My article from List A is dated March 16, 1985, and is from the Houston Chronicle. The article consists of a picture of the Dowling statue, attended to by the Miggins family, and a caption that describes the Miggins family as the statue’s primary caretakers. The caption states that the Miggins, an Irish family, have taken it upon their shoulders to make the statue a St. Patrick’s Day holiday tradition. Dowling is described as a Confederate hero of Irish descent. The photographer is mentioned as Howard Castleberry. The article is categorized under Metropolitan, which seems appropriate, as the metropolitan section of the newspaper would cover local news and events as well as human-interest articles. Thus, the placement of the article in the paper does not change the way I see the article, as the subject of Dowling is appropriate for local news. However, the article seems out of place regarding the context surrounding the article. The articles on the same page consist of one detailing the annual trips that the police chief makes and the other article reports that a city councilman does not believe the city should propose state legislation that would prohibit employment discrimination against homosexuals in Texas. Hence, the appearance of a picture of the Miggins family cleaning the Dowling statue along with a descriptive caption seems odd considering the surrounding context.
My article from List B is dated October 10, 1937, and is from the Houston Chronicle. Written by Mrs. Pearl Hendricks, this article attempts to explain the business agreement made 71 years ago between John M. Fennerty, J. Riordan, and Richard W. Dowling to engage in the leasing of Texas lands for the purpose of developing resources. The article mentions this as the first oil lease in Texas history and stipulates that Dowling probably served as the main financial benefactor of the business arrangement. The surrounding articles also contain information about oil deals and other natural resources. Hendricks’s article lends credence to the idea that Houston remembers Dowling for his business knowledge and role as a business pioneer. The article does mention Dowling’s role at Sabine Pass, noting, “his laurels won at Sabine Pass still fresh upon his brow”. Furthermore, this article acknowledges Dowling’s prominent bar business, referring to it as “the bank”. The article raises several questions, including the idea that Houstonians remember Dowling based on the surrounding historical context. For example, is Dowling mentioned for his business skills and role in the first Texas oil lease because of the surrounding oil hype and Texas Oil Boom? If, for example, the historical context would be related to Ireland, would articles referencing Dowling emphasize his Irish nationality? Essentially, my question becomes: does the historical context for the article affect what aspect of Dowling’s life becomes important and worthy of mentioning?