Betty Ash is a retired history teacher for many years at Alice Independent School District who shares her passion for the past with everyone.

On Wednesday, she was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Alice meeting where she gave an impromptu history lesson.

Her lesson began with the history of how Texas got its independence 182 years ago when rebel soldiers defended an old Spanish mission to win freedom from Mexico. After the independence, Texas became known as the Republic of Texas before joining the United States of America in 1846.

She touched on battles fought during the Civil War and what soldiers endured.

Due to her love of history, Ash and her husband recently took a visited several forts along the Texas Forts Trail Region that were established across Texas to protect settlements.

Their first stop was at Fort Mason, than off to other forts such as Fort McKavett, Fort Chadbourne, Fort Phantom Hill to Fort Richardson.

She shared pictures of her trip. Pictures included wagons, hospitals, pharmacy, coffins, and food houses.

She encouraged Rotarians to connect with the past especially with the children who are are “losing contact with the past.”