stated that “our little part is richly treasured in the archives of our ‘native health’ –Texas. Our sorrows are there also, in many a grave not even marked by human hands.” http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-5833

Photographs. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Collection comes to us from the Dallas Historical Society, and this fascinating photo collection features over 650 images that document lock and dam projects throughout Texas in the 1910-1920s. View photos of construction on the Trinity River, Brazos River, Sabine-Neches Canal, and Caddo River, as well as photographs of the sinking of the snag-boat Trinity on February 13, 1910. http://texashistory.unt.edu/browse/collection/ACE/

Eagle and the Snake: Songs - Brian Burns

The Eagle and the Snake: Songs of the Texians.

[musical CD]. By Brian Burns. Palo Pinto Records, 2001-2003. http://www.palodurorecords.com/

Brian Burns expresses some of his favorite Texas culture in his 2003 released album entitled “The Eagles and The Snakes: Songs of the Texians.” The album’s theme is unique in that it unites all Texans in a special chronology including the days our first humans (“Man Walks Among Us”), the times of Mexican Coahuila, the Republic, as well as, Texas today and tomorrow (“The Last Living Cowboy”). This personal Texas musical anthology of ballads, love songs, and a little humor as well, has 15 tracks, 6 of which are by Brian Burns. Lyrics printed as notes are included to deepen your digestion of the grass-roots flavor cultivated by this colorful collection of Texana music. Rev: Morgan Howard, morganhoward03@aggienetwork.com. CD provided by our Florida readers at http://www.danspawn.com/ in Panama City.

Texas Navy

Texas Navy Association

http://www.texasnavy.com/index.html

Yes, Virginia, Texas does have a navy, actually its third and now honorary, formed 1958 at the direction of Governor Daniels. The over two dozen components of the page include original documents (1830s onward), articles, archeological reports, association news, a bibliography, glossary, and frequent colorful illustrations (some animated). Includes interest in modern ships with Texas connections. Details are its delight; even the burgees of the first two navies are illustrated. Commendable design, easy to navigate, and ship-shape workmanship. Member of The Texian Web.

For the landlubbing youngsters, this may be a surprizing element to inject into the usual terrrestial discussion of the Revolution. - WH

Texas Day by Day - TSHA

Texas State Historical Association historical “Texas Day by Day”
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/daybyday/index.html
You can subscribe to this free, daily email capsule of Texas history. Each day, four or so events are selected from the centuries and a summary of each is written in a few lines. Each summary is accompanied by a few Handbook of Texas Online article hotlinks. The archive option enables you to check your birthday or any other day of interest.
The daily postings may be useful to print out (in enlarged size) for visual postings in a classroom, adding an element of change with continuity within the classroom management techniques. Maybe have the kids search the database for their birthdays. - WH

Houston Review of History and Culture

The Houston Review of History and Culture
(new series: vol. 3, no. 1, Fall 2005). http://www.class.uh.edu/TheHoustonReview

The revival of this journal / magazine is a patent success. Joe Pratt at the University of Houston has guided its transformation from its previous incarnation through a change of title (formerly The Houston Review: History and Culture of the Gulf Coast now as above ), publisher (formerly Houston Public Library Board, now UH’s Center for Public History), periodicity (formerly 3 issues a year , now semi-annually), illustrative matter (formerly few, now many ), size (formerly 6”x 9”, now 8 ½” x 11”), and authorship (formerly many institutional employees, now more general historical public and researchers), and issue focus (formerly articles on diverse topics, now each issue has a theme).
Previous issues covered Women in Houston History, Civic Leadership in Houston, the Texas Medical Center, Houston Remembers World War II, Coming to Houston, and projected issues will cover Historic Preservation, East Texas and the Law, the Arts in Houston, and Building Houston.
The current issue on “Coming to Houston” collects nine articles and several sidebars on European, Jewish, Latino, Vietnamese, and Black immigration to Houston by several authors.
An admirable subscription for all public and academic libraries and most high school libraries in southeast Texas, as well as medium to large public and academic libraries throughout Texas. Very good for business reception offices. Old timers, students, and newcomers with interest in history or Houston will find the price attractive at $10 (student), $15 (individual), and $25 (institution).
Abstracted and indexed: Historical Abstracts and America: History and Life.
The price is very attractive and the quality is high. High schools and some middle schools will find it suitable