Gloria De La Rosa (nee Hernandez)
What hospital were you born in?
It was with a midwife on a ranch I guess. Thats what my mama told me because we use to live on a ranch. A midwife, a housewife, a midwife what ever you called it. Midwife wasn't it isn't that the name of it.
How were you raised?
How was I raised?
Yeah were they strict?
Yes they were strict.
Like how?
Especially my little baby brother he could not be wearing shorts well I wouldn't be wearing shorts but Tia Jo vita and Tia Teya would and thats it. And my brother the one that got shot himself was strict too. They wouldn't let us go out or nothing. We would go to school that was like hiding. Wait until I tell you the other rest. When me, Tia Jo vita, and Tia Teya went to the movies there is a movies in Brackett and we went with my sister Louisa the one in Del Rio and then she goes lets go,we are going home the movie had finished then our cousins got there and our cousins go no no no no don't leave don't leave stay here. We stayed there well grandma came and grab us from our hair like that and took us home. I never forget that. Thats how I was strict ed.
Where did you go to school?
Brackettville.
Brackettville what?
Texas
What was the name of the school?
Tigers.
How where you treated in school?
Good they will put me in the corner with the donkey head.
What's that?
A big cone head like that they use to put you when You didn't listen and hit you in the hands or your butt. The teachers were strict and it would not help me anyway
How long did you attend school?
Third grade I funk,I funk, I funk.(sic)
Why did you stop going?
I'm not going to say that because I was a spoiled brat. I will not do my homework and I will just wouldn't do it and tear it. The teachers was too stupid. but now there not.
How did your dad died?
I was three years old I don't remember. But they tell me that when they were in a ranch he will kill snake and then he got the knife like that and he would never clean it. And he poisuned his blood. That what my mama said.
What did mom do t support the family?
Wash clothes and iron clothes. After my father died that what she was doing. That I remember.
For who?
They used to say you know who it was they used to say it was the La Llorona clothes but I don't know if that true. I don't know if that true. I swear to you on my grandma grave. Thats what they used to say.
Who said?
My Tia, My Mama Spanish. Just watch and see ye all don't listen, when she brings me the clothes I gonna tell her ye all don't listen to us. And we would listen for that little minute while and she would and this other lady would come and pick up the clothes and I would push Tia Jo vita, “You go You go” because they would always hit them instead of me because I was the small one. So, I would push them and they would spank them. Like they used to do with Mary Alice.
Did You Help Out?
Nope, I sit down and sing, sing, sing. I so lazy. Thats why you are lazy.
What did you mother do on the set of the Alamo?
She used to work for Happy Shahan. On a ranch long long time ago. She used to work there.
Who's that?
The owner of the Alamo Village. She was popular.
Did you meet any of the actors?
Not me.
Did your mom meet any of the actors?
I don't know. Probably. I remember when we used to go pass the movie we used to see the Indians. They used to say they were Indians. They had long hair and everything and used to say their Indians they were working at the Alamo but I don't know if it was true.
Was there any discimation going on?
Yeah, Yes there was a lot. My mama when she used to work at the Gate Way at the restaurant. After the Alamo, the ranch she started working at the Gate Way restaurant, its still open I guess, we had to go through the back door. She had to go throw the back door, they wouldn't let the Spanish people, Mexican people go through the front and she had to eat in the back in the kitchen with the helpers and everything. They were kind of bitches. I used to remember that. Shit I will never forget that. Because I used to wanted to go though the front. No No No No(mother speaking) Shit I'm going in there, I'm going in there. No No No No Spanish, Spanish (mother speaking) I Just go like that, go running, go back to the kitchen and me and my cousin. We were terrible.
Is there on thing you did that got you trouble as a kid?
As a kid. You really want to know? Ask Tia Jo vita. I threw her in the cactus. Man I got a whipping. Jo vita went into the Gate Way, running, running, Shit. I will never forget that because I wanted to be first base, first batter with the baseball and she didn't let me. So, I push her like that, there was cactus right there and she fell down. She had to go to the Gate Way and told my mama but my mama got out of work. She went home and spank me so hard. Shit I will never forget that.
How old where when your brother died?
Thirteen fourteen.
What happen to him?
My small brother, baby, he died when they were coming from Mexico or somewhere from Del Rio. They say and we say that his friend push him into the rail, but they said no he fell down but this other guy didn't like him, and that what everybody says that he pushed him. And even De De said that one time. Yeah, yeah this stupid guy had push him. That one of his sister or daughter was bragging about it in school. That De De used to go with that girl to school. They were best friends so with Mary Lou but Mary Lou like that girl's brother so they didn't talk about it.
How did the family react to this?
My mother got reel, well I forgot about that. He wanted to go into the army and my mama said no. That she wasn't going to sign papers. That he took papers and thats when he went to Del Rio and thats when he came back and thats when he had the accident. He didn't go to the army, so he died. He was about the same age as I would be or two years older. I would be two years older then he would be. He was real strict too.
When did you came to San Antonio?
I chihuahua. Lets see I think it was Mary Lou was two years old three years old. I don't remember that. It because De De was born in San Antonio.
Why did you come to San Antonio?
I didn't want to be in Brackett anymore. I was sick and tired. Brackett there no jobs?
Did you get a job in San Antonio?
No, are you crazy?
What did you think of San Antonio?
It was cool it was nice. Better being here then in Brackett. It was small town here it was a big town for me.
When did you meet your second husband?
Veronica was about six months.
Are there any memorable places in San Antonio that are no longer around?
Alameda Theater It's now a museum. That one it's no longer. We used to go to the movies. Me, grandpa, your mom, and Lupe. Grandpa used to get a dipper bag and put beer in there. Thats Mexican.
What movies did you watch?
We saw Capalina. We saw Capalina in person.
When did you get your driver license?
I was forty nine. I had to get it because they caught grandpa drunk. That why because I had to drive because grandpa had a hang over and I had no license and they caught me and I was driving.
Why did it take you so long to get?
I didn't want to. They said If I would get my license. I won't have a record no more. So shit I went and got my license. So I won't have a record.
A police record?
Yes.
What kind of car did you own?
Ford
Anything you like to add?
They rob me of my steering wheel and I had to used a pilers to drive in San Antonio with. Nothing was going to stop me go nowhere.
Where did you go?
Everywhere to the store, garage sales, everything and one time the tire got a flat and I told grandpa to fix the flat. Grandpa say I'm going to work If you want to you have to fix it yourself. You have to learn. He didn't have to tell me twice. I fix it myself, I learn I wanted to go to the garage sales. Thats when I found out they stoled my steering wheel.
Brackettville, Texas . Gloria De La Rosa was born and raised in this town from 1943 to 1965. The Handbook of Texas Online is a multidisciplinary encyclopedia of Texas history, geography, and culture sponsored by the Texas State Historical Association and the General Libraries at UT-Austin. It was produced in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts and the General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin. Copyright © The Texas State Historical Association. Last Updated: May 6, 2004.
A big cone head. Photograpgh of famous person in a dunce cap.
La Llorona. La Llorona- A Hispanic Legend. Teaching from a Hispanic Perspective- A Handbook for Non-Hispanic Adult Educators. This handbook is geared toward non-Hispanic ESOL teachers who teach Hispanic adult education students. The authors of this book are consultants who are independent contractors to the Arizona Adult Literacy and Technology Resource Center in Phoenix, Arizona. This project was funded through the National Literacy Act, 353 Special Projects, Fiscal Year 1996. The issues addressed in this handbook are intended to ease the tension caused by the cultural misunderstandings between the Hispanic adult student and the non-Hispanic ESOL teacher. Also, since this handbook is presented as an evolving document, ESOL instructors and other interested readers are invited to add to the individual topics discussed. Luis Enriquez, born in Colonia Juarez in Chihuahua, Mexico experienced acculturation when he immigrated to the United States, as did Annemarie Pajewski, who immigrated from Germany. Dr. Pajewski also taught German and English in Mexico City at the National University. Happy Shahan. Remembering Alamo Village... And the man who made it a Legend- Happy Shahan 1915-1996 . A tribute to Happy Shahan the owner of the Alamo Village, the site of the 1960 John Wayne film- The Alamo. This website is created and maintained by Penny Campbell-Ingram. P.O. Box 809 Brackettville TX, 78832 Alameda Theater. Photograpgh of Alameda Theater taken on April 24, 2005.
