BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RLC

The Roswell Literacy Council, the oldest literacy council in New Mexico, was
formed out of needs recognized by the Altrusa Club in 1974. The Council was officially
organized in 1975. The Board of Directors' first president was Earla Martin. She and
Jane Clarke took literacy to be adopted as a core service to Altrusa International.

The first tutor training was held in 1976 with a Catholic nun, Sister Rene, from
California. The first tutors were trained in the Laubach method for reading. Today, a
tutor training team is providing tutor training in many strategies for Basic Literacy and
learning English as another language as well as ongoing professional development.

In 1978, a literacy room was established at the Educational Services Center on
Kentucky; the Council worked there with the Adult Basic Education program. In 1984,
ABE and RLC moved to ENMU-R. Late in 1987, St. Peter's Catholic Church leased a
small house at 113 E Matthews to the Council. Through a grant from a private
foundation and with the assistance of the community, the present facility at 609 W. 10th
was purchased and remodeled and dedicated in 1995.

Earla Martin helped coordinate the first tutors and students. The first paid
literacy coordinator, Marilyn Faust, was provided by the university ABE program in
1988. The part-time office coordinator/manager role was filled by 2 ENMU-R Work-
Study students in 1984. The office manager was a volunteer or sponsored position (by
VISTA and H.E.L.P.) until 1999 when Lily Renteria was hired. The
Coordinator/Director's position was part-time until 1996. In 2003, the position became
part-time again.

The New Mexico Coalition for Literacy sponsored our first Family Literacy project
in 1990. The Literacy Council became a United Way sponsored agency in 1991 with the
help of people like Betty Long and Dee Redd. The Roswell Literacy Council is funded
primarily by the United Way of Chaves County and the New Mexico Coalition for
Literacy.

In addition to Basic Literacy and learning English for adults in Chaves County,
tutors provide tutoring each cycle for cadets in the New Mexico Youth Challenge
Academy and Workforce Literacy for employees at Hampton Inn. Tutors and students
have access to a computer lab with both Basic Literacy and ESOL materials, including
the software from the Lions' Crane Reading Program for both literacy and cognitive
development. Adults learning English can attend the Conversation Club at the public
library on Monday afternoons from 4-5 p.m., facilitated by one of our tutors, Sharon
Lee.