This spring Professor James Hallmark, will be leading Panola College’s Texas History 2301 course. This unique course provides students with the opportunity to tour highlights of the Lone Star State while earning three semester hours credit in just four adventure-filled days and three evening sessions. The course may be used to satisfy half of Panola College’s freshman history requirement, or it can serve as an exciting elective. Continuing education credit is available for public school teachers. High school students who have completed their junior year may also take the course for early admissions credit. It is completely transferable to other public Texas colleges and universities as part of the core curriculum.
When asked to comment about the course, Hallmark responded, “It’s going to be great! On Saturday, March 12, we leave for Nacogdoches and then Crockett, following some of the oldest roads in Texas, the Trammels Trace and the El Camino Real. After seeing a stand of pines that closely resembles a virgin East Texas forest, we’ll tour Native American burial mounds, followed by a stop at the first Spanish mission in East Texas, established in 1690. After leaving the piney woods for the prairies, we’ll visit historic Fort Parker, site of a famous Comanche massacre. We will have lunch on the fort grounds before continuing on to the world-famous Texas Ranger Museum in Waco, where we’ll also see the historic Roebling Brothers Suspension Bridge, used during the famous cattle drives. Our next stop will be Gatesville’s Ranching Museum and the world’s largest spur collection. Then we will skirt the largest active military fort in the country, Ft. Hood, as well as numerous other cavalry forts from the past. Before the day ends, we’ll pass through numerous Old West towns, including Lampasas, Llano (where we will eat at the world famous Cooper’s BBQ), Mason, and finally Menard -- where we will stay for the night.”
“The next day we’ll move on to the Spanish ruins of San Saba Mission/Presidio, site of two more Comanche massacres. We’ll then tour historic Ft. McKavett, one of the best preserved cavalry forts in the American West. After a very scenic drive through the mountains, we’ll spend several hours at John Wayne’s famous Alamo Village – a life-size movie set for numerous Alamo movies, documentaries, and Westerns. Lunch will be available in the town saloon – if you dare! In nearby Bracketville, we’ll drive through the very last cavalry fort in the state, Ft. Clark -- where Robert E. Lee once served. Later we will visit Uvalde and Castroville, great 19th century immigrant towns that reflect French-Alsatian, German, and Hispanic culture. We will spend the night in Castroville at the famous Alsatian Inn!”
“On Monday, March 14, we drive to San Antonio, to pay respects to the original Alamo, then visit the old Spanish Governor’s Palace and San Fernando Cathedral. We’ll then conclude our time in San Antonio by touring the popular “Mission Row” – Spanish Missions Conception, San Jose, Capistrano, and Espada – as well as seeing numerous Antebellum mansions of the late 1800’s. We’ll then travel eastward through the German-settled communities of Schulenberg, LaGrange, Brenham, and others before ultimately arriving at Washington-on-the Brazos, the very birthplace of Texas independence. While there, we’ll tour Independence Hall, visit the Star of Texas Museum, and the Barrington Living History Plantation. We will stay in Huntsville for the night.
Tuesday we will quickly see various Sam Houston sites in Huntsville, including his homes, grave, statue, and the college that bears his name. We’ll then visit the older section of the state penitentiary before heading home. Our final stop will be at the Texas Forestry Museum in Lufkin. If everything goes as planned, we should arrive in Carthage early in the afternoon.”
Students can register and pay for this course in the same manner as regular classes, however, there’s no required textbook for this class. Fees and tuition cost are the same as a regular 3-hr.course, but there is a $70 travel fee, paid at the same time, which takes care of transportation and instructional costs. Monetary costs for the trip will be discussed in detail during the first evening meeting, though it is recommended that at least $150 should be carried to cover food, lodging, and admissions.
Pre-registration will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. There are two sections to choose from: HIST 2301.T01 (trip is Mar12-15) or HIST 2301.T02. Enrollment is limited to 20 students per section. The dates for the second section’s field trip are March 16-19 and will follow the same itinerary as above. If needed the second section may be merged with the first section, though that is not expected, and would be announced the first week of school. For additional information, contact Professor Hallmark at 903-693-1132 or jhallmark@panola.edu.