September 16, 1963
A student at the brand-new Texas School of Mines and Metallurgy in September, 1914 would have had an easeir time, in some ways, than his counterpart entering Texas Western College 49 years later.
The student, whose college had been authorized by the State Legislature in 1913, wouldn't have
worried about thousands of strange faces, or which fraternity to join: there were 28 students in the college's first class.
Nor would he have found it a problem to know the faculty members. There were three—Dr. S. H. Worrell, dean of the school; J. W. (Capt.) Kidd, and Prof. Frank H. Seamon.
(AT LEAST the names would be familar to 1914 and 1963 students, Worrell Hall is a dormitory,
Seamon Hall the mining and metallurgy classroom building, and Kidd Field the older football stadium at the present college.)
Neither would 1914's man on campus develop sore muscles from climbing hills and dashing
from one building to another. The School of Mines campus consisted of one building, formerly owned by the defunct El Paso Military Institute and donated by the City to the State of Texas.
It was located east of the city in what is now the heart of Ft. Bliss.
There were no modern-time feuds between the "Westsiders" (engineering and geology students) and "peedoggies" (liberal arts students). Everybody was a "Westsider."
The courses offered consisted mainly of geology, engineering, chemistry, assaying and metallurgy.
Both 1914 and 1963 students enjoyed the same sport—football. The early Miners faced vast problems in finding and equipping 11 men to take the field. The team was cheered, not by up to 30,000 fans, but by a few dozen interested El Pasoans.
Even so, 1914's team enjoyed a reasonably good season, squeezing by the YMCA squad, 7-6 and smashnig 20th Infantry, 27-0. However, the Miners lost to El Paso High School and the Dig
college to the north, New Mexico A. and M.
In 1914, too, the Texas Mines student had no parking problems.
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