| Vol 8, No 277 | October 4, 1970 | Sunday Evening |
(1991)
On this date in 1991, Lufkin born singer J Frank Wilson died. While stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, he met up with the Cavaliers, and together recorded "Last Kiss". In 1964, in the midst of Beatlemania, the song hit No 2 on Billboards top 100.
On this date in Durham, Connecticut, Moses Austin was born. Austin became wealthy in the lead mining and smelting industries.
(1970)
On this date in 1970, rock legend Janis Joplin, is found dead of a heroin overdose in a Hollywood hotel. Born in Port Arthur she moved to San Franciso where she became the lead singer for Big Brother and the Holding Company, and recorded the hit "Piece of My Heart". She recorded her Pearl Album, but died before it's release. Following her death, four of her recordings hit the Billboards top 100, the biggest, "Me and Bobby McGee" reaching No 1, just four months after her death.
(1876)
On this date in 1876, The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas opens near Bryan with six professors, and 40 students. By the end of the first year, 106 students will be enrolled. Enrollment would eventually reach 500 before 1883, when the University of Texas opened in Austin. That year enrollment dropped to 80. Competition was stiff for the limited funds, and many in Texas no longer saw the need to two colleges and wanted to close AMC of Texas. But the the addition of the Agricultural Extension Service, new revenue made it's way to A&M and the school began to thrive.
The name, AMC of Texas, will eventually be changed to Texas A&M, and become one of the premier Universities in the Nation.
(1824)
On this date in 1824, Mexico adopted its Constitution. It is modeled after the Constitution of the United States. 18 states and 3 territories are recognized. Two houses, a Senate (with two members from each state) and a house (with apportionment by population) were created. Texans approve of the Constitution dispite a provision that the Roman Catholic religion will be the only permissable religion. Other provisions of the new constitution abolished torture, established freedom of the press, ane established copyright and patent laws. Under the new Constitution Texas and Coahuila are combined into a single state until such time as Texas has sufficient population to become its own independent state. Texans believe early on that they were ready, but Mexico refused to consider independent statehood of Texas.
