September 22, 1943
More Prisoners Here To Start Cotton Picking
A group of 628 Italian war prisoners arrived Tuesday from the Lordsburg, N.M., camp and were making ready to invade El Paso County cotton fields later in the week.
The contingent detrained at Boone Avenue and moved to the Southwestern Livestock Exposition Building and Coliseum. Arrival of the major group brought total strength of the labor unit to 678. Fifty prisoner workers arrived Saturday to prepare the sub-camp, which is under command of Capt. J.O. Saffold
October 23, 1965
Mayor Matches General In Cotton Picking Contest
El Paso’s cotton picker shortage was temporarily solved Friday night when Mayor Judson F. Williams and Brig. Gen. Charles Cantrell, assistant commander of the U.S. Army Air Defense Command at Ft. Bliss, met in a cotton picking contest on the Mall in Bassett Center.
The contest, held in conjunction with the fourth annual Bassett Center 4-H Fair, ended in a draw with judges weighing in the amount of cotton picked by the two officials as equal.
Other events Friday night included games with local 4-H Clubs competing against each other, complete with a pie eating contest. Eddie Mueller of the Upper Valley 4-H Club won the pie eating contest.
A square dance exhibition followed the cotton picking contest. Mayor Williams and Gen. Cantrell we both awarded miniature cotton bales with inscribed brass plaques by the local 4-H Clubs.
Saturday’s activities will begin at 10 a.m. with various exhibits of 4-H work and a bake sale of homemade cakes, cookies and pies.
At 1:30 p.m., 4-H girls will present a style show modeling custom-made clothes. Activities will be concluded with awarding of a side of choice beef, a bale of cotton and a Shetland pony.
Thanks for including such a great link regarding 4-H in El Paso County. I am forwarding it to our Historical Committee to add to our archives for Texas 4-H's Centennial Year.
D Ivey
Desert Valley 4-H
Posted by: D Ivey | August 28, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Thanks for highlighting El Paso 4-H. Times have changed in program format but 4-H is still a great family organization.
Posted by: Jim Rodgers | August 28, 2008 at 02:23 PM