Texas History Course Reflects on Brave Heroes

By Sarah Ramos, OLLI in Highland Lakes

As you can probably guess, history is one of the most requested topics for OLLI Highland Lakes, and we are very fortunate to have access to some of the most knowledgeable presenters on the topic. These extraordinary presenters are always more than willing to pass on that knowledge with our members.

This semester, we were beyond excited to offer the class Texas Rangers 1823-1848: Tough Rangers for Tough Times. Not only did the class have to do with history, but Texas history specifically and a special group exclusively associated with Texas; the Ranging Texans. Participants were eager to learn about the beginning of the Ranging Texans and all that they accomplished. Without these brave young Texans, there could be no law and order in the newly formed Stephen F. Austin Colony since the Mexican government did not have the resources to protect the colony.

Marvin Schroeder, who is a Vietnam veteran, took class participants on a journey back in time. He spoke about the history of these brave young men, told stories of their victories and struggles and shared artifacts from the time. He even dressed in the typical uniform of the Texas Rangers for the era. We were thankful that he shared his time and knowledge with us.