TEXAS ~----------------------------~
PASSAGES
The University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio
Winter 1986 Vol. 1, No.1
From Happenings to Passages
Letter written by Sam Houston
to his daughter Nannie
Gravesite in Union Cemetery, Eastland, County
Fourth of July celebration, Karnes City, 1914
The names of institutional
newsletters usually cover a variety
of sins. The choosers of such names
must avoid things that offend their
readers, either by being too bland
and noncommittal or too esoteric.
Hence, if an association of spiders
decided to publish a newsletter, they
might choose 'The Spider Newslet­ter"
or 'Arachne;' but would more
likely descend upon something like
"The Spinner" - the assumption
being, of course, that readers would
immediately see the connection be­tween
spinning and spiders, and
proclaim the sagacity of the editors
in choosing such a clever name.
The Institute of Texan Cultures
is a grand name, but a little too long
to prefix to the blandness of "News­letter:'
Sometimes, too, the name
seems a bit esoteric; judging by the
number of times it is misspelled,
that may be the case. A name like
"Ethnologist" or "Cultural Advertis­er"
would not enlighten many read­ers
either. Above all, however, the
need here is to avoid suffixing some­thing
corny or pedestrian to the
name of the state.
These difficulties in the task of
naming, and our hope to win you
as readers of this newsletter, prompt
this slight offering of explanation for
our new title, Passages, and of its
future contents. It is, if you will,
a justification.
The celebrations and solemni­ties
which mark human existence
are passages - rites of passage, birth,
marriage, death. In a state like Texas,
where the variety of ethnic and reli­gious
traditions makes even broadly
human activities hard to compre­hend,
keeping track of rites of pas­sage
and the hundreds of other fes­tivities
and celebrations is a big job.
A pinata-breaking at a children's
birthday party, a wedding march in
a Cajun dance hall and a gravesite
in a Panhandle cemetery neatly
lined with clamshells all symbolize
the passages of lives. Celebrations
expand from individuals to families
and communities, and provide the
special times for commonality and
confrontation. Frontier days, EI
Cinco de Mayo and Juneteenth re­mind
us that not every image of
Label from recording made
in San Antonio during
the 1930's
Texas need come from a magazine
ad or television commercial.
The enormous amount of sheer
movement that characterizes Texas
history and culture flows into Pas­sages.
Passages are the actions of
travelers and the places they tread -
explorers of New Spain (who left us
names such as EI Paso), immigrants
crossing the Red River or landing at
Galveston, cowboys driving cattle
herds up the Chisholm Trail, mi­grant
workers threading their way
up from the Valley. Even the urban
commuters who may someday soon
ride bullet trains between Texas
cities and the tourists who scuttle
through massive airports are, in the
old phrase, "taking passage:'
The written and spoken word
forms other passages, in books, in­scriptions,
newspapers, letters, dia­ries,
sermons, speeches, legends.
Passages emerge, too, from music,
and from film and television. Every­day
scribblings and artistic expres­sions
gathered from one time and
place become historical evidence­or
accepted fictions - in another.
From the Chinese writer, circa 2200
Passages, cont. from pg. 1
B.C., whose work may describe West
Texas, to collections of La Llorona
legends, to phonographic recordings
of Lightnin' Hopkins and crisp tran­scriptions
of NASA astronaut ex­changes,
quoted passages echo from
document to history book, from
speech to disk, and back again.
Things - a carved cane, a bas­ket,
a quilt, a musical instrument­are
the final reminders of the pas­sage
of peoples, to be found and
handled, and to give tangible form
to memory. Everyday happenings
and once-in-a-lifetime spectacles
ultimately become passages: the
things that happen, pass, pass on.
Texans move through ritual, expres­sion,
things and events in passages.
As fieldworkers, archival re­searchers,
teachers and speakers,
Institute staff members and volun­teers
take passage around the state.
The things they discover in their
travels, upcoming Institute projects
and items of interest to many sorts
of Texans will appear in these pages,
occasionally supplemented by no­tices
of good reading (or viewing)
materials and articles from other
publications. A calendar listing of
Institute events will also appear.
2
So come, take passage with us!
-J.C.M.
Texas Passages is published
quarterly by The University of Texas
Institute of Texan Cultures at San
Antonio as an informational re­source
on subjects related to Texas
history and culture as well as current
issues affecting the state. Comments
and suggestions concerning the pub­lication
should be directed to the
Office of News and Information,
The Institute of Texan Cultures, P.o.
Box 1226, San Antonio, Texas 78294,
(512) 226-7651.
Editors: Jo Eckerman, Director of
News and Information
James C. McNutt, Director
of Research
Contributing Authors: Gerald E.
Poyo, Research Associate
David Haynes, Director of
Production
Antonio Rodriguez Mederos:
Early Texas Entrepreneur
and Politician
by Gerald E. Poyo
In 1731 Antonio Rodriguez Me­deros
at 18 years was the youngest
member of the cabildo (town coun­cil)
of the newly established Villa de
San Fernando, the present-day city
of San Antonio. A contemporary
document describes him as having
a "fair complexion, pitted with
small-pox, grey eyes, chestnut hair
and eyebrows, [and with a] mole on
the right cheek:' Rodriguez was
named mayordomo de los propios
(administrator of public lands), but
during the 1740's he rose to promi­nence
as procurador (town attor­ney),
alcalde (mayor/ judge) and
regidor decano (senior alderman) to
become an important and influential
official. Unlike most political figures
in the villa, Rodriguez used his pow­er
to promote a politically and eco­nomically
unified and integrated
community in San Antonio.
Rodriguez, his wife Josefa and
her parents, Manuel de Niz and
Sebastiana de la Pena, were among
a group of 56 Canary Islanders who
arrived at the presidio (military out­post)
of San Antonio de Bexar in
March 1731. They founded their
villa near the military garrison and
five mission establishments, and
joined in the effort to secure the
province for the Spanish crown.
As part of their agreement with
the king to settle in Texas, the Ca­nary
Islanders were granted the title
of hidalgos (nobles), received exclu­sive
control of the cabildo and
gained virtual monopoly over the
land and water rights in the area. In
addition, they brought with them
the attitude that as pure-blooded
Spaniards they were socially supe­rior
to the predominantly mestizo
(Spanish-Indian) population in the
presidial community. Predictably,
the original settlers who lost lands
and rights to the newcomers pro­tested
this usurpation. Conflict was
inevitable, and during the next 20
years, while the early settlers strug­gled
to obtain rights as legitimate
vecinos (citizens) of San Fernando,
the islenos slowly confronted the
political and economic realities of
the frontier. It was an arduous pro­cess
of community integration.
Rodriguez helped to further this
integration in a fashion which pro­duced
some direct results. As town
attorney and senior alderman dur­ing
the 1740's, he provided the pre­sidial
community with opportuni­ties
to present their grievances to
crown authorities in Mexico City.
But his actions alienated his col­leagues
on the cabildo, who for the
most part opposed giving up their
royally bestowed prerogatives. As
one of the legal documents in the
Bexar County Archives explains: "It
is true that the enmity which his
[Rodriguez's] fellow countrymen
have long harbored against him
originated with a petition which,
through the dictates of his con­science,
he presented ... in order
to put an end to the unjust litigations
which this villa had instituted
against the missions, the settlers,
and the captain of this jurisdiction:'
In 1750 Rodriguez was forced
from office and temporarily impris­oned.
He then retired from political
life and apparently lived out his
days as a vecino in San Antonio, but
by the time of his death (sometime
after 1762) Canary Islander institu­tional
privilege had eroded. A fron-
~
r f.:
,f
,,'6
/ :' .. t , ..... ...:.
tier elite continued to control the
cabildo and community economic
resources, but its membership was
no longer exclusively isleno nor
ethnically Spanish.
One might wonder why Rodri­guez
pursued goals in the cabildo
that led to his political demise. He
no doubt agreed with the racial
ideas of the day, but he understood
sooner than most of his compatriots
that their racial intolerance and mo­nopoly
of economic and political
power could not endure. Despite the
islenos' efforts to maintain their
social exclusiveness, they comprised
only 15 families, so intermarriage
with the presidial community was
frequent. Moreover, such a small
group could not hold off forever the
social and economic aspirations of
the larger community.
Unfortunately, few available
sou'rces shed light on Rodriguez's
personal philosophies, but sources
do suggest that he was sufficiently
shrewd to foresee personal economic
gains in the unfolding process of
community-wide political and eco­nomic
integration. His involvement
with the broader community began
soon after his arrival when he estab­lished
useful ties with the mission­aries.
An experienced acequiero
(irrigation-ditch digger) in the
Canary Islands, Rodriguez supple-
.,
' f'
JIL
'!b. . , .
rZ11 -
" .
' . ' . .. ~:1!,. , .
'4: ,_:11-. .
men ted his cane and corn growing
activities in the 1730's by directing
the construction of the Mission
Concepci6n irrigation ditch. He later
helped in other acequia projects, and
evidence suggests he may also have
supervised a number of construction
jobs at the missions.
Rodriguez also realized very
quickly that agriculture in colonial
Texas could never be more than a
subsistence endeavor. Some Canary
Islanders, coming to a similar reali­zation,
became presidial soldiers,
merchants and ranchers, but Rodri­guez
turned to what today we know
as real estate development. Scattered
land records in the Bexar County
Archives reveal that between 1737
and 1749 the enterprising isleno was
involved in 11 land transactions,
probably only a fraction of the total.
What exactly he was doing is not
clear, but land speculation seems to
have been one of his primary eco­nomic
activities.
, Moreover, by 1750 he had built
some 14 houses in the villa, and it
appears that besides constructing
the homes of most of his country­men,
Rodriguez was the primary
builder for the presidial community.
As one official noted, "The stone for
them was transported by his mozos
(employees) and carretas (carts); and
Rodriguez has even participated
This map of Bexar, reconstructed
from the original documents by John
0. Leal, Bexar County archivist: and
drawn by San Antonio artist Julian
C. Mungia, shows the presidio and
villa between the San Antonio River
and San Pedro Creek. The town was
built in customary Spanish fashion
around a main plaza (Plaza de las
Islas). Structures included the San
Fernando Church, the Casas Reales
(government houses), the jail and
homes of the original vecinos. A
grain market building (designated
Custom House on the map) was
envisioned but never built. Original
homesites were assigned by the
presidio captain, Juan Antonio Perez
de Almazan. In later years a home
on the main plaza was an indication
of social status in the community.
personally in their construction,
since he has not permitted his pride
as senior regidor to prevent his
taking up the trowel in his work
many times:'
Clearly Rodriguez established
good relations with the broader
community during the 1730's. By the
time he became senior regidor in
1744 these ties were important
enough to him economically - and
perhaps morally - that he facilitated
the presentation of grievances by
missionaries and the presidial com­munity
aimed at securing for them­selves
equal economic and political
rights in San Antonio. By the end
of the century the Bexar elite in­cluded
both islenos and members of
the presidial community. Perhaps
Rodriguez merely facilitated an
inevitable process of Islander and
presidial integration in Bexar, but
his story adds an important bio­graphical
dimension to the dynamics
of that process.
Gerald E. Poyo is a research associate at The
Institute of Texan Cultures. The research for this
essay is part of an ongoing Institute project on
the social and economic history of Spanish Texas
(1718-1821) being conducted by the author and
Professor Gilberto Hinojosa of The University of
Texas at San Antonio. Thanks are in order to
Richard Garay and John Leal who helped identi­fy
materials on Rodriguez Mederos.
3
Texas Women Take to the Air
The day the first airplane lifted
off the ground and rose toward the
heavens was more than a moment
in technological history - it fulfilled
centuries of human desire to reach
out and touch the sky. It was a
miracle, a dream come true, and the
world reveled in the discovery that
man could fly. Woman, however,
was an altogether different matter.
In the early days of aviation
flying was a risky business. A cer­tain
mystique surrounded the men
who flew the rickety machines. The
public idolized them and endowed
them with superhuman measures of
courage, fortitude and tenacity,
tinged with a hint of recklessness
and an affinity for adventure, all of
which blended together to form an
image roughly akin to a turn-of-the­century
Indiana Jones-not exactly
the stuff of which proper young
ladies were made.
Flying an airplane was simply
not a socially acceptable thing for
women in the early 1900's to do.
And, according to most male pilots
of the day, they lacked the ability
anyway. In their estimation women
weren't strong, smart or mentally
stable enough to do the job. But
worst of all, women possessed little
or no "air sense;' which Joseph Corn
describes in The Winged Gospel as
"that indefinable something alleged­ly
needed for successful piloting:'
Obviously, moving over to make a
place on their pedestal for women
was not something male pilots were
eager to do.
For some women, that didn't
matter. They wanted to fly, and they
were determined to learn. The
strength of their commitment shines
through in a passage from Aviatrix
4
by J 0 Eckerman
by Elinor Smith, a popular pilot in
the 1930's. As she reminisces about
the days when she dreamed of be­coming
a pilot, she recalls her moth­er's
emphatic words of encourage­ment,
"Be like the U.S. mail. Don't
let rain, sleet, or storm deter you
because you're a girl. If flying air­planes
is what you really want to do,
forget your sex and get on with it!"
Despite the odds against them,
several Texas women decided to do
just that. They took to the air to
prove to themselves and the world
that women could fly.
Two of Texas's best-known fe­male
pilots were the Stinson sisters,
Katherine and Marjorie. Originally
from Mississippi, the Stinson family
moved to San Antonio just before
World War I and organized the
Stinson School of Flying in 1915.
Marjorie, who gained distinction as
... the world reveled in the
discovery that man could
fly. Woman, however,
was an altogether
different matter.
the youngest woman pilot when she
earned her license in 1914, served as
instructor for the school and taught
more than 100 Canadian and Amer­ican
men to fly. Known as the "flying
schoolmarm;' Marjorie was consid­ered
one of the best flight instructors
in the country.
Katherine Stinson, dubbed the
"flying schoolgirl" because of her
petite build and youthful enthusi­asm,
pursued a more flamboyant
career as a stunt flier. Katherine
obtained her license in 1912 and
began flying in air shows as a way
to earn enough money to study
music in Europe, but her love of
flying soon overshadowed her musi­cal
interests. Before tuberculosis
ended her flying career, Katherine
gained notoriety with her numerous
"firsts:' Among them were: the first
woman to loop-the-Ioop, the first
woman to fly the U.S. mail and
history's first skywriter.
Like Katherine Stinson, Bessie
Coleman joined the air show circuit
as a way to earn money towards
achieving a different goal. Bessie
was the first black woman from the
U.S. to receive a pilot's license, but
obtaining it was an arduous process.
Breaking into the field of aviation
was difficult for any woman, but
practically impossible for Bessie. No
flying school in the country would
accept her, and she was forced to go
to France for training.
When she returned in 1921,
Bessie set out to, as she described it,
"give a little coloring" to aviation and
obtain the necessary capital to open
her own flying school. In this way
she hoped to help other blacks over­come
the prejudices and hardships
she had experienced. Unfortunately,
Bessie died in a tragic air accident
on April 30, 1927, before her dream
could be realized.
In addition to those who made
a career of flying, some women were
attracted to aviation for the sheer
fun of it. Among them was Retha
McCulloh, a schoolteacher in Beau­mont.
After only one flight with a
barnstormer, Retha knew flying was
for her. At first the school board
frowned upon the idea - they
thought it quite unbecoming for a
Nothing impresses the safety of aviation on the
public quite so much as to see a woman flying
an airplane. If a woman can handle it, the
public thinks it must be duck soup for men.
Bessie Coleman, 1921
Be like the U.S. mail. Don't let rain, sleet, or
storm deter you because youre a girl. If
flying airplanes is what you really want to
do, forget your sex and get on with it!
Marjorie Stinson being sworn in as a mail carrier in 1915
teacher to be taking flying lessons.
Eventually they gave in, however,
and in 1929 Retha became the first
Texas woman to receive an Ameri­can-
issued pilot's license.
Women like Katherine, Marjo­rie,
Bessie and Retha contributed
greatly to the growth and develop­ment
of aviation through their
active participation in the field.
Perhaps most important was their
influence on the transformation of
flying from a novelty into a com­monplace,
accepted part of life.
By the very nature of the ster­eotypes
society placed upon them,
women domesticated the air in a
way that men never could. While
the intrepid aviator image fueled the
public's enthusiasm with the ro­mance
of flying, it did little to con­vince
them that going up in an
airplane was something they should
risk their lives to experience. The
involvement of women, on the other
hand, took the mystery and fear out
of flying and made it conceivable.
For the most part the public
attitude was that if women could do
it, flying couldn't possibly be as
difficult or dangerous as previously
thought. Pilot Louise Thaden once
remarked, "Nothing impresses the
safety of aviation on the public quite
so much as to see a woman flying
an airplane. If a woman can handle
it, the public thinks it must be duck
soup for men:'
Women pilots were the best
form of advertisement the fledgling
field of aviation could have hoped
for. They made flying look easy. In
light of the obstacles that stood in
the way of achieving their goal,
flying probably was the easiest part
of being a female pilot. Through
their courage, determination and
struggle to confront the challenges
of venturing into a traditionally
masculine domain, women pilots
helped make aviation the integral
part of our culture that it is today.
}o Eckerman is director of News and Infor­mation
for The Institute.
5
Passing Images: Photographs and History ----
Photography is a striking tech­nological
success story. First devel­oped
in late 1839, by the mid-1840's
it was being practiced almost every­where
in Europe and America. It is
hard to realize today what difference
this new invention made for every­day
people. Only the rich could af­ford
to pay an artist to paint or draw
a loved one. Suddenly, everyone
could afford to sit for a portrait.
And everybody did. It has been esti­mated
that each year of the mid-
1850's ten percent of the population
of the United States had a portrait
by David Haynes
and supplies to the Confederates in
1861. Some evidence indicates that
they were both done by the same
firm - DeRyee and Iwonski. If you
saw only the drawing, you could
reasonably assume that the people
participating in the action felt very
patriotic about it- just look at all
the flags. The photograph, however,
fails to show any flags. Of course,
the flags could have been out before
or after the photo was taken, but
probably there were never any flags
on the plaza that day. A historian
interested in some physical detail-
In addition to examining details
shown in photographs, it is also
possible to gather evidence about
patterns of human behavior. Sup­pose
you wanted to know how the
typical Texas urban dweller of 1890
dressed on the street. Did men wear
suits and women hats and gloves?
How would you gather evidence to
find an answer? You would, of
course, read diaries and newspaper
accounts from the period, looking
for statements about dress. You
might even find some illustrations
showing people on the street. But
Drawing depicting the surrender of federal troops at Main
Plaza in San Antonio
Photograph of the surrender (photo courtesy of the DRT Library)
made. And photography's popu­larity
has not waned. This year the
estimate is that three billion photo­graphs
will be made by a worldwide
population of five billion.
The popularity of photography
has also produced a windfall of
historical information. A great num­ber
of the photographs made over
the last 140 years or so still exist.
This is indeed fortunate for people
who are interested in understanding
and interpreting the past. Pictures
show us how people and things
appeared in a particular place at a
particular time.
Look at these two reproduc­tions
from The Institute's files show­ing
Main Plaza in San Antonio, for
instance. One is a photograph, the
other a drawing. Both purport to
show the surrender of Federal troops
6
Street scene of Public Day in Bonham, Texas
guns or hats - could enlarge por­tions
of the photograph to take a
closer look. Doing the same thing
to the drawing would not be as
useful as the artist may not have
drawn these details accurately.
these pieces of evidence would
involve few people at best. This
photograph and others like it show
us what people actually wore.
Historic photographs offer us
evidence and insights into the past
that are obtainable in no other way.
That is the best reason for us to col­lect,
preserve and make available as
many of these priceless documents
as possible. The Institute's historic
photo collection, described in the
adjoining article, is one of several
large, comprehensive image reposi­tories
in the state that are being used
more and more to help all of us
know and understand the past.
David Haynes is director of Production for The
Institute and previously worked with the photog­raphy
collections at The Humanities Research
Center, The University of Texas at Austin.
Historic Photos at
The Institute
The Institute Library main­tains
a collection of more than
100,000 photographs, drawings
and illustrations pertaining to
Texas history and culture. Accord­ing
to Tom Shelton, photo librar­ian,
the majority of these have
been gathered in relation to The
Institute's on-going research
program. In addition, a large
number of photos depicting peo­ple
and events in San Antonio
during the 1920's and 1930's are
from a collection donated by the
San Antonio Light newspaper.
Tom receives an average of
three to four inquiries a day from
historians researching various top­ics,
teachers and students seeking
assistance with school projects,
publishers searching for book
illustrations and even restaurants
looking for photos to enhance
their decor. Many requests come
from people who want to order
copies of images which appear on
The Institute's exhibit floor.
The collection's popularity
stems from its variety, extensive
cataloging system and reasonable
f~. Arranged by subject matter,
ethnic group and date, files include
descriptions of the item, informa­tion
about the source and any re­strictions
regarding its use. Also
available is a contact print file
which allows users to view the
actual image. Prints can be or­dered
in various sizes and formats
with prices ranging from $4 for an
8" x 10" to $21 for a 24" x 30"; sales
tax and any fees for postage and
handling are additional.
For more information about
the photograph collection, contact
Tom Shelton at the Library, The
Institute of Texan Cultures, p.o.
Box 1226, San Antonio, Texas
78294, (512) 226-7651.
~. 'lJnilmitrofrcw ~ p "" ,. '¥O nstttuto Texan iufiures
aJ Sany tnumw
Traveling Exhibits
Traveling exhibits are designed by The Institute of Texan Cultures so that all Texans
can enjoy learning about the state's ethnic heritage. The exhibits can be found at schools,
businesses, libraries, shopping malis, museums and other public buildings throughout the
state. The following list will help you locate the Institute exhibit on display near you.
JANUARY
Through January 6: CLEBURNE/ First National Bank, To Stand Alone: A Gallery of
Texas Originals.
Through January IS: EDNA/ Texana Museum, Children of Many Lands Came to
Texas.
January 1-31: BEAUMONT/ Beaumont Heritage Society, Texas Women: A Celebration
of History.
January 1-31: BIG SPRING/ Heritage Museum, A Festival of Pinatas.
January 1-31: HARLINGEN/ Harlingen Public Library, El Vaquero: Genesis del
Cowboy Texano.
January 1-31: HUNTSVILLE/ Huntsville State Bank, Ranch Women: Roles, Images,
Possibilities.
January 1-31: HURST/ Hurst Public Librar , Texas Ima es.
anuary 1-3 : / as a mas opping Ma , El Vaquero: Genesis del
Cowboy Texano.
January 1-31: SHERMAN/Austin College, Ranch Women: Roles, Images, Possibilities.
January 1-31: TEXAS CITY/ Moore Memorial Library, Texas Women: A Celebration of
History (An Overview).
January 6-February 6: MISSION/ Pearson Elementary School, Archeology in Texas.
January 13-February 13: DALLAS/Arch McCulloch Middle School, Treasure, People,
Ships and Dreams.
January IS-February IS: ROUND ROCK/ Robertson Elementary School, The Texas
Rangers.
January IS-February IS: SAN ANTONIO/ The University of Texas at San Antonio,
Scholars, Scoundrels and Schoolteachers: Education in Texas.
January IS-February IS: TERRELL/Terrell Public Library, To Stand Alone: A Gallery
of Texas Originals.
January IS-March 31: EL PASO/ Ysleta I.5.D., Children of Many Lands Came to Texas.
January 17-February 28: PUEBLO, COLORADO/Sangre de Cristo Art Center, A
Festival of Pinatas and Mexican Folk Toys.
January 24-February 24: AUSTIN/ Travis Heights Elementary School, Children of
Many Lands Came to Texas .
January 27-February 21: PLANO/ Collin Creek Mall, Texas Images.
fEBRUARy
February 1-28: EDNA/ Texana Museum, Afro-American Texans.
February 1-28: TEXARKANA/ Texarkana High School, Afro-American Texans.
February 1-28: TYLER/ Tyler Public Library, Afro-American Texans.
February IS-March IS: BROWNSVILLE/ Kendrick Memorial Library, El Vaquero:
Genesis del Cowboy Texano.
February 20-March 20: LAMPASAS/ Lampasas County Museum, Texas Women: A
Celebration of History (An Overview).
MARCH
March 1-31: CYPRESS/ Cypress N.W. Library, A Festival of Pinatas and Treasure,
People, Ships and Dreams.
March 1-31: HOUSTON/ Foley's, Ranch Women: Roles, Images, Possibilities and The
Texas Rangers.
March 1-31: HOUSTON/ Holbrook Elementary School, Children of Many Lands Came
to Texas.
March 1-31: HUNTSVILLE/ Huntsville State Bank, El Vaquero: Genesis del Cowboy
Texano.
March 1-31: PORT ARTHUR/ Port Arthur Library, Texas Women: A Celebration of
History.
March 1-31: TEXAS CITY/ Moore Memorial Library, War.; on Texas Soil.
March 1-31: TYLER/ Tyler Public Library, Ranch Women: Roles, Images and
Possibilities.
March 1-31: TYLER/ The University of Texas at Tyler Library, Archeology in Texas and
The Texas Rangers.
March 1-31: WEIMAR/ Hill Bank and Trust Company, Treasure, People, Ships and
Dreams.
March I-April 30: FORT WORTH/ Fort Worth Public Library, To Stand Alone: A
Gallery of Texas Originals.
March I-April 30: HOUSTON/ Foley's, Texas Images.
March 10-April 10: BEAUMONT/ Westbrook Senior High Library, Afro-American
Texans.
March IS-April IS: HURST/ Hurst Public Library, Mexican Folk Toys.
7
January
Through June 8: Reach for the Sky: Aviation
in Texas -This is a major exhibit tracing
the soaring growth of aviation in Texas
from the first awkward attempts to get
off the ground to the technological
wonders of the space age and beyond.
The story of aviation in Texas is an
intriguing and colorful one based on
dreams and myths, invention and real­ity.
Reach for the Sky is made possible
by a grant from Southwest Airlines.
January 12: I1l Fly Away: Images of Avia­tion-
Held in conjunction with Reach
for the Sky, this special program high­lights
the many ways aviation is re­flected
in our culture.
2-5 p.m., Lower Gallery: Aircraft
Heraldry - Creating nose art, a spe­cial
activity for children.
2:30 p.m., Dome Theater: The Cul­ture
of Flying-A discussion by
Roger Bilstein, co-author of Avia­tion
in Texas, published by Texas
Monthly Press and The Institute.
February
Through June 8: Reach for the Sky: Aviation
in Texas
February I-March 9: Black Wings: Ameri­can
Blacks in Aviation-Produced by
the Smithsonian Institution's National
Air and Space Museum, this exhibit
highlights the role of blacks in aviation,
The University of Texas
Institute of Texan Cultures
at San Antonio
P.O. Box 1226
San Antonio, Texas 78294
Calendar of Events
from Eugene Bullard, the world's first
black combat pilot, to the blacks who
have made recent breakthroughs in
commercial aviation.
February 2, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Alamo Wing of
the Confederate Air Force - During this
special program club members discuss
and display photos and artifacts.
February 4-March 2: Forgotten Dignity­Sponsored
by the James G. Gee Library
and the Department of History at East
Texas State University, this exhibit in­cludes
50 photos, snapshots, and studio
portraits of blacks in Bonham, Texas.
February 16, 2-5 p.m., Dome Theater: At
Home in the Sky: The People Who
Fly - Held in conjunction with Reach
for the Sky, this program features a
special activity for children based on
flight skills and coordination tests. Also
included are continuous showings of the
movie, The Flying Cadets, filmed at
Brooks Air Force Base in 1929.
March
Through June 8: Reach for the Sky: Aviation
in Texas
Through March 2: Forgotten Dignity
Through March 9: Black Wings: American
Blacks in Aviation
March 11-June 8: Lunar Landing Module­This
display includes a one-third scale
model of the lunar module used in the
Apollo space program from 1969-1972.
March 15, 11 p.m., KSAT-TV Channel 4:
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying
Machines -This special airing of the
1965 film depicting an air race from
London to Paris in 1910, is co-sponsored
by The Institute and KSAT-fY. Featur­ing
Stuart Whitman, Terry Thomas,
Robert Morley, Sarah Miles and Benny
Hill, the film offers a comical slice of
aviation history.
March 16, 2-5 p.m.: Those Magnificent Fly­ing
Machines-Outdoor activities in­cluding
a frisbee toss, making and flying
kites, and measuring the displacement
of a balloon filled with helium highlight
this program focusing on the principles
of aerodynamics.
On-Going Activities
Saturday-Sunday: History Mystery! - With
"navigator maps" in hand, visitors be­tween
the ages of 6 and 12 can wing
their way through the aviation exhibit
and discover clues to artifacts.
Tuesday-Sunday: Texans Take to the Air: A
GTT Special Report - Children can
learn about the history of aviation in
Texas through the fun and magic of
puppets at the Gone to Texas Puppet
Theater. Call The Institute for details
and show times.
These events and exhibits are subject to
change.
Nonprofit Organization
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
San Antonio, Texas
Permit No. 364