CHC Game Changers--Education

County Historical Commission (CHC) game changers are high-performing organizations who change the way CHCs and preservation are valued. These 2013 CHC annual reporting excerpts demonstrate show CHCs who understand the importance of expanding their knowledge of local and state history and providing opportunities to share that information with the public.

Atascosa CHC: A stronger effort was made to promote the history of the Battle of Medina with an increased number of speakers for the symposium. On August 17, some 200 attended, including college professors, historians, interested history-minded citizens, took part in the largest symposium to date. THC military historian, William McWhorter spoke. There was much discussion on the role of the Spanish army. The Atascosa County Historical Commission created and promoted a poster from artwork done by a local 8th grader. Copies of the poster were produced and sold, with proceeds of the sale put into a scholarship fund for this student. Several art and history teachers and students were involved. A number of school children attended this event. On the morning of August 18th, near the original battle site, relatives and members of lineal organizations and visitors, attended a dedication ceremony to all those who died in the battle. Following was the presentation of arms, the firing of muskets, and the playing of taps by soldiers dressed in uniforms of their following, be it Royalist or Republican. Some 75-100 attended the morning service. With continued effort to promote this history in the local schools, and with the partnership of the local schools, this could become a great teaching opportunity.

Brewster CHC: We continue to support the youth of our area through the History Fair sponsored at Sul Ross State University. We believe that the youth must be encouraged to know their history and preserve historic sites, buildings, and events. With the high volume of families moving into the area, very few students know about the history of our county. This History Fair allows the middle and high school students to develop and present research reports, history exhibits, and other projects. Our CHC supports this activity with monetary donations as well as volunteer services. Our CHC appointees visit with students about possible research topics and reference material locations, which are critical to the success of their project. We encourage our students to participate and produce a quality presentation with a medal or small cash reward. The CHC began supporting this program years ago with a grant to the local school and it has been a Brewster CHC priority ever since. 

El Paso CHC: In an effort to bolster outreach to the populace of our county, the El Paso CHC coordinated with several groups and sponsored the first El Paso Heritage Summit which was heavily advertised in all forms of media. The event lasted for five hours and drew more than 400 people plus eighteen exhibitors from the various sites in the county. We held a “round table” discussion the results of which was a listing of sites that the attendee’s prioritized by voting for them. We then staged group discussions on the top ten vote getters to make suggestions on how to promote each of these. The entire event was simulcast on line as it progressed. Because of the great success we experienced, the 2014 Summit has garnered a new co-sponsor, the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau. They are not only joining us as a major sponsor, but are also supplying four of the large conference rooms, tables and chairs this year at the Judson Williams Convention Center.

Nacogdoches CHC: The Nacogdoches County Historical Commission (NCHC) worked during 2013 to expand and diversify its efforts by supporting several African American historical projects. The Chair of the NCHC met with a family historian, Archie Rison, and members of a church in the Center Point community to engage in a much needed clean up at the nearby African American Moss Cemetery during June. Then the Chair and Mr. Rison hacked their way into deep woods to discover the 1850’s homesite of their respective great-great-grandfathers, Rueben Mast and his slave, Charley Mast. This emerging collaborative genealogical, historical and archeological project between members of two descendent communities promises to be a unique and insightful study. Members of the NCHC met with researchers from Stephen F. Austin State University and the local community to obtain oral histories regarding the African American Little Creek Community, now a City of Nacogdoches park. Members of the NCHC helped with a Boy Scout William T. Hornaday Award Project in May at the homesite of Raphael D’Ortolan (1788-1838), an important early African Creole freedman who lived on a Spanish rancho for over forty years and died in the Cordova Revolt. With support from NCHC members, Dr. Ken Brown, a leading expert in African American archeology from the University of Houston, came to Nacogdoches in December to present a paper to the public dealing with West African cosmology in African American cultural history.

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