When Lois Black, now Lois Cantrell, arrived at Eastern New Mexico Junior College (ENMJC) in the summer of 1935 to attend classes and work with her brother, she was unaware that she was starting a family tradition in higher education. The Kiowa, Kansas, native can say the majority of the members in her immediate and extended family have either graduated, worked at or are currently attending Eastern. The 93-year-old Portales resident decided to attend the junior college for music and English after her brother offered her an opportunity. “Those were Depression days so my parents couldn’t afford to send me to college. My brother was already doing the printing for ENMJC and he offered to help me out if I came here,” says Mrs. Cantrell. Ralph Black, Mrs. Cantrell’s brother, started University Printing Services when he was invited to join the faculty and teach printing courses as well as be the printer for the school. He was the first to print The Chase and Mrs. Cantrell helped her brother in the supply shop he had in the Administration Building. “We just had a few things like paper, pencils, candy bars and the like,” remembers Mrs. Cantrell Her affinity for music gave her a job with the junior college. “They paid me $20 a month to do the accompaniment for whatever they needed—like choir and various glee clubs,” explains Mrs. Cantrell. This employment put her in the sights of her soon-to-be Navy-fighter-pilot sweetheart. “He would sing in the choir and I played the organ for them,” says Mrs. Cantrell. After he transferred from the University of Arizona, John Cantrell finished his bachelor’s at Eastern in 1942. After earning his master’s from ENMU, Mr. Cantrell taught biology at Portales High School. Both daughters of the former Portales High School music teacher are affiliated with ENMU. Gail Bond has a degree from Eastern and Barbara Spalding was a secretary at the University. Her three nephews attended Eastern, earning their master’s, bachelor’s and completing coursework for a degree in dentistry. Even her grandson, Mark Spalding, graduated in May. The junior college she remembers is vastly different from today’s university that is only a few blocks away from her Portales home. “Oh my, there’s no comparison! I had to stay in a private home for my first year because they didn’t have dorms. I don’t suppose I thought it would become what it has. I wouldn’t be where I am without ENMJC,” says Mrs. Cantrell.