Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-13
CONTEST DIGS
UP HISTORYOF
EARLY Times
Many Essays Submit
ted In Competition
For Prizes Offered
By Federated Clubs

The historical contest sponsored BY
the Rio Grande Valley Federation Of
Women's clubs, has brought to light
a quantity Of heretofore u~ndiscover-
ed historical material Of the Valley,
according to Mrs. +. Owen Scott,
chairman Of the committee.
The contest, which was started Feb.
l and which closed May /, resulted in
a number Of historical essays being
submitted from the counties embraced
in the lower Valley. High school and
junior high school students, between
ages of ~ and 81 were eligible and
the essays were judged, individually,
by a committee composed Of members
OF federated clubs in the different
Valley towns.
The English and history teachers in
the Valley schools supervised the
work and certified to the eligibility
Of each contestant. No essays here
tofore published were considered. The
maximum length for stories was 1900
words under the ruling of the his
torical committee, which provided a
set Of rules. This committee was
composed Of Mrs. r. Owen Scott. Rio
Grande City, and Mrs. W. A. Wright,
Donna.
Content Judged
The content of the story was given
greater consideration than form, al
though the judges reported that the
grammar. English and spelling were
exceptionally good. The greatest
number Of points was given for re-
search Of the student in securing ma
terial for the essay, such as the read
ing Of old records, Spanish transla-
tions, etc.
II was noted with interest that
much of the material obtained was Sc
cured through interviews with per-
sons approaching the century mark in
years, A complete photography was
required, and the source Of the data
is one Of the interesting features Of
the papers. Credit was given to many
old settlers for historical tales, hand
ed down for generations in pioneer
families Of the border.
Through the medium Of the press,
the announcement of the contest
reached many parts of the state, and
historical stories were sent in by a
number CT descendants OF famous
Texas people. b. III. Erskine, Crys-
tai City, sent the history chairman
excerpts Of letters written by his
father, Andrew Erskine, in 1859, while
he was stationed TO capture Juan
Cortina, the notorious bandit and
outlaw.
Starr County Represented
Indian legends, filled with anthem
tic names OF persons and communities
where the Comanche and other Indian
tribes have left their mark, form an
interesting collection of essays. Even
Cameron. the hero of the Mier ex-
petition was one subject chos n; the
story OF the old villa Of Raymond
vile, interesting days on the San
Juan plantation, histories of Fort
Brown and Fort Ringgold are in con-
trast 10 a story of more recent date,
THE Last Days Of Sam F~ordyce."
Rio Grande City and Starr county
were covered in a series of thirteen
essays submitted from Roma, Las
Saenz and Rio Grande schools. Events
and history Of Rio Grande City, the
establishment Of the old fort, politi-
cal campaigns, Indian depredations,
and a detailed history of the organ
ization Of the Catholic church, are
included in this group.
Two cash prizes of $40 were offer
ed to winners Of first place in the
senior and junior groups. r. B.
Creager, Brownsville, was donor Of
the senior prize and John II. Shary,
Mission, donor of the junior prize.
The winners of the first five places
in each group are to have their
stories published in Valley newspa-
pers.
To Continue Contest
The original manuscripts become
the property Of the Valley Federation
and will be placed in the files Of the
historical committee, together with
material already collected.
Upon recommendation of the his
tory chairman, the contest will be
continued next year, but will be open
to members Of the federated clubs as
we'll as school students, and toward
this end. a new classification will be
provided. No prizes will be award
cd unless a minimum number OF
thirty essays is submitted.
Announcement of the winners OF
the senior section was made at the
semi-annual meeting Of the Valley
Federation, May s, in Harlingen.
These were:
First place-Librado Cara, Rio
Grande City, "Some Interesting Leg
ends Of Rio Grande City"
Second-Julia Vela, Rio Grande
City, "Some Interesting Events in
the History Of Rio Grande City"
Tkird-Rachael Doan. San Benito,
"Last Days Of Sam Fordyce."
Fourth-Celia Perez, Rio Grande
City, political Campaigns of Starr
County"
Fifth-Teodora Carrera. Rio Grande