When I was a kid, Texas Independence Day was a school holiday. The opening parade of the Houston Fat Stock Show and Rodeo was usually timed to coincide with the holiday, so the school kids could attend. One of my best memories of high school was the day my ROTC Bn marched in the parade.
Now, the event receives little or no mention. In this more modern age, it has become almost an embarrassment.
Things change, but not always for the better.