Preparation Begins For Student Health And Counseling Center

Construction prep-work is underway along 17th Street as the lawns of Belvin-Buchanan and Elliot halls are dug up to prepare for the new Student Health and Counseling Center, according to the July 16 Houstonian:

Item: SHSU Declines Land Donation

The Item had a follow-up on July 12 to their earlier story (July 2) regarding property that would have been used for SHSU's ROTC program:

Museum to Honor Houston’s Memory with Funeral Reenactment

The Item reveals - in a July 7 article - SHSU's plans for celebrating the 150th anniversary of the death of General Sam Houston:

The 150th anniversary of Houston’s death will include a presentation by Texas Historical Commission interpretive planner Hal Simon on [Friday] July 26, the actual anniversary of Houston’s death, followed by a tour of the Steamboat House and a reenactment of Houston’s funeral on [Saturday] July 27.

“Sam Houston died on July 26, 1863, and his funeral was held the next afternoon,” said Danielle Brissette, museum historical interpreter. “The 150th anniversary is a momentous occasion, warranting more than simply a moment of silence. The events we have planned will be tasteful, informative, unique, educational and even fun. It should be interesting for the whole family. ...we have an excellent opportunity at our museum because we are lucky enough to have the actual house in which Sam Houston died and in which his funeral was held. The [Steamboat House] was moved to our museum in the early 20th century, but it was originally located near Oakwood Cemetery. We even have some of the original artifacts that were in the home when Sam Houston passed.”

The event will conclude with a masonic funeral reenactment, from 1:30-2 p.m. at the main Museum Rotunda, featuring local masons who have researched how Masonic funerals of the time were performed.

“We know that the local masons from Forrest Lodge No. 19 performed Sam Houston’s funeral in 1863, and these masons will help us to honor this event in 2013,” Brissette said. “It’s something we’re very excited about and just one of the aspects that will make this year’s event completely different from the one last year.”

Item: City Council Awards Property Bid Despite SHSU Contention

A July 2 Item article says at the most recent Huntsville City Council meeting SHSU made a late attempt to stop the $650,000 purchase of the Army Reserve Building by Maalouf Properties, LLC, citing needs for expansion of the university’s Army ROTC and various veterans programs: