ABSTRACT
The setting of my study was “North Town,” a small (8,000 population) South Texas farming and ranching community with limited industry, considerable local poverty, and a population that was 80 percent Mexican-American. North Town High had an enrollment of 600 students. Its sports teams played at the Triple-A level in a five-level state ranking system. North Town High usually made a habit of winning their conference and occasionally the bi-district. As in many other Texas towns, people took their football very seriously.
