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Region 12

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Meet the Regional Director — Paul M. Smith

Regional News — January 1- May 30, 2009

In January, the Hill Country Archeological Society welcomed Al McGraw from TEX-DOT and Nina Nixon-Mendez from the San Antonio City Planning Office speaking on “Imaginary Camino Reales.”  The Southern Texas Archaeological Society heard Dr. Tom Hester speak on “Pay Digs in Texas: the Loss of Prehistoric Sites in the Southwest Edwards Plateau” on the same weekend of January 17.  Both organizations have chosen new leaders with HCAA electing Stephanie Ertle as President, Dorothy Grayson as Vice President, Rudi Winzinger as Treasurer, Terry Farley as Secretary, and Jill Furst, Jose Contreas, and John Forestier as Board Members.  STAA now has Dr. Jennifer Rice as Chair, Maureen Brown as Vice Chair, Cathy McCool as Treasurer, and Margaret Greco as Secretary and Memberships.

HCAA had a special board meeting on January 31 to decide whether to take the challenge of the 2010 TAS State meeting in Kerrville.  Based on the experience level, they decided to become trained and confident by assisting with the Del Rio and Corpus Christi meetings before committing to the 2011 event.

On March 3, I participated in a site survey field excavation with Jim and Beth Stenstrom in Uvalde County.  Although the site presented great possibilities on a bluff above a permanent creek waterhole, it yielded no evidence of habitation through grid tests to 50 cm.

On March 21, the HCAA met with Dr. Steve Tomka from CAR presenting a talk on “Bow and Arrow and Dart and Atlatl.”  The talk presented the precise laboratory research very well.  Approximately 34 members attended.

Uvalde’s Fort Inge Frontier Days occurred on April 4.  I demonstrated flint knapping, passed out Texas Beyond History bookmarks, and encouraged TAS membership and the Summer Field School experience.

On April 14 The Barbara Jordan Elementary School fifth grade at Shertz, Texas had a power day and I was invited to demonstrate manual power knapping flint artifacts.  Over 180 students received Texas Beyond History bookmarks and the teachers received the TAS newsletter.

April 18 was the HCAA tenth anniversary organization celebration with a luncheon.  All the previous presidents were recognized by the 35 people attending.

Gustine, Texas elementary school had an Archeology Fair Day on May 5 featuring primitive technology skills.  I was invited to knapp flint and discuss how the artifacts were used in daily life.  Nearby towns brought other children.  Everyone received Texas Beyond History bookmarks and teachers received the TAS newsletter.

May 9 was the date of the Fredericksburg, Texas Pioneer Days in Pioneer Park.  I demonstrated flint knapping and passed out Texas Beyond History bookmarks.  One college student in archeology took the TAS Newsletter to consider the summer Field School.

May 16 was the HCAA meeting in Kerrville with Dr. Raymond Mauldin from UTSA’s Center for Archeology Research speaking on “The Investigation of Burnt Rock Features in Eastern Pecos County.”  At least six people indicated that they would be attending summer Field School.

Both societies have been field active this late winter and spring.  STAA finally reach bedrock after 17 months and 3500 hours of excavation at the Fool’s Rock Shelter site.  There were significant deposits to add to the understanding of the Balcones Escarpment and the Cibolo Creek watershed.  With column samples and flotation samples, a wealth of paleo climate data will be provided.

The 65-member HCAA organization continues with sites exploration and registration.  Laboratory cataloguing of artifacts and training of new members are also priorities.

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Paul M. Smith     E-mail: region12@txarch.org

Paul Smith was born in Fort Worth and lived in Uvalde, Texas from the second grade, and graduating from high school in 1959.  He grew up surface hunting artifacts with his family.  He attended Texas A&M College during 1959-63.  Paul was in the Aggie Band and graduated with a History degree.  Upon graduation he was commissioned into the Air Force and stationed in Abilene, Texas.  While in Abilene, he met and married his wife, Gwen, in 1967.  He was later stationed in Thailand, Spain (where he completed a Secondary Education Masters degree from the University of Southern California), and Italy.  Upon leaving Air Force active duty, Paul attended the University of Texas taking three years of graduate anthropology and education, later receiving his doctorate in Science Education in 1981.  After working at San Antonio’s Witte Museum in several positions, including Curator of Natural Science, he joined the civil service and was employed by the Air Force at Tinker AFB, OK and Kelly AFB, TX until his retirement in 2001.  He retired from the Air Force reserves as a Colonel in 1993, receiving the Legion of Merit.

Paul and his wife live close to Welfare, Texas (near Boerne) where their sons and wives bring their new grandchildren for visits.  Active in Boy Scouts for over 25 years at several levels and receiving recognition with the Silver Beaver and Distinguished Commissioner, he continues his involvement as an assistant scoutmaster.  Using his archeology studies, his experience at the Koster complex in 1975, and his TAS membership participation since 1964, he has led Kerrville’s Hill Country Archeological Association as president from 2004 to 2006. Our

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