current progress report

Philomena Buxton
History 388
Dr. Littlejohn
20 October 2009

The Wildest Show Behind Bars

The Texas prison system was still in it’s early stages when 1931 came around. It was in finical ruin. Marshall Lee was appointed to be head of the Corrections department. Lee hatched an idea along with an inmate to crate a prison rodeo that was comprised of rodeo events and that showcased different inmates participating in the events. It was an idea that at its conception was only meant to be seen by the officers and families that worked for the prison system, but turned into a huge show that would last for decades. He was trying to find a way to get the corrections department out of a sticky finical situation. The true start of the depression had just happened and most of America was broke.
The first decade of the rodeo from 1931-1941 saw that rise of what the rodeo would become. It was a huge success. In its fist few years the rodeo went from being held on one Sunday in October to every Sunday in October. The community around the Huntsville area was also allowed to attend. The public loved the rodeo and would flock to the town when it would happen. The only year that it was not held was in 1942 due to the United States entering into World War II. The rodeo showcased many talents. The riders would get a small prize for winning. The thrill of the rodeo was not extended to all inmates however. They had to have go behavior, be trustworthy , and have special clearance to participate.
The Huntsville Unit in Huntsville Texas were the grounds for where the rodeo was held every year. Lines would wrap around the block of people trying to get tickets. Every year they would have to add on to the structure. The rodeo was wildly popular with the Goree gals. They were women who were incarcerated who would go and perform at the rodeos. Some of other most popular events were the made scramble. Men would get on wild broncos and the last one to get bucked off would win. In 1931, at the start the men who were in the rodeo were a small group of inmates but the amount of inmate participation grew every year. Income brought in by the rodeo was immense. In the time of the depression, there was still a steady income from the rodeo coming in. Marshall lee had fulfilled his idea of the rodeo becoming famous. The inmate who had helped him was a ranch owner from west Texas who had killed a cattle inspector and had then been incarcerate.
They had many talents come to the rodeos. Heartthrob, Tom Mix, asppeared at many rodeos in the early years. He was a rodeo cowboy and a movie star. Women poured out to see him.

Peer Review

For this, i still had a rough draft and no citations. I know that i need to add them but Jacob gave me some good ideas on what i can do to improve my paper and help the overall flow of what i am trying to get across to the audience.

Photochopshop

I am really wanting to use the picture of all of the men from the first rodeo. I love that picture! It is great! I am also using the picture of the gorre Gals who are on the grounds singing and preforming!

research DAY

For this I got some more things on the HUntsville Item to use in my project. I have all of the years covered in the project and am going through stuff to see what is miscellaneous.

Dreamweaver is no dream!

Dreamweaver is givng me a hard time. I am not too technologically inclined as far as this goes. Jacob and have John been having to help me most of the time. THANKS GUYS. i can see how it could be fun i am just having a hard time with it.

Progress Report

My paper is going good. i found a book written by Marshall Lee and a few other cool things i am pretty excited. I still have lot of pictures that i am planning on using.

Coolest room in the Library

The Thomason is pretty much the coolest room in the building. The people there were extremely helpful and funny! Although there was nothing for my project in the room, the things that they had in there were amazing and the history taht has been preserved up there is somthing to be admired.