Moving to Midland (Abilene, Odessa, San Angelo: neighborhood, schools, college)

[lifertexan]

For the better, absolutely! And, actually, Midland is better educated and more prosperous than Lubbock.

Uh,no. While Midland may have a tiny % more bachelor degrees, Lubbock has many more postgraduate degrees than Midland, 9.3% to Midland's 7%. And Midland's high numbers are a statistical anamoly. Midland has high numbers comparatively speaking because the lower educated live just down the road in Odessa. In any other population center, the less educated show up as part of the whole town's demographics. In M/O, they live in Odessa. But the entire M/O population is on par with other area towns like Abilene and San Angelo, and well below Lubbock.It is like trying to use the fact that there are no strip clubs in Midland to make the case that Midlanders are somehow more moral. In fact,they simply drive down the road to the ones in Odessa.

In fact,the entire M/O area is so interested in higher education that you can't even get a bachelors degree in M/O. High school kids must leave M/O to get anything past a degree in hairstyling.

[starfields]

Originally Posted by lifertexan

Uh,no. While Midland may have a tiny % more bachelor degrees, Lubbock has many more postgraduate degrees than Midland, 9.3% to Midland's 7%. And Midland's high numbers are a statistical anamoly. Midland has high numbers comparatively speaking because the lower educated live just down the road in Odessa. In any other population center, the less educated show up as part of the whole town's demographics. In M/O, they live in Odessa. But the entire M/O population is on par with other area towns like Abilene and San Angelo, and well below Lubbock.It is like trying to use the fact that there are no strip clubs in Midland to make the case that Midlanders are somehow more moral. In fact,they simply drive down the road to the ones in Odessa.

In fact,the entire M/O area is so interested in higher education that you can't even get a bachelors degree in M/O. High school kids must leave M/O to get anything past a degree in hairstyling.

Beverly Hills and Compton are both considered to be in the greater metropolitan Los Angeles area. Beverly Hills to Compton is roughly the same distance as Midland to Odessa. Surely you are not saying that there would be no difference between living in Beverly Hills and Compton? It's obvious that there would be a great difference. It is also obvious that Midland and Odessa are separate cities, just as Christoval and San Angelo are unique. One living in Midland can dine at a dedicated, beautiful natural foods restaurant [Strawberry Hills Cafe]. I don't believe the same can be said of Lubbock, Odessa, or San Angelo. This speaks volumes demographically.

I also believe that you are way off re higher education in the Odessa-Midland metro area. For starters, UTPB most certainly offers bachelor's degrees. I'm guessing a branch of the University of Texas system is as academically rigorous as Angelo State. Also, I think it's possible to earn one or more bachelor's degrees solely at Midland College.

I notice that you are not sharing the reference/ url for the "postgraduate" numbers you employ: makes me wonder if you are hiding something...about San Angelo, maybe?

[lifertexan]

"...Bush once called it "Yuppieland West" in a letter, while in 1969 D. W. Meinig, a scholar of geography and culture, called the city's unbearable whiteness of seeming perhaps the purest example of the "native white Ango-Saxon Protestant" culture in Texas....Just as the textbook picture of the fifties adheres to this city more than others, sociologist David Riesman's label of "other-directed man," for that era's creature of the crowd, may fit Bush even better than it fits other politicians."

I'm not sure why you posted this.You seem to think it is something positive,like the writer was saying Midland was some sort of idyllic "Leave it to Beaver" town. It is not. The writer is calling Midland racist. To say about Midland that the

"city's unbearable whiteness of seeming perhaps the purest example of the "native white Ango-Saxon Protestant" culture in Texas...."

is an indictment of Midland being one of the last holdouts of the good old days when blacks entered resteraunts by the back door,had separate water fountains,went to separate schools,lived in their own neighborhoods and didn't dream of living with the "white folk",and just generally "knew their place".Here is more from the site:


Author Larry L. King, who went to high school in Midland, described the city for the Observer in 1964 as "where the oillionaires and neanderthal Republicans with low, sloping foreheads and angry John Birchers (in full tremble over flouridation of drinking water and impeaching Earl Warren) play, and the skies are not cloudy all day."...

And here is what another poster said in this thread about Midlanders.

Three of the private schools here are used to AVOID MINORITIES, specifically blacks and Hispanics. Trinity has quite a few kids of Indian descent (from India, the offspring of our endless "Dr. Patel's" here). But -- if you can get the parents to talk honestly, and because I LOOK as if maybe I'm like-minded to them -- they do say outright that they don't want their kids mixing in with minorities.

In fact, they are adamant about it.

Welcome to Midland.

[lifertexan]

It is also obvious that Midland and Odessa are separate cities, just as Christoval and San Angelo are unique. One living in Midland can dine at a dedicated, beautiful natural foods restaurant [Strawberry Hills Cafe]. I don't believe the same can be said of Lubbock, Odessa, or San Angelo. This speaks volumes demographically.

Midland and Odessa are politically two different towns,but in reality are one population center that is divided demographically in the same way other towns are divided by rich and poor neighborhoods.The US govrnment classifies it as such. The area is officially defined by the U.S. Census as the Midland–Odessa Combined Statistical Area. No other town in west Texas, or even most of Texas,has another town next door to house it's less educated blue collar workers. From Answers.com http://www.answers.com/topic/midland...ropolitan-area

Traditionally, the core cities of Midland and Odessa have played very distinct roles in the petroleum industry. Midland is home to most the of corporate offices and has a predominantly white-collar population. Odessa by contrast is home to mostly blue-collar workers and industrial facilities.

They even share a symphony instead of each having one. http://www.mosc.org/

This affects the statistics you use to try and paint Midland as some kind of isolated, stand alone urbane ,well educated city.It is the wealthy neighborhood of Midessa,or the Petroplex, and any city can match statistics with Midland if allowed to leave out it poorer,less educated areas. And since you keep bringing it up,I could really care less about a natural foods restaraunt.I wouldn't bother to accept a free meal to eat there.I strongly suspect most of M/O feels the same way.

I also believe that you are way off re higher education in the Odessa-Midland metro area. For starters, UTPB most certainly offers bachelor's degrees. I'm guessing a branch of the University of Texas system is as academically rigorous as Angelo State. Also, I think it's possible to earn one or more bachelor's degrees solely at Midland College.

My bad.UTPB offers higher degrees,although it is interesting that a major university system had to come in and fill the gap that M/O couldn't fill itself. UTPB didn't even exist until 1973,when the UT system finally moved into the void.The "less educated" people of SA created ASU themselves by local election in 1928,and had grown it to a 4 year college by 1965. Of the two home grown colleges, MC has just now finally offered a bachelors degree in one measly degree, Applied Technology, whatever that is. OC does not offer any 4 year degrees.

I notice that you are not sharing the reference/ url for the "postgraduate" numbers you employ: makes me wonder if you are hiding something...about San Angelo, maybe?

Sorry,but the numbers come from the same site you are on now,city data.

[soccermom98]

My family will also be relocating to Midland within the next 3-4 months. My husband will be working in Big Spring also. We are relocating from the southeast texas area (also small town). After all I am reading I am feeling very apprehensive about this. We have not done the proper research to know about the schools, activities, real estate, people, etc.. Any help would be greatly appreciated to get me in the right direction.

[lifertexan]

While I personally would not choose to live in Midland, it isn't hell on earth. That would be Odessa . Many people like Midland, and more power to them. I hear you can get natural foods there, as opposed to the artificial cows and potatos I must be eating here. Of the Midland, Odessa,and Big Spring choices, I would definitely choose Midland. As with any town with money, there are nice areas.

If you have to move,you might as well make your mind up to like the area.

[pammybear]

Hi Soccermom! We are kind of in the same position! I started by requesting a relocation packet from the Chamber of Commerce. My sister is a realtor in Virginia so she referred met to a realtor in Midland. My realtor also has called me quite a few times with answers to my questions and to also give me other people to talk to. My dh moved first (he's already there) so he will be spending his weekends looking around and looking at houses. The relocation packet from the Chamber has a great list and description of the shopping and activities available. It even gives info on Carlsbad, NM and other points of interest within a days' drive. My other needs which will include finding a good place to exercise that may have childcare will probably have to wait until I get there since I haven't identified that yet but maybe dh will be able to find that for me. Will also need swim and piano lessons for the children but hopefully the school will refer me for that. I think some of the music teachers are in the local Symphony Orchestra and they may give lessons.

So maybe that will give you some place to start anyway. Some people on here are very helpful like Lucidus and can probably answer your questions or point you in the right direction! Maybe we will meet up one day!

Pam

[lifertexan]

It even gives info on Carlsbad, NM and other points of interest within a days' drive.

Of course it does.There isn't anything around M/O to advertise.

[pammybear]

Lifer---

Why the heck are you so negative? Is that really helpful to people who are moving there? I could name you a list of places that I am eager to go visit and YES, they are all in Midland. People on this forum have given me lots of other advice and ideas, so are they liars? Is the Chamber of Commerce lying? Is there not one fun thing to do in Midland? Do you even live in Midland? I wish I could ignore your replies as they are not helpful and I just think you have some ulterior motive or hidden agenda or bone to pick.

Moderator cut: personal

I am really looking forward to seeing all of Texas and get to appreciate its diversity.

Moderator cut: personal attack

Pam

[Lucidus]

Originally Posted by soccermom98

My family will also be relocating to Midland within the next 3-4 months. My husband will be working in Big Spring also. We are relocating from the southeast texas area (also small town). After all I am reading I am feeling very apprehensive about this. We have not done the proper research to know about the schools, activities, real estate, people, etc.. Any help would be greatly appreciated to get me in the right direction.

Could you be a little more specific about your apprehension? If so, I think we could address it further.

As for proper research, I think you may be ahead of the curve there because you are here at city-data. You have already seen some of the good and the bad of Midland. Also you have probably realized that Midland/Odessa is a very polarizing place. People typically either love it or hate it, there few people who are neutral to it.

One issue I would like to address is racism. While there is some racism here practiced by Whites, Hispanics, and African Americans, I don't believe that Midland is some kind of racist stronghold. Last summer a group from the KKK held a protest in Midland and hundreds came out to counter protest. The group was not local but was from San Angelo if I remember correctly. Many of these attacks on Midland are in my opinion politically motivated because of the city's association with G.W. Bush. The people doing the attacks are for the most part political extremist who will attack President Bush in any way possible, so I don't bother giving too much credit to what they have to say.