Borderlands 2003 -- Look for Us on the Web!
By Ruth E. Vise
Welcome to Borderlands, the El Paso Community College student writing project. Students in selected English 1302 classes (Research and Critical Writing) choose local history topics to research and write an extensive paper. Some students illustrate their papers with historical or original photos. As they learn the research process, they also learn about people, events, buildings, philosophies, customs and so much more about the geographical area in which they live. Student and faculty editors then turn the research papers into feature articles that we bring to you in this annual newspaper.![[Photo of Ruth Vise]](ruth.jpg)
Ms. Ruth Vise, Faculty Advisor/EditorThis project is 22 years old and I have had the privilege of directing Borderlands for 13 years. Last year we first appeared on the Web, and we have heard from history buffs and fans of the Southwest from coast to coast. If you are interested in browsing past volumes of Borderlands, go to www.epcc.edu and choose Student Resources, then Libraries, and Northwest. On this page, click on Borderlands Project. My deepest thanks go to Monica Wong, Joe Old, Rachel Murphree and Lorely Ambriz for bringing us into the cyber age.
Our articles deal with legends and pioneers, all adventurous and some considered as "good" or "bad" by various historians. We begin with the Apache leader known as Victorio and then look at several El Paso pioneers such as O. T. Bassett and Charles Morehead who established the State National Bank in 1881; S. H. Newman, editor and publisher of one of El Paso's first newspapers; Elfego Baca, a legendary marshal and lawyer in New Mexico and Texas; adversaries Colonel Albert J. Fountain and Albert Bacon Fall, political leaders and lawyers in both El Paso and Las Cruces; and finally Dale Resler, who was born in the 19th century (1899) and worked quietly most of the 20th century to make El Paso a better city in which to live.
Other students researched family owned businesses like Price's Creameries and Woodlawn Bottling. We also have articles on the El Paso Woman's Club; St. Patrick's Cathedral; Union Depot; and the Cloudcroft Baby Sanatorium, a unique facility that saved many babies from heat-related diseases in the early decades of the 20th century.
I was blessed with two first-rate editors this year: Gretchen Dickey and Kristi Smith, energetic women who have learned to balance family, school and work. They cheerfully followed leads all over the Southwest and searched for photographs in libraries, museums and private family collections. Thank you, Gretchen and Kristi, for maintaining your humor and patience while you worked hard.
We often use several papers for one article. Learning the difference between academic and journalistic writing, the editors organize and write the feature article, often doing more research. Then I have a go at the articles, sometimes exploring the topic further. At this point, my colleagues Joe Old and Robert Yarbrough, both English instructors at the college, give us their honest opinions, using their editing pens freely ? and they do this year after year with no compensation other than our HEARTY THANKS!! After final editing and layout, we go to the printer. One staunch supporter over the years has been the El Paso Times, which continues to insert Borderlands into a Sunday edition.
We hope you enjoy the 2003-2004 issue of Borderlands. Sit back, relax and have a good read.
Ruth E. Vise, Director Faculty Editor & Advisor