, 1935-03-17
Organization of Clubs In
Valley to Record Colo1ul
History Is Being Stressed

tons.
1t Is not easy to keep the records
straight, for oftentimes people I'M
Intentionally and unwittingly &C
tually change history. Inaccurate
records are made Of various events
by people who have the best inten-
lions in the world. but who have
been given the wrong information
and wrong impression as 70 various
events. Their articles are good but
inaccurate. These may be retained
in memory or on file and the au-
thentic data Is either never record
ed or the corrections r not made
and kept at the time. The chron-
icling OF events goes down through
the pages OF history, not as they
actually happened, but as some
person years later thought that
they happened, or. If they gave way
to their imagination and, with q
thought Of their appreciative pub
lie. might improve the true report
and write 1t as they thought 1t
should have occurred. but didn't.
II takes a good deal OF research
and effort TO go into a community
years after events have taken place
and write accurately Of them. For
this reason, history Is often COM
m~ercialized and 1t develops that
the real founders are overlooked
and many OF little importance in
the building Of the towns for a
certain price 90 down in the records
as the Pioneers. while the real
developers. being unasSuming. are
often overlooked Internationally
and neglected. This could be, and
Is, true in any community.
We in the Valley are a part OF
the Last Frontier: our early his
tory is colorful, thrilling. and *
citing. but few have the privilege
Ct knowing detailed accounts OF
the early days. We should make
every effort TO get IS much anthem
tic data as possible and put IL or
record in each county, with no
thought Of commercializlng II but
the benefit OF the public and those
interested in true historical events.
This may have been done IN some
places but If 1t has. 1t Is not gen.
orally known TO the public.
The active interest Of u pres
ent generation and the building Of
the majority of the Valley towns
dates back twenty-five years or
less. Even during that short period.
lew towns have accurate history OF
the first events. II is my hope that
every town in the Valley will have
some sort of local history written
BY the people who were here when
the events took place, recorded and
placed on file for the public.
Mission has had a Pioneer Club
FOR more than a year. Anyone liv-
ing in the Mission community dur
ing 1914 or before is eligible TO be-
come a member. Meetings are held
three times a year, and the social
contacts r greatly enjoyed. Roll
call shows that 1853 have attended
at least one or more meetings and
as Secretary-Historian, I have en-
deavored 10 get various members TO
write Of the early industries and
events, and I have kept a careful
record OF such reports. This way
We have accurate data and a per-
sonal human = interest story that
could not be obtained otherwise. We
also have missionaries that. when
filled out. give correct dates and a
chronicling Of events as well as
humor.
McAllen has formed an Histor-
zeal Club and ! urge that each town
lose no time in having such an
organization. for this is something
that takes time and cannot be done
in a few days. I shall be glad to
give more detailed information a.
10 Missions plan. or any that might
appeal to the local people could be
carried out. The big things is TO
have some sort Of local historical
recording on file.
After such local organizations are
formed, they could be affiliated
with the Texas Historical and Land
marks Association and receive the
benefits OF that organization as well
as assist them IN carrying out their
work in the State and Valley.