Email-Stories-From-Lanier-Alumni.Pdf
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1 Foreword Lanier High School, “The Pride of the West Side” has been situated in the middle of the West Side of San Antonio and had been one of the first school catered to the mostly Hispanic people living there. Many men and women graduated from there with low expectation of becoming part of the American Dream. However, there were many who rose to the challenge and became part of the political and economic fabric of San Antonio and Texas. The environment they lived in created a barrier not only to their education but to a livelihood filled with demands from society. Discrimination was rampant in those times and chances for advancement in a job filled with opportunities was not for them due to their ethnic and education background. These are the stories (by emails) of these men and women whose memories are filled with the places they lived and the people who lived there. They offer hope and inspiration for each other and they talk about their heritage and how they cross those obstacles. Listen now to these “Lanerites” who have become Senators, politicos, professionals in the military and civilian life. Kelly Field and postal workers and educators. Dedicated to my friend Felix Yruegas without whom this project would not have been possible Eugenio “Gene” Cortez Class of 1958 2 Hey Mula By Gene Cortez Lanierites are a special breed of 1950’s student who meet at Ray’s Drive in for a monthly get together for fun and comradeship. This has grown into a rather unique group who raise funds for Lanier and Tech Scholarships and who keep the spirit of the Chili Bowl Rivalry alive in a form of a Chili Bowl Gala. Following are actual emails collected from Lanierites communicating with other Lanierites encouraging, praising, praying and sharing their stories about the barrio and the school they love. One of the thing that Lanierites love is their music… Hey Mula, a friend sent me this list of songs, many from your class times, even a song named Class of 57 on the right side column. Thought you might want to pass on to your group. Enjoy. Awesome music hope all of you enjoy. Click on Song Title ~All In The ~Angel Baby~ ~A Night At The ~At The Hop~ Game~ Rosie & The Drive-In~ Danny & The Tommy Edwards Originals Sally Matheson Juniors ~Blueberry Hill~ ~Blue Velvet~ ~Born Too Late~ ~Class Of '57~ Fats Domino Bobby Vinton The Poni-Tails Ken Ellsion ~Corrina, ~Could I Have ~Could This Be ~Dedicated To Corrina~ This Dance~ Magic~ The One I Love~ Ray Peterson Anne Murray The Dubs The Shirelles ~Fabulous ~Fifties ~Dream Lover~ ~Harbor Lights~ Fifties~ Housewife~ Bobby Darin The Platter's Brenda Sparkman Bill Haley ~I Can't Stop ~Johnny B. ~Just One ~Just A Dream~ Loving You~ Goode~ Look~ Jimmy Clanton Ray Charles Chuck Berry Doris Troy ~Kookie ~Love Letters In Kookie~ ~Let It Be Me~ ~Lollipop~ The Everly The Sand~ Edward The Chordettes Byrnes/Connie Brother's Pat Boone Stevens 3 ~Moments To ~Music Music ~My Boy ~My Heart Is An Rememeber~ Music~ Lollipop~ Open Book~ The Four Lads Teresa Brewer Millie Small Carl Dobkins Jr. ~My Special ~Please Help Me ~My Prayer~ ~Only You~ Angel~ I'm Falling~ The Platters The Platters Bobby Helms Hank Locklin ~Poetry In ~Pretty Blue ~409 - Beach ~Puppy Love~ Motion~ Eyes~ Boys~ Paul Anka Johnny Tillotson Steve Lawrence The Beach Boys ~Remember ~Rocking Alone ~Roses Are Red ~Ramblin' Rose~ When~ ~ My Love~ Nat King Cole The Platters Eddy Arnold Bobby Vinton ~Send Me The ~Since I Met You ~Smoke Gets In ~So Fine~ Pillow~ Baby~ Your Eyes~ The Fiesta's Johnny Tillitson Ivory Joe Hunter The Platters ~Take Good ~Take These ~Sweet Old ~Talk Back Care Of My Chains From My Fashioned Girl~ Trembling Lips~ Teresa Brewer Baby~ Heart~ Johnny Tillitson Bobby Vee Ray Charles ~The Old ~Teenager In ~The Wayward Love~ Lamplighter~ ~The Stroll~ The Brown's Wind~ Dion & The The Diamonds Jim Ed,Maxine & Gogi Grant Belmonts Bonnie ~Wake Up Little ~To Know Him ~Told You ~Easter Parade~ Susie~ Is To Love Him~ Lately~ Bing Crosby The Everly The Teddy Bears Floyd Cramer Brother's ~Why~ ~Young Love~ ~Your'e Sixteen~ ~~~~~~~ Frankie Avalon Sonny James Johnny Burnette 4 ~Memories Are Made Of This~ ~~~~~~~~ Dean Martin Debbie, Thank You. Our 1957 Lanierite Classmates will love this. We have about 20 gals and guys from our 1957 Class that go to Ray's. Another song is the "Fabulous Fifties!" For the record I don't quite remember it happening like the words say in songs 1950 or particularly 1957. But most of us have some great memories. Mula 1957 There are many stories like this one….. Dear Mula, I have really enjoyed reading about your schoolmates stories about their experiences growing up . After seeing this video I decided to write this short narrative about growing up en los courts. A short narrative of my first 15 years of my life...... I grew up and lived in the Alazan Apache Courts (soy del Barrio). I lived at the corner of 700 Colima Street and San Marcos, one block from Guadalupe Street, right across the Alazan Creek. My mother moved into this newly built housing community back in 1952. This corner house was our home from 1951 thru 1965. So of course I went to J.T. Brack 5 Elementary (for the kids that were catolicos, once a week las monjas would be waiting at the corner and we all walked in a straight line all the way to the church. There's an old building behind the iglesia where the nuns took us to study Catholicism) ... and then went on to Cooper Jr Hi, and was planning to go to Lanier High School. But that summer of 1965, my mother decided to move closer to her job near Fort Sam Houston (I come from single-family household). Well, to make a very long story short...ha-hah! After seeing this Beautiful video about our Barrio...del Westside, had to share it with you folks. The Alazan Apache Courts no longer exist, well at least in the area of Colima-San Marcos y Vera Cruz Streets...but my memories remain deep in my heart. Some of the buildings along the Guadalupe Street are still there...what use to be the Guadalupe Theater, la Botica ( Progresso), and once the La Casa Grande Restaurante/panaderia , and down on El Paso Street... there was once our grocery /la tienda..Davila's.. un molino across the La Virgen de Guadalupe Church, after church we stop by to buy corn tortillas y barbacoa...mmm, ja! On my street, everyone knew each other, our parents worked out in their yards or would be sitting out in the front porch( that was very popular thing to do back then) us youngsters played outdoors in our yards or we roller-skated down our streets in our neighborhoods. At that time our transportation was either by public bus or we walked. I learned to ride my bicycle on the brand new Guadalupe Overpass... y I learned to dance Folklorico at the Wesley House! I even became a Browie and a Girl Scout!! Hijole! 6 Mi Mamasita Isabel, God Bless her soul... I Honor You Mommie... (11-5-12~8-25-02) for keeping me on the right...Estos son mi recuerdos... del Westside. and I'm thankful for those who put out such a nice video of our Westside!! Thank you for the memories!! and thank you Andrew/fr Lanier for sharing this with me....a new friend from Classmates.com. Que Viva La Westside. Maria-Fox Tech 68 - Hemisfair Grad. Maria, Thank You. WOW! What a FANTASTIC narrative. Written like a true Lanierite at heart. I'm sure many of the Lanierites will remember you from the Court Days. I had a friend that lived in the same Courts & I thought , they have it made, all clean & neat compared to our old homes! Your description of the Barrio and events is heartwarming. WOW! The Guadalupe Street overpass! Las monjitas! La Calle Colima y San Marcos! Businesses on Brazos & El Paso! Casa Grande! El Molino - Tortillas y Barbacoa! I'm sure this email will generate a bunch of emails recalling our memories of El Barrio. I grew up on Navidad & between Montezuma and Colima a block south of Guadalupe. The Lanier Voks were my idols and I dreamed of growing up and playing for Lanier. Maria, my regards to Nick, we also have memories of our City and State Postal Tournaments especially the 1976 Bi-Centennial in San Antonio when it rained 11 inches on July 4, 1976! Mula From: antonio cantu <elvatodeloscourts> To: Felix Sent: Fri, Jan 21, 2011 Subject: En Mi Barrio..... Mula, please forward on to Maria de la Techla Maria, Enjoyed reading your narrative because it brought back many memories of my years at the "Courts". The Courts were first opened in 1941 just before WWII broke out. My mother's family owned a house across the San Fernando Cemetery 7 and what was later Rosita Pl. The federal government condemned their home to build the projects. When they opened, my mom and dad were one of the first families to move in. I was 2 years. I lived at 1211 S. Brazos corner with Rosita Pl. Later we moved to 1113 S Brazos corner with Chihuahua St. and finally to 1011 S. Brazos corner with Colima. Actually lived next door to Oscar Lawson who recently went to meet his maker. I have many similar recollections of the barrio.