The Pioneers Women’s Club began in the early 1960s as a civic organization. Some of these women had been members of the San Marcos Women’s Auxiliary. While never content with just aiding and assisting the men’s American GI Forum Chapter, they had their own projects and battles. Their founding members included women from early Tejano families of Hays County: Nora Urrutia Ovalle, Belia Garza Mendez, Janie Vela Lucio, Hermelinda “Chita” Arredondo, Agripina Arredondo, Betty Nevarez Rodriguez and Gloria Nevarez Padilla. They organized to address Mexican American affairs and met monthly at member’s homes to work on community issues, including how to better support their children’s education. Discussions evolved to include the “English Only” policies that the school district was implementing.
They also attracted a younger generation of Mexican American women who had witnessed the push for the passing of the Voting Rights Act. These women had been the “boots on the ground” going door to door and engaging with their neighbors to promote voter registration and voter literacy. The Pioneers Women’s Club also held fundraisers to provide poll tax fees for those who wanted to vote but did not have the financial means to cast a vote. Fundraisers were community dances held at Cuauhtémoc Hall, located in Barrio de La Victoria, also known as Victory Gardens Neighborhood. The entry fee was the exact cost of the poll tax, which ranged from $1.50 to $1.75 in Texas. Newer members were Baudelia Arredondo, Sylvia Nevarez Garza, Elida Garza and Loisa Rodriguez Contreras.
In 1965, they also formed a Pioneers Women’s Softball Team. Many members’ husbands participated in baseball teams. For years the wives stayed home to care for the children while their husbands played baseball. In many ways, it was a response by the wives to “equalize” their lives. Many of the husbands were then required to stay home and take care of the children while the wives played ball. It was a brave step for many of the women.
The Pioneers Women’s Club then conducted fundraising to purchase bats, gloves and uniforms for the softball team; practices were held at Dunbar Park. St. John’s Catholic Church and Dunbar Neighborhood also formed women’s softball teams. Subsequently, a Women’s Softball League was sponsored by the city of San Marcos. The Pioneers Women’s Softball Team also travelled to compete in tournaments in Austin at Rosewood Park, and in San Antonio. Their coaches included: Bobby Padilla, J.C. Jackson, Guadalupe “Pio” Flores and Bobby Rodriguez.
The women were highly competitive and played with heart. They were a collective voice for families. These women were blazing new trails in a culture that placed the role of raising a family as the top priority and rarely encouraged their Mexican American women to attain higher education or aspire to have careers. Around this time, women were beginning to join the workforce. In addition to their housekeeping and child rearing responsibilities, many were gainfully employed; some went on to own businesses, have successful careers and serve as community advocates and leaders.
More information can be seen at the “The Past Within Us” museum exhibit at the historic courthouse downtown, located at 111 East San Antonio Street, Suite 104 on Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
