C. L. Hoskins: ANIMAS

November 1951

-->

Edna Lawson Hoskins' Personal History:

It was a new experience for us living in Animas. It seemed we were on the gravel road most of the time going to and from the ball games and other activities at the school. C.L. played on the basketball team all four years in high school. Argie Ella was cheerleader for three years.

Argie’s Memories:

“When we arrived in Animas Valley, it was like going back in time. We didn't have electricity for a year, no phone, but we did have indoor plumbing. My brother and I rode a school bus to Animas. The bus driver lived with us. We left at 6:50 in the morning and got home about 5:00 in the evening. My brother and I took turns washing the dishes by the light of a kerosene lantern and then studied or danced (made up new steps) to western music from a battery radio. C. L. and I are such good friends and it all started back before the big old ranch kitchen.”

C. L. sat in the back and Argie in about the middle of the bus. By the end of the first week of riding the bus, C. L. had a friend Alfred Johnson and Argie's new best friend was Carol Dunagan. The bus ride was not without event. One time potatoes were put in the exhaust and C. L. and Alfred were blamed, but C. L. claims that it was Johnny Crooms and Bill Godfrey which could have been true because Argie personally knows how it feels to have those two cowboys tie her head to the saw in the shop and threatened to turn the on switch. Alfred and C. L. spent a fair amount of time teasing Argie and Carol, however it did not keep Argie and Carol from spending a lot of time dancing with them. And both were talented on the dance floor.

Animas High

Carol Dunagan Smith's personal memory:
"I see him standing there, as though it were yesterday, leaning against the front corner of the high school auditorium as he faced the tennis court. His left knee was drawn up and his boot resting against the wall. I hoped he was in my class, and I nonchalantly moved a little closer to get a good look at this tall, handsome, new boy. As I was summoning courage to speak to him, it seemed he might feel lonely, or maybe he was not happy. Changing schools is not always easy. So I bravely approached and introduced myself. I asked him his name and he said "Cil". I learned later that it was C.L

Yes, he was in my class. Yes, he was very handsome. And yes, I got a crush on him immediately. Not only that, he rode my bus, along with his beautiful sister who became my friend. C.L. had one of the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen, and when he laughed you laughed with him . . . I shall always remember the rides up to the Howe Place with his mother and sister, and hearing his mother tease him about his driving or whatever and they laughed. I loved it. He was my boyfriend by then, and we did a little dreaming together. I had a card he gave me, and we were to think of each other every night at 9:00 for the rest of our lives.

I still shed tears over our candy party. He was holding the mixer. (We had just gotten electricity.) I was pouring hot syrup into the bowl over the egg whites he was whipping. Somehow the syrup went over his finger. That was a terrible burn, and pain was excruciating. He said one of the last times we talked that he never forgave me. I am glad he was laughing, but I cried again in remembrance.

There was always something a little elusive about C.L., something you couldn't quite get a hold on. Even though he was so well liked and could play basketball for our little school, there was a sort of shyness about him. I was a bit shy, too, so we didn't always talk a lot. I remember when we broke-up, but I don't remember why. After that, C.L. and I could never seem to feel good about each other. He even bullied me a little. Took his pocket-knife and cut into my pony-tail, as though he would cut it off. In typing class he loved to turn around and throw my carriage back and forth and ruin my timed writing. (When Miss Lauman was out of the room.) I always thought it was because he didn't like me anymore, and now I wonder if it was the opposite. I pretended to be mad, but I really wasn't.!!!

Senior year came so quickly, and seeing our pictures, my heart aches a little for C.L. because he seemed a bit of a loner at that time.

Hearts don't really break---but pain and ache for first love's sake.
Hearts don't bleed and die---but mourn and cry . . . To say goodbye.

:

Wonderful trees could tell many stories.

-->

Edna Lawson Hoskins’ personal history:

“I am going to try to remember some of my children's highlights in high school. Animas High School: One April Fool's Day, seventeen of the students decided to use it as “ditch day.” They went to the Chacowes and there was lots of snow. Between all of them, they had $.50, which they bought five candy bars. My cousin, Ima Fairly, was the county school superintendent at that time. She happened to come out to school that day. Then she came on down to the ranch. Ima enjoyed coming down to the ranch. She didn't tell me what the kids had done, however they were on the bus as usual that evening. If they had not told me, I may never have found out. Now, I guess, I had better tell the only time I ditched. Six or eight of us went down to the Rio Grand River just to have a little picnic. We had been there a short time. "Who must arrive to fish? My father." He did not scold me, only said, "I hope this is the first time and it must be the last." So that is what I said to Argie Ella and C.L. “I hope this is the first time and it must be the last.”

This is one of four pictures that I have painted.(Argie)

1952

Summer of 1952 between freshman and sophomore years, C.L. started working with Victoria Land and Cattle Company. C.L. was a windmiller's helper, working with Daddy. C.L. earned $50.00 a month.

1953

Summer of 1953 between Sophomore and Junior years, C.L. worked for Victoria Land and Cattle Company as a cowboy on the Diamond A Ranch.

Girl friends were Carol Dunagan, Donna Cloud and Connie Young.

1954

Summer of 1954 between Junior and Senior years, C.L. worked for H. A. Riddle in Cotton City, New Mexico. He hoed cotton, drove truck and tractor and was a general farmhand. Pay was vast improvement over the $50.00 a month. We had known the Riddle family in Santa Rita.

-->

1954

October found C.L. in Douglas, Arizona. C.L won the steer riding event.

1955

"Picking cotton in Animas after school and Saturdays for Gauthier." Alluding to his emerging sense of independence, C.L. said, "Parents never bought a stitch of clothes for me for the rest of my life except for presents."

Well, I know that Mother continued to make shirts for C. L. and Argie even made him a shirt. Now that was something else. Mother had Argie rip stitches until the western shirt was perfect. I(Argie) can feel the emotions of doing a super job as I sit here today. Even cried a little because I thought that I may not finish it, but determined that I would complete the task. Mother was a professional seamstress and expected that I would not compromise my talent. If I could make a formal for me with high fashion, I could make a western shirt. The shirt seemed so big.

Edna Lawson Hoskins' personal history:

“Animas had a new principal. He taught Algebra and History. When he first came, C.L. and Alfred Johnson got some cockleburs and put them in a shoe box with some cotton in it. They told him to put the Porcupine eggs under the hot water tank and they would hatch in about three weeks. He ask the boys or someone, "Shouldn't they be hatching?" At that time, he learned the truth of the cockleburs.”

“One of the high lights for entertainment was the 4th of July picnic at Cloverdale. The ranchers donated the meat for the barbecue, pinto beans, bread, and coffee. Those who came were to bring salad, vegetable, cake, or pie. The picnic started at noon and continued until late that night. Pug Scott and orchestra started playing around sun down until wee hours of the morning. One year it rain so hard that the whole flat and the creek ran. We could not cross at the Howe Ranch where we lived. We had to wade across. The next crossing was impassable, also, until about noon the day of the 5th. There were so many people who could not get across. I fed 48 people including my family, house guests, and stranded people. I gave about five gallons of milk to babies and children.”

Friends

Ernestine said that she and C. L. had a crush on each other. She said that he was always a gentleman. Who didn't have a crush on him?! Isn't that the truth?

Edna Lawson Hoskins' History:

1954-1955

“Argie attended New Mexico Western at Silver City, New Mexico. She had a wonderful roommate Wilma Seely. They were both cheerleaders. They came to the ranch at least every two weeks. Sometimes Donna Cox came with them. We always attended basketball games which C.L. played. Sometimes we went to Hatch or Truth or Consequences and many other places. We really enjoyed the girls coming home. I mention this because C.L. fell "head over heels" for Donna Cox.”

On one of the trips to the ranch from New Mexico Western C. L. remembers well, "There was a rattle snake out the kitchen screen door. As the snake struck, I jumped over him and yelled. Argie and Mom came to the door, I got the 4-10 (small bore shot gun) and blew the snake's head off."

Argie remembers this impressing Donna and that was good. I(Argie) knew that C. L. was up to the task because I had seen him take on the task before in ways that always came out very well.

Going to Church in Lordsburg