Page 9

Since Mrs. Mayo, University has long benefited from feminine touch

Dr.James Conrad
Archivist,
Texas A&M University-Commerce

The period between the World Wars was the Golden Age for female teachers and administrators at East Texas State Teachers College.

True, women also played important roles in the earlier history of our institution. For instance, when the institution was a private college under the supervision of founder and President William L. Mayo, his wife, Etta Booth Mayo, headed up the fine arts department of the College.

Mrs. Mayo became an advocate for cultural enrichment and an aggressive force for prompting social reforms popular at the turn of the century, such as Prohibition and women’s suffrage.

Nevertheless, the 1920s represented a major departure in regard to female faculty and administrators. The statistics tell part of the story.

In 1922, for example, the full-time teaching staff was almost equally divided among men and women, 20 men and 19 women. Women headed up about half of the academic departments, and the superintendent of the Training School for grades one through nine was a woman, as was the registrar of the College.

Ten years later, the figures were almost identical: 21 male and 18 female faculty.

These women had earned impressive academic degrees from such colleges as Columbia University, the University of Chicago, Tulane and the University of Texas.

And they taught a wide range of academic subjects: economics, biology, home economics, mathematics, history and art, to name some.

Those who graduated from the College in this time period remember with a combination of affection and respect the rigorous and talented teaching of these women.

Some of the names of these teachers deserving a place on the honor roll are the following: Grace Benny, head of the Department of Biology; Eusibia Lutz,who taught at the school into the early 1960s and was head of French Department; Stella LaMond, head of the Department of Art; Juanita Rice, head of Department of Home Economics; Harriet N. Rogers, head of the Department of Physical Education for Women; Frances Potts, assistant Dean of Women and who later taught geography for a number of years; Maude Webster, head of Department of Speech and who had a residence hall named for her; Pauline Rogers, beloved English teacher; Julia Hubbell, Dean of Women and assistant professor of history, for whom Hubbell Hall is named; and Mary Bowman, English professor, who wrote several textbooks and continued to teach after the end of the Second World War.

These and other women faculty and staff of the early and mid-20th century have had an enduring impact that still influences A&M-Commerce for the better.

HOMECOMING 2002 PREVIEW
Date: Oct. 26
Theme: Hittin’ it Big!

Here’s an alumni-only early tidbit for those coming home to hit it big Saturday, Oct. 26:

Some recently acquired panoramic photos of the University dating back to the 1920s and ‘30s will be made available at a special Homecoming viewing in the University’s archives on the fourth floor of the Gee Library.

Archivist James Conrad said the display will also include “a wonderful image of the Training School graduates in 1932.”

Dr. Conrad is opening the archives at a special time for Homecoming, from 10:30 a.m. until noon that Saturday.

Working with Alumni draws student to
Homecoming chair
Danna Freeman, this year’s student chair for Homecoming, says it’s the “opportunity to work with this school’s alumni that makes serving as Homecoming chair such an honor.”

The journalism student from Mineola, Texas, says she’s wanted to be on the Homecoming Committee since her first A&M-Commerce Homecoming in 2000. willing to help in any way possible,” she says.

“After all, this school stands on what students, teachers and administrators before us have accomplished, and without them we have no heritage,” Danna says. “Helping plan a week in their honor is a privilege.”

When the following year one of her sorority sisters served as chair, Danna got the chance to work as the public relations chair.

“I loved contacting and working with alumni, because every one of them was so excited and willing to help in any possible" she says.

Danna Freeman, student
chair for Homecoming 2002

Homecoming visitors may want to know that the old University Inn near campus is now the “Holiday Lodge” and is being extensively refurbished.
The 60-room motel is scheduled to reopen this month following several months of comprehensive interior work that included new flooring and furniture as well as exterior renovations such as pool improvements. A new restaurant also will be opening at the motel.

Commerce Holiday Inn Express
Ground was broken last month for another motel in Commerce, the $2.5 million Holiday Inn Express, which is scheduled to open in early 2003.
Work is set to begin next month on the new two-story, 55-room motel, which will be located on four acres at State Loop 178, or Culver Street, immediately north of Wal-Mart.

The Holiday Inn will be leasing the land from A&M-Commerce.
The building will be angled slightly so that it doesn’t directly face Highway 50. The angle will afford more privacy for guests using the pool, said owner and developer Paul Darling. The angle also will better situate the facility for future additions if they’re needed.

The motel here will be number 12 for Darling, including one he built four years ago in Canyon, Texas, near the campus of West Texas A&M. Darling said one difference between that facility and the Commerce one is that he will enlarge the meeting space.

A restaurant is not included in the Holiday Inn Express, although there will be a seating area where continental breakfasts will be served.
Amenities include an exercise room, spa, four Jacuzzi suites and 18 executive suites with extras such as small refrigerators.
“I think you in Commerce are gonna be as proud of it as I am,” Darling said.