FEBRUARY 2024, Vol 4 l Iss. 1
LOST SEGUIN HISTORY
Guadalupe College & the story of its AfricanAmerican students
ICYMI
SISD Breaks ground on new baseball/ softball complex
Raising black
Voices SEGUIN MARCHES INTO BLACK HISTORY MONTH WHILE CELEBRATING MLK
Seguin Office 109 W. Court 830-372-9466 New Braunfels Office 480 S. Seguin Ave 830-214-6002 ANDERSPIERCE.COM
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THIS ISSUE
FEBRUARY 2024, Volume 4 l Issue 1 Welcome to an all new issue of Seguin Today. This month, we turn to Volume 4. Time has flown since that first issue, and we’ve covered some truly incredible stories across each of our monthly issues. I’ve had the absolute pleasure of meeting, interviewing, and sharing the stories of some incredible people (Steve Burns from Blues Clues?!). I think it’s safe to say all of us on the Seguin Today team have had an absolute blast capturing these stories to share with you, our readers. This month’s issue celebrates Black History Month with stories that highlight black voices within our community. Darren Dunn brings us a special feature on the history of Guadalupe College in Seguin. And I had the pleasure of visiting with Herman Lampkin who organized Seguin’s Gospel Fest, which took place during Freedom Week. You’ll learn a bit about Herman’s goals, and how the choir came together, but what wasn’t included in the feature was my own experience. So I want to let you know that the music that night was beautiful and full of joy despite it being absolutely freezing outside. I appreciate them letting me come in and take the photos which are featured in that story. Thank you readers for staying with us as we start yet another year of Seguin Today Magazine. Lizz Daniels Creative Director
facebook.com/KWEDradio kwed.seguindailynews @kwed SeguinToday
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LOST SEGUIN HISTORY
Exploring the hidden story of Guadalupe College and its African-American students
COVERSHOT
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Seguin Community Gospel Choir member Aundreia
THE VOICES OF SEGUIN Celebrating the legacy of MLK with Herman Lampkin and the Seguin Community Gospel Choir
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EVENTS CALENDAR Community events & special promotions happening in the area this month.
McClain Terrance belts out a solo during Freedom Week’s Gospel Fest event.
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Photo by Lizz Daniels
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DIY: RECIPE TO TRY Declicious decidant macaroons
ICYMI: GROUNDBREAKING City leaders share excitement for new sports complex
FEBRUARY 2024, Volume 4 l Issue 1
GENERAL MANAGER Darren Dunn
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lizz Daniels
WRITERS Cindy Aguirre-Herrera Chris Austin Lizz Daniels
ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS
Read, EAt & drink LOCAL!
Laurie Ann Heideke Linda Duncan Jarred Kindles Nick Spence
OFFICE MANAGER Priscilda Rodriguez
Seguin Today is published once a month by: KWED, Seguin Daily News in Seguin, Texas. www.seguintoday.com
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Lost Seguin History
Guadalupe College offered degrees, hope to African-American students
Story by Darren Dunn
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efore Texas Lutheran College moved to Seguin from Brenham in 1912, there was another institution of higher learning already located in Seguin. Guadalupe College is a name that you might not know. It was founded in 1884, as a prep-school and college for African-American students. It served those students, in some capacity, until the college was lost to a fire in 1936. It wasn’t just the buildings that were lost during that fire on February 9, 1936; but much of the school’s history is gone as well. Fortunately, there are a handful of pieces written about Guadalupe College and its legacy here in Seguin. The late Anne Brawner wrote her master’s thesis on the college’s history, and it is likely the best work available on this subject. Much of what we now know came from her work. In the mid-1990’s, I used to visit the final site of the college. It’s down a lane, south of U.S. Highway 90, just west of the intersection of Highways 90 and 90-A. You’ve likely driven past Brackenridge Lane many times, but the college sat fairly deep from the highway at the end of the road. There have been houses built along that lane over the years. When I visited the property, I used to walk through some of the charred remnants of the buildings that once served as classrooms and dormitories. The chapel survived the fire, but it did not stand the test of time. It has since been torn down. The land that once housed the college
is now all private property. There were efforts over the years to preserve the site, but it never came to fruition. That’s part of the reason why the story of Guadalupe College is still relatively unknown, even by those who have lived in Seguin all of their lives. I turned to Brawner’s work when I started working on this story. She wrote about the college’s history. A portion of her writings can now be found on the Texas State Historical Association’s website (https:// www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/ guadalupe-college). Her original work was written in 1980 and called “Guadalupe College: A Case History in Negro Higher Education, 1884-1936.“ The original school was located near downtown Seguin. “Guadalupe College (or College of the Guadalupe Baptist Association),
an educational institution for African Americans located in Seguin, was founded in 1884 by members of the Guadalupe Baptist Association. This organization included Black Baptist congregations from Guadalupe and surrounding counties. Its leaders were Dr. William B. Ball, a Black Civil War veteran, minister, and school official who came to Seguin in 1871, and Rev. Leonard Ilsley, a White itinerant preacher. Trustees for the association purchased a large piece of property, three blocks west of the Guadalupe County Courthouse, that had been the site of several other schools. It is the present-day campus of Joe F. Saegert Middle School,” wrote Brawner. If the names of Dr. Ball and Rev. Ilsley sound familiar, they should. They were both instrumental in the creation of several religious and educational efforts for freed Blacks in the Seguin area. That includes the creation of churches and schools, like Seguin’s Second Baptist Church and the Abraham Lincoln School. That school would go on to become Lincoln High School and was later renamed Ball High School. What remains of the Ball High School campus is now the Seguin ISD’s Ball Early Childhood Center. Lincoln/Ball High School is separate from the operation of the college, but it’s important that those contributions also not be overlooked (that’s another story, for another day). 7
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The college would be relocated to its final site after receiving a significant donation from another well-known name. Philanthropist George W. Brackenridge -- yes, the guy who made such a huge impact on the city of San Antonio -donated the funds that were used to expand and relocate the college. “Philanthropist George W. Brackenridge of San Antonio donated generously to the operation and development of the college. His gifts included funds for a new chapel-auditorium and a valuable 216-acre tract on the Guadalupe River west of Seguin. To defray expenses, students maintained the grounds and buildings and built all new structures,” wrote Brawner. The college over its lifetime struggled with its finances, but it was the fire that ultimately led to its demise. There were efforts to raise funds to revive the school, but it was never to be. Guadalupe College’s history may not be
remembered well, but we hope that we are able to honor its legacy a little bit with this piece. Anne Brawner’s master’s thesis, on this incredible school of higher learning, sums up this history lesson the best. “Guadalupe College represented an important phase in the history of Black education, a phase dominated by the church-sponsored college. Its evolution, from a multipurpose facility offering instruction at all levels to an accredited college, paralleled closely that of other Black institutions throughout the South. Its problems and defects, primarily inadequate financial support and inexperienced leadership, were characteristic of most Black colleges of that era. Despite its shortcomings, Guadalupe College contributed substantially to the advancement of AfricanAmerican youth in South Texas. It offered educational opportunities superior to those provided to Blacks by public facilities, and it trained
leaders for the Black community, particularly teachers and ministers. Most significantly, it fostered pride and self-respect,” wrote Brawner. This story is part of our salute to February as Black History Month. We celebrate the lives and contributions of African-American people, especially those who laid a foundation for success across Seguin, Guadalupe County, and beyond. But this story is more than just about Seguin’s Black history. It’s about “our” history. It’s the history of every one of us -- despite our race, ethnicity, gender or creed. These shared experiences, for better or worse, are foundational to who we are. When I think about Guadalupe College, I think about all the Black families, churches, business, individuals and organizations that still exist today in Seguin. Whether it’s acknowledged or not, they continue to carry on that legacy of Black excellence, and they are still producing a space that creates more and better opportunities for everyone. •
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The Voices of Guadalupe County
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Celebrating the legacy of MLK with the Seguin Community Gospel Choir Story & photos by Lizz Daniels
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emperatures were in the 20s back in January when Seguin’s Gospel Fest took place. Inside New Life Fellowship Church’s walls, voices rose in celebration, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming as the Seguin Community Gospel Choir harmonized and the crowds danced and sang along. Gospel Fest was part of the City of Seguin’s Freedom Week, celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Community member Herman Lampkin organized the event and was the man behind the music. Despite the chilly temperatures, he was pleased with the community turnout. “You look at the weather and how we’re all cringing at the idea of going outside in this cold weather,” Lampkin said. “But we have to leave a legacy and show why what we do is still important. It is important what we do. And like I said, not only for us but the next generation. What are we handing off to the next generation, the legacy? Dr. King’s legacy is larger than life, and you know, it’s just one of those things that we have to make sure that we hand that legacy down to the next generation so that they see the need and understand why we do what we do. It’s important.”
Lampkin’s dedication to sharing MLK’s story has led him on a spiritual and community journey over his years participating in the community choir. He says the event highlights the diversity of Guadalupe County while uniting people through music. “As far as the Seguin Community Choir, I let them pick the music,” Lampkin said. “I wanted something everybody knows that we can learn in a few rehearsals. They made me the chairperson of this event, and so I invited these different groups. I always like to try to do something that has different cultures involved. Obviously, Dr. King was not just about black people. We wanted to make sure our Latin brothers and sisters got some representation. And just everybody, like I said, he was a man for the people. We are the people.” Of course, a choir performance of this caliber does not come together overnight. Text messages were exchanged in group chats as choir members picked music and organized time to get together and practice. One individual Lampkin is thankful for is Pastor Price from the Christian Fellowship, who had a funeral come up at the last minute, pulling him away from the event.
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“We had a few rehearsals leading up to the day,” he said. “It was a lot of fun. And then, as far as the program, we are just really inviting out as many people as we can who are willing to come to be on the program. And so yeah, you have some people that can’t, for whatever reason. They got this going on, or that going on. Pastor Price from the Christian Fellowship, he took on the obligation, and then something else came up with a funeral that he had to go be at. So, I just really appreciate him coming out and showing us love.” As the choir sang, live musicians accompanied them. There was clapping, dancing, and even
laughter during the performance, with soloists belting song after song. As for the event itself, Lampkin says its growth from earlier years has been promising and hopes to see the event continue to make an impact on the Seguin community. “We’ve done this a few times,” he said. “We used to have this event at TLU for a while, then it moved over to First Baptist. And now we moved here; all three places welcomed us with open arms. I hope that, number one, they enjoy what we do; I don’t want it to be something that, oh, we have to go do this again. And I want to keep it that way. I want all ages to be able to
come out. I don’t care if you’re two years old or 92; I want you to come out and enjoy our event. I want something for everybody. But also, I want them to understand the sacrifices Dr. King made with others. And try to continue pushing that dream. We’re a lot closer than where we were. But we’re not there yet. We’re not there yet. So, let’s continue and go from there.” With Black History Month underway, the message brought to the community in the form of Gospel music is as important as ever. It serves as a beautiful reminder of how interconnected the Guadalupe County community is in honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. • 13
FEBRUARY
Upcoming events and special promotions happening locally!
To promote your event on this page contact advertising at 830-379-2234 or email communitycalendar@kwed1580.com
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FeaturedEvents Events Featured
February 22
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February 22
The Guadalupe County Republican Women will have its February meeting on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 11:30 a.m. at the Seguin Silver Center, located at 510 East Court St. in Seguin. The program will be a forum for candidates in the March Primary. Each candidate will be given 2 minutes to speak and present their platform and goals as an elected official. Lunch is available for $15 by making reservations with Glenda Partain by calling 830-391-3979 or emailing silvercenter@sbcglobal.net. For more information, visit www.guadalupecounty-rw.com.
The Seguin Art League will accept entries for its 16th Annual Elementary and Middle School Art Show between 4 and 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22 at St. Andrew’s McKoegh Hall, located at 201 E. Nolte St. in Seguin. There is a maximum of two artworks per student. An Awards Reception will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24. For more information, call 830-305-0472, email seguinartleague@yahoo.com, or visit seguinartleague.com.
The Seguin Education Foundation will have its Mardi Gras 2024 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22 at the Seguin Coliseum. For tickets and more information, visit www. seguineducationfoundation.betterworld. org.
Republican Women Meeting
Business Improvement Grant (BIG) Program The City of Seguin is now accepting applications for the Business Improvement Grant (BIG) Program. Applicants may be eligible to receive up to a 75 percent matching grant, with a maximum grant awarded to an applicant not to exceed $10,000. Improvements and other expenditures eligible under the Seguin BIG Program include facade improvements, sign improvements, site improvements, and other real property improvements. Program Guidelines and Applications are available online at www.SeguinTexas.gov or at www.SeguinEDC.com. Applications must be submitted through the BIG application portal which can be accessed by visiting: https://bit.ly/seguin-big24 by the close of business on the last day of each month. For more information, visit www.SeguinEDC.com, or call 830-401-2476.
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Art Show
SEF Mardi Gras
March 8
March 10
March 23
The Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Seguin will have its Swing for Seguin Golf Tournament beginning with registration at 8 a.m. on Friday, March 8 at Starcke Park Golf Course. The fee is $500 per team of four. All proceeds will benefit the Walnut Spring Park near downtown Seguin. To register or sponsor, call 830-379-6382 or email leadershipseguin24@gmail.com.
The Geronimo VFW will have its Sunday Dance from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 10. Entertainment will be provided by Jesse Lege and Cajun Stomp. The doors open at 1:30 p.m. with $10 admission. For more information, call or text 830-305-8829.
The Seguin Art League will offer an Intuitive Watercolor Class from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 at 104 S. Austin St. in Seguin. The cost is $30 with supplies included. For more information, call 830-305-0472.
Swing for Seguin
Geronimo VFW Sunday Dance
Intuitive Watercolor Class
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DIY: Recipe to Try
Delight on
Valentine’s Chocolate Macaroons With Raspberry Buttercream Makes approximately 10 large macaroons or 40 small
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1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted Scant 1 cup ground almonds 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 4 egg whites Tiny pinch of salt Raspberry buttercream (see below)
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Put the confectioners’ sugar, ground almonds and cocoa in a blender or spice grinder and process for about 1 minute to refine the almonds and combine everything. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the salt in a clean, dry bowl until firm. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold in the almond mixture.
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Carefully spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with the size 10 tip for small cookies, or size 12 for larger macaroons. Pipe twenty 21⁄2-inch macaroons or eighty 11⁄4-inch ones onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake with the oven door slightly ajar (to allow steam to escape) for about 8 minutes for the small macaroons or 12 minutes for the larger ones. Don’t overcook or they won’t be soft inside. Carefully lift the macaroons off the paper and let cool on a wire rack. Sandwich in pairs with a thin layer of raspberry buttercream. Arrange the macaroons in layers between aluminum foil or parchment paper in an airtight container and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving. This will help them become chewy. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Raspberry Buttercream • • • • • • •
6 egg yolks 1 cup sugar 4 sticks unsalted butter, softened 12 ounces frozen raspberries 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Confectioners’ sugar, to taste Pink food coloring, if desired
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks until pale and creamy. Put the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small pan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and boil hard until it reaches 240 F. Immediately remove from the heat and pour the hot syrup onto the egg yolks in a steady stream, beating continuously until the mixture is a pale, thick mousse. Cream the butter in a separate bowl then beat in the melted chocolate. Beat this into the egg yolk mixture. Take the frozen raspberries and thaw them in a strainer placed over a bowl. Press them gently with the back of a spoon to squeeze out the juice. Put the juice in a small pan and boil it hard until it has reduced to 3 tablespoons. Press the raspberries through the strainer and mix the strained puree with the reduced raspberry syrup and the lemon juice. Sweeten with sifted confectioners’ sugar to taste. Beat this into the buttercream. Add pink food coloring if you desire a deeper shade of pink.
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In Case You Missed It
City leaders EXCITED for
NEW
SPORTS COMPLEX
Story by Cindy Aguirre-Herrera Photos courtesy Seguin ISD
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The Seguin ISD is not the only one celebrating the start of construction for the high school’s new baseball and softball complex. Among those on hand for Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony were Bill Keller, Seguin City Councilman and Jack Jones, the Seguin parks and recreation director. According to Keller, the construction of the new voter approved athletic facility is a win for the entire Seguin Community. “I think it will impact the city in that we will be able to attract other events, other playoff games and things of that sort. It will be one of the top-notch facilities. There are going to be a lot of teams from around the area that will want to come to play here. That will help the entire city as far as restaurants and hotels and ancillary industries that we have,” said Keller. He says the new state of the art attraction only adds to the city’s strengths and values.
“They are going to see Seguin and what we have here and see that it is good and it’s going to change our lives for sure,” said Keller. For the last several years, Seguin High School Matador baseball games have been played at the historic Smokey Joe Williams Field located at the Seguin Events Complex. The stadium is named after Joseph Williams, an American pitcher who played in the Negro leagues. Williams “is considered one of the greatest pitchers of all-time and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.” Jones says he appreciates the partnership with the school district over the years and looks forward to the future of the program. “I’ll add that Smokey Joe has been around for a long time and it just needs a lot of TLC and the Seguin kids go play in other stadiums and it’s all turf. It’s brand new. So, I think it’s really going to up the level of competition. I think you are going to see baseball and softball -- a good program
now -- I think it’s going to elevate it to where you can compete for district championships going forward,” said Jones. He says both baseball and softball deserve this new attention and looks forward to continuing a new type of partnership with the Seguin ISD. “Going back several years now, the school district and the city have this great relationship of working together and partnering wherever we can to benefit SISD kids and the community. So that partnership will continue. I believe that the school district can have tournaments. If they want to have a bigger tournament, they can use Smokey Joe and bring more people into town, to shop and to eat and to play and so it’s just another facility that adds to public facilities whether it’s the Seguin ISD or the city of Seguin to utilize, to bring people to this community and to grow this community -- businesses. The Seguin community is just awesome for coming together for things like this and benefiting everybody,” said Jones.
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In its pursuit of a new field, the community initially questioned the future of the historic Smokey Joe Field. Currently, the stadium is also the home of the Seguin River Monsters, the Texas Collegiate League Champions. Nonetheless, Jones says he is not worried about its future and believes that it will always serve as a key piece in the game of baseball. “In talking about Smokey Joe, it’s mentioned that it’s old and dated but it’s old school baseball and in today’s generation of kids are playing in new facilities on artificial turf but looking forward to continue to partnership with the Seguin ISD and maybe even have a tournament to where you have a game at the new field but a game can be over at the old school baseball historic Smokey Joe Williams Field to get that grass and get that old school dirt and clay where the kids won’t get that going forward here for the high school but still you don’t want to forget your history.
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The history of baseball started out on clay and dirt and grass and lumpy and bumpy and all that and so I’m excited to hear the district talking in their comments that this is community fields. We want to build the kids at their skill level but also, it’s a community asset but we also have the historic Smokey Joe Williams Field and that’s a community asset as well that we want to preserve. You can still use it for tournaments and have that old school baseball feel out there,” said Jones. Keller says the city can’t wait to see the complex come online. He says not only will it yield young athletes but also good citizens. He says it enhances the community “we live in.” “The benefits that the kids, the athletes get when they play their sports, those are lessons that they are going to take through the rest of their lives -- very very important teamwork -- so building facilities like this only enhances that dream for them,” said Keller. The complex is slated for completion on Aug. 30, 2024. •
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