The Victoria College, 1925-2000: A Tradition of Excellence
A history of the Victoria College of Victoria, Texas, published to commemorate the institution's 75th anniversary.
A history of the Victoria College of Victoria, Texas, published to commemorate the institution's 75th anniversary.
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THE VICTORIA COLLEGE<br />
<strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong><br />
A <strong>Tradition</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong><br />
CHARLES D. SPURLIN
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THE VICTORIA COLLEGE<br />
<strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong><br />
A <strong>Tradition</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong><br />
by<br />
Charles D. Spurlin<br />
Foreword by<br />
Jimmy Goodson, Ed.D.
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Administration<br />
Building, circa 1950.<br />
First Edition<br />
Copyright © 1999 Historical Publishing Network<br />
All rights reserved. No part <strong>of</strong> this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,<br />
including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to<br />
Historical Publishing Network, 8491 Leslie Road, San Antonio, Texas, 78254. Phone (210) 688-9008.<br />
ISBN: 1-893619-03-6<br />
Library <strong>of</strong> Congress Card Catalog Number: 99-76696<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong><br />
author: Charles D. Spurlin<br />
Historical Publishing Network<br />
president: Ron Lammert<br />
vice president: Barry Black<br />
project manager: Joe Neely<br />
director <strong>of</strong> operations: Charles A. Newton, III<br />
administration: Angela Lake<br />
Donna Mata<br />
Dee Steidle<br />
graphic production: Colin Hart<br />
PRINTED IN SINGAPORE<br />
2 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
CONTENTS<br />
4 PREFACE<br />
5 FOREWORD<br />
6 CHAPTER 1 genesis<br />
26 CHAPTER 2 depression and war<br />
44 CHAPTER 3 adios, Patti Welder<br />
68 CHAPTER 4 the dynamic duo<br />
106 CHAPTER 5 turmoil and consistency<br />
144 CHAPTER 6 bingdom<br />
178 CHAPTER 7 a new chief, a new era<br />
210 CHAPTER 8 have I told you about the time…<br />
230 APPENDIX<br />
238 INDEX<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> Student Union Building before the<br />
porch was added.<br />
Contents ✦ 3
PREFACE<br />
Writing this book was a unique and personally rewarding experience for me. <strong>The</strong> bulk <strong>of</strong> my publications<br />
have dealt with topics that were dependent on written materials. In this particular instance,<br />
I had the luxury <strong>of</strong> interviewing individuals who in one way or another were or are associated with<br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. <strong>The</strong> verbal or written interchanges provided a far better insight and a more complete<br />
picture on an item than if I had to rely solely on archival holdings. Additionally, my research<br />
proved what I maintained during the 36 years that I was a full-time faculty member, namely, the college<br />
measures up to any two-year institution <strong>of</strong> higher learning in Texas. <strong>The</strong> historical record vividly<br />
demonstrates that the school has steadfastly maintained high academic standards and employed<br />
an exceptionally competent faculty who is unabashedly interested in the educational well-being <strong>of</strong><br />
students. Furthermore, the college has been fortunate to have been led by boards <strong>of</strong> trustees and<br />
administrative <strong>of</strong>ficials who have provided an environment that has met the ever changing societal<br />
demands on education. Little wonder, indeed, that the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> has been in the vanguard <strong>of</strong><br />
the junior/community college movement.<br />
No author is an island. Invariably, there is a select group <strong>of</strong> individuals who play a part in bringing<br />
a production to fruition. Since I am not an exception to the rule; there are several people who I<br />
owe a debt <strong>of</strong> gratitude to for their encouragement, assistance, and cooperation during the composition<br />
<strong>of</strong> this book. President Jimmy Goodson, a person who was responsible for my involvement in<br />
this project, provided positive reenforcement throughout the writing process. Elizabeth Hoerster and<br />
Elizabeth Wagner, two competent student assistants, saved me an inestimable amount <strong>of</strong> time by carrying<br />
out critical micr<strong>of</strong>ilm assignments. I sincerely appreciate all the people who have shared with<br />
me their cherished stories and who have provided factual information. Bob Allen proved from beginning<br />
to end his quintessential photographic pr<strong>of</strong>essionalism by taking, duplicating, and developing<br />
images in a timely fashion. I am exceedingly grateful to Richard Walker, C.F. Schneider, and Michael<br />
Hummel who gave up their leisure time to critique the manuscript. <strong>The</strong>ir comments and suggestions<br />
spared me from making embarrassing mistakes. Any errors <strong>of</strong> fact or interpretation, <strong>of</strong> course, are<br />
entirely mine. A special kudos goes to Sandy Schramek. She was called upon to transcribe the data<br />
from longhand, make corrected copies, and eventually place the completed manuscript on computer<br />
disk. Sandy performed these tedious tasks, I might add, amiably and patiently. And finally, I wish<br />
to thank my wife Pat for her assistance and forbearance <strong>of</strong> my many hiatuses from family functions<br />
to research and to write in the “red room.”<br />
Charles D. Spurlin<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
4 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
FOREWORD<br />
From its inception in <strong>1925</strong>, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> has been a vital educational resource for <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
and the surrounding area. Founded originally as part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> public school system and located<br />
on the campus <strong>of</strong> Patti Welder High School, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> has grown and adapted to keep pace<br />
with a growing and expanding community. In response, the <strong>Victoria</strong> community has provided an<br />
exceptional level <strong>of</strong> local support for the <strong>College</strong>.<br />
Three significant concerns have guided the <strong>College</strong> over the years in its service to <strong>Victoria</strong>. First,<br />
a strong emphasis on quality has earned <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> a well-deserved reputation for excellence in<br />
its programs and services. Also, the <strong>College</strong>’s continued responsiveness to community needs has supported<br />
the social and economic development <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> area. Finally, and perhaps above all, the<br />
<strong>College</strong> has provided its services at a relatively low cost, thus making higher education accessible to<br />
virtually all who seek it without regard to financial resources.<br />
Because <strong>of</strong> its accessibility, it is difficult to find someone whose life hasn’t been touched by the<br />
<strong>College</strong>. In the early days, it was the son <strong>of</strong> a farmer who was able to stay at home and still take college<br />
courses in business and agriculture. It was the secretary in the 1930s who received on-the-job<br />
training provided by the local junior college. In the decades to follow, it has been the student who<br />
needs a firm foundation before transferring to an upper level university…the single parent who<br />
wants to earn a degree to acquire a better job…the citizen who just purchased a home computer and<br />
needs training. Whether it be the health care worker who takes care <strong>of</strong> us, or the police <strong>of</strong>ficer who<br />
protects us, we are surrounded by those whom <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> has served.<br />
Decade by decade, the <strong>College</strong> has responded to growth and changes in technology by developing<br />
new facilities. We began the nineties by providing personal computers for student access on site.<br />
Now, we are expanding our technology to accommodate distance learning, on-line courses, and<br />
multi-media presentations in the classroom. We have met the challenges <strong>of</strong> the past and now we are<br />
planning an expansion <strong>of</strong> facilities to meet the challenges <strong>of</strong> the 21st Century.<br />
As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we recognize the <strong>College</strong> not only as an institution <strong>of</strong> learning,<br />
but also as a community <strong>of</strong> people. For “the <strong>College</strong>,” as it is affectionately called, is <strong>Victoria</strong>’s<br />
cornerstone <strong>of</strong> higher education academically as well as personally. May this collection <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>’s history pay tribute to the administrators, faculty, staff, students and alumni, as well as the<br />
community. We all can be proud <strong>of</strong> the traditions established by <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and look forward<br />
with anticipation to the achievements in the years to come.<br />
Jimmy Goodson<br />
President,<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Foreword ✦ 5
6 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
CHAPTER 1<br />
GENESIS<br />
<strong>The</strong> junior college movement in America began in the early 1850s. <strong>The</strong> initial thrust came, as far as<br />
can be determined, from Henry Phillips Tappan, an admirer <strong>of</strong> the German education system and president<br />
<strong>of</strong> the University <strong>of</strong> Michigan. Prior to his becoming the chief administrator at the state university,<br />
he proposed in 1851 that in order to establish a distinct university, the first two years <strong>of</strong> higher<br />
education should be designed to emphasize material that is essential for the development <strong>of</strong> a literate<br />
person and to adequately prepare a student for the specialized studies taught at the university. Before<br />
the decade ended, William L. Mitchell, a member <strong>of</strong> the board <strong>of</strong> trustees at the University <strong>of</strong> Georgia,<br />
expressed the opinion <strong>of</strong> the board that too many <strong>of</strong> the all-male student body enrolled in that university<br />
were not properly prepared for the demands <strong>of</strong> scholarly study. He argued “that the foundation <strong>of</strong><br />
failure, if not <strong>of</strong> ruin, is laid in the Freshman and Sophomore years <strong>of</strong> college life.” Mitchell therefore<br />
formulated a plan separating the first two years <strong>of</strong> study from the last two. Neither Tappan’s nor<br />
Mitchell’s innovative ideas became a reality, but their concepts were harbingers <strong>of</strong> what was to come. 1<br />
Sentiment for a two-year educational institution ebbed and flowed as the nation made its way to<br />
a new century. In 1851, the same year that Tappan made his unusual proposal, Lasell <strong>College</strong>, a private<br />
school at Arburndale, Massachusetts, “<strong>of</strong>fered two years <strong>of</strong> standard collegiate instruction” for<br />
women. Four years after the end <strong>of</strong> the Civil War, the president <strong>of</strong> the University <strong>of</strong> Minnesota,<br />
William Watts Folwell, took up the battle cry. In his inaugural address, he called for a system where<br />
“a youth could remain at the high school or academy, residing in his home, until he had reached a<br />
point, say, somewhere near the end <strong>of</strong> the sophomore year…<strong>The</strong>n [he could] emigrate to the university.”<br />
Negative reaction to Folwell’s speech in the academic circles was nil, causing the president<br />
to remark that the reason the proposal “was not openly and vigorously denounced was due to the<br />
fact that it was not understood, or if understood, was not taken seriously.” 2<br />
By the 1890s, a wind <strong>of</strong> acceptance for reform blew across the educational landscape. In 1892,<br />
William Rainey Harper, first president <strong>of</strong> the University <strong>of</strong> Chicago, took advantage <strong>of</strong> the climatic<br />
change by placing the first two years <strong>of</strong> the university into the Academic <strong>College</strong> and the next two<br />
years into the University <strong>College</strong>. Four years later the respective designations became known as the<br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> and the Senior <strong>College</strong>. Harper’s reference to the first two years <strong>of</strong> higher learning as<br />
a junior college may have been the first use <strong>of</strong> the term. <strong>The</strong> University <strong>of</strong> Chicago also holds the<br />
distinction <strong>of</strong> awarding the first associate <strong>of</strong> arts degree to graduates <strong>of</strong> the Junior <strong>College</strong>. <strong>The</strong> university’s<br />
successful two-year educational scheme inspired the formation <strong>of</strong> private and public junior<br />
colleges throughout the nation. In 1901, the Joliet Junior <strong>College</strong> in Joliet, Illinois, was created as an<br />
extension <strong>of</strong> the high school, making it the oldest public junior college in the United States.<br />
Afterwards, the number <strong>of</strong> two-year schools rose sharply. By 1909, there existed 20 junior<br />
colleges. Thirteen years later the figure had increased to over 200. Two-year colleges, most <strong>of</strong> which<br />
were private, were located in 38 states. <strong>The</strong>y were most numerous in California, a reflection <strong>of</strong> that<br />
state’s willingness to embrace the junior college concept. 3<br />
In his narrative, <strong>The</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>, published by the United States Bureau <strong>of</strong> Education in 1919,<br />
F. M. McDowell suggested four principal reasons that motivated popularity <strong>of</strong> the junior college.<br />
First, universities encouraged the development as a means <strong>of</strong> reducing or eliminating their general<br />
courses required <strong>of</strong> all freshmen and sophomore students which allowed them to concentrate on the<br />
specialized upper division and graduate classes. Second, teacher colleges became junior colleges<br />
because <strong>of</strong> the perceived need to <strong>of</strong>fer collegiate work and not limit themselves solely to pedagogical<br />
subjects. Third, colleges with small enrollments were not academically strong enough to <strong>of</strong>fer fouryear<br />
programs that adequately met accreditation. Fourth, the junior college as a component <strong>of</strong> the<br />
high school was an evolutionary step <strong>of</strong> the public education system. <strong>The</strong> addition <strong>of</strong> grades twelve,<br />
thirteen, and fourteen allowed students who could not leave their communities to attend a four-year<br />
✯<br />
On February 4, <strong>1925</strong>, Frank H.<br />
Crain, Sr., made the motion to<br />
establish the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>.<br />
Genesis ✦ 7
✯<br />
Virgil L. Griffin, superintendent <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District,<br />
also served as president <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> from <strong>1925</strong> to 1935.<br />
university to be able to at least obtain the first<br />
two years <strong>of</strong> a collegiate education. It was the<br />
latter factor that weighed heavily upon Frank H.<br />
Crain, Sr., a <strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School<br />
District board member and the son <strong>of</strong> William<br />
Henry Crain, a former Congressman. Because<br />
family financial considerations interrupted his<br />
higher educational studies, he empathized with<br />
students struggling to secure collegiate work. 4<br />
Crain was convinced that public education<br />
more than any other factor distinguished the<br />
United States from the rest <strong>of</strong> the world, and<br />
therefore, whatever could be done to assist its<br />
further development should be done.<br />
Consequently, he envisioned adding two additional<br />
years to the educational program at Patti<br />
Welder High School. Crain maintained that the<br />
cost would be minimal and the results pr<strong>of</strong>ound.<br />
His enthusiasm for a junior college was contagious,<br />
infecting other board members.<br />
Superintendent Virgil L. Griffin, who had been<br />
superintendent <strong>of</strong> the Brownwood public schools<br />
for four years before moving to <strong>Victoria</strong> in 1918,<br />
did not need any encouragement. He was already<br />
a proponent <strong>of</strong> the junior college movement. On<br />
August 18, 1924, the board requested that Griffin<br />
invite Dr. Peyton Irwin, college inspector for the<br />
Texas Department <strong>of</strong> Education, to visit <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
and discuss the prospects <strong>of</strong> creating a junior college<br />
at the public high school. No available<br />
records exist that indicate Irwin accepted the<br />
invitation. Nevertheless, the school <strong>of</strong>ficials proceeded<br />
to take the necessary steps to establish a<br />
junior college. 5<br />
When the board convened in the <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> the<br />
People’s National Bank on February 4, <strong>1925</strong>, a<br />
motion was made by Crain and seconded by<br />
Herman Fischer to create <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
as an integral part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> Independent<br />
School District. Crain was given the honor by<br />
the board to make the motion because <strong>of</strong> his<br />
untiring zeal for a quality education program<br />
and his strong feeling that a junior college was<br />
an absolute necessity for a progressive public<br />
school system.<br />
A mitigating factor for the adoption <strong>of</strong> the resolution<br />
was a pending bill in the state legislature<br />
that would limit the establishment <strong>of</strong> junior colleges<br />
to high schools with five hundred students<br />
or more and a minimum assessed tax value <strong>of</strong><br />
$15 million. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> school district did not<br />
meet the proposed criteria. If, as the Texas<br />
Attorney General ruled, <strong>Victoria</strong> acted promptly<br />
and created a junior college, the legislation when<br />
passed would not affect the district. Crain’s<br />
motion carried by a unanimous vote. 6<br />
After the junior college proposal was adopted,<br />
Griffin was authorized to purchase the<br />
required equipment for the new two-year<br />
school. This was not as easy a task as it might<br />
have initially appeared. <strong>The</strong>re were certain state<br />
educational standards that had to be met in<br />
order for <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> to receive a<br />
first-class rating. Under the guidelines, the<br />
library had to have a minimum <strong>of</strong> 2,000 books,<br />
and the chemistry lab had to have equipment<br />
valued at $1,500 or more. From an organizational<br />
standpoint, the standards required at least<br />
8 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
five departments, three <strong>of</strong> which had to have<br />
instructors with master’s degrees or higher. 7<br />
To be a successful higher education institution,<br />
public support was critical. <strong>The</strong> backers <strong>of</strong><br />
the two-year college took a positive message to<br />
the people to win their confidence. <strong>The</strong><br />
rationale presented to the community for the<br />
establishment <strong>of</strong> a junior college was very modernistic.<br />
A lengthy editorial in the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Advocate touted the unprecedented step taken<br />
by the Association <strong>of</strong> Texas <strong>College</strong>s, an organization<br />
that held Griffin in high esteem, when it<br />
admitted <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> as a member<br />
even before the two-year school was operative.<br />
<strong>The</strong> newspaper also cited the benefits a junior<br />
college <strong>of</strong>fered citizens. Among the advantages<br />
listed were a low-cost education, small classes,<br />
individual attention, experienced teachers<br />
rather than student assistants, and course <strong>of</strong>ferings<br />
for adults “who desire the work for pleasure<br />
and culture.” 8<br />
<strong>The</strong> new junior college was housed in the Patti<br />
Welder High School building, and despite the<br />
board’s initial thought that only freshman college<br />
courses should be <strong>of</strong>fered, a full complement <strong>of</strong><br />
both freshman and sophomore courses were<br />
taught. <strong>The</strong> board members acknowledged that<br />
in due time a separate building would be erected<br />
for the junior college. Six thousand dollars were<br />
budgeted for the school’s first year <strong>of</strong> operation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> money was to be spent on salaries for new<br />
instructors, laboratory chemicals, library books,<br />
and other equipment required to satisfy the law<br />
providing for the establishment <strong>of</strong> a junior college.<br />
Superintendent Griffin was elected president<br />
<strong>of</strong> the college and was paid $3,600 a year for<br />
the dual role <strong>of</strong> superintendent and president.<br />
Tuition was set at twenty-five dollars a semester.<br />
Typewriter fees were an extra charge. 9<br />
<strong>The</strong> first instructors employed were characterized<br />
by the Advocate as being “men and<br />
women <strong>of</strong> mature years and experience in teaching<br />
and [who] possess those attributes in a high<br />
degree that aid in developing character in young<br />
people.” <strong>The</strong> original faculty consisted <strong>of</strong> E. J.<br />
Dysart, dean and instructor <strong>of</strong> education;<br />
✯<br />
Initially, the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> Library had approximately<br />
2,000 books.<br />
Genesis ✦ 9
Sue Moore, history; Una T. Hunter, English; J. L.<br />
Dickson, mathematics; W. W. Ballard, Spanish;<br />
<strong>The</strong>resa Klapproth, Latin; Clara W. Glass, commercial<br />
department; and A. C. “Coke”<br />
Williamson, science. All <strong>of</strong> the instructors<br />
except Dysart, Klapproth, and Williamson held<br />
master’s degrees. None <strong>of</strong> the females was married.<br />
Board policy prohibited employing<br />
married female teachers unless the governing<br />
body permitted otherwise. 10<br />
On September 14, <strong>1925</strong>, the college opened<br />
with fifty-one students, a larger enrollment than<br />
was predicted by school <strong>of</strong>ficials. Perhaps the<br />
higher than expected number <strong>of</strong> students<br />
reflected the community’s high expectations for<br />
the college. Most <strong>of</strong> the local civic leaders anticipated<br />
it would become a leading educational<br />
institution and the city would emerge as an educational<br />
center. <strong>The</strong>y were therefore very<br />
pleased to be informed <strong>of</strong> the initial figures. <strong>The</strong><br />
students themselves were equally delighted. A<br />
festive atmosphere prevailed among the high<br />
school and college students as they attended<br />
their first day <strong>of</strong> classes. This was especially true<br />
for the collegians who heard praiseworthy<br />
speeches “delivered by representative citizens.” 11<br />
Prior to the start <strong>of</strong> the fall semester, on<br />
September 6, 1926, the first college sports team<br />
gathered at the Patti Welder High School football<br />
practice field under the guidance <strong>of</strong> Coach<br />
J. J. Sasser. <strong>The</strong> squad consisted <strong>of</strong> junior college<br />
students, ineligible players from the high<br />
school, and <strong>of</strong>f-campus young adults. Included<br />
among its members were Sidney R. Weisiger,<br />
right end; Hugh Lowery, left tackle; Perry<br />
Larson, right halfback; William Henderson, left<br />
halfback; and Marcus Williamson, fullback.<br />
Practices were held, as Weisiger once remarked,<br />
whenever eleven players were present. Although<br />
the football team won its first game by beating<br />
Port Lavaca High School 6-0, it was usually outclassed<br />
by the opposition. 12<br />
Chester Evans, who was not associated with<br />
the original team but became a manager before<br />
the decade ended, recalled that when the club<br />
traveled to San Marcos for a game, two rather<br />
hefty Yorktown boys, who were not college<br />
students but eligible to play for the college,<br />
were picked up in Cuero. After the game, they<br />
were dropped <strong>of</strong>f at Cuero. Evans also told the<br />
story that once when the team played in<br />
Beaumont, the weather was bitterly cold.<br />
Because <strong>of</strong> the freezing temperature, the football<br />
players “borrowed” pillows and quilts from the<br />
hotel they were staying in for cover so they<br />
could stay warm on the return bus ride to<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong>. When the vehicle arrived at the campus,<br />
law enforcement <strong>of</strong>ficials met it and sternly<br />
instructed the team, with no questions asked, to<br />
place the heisted items inside a large box that<br />
was in the center <strong>of</strong> the gymnasium. 13<br />
A significant innovation by the college which<br />
would be emulated by other Texas junior colleges<br />
was the establishment <strong>of</strong> a student council<br />
as a means <strong>of</strong> assisting the faculty in solving<br />
problems that arose within the college setting<br />
and serving as a mode for teaching democratic<br />
principles. <strong>The</strong> student organization was composed<br />
<strong>of</strong> four sophomores and three freshmen. 14<br />
During the first year <strong>of</strong> its existence, <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> was <strong>of</strong>ficially recognized by both<br />
the State Department <strong>of</strong> Education and the<br />
Texas Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s, a feat unmatched<br />
by any other junior college in Texas. Most <strong>of</strong><br />
the credit for this momentous achievement was<br />
due to Griffin, who actively sought the endorsement<br />
by the State Board <strong>of</strong> Education. He was<br />
determined that the college be accredited<br />
before the conclusion <strong>of</strong> the academic year so<br />
students could acquire teacher certification and<br />
courses could be transferred to senior institutions<br />
without a loss <strong>of</strong> credits. At the president’s<br />
spring meeting <strong>of</strong> the Texas Association <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>s in Fort Worth, the faculty and students<br />
at the college, in appreciation for being<br />
accepted as a full member <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
organization, presented each president with a<br />
box <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> roses. <strong>The</strong> gifts were acknowledged<br />
with a lively standing ovation. Four years<br />
later, in 1930, the college was admitted to<br />
membership in the American Association <strong>of</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong>s, thus entitling students the<br />
privilege <strong>of</strong> transferring to colleges and universities<br />
outside <strong>of</strong> Texas. 15<br />
Nellie Lee Kelley and George Thurmond hold<br />
the distinction <strong>of</strong> comprising <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong>’s first graduating class. Commencement<br />
ceremonies were held jointly by the high school<br />
and the college on Wednesday evening, May 26,<br />
1926, at Hauschild’s Opera House. <strong>The</strong> small<br />
auditorium was packed with well-wishers.<br />
Because <strong>of</strong> the lack <strong>of</strong> space to accommodate<br />
10 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
everyone who wanted to attend, numerous individuals<br />
were turned away at the entrance door.<br />
Dr. William W. Splawn, president <strong>of</strong> the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Texas, was the guest speaker. In<br />
his address, he emphasized the various benefits<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>, such as reduced education<br />
expenses, the moral influence the college<br />
had on the town, and the economic value to the<br />
area. Diplomas were presented to the graduates<br />
by Dr. Fred B. Shields, a local physician whose<br />
son, George, is credited with being the first person<br />
to enroll at the college and the first <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> graduate to attend a senior institution<br />
outside <strong>of</strong> the state. 16<br />
Kelley, who received her diploma before<br />
Thurmond, was startled when Reverend J. C.<br />
Felger, minister at the First English Lutheran<br />
Church, rose from his seat in the auditorium,<br />
jumped on the stage, and grabbed her hand.<br />
Felger remarked that he was “proud to be the<br />
first to shake the hand <strong>of</strong> the first graduate <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>.” 17<br />
At the July 7, 1926, board meeting, Griffin<br />
was instructed to secure architectural drawings<br />
for a college building. Later, on July 28, the governing<br />
body, acting on a motion by Fischer and<br />
seconded by C. A. Schuchert, ordered a $70,000<br />
bond election for the construction <strong>of</strong> the edifice.<br />
Voting was held on September 4, and the issue<br />
passed 258 to 88, an impressive victory when<br />
one considers that only property owners who<br />
paid their poll tax could vote in the bond election.<br />
But since no tax increase was required, the<br />
proposed item was not controversial with this<br />
typically financially conservative group. 18<br />
William Ward Watkins, a Houston architect<br />
who designed buildings for Texas Technological<br />
<strong>College</strong> and Rice Institute, was employed to draw<br />
plans for a two-story brick structure. N. A. Evans<br />
<strong>of</strong> Columbus, Texas, with a bid <strong>of</strong> $53,928, was<br />
awarded the construction contract. <strong>The</strong> heating<br />
and plumbing work was done by John Wattinger<br />
<strong>of</strong> Austin. <strong>The</strong> new quarters for the college were<br />
to contain ten classrooms, a study hall, science<br />
room, “and all necessary conveniences.” 19<br />
Classroom space at Patti Welder and the college<br />
was at a premium when the academic year<br />
began on September 13, 1926. <strong>The</strong> shortage was<br />
so acute that two high school students were<br />
assigned to each desk, and the college was<br />
forced to limit enrollment. Since there was no<br />
public outcry, apparently few prospective students<br />
were denied admission. 20<br />
With an increased student population, an<br />
active pep squad was organized and social clubs<br />
were formed. And in an effort toward bonding<br />
students to the college and creating a feeling <strong>of</strong><br />
togetherness, freshmen were required to wear<br />
green skullcaps. 21<br />
<strong>The</strong> first general catalogue was published in<br />
1926, and it provides an informative perspective<br />
on the society, culture, and educational<br />
attitudes <strong>of</strong> the mid-1920s, some <strong>of</strong> which<br />
have continued to exist. According to the publication,<br />
the college had three purposes—to<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer transfer courses, to prepare students to<br />
✯<br />
A page from the 1930 Buccaneer.<br />
Genesis ✦ 11
✯<br />
A page from the 1930 Buccaneer.<br />
enter the pr<strong>of</strong>essions, and to provide college<br />
work for teacher certification. 22<br />
Since Texas public schools consisted only <strong>of</strong><br />
eleven grades, it was possible that a person<br />
could graduate from high school at sixteen<br />
years <strong>of</strong> age. <strong>The</strong>refore, the college listed as<br />
one <strong>of</strong> its advantages that students could<br />
remain home “until they are more advanced<br />
in years and thus enjoy better instruction<br />
and training under school discipline and<br />
parental control than is now given in lower<br />
classes in colleges.” Nevertheless, despite<br />
the youthfulness <strong>of</strong> the students, the college<br />
pointed out that it considered anyone enrolled<br />
12 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
to have reached “the age <strong>of</strong> responsibility and<br />
discretion,” and it was expected that students’<br />
conduct in school and <strong>of</strong>f-campus be dignified<br />
and unquestionable. 23<br />
<strong>The</strong> catalogue also stressed that high school<br />
was not as challenging as college, and it was<br />
imperative that students be prepared to devote<br />
themselves to college work. It was further pointed<br />
out that students should understand their success<br />
depended upon themselves. <strong>The</strong> publication also<br />
stated, albeit as a warning to the students, what<br />
the college has consistently attempted to attain<br />
throughout its existence. According to the booklet,<br />
“<strong>The</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> could not justify its existence<br />
if it did not require a high grade <strong>of</strong> work and<br />
demand the same degree <strong>of</strong> personal responsibility<br />
as do the higher institutions <strong>of</strong> learning which<br />
the students are preparing to enter.” 24<br />
Subject <strong>of</strong>ferings were characteristically tilted<br />
toward the liberal arts. Courses were taught in<br />
English, history, economics, mathematics,<br />
Spanish, chemistry, Latin, education, stenography<br />
and typing, biology, accounting, and foods<br />
and clothing. <strong>College</strong> diplomas were awarded to<br />
students who passed ten college courses,<br />
including two in English, and possessed conduct<br />
and scholarship satisfactory to the faculty. 25<br />
An important component <strong>of</strong> the college curriculum<br />
was teacher certification. Students who<br />
wanted to go into teaching could receive an elementary<br />
certificate, valid for four years, by completing<br />
five college courses, including one<br />
course in elementary education and one in<br />
English. Not more than two courses could be<br />
taken in a single subject. A six-year elementary<br />
certificate required two years <strong>of</strong> college work,<br />
but the holder <strong>of</strong> the certificate was “eligible for<br />
a permanent elementary certificate after five<br />
years <strong>of</strong> successful elementary teaching.” 26<br />
Although the requirements for high school<br />
certification were similar to elementary certification,<br />
the documents varied in their length<br />
<strong>of</strong> validity and acceptability. Whereas an elementary<br />
certificate was valid for either four<br />
or six years, a secondary certificate was<br />
good for either two years or four years.<br />
Furthermore, a high school certificate unlike<br />
an elementary certificate earned at a junior college<br />
was not automatically accepted in all the<br />
school districts. 27<br />
At the beginning <strong>of</strong> the 1926 school year, the<br />
college and the high school formed a combined<br />
orchestra. In the preceding nine years attempts<br />
were made to create a musical group, but the<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Building<br />
was constructed adjacent to Patti<br />
Welder High School.<br />
Genesis ✦ 13
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> Pirates had a respectable football<br />
season in 1929 with five wins, three<br />
losses, and one tie.<br />
efforts failed, which is surprising considering the<br />
community’s rich musical heritage that included<br />
the highly regarded August Wagner’s Silver<br />
Cornet Band. John A. Clack, a University <strong>of</strong> Texas<br />
product and an accomplished violinist, was<br />
named director. <strong>The</strong> orchestra began with some<br />
30 students. Before the school year ended, however,<br />
only 15 members remained. After a few trial<br />
performances, the musical ensemble conducted<br />
its major public debut at Hauschild’s Opera<br />
House on February 11, 1927, and drew rave<br />
reviews from those who attended. 28<br />
<strong>The</strong> second graduation class was considerably<br />
larger than the first one. On May 23, 1927,<br />
18 members participated in the commencement<br />
exercise before a capacity crowd at Hauschild’s<br />
Opera House. <strong>The</strong> class members selected green<br />
and white for their colors and adopted the<br />
motto “Mens Agitat Molem,” or mind moves<br />
matter. Glenn K. Williamson was the first<br />
named valedictorian, and Gilbert Pritchard was<br />
the first salutatorian. 29<br />
When the students returned for the 1927 fall<br />
semester, they were greeted with a new <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> building. On the previous<br />
May 17, the cornerstone had been dedicated,<br />
and before the end <strong>of</strong> June, the edifice was<br />
completed. <strong>The</strong> board <strong>of</strong>ficially accepted the<br />
home for <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> on June 24.<br />
<strong>The</strong> two-story, tile ro<strong>of</strong>ed, brick building housed<br />
five classrooms, a gymnasium, lavatories, and<br />
the president’s <strong>of</strong>fice on the first floor. <strong>The</strong><br />
second floor consisted <strong>of</strong> an additional five<br />
classrooms, an auditorium, a study hall, and<br />
science rooms. 30<br />
During the fall and spring semesters, the<br />
Dramatic Club entertained the community in<br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> auditorium and at<br />
Hauschild’s Opera House with a variety <strong>of</strong> wellperformed<br />
plays to raise money to pay for a<br />
Miller grand piano. Among the cast members<br />
were Claude Mullins, Billie Smith, Bessie<br />
Kilgore, Margaret LeSage, Clover Dell Hill, Mary<br />
Catherine Curran, Charlotte West, Charles<br />
Copley, and Winston Zirjacks. 31<br />
In 1928, the commencement ceremonies<br />
unlike the previous years were held separate<br />
from the high school. Twenty students were<br />
awarded diplomas. <strong>The</strong> class valedictorian was<br />
Elena Tyng, and the salutatorian was Elizabeth<br />
Allen. Henry Paulus <strong>of</strong> Yoakum delivered the<br />
commencement address. 32<br />
On May 3, 1929, <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> held<br />
its first homecoming. <strong>The</strong> activities were conducted<br />
in the college auditorium with Dean E. J.<br />
Dysart presiding as master <strong>of</strong> ceremonies.<br />
Winston Zirjacks, sophomore class president,<br />
gave a “ringing welcome” to the alumni.<br />
Speeches were made by Griffin and alumnus<br />
George Shields. After a piano solo by Charlotte<br />
West, a reading by Gaynelle Hays, and a violin<br />
solo by Rita Henry, the program concluded with<br />
14 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
a vocal duet by Odessa Robins and Sue McElroy.<br />
Dysart dismissed the audience with “a few well<br />
chosen words…that was [sic] inspiring and<br />
helpful to all in attendance.” 33<br />
After suffering through disappointing football<br />
and basketball seasons, the college in May<br />
1929 finally had something to cheer about. Jack<br />
Compton, a member <strong>of</strong> the Pirate track team,<br />
won high point honors at a track meet held by<br />
Schreiner Institute in Kerrville. Competing<br />
against athletes from Houston Junior <strong>College</strong>,<br />
South Park Junior <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> Beaumont,<br />
Randolph <strong>College</strong>, Cisco Junior <strong>College</strong>, as well<br />
as the host school, Compton placed first in<br />
the high hurdles, pole vault, and high jump.<br />
He came in third in the discus and broad<br />
jump. Despite Compton’s individual achievements,<br />
the Pirate team came in second behind<br />
Schreiner Institute. 34<br />
Under the able leadership <strong>of</strong> first year head<br />
coach Vernon A. Adams, the 1929-1930 Pirate<br />
football and basketball squads enjoyed their<br />
best seasons since the beginning <strong>of</strong> the sports<br />
program. <strong>The</strong> seventeen Pirate pigskin gladiators<br />
played nine contests. <strong>The</strong>y recorded five<br />
wins, three losses, and one tie. <strong>The</strong> roundballers<br />
lost only one game out <strong>of</strong> nineteen, earning<br />
them their first conference crown. 35<br />
On January 22, 1930, a group <strong>of</strong> former and<br />
current <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> athletes met in<br />
the college auditorium and formed the “V”<br />
Association. Joseph “Dedo” Fagan, a member <strong>of</strong><br />
the 1929 football team, was elected president.<br />
After agreeing to create the organization and<br />
choosing <strong>of</strong>ficers, the new association engaged in<br />
an intense discussion on the eligibility requirements<br />
for membership. <strong>The</strong> debate centered<br />
around the question <strong>of</strong> permitting the athletes<br />
who participated in sports but did not attend<br />
college to join the association. Eventually, the<br />
issue was resolved by limiting membership only<br />
to former or current athletes who lettered in at<br />
least one sport while enrolled at the college. 36<br />
During the spring <strong>of</strong> 1930, the college published<br />
its first annual, <strong>The</strong> Buccaneer.<br />
Throughout the school year, students conducted<br />
a variety <strong>of</strong> fund raising activities to help defray<br />
the cost <strong>of</strong> publication. <strong>The</strong> book was dedicated<br />
to <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> President Virgil<br />
Layfayette Griffin. In the inscription, Griffin<br />
was recognized for “his capable organization,<br />
leadership, unsparing aid to each student and<br />
patient tireless efforts to make this [college] a<br />
progressive institution.” 37<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1930 Pirate football team was the hot<br />
news item during the fall semester. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Advocate carried articles throughout the season<br />
detailing the club’s exploits on the playing field.<br />
<strong>The</strong> newspaper billed it as “the greatest college<br />
eleven in history.” By far the most sensational<br />
football story around the campus was the installation<br />
<strong>of</strong> lights by the college at Patti Welder<br />
Stadium for a sum <strong>of</strong> $3,500. On October 10,<br />
the Pirates successfully battled St. Mary’s<br />
University’s reserves in “the first night football<br />
game ever played in the southwest.” A fan <strong>of</strong> the<br />
newly installed lights remarked that one could<br />
see “close play in the line far better than in<br />
the afternoon, when the glare <strong>of</strong> the sun is so<br />
much <strong>of</strong> a strain on the eyes.” Six grandstand<br />
sections were added for the St. Mary’s contest in<br />
anticipation <strong>of</strong> a predicted crowd <strong>of</strong> 1,500.<br />
✯<br />
Hester “Stump” Evans, 1930<br />
Best Athlete.<br />
Genesis ✦ 15
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1930 “V” Association. <strong>The</strong><br />
organization consisted <strong>of</strong> students and<br />
alumni interested in the improvement<br />
<strong>of</strong> athletics at <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>.<br />
School <strong>of</strong>ficials expected spectators from the<br />
surrounding area to witness the “historic classic.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> turnout, however, was less than what<br />
was contemplated. <strong>The</strong> people who attended<br />
not only saw the Pirates leave the field victorious,<br />
but they were also entertained by the pep<br />
squad, which was composed <strong>of</strong> co-eds wearing<br />
“natty sailor uniforms” trimmed in the school<br />
colors—maroon and white. 38<br />
In anticipation <strong>of</strong> large throngs attending the<br />
fall pigskin contests, resulting in increased revenue,<br />
the college established an Athletic<br />
Association Committee. Previously, a committee<br />
<strong>of</strong> teachers and the student manager were<br />
responsible for overseeing athletic finances.<br />
<strong>The</strong> administration theorized that with the<br />
expected rise in funds, businessmen should be<br />
integrated into a committee “to further illustrate<br />
the financial affairs <strong>of</strong> athletics at the<br />
school are open and above board, as always has<br />
been the case.” Accordingly, six businessmen<br />
were selected by the board to serve on the committee.<br />
Other appointed members were a representative<br />
<strong>of</strong> the press, who had the responsibility<br />
<strong>of</strong> publishing an itemized list <strong>of</strong> receipts and<br />
liabilities “at convenient periods,” the college<br />
president, and the dean. With the formation <strong>of</strong><br />
the Athletic Association Committee, accountability<br />
<strong>of</strong> sport events passed from college personnel<br />
to the community. Evidence is lacking as<br />
to the precise reason why the board took the<br />
action it did. One can only speculate. Was it<br />
because the community was concerned over the<br />
ability <strong>of</strong> teachers handling finances or were the<br />
residents caught up in the excited atmosphere<br />
resulting from the exceptionally good football<br />
season and the lighting <strong>of</strong> the stadium, and,<br />
therefore, wanted to be part <strong>of</strong> the sports program?<br />
Whatever motivated the expansion, the<br />
Athletic Association Committee became a viable<br />
component <strong>of</strong> college athletics as long as the<br />
junior college was an element <strong>of</strong> the public<br />
school system. 39<br />
<strong>The</strong> Buccaneer football squad finished the<br />
regular season undefeated. Post-season play<br />
was not as kind to “the greatest college eleven<br />
in history.” In the league championship game,<br />
the Pirates lost to Brownsville Junior <strong>College</strong> by<br />
the lopsided score <strong>of</strong> 52 to 0. Coaches, players,<br />
and the approximately 300 <strong>Victoria</strong>ns who<br />
16 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
traveled with the team on a special train to the<br />
border city did not have to do any deep thinking<br />
for an explanation <strong>of</strong> the rout. <strong>The</strong> local collegians,<br />
exhausted from the long trip, played the<br />
contest without making a single substitution. As<br />
the game progressed, the Pirates “became weary”<br />
and were unable to compete effectively. 40<br />
At the 1931 Texas Junior <strong>College</strong> Association<br />
spring conference, a statistical report on transfer<br />
students to the University <strong>of</strong> Texas was presented<br />
to the group. According to the survey,<br />
students who transferred from Texas junior<br />
colleges did excellent work and compared<br />
favorably with the students who began<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1930 Pep Squad.<br />
Genesis ✦ 17
✯<br />
Ruth C<strong>of</strong>fey, 1930 <strong>College</strong> Beauty.<br />
their college careers at the university. <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> was cited as ranking “among<br />
the best institutions <strong>of</strong> Texas.” <strong>The</strong> 1932<br />
Buccaneer staff commented with pride that those<br />
“who are on our honor roll are usually on<br />
the honor roll <strong>of</strong> any institution <strong>of</strong> higher<br />
learning which they attend.” Members at the<br />
spring meeting reelected Griffin, a former Texas<br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> Association president, as their<br />
secretary-treasurer. 41<br />
<strong>The</strong>re had been interest expressed by college<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficials for a dormitory almost from the establishment<br />
<strong>of</strong> the school. Apartments in <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
were scarce, posing a serious problem for out<strong>of</strong>-town<br />
students. Especially hard hit were the<br />
parents who wanted to move to <strong>Victoria</strong> while<br />
their son or daughter attended the college.<br />
Community leaders envisioned <strong>Victoria</strong> becoming<br />
an educational mecca when <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> was founded. One enthusiastic booster<br />
remarked that the college did “more good materially<br />
and morally for this town than any other<br />
progressive enterprise.” For the two-year institution<br />
to continue to grow and <strong>Victoria</strong> to<br />
become a recognized educational community,<br />
so the argument went, a dormitory was needed.<br />
Mrs. J. M. Brownson, one <strong>of</strong> the more civicminded<br />
individuals in the city, responded to<br />
this perceived need by <strong>of</strong>fering the board two<br />
lots in the Brownson Addition, an area adjacent<br />
to the college, for the construction <strong>of</strong> a girls’<br />
dormitory. <strong>The</strong> board accepted the donation on<br />
the condition that the school system be permitted<br />
five years to build the structure and that the<br />
edifice be a memorial to the donor. But the dormitory,<br />
for undetermined reasons, never<br />
became a reality and the property reverted to<br />
the Brownson Estate. 42<br />
Despite the nation’s severe economic difficulties<br />
brought about by the Depression, the<br />
college’s 1931 fall enrollment remained<br />
healthy. Although there is no known scientific<br />
study on the relationship between economic<br />
conditions and college enrollment, a survey<br />
<strong>of</strong> graduation records seems to indicate enrollment<br />
increases when it becomes tougher to find<br />
a job. On the other side <strong>of</strong> the coin, when work<br />
opportunities increase, enrollment stabilizes or<br />
decreases. A factor that undoubtedly had a positive<br />
effect on enrollment during the 1930s was<br />
the board’s policy <strong>of</strong> exempting students from<br />
paying tuition until grades were transferred to a<br />
senior college or until a teacher certificate was<br />
awarded or a diploma granted.<br />
In the spring <strong>of</strong> 1930, there were only 18<br />
graduates. This class was composed largely<br />
<strong>of</strong> students who began their college education<br />
before the stock market crash <strong>of</strong> 1929. By<br />
1931, the number <strong>of</strong> graduates increased to 29,<br />
and in 1932, at the height <strong>of</strong> the Great<br />
Depression, there were 35 graduates. <strong>The</strong><br />
numbers thereafter fluctuated from 30 to 44<br />
until 1938. With an improved economy, the<br />
number <strong>of</strong> graduates skidded to 25 in 1938. 43<br />
18 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Because <strong>of</strong> the hard economic times, individuals<br />
from the nearby towns who would have<br />
normally gone to a more distant college enrolled<br />
at <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>. <strong>The</strong> Edna Herald<br />
mentioned that some 20 Edna High School<br />
graduates would register at the college, only five<br />
<strong>of</strong> whom were returning <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
students. Before the academic year ended, the<br />
Edna congregation formed the Edna Club to<br />
promote their interests. 44<br />
Other communities represented in the student<br />
population were Angleton, Wharton,<br />
Farmersville, Stockdale, Yorktown, Ganado, El<br />
Campo, Boling, Bay City, Port Lavaca, Austwell,<br />
Refugio, Goliad, Beeville, Dayton, Seadrift,<br />
Schroeder, Houston, and Woodsboro. One <strong>of</strong> the<br />
reasons given for the out-<strong>of</strong>-town attendance<br />
was the good highways that led to <strong>Victoria</strong>.<br />
Margaret Hnatek commented that she and several<br />
others commuted from DaCosta. She stated<br />
that the surface <strong>of</strong> the road was gravel, and the<br />
car pool consisted <strong>of</strong> family vehicles with each<br />
person driving his or her automobile for a week.<br />
Hnatek stated the drive was enjoyable. Seldom<br />
was another car seen on the road with the exception<br />
<strong>of</strong> Monday mornings when the salesmen<br />
began their weekly routes. On one occasion the<br />
DaCosta commuters encountered a heavy rain,<br />
and the automobile became stuck in mud. By the<br />
time the students arrived at the college, they<br />
“were muddy from head to toe.” As for Hnatek<br />
and other students who lived outside <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>,<br />
the lack <strong>of</strong> personal automobiles and other “traveling<br />
difficulties” was not conducive to participating<br />
in the social activities at the college. 45<br />
To gain public support for the junior college,<br />
local journalists and college <strong>of</strong>ficials frequently<br />
proclaimed that the out-<strong>of</strong>-town enrollment<br />
benefitted the town’s economy. By their calculation,<br />
“each boy and girl while in <strong>Victoria</strong> spends<br />
at least two hundred dollars for living expenses”<br />
and “parents <strong>of</strong> the young people…make occasional<br />
visits to <strong>Victoria</strong>,” which produces additional<br />
income for the merchants. Dysart, dean <strong>of</strong><br />
the junior college, estimated “that out-<strong>of</strong>-town<br />
college students here would leave more than<br />
$60,000 in the city during the nine months they<br />
are here.” 46<br />
Owners <strong>of</strong> local businesses were major supporters<br />
<strong>of</strong> the college largely because they saw<br />
the economic importance <strong>of</strong> having an educational<br />
institution <strong>of</strong> higher learning located in<br />
their midst. <strong>The</strong>y were affected by the idle social<br />
talk pertaining to how cities derived extra<br />
income when senior colleges opened within<br />
their communities. It was no accident that<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1931 <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
Dramatic Club.<br />
Genesis ✦ 19
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Physical<br />
Training Class <strong>of</strong> 1931-32.<br />
school <strong>of</strong>ficials, understanding the dynamics <strong>of</strong><br />
support, consistently emphasized the benefits<br />
that out-<strong>of</strong>-town students and their parents provided<br />
to the local economy.<br />
Unlike several school districts in Texas during<br />
the Depression which found themselves<br />
hard-pressed for revenue, the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Independent School District was able throughout<br />
the 1930s to raise sufficient income to meet<br />
its expenses. <strong>The</strong> college’s financial circumstances,<br />
<strong>of</strong> course, were not utopian, but neither<br />
were they fraught with economic perils. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
were no pronounced cutbacks on teaching personnel,<br />
and there were even slight salary<br />
increases periodically.<br />
In the fall <strong>of</strong> 1931, vocational training for nontraditional<br />
students, authorized by the 1917<br />
Smith-Hughes Vocational Education Act, was<br />
relocated from Mitchell School to the college<br />
campus. <strong>The</strong> program was designed to instruct<br />
individuals who were full-time employees in<br />
improving their work skills. Classes were conducted<br />
in the afternoon from one to five o’clock.<br />
Gregg shorthand, the touch system in typewriting,<br />
and the McKinsey bookkeeping system were<br />
popular courses for enrollees, most <strong>of</strong> whom<br />
were permitted by their employers an hour <strong>of</strong>f<br />
from work each day to take the courses. <strong>The</strong> large<br />
enrollments for the classes apparently indicated<br />
that the community approved <strong>of</strong> the program. 47<br />
<strong>The</strong> college curriculum in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1932<br />
was broadened to include zoology. <strong>The</strong> new<br />
subject was <strong>of</strong>fered to attract pre-med students,<br />
specifically, and to accommodate those who<br />
needed a science course for their degree plan. 48<br />
At the request <strong>of</strong> Griffin, Una T. Hunter, head<br />
<strong>of</strong> the English department, formed a Journal Club<br />
during the fall semester. Membership in the club<br />
was limited to students with a grade <strong>of</strong> A in<br />
English. <strong>The</strong> principal purpose <strong>of</strong> the organization<br />
was to produce articles <strong>of</strong> interest about the<br />
college for publication in the Sunday edition<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Advocate. <strong>The</strong> stories that were printed in<br />
the first year were straightforward accounts<br />
<strong>of</strong> college activities and events. In the second<br />
year, the articles became lighter in tone.<br />
Humorous, gossipy items became common.<br />
Perry Satterwhite, Jr., and Ruth McMullen reported<br />
in their September 18, 1932, column how the<br />
sophomores, or seniors as the second-year college<br />
students were referred to, attempted to pr<strong>of</strong>it,<br />
in a good-hearted way, from the naive freshmen.<br />
<strong>The</strong> journalists reported that the sophomore<br />
boys for the first two or three days after<br />
classes began engaged in trying “to sell campus<br />
passes at the extremely low price…<strong>of</strong> only a<br />
quarter and trying to collect 10¢ for a water fee”<br />
from the first-year students. Satterwhite and<br />
McMullen noted that the freshmen were intelligent<br />
enough to recognize a scam when they saw<br />
one, “and consequently the bright sophs are still<br />
holding their passes and the right to collect fees.”<br />
In February, 1933, the college was the host<br />
school for the District Six Texas Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
20 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Basketball Tournament. <strong>The</strong> games were<br />
played in the Y.M.C.A. gymnasium. Adult<br />
admission prices were set at 75 cents for an<br />
all-tournament ticket. Students could attend<br />
all the games for 50 cents. A single game<br />
admission fee was 35 cents. Participating<br />
in the tournament, in addition to the local<br />
college, were San Angelo Junior <strong>College</strong>,<br />
Edinburg Junior <strong>College</strong>, Schreiner Institute,<br />
and Texas Lutheran <strong>College</strong>. A local sportswriter<br />
predicted the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
roundballers would be difficult to beat “if they<br />
[the players] should be fortunate enough to<br />
hit the basket.” <strong>The</strong> team did not and was<br />
knocked out <strong>of</strong> the tournament by Schreiner<br />
Institute, 54 to 41. 49<br />
Shortly before the tournament commenced,<br />
Governor Miriam A. Ferguson received a letter<br />
from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation<br />
suggesting that federal relief funds to the state<br />
were in jeopardy unless Texas provided more<br />
assistance to the unemployed. Consistently<br />
keeping its ear to the economic heartbeat, the<br />
South Texas Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce saw a window<br />
<strong>of</strong> opportunity in the threatening letter by<br />
urging South Texas communities to seek federal<br />
aid. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School<br />
District Board responded on April 10, 1933, by<br />
instructing W. H. Smith, board president, and<br />
Herman Fischer, board secretary, to make a<br />
formal application to the Reconstruction<br />
Finance Corporation for financial assistance to<br />
construct a girls’ dormitory for the college and<br />
an auditorium that would serve both institutions.<br />
<strong>The</strong> board estimated the cost for the two<br />
buildings to be $100,000. Apparently, the<br />
response from the federal agency was negative. 50<br />
At the June board meeting, another attempt<br />
was made to attract federal dollars when<br />
the members unanimously agreed to apply for<br />
a loan from the National Industrial Recovery<br />
Board to construct the two buildings. <strong>The</strong><br />
school district agreed to abide by the labor,<br />
wages, and working hours stipulated by the<br />
National Industrial Act codes. Furthermore,<br />
the trustees promised to relinquish “net revenues<br />
derived from the operation <strong>of</strong> the said<br />
buildings until such sum so advanced is repaid,<br />
and also to give unto the said Administrator a<br />
valid lien on the property upon which the said<br />
proposed improvements are to be placed.” 51<br />
As the school <strong>of</strong>ficials waited for a reply, the<br />
Marooners Club was organized at the college<br />
in October 1933, to complement the pep<br />
squad and to perform at social functions. Its charter<br />
members were elected by the student body<br />
whereas the cheerleaders automatically became<br />
honorary members. Initiates were required to<br />
carry their books on a designated day in a basket<br />
or bucket, wear oversized or undersized clothing<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> football<br />
field under the lights in 1932.<br />
Genesis ✦ 21
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
Auditorium in 1932.<br />
to a football game, and “fulfill any order given by<br />
a charter or honorary member.” 52<br />
Action by the board and federal bureaucracy<br />
on the proposed buildings moved at a snail’s<br />
pace. <strong>The</strong>re may have been, and probably was,<br />
considerable behind-the-scenes maneuvering<br />
by the parties involved. Nevertheless, the<br />
trustees in August 1934, decided the time had<br />
arrived to push forward on the construction<br />
project. <strong>The</strong>y authorized Griffin to investigate<br />
the possibility <strong>of</strong> a bond election for a girls’<br />
dormitory. <strong>The</strong> following October, the board<br />
appropriated $6,391.47 to purchase material to<br />
construct an auditorium/gymnasium. Why the<br />
board dropped the idea for a girls’ dormitory<br />
and only pursued the construction <strong>of</strong> an auditorium/<br />
gymnasium is not known. Labor for the<br />
new structure was to be furnished by the federal<br />
government, and expenditures were to be<br />
under the direction <strong>of</strong> the Federal Emergency<br />
Relief Administration. Architect Kai J. Leffland,<br />
son <strong>of</strong> famed <strong>Victoria</strong> architect Jules Leffland,<br />
was employed for $300, and J. W. Kimbrough<br />
was hired as supervisor for construction. 53<br />
Construction <strong>of</strong> the auditorium/gymnasium<br />
began in early 1935. Measurements for the<br />
building were 94 feet by 150 feet with a seating<br />
capacity <strong>of</strong> 1,000 on the main floor and 700 on<br />
the sides. An additional 200 could be seated on<br />
the 31 feet by 40 feet stage. <strong>The</strong> ceiling spanned<br />
22 feet above the floor to meet the necessary<br />
requirements for basketball. 54<br />
Meanwhile, the Athletic Association purchased<br />
the uniforms and musical instruments<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Southern Pacific Drum and Bugle Corps<br />
<strong>of</strong> Houston. <strong>The</strong> acquisition consisted <strong>of</strong> 20<br />
snare drums, 2 bass bugles, 8 tenor bugles, one<br />
pair <strong>of</strong> cymbals, 20 helmets, 33 white serge<br />
suits, and one drum major’s outfit. Students<br />
jumped at the opportunity to become part <strong>of</strong><br />
the college’s new musical organization. On<br />
November 1, 1934, only days after obtaining<br />
the equipment, the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
Drum and Bugle Corps made its debut at a football<br />
game between the Pirates and University <strong>of</strong><br />
Texas freshmen. 55<br />
In an effort to stimulate public support for<br />
athletics at the high school and the two-year<br />
institution, an Athletic Committee was formed.<br />
It consisted <strong>of</strong> the coaches at the two schools<br />
and three <strong>Victoria</strong> citizens chosen by the head<br />
coaches from a list <strong>of</strong> nominees submitted by<br />
22 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
the board. <strong>The</strong> committee was given the responsibility<br />
<strong>of</strong> arranging game schedules and serving<br />
as the central agency to receive and to disburse<br />
all athletic revenue. 56<br />
Griffin was the object <strong>of</strong> a series <strong>of</strong> newspaper<br />
articles in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1935. Rumors circulated<br />
through the community that he was<br />
responsible for “irregularities” in an emergency<br />
education project and the student aid program.<br />
What the particular irregularities were is<br />
unclear. However, E. A. Baugh, assistant director<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Texas Relief Commission, in a scathing<br />
letter to Leopold Morris, editor <strong>of</strong> the Advocate,<br />
took exception to the unfounded charges. He<br />
asserted that Griffin was in no way involved<br />
with the handling <strong>of</strong> the public funds, and the<br />
“local reports are to the effect that Mr. Griffin<br />
was placed under arrest and that criminal<br />
charges were preferred against him” were<br />
absurd. Baugh went on to write that the remarks<br />
were “extremely derogatory to the character and<br />
reputation” <strong>of</strong> Griffin and such comments did “a<br />
rank injustice” to him. 57<br />
Baugh’s apparent admiration for Griffin was<br />
echoed in state education circles. <strong>The</strong> local college<br />
president was cited for his “production <strong>of</strong> a<br />
well-planned and painstakingly edited yearbook”<br />
for the Texas Association <strong>of</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong>s. <strong>The</strong> organization proceeded to reelect<br />
him as secretary-treasurer. When a committee <strong>of</strong><br />
junior college presidents was formed to meet<br />
with state Superintendent L. A. Woods to discuss<br />
changes in the teacher certification program that<br />
were deemed unsatisfactory by the state’s junior<br />
colleges, Griffin was selected as a delegate. At the<br />
annual meeting <strong>of</strong> the Austin-San Antonio<br />
District Educational Conference in San Antonio,<br />
he was elected secretary-treasurer and was<br />
placed on the executive board. Griffin also<br />
appeared before the Committee on Classified<br />
and Accredited High Schools, considered to be<br />
the second most important educational unit in<br />
Texas, as a spokesman for the junior colleges. 58<br />
On July 1, 1935, an era for the college ended<br />
when Griffin “voluntarily” <strong>of</strong>fered, and the<br />
board accepted, his resignation, effective immediately.<br />
His tenure as superintendent <strong>of</strong> the public<br />
schools and the first president <strong>of</strong> the college<br />
was noteworthy. He was superintendent <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District for a<br />
longer period <strong>of</strong> time than any other person,<br />
except for C. O. Chandler who held the position<br />
from 1955 to 1974. Griffin also advanced the<br />
standing <strong>of</strong> the district within the educational<br />
establishment by lending his support to and<br />
being directly involved in the state’s educational<br />
movement. Furthermore, he assisted in guiding<br />
the local public schools through the darkest<br />
days <strong>of</strong> the Great Depression without the financial<br />
turmoil that was experienced by other<br />
school districts. Moreover, Griffin was a major<br />
player in helping to establish <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> and shepherding it into becoming a<br />
superb institution <strong>of</strong> higher learning. 59<br />
✯<br />
A page from the 1936 O’ Pioneer.<br />
Genesis ✦ 23
ENDNOTES<br />
1<br />
Thomas Diener, Growth <strong>of</strong> An Invention (New York: Greenwood Press, 1986), 29-30; Arthur M. Cohen and Florence B. Brawer, <strong>The</strong><br />
American Community <strong>College</strong> (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1982), 4-7; Leonard V. Koos, <strong>The</strong> Junior-<strong>College</strong> Movement (New<br />
York: AMS Press, Inc., 1970), 236-239.<br />
2<br />
James W. Thornton, Jr., <strong>The</strong> Community Junior <strong>College</strong>, 3rd Edition (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1972), 48-51.<br />
3<br />
Ibid.; Cohen and Brawer, American, 9-11.<br />
4<br />
Frank H. Crain, Jr., telephone interview with author, 17 August 1997.<br />
5<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District Board Minutes, 18 August 1924; <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate, 30 July 1918, 29 August 1924; Crain,<br />
telephone interview, 3 September 1997.<br />
6<br />
VISD Minutes, 4 February <strong>1925</strong>; Crain, telephone interview, 17 August 1997.<br />
7<br />
Advocate, 8 February <strong>1925</strong>; Odie Faulk, Hill <strong>College</strong>: An Illustrated History (Hillsboro: Hill <strong>College</strong> Press, 1996), 16-17.<br />
8<br />
Advocate, 3 May <strong>1925</strong>.<br />
9<br />
Ibid., 8 February <strong>1925</strong>; VISD Minutes, 19 March <strong>1925</strong>, 16 May <strong>1925</strong>.<br />
10<br />
Advocate, 18 August 1924.<br />
11<br />
Ibid., 14 September <strong>1925</strong>, 20 September <strong>1925</strong>.<br />
12<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 18 January 1951.<br />
13<br />
Chester Evans, telephone interview with author, 17 August 1997.<br />
14<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Bulletin, 1928-1929, 8.<br />
15<br />
Advocate, 4 October <strong>1925</strong>, 26 April 1926, 5 August 1926.<br />
16<br />
Ibid., 27 May 1926.<br />
17<br />
“Mrs. Nellie Hilmers: <strong>The</strong> First Graduate <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>,” <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Kaleidoscope (Spring 1976), 15.<br />
18<br />
VISD Minutes, 7 July 1926, 28 July 1926, 4 August 1926, 7 September 1926; Advocate, 5 September 1926.<br />
19<br />
Advocate, 3 September 1926, 1 January 1927, 14 January 1927.<br />
20<br />
Ibid., 13 September 1926.<br />
21<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Files, Local History Collection, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
22<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Bulletin, 1926-1927, 8.<br />
23<br />
Ibid., 8-10.<br />
24<br />
Ibid., 10.<br />
25<br />
Ibid., 11-12.<br />
26<br />
Ibid., 1928-1929, 33.<br />
27<br />
Ibid., 33-34.<br />
28<br />
Advocate, 8-9 February 1927.<br />
29<br />
Ibid., 25 May 1927.<br />
30<br />
Ibid., 16 May 1927, 26 June 1927.<br />
31<br />
Ibid., 1 February 1928, 6 February 1928, 12 February 1928, 25 May 1928.<br />
32<br />
Ibid., 29 May 1928.<br />
33<br />
Ibid., 6 May 1929.<br />
34<br />
Ibid., 5 May 1929.<br />
35<br />
Buccaneer, 1930.<br />
36<br />
Ibid.; Advocate, 23 January 1930.<br />
37<br />
Buccaneer, 1930.<br />
38<br />
Advocate, 9 October 1930, 10 October 1930, 31 October 1930.<br />
39<br />
Ibid., 16 October 1930.<br />
40<br />
Buccaneer, 1931.<br />
41<br />
Advocate, 24 April 1931, 27 April 1931; Buccaneer, 1932.<br />
42<br />
Advocate, 27 October 1930, 8 November 1931.<br />
43<br />
Registrar’s Records, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
44<br />
Advocate, 28 August 1931, 4 October 1931; Buccaneer, 1931.<br />
45<br />
Advocate, 10 September 1930; Margaret Hnatek, interview with author, 13 May 1997.<br />
24 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
46<br />
Advocate, 8 September 1931, 8 November 1931.<br />
47<br />
Ibid., 11 September 1931, 8 November 1931.<br />
48<br />
Ibid., 28 August 1932.<br />
49<br />
Ibid., 22 February 1933, 26 February 1933.<br />
50<br />
Ibid., 11 April 1933.<br />
51<br />
VISD Minutes, 23 June 1933.<br />
52<br />
Advocate, 30 October 1933.<br />
53<br />
Ibid., 6 February 1935; VISD Minutes, 31 August 1934, 10 October 1934, 26 October 1934, 12 December 1934.<br />
54<br />
Advocate, 6 February 1935.<br />
55<br />
Ibid., 30 October 1934.<br />
56<br />
VISD Minutes, 1 May 1935.<br />
57<br />
Advocate, 4 April 1935.<br />
58<br />
Ibid., 14 April 1935, 18 April 1935, 28 April 1935, 19 May 1935, 14 June 1935.<br />
59<br />
Ibid., 2 July 1935; VISD Minutes, 1 July 1935; Robbie Parkman, <strong>Victoria</strong> Schools, 1824-1980 (privately printed), 73.<br />
Endnotes ✦ 25
26 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
CHAPTER 2<br />
DEPRESSION AND WAR<br />
Within three weeks after accepting the resignation <strong>of</strong> Griffin, the board, on July 19, 1935, employed<br />
Porter S. Garner as superintendent <strong>of</strong> schools and president <strong>of</strong> the junior college. Garner was given a<br />
two-year contract and paid an annual salary <strong>of</strong> $3,900. <strong>The</strong> new president had<br />
been superintendent <strong>of</strong> the Robstown public schools for the past three years and was a highly regarded<br />
administrator. Robstown school <strong>of</strong>ficials made an effort to retain him, but the opportunity<br />
to be a college president was too attractive for Garner. His vita included membership on the Curriculum<br />
Commission <strong>of</strong> the State Teachers’ Association, a past president <strong>of</strong> the South Texas Division <strong>of</strong> the State<br />
Teachers’ Association, and a past president <strong>of</strong> the Gulf Coast Executive Club, a South Texas teachers’<br />
organization. A special attribute <strong>of</strong> Garner which appealed to <strong>Victoria</strong>ns was his experience with the<br />
Texas Inter-Scholastic League, the supervising authority for the state’s interschool competition. 1<br />
Another significant change came to the college’s leaders when in that same year E. J. Dysart<br />
resigned as dean at the end <strong>of</strong> the spring semester to enter private business. He was replaced by B. F.<br />
Hardt, who had been at the college for several years and had served as interim president and superintendent<br />
after Griffin stepped down and before Garner was named as the chief administrator. 2<br />
Dedication ceremonies for the new auditorium/gymnasium, designated as Smith-Fischer Hall and<br />
vainly proclaimed by school <strong>of</strong>ficials as “the largest assembly hall in southwest Texas,” was held on<br />
Friday evening, September 15, 1935. Smith-Fischer Hall was named for former school board members,<br />
W. H. Smith, Sr., and Herman Fischer. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Municipal Band veered from its weekly concert at<br />
De León Plaza to provide the music for the occasion. During the festivities, all school employees at the<br />
high school and college were introduced as well as local dignitaries and presidents <strong>of</strong> the Parent-Teacher<br />
Associations. An open house was held, providing the Advocate an opportunity to urge <strong>Victoria</strong>ns “to<br />
inspect [the building] minutely.” 3<br />
That same year a bus was purchased by the <strong>Victoria</strong> Athletic Association with assistance from the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District to carry athletes to out-<strong>of</strong>-town sports contests. <strong>The</strong> vehicle’s<br />
body was painted blue and white, and the top was aluminum. On each side was stenciled “<strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> <strong>The</strong> Friendly School.” It was used for the first time during the fall <strong>of</strong> 1935 by the college<br />
football team. 4<br />
Because the college did not have a dormitory facility, a house facing Moody Street between<br />
Goodwin and Forrest streets was rented and used as living quarters by the athletes who were not residents<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>. <strong>The</strong> structure, known as <strong>College</strong> Hall, provided adequate accommodations for athletes.<br />
James E. McCord, a football player from <strong>Victoria</strong> who lived with his parents a few blocks distance<br />
from <strong>College</strong> Hall, <strong>of</strong>ten walked to the athletes’ living quarters and studied with his fellow<br />
sportsmen. Although the players had limited supervision, McCord remarked that no lively parties or<br />
destructive behavior occurred. As he put it, the athletes knew the rules and understood that if any<br />
unacceptable behavior took place, the <strong>of</strong>fending person would be promptly dismissed, a risk too<br />
great to take for individuals who counted on using athletic scholarships to complete college. 5<br />
Not all extracurricular activities were confined to athletics. Some students, such as McCord and<br />
Lela Welder Cliburn, engaged in speech competition. Cliburn’s chief interest was declamation. She<br />
was tutored by Mrs. V. L. Griffin, the former president’s wife, and was motivated to excel in the contests<br />
primarily because her friends at Nazareth Academy possessed medals they won for various<br />
events at that school. Cliburn was envious <strong>of</strong> these girls and was determined to be a winner in declamation<br />
so she too could have a medal. She attained her goal <strong>of</strong> winning a contest, but afterwards<br />
Cliburn was told by school <strong>of</strong>ficials, “Lela, there isn’t any money to purchase a medal.” What a letdown<br />
for her after all the hard work she put into being victorious. 6<br />
For most students, attending the college in the 1930s was uneventful. David Bianchi, a freshman student<br />
from <strong>Victoria</strong> who received the highest score on the psychology portion and second in the English<br />
✯<br />
Porter S. Garner, president <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> from 1935 to 1940.<br />
Depression and War ✦ 27
✯<br />
Ben F. Hardt, dean <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> from 1934 to 1940.<br />
section <strong>of</strong> the 1935 entrance intelligence tests for<br />
the fall semester, stated, “you went to class, and<br />
you studied.” <strong>College</strong> life, however, was not<br />
entirely drab. Although there were few social<br />
events sponsored by the educational institution,<br />
students found entertainment in the community.<br />
Bianchi periodically played bridge at Jewell<br />
Hudler’s home and frequently went with his<br />
friends to Pleasure Island, an entertainment<br />
establishment that served as a center <strong>of</strong> activity<br />
for <strong>Victoria</strong>ns for several decades. 7<br />
A crowd-pleasing feature at Pleasure Island<br />
was performances by live bands. Students on<br />
the weekends congregated at the entertainment<br />
center to hear the latest tunes, to socialize, and<br />
to take a few nips. James McCord remembered<br />
that he and some <strong>of</strong> his friends met at Pleasure<br />
Island, and afterwards, they would make a trip<br />
to the local bootlegger whose business was<br />
located east <strong>of</strong> town. <strong>The</strong> students bought a lot<br />
<strong>of</strong> “booze” for $1.00 or $1.50. He said the bootlegger<br />
stored his bottles in a well on his land,<br />
and whenever a customer wanted to make a<br />
purchase, he would draw a bucket laden with<br />
bottles <strong>of</strong> whiskey from the well. McCord further<br />
stated that under the rules the students<br />
established for themselves, those who made the<br />
trip could only take one drink before returning<br />
to Pleasure Island. 8<br />
Not only was the college without a dormitory,<br />
it also did not have a cafeteria. Out-<strong>of</strong>-town<br />
students either brought sack lunches or bought<br />
snacks at the E. Post Grocery located across the<br />
street from the school complex. When the intown<br />
students could, they went home for lunch.<br />
Eating at home could cause some problems if<br />
the distance to travel was extensive and the individual<br />
did not have a car. McCord was such a<br />
person without personal transportation. He,<br />
however, solved his dilemma by hitching rides<br />
to and from the college. 9<br />
During the lunch breaks and when classes<br />
were not in session, students would sit in fellow<br />
classmates’ automobiles and listen to the radio.<br />
George Filley, Jr., was one <strong>of</strong> the fortunate students<br />
who possessed a car to drive to school.<br />
After classes were dismissed for the day, Filley’s<br />
friends swamped his vehicle, invariably delaying<br />
his departure from the campus. Another pastime<br />
for students when they had free time from<br />
classes was playing basketball in the gym. 10<br />
A custom that was prevalent in Texas public<br />
schools during this era was a weekly assembly,<br />
most <strong>of</strong>ten referred to as chapel. In the 1935-<br />
1936 academic year, the junior college chapel<br />
was held each Thursday at 9:30 a.m. <strong>The</strong> programs<br />
were varied. <strong>The</strong>y included the election<br />
<strong>of</strong> class <strong>of</strong>ficers, entertainment, pep rallies, guest<br />
speakers, and selection <strong>of</strong> individuals to represent<br />
the college at <strong>of</strong>f-campus events, such as a<br />
queen for the community fair.<br />
Measles swept through the student body in<br />
the 1936 spring semester. It was estimated that<br />
some thirty students, representing about a fifth<br />
<strong>of</strong> the enrollment, were stricken. Fortunately, no<br />
28 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
deaths or severe complications were reported as<br />
a result <strong>of</strong> the illness. 11<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> did not have a 1936<br />
yearbook <strong>of</strong> its own. <strong>The</strong> school, in a demonstration<br />
<strong>of</strong> community cooperation, chose to<br />
participate with Patti Welder, St. Joseph, and<br />
Nazareth Academy in a single volume, named<br />
O’ Pioneer, as a centennial project. Although,<br />
the junior college staff was given overall<br />
supervision <strong>of</strong> the annual, each institution<br />
selected its own editorial staff and was responsible<br />
for its respective section. To assist in its<br />
publication, an executive committee composed<br />
<strong>of</strong> representatives from the school<br />
board, the general public, and the various<br />
schools was formed. Grace Fossati, a junior<br />
college student, recalled that she was assigned<br />
the task <strong>of</strong> writing the essay on the Round Top<br />
House. When the narratives were assembled<br />
for publication, she was absent. Jewell Hudler,<br />
a faculty member working with the students<br />
on the project, signed Fossati’s name, causing<br />
several classmates familiar with the college<br />
student’s handwriting to be quizzical as to why<br />
Fossati signed her name as she did. <strong>The</strong>y were<br />
amused when the reason for the strange handwriting<br />
was explained. 12<br />
In the spring <strong>of</strong> 1936, the University <strong>of</strong><br />
Texas released figures on the success <strong>of</strong> transfer<br />
students at the institution. <strong>The</strong> study showed<br />
that <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> was head and<br />
shoulders above the other junior colleges<br />
within the state in preparing students to attend<br />
senior colleges. Among the findings issued by<br />
the registrar’s <strong>of</strong>fice at the university, fifty<br />
percent <strong>of</strong> all transfers from the college earned<br />
either an A or B. Transfer students from<br />
the state’s other junior colleges were some twenty<br />
percentage points below the local college. 13<br />
<strong>The</strong> combined commencement <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> and Patti Welder High<br />
School was held on May 26. <strong>The</strong> ceremony<br />
was different from previous years. Instead<br />
<strong>of</strong> having one principal speaker, two graduating<br />
students from each school made presentations<br />
on what made an educated man. <strong>The</strong><br />
participants from the high school were Wilma<br />
Offer and Billy Murphy. <strong>The</strong> college representatives<br />
were Elenora Albrecht and Charles<br />
Carsner. James McCord, president <strong>of</strong> the sophomore<br />
class <strong>of</strong> the college, and Ella North<br />
Jordan, president <strong>of</strong> the senior class at the high<br />
school, presided over the students’ portion <strong>of</strong><br />
the program. 14<br />
✯<br />
Smith-Fischer Hall was a multipurpose<br />
building.<br />
Depression and War ✦ 29
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1936 <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> ring<br />
depicted a fierce looking pirate.<br />
Because students did not pay their tuition the<br />
board, in the summer <strong>of</strong> 1936, discontinued its<br />
generous policy <strong>of</strong> permitting college students<br />
to attend and to graduate without paying<br />
tuition, unless a request was made to transfer<br />
grades to a senior college. <strong>The</strong> Advocate noted<br />
that “students who failed in their work or who<br />
withdrew from school before graduation have<br />
no use for their credits.” Garner lamented that<br />
several thousand dollars owed by former students<br />
“is not collectable.” 15<br />
Before the beginning <strong>of</strong> the 1936 fall semester,<br />
the college began a campaign to entice<br />
South Texas high school graduates to enroll.<br />
Garner appealed to the students by announcing<br />
that <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> had a plan <strong>of</strong><br />
instruction that was not duplicated anywhere<br />
else in Texas. He considered “formal impersonal<br />
group teaching” where students were “herded<br />
into large groups and forced to memorize accumulations<br />
<strong>of</strong> mechanical facts without thought<br />
<strong>of</strong> vocational preparation,” the approach used<br />
by most colleges, inadequate. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong>, on the other hand, was no<br />
longer going to teach in that manner. Hereafter,<br />
“each student is taught individually…and is<br />
given personal supervision from members <strong>of</strong> the<br />
faculty in an effort to help him recognize and<br />
develop his natural talents.” <strong>The</strong> president did<br />
not state how the new teaching methodology<br />
was to be executed. 16<br />
After the persistent efforts by the college Press<br />
Club to establish a newspaper, the administration<br />
relented. <strong>The</strong> Flunky Club, a group <strong>of</strong> journalism<br />
enthusiasts, assumed the responsibility <strong>of</strong><br />
publishing a bi-monthly newspaper, <strong>The</strong> Corsair.<br />
Tom McCord was selected the editor-in-chief.<br />
<strong>The</strong> associate editors were Bob Shutt and<br />
Henrietta Ennen. Included among the newspaper<br />
staff were Dorothy Thames, advertising manager;<br />
Ella North Jordan, society editor; Louise<br />
Greer, feature editor; and Ed Mattox, sports editor.<br />
<strong>The</strong> first edition <strong>of</strong> the Corsair appeared on<br />
November 30 and sold for five cents a copy. A<br />
person could purchase a year’s subscription for<br />
30 cents. <strong>The</strong> newspaper published various<br />
innocuous items revolving around campus life. It<br />
informed the students that an upcoming feature<br />
attraction at the Uptown <strong>The</strong>ater was Gene<br />
Autry in “Ride, Ranger, Ride,” and the price <strong>of</strong><br />
admission was fifteen cents day or night. In the<br />
Epigram Column, the newspaper noted that<br />
“Bachelor girls live, and yearn” and…“the boy<br />
who is the bright spot in some girl’s life is usually<br />
taken to the cleaners.” 17<br />
On December 21, 1936, the board held a special<br />
called meeting at which time the decision<br />
was made, by a unanimous vote, to drop the college<br />
football program. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Athletic<br />
Association, the overseer <strong>of</strong> athletics in the public<br />
schools, endorsed the move. Reasons given<br />
for eliminating the sport were the difficulty in<br />
30 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
scheduling games with teams <strong>of</strong> comparable<br />
strength, the desire to place greater emphasis<br />
on intramural sports, and the burdensome<br />
expenses necessary to maintain “a reasonably<br />
strong junior college football squad in a town the<br />
size <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>.” 18<br />
In his Advocate column, the campus scribe,<br />
Ed Mattox, took exception to the board’s action<br />
and the lack <strong>of</strong> student interest in the subject.<br />
He remarked that he would have laughed at<br />
anyone who would have suggested before the<br />
event that the student body would not object to<br />
the move. Mattox, paraphrasing a comment by<br />
Dr. Edwin A. Elliott, a former economics faculty<br />
member at Texas Christian University, asked<br />
rhetorically “who an educational institution is to<br />
benefit, the student body or a bunch <strong>of</strong> men<br />
who had more than likely bought their way into<br />
the board <strong>of</strong> regents or trustees.” 19<br />
Morality was a hot issue on the campus during<br />
early 1937. Garner, when addressing a<br />
January 21 assembly, asked the students “with<br />
amorous inclinations to refrain from occupying<br />
parked cars.” It seems the president surprised a<br />
group <strong>of</strong> vice adherents playing “French Bridge”<br />
in the rear seat <strong>of</strong> a parked vehicle. His comments<br />
were criticized by some <strong>of</strong> the students<br />
who apparently condemned the college as being<br />
too righteous. <strong>The</strong> Corsair in an editorial disagreed<br />
with the latter position by noting “that<br />
there are very few restrictions placed on vices or<br />
other campus activities.” <strong>The</strong> newspaper<br />
observed that the student council was responsible<br />
for bringing about “the lax restrictions now<br />
in effect,” not the administration. To illustrate<br />
the point, the editorial writer stated that the student<br />
organization persuaded the administration<br />
to permit smoking on the campus. 20<br />
Besides “French Bridge,” <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> students participated in other extracurricular<br />
activities. <strong>The</strong> Pirate basketball team,<br />
coached by Leo Dillon, won the District No. 2<br />
championship <strong>of</strong> the Texas Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
Conference by crushing Blinn Memorial <strong>College</strong><br />
on February 26, 1937, by a score <strong>of</strong> 51 to 14. <strong>The</strong><br />
victory earned the college a spot in the State<br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> Basketball Tournament that was to<br />
be held in <strong>Victoria</strong>. In the game against Blinn,<br />
played before the largest crowd <strong>of</strong> the season,<br />
Pirate forward Doug Farrell with twenty-one<br />
points outscored the entire Blinn team. 21<br />
While the college basketball team was<br />
preparing to engage Blinn, the Dramatic Club<br />
was taking second place at the District 8 one-act<br />
play contest in Corpus Christi. <strong>The</strong> lead players<br />
in the production were Margaret Crouch,<br />
Dorothy Thames, and Eddie Stark. 22<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> hosted the State<br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> Basketball Tournament on March<br />
12 and 13 to the delight <strong>of</strong> local partisans. <strong>The</strong><br />
Athletic Association was largely responsible<br />
for “securing such a carnival <strong>of</strong> entertainment”<br />
for the city. Despite coach Leo Dillon’s pronouncement<br />
that his team was “ready, willing<br />
and able,” the <strong>Victoria</strong>ns fell short <strong>of</strong> his expectations.<br />
In the first game <strong>of</strong> the round-robin<br />
tournament, they lost to Schreiner Institute 40<br />
to 20. In the second contest, the local heroes<br />
were defeated by Jacksonville Junior <strong>College</strong> 46<br />
to 27. <strong>The</strong> Jacksonville squad won the tournament<br />
and remained state champions. 23<br />
Winning intercollegiate contests was not<br />
confined to the basketball team and the<br />
Dramatic Club. <strong>The</strong> tennis duo <strong>of</strong> David<br />
Bianchi and Frederick Ennen defeated Marshall<br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> for the local institution’s first<br />
tennis championship. 24<br />
As a gesture to reflect an educational concept<br />
<strong>of</strong> Garner’s, the college adopted a motto, “Every<br />
Student an Individual,” and emblazoned it on<br />
the cover <strong>of</strong> the new 1937-1938 catalogue. As a<br />
manifestation <strong>of</strong> the changes that had taken<br />
place within the student body, the publication<br />
included additional reasons for attending<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>. Two <strong>of</strong> the new advantages<br />
cited in the catalogue were that the college<br />
was an agency for adult education, and class<br />
schedules were arranged to benefit students<br />
who needed to work part-time to “enable them<br />
to pay their own expenses.” 25<br />
Hoping to <strong>of</strong>fset a drop in enrollment because<br />
<strong>of</strong> the elimination <strong>of</strong> football, the board<br />
employed W. E. Eckles for the expressed “purpose<br />
<strong>of</strong> contacting prospective students.” <strong>The</strong><br />
endeavor to bolster the school population was<br />
supported by the Booster Club, an organization<br />
consisting <strong>of</strong> local merchants and college supporters.<br />
<strong>The</strong> club sponsored the production <strong>of</strong> a<br />
one-reel film that highlighted the institution’s<br />
facilities and showed it in some 36 South Texas<br />
towns. <strong>The</strong> concerted recruitment efforts were<br />
successful. <strong>The</strong> enrollment did not decline. 26 Depression and War ✦ 31
✯<br />
Patti Welder High School was<br />
separated from the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> by the “arches.”<br />
With the advent <strong>of</strong> the football season, some<br />
students began to bemoan the lack <strong>of</strong> the sport at<br />
the college and revisited the decision to drop<br />
football. A popular co-ed, Grace Leggett, commented:<br />
“A football team is the life and making <strong>of</strong><br />
the school.” “A college team,” opined fellow classmate<br />
Lucille Steele, “would provide more pep<br />
and school spirit for the student body as a<br />
whole.” Despite the misgivings and vocal exercise<br />
by these disgruntled students, the administration<br />
took the position that the college was too small to<br />
properly finance the football program. In January<br />
1938, basketball was axed, largely for the same<br />
reason that football was scrapped—finances. 27<br />
After a year’s absence, basketball, albeit nonscholarship,<br />
was resumed at the college. School<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficials found sufficient funds in the budget to<br />
purchase twelve uniforms and three basketballs.<br />
Coach Aubrey Reece assumed the responsibility<br />
<strong>of</strong> “developing a team from whatever material he<br />
could gather from the college and from boys<br />
in high school who had already played out<br />
their high school eligibility.” Virtually every<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the squad worked <strong>of</strong>f-campus, causing<br />
Coach Reece some anxious moments. In the<br />
first game <strong>of</strong> the year, the contest was delayed<br />
thirty minutes “in order that two <strong>of</strong> the boys<br />
who didn’t get <strong>of</strong>f from work until game time<br />
would be there for the opening.” In what proved<br />
to be a laughable exercise for the Pirates, the<br />
college won, defeating Corpus Christi Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> 47 to 11. Alfred Fernandez led the local<br />
hoopsters with twenty-four points. 28<br />
<strong>The</strong> nonscholarship basketball team enjoyed<br />
a winning season. Apparently a sufficient number<br />
<strong>of</strong> players were able to get away from their<br />
jobs to participate in the games. <strong>The</strong>ir success<br />
on the court earned them the right to play<br />
Temple Junior <strong>College</strong> for the regional title in<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong>. <strong>The</strong> local hoopsters emerged victorious,<br />
capturing two out <strong>of</strong> three games. <strong>The</strong>ir<br />
basketball fortunes came to an end at the state<br />
tournament in Gainesville. Coach Reece’s squad<br />
was humiliated in the first game <strong>of</strong> the double<br />
elimination tournament by falling to<br />
Jacksonville Junior <strong>College</strong> 65 to 25. In the<br />
32 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Pirates’ second contest, they fared no better, losing<br />
to Gainesville, 45 to 28. 29<br />
Mary Crouch was extended kudos by the college<br />
community after her successful venture at<br />
the district one-act play tournament in Corpus<br />
Christi. She won top honors as the lead actress<br />
in Cassandra. 30<br />
Students skipping classes became a minor<br />
annoyance for the editor <strong>of</strong> the Corsair. In<br />
the March 30 edition, the newspaper castigated<br />
the students who were habitually cutting class.<br />
<strong>The</strong> student publication noted that “When a<br />
student who is making poor grades in his or her<br />
work deliberately takes cuts instead <strong>of</strong> going to<br />
class—that student fails before he wakes up!”<br />
<strong>The</strong> comment apparently had no salubrious<br />
impact, cutting classes remained a viable option<br />
for the students—then and today. 31<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1938 fall term opened with 117<br />
students. <strong>The</strong>re was a slight increase in the<br />
size <strong>of</strong> the sophomore class. Among the social<br />
activities for the students and faculty at the<br />
beginning <strong>of</strong> the academic year was a reception<br />
at the home <strong>of</strong> President Porter S. Garner<br />
and a dinner sponsored by the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Ministerial Association. 32<br />
In October <strong>of</strong> that year, the college business<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice was robbed. <strong>The</strong> thieves took $265 from<br />
the vault after entering the building by way <strong>of</strong> a<br />
window and knocking <strong>of</strong>f the combination knob<br />
on the vault door. <strong>The</strong> sheriff’s investigators,<br />
who considered this a pr<strong>of</strong>essional job, reported<br />
that no fingerprints were found, “not even those<br />
<strong>of</strong> school employees.” 33<br />
During the Forty-Sixth Legislative Session<br />
which convened in January 1939, a bill was<br />
introduced that proposed paying public junior<br />
colleges fifty dollars per student per year. An<br />
education committee was formed by the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce to mobilize community<br />
support for the measure. <strong>The</strong> civic leaders theorized<br />
that the passage <strong>of</strong> the bill would increase<br />
enrollment at the college and boost the local<br />
economy. In a front-page editorial, the Advocate<br />
bolstered the prevailing economic view by declaring<br />
that every student at the college pumped<br />
$500 per year into the community. <strong>The</strong> increased<br />
revenue generated by the institution, the newspaper<br />
stated, would permit the local school board<br />
to develop vocational training “for local consumption,”<br />
a primary goal for the college.<br />
<strong>The</strong> editorial closed with the comment that the<br />
people <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> and the surrounding area had<br />
the “good fortune to have within their midst an<br />
institution <strong>of</strong> the present caliber and future possibilities<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>.” <strong>The</strong> supporters<br />
<strong>of</strong> partial state funding for public junior<br />
colleges did not succeed and had to wait two<br />
years before the legislature passed such a measure.<br />
In June 1941, Governor W. Lee O’Daniel<br />
signed it into law even though he considered the<br />
✯<br />
J. H. Bankston, president <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> from 1940 to 1947.<br />
Depression and War ✦ 33
ill to be imperfect. <strong>The</strong> state’s chief executive<br />
expressed the hope that “the plan can be greatly<br />
improved by succeeding legislatures.” 34<br />
Fall classes in 1939 were originally scheduled<br />
to begin on September 5, but because the<br />
new science building was not completed, registration<br />
was postponed until September 11.<br />
Classes were convened the following day. An<br />
open house and the formal dedication <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Science Building were held on Thursday<br />
evening, September 14. State Superintendent <strong>of</strong><br />
Public Instruction, L. A. Woods, gave an inspiring<br />
address to an audience <strong>of</strong> several hundred<br />
curious and proud visitors. 35<br />
A change <strong>of</strong> leadership in the school system<br />
occurred in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1939. On November 2,<br />
Garner, who purchased the Nehi beverages franchise<br />
located in Laredo, tendered his resignation<br />
to the school board. <strong>The</strong> board <strong>of</strong> trustees<br />
demonstrated their satisfaction for the president’s<br />
education leadership in <strong>Victoria</strong> by adopting<br />
a resolution expressing “their regret” that<br />
Garner was leaving the district. 36<br />
At a special called meeting on December 15,<br />
the trustees selected J. H. Bankston to replace<br />
Garner, beginning on January 1, 1940. <strong>The</strong> new<br />
president held degrees from North Texas State<br />
Teachers <strong>College</strong> and Colorado State Teachers<br />
<strong>College</strong>. He completed additional college work<br />
at Chicago University, the University <strong>of</strong><br />
California, and the University <strong>of</strong> Texas. His<br />
résumé included a successful stint as school<br />
superintendent in Crane, Texas, for ten years. In<br />
1938, he was employed as deputy state superintendent<br />
<strong>of</strong> public instruction for District 23 and<br />
stationed in <strong>Victoria</strong>. 37<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> became a recipient <strong>of</strong><br />
an aviation plan formulated by the federal government<br />
in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1939. Under the proposal,<br />
there were to be twenty thousand trained<br />
pilots nationwide with private certified licenses<br />
within six years. To accomplish this ambitious<br />
goal, the training was provided free <strong>of</strong> charge.<br />
<strong>The</strong> fee, ranging from $270 to $290 per student,<br />
was paid by the year-old Civil Aeronautics<br />
Authority, the sponsoring agency. “Ten physically<br />
fit students well qualified,” the college allotment,<br />
registered for flight instruction under the<br />
watchful eye <strong>of</strong> the veteran aviator Lieutenant<br />
Harold Kindred at the <strong>Victoria</strong> Airport, currently<br />
known as Ball Airport. In May 1940, four <strong>of</strong><br />
the students enrolled in the civilian pilot training<br />
course (J. B. Beams, Jerome Elledge, Billy<br />
Easley, and Delasso Loos) completed the program<br />
and passed the private pilot examination<br />
with “good grades.” 38<br />
In January 1940, KVIC, a 250 watt station,<br />
went on air, making it <strong>Victoria</strong>’s first commercial<br />
radio station. On March 19, the college became<br />
a rarity among state junior colleges when it<br />
began a twice weekly series <strong>of</strong> radio programs<br />
that were designed to benefit the students in<br />
radio script writing and broadcasting. Broadcast<br />
times were set at 3:15 p.m. Tuesdays and 7:00<br />
p.m. Thursdays. <strong>The</strong> first radiocast featured<br />
Clarence Felger, a music teacher, and Raymond<br />
Manning, a business administration instructor,<br />
presenting organ selections. Most <strong>of</strong> the broadcasts<br />
were not as culturally uplifting as the first<br />
one. <strong>The</strong> spots were generally filled with topics<br />
such as “<strong>The</strong> Advantages <strong>of</strong> the Junior <strong>College</strong>,”<br />
“Trends in Educational Philosophy,” and a plug<br />
for summer school at the college. In 1943, the<br />
programs originated from the campus after<br />
KVIC established a remote control studio in the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Building. 39<br />
At the junior college regional one-act-play<br />
contest in March 1940 at Edinburg Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong>, Edward Stuart, Mary Halepaska,<br />
Wallace Heaner, and Mary Fern Hawkins won<br />
second place with their presentation <strong>of</strong> “Miss<br />
Fannie’s Bomb.” Third place honors for individual<br />
actors were awarded to Hawkins and<br />
Stuart. Later, at the district speech meet in<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong>, the college vanquished the opposition<br />
and captured the district championship.<br />
Winning laurels for the local speech team were<br />
Clarence Durham, first in boys’ extemporaneous<br />
speaking; Fredaline Schneider, first in<br />
girls’ extemporaneous speaking; and Valerie<br />
Hartman, first in girls’ oratory. 40<br />
Schneider considered her victory in girls’<br />
extemporaneous speaking as another joyful<br />
moment in a year filled with happy times. She<br />
and classmate Magdalene Ley smilingly recounted<br />
how the students at the college meshed<br />
together for social outings that included dances<br />
at Smith-Fischer Gymnasium and local private<br />
clubs. Ley remarked that whoever in the group<br />
had an automobile would make the rounds,<br />
pick up the other members, and away they<br />
would go for a fun-filled trip. During lunch<br />
34 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
eaks at the college, Schneider, Ley, and friends<br />
crossed North Street to a Mrs. Evans’ house for<br />
a quick home prepared meal. <strong>The</strong> front rooms <strong>of</strong><br />
her residence served as a dining area for the students<br />
who sat around small round tables and<br />
engaged in small talk, occasionally being interrupted<br />
by the rumble <strong>of</strong> a noon passenger train<br />
as it steamed by the school complex. 41<br />
<strong>The</strong> civilian pilots training course that began<br />
in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1939 was expanded during the<br />
summer <strong>of</strong> 1940 as the Franklin Roosevelt<br />
administration accelerated the nation’s involvement<br />
in world affairs. <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
was authorized by the Civilian Aeronautics<br />
Authority to enroll fifteen students who had<br />
attained their eighteenth birthdays. This number<br />
was increased to nineteen by the time <strong>of</strong> fall<br />
enrollment, and the maximum age grew to twenty-six.<br />
Preference was given to applicants who<br />
possessed a degree or graduation certificate from<br />
a university, a technological institute, a four-year<br />
teacher college, or junior college. <strong>The</strong> minimum<br />
education requirement was one year <strong>of</strong> college<br />
during the 1939-1940 academic year. 42<br />
William S. Fly, grandson <strong>of</strong> G. W. L. Fly <strong>of</strong><br />
Civil War fame, and a state senator after World<br />
War II, was among the 1940 summer flight students.<br />
His interest in becoming a pilot was longstanding.<br />
He was fascinated with the planes that<br />
landed in the valley between Main and Vine<br />
streets, north <strong>of</strong> Red River Street. For years he<br />
kept a propeller from a damaged plane at his<br />
house as a memento <strong>of</strong> his burning desire to fly.<br />
After flying five to six hours in the air in a<br />
Taylorcraft with an instructor, he was told to<br />
“take it around three times” alone. <strong>The</strong> first solo<br />
flight was the highlight <strong>of</strong> the course for Fly.<br />
When he landed the plane, the tail <strong>of</strong> his shirt<br />
was cut <strong>of</strong>f, thus becoming a new pilot, “a shirttail.”<br />
An important element in the course was<br />
navigation. Since there was no sophisticated<br />
equipment in the training plane, the pilot in<br />
cross-country flight learned to navigate by following<br />
railroad tracks and highways. After completing<br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> course, Fly did<br />
advanced flight training in Austin while attending<br />
the University <strong>of</strong> Texas Law School. In World<br />
War II, he received his wings as a naval pilot. 43<br />
✯<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> began to <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
pilot training in the fall 1939 under a<br />
program sponsored by the Civil<br />
Aeronautics Authority.<br />
Depression and War ✦ 35
✯<br />
A clothing laboratory.<br />
Beatrice Rangow was one <strong>of</strong> seven females<br />
in a class <strong>of</strong> 28 who enrolled in the February<br />
1941 flying class. She was prompted to take<br />
the flight course because <strong>of</strong> her daredevil<br />
inclination and her desire to follow in the<br />
footsteps <strong>of</strong> Amelia Earhart, the famous<br />
woman aviator who mysteriously disappeared<br />
as she attempted to make a round-the-world<br />
flight in 1937. Rangow noted that she and the<br />
other girls were treated the same as the males<br />
during the training. One <strong>of</strong> her more memorable<br />
experiences was when the airplane she<br />
was flying stalled. <strong>The</strong> instructor took control<br />
<strong>of</strong> the plane and succeeded in restarting<br />
the engine. Shortly after Rangow completed<br />
the course, she married. When the federal<br />
government requested that she ferry a military<br />
plane to the east coast, her husband was<br />
emphatic in telling her she could not make the<br />
flight. Thus, Rangow’s short-lived flying career<br />
came to an end. 44<br />
In August 1940, B. F. Hardt, college dean for<br />
the previous five years, resigned to become<br />
principal <strong>of</strong> the oil wealthy White Oak School<br />
west <strong>of</strong> Longview. He was succeeded by W. E.<br />
Eckles, the dean <strong>of</strong> men and an education<br />
instructor. Eckles earned his bachelor’s and master’s<br />
degrees from Texas Agricultural and<br />
Mechanical <strong>College</strong> where he taught summer<br />
courses the previous four years. <strong>The</strong> new dean<br />
did not complete the academic year. Military<br />
service beckoned, and in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1941, he<br />
entered the army. Since his position was not<br />
immediately filled, his administrative duties<br />
were divided between Jewell Hudler and J. N.<br />
Crawford. In April, the board elected J. D.<br />
Moore, a native <strong>of</strong> Mineral Wells and principal <strong>of</strong><br />
El Campo High School since 1936, as the dean.<br />
After graduating from high school, he entered<br />
North Texas Teachers <strong>College</strong> and earned his<br />
bachelor’s and master’s degrees. While in college,<br />
Moore was a standout in several sports, and<br />
because <strong>of</strong> his athletic prowess, he was installed<br />
in the University <strong>of</strong> North Texas Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame. 45<br />
With only one day remaining to register for<br />
the fall 1940 semester, enrollment reached 171<br />
36 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
students, “a hundred percent increase” from the<br />
preceding year. <strong>The</strong> noticeable gain was in part<br />
contributed to the new transportation policy<br />
which provided private bus service from Pierce,<br />
Palacios, Beeville, and Moulton. <strong>The</strong> buses left<br />
their respective locations at 7:30 a.m. and<br />
arrived at the college in time for the 9:00 a.m.<br />
classes. <strong>The</strong> students returned to “their home<br />
centers by 5 o’clock.” Cost per student, at least<br />
from Goliad, was six dollars a month. 46<br />
Part-time jobs for students were at a premium<br />
with such a large enrollment. Especially<br />
hard-hit for employment were the girls who<br />
were limited as to what type <strong>of</strong> jobs were available<br />
to them. In an attempt to assist the co-eds<br />
in finding gainful occupations, the college<br />
appealed to residence owners for part-time<br />
housework for the young ladies. 47<br />
During the 1940 fall semester, <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> made another stab at competing<br />
in intercollegiate basketball with non-scholarship<br />
players. Hester “Stump” Evans, an assistant<br />
coach at Patti Welder and an alumnus <strong>of</strong><br />
the college, was named head coach. Evans<br />
received his nickname, according to long-time<br />
president <strong>of</strong> the board <strong>of</strong> trustees at <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Winston Zirjacks, when he broke his<br />
arm hitting the wall while playing basketball in<br />
the closely confined basement <strong>of</strong> the Patti<br />
Welder building. <strong>The</strong>reafter, Evans was known<br />
as “Stump.” 48<br />
Frank Diebel played on the 1940-41 basketball<br />
squad. As a standout player at Patti Welder<br />
High School, the University <strong>of</strong> Texas showed<br />
interest in him and suggested that he enroll at<br />
Tyler Junior <strong>College</strong> to sharpen his basketball<br />
skills. Evans intervened and persuaded Diebel<br />
to attend <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>. As an inducement<br />
for him to remain in his hometown, the<br />
local coach secured Diebel a job at Groce-<br />
Wearden Wholesalers, which allowed the<br />
roundballer to earn enough money to pay<br />
for his tuition and books. Ed Stuart and Diebel,<br />
characterized by the Advocate as having “to<br />
duck to prevent his head from scraping the<br />
rafters,” led the team in scoring. Other starters<br />
on the squad were Bob Rushing, Cecil Hill,<br />
and “Tricky” Bully Greeson. Unfortunately, the<br />
Pirates did not win enough games to make<br />
the play<strong>of</strong>fs. 49<br />
<strong>Tradition</strong>ally, societal changes occur slowly.<br />
A case in point was VISD’s antiquated policy<br />
that prevented faculty members from purchasing<br />
a product on the installment plan or on<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> girls’ lounge at <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong>fered co-eds <strong>of</strong> the 1940s a<br />
place to relax.<br />
Depression and War ✦ 37
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Library<br />
had been expanded by the outbreak <strong>of</strong><br />
World War II.<br />
borrowed money. <strong>The</strong>y were relieved <strong>of</strong> this<br />
limitation when the board at its October 1941<br />
meeting, on a motion by Hugh Stanly, seconded<br />
by D. E. Blackburn, waived the provision. 50<br />
World War II impacted <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> in various ways. <strong>Victoria</strong> Field, renamed<br />
Foster Field in January 1942, was opened in<br />
1941 as an advanced single-engine flight school<br />
for fighter pilots. <strong>The</strong> influx <strong>of</strong> military personnel<br />
into the county made an immediate difference<br />
in the enrollment and class <strong>of</strong>ferings at the<br />
college. A total <strong>of</strong> 260 students registered for the<br />
fall semester, 120 <strong>of</strong> whom attended evening<br />
classes. Servicemen from the air base accounted<br />
for seventy-six <strong>of</strong> the enrollees. In order to<br />
accommodate the educational needs <strong>of</strong> the military<br />
personnel and individuals interested in<br />
taking a “preparatory course leading to an<br />
exemption from mental examination for flying<br />
cadet work,” the college created additional<br />
evening classes, the largest <strong>of</strong> which were in<br />
mathematics with sixty-four students. <strong>The</strong><br />
emphasis on mathematics was thought to be a<br />
necessity “for the national defense effort.” 51<br />
As the nation inched closer to participating<br />
in World War II, all <strong>of</strong> the colleges and universities<br />
in South Texas that fell within the San<br />
Antonio Recruiting District were enlisted to<br />
establish special courses “to enable more young<br />
men, ambitious to become Aviation Cadets, to<br />
qualify themselves to meet the increased<br />
demands for pilots.” Recruiting <strong>of</strong>ficials suggested<br />
that a student should consider borrowing<br />
money to pay for a year’s college. <strong>The</strong>se<br />
recruiters maintained that upon entering the<br />
Air Corps, the student would become a second<br />
lieutenant and be paid from $205.50 to<br />
$245.50 a month, plus a bonus <strong>of</strong> $500 for<br />
each year served. <strong>The</strong> money that could be<br />
saved, the recruiting <strong>of</strong>ficer stated, would permit<br />
a person to “easily finish his college education,<br />
go into a small business, or pay on a<br />
home” after being released from the military<br />
service. <strong>The</strong> recruiting pitch undoubtedly had a<br />
positive result as the country’s young men<br />
looked for an alternative to the army which<br />
awaited them should they be drafted under<br />
the Selective Training and Service Act <strong>of</strong> 1940,<br />
38 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
the first peacetime compulsory military training<br />
law in United States history. 52<br />
With the formal entrance <strong>of</strong> the United<br />
States in World War II after the Japanese bombing<br />
<strong>of</strong> Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> role in preparing individuals<br />
for the military was enlarged. Under a<br />
plan formulated by the Department <strong>of</strong> the Navy,<br />
known as V-1, freshman and sophomore college<br />
students 17 and 18 years <strong>of</strong> age could enlist as<br />
apprentice seamen and remain in college “at<br />
least until the end <strong>of</strong> their second year.” After<br />
the completion <strong>of</strong> a year and a half <strong>of</strong> college<br />
work, a competitive examination was administered.<br />
<strong>The</strong> students who passed could elect to<br />
become a naval aviator, deck <strong>of</strong>ficer, or engineering<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficer. Those who chose to become<br />
pilots were called to active duty at the end <strong>of</strong><br />
the second year. <strong>The</strong> students who elected to<br />
become deck or engineering <strong>of</strong>ficers were<br />
allowed to continue in college until they<br />
received their bachelor’s degree, provided college<br />
or university standards were maintained. 53<br />
By 1943, special skills required for the<br />
defense industry and preparatory work for military<br />
service further altered the course <strong>of</strong>ferings<br />
at the college. Out <strong>of</strong> the need to meet the new<br />
wartime challenges, classes in pre-nursing, fundamental<br />
radio, and specialized training in<br />
engineering drawing and industrial chemistry<br />
were taught. To stimulate an increase in the<br />
courses, the United States Office <strong>of</strong> Education,<br />
through a cooperative arrangement with Texas<br />
A&I <strong>College</strong>, paid the tuition and laboratory<br />
fees for qualified students who enrolled in the<br />
engineering, science, and management defense<br />
training program. <strong>College</strong> credit for the trainee<br />
was optional. Because the war seriously depleted<br />
the number <strong>of</strong> males in the workforce,<br />
women were especially encouraged to register<br />
in the program “as many positions are open for<br />
them in defense industries.” 54<br />
Equally important to the war effort was a<br />
cadre <strong>of</strong> educated military personnel. <strong>The</strong> federal<br />
government expected this to be accomplished<br />
under the Officer’s Procurement<br />
Program, which granted two-year deferments to<br />
young men who joined a branch <strong>of</strong> the military.<br />
At the end <strong>of</strong> the second year, provided the<br />
educational standards were attained, the eligible<br />
candidate was “given an opportunity to<br />
become a commissioned <strong>of</strong>ficer.” <strong>The</strong> college<br />
was permitted to register eighteen students in<br />
the program. 55<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> also became involved<br />
in providing assistance on the home front. To<br />
meet the federal government’s call for<br />
18,000,000 Victory Gardens, courses were<br />
<strong>of</strong>fered in growing vegetables and canning.<br />
Residents <strong>of</strong> the community were encouraged to<br />
enroll in the classes with the slogan, “Grow your<br />
own vitamins.” Tuition and fees were waived, an<br />
indicator <strong>of</strong> the importance <strong>of</strong> Victory Gardens<br />
to the nation. 56<br />
Books added to the college library during<br />
World War II reflected America’s participation in<br />
the conflict. Works were purchased to supplement<br />
the history, government, and economic<br />
collection to foster “American ideas through dissemination<br />
<strong>of</strong> authentic information.” Technical<br />
and scientific books were a priority to support<br />
the courses that were designed for “the nation’s<br />
need for skilled technicians.” Mathematics,<br />
radio, and pre-flight training volumes were<br />
bought and widely circulated among the students.<br />
It was “not surprising to see girls as well<br />
as boys charge out such books.” 57<br />
Besides different course <strong>of</strong>ferings, the war<br />
affected the college in other ways. Because the<br />
military services consumed huge amounts <strong>of</strong><br />
petroleum products, gasoline rationing was<br />
implemented throughout the nation. Charlotte E.<br />
Kenell fondly remembers how the lack <strong>of</strong> gasoline<br />
impacted her college classes. In the summer<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1944, she took a psychology course, taught by<br />
O. C. Stroman (Stroman High School was named<br />
in his honor), which had a number <strong>of</strong> nuns in it.<br />
Kenell, along with her fellow classmates, was<br />
asked “to go to Nazareth Academy Convent each<br />
morning for class, so that the Nuns…would not<br />
have to be transported to the college.” She<br />
remarked that “it was an interesting experience<br />
for all <strong>of</strong> us, including the Nuns.” 58<br />
<strong>College</strong> athletics were also touched by the<br />
war. Budgetary restraints along with the scarcity<br />
<strong>of</strong> transportation placed a limit on sports.<br />
<strong>The</strong> only intercollegiate activity the college participated<br />
in was track, and it revolved around<br />
one person, Monroe Northcutt, a resident <strong>of</strong> El<br />
Campo who moved to <strong>Victoria</strong> when J. D.<br />
Moore became dean <strong>of</strong> the college. Even though<br />
he was a student at Patti Welder, Northcutt was<br />
Depression and War ✦ 39
not eligible for high school athletics because <strong>of</strong><br />
his age, but he could run track for the college.<br />
Since there was no money appropriated for athletics,<br />
the dedicated Northcutt hitchhiked to<br />
track meets. Moore did, however, find money<br />
in the budget for his hotel expenses. At the state<br />
meet for junior colleges in Arlington, Northcutt<br />
won the 880 and placed fourth in the 440.<br />
When he completed high school, Northcutt<br />
entered the navy and was assigned to a physical<br />
education program. After his discharge from<br />
the military service, he received a track scholarship<br />
from the University <strong>of</strong> Texas and was cocaptain<br />
<strong>of</strong> the team in 1948. 59<br />
While some students took advantage <strong>of</strong> various<br />
military plans and ultimately became <strong>of</strong>ficers,<br />
others, bulging with patriotic fervor and<br />
wanting to take a crack at the Axis, opted to<br />
enlist even before a semester terminated. Two<br />
students who left the college ranks before completing<br />
their courses <strong>of</strong> study were Rex Easley<br />
and Albert Joost. <strong>The</strong> pair, in 1942, were sitting<br />
under one <strong>of</strong> the trees that dotted the college<br />
campus chatting about nothing in particular<br />
when Joost said, “Let’s join the Air Force.”<br />
Easley with alacrity answered, “O.K. When?”<br />
<strong>The</strong> two <strong>Victoria</strong>ns spent the next three years<br />
in the military with contrasting assignments.<br />
Joost served as a general’s aid, whereas Easley<br />
performed duty with a bomber flying out<br />
<strong>of</strong> Guam. 60<br />
Elton Spiegelhauer was another <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> student who went into the military<br />
during World War II. But, unlike Easley and<br />
Joost, the University <strong>of</strong> Texas beckoned before<br />
his tenure began in the armed forces.<br />
Spiegelhauer’s drafting instructor at the college,<br />
C.A. Moore, was so impressed with the student’s<br />
analytical mind (Spiegelhauer ranked first in a<br />
class <strong>of</strong> three that began with twenty-three), he<br />
assisted his prized student in enrolling at the<br />
university by writing a letter <strong>of</strong> endorsement to<br />
the school <strong>of</strong>ficials in Austin. Spiegelhauer<br />
received a letter <strong>of</strong> acceptance on September 6,<br />
1943, and within two days he had quit his job,<br />
packed, and matriculated at the University <strong>of</strong><br />
Texas. After the war, Spiegelhauer worked at<br />
DuPont for thirty-four years. His long career as<br />
a draftsman was, as he said, “because <strong>of</strong> Claude<br />
Moore,” an inspiring instructor at <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong>. 61<br />
In September 1942, hurricane force winds<br />
hit <strong>Victoria</strong>, causing considerable damage to the<br />
school complex. Among the destruction left in<br />
the wake <strong>of</strong> the storm was the loss <strong>of</strong> the Smith-<br />
Fischer Hall ro<strong>of</strong>, warped wooden floors caused<br />
by torrential rain, and windows that were shattered<br />
by flying debris. Instructors at the college,<br />
such as Hester Evans and C. A. Moore, volunteered<br />
their services to ready the school for the<br />
fall semester. While the hurricane was playing<br />
havoc on the city, airmen from a local base took<br />
refuge in the Patti Welder and college buildings,<br />
making themselves literally at home. <strong>The</strong> servicemen<br />
broke into the cafeteria and, utilizing<br />
school supplies, prepared breakfast. <strong>The</strong>y also<br />
filled the hallways with their litter. It goes without<br />
saying, therefore, that the administration<br />
was upset with the airmen’s stay. 62<br />
Coming as no surprise to the college authorities,<br />
the war took its toll on the number <strong>of</strong><br />
full-time students. Jobs were plentiful for those<br />
who wanted to work, and the demands for military<br />
personnel cut a swath into the ranks <strong>of</strong><br />
the male students. By January 1943, there were<br />
only 69 students enrolled, <strong>of</strong> whom 17 were<br />
sophomores. Consequently, with such a small<br />
student body, the spring graduating class consisted<br />
<strong>of</strong> nine individuals, most <strong>of</strong> whom were<br />
female students. 63<br />
Meanwhile, at the January 5, 1945, board<br />
meeting, the trustees broke virgin ground by<br />
adopting a sick leave policy for the teachers.<br />
Under the new plan, an instructor was permitted<br />
three days personal sick leave. Teachers claiming<br />
time <strong>of</strong>f for illness were required to sign a certified<br />
statement. If the instructor remained absent<br />
for twenty-one days, employment at the college<br />
was automatically terminated. 64<br />
Throughout American history, the central<br />
government has been magnanimous in providing<br />
benefits to veterans <strong>of</strong> the various wars. Initially,<br />
land grants were parceled out to qualified ex-servicemen,<br />
but by the twentieth century, the territorial<br />
holdings were drastically reduced to the<br />
point that land was no longer a viable option for<br />
the nation’s veterans. In 1924, over President<br />
Calvin Coolidge’s veto, Congress passed the<br />
Soldiers Bonus Bill, providing 20-year annuities<br />
for veterans below the rank <strong>of</strong> major. Prior to the<br />
conclusion <strong>of</strong> World War II, in 1944, out <strong>of</strong> gratitude<br />
for the duty performed by the service<br />
40 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
personnel and the potentially high voter turnout<br />
by veterans, Congress passed the Servicemen’s<br />
Readjustment Act, commonly known as the “G.I.<br />
Bill <strong>of</strong> Rights.” <strong>The</strong> law stipulated, in part, that<br />
eligible returning servicemen and servicewomen<br />
would not be charged tuition, fees, books, and<br />
supplies for academic classes. Furthermore,<br />
single veterans were allowed $50 a month living<br />
expenses, and married veterans received $75<br />
each month. 65<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>, like other colleges<br />
and universities throughout the United States,<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>ited from the generous legislation for veterans.<br />
Enrollment for day school in the fall <strong>of</strong><br />
1946 almost doubled the number from the previous<br />
year. Whereas in 1945 there were 82 students<br />
registered, in 1946 the figure was 159.<br />
More dramatic was the difference in summer<br />
school enrollment between 1946 and 1947.<br />
According to the college records, in 1946 there<br />
were 51 students registered for summer classes,<br />
and in 1947 the number was 147. 66<br />
Veterans were especially interested in the<br />
college’s Vocational Training School under the<br />
direction <strong>of</strong> V. T. Kallus, an ex-serviceman and<br />
graduate <strong>of</strong> Texas A&M University. <strong>The</strong> veterans<br />
who were enrolled in the vocational program,<br />
which consisted <strong>of</strong> agriculture, business,<br />
and mechanics courses, received subsistence<br />
pay <strong>of</strong> ninety dollars a month if they were married.<br />
Single students, on the other hand,<br />
received $65 a month. In the spring <strong>of</strong> 1946, 85<br />
students enrolled in the academic courses,<br />
while there were 75 individuals, fifteen <strong>of</strong><br />
whom were black, taking vocational agriculture.<br />
By the fall <strong>of</strong> 1946, veterans, both in academic<br />
and vocational courses, dominated the<br />
enrollment figures. 67<br />
B. F. Harbour, who replaced Clark C. Wilkes<br />
as dean in 1945, observed in May 1946 that the<br />
veterans “are just as normal as any students I<br />
have ever seen in my teaching experience. If<br />
they didn’t wear their discharge badges [referred<br />
to by the ex-service personnel as ruptured<br />
ducks], you nor anyone else could tell them<br />
from any <strong>of</strong> the other students.” On the surface,<br />
the comments appeared to be on target, but<br />
behind the facade, there was disrelish by some<br />
<strong>of</strong> the veterans toward what they considered to<br />
be shallow teaching methods. Herman J.<br />
Krehmeier, who entered the military service a<br />
few months after he graduated from high school<br />
in 1943, was astounded that an English instructor<br />
“was trying to teach like the college was a<br />
junior high school or high school.” Particularly<br />
galling to Krehmeier was when the students<br />
“had to sing happy birthday.” <strong>The</strong> faculty, he<br />
further stated, “hadn’t quite caught up. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
didn’t know the veterans’ frame <strong>of</strong> mind.”<br />
“Overall,” Krehmeier recounted, “I enjoyed the<br />
classes. It was a good experience, one that I will<br />
always remember.” <strong>The</strong> preceding remarks were<br />
made by a 20-year-old who entered the military<br />
as a boy, and exited as a man. Wars have a way<br />
✯<br />
G. V. Prichard was business manager<br />
and registrar <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> during World War II.<br />
<strong>of</strong> doing that. 68 Depression and War ✦ 41
ENDNOTES<br />
1<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate, 19 July 1935, 28 July 1935; <strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District Board Minutes, 19 July 1935.<br />
2<br />
VISD Minutes, Ibid.; Advocate, 27 August 1935.<br />
3<br />
Advocate, 10 September 1935, 12 September 1935, 15 September 1935.<br />
4<br />
Ibid., 24 July 1935.<br />
5<br />
James E. McCord, tape interview with author, 27 March 1998.<br />
6<br />
Lela Welder Cliburn, telephone interview with author, 27 March 1998.<br />
7<br />
David Bianchi, letter to author, 28 March 1998; Advocate, 31 October 1935.<br />
8<br />
McCord, tape interview, 27 March 1998.<br />
9<br />
Ibid.<br />
10<br />
Ibid.<br />
11<br />
Advocate, 5 April 1936.<br />
12<br />
Ibid., 12 January 1936; Grace Fossati, interview with author, 30 March 1998.<br />
13<br />
Advocate, 1 May 1936.<br />
14<br />
Ibid., 27 May 1936.<br />
15<br />
Ibid., 7 July 1936.<br />
16<br />
Ibid., 7 August 1936.<br />
17<br />
Ibid., 17 November 1936; <strong>The</strong> Corsair, 30 November 1936.<br />
18<br />
VISD Minutes, 12 December 1936; Advocate, 22 December 1936.<br />
19<br />
Advocate, 10 January 1937.<br />
20<br />
<strong>The</strong> Corsair, 14 February 1937, 22 February 1937.<br />
21<br />
Advocate, 28 February 1937.<br />
22<br />
Ibid., 9 March 1937.<br />
23<br />
Ibid., 11 March 1937, 12 March 1937, 14 March 1937.<br />
24<br />
Ibid., 12 May 1937.<br />
25<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Catalogue, July 1937, 6.<br />
26<br />
VISD Minutes, 2 June 1937; Advocate, 25 June 1937, 19 September 1937.<br />
27<br />
<strong>The</strong> Corsair, 29 September 1937; Advocate, 4 January 1938.<br />
28<br />
Advocate, 21 December 1938.<br />
29<br />
Ibid., 1 March 1939, 2 March 1939, 3 March 1939, 5 March 1939, 10 March 1939, 12 March 1939.<br />
30<br />
<strong>The</strong> Corsair, 23 March 1938.<br />
31<br />
Ibid., 30 March 1938.<br />
32<br />
Advocate, 18 September 1938; <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Bulletin, 1938-1939.<br />
33<br />
Advocate, 17 October 1938.<br />
34<br />
Ibid., 1 March 1939, 12 June 1941.<br />
35<br />
Ibid., 18 August 1939, 3 October 1939, 13 October 1939, 15 October 1939.<br />
36<br />
Ibid., 3 November 1939; VISD Minutes, 2 November 1939.<br />
37<br />
Advocate, 17 December 1939.<br />
38<br />
Ibid., 10 May 1939, 7 July 1939, 12 September 1939, 29 October 1939.<br />
39<br />
Ibid., 14 March 1940, 17 March 1940, 21 March 1940, 22 August 1943.<br />
40<br />
Ibid., 10 March 1940, 31 March 1940.<br />
41<br />
Fredaline Schneider Krueger, interview with author, 15 May 1998; Magdalene Ley Johnston, interview with author, 15 May 1998.<br />
42<br />
Advocate, 5 June 1940.<br />
43<br />
William S. Fly, interview with author, 16 May 1998.<br />
44<br />
Beatrice Rangnow Marth, telephone interview with author, 16 May 1998.<br />
45<br />
Advocate, 18 August 1940, 8 September 1940, 9 March 1941, 27 April 1941.<br />
46<br />
Ibid., 24 June 1940, 19 July 1940, 3 September 1940, 4 September 1940, 22 September 1940, 10 October 1940.<br />
47<br />
Ibid., 6 September 1940.<br />
48<br />
Ibid., 13 December 1940; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 23 February 1968.<br />
42 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
49<br />
Frank Diebel, telephone interview with author, 16 May 1998; Advocate, 13 December 1940, 18 December 1940.<br />
50<br />
VISD Minutes, 2 October 1941.<br />
51<br />
<strong>The</strong> Handbook <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> County (Austin: <strong>The</strong> Texas State Historical Association, 1990), 28; Advocate, 21 September 1941,<br />
12 October 1941.<br />
52<br />
Advocate, 31 August 1941.<br />
53<br />
Ibid., 12 April 1942, 15 May 1942.<br />
54<br />
Ibid., 9 July 1942, 16 August 1942, 20 August 1942.<br />
55<br />
Ibid., 9 September 1942.<br />
56<br />
Ibid., 3 March 1943.<br />
57<br />
Ibid., 20 April 1943.<br />
58<br />
Charlotte E. Kenell, letter to author, 30 May 1997.<br />
59<br />
Monroe Northcutt, tape interview with author, 16 May 1998.<br />
60<br />
Rex Easley, interview with author, 18 May 1998.<br />
61<br />
Eldon Spiegelhauer, interview with author, 20 May 1998.<br />
62<br />
Advocate, 6 September 1942; J. D. Moore, interview with author, 8 May 1995.<br />
63<br />
Advocate, 14 May 1943; VISD Minutes, 5 January 1943.<br />
64<br />
VISD Minutes, 5 January 1945.<br />
65<br />
Advocate, 25 July 1944.<br />
66<br />
Registrar’s Records, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
67<br />
Advocate, 3 January 1946, 12 May 1946, 12 September 1946.<br />
68<br />
Ibid., 5 May 1946; Herman Krehmeier, telephone interview with author, 19 May 1998.<br />
Endnotes ✦ 43
44 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
CHAPTER 3<br />
ADIOS, PATTI<br />
WELDER<br />
Immediately following World War II, the board and administration dealt with a variety <strong>of</strong> issues<br />
and made decisions that had a long-term impact on education in the community. Before the decade<br />
ended, <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> was disassociated with the <strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District and<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> was a reality.<br />
At its regular meeting on August 14, 1946, the board made a major decision on how the faculty<br />
were to be paid, adopting for the first time a single salary schedule. <strong>The</strong> base pay for a teacher with<br />
a bachelor’s degree was set at $1,800 a year. An instructor holding a master’s degree received a base<br />
salary <strong>of</strong> $2,800 a year. <strong>The</strong>re was no mention <strong>of</strong> a salary schedule for a doctor’s degree. Increments<br />
<strong>of</strong> $25 a year were given for three years’ teaching experience outside the district and ten years’ within<br />
the district. <strong>The</strong> board reserved the right to make an exception to the proposed scale in order that<br />
it might employ a “capable teacher” who would not otherwise accept a position in the district. 1<br />
Winds <strong>of</strong> change, brought about by an all-time high enrollment, blew across the school complex<br />
on North Street. A notable factor in the rise <strong>of</strong> the school population was 165 veterans in vocational<br />
training. <strong>The</strong> combined population <strong>of</strong> the junior high, the high school, and the junior college was<br />
over 1,200 and placed an enormous strain on the school facilities. Furthermore, the age span from<br />
junior high through junior college posed an additional dilemma for the community and school <strong>of</strong>ficials<br />
who considered the freer lifestyle <strong>of</strong> the college students a corrupting influence on the secondary<br />
and middle school students. 2<br />
Recognizing there was an acute shortage <strong>of</strong> classroom space, the board authorized President J. H.<br />
Bankston to approach the federal government on the acquisition <strong>of</strong> Aloe Field for “the pursuit <strong>of</strong><br />
training or education under Title II <strong>of</strong> the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act <strong>of</strong> 1944.” Although the<br />
deliberations did not produce an agreement on the abandoned airfield, the negotiations were fruitful.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Federal Works Administration assented to provide the school system a grant to construct a<br />
“one-story frame structure containing 5,200 square feet <strong>of</strong> floor space” and to purchase “the necessary<br />
furniture and equipment such as saws, lathes, etc.” William Offer, president <strong>of</strong> the school board,<br />
gleefully assessed the award with the community by remarking, “All we have to do is furnish the site<br />
and connect up the utilities.” <strong>The</strong> structure was built in the rear <strong>of</strong> Smith-Fischer Hall. 3<br />
Meanwhile, with the end <strong>of</strong> World War II, extracurricular activities were rejuvenated. During the<br />
conflict, the publication <strong>of</strong> the school newspaper had been suspended because <strong>of</strong> a shortage <strong>of</strong> materials.<br />
In October, 1946, journalism students from Patti Welder High School and the college revived<br />
the practice by producing a weekly publication, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>n. Thirty-eight high school and college<br />
students comprised the staff. Johnny Goldsum was named the junior college editor. 4<br />
Football as an intercollegiate sport was also resurrected at the college. <strong>The</strong> last season for the college<br />
to play football was 1936. In February, 1947, the board unanimously decided to field a team to<br />
compete in the South Texas Junior <strong>College</strong> Conference. <strong>The</strong> new league was to be comprised <strong>of</strong> junior<br />
colleges located at Corpus Christi, Laredo, Brownsville, Edinburg, and Seguin. Players were not<br />
to be given scholarships, a policy that was welcomed by some <strong>of</strong> the local fans. Chester Evans,<br />
Advocate sports writer and an alumnus <strong>of</strong> the college, wrote that “<strong>Victoria</strong>ns have found out in past<br />
years that the game won’t be a success here if you do have to import players by paying their room<br />
and board, etc., as the larger colleges now do.” Another concern <strong>of</strong> Evans for a successful program<br />
was scheduling. He expressed the opinion, “<strong>The</strong> teams must be as evenly matched as possible or the<br />
project will not succeed.” Hester “Stump” Evans, Chester’s brother and an assistant coach at Patti<br />
Welder, was employed as the college’s head coach. 5<br />
Under the sponsorship <strong>of</strong> Lois Parker, college librarian, the Zeta Gamma Chapter in early 1947 was<br />
awarded a charter from the national junior college honor society Phi <strong>The</strong>ta Kappa. <strong>The</strong> initials <strong>of</strong> the<br />
society came from the Greek words phronomon (wisdom), thuemos (aspiration), and katharotes (purity).<br />
✯<br />
T. A. Roach has the distinction <strong>of</strong><br />
being the last president <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong>. He served in that<br />
capacity from 1947 to 1949.<br />
Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 45
✯<br />
B. F. Harbour was dean <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> from 1945 to 1949.<br />
Membership in the organization was open to students<br />
who ranked in “the upper 10 percent <strong>of</strong> the<br />
student body scholastically and also showed<br />
good qualities in character and leadership.”<br />
Fifteen members were installed by the Gamma<br />
Sigma Chapter <strong>of</strong> Corpus Christi Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
in ceremonies held in the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior High<br />
School Library. Alfred Stern was selected president.<br />
<strong>The</strong> other <strong>of</strong>ficers were Johnny Goldsum,<br />
vice president; Jimmie Lee Stubbs, secretary; and<br />
Shirley Krenek, treasurer. A pre-initiation ritual<br />
required students to periodically sing the club<br />
song and to wear beanies inscribed with the<br />
Greek letters Phi, <strong>The</strong>ta, and Kappa for a week<br />
prior to induction into the organization. 6<br />
President Bankston was informed by the<br />
board in March 1947 that his contract would<br />
not be renewed when it expired on June 30. <strong>The</strong><br />
door was left open, however, for Bankston to<br />
reapply for the position, but he declined to do<br />
so “under present conditions.” No explanation<br />
was given by the president or the board as to the<br />
reasons for their difficulties. <strong>The</strong> board’s action<br />
prompted a community movement to retain the<br />
ousted president. A petition was circulated and<br />
was ultimately signed by 310 individuals. <strong>The</strong><br />
document was presented to the board by a quartet<br />
<strong>of</strong> residents that included the civic and social<br />
leader Mrs. Ruben Frels. <strong>The</strong> board rejected the<br />
petition and voted to proceed in the employment<br />
<strong>of</strong> a new superintendent. 7<br />
Meanwhile, public sentiment in the county<br />
developed for separating the college from the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District. As early as<br />
July 1946, the Advocate had suggested, which<br />
probably reflected the public’s attitude, that the<br />
college “facilities could be <strong>of</strong> a much greater<br />
value, if it were expanded on a countywide<br />
plan.” <strong>The</strong> newspaper pointed out that six colleges<br />
were recently organized in Texas “and all<br />
<strong>of</strong> these except one is a countywide plan.” 8<br />
Aloe Army Air Field was given the highest<br />
priority by school <strong>of</strong>ficials as the location for a<br />
new junior college. Situated on a 1,820-acre<br />
tract five miles southwest <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>, the military<br />
complex was opened in 1943 as an advanced<br />
single-engine training base for fighter pilots.<br />
Soon after the conclusion <strong>of</strong> World War II, on<br />
October 31, 1945, Aloe Field was closed.<br />
Bankston who had previously discussed the<br />
transfer <strong>of</strong> the government property to VISD was<br />
instructed by the board in April 1947 to resume<br />
negotiations. Partly as a result <strong>of</strong> “a letter <strong>of</strong><br />
intent” sent by the lame duck president to the<br />
War Assets Administration and the U.S. Office <strong>of</strong><br />
Education, a meeting was held between representatives<br />
<strong>of</strong> the two federal agencies, and school<br />
personnel. County <strong>of</strong>ficials who sought the land<br />
for an airport were also present. At the gathering,<br />
school authorities proposed the acquisition <strong>of</strong><br />
the abandoned airfield and a variety <strong>of</strong> its facilities,<br />
including the hospital building, the gymnasium,<br />
a cafeteria, a recreation building, the football<br />
field, the tennis courts, and a theatre, which<br />
was to be used as an auditorium. No action was<br />
taken by either federal agency. 9<br />
46 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> students held mixed<br />
views on the separation issue. Johnny Goldsum,<br />
in an editorial published by the <strong>Victoria</strong>n, wrote<br />
that in an informal poll <strong>of</strong> students and teachers,<br />
the overwhelming majority wanted a separate<br />
campus. <strong>The</strong> supporters <strong>of</strong> this position<br />
maintained that a division <strong>of</strong> the schools would<br />
reduce congestion in the halls at Patti Welder,<br />
diminish criticism from high school students<br />
who did not have the same privileges as college<br />
students, and create a better teaching environment<br />
because instructors would not have to<br />
split their duties between the high school and<br />
the college. Goldsum, infected with the current<br />
trend, suggested a countywide college along the<br />
line <strong>of</strong> Wharton County Junior <strong>College</strong>. In this<br />
way, he wrote, the college would have a larger<br />
tax base, permitting an expansion <strong>of</strong> facilities<br />
and the purchase <strong>of</strong> better equipment. 10<br />
Goldsum’s comments were reenforced by<br />
Hilary Matthews, a freshman, who wanted to<br />
get away from high school teenagers. Wayne<br />
Duncan, another freshman, also held a<br />
jaded attitude toward the high school confines.<br />
He remarked that taking classes at Patti Welder<br />
did not produce a collegiate atmosphere. A<br />
similar position was taken by freshman<br />
Leslie Fuhrman. 11<br />
A segment <strong>of</strong> the student body expressed<br />
contrary statements. Freshman Earl Truman<br />
maintained that Aloe Field was “too far to go.”<br />
Distance was also a concern to Truman’s classmates<br />
Roy Othold and Mike Crawford.<br />
Although Othold agreed that Aloe Field posed a<br />
traveling problem, he hedged somewhat by<br />
adding “it would be awfully nice at Aloe.” 12<br />
In the meantime, after reviewing the applications<br />
for the superintendent’s position, the<br />
board announced on June 24, 1947, the selection<br />
<strong>of</strong> T. A. Roach <strong>of</strong> the El Campo school district<br />
as the new school system’s chief executive.<br />
He was awarded a three-year contract. 13<br />
Before Roach was firmly settled in his <strong>of</strong>fice,<br />
he found himself involved in the middle <strong>of</strong> a<br />
controversy that stemmed from students, teachers,<br />
and administrators who disliked what they<br />
perceived to be the elitism and snobbishness <strong>of</strong><br />
fraternities and sororities. At a Rotary luncheon<br />
in August 1947, Roach bluntly stated that sororities<br />
and fraternities “were not in keeping with<br />
the true principles <strong>of</strong> democracy” and should be<br />
banned. On another matter, concerning a suit<br />
attempting to eliminate the segregation <strong>of</strong><br />
Mexicans in public schools, the superintendent/president<br />
remarked, “I have no patience<br />
with any parent who demands that their children<br />
be separated from the Mexicans. So long as<br />
I am superintendent, there will be absolutely no<br />
racial discrimination.” He obviously was not<br />
addressing the state Jim Crow laws. His comments<br />
aroused the Rotarians to the extent they<br />
gave him “resounding applause.” 14<br />
On September 4, 1947, the board, by a unanimous<br />
vote, banned “fraternities, sororities,<br />
secret clubs and similar organizations” for students<br />
in junior high, high school, and junior<br />
college. <strong>The</strong> trustees based their position on the<br />
belief “that such organizations have a tendency<br />
to destroy good order, discipline and scholarship<br />
in the schools and further that they tend to<br />
disrupt student life generally, and that they foster<br />
rivalries and jealousies which have a deleterious<br />
effect upon practically all <strong>of</strong> the usual<br />
extracurricular activities, athletic and otherwise,<br />
sponsored by the school system.” 15<br />
Students were required to sign a pledge card,<br />
attested to by parents or guardians, that they<br />
were not current members <strong>of</strong> a “secret” organization,<br />
that they would not join an unauthorized<br />
organization, or that they would not attend a<br />
meeting held by an unauthorized association as<br />
a “visitor, guest, or in any other capacity.” If a<br />
student did not sign the pledge or broke the<br />
pledge after signing, a host <strong>of</strong> sanctions could be<br />
applied, the most extreme being expulsion from<br />
school. <strong>The</strong> bulk <strong>of</strong> the penalties denied the student<br />
from extracurricular activities, holding<br />
<strong>of</strong>fices, and receiving honors. 16<br />
Criticism <strong>of</strong> the board’s decision was immediate.<br />
Supporters <strong>of</strong> fraternities and sororities held<br />
a public rally at De León Plaza and orchestrated<br />
a “c<strong>of</strong>fin dance” at the National Guard Armory.<br />
Although the issue originated in the high school,<br />
college students, particularly those who were<br />
either in a sorority or fraternity while in high<br />
school, got caught up in the affair when they<br />
defended the organizations. Representatives<br />
from the college football team visited the<br />
Advocate and requested that the newspaper publish<br />
“several statements <strong>of</strong> objections to the ban.”<br />
C. A. Bielstein and Jack Qualls, veterans <strong>of</strong> the<br />
recent world conflict, were quoted as saying,<br />
Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 47
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1947-48 <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
Cheerleaders were (left to right)<br />
Mary Gladys Bauer, J. T. Swope,<br />
Bettye Jean Snead, Aubrey Breed,<br />
and Boydene Griffin.<br />
“We came to school to get an education, not<br />
looking for a chaperone to take care <strong>of</strong> us after<br />
school hours. Now that we fought for freedom,<br />
is this an example <strong>of</strong> what we’re going to get.<br />
Now that we’re home and in our own country,<br />
we feel that we should be free to do as we please<br />
in our spare time.” Ossie Farrer, an interior lineman,<br />
remarked, “It seems as if junior college<br />
should issue a baby bottle to the students.<br />
We are being led by the hand and told what we<br />
should do with our spare time.” 17<br />
A petition drive designed to sway the board<br />
to reverse itself was launched. <strong>The</strong> petitioners<br />
mounted loud speakers on a truck and broadcast<br />
their appeal for signatures throughout the<br />
town. <strong>The</strong>y also canvassed neighborhoods<br />
soliciting support for their cause. <strong>The</strong>ir exercise<br />
<strong>of</strong> a democratic principle produced 1,400<br />
signatures. Undeterred, the board and chief<br />
executive held their position. At the school<br />
year’s opening assembly, Roach explained to<br />
the students that the only organizations<br />
banned were those that had constitutions<br />
or bylaws that permitted new members only<br />
“by vote <strong>of</strong> active members <strong>of</strong> the group.”<br />
Excluded from the ban, Roach pointed out,<br />
were the Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, “school<br />
groups in which membership is attained by<br />
merit, and religious organizations.” 18<br />
Adrian Brandes, a college student and<br />
spokesman for the student opposition, was<br />
introduced by Roach and was asked to present<br />
the counter viewpoint. After giving the outline<br />
<strong>of</strong> the ban, as he saw it, Brandes admitted that<br />
the prohibition against fraternities and sororities<br />
did “not encroach upon social activities <strong>of</strong><br />
the students” although the ban and pledge<br />
themselves were “pretty rough.” Brandes hesitated<br />
in recommending to the students that<br />
they should not sign the pledge. He remarked<br />
“that each student would have to make up his<br />
own mind.” 19<br />
Opposition to the ban and pledge evaporated<br />
after the assembly. Some students were misinformed<br />
as to the board’s action and thought all<br />
social activities were to be eliminated. When<br />
they discovered otherwise, these students had a<br />
change <strong>of</strong> heart. Teachers who supported the<br />
ban also convinced students to shift their position.<br />
Furthermore, students were unwilling to<br />
buck state legislation banning secret societies<br />
from public schools. With little public support,<br />
48 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
the opponents <strong>of</strong> the ban withdrew the petition<br />
and never presented it to the board. 20<br />
Enrollment continued to soar, reaching a<br />
dizzying height. Daytime registration for the fall<br />
1947 semester closed at 257 students. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
were an additional 116 evening students, bringing<br />
the overall academic enrollment to a total <strong>of</strong><br />
373. <strong>The</strong> number did not include the 250 veterans<br />
in the vocational agricultural cooperative<br />
program. Because the enrollment was larger<br />
than school <strong>of</strong>ficials expected, additional classes<br />
in the evening were added. 21<br />
Hester Evans’ debut as head football coach in<br />
the fall <strong>of</strong> 1947 was inauspicious. In this first<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> football season since the<br />
1930s, 28 prospective gridders reported for<br />
practice. Since there were no scholarships<br />
awarded to the players, Evans had to rely upon<br />
local talent. During conference competition, the<br />
college won two games, lost five, and tied one.<br />
Sixteen players lettered, a respectable number<br />
when considering that team members played<br />
both <strong>of</strong>fense and defense. 22<br />
In a 1998 interview, Jerry Lenz, a former<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the 1947 football squad, vividly and<br />
colorfully remembered the coach and players.<br />
He considered Coach Evans as a generous, kindhearted<br />
man who inspired and directed the lives<br />
<strong>of</strong> the young men, but who never received the<br />
recognition he so richly deserved. As in the case<br />
<strong>of</strong> Lenz, a former Patti Welder football player, he<br />
was approached by Evans after football practice<br />
began and was asked why he had not come out<br />
for the squad. Lenz told Evans that he was too<br />
small to compete for a position on a college<br />
football team. <strong>The</strong> coach responded that Lenz<br />
could play center and be the long snapper.<br />
Whenever a squad member was out <strong>of</strong> cash,<br />
Lenz recalled, Evans would pull a dollar or five<br />
dollars from his pocket and lend it to the financially<br />
strapped player. 23<br />
<strong>The</strong> football team, Lenz recollected, was a<br />
mixture <strong>of</strong> the past spring’s graduating classes<br />
and ex-servicemen. One <strong>of</strong> the veterans<br />
was Felix “Big Doc” Bianchi who knew virtually<br />
nothing about football. <strong>The</strong> more knowledgeable<br />
players even had to instruct him<br />
on how to wear his uniform. He invariably<br />
placed his football helmet on backwards. But,<br />
Bianchi was a mountain <strong>of</strong> a man and could<br />
play football. 24<br />
Coach Evans, Lenz recalled, found it difficult<br />
to control the veterans. Since they were not on<br />
scholarship, if he pushed them too hard, the exservicemen<br />
would walk away. Lenz remarked<br />
that in every game there seemed to be a fight,<br />
either brought on by the older players or football<br />
fanatics who came out to watch the games.<br />
At a game with Del Mar in Corpus Christi, the<br />
police were summoned to break up a tussle.<br />
During the contest at Brownsville, a <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> player made a long run, causing<br />
the “beered up” crowd to take action against the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong>ns. <strong>The</strong> Cameron County Sheriff’s<br />
Department intervened before the disturbance<br />
turned into a riot. Also, in one <strong>of</strong> the games,<br />
✯<br />
Mary Gladys Bauer was the 1948<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Sweetheart.<br />
Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 49
✯<br />
Members <strong>of</strong> a home economics class<br />
doing laundry.<br />
a team had a player <strong>of</strong> Japanese ancestry, causing<br />
two <strong>of</strong> the veterans with a strong dislike for<br />
anyone or anything Japanese to viciously attack<br />
him. <strong>The</strong> most talented player on the team was<br />
Mason Butler, a first team Junior <strong>College</strong> All-<br />
American selection as a center. 25<br />
Whenever the football squad made a<br />
lengthy out <strong>of</strong> town trek, it rode in style.<br />
Truman Belcher, owner <strong>of</strong> the city bus line,<br />
purchased a blue and white Trailways bus to<br />
assure the players were comfortable on the<br />
trip. He installed a radio on the bus for their<br />
enjoyment and on most occasions Belcher<br />
drove the vehicle himself. 26<br />
By 1947, segments <strong>of</strong> the community that cut<br />
across the socio-economic strata concluded that a<br />
real possibility existed that the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> would close because <strong>of</strong> a lack <strong>of</strong> funding.<br />
<strong>The</strong> school district with a bulging scholastic population<br />
was using its limited financial resources<br />
on grades one through twelve, which was considered<br />
the district’s primary responsibility. This left<br />
little revenue for the college. Informal conversations<br />
on the district’s financial dilemma at barber<br />
shops, clubs, restaurants, and street corners by<br />
the pillars <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> helped fuel the momentum<br />
for a countywide junior college. Much <strong>of</strong> the talk<br />
centered around personal and community economics,<br />
themes that were inherent in the establishment<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> twenty-two<br />
years earlier. Figures were invariably quoted as to<br />
how much money was generated in <strong>Victoria</strong> by<br />
having the college located in the county, and how<br />
much money a family might save by having a son<br />
or daughter stay at home and attend a quality<br />
local college. <strong>The</strong> time had definitely arrived, so<br />
the advocates <strong>of</strong> the junior college agreed, to<br />
move forward and establish a first-class countywide<br />
junior college.<br />
A preliminary step was taken by the board<br />
when it approached the State Department <strong>of</strong><br />
Education for approval <strong>of</strong> a new college. On July<br />
16, 1947, the chairman <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Independent School District’s junior college<br />
50 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
committee, Dr. Roy Lander, reported at a special<br />
board meeting that the state agency accepted the<br />
establishment <strong>of</strong> a <strong>Victoria</strong> County junior college.<br />
<strong>The</strong> trustees agreed to a motion by Cody<br />
Lentz that a petition be circulated calling for an<br />
election establishing a countywide junior college,<br />
setting a tax, and publicizing the needs for<br />
such a college. Lander and Albert York were<br />
charged with handling the publicity, Frank<br />
Guittard was responsible for arranging public<br />
meetings, and Lentz was given the task <strong>of</strong> circulating<br />
the petition. All four <strong>of</strong> the men carried<br />
out their responsibilities admirably. 27<br />
Lander, in announcing to the public the<br />
board’s decision to push for a countywide junior<br />
college, enumerated the reasons why there<br />
should be a separation <strong>of</strong> the college from the<br />
public school district. He cited the “needs and<br />
interests” <strong>of</strong> college students could not be properly<br />
met when the ages <strong>of</strong> students on the same<br />
campus ranged from eleven to over twentythree.<br />
Also, a county college “would be more<br />
attractive to rural students.” Furthermore, a separate<br />
campus would end “overlapping faculties,<br />
overlapping time schedules, overlapping use <strong>of</strong><br />
rooms, auditoriums, rest rooms, tennis courts<br />
and gymnasium.” Moreover, a separate facility<br />
would create better school spirit, “a great asset to<br />
any educational institution.” Finally, the school<br />
district’s small tax base could only finance twelve<br />
grades whereas a county college “would provide<br />
a much stronger tax base and that a nominal tax<br />
rate levied on the valuation over the entire county<br />
would bring an adequate revenue and would<br />
not at the same time prove too much <strong>of</strong> a burden<br />
on any individual taxpayer.” 28<br />
<strong>The</strong> Advocate allied itself with Lander and the<br />
board. In an editorial trumpeting the benefits <strong>of</strong><br />
a different arrangement for the college, the newspaper<br />
reiterated some <strong>of</strong> the points the committee<br />
chairman made but added that over the years<br />
the college had been successful; however, “the<br />
time is here, if not already passed, where plans<br />
must be made for the future, else it might die.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Advocate went further. It prophesied that<br />
with “a proper physical plant adequately<br />
financed” the college will develop into a large<br />
educational institution and one day will have “a<br />
thousand young men and women…attending<br />
the school, which will become the pride and joy<br />
<strong>of</strong> 99 percent <strong>of</strong> the people <strong>of</strong> the county.” 29<br />
Meanwhile, anticipating the passage <strong>of</strong> the<br />
bond issue, the board drafted a second petition<br />
that called for electing a college board <strong>of</strong><br />
trustees. <strong>The</strong> process for gathering and verifying<br />
the legally required number <strong>of</strong> signatures and<br />
final board approval was to be completed in time<br />
for Roach to present the college proposal to the<br />
State Board <strong>of</strong> Education on November 10,<br />
1947. Anticipating a positive vote by the state<br />
agency, the president planned to return from<br />
Austin on “the same day to present the petition<br />
to the County Commissioners” who, in turn,<br />
would call for an election. Since there was to be<br />
a road bond election in December, school <strong>of</strong>ficials<br />
expected December 2 to be the date set by<br />
the county. Having the two elections on the same<br />
day saved the school district and county money. 30<br />
Lentz who was in charge <strong>of</strong> circulating the<br />
petitions placed copies at the Man Shop,<br />
Manhattan Cafe, Krueger’s Restaurant, and the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Typewriter Company. Neighborhoods<br />
were canvassed by Jewell Hudler and other volunteers.<br />
By October 26, the petitions had been<br />
signed by 909 city, county, and school district<br />
taxpayers. Eventually, there were over 1,000 signatures.<br />
This number exceeded the figure necessary<br />
to hold a bond election by ten percent. It<br />
also met the two percent requirement needed<br />
for the election <strong>of</strong> a board <strong>of</strong> trustees. 31<br />
On November 5, the board acted swiftly to<br />
verify the petitions and agreed to present them<br />
to the State Board <strong>of</strong> Education for approval. To<br />
sweeten its chances <strong>of</strong> securing consent from the<br />
state agency and enhancing the prospect <strong>of</strong> a<br />
favorable vote from the county’s electorate, the<br />
board proudly proclaimed “that if the election<br />
carries, no attempt should be made to collect<br />
the <strong>College</strong> tax on 1947 tax rolls.” <strong>The</strong> State<br />
Board <strong>of</strong> Education approved the application for<br />
a countywide college with alacrity on the morning<br />
<strong>of</strong> November 10. Roach hurriedly returned<br />
to <strong>Victoria</strong> from Austin and met with the<br />
Commissioners Court that afternoon. <strong>The</strong> local<br />
county <strong>of</strong>ficials set the election date for<br />
December 2. Now, it was the voters turn to<br />
express an opinion. 32<br />
As the countdown commenced to that all<br />
important date in December, no ascertainable<br />
opposition developed. Nevertheless, the supporters<br />
<strong>of</strong> a countywide college, taking nothing<br />
for granted, conducted an aggressive campaign.<br />
Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 51
✯<br />
Jewell Hudler, history and government<br />
instructor, used her personal influence<br />
to persuade individuals to vote for a<br />
countywide junior college.<br />
Roach opened the drive for the public’s vote.<br />
He cited the usual arguments—a countywide<br />
college would be good for the local economy<br />
and would alleviate the overcrowded facilities.<br />
Roach elaborated on the difficulties <strong>of</strong><br />
having such a wide range <strong>of</strong> ages on a single<br />
campus. <strong>The</strong> president stated that the “different<br />
age groups in junior high, high school, and<br />
junior college require different environments,<br />
different school facilities and different<br />
regulations <strong>of</strong> their school life which cannot be<br />
properly achieved when all are housed<br />
together.” He also raised the terrible specter<br />
<strong>of</strong> lowering “the educational level” <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
by two years. Roach eloquently asserted that<br />
annually “50 to 65 percent <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> high<br />
school students go on to college here, while<br />
in areas with no local college only 20 percent<br />
<strong>of</strong> the high school graduates ever attend any<br />
higher school.” 33<br />
52 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Individuals and civic organizations threw<br />
their support behind the bond election. Dave<br />
Calliham, a representative <strong>of</strong> the Junior<br />
Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce, appeared before the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> City Council and received permission<br />
for the organization to stencil on the sidewalks<br />
“get out and vote” signs as a means <strong>of</strong> motivating<br />
the taxpayers to cast a ballot in the<br />
December election. 34<br />
Jewell Hudler used the personal influence she<br />
built up over the years to persuade her friends<br />
and acquaintances to cast their ballots.<br />
Contributions were made by other instructors<br />
like Una T. Hunter who had her students write<br />
pro-college letters in longhand on notebook<br />
paper to businesses. <strong>The</strong> speech/drama students<br />
took the opportunity on college radio broadcasts<br />
to do promotional skits. Student Council members<br />
distributed posters and handbills and visited<br />
communities in the county asking for voters<br />
to support the establishment <strong>of</strong> the <strong>College</strong>. 35<br />
Leona Jones, business administration instructor<br />
and future <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> registrar, released<br />
in a timely fashion the results <strong>of</strong> a survey conducted<br />
by college students under her direction.<br />
According to Jones, the average <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> student spent $64 a month in the community<br />
while attending the local college. <strong>The</strong><br />
findings also indicated that one-third <strong>of</strong> the academic<br />
students were working “in the city or<br />
county and are earning an average <strong>of</strong> $45 a<br />
month.” <strong>The</strong> poll verified the statements that<br />
the college elevated the educational level <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> when 60 percent <strong>of</strong> the respondents<br />
answered, they would like to remain “in <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
after finishing school.” 36<br />
At the request <strong>of</strong> the board, Dr. C. C. Colvert,<br />
consultant in junior college education at the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Texas, made a whirlwind tour in<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> on November 25. He was interviewed<br />
on KVIC at noon; spoke to an assemblage<br />
<strong>of</strong> women, arranged by the <strong>Victoria</strong> Council <strong>of</strong><br />
Parent-Teacher Associations, at the high school<br />
auditorium in the afternoon; and addressed a<br />
joint session <strong>of</strong> service clubs which included<br />
Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, and Junior Chamber <strong>of</strong><br />
Commerce along with their special guests in the<br />
evening. His message was the same wherever he<br />
went in <strong>Victoria</strong>—the voters should establish<br />
a countywide junior college. Colvert argued that<br />
a junior college was essential for a community to<br />
have educated residents, be they academically<br />
prepared or technically trained. He was quoted<br />
as saying, “Out <strong>of</strong> every 500 students <strong>of</strong> college<br />
age, only 25 ever see the third year <strong>of</strong> college and<br />
still fewer ever receive the bachelor’s degree. It is<br />
up to the junior colleges to see that the other 475<br />
are prepared to make a living in this highly technical<br />
world.” Colvert challenged <strong>Victoria</strong> County<br />
“to equal the record made in Laredo last year<br />
when only three dissenting votes were cast<br />
against a county junior college.” 37<br />
A promotional rally, featuring free barbeque<br />
paid for by Albert York and sponsored by the<br />
board, was held in front <strong>of</strong> Smith-Fischer Hall on<br />
✯<br />
Florine Bielstein and Ted Shields were<br />
popular sophomores in 1948.<br />
Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 53
✯<br />
Joseph Wearden was the first<br />
president <strong>of</strong> the board <strong>of</strong> trustees and<br />
a strong, enthusiastic supporter <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
the Saturday preceding the Tuesday, December 2,<br />
election. F. S. “Ted” Shields, an active participant<br />
in college social activities, and two friends,<br />
including Adrian Brandes, were enlisted by York<br />
to travel around town in a car mounted with a<br />
“bull horn” on the day <strong>of</strong> the barbeque announcing<br />
the mass meeting and “get out the vote” for<br />
the college election. Shields recalled that he<br />
“went to Vogt’s Radio Shop and had the system<br />
attached to the top <strong>of</strong> my car. We then proceeded<br />
to drive all around town for about four<br />
hours…We also had a record machine in the car<br />
on which we would intersperse the talking with<br />
‘jitterbug’ and other popular music. I remember<br />
passing some places where employees or home<br />
people came out to the curb dancing and cutting<br />
up to the music, then we gave them our spiel.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y raised their arms and yelled, ‘Yeah’ or ‘Yes’<br />
or the like, then we let them have the music back<br />
and they would be dancing when we rounded the<br />
corner, only to be greeted by the same.” 38<br />
An opponent to a countywide college emerged<br />
and made a last-minute appeal to rural voters to<br />
cast ballots against the proposal. Unsigned post<br />
cards were received by the electorate living outside<br />
the city asking them to vote no on the countywide<br />
college issue. Using an inflated figure as to<br />
the cost <strong>of</strong> the college, the postcard stated that “A<br />
$3,000,000 Junior <strong>College</strong> is not needed in<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> at this time as the present college is large<br />
enough to take care <strong>of</strong> the students now attending<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>.” This limited negative<br />
vote campaign proved to be inadequate to stem<br />
the tide for a positive college vote. 39<br />
Few individuals in the county were surprised<br />
as to the outcome <strong>of</strong> the election. <strong>The</strong> voters<br />
approved the proposal 935-548. As expected,<br />
the proposition did exceedingly well in the city<br />
and poorly in the rural areas. A factor in the outcome<br />
was rain which began the night before the<br />
election and continued throughout the day the<br />
votes were cast. Because <strong>of</strong> the inclement weather,<br />
the rural turnout was lower than it would<br />
have been otherwise. <strong>The</strong> road bond issue, on<br />
the other hand, passed with a better than twothirds<br />
margin. Roads were obviously more<br />
important to rural voters than education. 40<br />
A seven-man board <strong>of</strong> trustees was elected to<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice with the passage <strong>of</strong> the college proposal.<br />
Receiving a plurality <strong>of</strong> votes from a slate <strong>of</strong> ten<br />
candidates were Dr. W. T. DeTar, Arvle Elliott,<br />
Joseph Wearden, Fred Proctor, Raymond Hill, Dr.<br />
C. P. Montier, and Winston L. Zirjacks. Also, with<br />
the adoption <strong>of</strong> the college issue, a tax <strong>of</strong> 20 cents<br />
on each $100 valuation <strong>of</strong> taxable property was<br />
accepted 895 to 565. 41<br />
Four days after the election, trustees <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District met with<br />
the newly elected college board in the high<br />
school homemaking laboratory. <strong>The</strong> school <strong>of</strong>ficials<br />
were served a lunch that was prepared by<br />
the homemaking students at Patti Welder High<br />
School and <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>. <strong>The</strong> students<br />
were supervised by Mrs. Ollie Key and<br />
Mrs. Edith Moore, teachers in the public school.<br />
During the session, Gilbert V. Pritchard, college<br />
registrar and a notary public, administered the<br />
54 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
oath <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice to the recently elected <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees. Afterwards,<br />
the college board adjourned and reassembled in<br />
another area <strong>of</strong> the school building and elected<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficers. Joseph Wearden, a businessman and a<br />
strong advocate for the creation <strong>of</strong> the college,<br />
was selected president. Winston Zirjacks, an<br />
employee <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> National Bank and an<br />
alumnus <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>, was chosen<br />
vice president. Fred Proctor, an attorney, was<br />
the trustees’ preference for secretary. 42<br />
Although the college now had its own distinct<br />
governing board, the educational institution’s<br />
infrastructure remained the same. <strong>The</strong> college<br />
continued to be housed at Patti Welder, Roach<br />
retained the presidency, and Harbour remained<br />
the dean. What had changed was the way in<br />
which its financial matters were to be conducted.<br />
To that end, the board’s first major decision was<br />
to choose someone to handle the college’s business<br />
affairs. On January 12, 1948, the trustees<br />
met at 7:00 P.M. in the home <strong>of</strong> Dr. W. T. DeTar<br />
and appointed J. D. Moore, former <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> dean, as business manager. Moore<br />
was given an <strong>of</strong>fice in the <strong>Victoria</strong> National Bank<br />
Building, and operated it without a secretary<br />
until Mrs. D. K. Harrel was employed in August. 43<br />
When the board made arrangements with the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District to conduct<br />
the academic affairs <strong>of</strong> the college district, a<br />
stipulation agreed upon was that the school district<br />
was to operate a bus to and from Port<br />
Lavaca. Billie Rogers, a Port Lavaca resident who<br />
began her <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> career in<br />
1948, was one <strong>of</strong> the passengers on the bus,<br />
which she described as a “touring car” affectionately<br />
referred to as the “Blue Beetle.” <strong>The</strong> vehicle<br />
was driven by a student who kept it overnight at<br />
his home. <strong>The</strong> riders, most <strong>of</strong> whom were nonscholarship<br />
football players, met at the Shell<br />
Fish restaurant and motored to Patti Welder. On<br />
the way to <strong>Victoria</strong>, a stop was made at Placedo<br />
to pick up students from Bloomington.<br />
Apparently, the trips were filled with joviality<br />
and all the riders had a terrific time. 44<br />
Moore’s immediate concern was to manage<br />
the tax revenues, monies that were to be used to<br />
pay the <strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District for<br />
operating the college for the 1948-1949 academic<br />
year. <strong>The</strong> board interpreted the results <strong>of</strong><br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> “Blue Beetle” made daily<br />
runs from Port Lavaca to the<br />
college campus.<br />
Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 55
✯<br />
Billie Rogers commuted from Port<br />
Lavaca in the “Blue Beetle.”<br />
the December election as a mandate to establish<br />
a <strong>Victoria</strong> County Junior <strong>College</strong> “as expeditiously<br />
as sound fiscal practice will permit.” To<br />
the trustees, when all <strong>of</strong> the financial considerations<br />
were weighed, “expeditiously” meant having<br />
a new campus complex in place by the<br />
beginning <strong>of</strong> the 1949 fall semester. <strong>The</strong> board<br />
emphasized its intent by adopting the slogan<br />
“Ready For September.” 45<br />
Since the trustees were determined to have a<br />
fully operational college by the end <strong>of</strong> the contract<br />
with the local public school board, the<br />
selection <strong>of</strong> a site for the college was intensified<br />
in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1948. <strong>The</strong>re was considerable<br />
interest among members <strong>of</strong> the college board to<br />
acquire Aloe Field from the War Assets<br />
Administration for the agricultural program.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re was also some consideration given to purchasing<br />
and removing the former air base’s hospital<br />
to a site in town and using it for classrooms.<br />
<strong>The</strong> board members, however, never<br />
seriously viewed Aloe Field becoming the permanent<br />
site for the primary campus. 46<br />
Meanwhile, several local college students<br />
were victorious at the District 9 junior college<br />
intercollegiate contest that was held in <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
on March 25. Clarence Simon and Mary Ethel<br />
Wagoner placed first in the radio speech<br />
division. <strong>The</strong> two contestants were required<br />
to read a commercial, “a newscast and an original<br />
three-minute current events discussion.”<br />
Undoubtedly, involvement with the college<br />
radio broadcasts over KVIC were an important<br />
factor in their triumph. Virginia Taylor and<br />
Etta Lou Gentry won the girl’s debate competition.<br />
<strong>The</strong> topic was, “Resolved that a world<br />
federal government should be established,”<br />
an apropos subject for 1948. Betsy Wright<br />
was the winner in poetry interpretation. Merry<br />
Cadden picked up the winning trophy for<br />
girls’ oratory with a splendid presentation on<br />
“<strong>The</strong> Supreme Sacrifice.” Extemporaneous<br />
speech was won by Adrian Brandes. His talk was<br />
on Finland. 47<br />
As the speech competition and other extracurricular<br />
activities at the college went forth, so did<br />
the planning for the future <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong>. In an attempt to secure community support,<br />
the board invited educators from <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
and the surrounding counties to a banquet at the<br />
Denver Hotel. <strong>The</strong> affair was held on the evening<br />
<strong>of</strong> March 31, 1948, and was presided over by<br />
Wearden and Moore. Wearden in his opening<br />
remarks stated it was “imperative that the new<br />
college be ready to operate as a separate institution…at<br />
the beginning <strong>of</strong> the 1949-50 school<br />
year. To this end a bond issue is inevitable and it<br />
will be submitted to the voters <strong>of</strong> our county for<br />
their action at the earliest possible time.” To<br />
cultivate support for the college, a variety <strong>of</strong> committees,<br />
composed <strong>of</strong> faculty members and leading<br />
citizens from the <strong>Victoria</strong> region, were formed<br />
to assist with the college development program. 48<br />
Affirmation <strong>of</strong> Wearden’s comments on a<br />
bond election came quickly from the trustees. At<br />
its regular scheduled meeting on April 12, the<br />
board came out in favor <strong>of</strong> a bond issue <strong>of</strong><br />
approximately $750,000 to purchase a site,<br />
finance the construction <strong>of</strong> buildings, and pay<br />
for the necessary furnishings. To hold a bond<br />
issue required a petition signed by 250 qualified<br />
voters. To be eligible to vote, an individual had<br />
56 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
to be a resident <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> County and to have<br />
paid a poll tax and a tax on property within the<br />
county. When the board commenced the petition<br />
process, it gave the county electorate some food<br />
for thought. <strong>The</strong> trustees expressed the opinion<br />
that the establishment <strong>of</strong> a countywide educational<br />
institution would distribute the financial<br />
costs over the entire county, and the educational<br />
programs <strong>of</strong>fered by the college would provide<br />
students exposure to academic and vocational<br />
opportunities they would not otherwise have.<br />
Furthermore, the demand for junior colleges<br />
throughout the state was so great that if the<br />
county did not provide “adequate facilities one<br />
or more <strong>of</strong> the adjoining counties will assume<br />
leadership on the junior college level.” 49<br />
Signatures on the petition were hastily collected.<br />
In less than two weeks the number <strong>of</strong> people<br />
affixing their name to the proposition exceeded<br />
the minimum number required. When the board<br />
convened on May 10, 1948, it was presented a<br />
petition signed by 401 individuals. <strong>The</strong> trustees,<br />
thereafter, in an exuberant mood, set June 2 as<br />
the date for a bond issue <strong>of</strong> $750,000 and an<br />
increase <strong>of</strong> the tax rate from 20 cents per $100<br />
valuation to 50 cents. <strong>The</strong> supporters <strong>of</strong> the<br />
propositions had to act quickly, for they had less<br />
than a month to sell the bond issue and tax<br />
increase to enough voters to win the election. 50<br />
Wearden and Moore collaborated in their<br />
efforts and made the “mashed potato” circuit,<br />
speaking at civic club luncheons. When the two<br />
appeared at the Kiwanis Club, the president <strong>of</strong><br />
the board spoke on the economic advantages<br />
the college provided the community. He further<br />
stated that the voters mandated that the trustees<br />
establish a college separate from the public<br />
school. In order to do this, Wearden remarked,<br />
the board suggests “a 30 cent additional<br />
tax…that will be required to build for them the<br />
kind <strong>of</strong> junior college we think they want, a college<br />
with the plant, the faculty, and the curriculum<br />
to adequately serve the needs <strong>of</strong> our community<br />
including vocational as well as academic<br />
training.” So convinced was the president that<br />
the proposals were proper ones, he commented<br />
✯<br />
Making a recording in the late 1940s<br />
for “<strong>The</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> On the Air”<br />
program, which was broadcast each<br />
Monday and Wednesday over station<br />
KVIC, are (left to right) Etta Lou<br />
Gentry, Betty Lou Glass, Darrell<br />
Patrick, and Lillian Miori.<br />
Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 57
✯<br />
Who said “Cheese?”<br />
that he could “see no logical basis for opposition<br />
to this issue.” When Moore’s turn came to speak,<br />
he gave a breakdown on how the funds were to<br />
be spent. <strong>The</strong> business manager “stressed the<br />
need for the right site, and for one large enough<br />
to take care <strong>of</strong> future growth.” 51<br />
As before in the first election, the Student<br />
Council extended a helping hand by holding at<br />
the college a round-up designed principally for<br />
alumni, but the public was welcome to attend.<br />
Johnny Goldsum, Student Council president,<br />
and members <strong>of</strong> the organization received<br />
donations from the business community to provide<br />
free barbeque and proper trimmings for<br />
the guests. V. T. Kallus, one <strong>of</strong> the finest cooks<br />
who ever graced an apron, was in charge <strong>of</strong><br />
preparing the food. Gibb Gilchrist, president <strong>of</strong><br />
Texas A&M <strong>College</strong>, was the invited speaker.<br />
Prior to making his presentation to those in<br />
attendance on May 26, Gilchrist qualified his<br />
remarks with a disclaimer <strong>of</strong> taking sides in the<br />
bond issue. He did admit that his comments<br />
tilted toward junior colleges in general. In his<br />
presentation Gilchrist elaborated on the growth<br />
<strong>of</strong> junior colleges in Texas; the need for twoyear<br />
colleges, especially with the trend toward<br />
specialization at the senior universities; and<br />
financial assistance from the state to the junior<br />
colleges. At one point during the speech, the<br />
Texas A&M president turned toward Wearden<br />
and remarked in a serious tone, “I believe that<br />
the junior college movement is going to succeed.”<br />
Gilchrist closed his talk with a statement<br />
aimed directly at the college <strong>of</strong>ficials and<br />
endorsed the junior college concept. He said,<br />
“<strong>The</strong>re can be no greater service to the community<br />
and the state than such a move.” 52<br />
So that the taxpayers would have some visual<br />
relationship as to how their money was to be<br />
spent, the board employed architect Kai J.<br />
Leffland and structural engineer Jordan C. Ault<br />
to come up with a proposed college campus.<br />
<strong>The</strong> architectural firm, with input from Moore,<br />
who had visited junior college campuses<br />
throughout Texas, designed a smartly laid out<br />
campus, the centerpiece being a two-story<br />
58 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
administration building that was to house<br />
<strong>of</strong>fices and classrooms. Other buildings included<br />
a 400-seat auditorium, a gymnasium, a cafeteria<br />
that was also to function as a student<br />
union, a domestic science cottage, a farm and<br />
mechanical shop building, and a structure for<br />
the caretaker. An athletic field and tennis courts<br />
were also neatly arranged on the grounds. When<br />
the suggested campus was made known,<br />
Wearden proudly announced that all facilities<br />
would be available for use by the public. With<br />
the rural voters in mind, he chose to mention the<br />
“FFA boys, 4-H boys and girls, home demonstration<br />
women and other city and farm groups”<br />
who could take advantage <strong>of</strong> the buildings. 53<br />
Voter turnout was lighter than the trustees<br />
and the media expected. Unlike the inclement<br />
weather during the preceding year’s college election,<br />
June 2 was a remarkably nice day. A total<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1,228 votes were cast. <strong>The</strong> Advocate in disgust<br />
noted that “At a regular primary election, almost<br />
this number voted in the large Precinct 5 box<br />
alone.” Nevertheless, the outcome was favorable<br />
for the college supporters. <strong>The</strong> margin <strong>of</strong> victory,<br />
however, was razor thin. <strong>The</strong> proposition to<br />
increase the tax carried by only twenty-four<br />
votes, 615 to 591. A somewhat better differential<br />
was reserved for the proposal to issue bonds,<br />
passing 621 to 574, a margin <strong>of</strong> forty-seven<br />
votes. As in the previous college election, the<br />
majority <strong>of</strong> rural precincts voted against the tax<br />
increase, and most <strong>of</strong> the city voters supported<br />
the proposition. Wearden was convinced that<br />
the figures were misleading. He was positive the<br />
college had greater support than the election<br />
reflected. To reassure the supporters they had<br />
voted properly and to allay concerns <strong>of</strong> those<br />
who opposed the college, the president commented,<br />
“It is our ambition to so administer the<br />
funds we are entrusted with as to obtain maximum<br />
value for every dollar expended and to<br />
make the college serve the best interests <strong>of</strong> all<br />
the people.” His statement set the course that<br />
college <strong>of</strong>ficials have navigated over the years. 54<br />
At its July 12, 1948, meeting, the board made<br />
a monumental decision. <strong>The</strong> trustees unanimously<br />
selected J. D. Moore as president <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong>. He retained the position <strong>of</strong> business<br />
manager. <strong>The</strong>ir choice <strong>of</strong> Moore was wise<br />
and prudent. <strong>The</strong> simple fact being they could<br />
not have found a more qualified person to organize<br />
a first-class educational institution in the community.<br />
Moore’s academic and civic credentials<br />
were impressive. He received a bachelor <strong>of</strong> arts<br />
degree and a master <strong>of</strong> arts from North Texas<br />
State <strong>College</strong>. His master’s thesis title was “<strong>The</strong><br />
Insuring <strong>of</strong> Public School Properties.” Moore’s<br />
teaching career included a year’s stint as principal<br />
at Salesville, a three-teacher school in Palo Pinto<br />
County. His next stop was at Dublin, Texas,<br />
where he was principal <strong>of</strong> the public high school.<br />
He stayed in Dublin for a year before moving to<br />
El Campo High School as principal and athletic<br />
director. Moore spent six years in El Campo. He<br />
left the school in 1941 for employment as principal<br />
<strong>of</strong> Patti Welder High School and dean <strong>of</strong><br />
✯<br />
Betsy Wright has just told<br />
Philip Tibiletti some interesting<br />
campus gossip.<br />
Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 59
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> Best Looking Freshmen for 1949<br />
were Dudley Jordan and Everette<br />
Schmidt.<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>. Moore resigned that position<br />
to become secretary-manager <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce. He later entered business<br />
with Ed Dysart, a former <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
dean. Moore served as president <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Rotary Club, campaign chairman <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
County United War Chest <strong>of</strong> Texas, chairman <strong>of</strong><br />
the district Boy Scout Committee, and campaign<br />
chairman for the <strong>Victoria</strong> County Red Cross.<br />
Moore developed strong personal ties with the<br />
members <strong>of</strong> the various organizations that were<br />
invaluable during his presidency. 55<br />
Standing over six feet tall and with an athletic<br />
physique, Moore’s presence in a room was<br />
60 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
immediately noticeable. He was stern, domineering,<br />
sometimes curt and opinionated—yet fair.<br />
Although he was a fiscal conservative, the new<br />
president was not an ideologue, making at times<br />
bold financial judgments. Always in tune with<br />
local public opinion, he anticipated what policy<br />
decisions were acceptable and valuable to the<br />
community. His demand for a day’s work from<br />
college employees matched his own<br />
work ethic. Astute at recognizing his personal<br />
limitations, seldom admitting that any existed,<br />
he hand-picked knowledgeable associates.<br />
Although he was a delegator, Moore invariably<br />
had an understanding <strong>of</strong> what was transpiring<br />
✯<br />
Merry Cadden and Robert Blanar<br />
appear to be dressed to go to the<br />
nearest malt shop.<br />
Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 61
✯<br />
Hilary Matthews and Mary E.<br />
Wagoner ponder life after <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong>.<br />
on the campus. He was a loving father and husband<br />
and considered the college employees as an<br />
extended family, with himself as the patriarch. At<br />
a time when benefits were virtually non-existent,<br />
he saw to it that yearly contracts were honored if<br />
an employee died before the academic year<br />
ended. Moore accepted squabbling among the<br />
faculty so long as it was confined to the campus.<br />
<strong>The</strong> president was tolerant provided the deviations<br />
did not require compromising his principles.<br />
Uppermost in his actions was the college<br />
itself. <strong>The</strong> question he continually asked himself<br />
and the faculty was, what can be done to make<br />
the educational institution top-flight? 56<br />
62 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Also <strong>of</strong> utmost importance to the board was<br />
the selection <strong>of</strong> a site for the college. Aloe Field<br />
kept cropping up in the trustees’ conversations.<br />
<strong>The</strong> closed airfield seemed at first to be the logical<br />
location. However, at the suggestion <strong>of</strong><br />
Moore, the base was dropped from the list <strong>of</strong><br />
prospective locations. <strong>The</strong> junior college president-elect<br />
pointed out that the college would be<br />
stuck with old buildings that would retard or<br />
prevent the development <strong>of</strong> a quality educational<br />
institution demanded by the board and community.<br />
It was the opinion <strong>of</strong> Moore that the taxpayers<br />
would not support a bond issue to<br />
replace “run down” buildings. Other drawbacks<br />
to Aloe Field were that it was too far from town,<br />
and the War Assets Administration reserved the<br />
right to regain ownership <strong>of</strong> the property. 57<br />
<strong>The</strong> board also considered, at the suggestion<br />
<strong>of</strong> Fred Proctor, land owned by Tom O’Connor,<br />
Sr., that faced Laurent Street and was between<br />
Airline Road and Mesquite Lane, presently the<br />
site <strong>of</strong> Our Lady <strong>of</strong> Victory Catholic Church<br />
and the Town Plaza Shopping Center. Proctor<br />
looked into the possible purchase and received<br />
information that thirty acres were available.<br />
However, the board did not follow up with an<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer. Instead, the trustees turned their attention<br />
to an area that lay southeast <strong>of</strong> the<br />
O’Connor land. 58<br />
Vice president Winston Zirjacks brought to<br />
the attention <strong>of</strong> the trustees that the Brownson<br />
Home, a charitable organization, possessed<br />
property located north <strong>of</strong> the old Edna Highway,<br />
a half mile east <strong>of</strong> the city limits and north <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Boulevard Addition, it would sell. <strong>The</strong>reafter,<br />
the board was consumed in buying the<br />
Brownson Home land. On August 27, 1948, the<br />
governing body adopted a motion to purchase<br />
forty acres <strong>of</strong> the 160 acre Brownson Home tract<br />
for $500.00 per acre. Moore reported to the<br />
board on September 28 that the transaction with<br />
the seller had been completed on September 25.<br />
<strong>The</strong> arrangement provided for the purchase <strong>of</strong><br />
40.023 acres at a cost <strong>of</strong> $20,011.50. 59<br />
After securing the site, the board next ventured<br />
into the construction <strong>of</strong> an administration<br />
building. <strong>The</strong> architectural firm <strong>of</strong> Leffland and<br />
Ault was hired to draft a plan for the building<br />
that contained approximately 24,000 square<br />
feet “and will provide space for administrative<br />
<strong>of</strong>fices, library, science and mathematics departments,<br />
business administration, art, social science<br />
and language arts departments.” When the<br />
drawings for the structure were completed, they<br />
were placed out for bids. On November 9, E. J.<br />
Gerdes <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> was awarded the contract to<br />
construct the building. His bid <strong>of</strong> $208,980 was<br />
the lowest <strong>of</strong> the seven that were submitted. <strong>The</strong><br />
work was to begin immediately. 60<br />
Anticipating the construction and the eventual<br />
annexation <strong>of</strong> the college property, the city<br />
laid a six-inch water main to the campus. Since<br />
the building program was on a fast tract, V. E.<br />
Atkinson, city water superintendent, used “all <strong>of</strong><br />
the city water department crew” to lay the pipe.<br />
Subsequently, August Grath, <strong>Victoria</strong> County<br />
Commissioner, prepared the adjoining streets<br />
for paving. 61<br />
As soon as the board awarded the contract<br />
for the construction <strong>of</strong> the administration building,<br />
it commenced the process to construct the<br />
student union/gymnasium, reviewing blueprints<br />
drawn by Leffland and Ault. At a special board<br />
meeting on February 10, 1949, Baass Brothers<br />
Concrete Company received the right to build<br />
the student union/gymnasium for $136,000.<br />
<strong>The</strong> structure was to be completed before school<br />
opened in September. 62<br />
<strong>The</strong> board planned to construct two additional<br />
buildings, an industrial arts shop and a<br />
homemaking cottage. <strong>The</strong> industrial arts building<br />
was to house “a drafting room, wood shop,<br />
metal shop, lecture room and <strong>of</strong>fices for the<br />
director <strong>of</strong> the veterans vocational program<br />
and the dean <strong>of</strong> the evening and adult school.”<br />
Low bidder on the project was D. W. Marshall<br />
who submitted a figure <strong>of</strong> $74,500. <strong>The</strong> last <strong>of</strong><br />
the original four buildings to go out for bids<br />
was the homemaking cottage. <strong>The</strong> structure<br />
was to consist <strong>of</strong> some 3,000 square feet <strong>of</strong><br />
floor space and was to “house clothing and<br />
food labs, dining room, living room, two<br />
porches, <strong>of</strong>fice space and storage facilities.”<br />
Baass Brothers Concrete Company with a bid<br />
<strong>of</strong> $54,000 became the general contractor to<br />
construct the cottage and erect covered walkways<br />
connecting the four buildings. <strong>The</strong> covering<br />
shielded students and faculty from the torrential<br />
rains that occasionally visited the area<br />
and became closely identified with the educational<br />
institution. As the years went by and the<br />
campus grew, these protected walkways<br />
Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 63
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1949-50 <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Board<br />
<strong>of</strong> Trustees were (left to right) Dr. C.<br />
P. Montier, Raymond Hill, Joseph<br />
Wearden, Arvle Elliott, and Winston<br />
Zirjacks. Not pictured are Fred<br />
Proctor, Jr., and A. D. Magruder.<br />
became relics <strong>of</strong> a bygone era. <strong>The</strong>y eventually<br />
began to show the effects <strong>of</strong> time and were<br />
viewed as aesthetically unappealing by the<br />
administration. <strong>The</strong> covered walkways were<br />
razed in the summer <strong>of</strong> 1998, to the vexation<br />
<strong>of</strong> faculty members who had come to appreciate<br />
their existence. 63<br />
Because the site for new buildings was unimproved<br />
coastal prairie, some type <strong>of</strong> landscaping<br />
was a must to beautify the grounds.<br />
Wearden took the lead in enlivening the campus<br />
by donating six live oak trees from his<br />
Jackson County ranch. Three <strong>of</strong> the trees were<br />
placed near the location <strong>of</strong> the proposed student<br />
union, another was planted in the proximity<br />
<strong>of</strong> the cottage, and “one at each end <strong>of</strong> the<br />
administration building.” Later, 29 one-inch<br />
Virginia live oaks were planted. 64<br />
Meanwhile, at Patti Welder, college and high<br />
school industrial arts students under the supervision<br />
<strong>of</strong> William H. “Doc” Steele, and vocational<br />
students in the veterans program, which<br />
was directed by P. J. McEnroe, Jr., constructed<br />
classroom equipment for the college campus.<br />
Physics and chemistry tables, shelving, and<br />
miscellaneous furniture were produced by the<br />
students at a substantial saving <strong>of</strong> money for the<br />
college district. Steele was contracted by the<br />
board “to paint, repair, and redecorate school<br />
equipment during the summer months.” <strong>The</strong><br />
furnishings to be repaired and painted included<br />
“facilities received from the War Assets<br />
Administration and desks, tables, shelves, etc.<br />
to be bought for the opening <strong>of</strong> the college in<br />
September.” <strong>The</strong> new or refinished furniture<br />
was stored in the administration building before<br />
being moved to the <strong>of</strong>fices and classrooms. 65<br />
During the board meeting on January 10,<br />
1949, the trustees selected <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> as the new name for the junior college.<br />
<strong>The</strong> name change gave the institution a separate<br />
identity and recognized that it represented<br />
the entire county rather than the limited area<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District.<br />
<strong>The</strong> word “junior” was dropped from the name<br />
because <strong>of</strong> objections from some <strong>of</strong> the board<br />
members who thought “junior” was <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
defined to mean “little, small, or <strong>of</strong> inferior status,”<br />
and, thus, projected the wrong image for<br />
the college. Why the trustees placed “<strong>The</strong>”<br />
64 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
efore <strong>Victoria</strong> remains unclear. A story that<br />
circulated among the faculty for years was that<br />
“<strong>The</strong>” distinguished the two-year college from<br />
a beauty school referred to as <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
Administrators at the junior college gave no<br />
credence to the rumor. 66<br />
With the building program underway,<br />
Moore turned his attention periodically to the<br />
employment <strong>of</strong> a faculty. From the outset, the<br />
president was determined to bring to the campus<br />
the best qualified individuals he could<br />
find, a trademark <strong>of</strong> the college since its inception<br />
in <strong>1925</strong>. He did not look far. Moore<br />
dipped into the talented pool <strong>of</strong> teachers at<br />
Patti Welder who possessed a wide-spread reputation<br />
for their pr<strong>of</strong>essionalism, were heralded<br />
by former and current students as outstanding<br />
educators, and were teaching college<br />
courses. Jewell Hudler was tapped as dean <strong>of</strong><br />
women and social sciences teacher. <strong>The</strong> suave,<br />
friendly Ed C. Shinn was appointed dean <strong>of</strong><br />
men, head track coach, and assistant football<br />
coach. Leona Jones was employed as student<br />
personnel director and business administration<br />
instructor. B. F. Harbour, dean <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> and an esteemed school administrator,<br />
became dean <strong>of</strong> adult education and<br />
the evening school. <strong>The</strong> Industrial Arts<br />
Department was entrusted to William H. “Doc”<br />
Steele, a man who had more bark than bite.<br />
Employed to teach biology was Lucille Adair.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Art Department was placed in the hands <strong>of</strong><br />
the gentle, s<strong>of</strong>t-spoken Ethel Thurmond, a<br />
member <strong>of</strong> a pioneer <strong>Victoria</strong> family and who<br />
held the distinction <strong>of</strong> being listed in Who’s<br />
Who in American Art. She was commissioned by<br />
Moore to do a large size painting to hang in the<br />
foyer <strong>of</strong> the Administration Building. Una T.<br />
Hunter who had taught language arts classes<br />
for several years at the junior college was hired<br />
to continue her teaching at the new location.<br />
Mathematics and physics courses were to be<br />
taught by the overly possessive Roland Beard,<br />
an outstanding lay archeologist who assisted in<br />
the restoration <strong>of</strong> the Presidio La Bahia in<br />
Goliad County. <strong>The</strong> energetic Esther Etzel<br />
accepted the position <strong>of</strong> recreation director<br />
and instructor <strong>of</strong> physical education. Hester W.<br />
“Stump” Evans who was coaching football and<br />
basketball at <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> continued<br />
in that capacity at the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. <strong>The</strong><br />
personable Lois Parker was selected as the<br />
librarian to oversee the 5,000 volume collection.<br />
Rounding out the initial faculty, were J. D.<br />
Howell, Mrs. Roy G. Browne, Roy Browne, V. T.<br />
Kallus, Jewell Sockwell, Broyles Hall, W. A.<br />
Routt, Allen Self, Harold Gardner, and Mary<br />
Ann Williams. 67<br />
What Moore needed to complete his grand<br />
design for a pace-setting junior college was a<br />
dynamic individual who possessed impeccable<br />
educational and personal credentials, who<br />
understood how to develop a curriculum that<br />
would meet the demands <strong>of</strong> transferability, who<br />
could, through his leadership, quickly gain the<br />
confidence <strong>of</strong> the faculty, and who could be<br />
relied upon to manage the academic demands<br />
<strong>of</strong> the college. He found such a person in Dr.<br />
John W. Stormont who was then dean <strong>of</strong><br />
Schreiner Institute.<br />
Stormont, the son <strong>of</strong> a Presbyterian minister,<br />
was reared in Robstown. He received a<br />
bachelor <strong>of</strong> arts degree from Austin <strong>College</strong>, an<br />
M.A. and a Ph.D. from the University <strong>of</strong> Texas.<br />
His educational career included a stint as principal<br />
and coach at Edna High School, high<br />
school principal and superintendent in<br />
Yorktown, principal <strong>of</strong> Robstown High School,<br />
and assistant pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> history at the Texas<br />
<strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> Mines, now known as University <strong>of</strong><br />
Texas at El Paso. Stormont was head <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Social Studies Department at Schreiner prior to<br />
his entry into the Army Air Corps in 1943.<br />
After his discharge from the service in 1946, he<br />
returned to Schreiner as dean. While Stormont<br />
was employed in the Edna school system, he<br />
met a local girl, Mary Claire Fenner, who<br />
became his bride. 68<br />
Instrumental in acquiring the services <strong>of</strong><br />
Stormont was Joseph Wearden, president <strong>of</strong> the<br />
board at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. Wearden and<br />
Stormont were acquaintances and held mutual<br />
respect for each other. He drew upon his personal<br />
influence with the dean to persuade<br />
Stormont to accept a position at the college.<br />
After Stormont agreed to become the dean <strong>of</strong> the<br />
day school, Moore remarked, “<strong>The</strong> college<br />
administration is highly pleased to have a man<br />
<strong>of</strong> his caliber and experience.” <strong>The</strong> presidentelect<br />
further stated, “He will be a definite asset<br />
to the school.” Stormont, without a doubt, was<br />
an asset to the college. 69 Adios, Patti Welder ✦ 65
ENDNOTES<br />
1<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District Board Minutes, 14 August 1946.<br />
2<br />
Registrar’s Records, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>; <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate, 11 August 1946, 9 September 1946, 12 September 1946; <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>n,<br />
27 November 1946.<br />
3<br />
VISD Minutes, 24 August 1946; Advocate, 4 November 1946, 26 November 1946.<br />
4<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>n, 17 October 1947; Advocate, 27 November 1946.<br />
5<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>n, 30 January 1947; Advocate, 20 January 1947, 23 January 1947; VISD Minutes, 5 February 1947.<br />
6<br />
Advocate, 19 February 1947; <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>n, 5 February 1947, 19 February 1947, 14 April 1947.<br />
7<br />
Advocate, 6 March 1947; VISD Minutes, 16 April 1947.<br />
8<br />
Advocate, 18 July 1946, 23 July 1946.<br />
9<br />
<strong>The</strong> Handbook <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> County (Austin: <strong>The</strong> Texas State Historical Association, 1990), 1; Ibid., 26 March 1947; VISD Minutes,<br />
7 April 1947; <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>n, 30 April 1947.<br />
10<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>n, 16 April 1947.<br />
11<br />
Ibid., 30 April 1947.<br />
12<br />
Ibid.<br />
13<br />
VISD Minutes, 24 June 1947; Advocate, 1 July 1947.<br />
14<br />
Advocate, 26 August 1947.<br />
15<br />
VISD Minutes, 3 September 1947; Ibid., 4 September 1947.<br />
16<br />
Advocate, 4 September 1947.<br />
17<br />
Ibid., 5 September 1947.<br />
18<br />
Ibid., 7-8 September 1947.<br />
19<br />
Ibid., 8 September 1947.<br />
20<br />
Ibid., 5 September 1947.<br />
21<br />
Ibid., 29 August 1947, 7 September 1947; Registrar’s Records, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
22<br />
Advocate, 4 September 1947, 4 March 1948; <strong>The</strong> Pirate, 1948.<br />
23<br />
Jerry Lenz, interview with author, 29 May 1998.<br />
24<br />
Ibid.<br />
25<br />
Ibid.<br />
26<br />
Ibid.<br />
27<br />
VISD Minutes, 16 July 1947.<br />
28<br />
Advocate, 3 August 1947.<br />
29<br />
Ibid., 4 September 1947.<br />
30<br />
Ibid., 26 October 1947.<br />
31<br />
Ibid., 15 August 1947, 26 October 1947, 6 November 1947.<br />
32<br />
VISD Minutes, 5 November 1947; Ibid., 6 November 1947, 10-11 November 1947.<br />
33<br />
Advocate, 16 November 1947.<br />
34<br />
Ibid., 18 November 1947.<br />
35<br />
Ibid., 24 November 1947, 26 November 1947; Lenz, interview.<br />
36<br />
Advocate, 21 November 1947.<br />
37<br />
Advocate, 26 November 1947; VISD Minutes, 16 July 1947.<br />
38<br />
Ted Shields, letter to author, 21 January 1996.<br />
39<br />
Advocate, 1 December 1947.<br />
40<br />
Ibid., 4 December 1947; <strong>Victoria</strong> County Clerk’s Election Return Records.<br />
41<br />
Advocate, 23 November 1947, 4 December 1947; <strong>Victoria</strong> County Clerk’s Election Return Records.<br />
42<br />
VISD Minutes, 16 December 1947; Advocate, 17 December 1947.<br />
43<br />
Advocate, 13 January 1948, 10 August 1948.<br />
44<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Board Minutes, 11 February 1948; Billie Rogers Slotnick, interview with author, 28 January 1997.<br />
45<br />
Advocate, 13 January 1948, 30 January 1949; VC Minutes, 11 February 1948.<br />
46<br />
Advocate, 5 March 1948, 1 April 1948.<br />
66 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
47<br />
Ibid., 7 April 1948.<br />
48<br />
Ibid., 31 March 1948, 1 April 1948.<br />
49<br />
Ibid., 13-15 May 1948, 22 April 1948.<br />
50<br />
VC Minutes, 10 May 1948; Ibid., 11 May 1948.<br />
51<br />
Advocate, 17 May 1948, 27 May 1948.<br />
52<br />
Ibid., 25-27 May 1948.<br />
53<br />
Ibid., 30 May 1948.<br />
54<br />
Ibid., 3-4 June 1948, 6 June 1948.<br />
55<br />
Ibid., 13 July 1948.<br />
56<br />
Ibid.<br />
57<br />
J. D. Moore, interview with author, 12 June 1998.<br />
58<br />
Ibid.<br />
59<br />
VC Minutes, 27 August 1948, 28 September 1948; Advocate, 26 September 1948.<br />
60<br />
Advocate, 26 September 1948, 10 November 1948.<br />
61<br />
Ibid., 17 October 1948, 11 January 1949.<br />
62<br />
Ibid., 11 February 1949.<br />
63<br />
Ibid., 24 March 1949, 8 April 1949, 28 April 1949, 13 May 1949.<br />
64<br />
Ibid., 11 January 1949, 30 January 1949, 15 March 1949.<br />
65<br />
Ibid., 15 February 1949; William H. Steele, telephone interview with author, 16 June 1998.<br />
66<br />
Advocate, 11 January 1949, 23 October 1949.<br />
67<br />
Ibid., 30 January 1949, 21 August 1949.<br />
68<br />
Ibid., 8 May 1949.<br />
69<br />
Ibid.<br />
Endnotes ✦ 67
68 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
CHAPTER 4<br />
THE DYNAMIC DUO<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> presidents come and <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> presidents go. <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> deans come<br />
and <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> deans go. That is the way it has been, and that is the way it will be. Yet, one<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> president, J. D. Moore, and one <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> dean, John W. Stormont, shall forever<br />
occupy a preeminent place on the college’s historical landscape. It was these two paragons <strong>of</strong><br />
virtue who laid the foundation for the college to become an esteemed institution <strong>of</strong> higher education<br />
and who left l<strong>of</strong>ty administrative standards for their successors to emulate.<br />
When the college was initially organized, it had two deans. But, in July 1949, B. F. Harbour<br />
resigned as dean <strong>of</strong> adult education and evening school. At the suggestion <strong>of</strong> Moore, the board eliminated<br />
Harbour’s position and combined it with Stormont’s, thereby producing a singular dean, a<br />
framework that served the college well for some forty years. 1<br />
During the spring <strong>of</strong> 1949, a survey was conducted which indicated that 26 African Americans<br />
were interested in taking academic courses. Because racial segregation was mandated by state law,<br />
Moore and Stormont held meetings in the F. W. Gross School auditorium and discussed with prospective<br />
black students a branch campus to accommodate their educational needs. <strong>The</strong> findings convinced<br />
college <strong>of</strong>ficials that sufficient enthusiasm, primarily from veterans, existed to <strong>of</strong>fer classes at<br />
Gross. At the end <strong>of</strong> registration, nineteen black students were enrolled. 2<br />
As Stormont went about the job <strong>of</strong> establishing class schedules, he designated a period that was<br />
to be set aside each week for club activities. <strong>The</strong> dean thought clubs were a good vehicle to build<br />
school spirit. Such groups also compensated for the board’s decision to forbid “fraternities, sororities,<br />
and all types <strong>of</strong> secret organizations” because they were “contrary to democratic principles <strong>of</strong> education.”<br />
After the college moved to its new location, with support from the administration, the formation<br />
<strong>of</strong> student associations expanded. Included among the clubs established were the Aggie Club,<br />
the Art Club, <strong>College</strong> Forum, Baptist Student Union, and Newman Club. Although interested in<br />
politics himself, Stormont was not receptive to the idea <strong>of</strong> creating political clubs and, therefore,<br />
discouraged their establishment. He thought partisan groups might lead to divisiveness within the<br />
student body. 3<br />
To cultivate a semblance <strong>of</strong> harmony with the local business community, Moore forbade the student<br />
organizations from soliciting funds that could be construed as a competing activity. <strong>The</strong> edict included<br />
selling ads for the newspaper or annual, conducting a bake sale, or wrapping holiday packages. Moore<br />
insisted that adequate operating funds for clubs would be provided in the college budget.<br />
<strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficials expanded their enrollment horizons by establishing additional bus routes to the<br />
surrounding communities. Accommodations were made with <strong>Victoria</strong> County School Superintendent<br />
R. C. Pickett to transport students living within the county on buses operated under his authority. A<br />
contract was awarded to the Port Lavaca Transportation Company, owned by William Fly, James<br />
Loyd, and Billy Murphy, which gave the company exclusive right to operate buses over three designated<br />
routes. One bus departed each morning from Yoakum, picking up students from Cuero and<br />
Hallettsville. A second bus ran from Edna with stops at Vanderbilt and Inez. <strong>The</strong> third bus left from<br />
Port Lavaca and picked up students at Placedo and Bloomington. <strong>The</strong> terminus <strong>of</strong> the bus routes was<br />
the east side <strong>of</strong> the Administration Building. Stormont arranged the schedule <strong>of</strong> classes in such a<br />
manner that the students riding buses began classes at 9:15 a.m. and ended them by 3:25 p.m., permitting<br />
the students to be at home by 5:00 p.m. Whereas <strong>Victoria</strong> County students rode free, the<br />
charge from Edna, Port Lavaca, and Cuero was four dollars a month. Yoakum students were assessed<br />
five dollars per month. 4<br />
Work, work, hustle, hustle could have been words spoken by William H. “Doc” Steele to the county<br />
prisoners he supervised prior to the beginning <strong>of</strong> classes on September 15, 1949. Furniture had<br />
to be placed in rooms, terrazzo waxed, restrooms cleaned and supplied, and glass windows shined.<br />
✯<br />
J. D. Moore, first president <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 69
✯<br />
Dr. John W. Stormont served as dean<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> from 1949<br />
to 1964.<br />
Moore would not tolerate any excuses. He<br />
expected an orderly opening <strong>of</strong> the college. 5<br />
A major component <strong>of</strong> the campus was the<br />
library. <strong>The</strong> first library director was Lois Parker<br />
who served as librarian at Patti Welder. She<br />
applied for the position at the college because<br />
“the possibility <strong>of</strong> building a new collection and<br />
a library service organized more specifically for<br />
the needs <strong>of</strong> college students seemed an exciting<br />
challenge.” After being elected to the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> faculty, Parker and the high school<br />
teachers divided the existing library materials<br />
between the two educational institutions. “It<br />
was agreed,” she remarked, “that the new college<br />
district could select such books and other<br />
library materials as had been purchased primarily<br />
for college courses.” Most <strong>of</strong> the periodicals<br />
at Patti Welder were considered best suited for<br />
high school students; the college, therefore,<br />
chose to claim “relatively few files <strong>of</strong> bound<br />
periodicals,” such as Foreign Affairs. <strong>The</strong> decision<br />
was also made “not to purchase reference<br />
sets, preferring to purchase the most recent editions<br />
from other sources,” assuring “an up-todate<br />
reference collection in the beginning.” After<br />
the weeding process was finished and new<br />
books were bought, the college library began<br />
with fewer than 1,000 volumes. 6<br />
Parker insisted that the major constraints in<br />
readying the library for opening day were time<br />
and personnel. “<strong>The</strong> library staff,” she recalled,<br />
“consisted <strong>of</strong> one pr<strong>of</strong>essional librarian and student<br />
assistants, and the weeks were flying by.<br />
<strong>The</strong> shelves were by no means filled that first<br />
September.” Compared to the surroundings<br />
from whence Parker came, the new college<br />
library was undeniably an improvement. It was<br />
located on the west end <strong>of</strong> the first floor <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Administration Building, making it conveniently<br />
located for students. <strong>The</strong> library room was<br />
furnished with “tables, comfortable chairs to<br />
match, special magazine shelving, newspaper<br />
racks, a browsing table and occasional arm<br />
chairs…And it was designed for college students!!!<br />
<strong>The</strong> seating capacity was about 54…An<br />
adjoining alcove afforded space for a quiet conference,<br />
a work area with running water—luxuries<br />
not previously available!” 7<br />
A bookmark distributed by the library for several<br />
years embodied the library’s ideals. It stated:<br />
While you are a student in <strong>The</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, we hope that<br />
you find in this library:<br />
…a collection <strong>of</strong> resources<br />
which will supplement the content<br />
<strong>of</strong> your course <strong>of</strong> study.<br />
…an environment in which<br />
you can study effectively.<br />
…a stimulating encounter<br />
with the ideas set forth in books.<br />
Not all <strong>of</strong> the buildings were ready for use<br />
when the college formally opened. Days and<br />
70 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
weeks would pass before the Industrial Arts<br />
Building, the Home Economics Cottage, the<br />
Student Union, and the Gymnasium were available<br />
for student use. <strong>The</strong> parking lot and driving<br />
area were graveled until asphalt was laid.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Student Union posed a particular problem<br />
for the college personnel. <strong>The</strong> building’s equipment<br />
had arrived before the exterior doors were<br />
hung. <strong>The</strong>re was uneasiness among the college<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficials over vandalism should the edifice be<br />
left unattended. Moore was the least perturbed<br />
over the issue. He handled the matter himself by<br />
becoming the night watchman and “spent the<br />
entire night in the Student Union.” 8<br />
Day enrollment figures surpassed Stormont’s<br />
prediction <strong>of</strong> 250. When registration ended,<br />
there were 287 enrolled in the day classes, seventy-seven<br />
in evening school, and nineteen at<br />
the Gross branch. <strong>The</strong> number <strong>of</strong> students<br />
attending day classes represented an increase <strong>of</strong><br />
seventy-six from the preceding fall semester.<br />
Enrollment in the night classes doubled. In<br />
1948, there were thirty-eight students whereas<br />
in 1949 the figure was seventy-seven. To say the<br />
least, the numbers caused the college <strong>of</strong>ficials to<br />
break into smiles. 9<br />
Classes commenced promptly at 9:00 a.m.<br />
on September 15, 1949. Stormont was a stickler<br />
for classes beginning and ending when scheduled.<br />
<strong>The</strong> first day, however, was abbreviated. A<br />
college assembly was held at 11:00 a.m. in the<br />
library, and afterwards the students were dismissed.<br />
As what would become custom for<br />
assemblies and faculty meetings, Stormont welcomed<br />
the students and faculty before relinquishing<br />
the floor to Moore. <strong>The</strong> dean began the<br />
assembly with Psalm 127:1 which deeply<br />
touched Lois Parker. Stormont’s remarks proved<br />
her impression <strong>of</strong> the dean was correct: “Here is<br />
a man <strong>of</strong> faith whose hope for this institution is<br />
that it be developed upon sound principles and<br />
with absolute integrity.” 10<br />
<strong>The</strong> program itself was not lengthy. <strong>The</strong><br />
Reverend Charles Hill, pastor <strong>of</strong> the Trinity<br />
Episcopal Church, gave the invocation. Moore<br />
made a few statements inviting each student “to<br />
✯<br />
Lois Parker, librarian, checks out a<br />
book to Edith Harrell. <strong>The</strong> library was<br />
located on the first floor <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Administration Building.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 71
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> Home Economics Cottage<br />
had the most complete and<br />
modern furnishings.<br />
feel just as much a part <strong>of</strong> the college program<br />
as the teachers, Mr. Stormont, and myself.” <strong>The</strong><br />
dean made the perfunctory announcements, J.<br />
D. Howell gave his typical energetic pep talk,<br />
the head football coach, Hester “Stump” Evans,<br />
introduced his assistants, and a rally was conducted<br />
by the preceding year’s cheerleaders<br />
(Lillian Miori, Betty Lou Glass, Mary Gladys<br />
Bauer, Billy Mullen, and Rudy Duran). 11<br />
Excitement abounded among the students<br />
and the community sports fans with the return<br />
<strong>of</strong> scholarship football in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1949. In<br />
what was a rare public demonstration <strong>of</strong> boosterism<br />
for Evans, the coach at a noon meeting <strong>of</strong><br />
the Kiwanis Club stated, “We’ve got a good college<br />
out there, and we’ve got a good football<br />
team to go along with it.” His comment was<br />
undoubtedly accurate. <strong>The</strong> team won seven<br />
games and lost two. <strong>The</strong> squad was a title contender<br />
until the closing moments <strong>of</strong> the final<br />
game against Wharton Junior <strong>College</strong>, losing the<br />
contest 26 to 20. 12<br />
Since there was no campus housing available<br />
for the athletes, a surplus barracks building near<br />
Will Rogers Terrace, an area west <strong>of</strong> Laurent<br />
Street between Red River Street and Airline Drive,<br />
was rented from Henry Matchett. Although not a<br />
resident in the structure, Kemper Williams, Jr., a<br />
former St. Joseph High School football player<br />
who received an athletic scholarship at <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>, recalled that “it was an animal house.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> players who lived there, needless to say,<br />
enjoyed their stay. 13<br />
Playing football for the college was a<br />
delightful experience for Williams. His inaugural<br />
year was 1948-1949. He was 17 years<br />
old and weighed 165 pounds. Williams “got to<br />
play in most games that first year primarily<br />
because…[the team] had many veterans <strong>of</strong><br />
World War II who would lose their tempers<br />
and get thrown out <strong>of</strong> games.” He was introduced<br />
to plastic helmets, an advance over the<br />
leather headgear that Williams was accustomed<br />
to at St. Joe. In the 1940s, helmets were<br />
72 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
not fitted with face guards and there were no<br />
teeth protectors. Williams and his team mates<br />
“had scabs on the bridge” <strong>of</strong> their noses<br />
“because the helmet would crash down…nearly<br />
every time” a player was involved in a collision<br />
with another player. 14<br />
Extracurricular activities, such as football,<br />
club news, and other items <strong>of</strong> interest to the<br />
student body were printed in the new school<br />
newspaper, <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger. <strong>The</strong> name for the<br />
newspaper was selected by the Student Council<br />
from a list <strong>of</strong> more than twenty-seven names<br />
suggested by the students. Submitting the winning<br />
entry was Billy Mullen who thought that<br />
since the college was using the nickname<br />
“Pirates,” the Jolly Roger was appropriate.<br />
Mullen received as a prize a year’s subscription<br />
to be sent to an individual <strong>of</strong> his choice. He<br />
designated Mike Marlin, a friend, as the benefactor<br />
<strong>of</strong> the award. <strong>The</strong> editor <strong>of</strong> the inaugural<br />
publication was Joe Heiling and Jimmy Morris<br />
was the managing editor. By the spring semester,<br />
Pat Terry was installed as the editor. 15<br />
Campus improvements continued into the<br />
fall. Central Power and Light erected a flagpole<br />
that was donated by Charles Jacobson, superintendent<br />
<strong>of</strong> Barnsdall Oil Company. Eleven date<br />
palms, each eight feet tall, were placed in the<br />
esplanade that was in front <strong>of</strong> the Administration<br />
Building. An area between the esplanade and the<br />
building was hard-surfaced for parking. <strong>The</strong><br />
main paved parking lot for the campus was<br />
located between the Administration Building<br />
and the Student Union. 16<br />
In March 1950, the board decided to construct<br />
a two-story boys’ dormitory. Moore gave as<br />
reasons for the building a shortage <strong>of</strong> living quarters<br />
for men, and the need for on-campus housing<br />
for athletes. <strong>The</strong> president remarked, “<strong>The</strong>re<br />
is a demand for facilities. And none are available.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> rate for room and board at the new dormitory<br />
was initially set at sixty dollars a month. 17<br />
<strong>The</strong> highlight <strong>of</strong> the spring semester was the<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficial inauguration <strong>of</strong> Moore as president on<br />
April 14. <strong>The</strong> event had been planned earlier in<br />
the year but was postponed, partly because the<br />
campus buildings and landscaping had not been<br />
completed. Stormont was placed in charge <strong>of</strong><br />
putting together this historic affair. Invitations<br />
were sent to administrative <strong>of</strong>ficials at all the<br />
colleges and universities in Texas, United States<br />
Representative Clark W. Thompson, selected<br />
individuals at the private and public schools in<br />
the area, and parents <strong>of</strong> the college students. To<br />
maximize attendance at the inauguration, the<br />
public was invited through press releases. 18<br />
Afternoon classes on Friday, April 14, were<br />
dismissed. An open house was held on the campus<br />
preceding the 5:30 p.m. inaugural dinner at<br />
the Denver Hotel. Instructors and students<br />
served as guides as the crowd meandered among<br />
buildings all <strong>of</strong> which were decorated with<br />
exhibits that emphasized student activities. 19<br />
✯<br />
Above: Dan Kubola (left), standing<br />
alongside Robert Weisiger, waits for<br />
the outcome <strong>of</strong> the coin flip at the<br />
beginning <strong>of</strong> a game in 1949.<br />
Below: Pirate cheerleaders for 1949-50<br />
were (left to right) Betty Lou Glass,<br />
Lillian Miori, Barbara Banks, and Billy<br />
Mullen.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 73
✯<br />
Top: <strong>The</strong> first <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Basketball Team, 1949-50. Kneeling<br />
(left to right): Dalphard Coleman,<br />
Buddy Brock, Billy Evans, Bobby Van<br />
Zant, and Glenn Warren. Standing<br />
(left to right): Gene Hutchins, James<br />
Friedel, Robert Capps, Ken Jarratt,<br />
Richard Kinsel, and Dan Moody.<br />
Below: Bus service was provided to<br />
students from Port Lavaca and<br />
other communities.<br />
At the evening banquet, Winston Zirjacks,<br />
vice president <strong>of</strong> the board, welcomed the<br />
guests and the Reverend Avery Rogers, pastor <strong>of</strong><br />
the First Baptist Church, gave the invocation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> featured speaker at the evening banquet<br />
was Dr. E. L. Harwin, president <strong>of</strong> Del Mar<br />
<strong>College</strong>. He was introduced by toastmaster<br />
Joseph Wearden, president <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees. In his presentation,<br />
Harwin discussed what he considered to be the<br />
qualities <strong>of</strong> a good college president. <strong>The</strong> Del<br />
Mar president remarked that among the various<br />
attributes was being a good businessman, and if<br />
Moore was not one, “he won’t succeed with<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.” Harwin also stated, “Your<br />
leader must lead the community in its thinking,<br />
but very gradually, because all communities<br />
move gradually. In educational philosophy, they<br />
move slowly.” <strong>The</strong> educator from Corpus Christi<br />
cited several other qualities and closed with the<br />
observation, “I think J. D. Moore meets all these<br />
requirements.” True, indeed. 20<br />
<strong>The</strong> banquet ended at 7:00 p.m., allowing the<br />
guests time to travel to the college gym for the<br />
7:30 p.m. inaugural program. A crowd estimated<br />
at 500 attended the ceremony. <strong>The</strong> proceedings<br />
for the evening were reminiscent <strong>of</strong> an old-time<br />
camp meeting without the “jerks” or the verbal<br />
outbursts. T. A. Roach, superintendent <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District, was master<br />
<strong>of</strong> ceremonies. Stormont was scheduled to provide<br />
the welcoming comments, but he became ill<br />
on Friday afternoon, leaving the task to Arvle<br />
Elliott, a member <strong>of</strong> the board. <strong>The</strong> inaugural<br />
address was made by Dr. Clyde C. Colvert, pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
and consultant in junior college education<br />
at the University <strong>of</strong> Texas. His presentation,<br />
broadcast by KNAL and a rebroadcast two days<br />
later, was entitled “<strong>The</strong> Community <strong>College</strong>—An<br />
Investment by the People.” In his speech, he<br />
74 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
praised communities for creating junior colleges,<br />
maintaining that they were “an investment <strong>of</strong><br />
the people which will bring great returns<br />
for each dollar spent.” Colvert proceeded to<br />
explain how the investment in a junior college<br />
brought about financial rewards. He stated that<br />
a two-year education at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> cost<br />
the student $700, but “during the next 30 or<br />
40 or 50 years <strong>of</strong> a young person’s life, he will<br />
earn many more thousands <strong>of</strong> dollars…That<br />
means that he spends more money in the community,<br />
buys more clothes, lives in a better<br />
house, buys a better car, subscribes to more<br />
magazines, and better telephones are used. All<br />
<strong>of</strong> this money is money right back into the<br />
community…It literally lifts a community by its<br />
own bootstraps.” 21<br />
After those Horatio Alger remarks and a version<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> Lord is my Shepherd by <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Choir, directed by Broyles Hall,<br />
Wearden inducted Moore into <strong>of</strong>fice, declaring<br />
“We dedicate the institution to the fatherhood <strong>of</strong><br />
God and the brotherhood <strong>of</strong> man.” In accepting<br />
the presidency Moore commented that he was<br />
“fully aware <strong>of</strong> the responsibilities” expected <strong>of</strong><br />
a president, and “he would do his best to live up<br />
to them.” His inaugural remarks included praise<br />
for the absent Stormont. Moore stated that the<br />
dean “has been a key man throughout. He has<br />
done a wonderful job. He is perhaps the best<br />
junior college dean in the State <strong>of</strong> Texas.” Most<br />
<strong>of</strong> his talk, however, dealt with the college’s<br />
present status and his projection for the fall<br />
enrollment which was in part based on the 1949<br />
graduates <strong>of</strong> the local public and private schools<br />
who were attending the two-year institution.<br />
<strong>The</strong> program concluded with the college choir’s<br />
rendition <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> Lord Bless You and Keep You. 22<br />
Immediately following the inauguration, a<br />
reception was held in the Home Economics<br />
Cottage for Moore and his wife Edith. <strong>The</strong><br />
evening’s activities concluded with a formal<br />
dance in the Gymnasium. Music was provided<br />
by Ray Spoor and his orchestra from Houston.<br />
Frolicking amid the dancers were students representing<br />
the high schools in <strong>Victoria</strong> and surrounding<br />
counties. Everyone had a grand time. 23<br />
<strong>The</strong> academic year ended with commencement<br />
exercises in St. Mary’s Hall on May 29,<br />
1950. Texas Attorney General Price Daniel, the<br />
commencement speaker, pointed out in his<br />
remarks some <strong>of</strong> the challenges the forty-nine<br />
graduates faced, and he expressed the hope that<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the them would “become leaders in politics<br />
and government.” After the address, Joseph<br />
Wearden handed out the diplomas, the first one<br />
going to valedictorian, Walter Wayne Hodges.<br />
Following Hodges were Clifford Pickett and<br />
Harold Hampton, corecipients <strong>of</strong> the salutatorian<br />
honors. <strong>The</strong> other honor graduates were<br />
Grace Rigamonti and Mrs. Margaret Alkek. 24<br />
Band scholarships were extended to students<br />
at the July board meeting. Moore told the governing<br />
body that “all the colleges that I know <strong>of</strong><br />
are granting the scholarships.” Wilbur Collins,<br />
the recently appointed band director, was given<br />
the responsibility <strong>of</strong> selecting uniforms for<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> plaque is located on the front <strong>of</strong><br />
the Academic Building.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 75
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> rooms in the Boys’ Dormitory<br />
were cozy.<br />
band members. He hit upon the idea <strong>of</strong> “having<br />
something unique that nobody else has.” <strong>The</strong><br />
uniforms were designed as pirates’ clothing,<br />
consisting <strong>of</strong> “turbans with dangling glass rings<br />
that the metal shop cut out,” sashes, shirts with<br />
“sorta baggy sleeves and tight at the wrist and<br />
open throat.” <strong>The</strong> 1951 edition <strong>of</strong> the Pirate, the<br />
college yearbook, noted that the costumes were<br />
“slick uniforms.” Whatever views the annual<br />
staff and Collins may have had, they did not<br />
coincide with Stormont’s. <strong>The</strong> dean had not<br />
been enthusiastic to the band director’s proposal<br />
to purchase the uniforms but, nevertheless,<br />
gave his approval. When the band made its first<br />
appearance during a football game between the<br />
college and Allen Academy, someone in the<br />
stands exclaimed, “Who are they? <strong>The</strong>y look<br />
like Aunt Jemimas.” “That did it,” Collins<br />
remarked. “Dr. Stormont decided we would<br />
have military uniforms.” 25<br />
<strong>The</strong> band director also came up with the idea<br />
<strong>of</strong> having a pirate ship for the band members. He<br />
remarked that “since we were so small, instead <strong>of</strong><br />
marching on the field, we would come out on<br />
this ship.” “However, the coaches,” Collins said,<br />
“were reluctant to let any vehicle on the field.”<br />
<strong>The</strong>y were concerned that the contraption would<br />
tear up the playing field. Collins dropped his<br />
notion and “settled for the uniforms.” 26<br />
Because the college administration did not<br />
wish to rely solely upon media advertisements<br />
as a recruiting tool, Collins was hired during the<br />
summer months “to get the word out.” He<br />
recalled that on such an outing Sweet Home was<br />
on his itinerary. Collins “drove out in the field<br />
and there was a prospect whose grandfather was<br />
working in the field, and he was sorta in charge<br />
<strong>of</strong> whether she went to college or not.” When<br />
the young lady was approached about entering<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, the grandfather said, “Oh, that<br />
girl doesn’t need to go to college. Why she will<br />
end up getting married, and it will just be a<br />
waste.” Collins typically encountered such an<br />
attitude on his sojourns in the rural areas. 27<br />
<strong>Tradition</strong>ally, colleges and universities in<br />
Texas have homecoming activities during the<br />
football season. <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> was no exception.<br />
On November 9, 1950, the college held its<br />
first homecoming, a daylong affair that included<br />
an evening tilt with Laredo Junior <strong>College</strong>. As<br />
usual, a pep rally was conducted at the college<br />
assembly. Frank H. Crain, Jr., a former <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> student who went on to become a<br />
state district judge, gave an exhilarating speech<br />
76 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
to the student body prior to the “yell practice.”<br />
At halftime <strong>of</strong> the game, as the college band<br />
formed in the shape <strong>of</strong> a heart to play Let Me Call<br />
You Sweetheart; Barbara Banks was escorted by<br />
co-captains Walter Meier and Richard Kinsel to<br />
the center <strong>of</strong> the heart. Banks was greeted by<br />
Moore, Grace Vogt, Student Council president,<br />
and Bruce Miller, freshman class president. <strong>The</strong><br />
president crowned her as Queen <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>. Banks was given mums and a bracelet,<br />
the latter a gift from the student body. 28<br />
In December, the board accepted the<br />
$83,555 Boys’ Dormitory. Originally scheduled<br />
for occupancy on August 27, the late delivery <strong>of</strong><br />
millwork for the interior delayed completion<br />
until October 10. <strong>The</strong>re was “no monetary loss<br />
due to the late completion,” Moore told the<br />
board, “since dormitory residents were able to<br />
move in on time.” 29<br />
Fighting broke out on the Korean Peninsula<br />
on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces<br />
invaded South Korea. Five days later, United<br />
States ground troops entered the conflict. <strong>The</strong><br />
American military found itself woefully unprepared<br />
to meet the new challenge. A shortage <strong>of</strong><br />
personnel was a particular problem for the<br />
armed services. To remedy the deficiency,<br />
the U.S. government in July 1950 rejuvenated<br />
the draft. <strong>College</strong> students and the high school<br />
students enrolled in college who were eligible<br />
for the draft could receive a deferment by passing<br />
a Selective Service <strong>College</strong> Qualification<br />
Test. Local students wishing to take the tests did<br />
not have to travel very far. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
became a draft qualification test center, and J. D.<br />
Howell, assistant registrar, was designated as<br />
test supervisor. A qualifying score on the tests,<br />
described by some students who took the exams<br />
as being similar to freshman psychological tests,<br />
was 70 or above. 30<br />
By January 1951, the Korean War began to<br />
take its toll on enrollment. <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, like<br />
state institutions <strong>of</strong> higher education, <strong>of</strong>fered<br />
credit to students who were passing their courses<br />
at the Christmas break (the fall semester did<br />
not end until the middle <strong>of</strong> January), withdrew<br />
from school, and enlisted into the military.<br />
Thirty-four <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> students took<br />
advantage <strong>of</strong> the opportunity. All <strong>of</strong> the enlistments<br />
were in services other than the army and<br />
navy. After the local collegians withdrew, an editorial<br />
in the Jolly Roger quipped that if students<br />
continue to drop out <strong>of</strong> school at the current<br />
rate, “VC will probably be known as <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> for Women.” During the spring semester,<br />
the earliest a student could withdraw from<br />
college and receive credit for course work was<br />
March 31. 31<br />
Individual and team performances by<br />
students in extracurricular activities during<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> gym was the scene for formal<br />
Christmas dances in the 1950s.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 77
✯<br />
Estelle Evans waits for the next order.<br />
the 1951 spring semester were fruitful.<br />
“Stump” Evans’ Pirate basketball team was<br />
the South Texas Conference co-champs. At the<br />
South Texas speech contest, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
won three first place awards. <strong>The</strong> Reverend<br />
Don Youngblood was tops in the men’s extemporaneous<br />
speaking, Martha Truman captured<br />
the women’s extemporaneous speaking event,<br />
and Ann Mikulenka was the winner <strong>of</strong> the<br />
women’s radio speaking contest. Other individual<br />
honors went to Pat Sunkel who placed second<br />
in poetry interpretation, and Glenn<br />
Warren took third prize in the men’s radio<br />
speaking. Carroll Pickett won the conference<br />
tennis singles championship, while Glenn<br />
Warren and George Pickering walked away<br />
with the doubles championship. Eddie Shinn’s<br />
track team did exceptionally well and established<br />
the foundation for the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
track and field program that was draped with<br />
laurels in the 1950s and 1960s. 32<br />
Pirate speedsters set a junior college record in<br />
the sprint medley at the Texas Relays and established<br />
five new records on their way to winning<br />
the South Texas Conference at Laredo. <strong>The</strong> team<br />
won the junior college division in the Border<br />
Olympics, the Ft. Worth meet, and the Del Mar<br />
Invitational. Although the three-man contingent<br />
came in fifth at the National Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
Track and Field Meet at Hutchinson, Kansas,<br />
Bill Walters was the event’s high point man. His<br />
achievement was boosted by winning first place<br />
in the broad jump. 33<br />
Enrollment figures were down for both the<br />
1951 fall and 1952 spring semesters. <strong>The</strong> registrar’s<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice reported 285 students attending<br />
classes in the fall, and Stormont reported a figure<br />
<strong>of</strong> 228 for the spring semester. In an assessment<br />
<strong>of</strong> the reason for the drop in enrollment,<br />
the dean commented that “if it hadn’t been for<br />
the international situation, our enrollment<br />
might not have dropped at all. <strong>The</strong> international<br />
situation has caused an 8 percent drop in junior<br />
college enrollment all over the country.” 34<br />
In December 1951, Moore, by plane, and<br />
Stormont, by train, traveled to St. Petersburg,<br />
Florida, and attended the Southern Association<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s and Secondary Schools convention to<br />
learn if the sought-after admission into the<br />
accreditation organization was granted. <strong>The</strong> two<br />
administrators were not disappointed. <strong>The</strong> college<br />
was accepted as a member. After the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> applied for membership, the association<br />
sent a committee to visit the campus in April<br />
1951 to determine if the college was suitable for<br />
membership. <strong>The</strong> delegation, chaired by J. M.<br />
Godard, executive secretary <strong>of</strong> the association,<br />
was specifically interested in how transfer<br />
students did at the senior colleges and universities.<br />
<strong>The</strong> committee found that <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
78 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
sufficiently prepared its transfer students.<br />
According to the visiting team’s final report, 60<br />
percent rated good or excellent, 33 percent fair<br />
or average, and only seven percent poor.<br />
Stormont credited the findings as “the main<br />
thing that got us into the association.” On the<br />
downside, the committee made three major recommendations—“more<br />
student government, a<br />
better student health program and a slightly<br />
higher standard <strong>of</strong> grading.” <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
became the twelfth junior college in Texas to<br />
become a member <strong>of</strong> the association. 35<br />
<strong>The</strong> third annual Western Week, sponsored<br />
by the Aggie Club, was held on February 18-21,<br />
1952. Students and faculty were encouraged to<br />
wear three items <strong>of</strong> western clothing. If an<br />
infraction occurred, and the <strong>of</strong>fender was a good<br />
sport, the individual was placed in jail and<br />
“forfeited a possession—such as a knife—and<br />
to redeem it he must do something at the<br />
dance…such as singing or putting on a skit.”<br />
<strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficials generally frowned upon lengthy<br />
student facial hair except during Western Week<br />
when a beard growing contest was conducted as<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the student activities. Among the other<br />
events were donkey rides, horseshoe pitching, a<br />
dangerous barrel ride, greased pig competition,<br />
a girls’ cow milking event (only test tubes could<br />
be used to hold the milk), and goat roping.<br />
Sometimes, the Aggie Club conducted a trail<br />
ride as a kick<strong>of</strong>f for the activities. <strong>The</strong> week’s festivities<br />
ended with a barbecue and a dance featuring<br />
western music. 36<br />
By the 1970s, Western Week degenerated to<br />
a one-day event. Students in the 1960s became<br />
too rowdy for the taste <strong>of</strong> certain administrators<br />
and faculty members. On one occasion, an outhouse<br />
was placed on a covered walkway, and at<br />
other times, students fortified themselves with<br />
forbidden beverages. But, for the most part, the<br />
event was enjoyed by the college community.<br />
Student participants in intercollegiate functions<br />
shined again in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1952. At the<br />
South Texas Conference Speech Meet at Del<br />
Mar in Corpus Christi, Dorothy Franz placed<br />
first in the girls’ division <strong>of</strong> radio speech and<br />
Eddie Harvey matched her feat in the boys’<br />
division. When the conference held its tennis<br />
tournament in Laredo, Carroll Pickett won the<br />
men’s single crown. In the men’s doubles competition,<br />
Glenn Warren and George Pickering<br />
placed first. <strong>The</strong> men were not the only winners<br />
✯<br />
Barrel riding was a regular activity<br />
during Western Week.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 79
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1952 National Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
Track and Field Champions. First row<br />
(left to right): Glenn H<strong>of</strong>fman, George<br />
E. Auld, Jerry House, Bobby Eklund,<br />
Joe Netarlus, Ben Wayne Boehnke,<br />
Duane Mullenix, and Norval Black.<br />
Second row (left to right): Leslie<br />
Belken, Kenneth Farrow, Ynacensio<br />
Cantu, Billy Taylor, Victor Rodriguez,<br />
Henry Bullock, Ronald Koss, and<br />
Charles Carpenter. Third row (left to<br />
right): Charles Schultz, Glen<br />
Patterson, Mike Trcka, Richard<br />
Thurman, Myron Fougeron, and<br />
Bill Yeager.<br />
at the tournament. Grace Gisler was crowned<br />
the conference women’s tennis champion.<br />
Glenn H<strong>of</strong>fman, Dennis Williams, Pat Bell, and<br />
Bill Holzapfel entered the junior college livestock<br />
judging contest at the San Angelo Fat<br />
Stock Show and, to the pleasure <strong>of</strong> agriculture<br />
instructor V. T. Kallus, came in second. <strong>The</strong><br />
Pirate roundballers enjoyed a good season by<br />
winning the conference basketball title when<br />
the team defeated Wharton Junior <strong>College</strong> in a<br />
play-<strong>of</strong>f game. “Stump” Evans’ boys beat their<br />
opponent 65 to 55 on a neutral court at<br />
Vanderbilt and earned the right to compete in<br />
the National Junior <strong>College</strong> Athletic Association<br />
regional tournament at Tyler. <strong>The</strong> local basketball<br />
club lost in the first round to eventual<br />
regional champion Lon Morris Junior <strong>College</strong>. 37<br />
Unquestionably, the best <strong>of</strong> the best among<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s intercollegiate athletes was<br />
Eddie Shinn’s outstanding track and field squad.<br />
During the regular track season, the extraordinary<br />
thin clads finished ahead <strong>of</strong> their competitors<br />
at the Border Olympics, the Southwestern<br />
Recreational Meet, and the conference meet.<br />
<strong>The</strong> team’s greatest accomplishment came at the<br />
1952 spring National Junior <strong>College</strong> Track and<br />
Field Meet at Hutchinson, Kansas, when it ran<br />
away with the national championship. When<br />
the results <strong>of</strong> the events were finalized,<br />
Ynacensio Cantu was high point man for the<br />
tournament. He won individual honors by<br />
breaking the tape in the mile and two mile runs.<br />
Personal accomplishments were also achieved<br />
by Glenn H<strong>of</strong>fman, pole vault; Kenneth Farrow,<br />
low hurdles; Ben Boehnke, 100 yard dash;<br />
Ronald Koss, 440 yard dash; Jerry House, broad<br />
jump; and Victor Rodriguez, 880 yard run.<br />
Members <strong>of</strong> the group captured top honors in<br />
the mile relay and 440 yard relay. 38<br />
Beginning with the 1952 fall semester, the<br />
college discarded the practice <strong>of</strong> contracting<br />
with private firms to operate buses. Instead, the<br />
two-year institution purchased three new vehicles<br />
and employed drivers. <strong>The</strong> move was<br />
prompted for financial considerations. <strong>The</strong> lowest<br />
bid submitted by a private transportation<br />
company was 35.2 cents a mile. Moore, ever<br />
the frugal individual, informed the board he<br />
80 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
estimated that the college could operate the<br />
vehicles “for a maximum <strong>of</strong> 20 cents a mile and<br />
possibly as little as 15.” <strong>The</strong> actual operating<br />
cost after the first year was 13.8 cents a mile. 39<br />
James Simons, who attended the college during<br />
the middle <strong>of</strong> the 1950s, rode the bus from<br />
Edna. <strong>The</strong> driver was a lady from Ganado who<br />
took classes at the college. He remarked that he<br />
was picked up and dropped <strong>of</strong>f at the drugstore<br />
in downtown Edna. <strong>The</strong>re were some ten Edna<br />
students riding the bus, and they almost drove<br />
the driver crazy. “We hollered,” he said, “and<br />
played games. Some <strong>of</strong> us studied.” Simons said<br />
that on at least one occasion the bus broke<br />
down, “but nothing major.” Simons smiled and<br />
remarked, “We had a lot <strong>of</strong> fun.” 40<br />
Business instructor Leona Jones acquired a<br />
more prominent role in 1952 when the board <strong>of</strong><br />
trustees, at the request <strong>of</strong> Moore, adopted a<br />
motion elevating her to assistant dean and<br />
registrar. Up to this point, Stormont held the<br />
dual position <strong>of</strong> dean and registrar. However,<br />
the dean’s responsibilities had expanded significantly<br />
since the fall <strong>of</strong> 1949, necessitating a division<br />
<strong>of</strong> labor. Further changes in duties<br />
occurred in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1953. Jones assumed<br />
the title <strong>of</strong> registrar and Roy Browne, instructor<br />
<strong>of</strong> business, became the business manager.<br />
Under Jones and her successor, Louise Hume,<br />
the registrar’s <strong>of</strong>fice was an influential administrative<br />
element, especially when it came to<br />
teaching assignments. 41<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Pirate Saberettes made<br />
their debut in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1952. <strong>The</strong> drill team<br />
was organized to provide half time entertainment<br />
at the college football games. <strong>The</strong> first<br />
group <strong>of</strong> Saberettes was led by captains Shirley<br />
Burda, Alma Jecker, Betty Ann Traber, and Anita<br />
Tyng. <strong>The</strong> drill team’s uniforms included “a<br />
short reversible maroon and white skirt, white<br />
satin long-sleeved blouse, white leather belt<br />
with three-inch gold buckle and white boots.”<br />
In 1953, “a white felt hat with skull and crossbones<br />
insignia on the front” was added to the<br />
wardrobe. <strong>The</strong> group fared significantly better<br />
from sport spectators than the band’s “Aunt<br />
Jemima” uniforms. <strong>The</strong>re are no reported<br />
derogatory remarks about their garments from<br />
fans who watched them perform at football<br />
games. When football was dropped as an intercollegiate<br />
sport by the college in 1961, the<br />
organization was also eliminated. However, at<br />
the end <strong>of</strong> the 1960s, another group, the<br />
Saberette Shipmates, was formed to support the<br />
basketball team. Its existence was short-lived. 42<br />
During American Art Week, November 1-7,<br />
1952, art instructor Ethel Thurmond’s oil painting<br />
she was commissioned to do for the college<br />
was unveiled. After being displayed in the<br />
Student Union, the painting was permanently<br />
placed in the foyer <strong>of</strong> the Administration<br />
Building. <strong>The</strong> artwork, twelve feet wide and<br />
four and half feet high, depicts a scene on the<br />
Guadalupe River near <strong>Victoria</strong>. Thurmond<br />
worked on the piece during her spare time for<br />
three months. She remarked, “It was quite a job.<br />
✯<br />
Ethel Thurmond was a noted artist<br />
and compassionate art instructor.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 81
✯<br />
Jim Lehrer working on an article for<br />
the Jolly Roger.<br />
But I enjoyed doing it. It was for the students <strong>of</strong><br />
the college and I wanted to paint something<br />
they’d enjoy seeing. I hope I succeeded.” 43<br />
Larry Shook admiringly recalled Thurmond<br />
as an accomplished artist, dedicated to teaching,<br />
who “took a special interest in students.”<br />
He found himself a recipient <strong>of</strong> her attentiveness<br />
during a spring semester Ping Pong tournament<br />
that he was playing in at the Student<br />
Union. Shook remembers he “felt a sharp pull<br />
on my ear and heard ‘young man, I think you<br />
are supposed to be in my art class.’ I turned<br />
around and saw my art teacher, Miss Ethel<br />
Thurmond. She kept hold <strong>of</strong> my ear as she led<br />
me all the way across the campus and upstairs<br />
to class.” He further remarked that when “Miss<br />
Thurmond retired, I took her place as art<br />
teacher at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and taught for 27<br />
years. Thanks, Miss Thurmond.” 44<br />
After being scrutinized for a year, the college,<br />
in December 1952, was fully accepted into the<br />
Southern Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s and Secondary<br />
Schools. <strong>The</strong> organization’s committee charged<br />
with reaffirmation <strong>of</strong> the two-year institution<br />
reported at the annual convention in Memphis,<br />
Tennessee, that <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> conformed to<br />
the scholastic and other required standards.<br />
Stormont, representing the college, was present<br />
when the announcement was made. 45<br />
<strong>The</strong> regional accrediting association’s pronouncement<br />
that the college met the academic<br />
criteria came as no surprise to individuals who<br />
knew Stormont. <strong>The</strong> dean insisted that course<br />
work <strong>of</strong>fered at the college be on par with those<br />
taught at transfer senior institutions. His unwavering<br />
principle <strong>of</strong> equivalence was put to the<br />
test by the University <strong>of</strong> Missouri in the early<br />
years <strong>of</strong> his <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> deanship and<br />
emerged triumphantly.<br />
Jim Lehrer, a <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> student who<br />
later became the anchor on the highly acclaimed<br />
public television program, the NewsHour with<br />
Jim Lehrer, decided to attend the School <strong>of</strong><br />
Journalism at the University <strong>of</strong> Missouri after he<br />
graduated from <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> in 1954. When<br />
he applied, an admissions <strong>of</strong>ficial at the<br />
Columbia-based university refused to accept all<br />
his credits. Lehrer brought the matter to<br />
Stormont’s attention. <strong>The</strong> dean became disturbed<br />
and asked how badly he wanted to<br />
attend that university. When Lehrer responded<br />
that it “was a life-or-death” situation, Stormont<br />
replied, “let’s take ‘em on.” <strong>The</strong> dean sent a letter<br />
to the admissions <strong>of</strong>ficial criticizing him and<br />
the University <strong>of</strong> Missouri “for their elitism and<br />
shortsightedness.” He told the person to send<br />
“examinations for every subject you have doubts<br />
about,” and they would be administered “to this<br />
kid, and you can see for yourselves the kind <strong>of</strong><br />
person he is and what kind <strong>of</strong> education we provide.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> university complied and the exams<br />
(English grammar, basic math, Spanish, and<br />
typing) were administered by J. D. Howell on<br />
four consecutive afternoons. Lehrer “did well<br />
enough not only to be admitted as a full-fledged<br />
junior” but his “English grammar and foreign<br />
language requirements were waived.” 46<br />
In the 1953 state legislative session, the<br />
legislators passed a loyalty oath and made it<br />
an annual requirement for anyone receiving<br />
82 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
state money. <strong>The</strong> passage <strong>of</strong> the measure was a<br />
product <strong>of</strong> McCarthyism, the country’s second<br />
Red scare, when fear <strong>of</strong> communist subversion<br />
<strong>of</strong> the government was widespread throughout<br />
the United States. <strong>The</strong> loyalty oath, many patriotic<br />
Americans thought, would identify communist<br />
elements in the teaching field and prevent<br />
fellow travelers from undermining the fundamental<br />
democratic principles by brainwashing<br />
impressionable young people with Marxist-<br />
Lenin doctrines. <strong>The</strong> same rationale applied to<br />
the state requirement that students in public<br />
colleges and universities take six hours <strong>of</strong><br />
American history. State employees, including<br />
teachers in public educational institutions, were<br />
asked to study a list <strong>of</strong> between 300 and 400<br />
subversive organizations, as determined by the<br />
Attorney General <strong>of</strong> the United States, and<br />
swear they were not a member. Before the college<br />
instructors received their April paychecks,<br />
they were administered the oath. 47<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> won its second straight<br />
national championship at the National Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> Track and Field Meet at Hutchinson,<br />
Kansas, in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1953 after winning the<br />
conference crown at Corpus Christi. At the<br />
national finals, Ben Boehnke placed first in<br />
the 100 and 200 yard dashes; Jerry House outdistanced<br />
his opponents in the broad jump;<br />
George “Scooter” Auld finished ahead <strong>of</strong> the<br />
field in the 440 yard dash; Joe Tanecka took the<br />
880 yard run; and Ynacensio Cantu, the track<br />
sensation from El Campo, won the 2 mile run.<br />
A quartet <strong>of</strong> Pirate runners comprised <strong>of</strong> Allen<br />
Jank, Boehnke, Joe Zambrano, and House were<br />
victorious in the sprint relay and the 880 yard<br />
relay. First place honors in the mile relay went to<br />
the local team composed <strong>of</strong> Ronnie Koss,<br />
Tanecka, John Starnes, and Auld. 48<br />
<strong>The</strong> student enrollment record was shattered<br />
in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1953. <strong>The</strong>re were 362 registered for<br />
the first day <strong>of</strong> school, 389 in the evening<br />
school, and 34 at the Gross branch.<br />
Contributing to the increase were veterans and<br />
airmen stationed at Foster Air Force Base. Out<br />
<strong>of</strong> the thirty-four students attending Gross, at<br />
least fourteen were veterans. A common sight<br />
in town was the wives <strong>of</strong> veterans working to<br />
help put their hubbies through college, or as<br />
the women said, they were earning a “Ph.T.”<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1954-55 Majorettes pose in<br />
front <strong>of</strong> the Administration Building.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are (left to right) Sue Turk, Jo<br />
Ann Uhlar, Geneva Boysen, and<br />
Lois Hubbard.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 83
✯<br />
Vollie Williams prepares for his next<br />
track meet.<br />
<strong>The</strong> influx <strong>of</strong> returning service personnel to the<br />
college campus led to the formation <strong>of</strong> an active<br />
veterans club. Enrollment figures for most <strong>of</strong> the<br />
remainder <strong>of</strong> the decade showed a steady rise,<br />
though there was a slight dip after Foster Field<br />
closed at the end <strong>of</strong> 1958. 49<br />
A goal <strong>of</strong> the college from its inception has<br />
been service to the community. Numerous programs<br />
have been <strong>of</strong>fered to accomplish that end.<br />
During the 1953 fall semester, the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Film Center was established, and it<br />
<strong>of</strong>fered more than 200 educational movies to<br />
school districts in the area. Lois Parker, college<br />
librarian, supervised the operation. <strong>The</strong> participating<br />
schools contributed money and selected<br />
representatives to serve on a committee that set<br />
policies and chose films. “Mrs. Marion Howell,<br />
the efficient library secretary,” Parker related,<br />
“scheduled the films according to requests from<br />
member schools and supervised the distribution<br />
and maintenance <strong>of</strong> the films. At that time the<br />
college operated buses to transport students<br />
from nearby towns. <strong>The</strong> bus driver delivered<br />
films to the schools and returned them to the<br />
library. <strong>The</strong> film library was operated until<br />
Region Three Educational Service was formed.<br />
At that time the films were transferred to the<br />
Service Center.” 50<br />
At its February 1954 meeting, the board <strong>of</strong><br />
trustees adopted the first sick leave policy for all<br />
employees. A teacher was granted up to forty<br />
days sick leave with full pay. An employee could<br />
accrue leave credit up to six days per year until<br />
the maximum number <strong>of</strong> days was reached.<br />
Should a teacher be ill longer than the accrued<br />
leave credit, the college deducted “the cost <strong>of</strong> a<br />
substitute from his salary.” 51<br />
On March 3, the college hosted its initial<br />
Career Day. Some 550 high school seniors from<br />
the area attended the four-and-a-half-hour program.<br />
<strong>The</strong> students were given an opportunity<br />
to attend two sessions that were designed to<br />
familiarize the seniors with careers or useful<br />
occupations. Each session was conducted by a<br />
faculty member. Representatives from the pr<strong>of</strong>essions,<br />
the military, vocations, and at least one<br />
university made presentations. Dr. C. C.<br />
Colvert, pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> education at the University<br />
<strong>of</strong> Texas, was the featured speaker at the general<br />
assembly. Box lunches were provided the high<br />
school guests while school administrators,<br />
faculty, and the presenters ate at the dormitory<br />
dining hall. <strong>The</strong> assemblage was entertained<br />
after lunch with the college’s Dixieland Sextet,<br />
the Saberettes, and a performance by a duet.<br />
Moore remarked that the event was a success,<br />
and “the programs were completed as smooth as<br />
clockwork.” <strong>The</strong> college discontinued Career<br />
Day in the 1960s. 52<br />
<strong>The</strong> Pirate track squad missed winning the<br />
1954 National Junior <strong>College</strong> Track and Field<br />
Meet at Hutchinson, Kansas, by fewer than five<br />
points. Hutchinson Junior <strong>College</strong> won the<br />
championship with 76 1/2 points to runner-up<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s 72. <strong>The</strong> person with the most<br />
points at the affair was Buccaneer J. P. Neely who<br />
took top honors in both the low and high hurdles<br />
and the 220 yard dash. Teammate Pete Sardelich<br />
placed first in the 440 yard and 880 yard runs. 53<br />
Vollie Williams, a graduate <strong>of</strong> Yoakum High<br />
School, was a member <strong>of</strong> the 1954 and 1955<br />
track teams. At one <strong>of</strong> the national meets, the<br />
movie “Picnic” was being filmed, and he and<br />
several members <strong>of</strong> the squad came face to face<br />
with Kim Novak and found her to be a “regular<br />
person.” <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>ns “nearly got into the picture,<br />
missed it by one car!” 54<br />
Williams enjoyed his relationship with Shinn<br />
and the team. <strong>The</strong> “guys” were “a close bunch.”<br />
<strong>The</strong>y went to the Jet, a drive-in restaurant on the<br />
84 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Houston Highway, and “the hang out place for<br />
the college, high school, and the ‘fly-boys’ from<br />
Foster Air Force Base. <strong>The</strong>re were always conflicts,<br />
incidents, etc. going on at the drive-in!”<br />
Williams and his fellow tracksters brought the<br />
wrath <strong>of</strong> Shinn on them one day after practice.<br />
He stated that “We were returning from a workout<br />
at Patti Welder late one afternoon, and<br />
there was a man working in a flower bed, close<br />
to the street, with his back to the street…Well,<br />
someone in the car leaned out the window and<br />
fired <strong>of</strong>f several blanks…Needless to say, the<br />
track team heard about that from the Coach. I<br />
don’t believe we ever got to carry the starting<br />
pistol again.” 55<br />
State Jim Crow laws segregating the races in<br />
public education took a dramatic and long overdue<br />
hit when the United States Supreme Court<br />
in May 1954 ruled by a unanimous vote in Brown<br />
v. Board <strong>of</strong> Education <strong>of</strong> Topeka that segregation in<br />
public education violated the equal protection<br />
clause <strong>of</strong> the Fourteenth Amendment. <strong>The</strong> decision<br />
prompted African Americans to enroll in<br />
several all-white public education institutions.<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> was such a school and the focal<br />
point for integration in the area.<br />
Businessman and millionaire C. R. Callis, as<br />
head <strong>of</strong> the Citizens’ Committee in cooperation<br />
with the Progressive Voters’ League and the<br />
National Association for the Advancement <strong>of</strong><br />
Colored People, approached Moore on the subject<br />
<strong>of</strong> integrating the college. According to<br />
Callis, the group decided, shortly after the decision<br />
was handed down, to integrate the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
public schools starting with <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. He,<br />
Dorothy Mae Hobbs, an honor graduate <strong>of</strong> F. W.<br />
Gross High School, and Leeta Hobbs, mother <strong>of</strong><br />
Dorothy Mae, went to the college and spoke with<br />
Moore on the admittance <strong>of</strong> the younger Hobbs<br />
in the college. <strong>The</strong> president was cordial as Callis<br />
explained to him that the Gross branch was not<br />
an equal institution and no distinction in the<br />
races was made when the college taxes were collected.<br />
After patiently listening to Callis’ rationale,<br />
Moore responded by telling the delegation<br />
that he would bring the matter before the board<br />
and get back with Callis in a couple <strong>of</strong> days. <strong>The</strong><br />
following day, Callis said, radio station KVIC<br />
announced the college was integrated. 56<br />
When the matter <strong>of</strong> Hobbs’ admission was<br />
placed before the board, the response was<br />
positive. <strong>The</strong> governing body in a formal<br />
announcement stated,<br />
In view <strong>of</strong> the recent decision <strong>of</strong> the Supreme<br />
Court <strong>of</strong> the United States holding that compulsory<br />
segregation <strong>of</strong> the races in the field <strong>of</strong><br />
public education was in violation <strong>of</strong> the rights<br />
✯<br />
Marlene Schoenig and Caroll Young<br />
share a s<strong>of</strong>t drink.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 85
✯<br />
Bill Baldwin patiently waits for Lois<br />
Hubbard to make a selection.<br />
guaranteed citizens under the 14th Amendment,<br />
and, in view <strong>of</strong> the recent statements <strong>of</strong> leaders<br />
<strong>of</strong> various religious faiths to the effect that such<br />
policy is contrary to the tenets <strong>of</strong> Christianity, it<br />
is the unanimous decision <strong>of</strong> the Board that<br />
qualified Negro students should be admitted to<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> beginning September 1, 1954. 57<br />
Four blacks enrolled in the fall. That was it.<br />
No demonstrations. No protests. No white outrage.<br />
No verbal confrontations. <strong>The</strong> college fully<br />
accepted the Supreme Court decision as the law<br />
<strong>of</strong> the land and took steps to implement it with<br />
the understanding that the program at the Gross<br />
branch be continued until that date.<br />
Even though the board changed a long standing<br />
entrance policy, there existed some apprehension<br />
among the governing body and the administration<br />
as to how the faculty and the students<br />
would react. <strong>The</strong> concerns proved to be<br />
unfounded. When Chadbourne Whitmore, who<br />
was employed to teach English, beginning in the<br />
1954 fall semester, was asked by Moore what he<br />
was going to do if a black student was in his class,<br />
Whitmore’s response was that he “was going to<br />
do what he always did—teach.” Esther Etzel,<br />
biology instructor, thought there might be an<br />
incident if she paired a white student with a black<br />
student in lab class. She did and to her delight<br />
the two lab partners carried out their assignments<br />
without any difficulties. Mary Doughtie, English<br />
and Spanish instructor, put the episode in perspective<br />
by remarking that integration <strong>of</strong> the college<br />
went so smoothly it was a nonevent. 58<br />
Brown v. Board <strong>of</strong> Education only addressed the<br />
issue <strong>of</strong> segregation <strong>of</strong> public education. Its<br />
broader impact on society was yet to come.<br />
Separation <strong>of</strong> the races largely remained intact<br />
when it came to public facilities, and this posed<br />
a problem for sponsors <strong>of</strong> college activities who<br />
wanted to utilize such accommodations. In<br />
every known instance where barriers were<br />
encountered, the faculty and white students rallied<br />
behind their African-American classmates.<br />
When the sophomore class in 1955 made its<br />
annual spring trek to a recreational area outside<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>, a black female student was denied<br />
permission to use the swimming pool. <strong>The</strong><br />
white female students gave up their opportunity<br />
to swim and remained with their fellow classmate<br />
until the time came to return to <strong>Victoria</strong>. 59<br />
Lois Rowland, formerly Lois Parker, sponsor<br />
<strong>of</strong> Zeta Gamma Chapter <strong>of</strong> Phi <strong>The</strong>ta Kappa, a<br />
junior college honor society, encountered<br />
rebuffs from <strong>Victoria</strong> eating establishments as<br />
she prepared for the annual initiation ceremony.<br />
Nedra Jennings, an African American, enrolled<br />
at the college in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1955 and eventually<br />
86 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
“qualified for membership in Phi <strong>The</strong>ta Kappa<br />
and was invited to join. She accepted the invitation<br />
and was welcomed by the students.” What<br />
happened next was a heart warming experience<br />
for Rowland. She stated:<br />
It was customary to plan an initiation banquet<br />
which was usually held at the hotel or one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the restaurants in <strong>Victoria</strong>. <strong>The</strong> students made<br />
plans and asked me to make reservations for the<br />
dining room. <strong>The</strong>re followed three phone calls<br />
and three polite but forth-right explanations:<br />
management had no objections but other guests<br />
would not understand. <strong>The</strong> cafeteria in the Town<br />
and Country Shopping Center was relatively<br />
new and had a nicely furnished small banquet<br />
room. I called the manager. Without hesitation<br />
he agreed to schedule our group.<br />
<strong>The</strong> banquet room at the rear <strong>of</strong> the building<br />
was entered by the front door <strong>of</strong> the cafeteria.<br />
After that. . .a long walk through the dining area.<br />
As I stood at the door <strong>of</strong> the banquet room greeting<br />
students and guests, Nedra entered the front<br />
door alone. With all the dignity, poise and grace<br />
<strong>of</strong> a queen she walked through the dining room<br />
filled with white diners, smiling as she joined<br />
her friends who greeted her warmly. It was a<br />
lovely evening.! 60<br />
Integration had no appreciable affect upon<br />
enrollment. <strong>The</strong> day school showed an increase<br />
<strong>of</strong> sixty-six students from the previous year. <strong>The</strong><br />
evening school enrollment, which consisted <strong>of</strong><br />
some 150 airmen, decreased by eighty-three,<br />
but there is no evidence that the drop was due<br />
to integration. <strong>The</strong> increased day figure caused<br />
Moore to reevaluate the college’s capacity to<br />
accommodate the rising number <strong>of</strong> students. He<br />
estimated that by 1956 the day enrollment<br />
would be greater than 500. Moore was on target.<br />
In 1956, the number was 544. 61<br />
<strong>The</strong> president presented the board with two<br />
choices to resolve the perceived enrollment problem.<br />
One was to limit the college only to residents<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> County. <strong>The</strong> other alternative<br />
was to hold a bond election to construct new<br />
facilities. Moore further suggested that enrollment<br />
could be reduced “by increasing tuition,<br />
discontinuing bus service and eliminating intercollegiate<br />
football.” <strong>The</strong>se options were unacceptable<br />
to the board. <strong>The</strong> governing body stated that<br />
the college was “good advertisement for the<br />
community and attracts customers for local merchants<br />
by drawing students from nearby counties”<br />
and, therefore, “limited registration would<br />
hurt <strong>Victoria</strong>.” <strong>The</strong> board did agree with Moore<br />
“that the present facilities are nearing capacity.” 62<br />
✯<br />
Beauty is in the eye <strong>of</strong> the beholder.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 87
✯<br />
Pep rallies were frequently conducted<br />
in front <strong>of</strong> the Administration Building<br />
during the 1950s.<br />
Within a year and a half, the board found a<br />
temporary solution to the escalating enrollment<br />
by boosting out-<strong>of</strong>-county tuition by a modest<br />
ten dollars a semester for a regular load.<br />
Students that were not from <strong>Victoria</strong> County<br />
had been paying the same tuition as county students.<br />
In announcing the new tuition fees, the<br />
board recognized the growing shortage <strong>of</strong> facilities<br />
and “felt that there should be some differentiation<br />
in tuition rates between out-<strong>of</strong>-county<br />
and county students since <strong>Victoria</strong> County residents<br />
pay taxes to support <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.” 63<br />
88 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
As the trustees wrestled with the issues<br />
brought about with increased enrollment, they<br />
applied to the Texas State Department <strong>of</strong> Public<br />
Welfare to oversee an election to determine if<br />
the employees wanted to enter the Social<br />
Security program. A referendum was conducted<br />
and by a vote <strong>of</strong> 33 to 3, the college personnel<br />
voted to join Social Security. 64<br />
Another policy change that affected the faculty<br />
in 1955 was the board’s adoption <strong>of</strong> a<br />
salary schedule for teachers. Under the new pay<br />
scheme an instructor with a master’s degree and<br />
no teaching experience received $3,600 a year;<br />
with a master’s degree and thirty additional<br />
hours, $3,700; and with a doctor’s degree,<br />
$3,800. An annual increment <strong>of</strong> $150, to a<br />
maximum <strong>of</strong> 12 years, was permitted. When<br />
instructors were employed, they could receive<br />
up to 5 years credit for previous teaching experience.<br />
However, the “increments allowed for<br />
prior service are $100 per year.” <strong>The</strong> salary<br />
schedule provided no incentive for an instructor<br />
to earn additional graduate credit or pursue<br />
a doctor’s degree. Over the following decades,<br />
the salary schedule underwent meaningful<br />
change to encourage and reward faculty for<br />
acquiring additional graduate hours or earning<br />
a doctor’s degree. 65<br />
In the Spring <strong>of</strong> 1955, Shinn’s track team<br />
regained the national junior college championship<br />
after a stellar performance at the national<br />
meet in Hutchinson, Kansas. <strong>The</strong> squad<br />
accumulated 91 points, doubling the points <strong>of</strong><br />
their nearest opponent, McCook, Nebraska. <strong>The</strong><br />
Pirate 880 yard relay team <strong>of</strong> John Mozisek,<br />
George Gillar, Danny Fritsch, and Lewis<br />
Hutchinson established a new record. <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> tracksters who finished first in their<br />
respective contests were Fred Reuter, 100 and<br />
200 yard dashes; Vollie Williams, 120 yard high<br />
hurdles and 220 yard low hurdles; Pete<br />
Sardelich, 440 yard dash; and Marvin Machac,<br />
shot-put. 66<br />
Marshall McCleary’s first year as the college<br />
tennis coach was a memorable one. <strong>The</strong> astute<br />
English instructor as mentor <strong>of</strong> the team guided<br />
the squad to the 1956 Longhorn Conference<br />
championship. In fact, the Pirates completely<br />
dominated the conference meet. Ken Pickett<br />
beat his teammate Ralph Gilstrap in the men’s<br />
singles. Pickett and Gilstrap in turn defeated<br />
their college cohorts, John Swoboda and David<br />
Patrick in the finals <strong>of</strong> the men’s doubles. <strong>The</strong><br />
women’s single finals was an all <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
affair as well. Jenell Kolle won her match against<br />
Merle Overgoner. Kolle and Helen Urban captured<br />
the women’s doubles from Del Mar, the<br />
only other entrant to win points. 67<br />
<strong>The</strong> Pirate track squad successfully defended<br />
its national championship in the spring <strong>of</strong><br />
1956. Shinn’s team, whom he considered to be<br />
his finest track group, won the Border<br />
Olympics, Blinn Relays, and Longhorn<br />
Conference meet before taking the national<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> Aggie Club’s ship S. S. Pirate<br />
“floats” down Main Street in a<br />
Homecoming Parade.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 89
✯<br />
S<strong>of</strong>t drink vending machines were<br />
popular with the students in<br />
the 1950s.<br />
junior college crown for the fourth time in five<br />
years. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> tracksters won the<br />
440 yard relay, 880 yard relay, and the mile<br />
relay. Individual winners were Fred Reuter, 100<br />
yard dash; Danny Fritsch, 440 yard dash;<br />
Bobby Singleton, low and high hurdles; Herbert<br />
Wuthrich, broad jump; and Marvin Machac,<br />
shot-put. 68<br />
Guest speaker at the 1956 commencement<br />
ceremonies was Joseph Wearden, president <strong>of</strong><br />
the board since 1947. When he finished with<br />
his presentation, Wearden “dropped his bombshell.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> board president announced to an<br />
astonished audience that he was giving up his<br />
position because his doctor advised him to<br />
reduce his civic activities. Winston Zirjacks,<br />
board vice president, who along with Moore<br />
knew beforehand that Wearden was going to<br />
resign, stepped forward, made a brief comment<br />
and motioned toward the college president.<br />
“Moore brought forth a cap and gown—the<br />
same black gown and cap with white tassel that<br />
the regular graduates wore.” <strong>The</strong> regalia was<br />
donned by Wearden, whereupon Zirjacks stated,<br />
“This board hereby confers upon you,<br />
Joseph Wearden, the highest honor it can<br />
bestow. <strong>The</strong> honorary degree <strong>of</strong> Associate in<br />
Arts.” This was the only time in <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
history that an honorary associate <strong>of</strong> arts degree<br />
has been awarded. With Wearden’s retirement,<br />
Zirjacks assumed the presidency, a position he<br />
held for 40 years. 69<br />
Football absorbed the attention <strong>of</strong> the college<br />
community during the fall <strong>of</strong> 1956. At long<br />
last, the pigskin program, under legendary<br />
Coach H. N. “Rusty” Russell, was on course <strong>of</strong><br />
having a winning season. Co-captains Ezra<br />
Gordon and Floyd Dellinger understood the<br />
feelings <strong>of</strong> the victory-starved students and<br />
alumni as the Pirates, who were ranked by the<br />
Associated Press as seventh in the nation,<br />
plunged into their schedule. When the lye from<br />
the gridiron settled, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> had 7 wins<br />
and 3 losses, a record good enough for the team<br />
to be crowned Longhorn Conference co-champions<br />
with Kilgore Junior <strong>College</strong>. Because <strong>of</strong><br />
his outstanding performance throughout the<br />
season as quarterback, Floyd Dellinger from<br />
Waco was the unanimous choice by the Los<br />
Angeles Times and <strong>The</strong> All-American Grid Index<br />
for the All-American Junior <strong>College</strong> football<br />
team. He was also selected to the Longhorn<br />
Conference’s first team and was a second team<br />
All-American selection by the Wigwam<br />
Wisemen <strong>of</strong> America. A teammate <strong>of</strong><br />
Dellinger’s, James Sestak from Gonzales, transferred<br />
to McNeese State in Louisiana and went<br />
on to have an illustrious pr<strong>of</strong>essional career<br />
with the Buffalo Bills. 70<br />
Growing pains continued to plague the college,<br />
causing the school <strong>of</strong>ficials to make several<br />
adjustments in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1956 to cope with<br />
crowded facilities. Activity and assembly periods<br />
were eliminated to better utilize the time<br />
slots for classes, and faculty <strong>of</strong>fices were created<br />
out <strong>of</strong> the living room <strong>of</strong> the Home Economics<br />
Cottage, eliminating its use by the community<br />
90 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
for social affairs. <strong>The</strong>se steps were only stopgap<br />
measures. After careful consideration, the<br />
trustees finally came to the conclusion that a<br />
building program funded by a bond issue was<br />
necessary to eliminate overcrowding. 71<br />
Financially, the college was in good shape.<br />
County valuations had increased as new businesses,<br />
such as DuPont, established themselves<br />
in the area and new homes were constructed to<br />
meet the demands <strong>of</strong> a rising population. As the<br />
county valuations rose, the trustees cut the tax<br />
rate in successive years to forty-one cents per<br />
one hundred dollars valuation from the 50 cents<br />
per $100 authorized by the electorate in the initial<br />
vote. New college construction, however,<br />
would, as the supporters pointed out, lead to a<br />
tax increase. This was a concern. Would the<br />
voters be willing to increase their college tax?<br />
<strong>The</strong> board and administration thought that a<br />
majority would.<br />
In December 1956, the board gave notice<br />
that it was going to submit a $700,000 bond<br />
issue to the county electorate for the erection<br />
<strong>of</strong> a natural science building and a library<br />
building. Bond money was also to be used for<br />
converting the existing library facilities and<br />
science laboratories into classrooms. When the<br />
announcement was made, the board stated<br />
that the bond issue would probably necessitate<br />
a 48 cent tax rate, up from the current 41<br />
cents, but below the 50 cent rate which had<br />
already been authorized. 72<br />
Moore pointed out to the community that the<br />
current facilities were inadequate for an expected<br />
expanded enrollment. “If the college is to<br />
continue to grow and to serve the community,”<br />
he said, “we must have new buildings.” <strong>The</strong><br />
president further enunciated that the overcrowded<br />
laboratories might lead to a loss in<br />
accreditation. Moreover, he remarked, “at a time<br />
when we are inviting industry to locate in this<br />
area and at a time where the very future <strong>of</strong> the<br />
nation seems to be jeopardized by a shortage <strong>of</strong><br />
adequately trained scientists, it would seem that<br />
we are obligated to our youth to establish adequate<br />
scientific training facilities.” Convincing<br />
arguments, indeed. 73<br />
Supporters <strong>of</strong> the college rounded up signatures<br />
on the required petition to conduct<br />
the election. By the time the board met in<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> football coaching staff for 1954<br />
were (left to right) H. N. “Rusty”<br />
Russell, Eddie Shinn, Hester “Stump”<br />
Evans, and Jack Thomas.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 91
✯<br />
Mary Nell Schiwitz leads the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Band in downtown <strong>Victoria</strong>.<br />
January 1957, they had secured more than 250<br />
names on the document, enough for the election.<br />
<strong>The</strong> trustees set January 29, 1957, as the<br />
date for the referendum. 74<br />
Stormont and former board president<br />
Wearden were in the vanguard at local civic<br />
clubs touting the benefits that would accrue<br />
from a favorable vote. <strong>The</strong> two men emphasized<br />
that the new buildings and the conversion plan<br />
would double the college capacity <strong>of</strong> 500 fulltime<br />
students. <strong>The</strong>y reiterated the points that<br />
earnings increased for anyone who attended<br />
even one year <strong>of</strong> college, and families saved<br />
money when their children enrolled in the local<br />
educational institution. 75<br />
Faculty participation in the election was<br />
enlisted by Moore. He called upon the instructors<br />
to remind their acquaintances to vote, and provided<br />
each faculty member with sheets torn from<br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> telephone directory marked with the<br />
names <strong>of</strong> individuals believed to be friendly<br />
toward the college. <strong>The</strong> faculty was instructed to<br />
call these residents between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30<br />
p.m. on a given date. <strong>The</strong> president advised the<br />
employees to be prepared to answer questions. 76<br />
To Moore, giving the right responses to what<br />
were likely inquiries was critical to the success<br />
<strong>of</strong> the passage <strong>of</strong> the bond issue. Based on conversations<br />
with people at civic, religious, and<br />
social functions, the president anticipated the<br />
questions that would be raised. He was sure that<br />
the instructors would be asked if the college was<br />
going to become a senior institution. <strong>The</strong> reply,<br />
Moore said, should be there are no current plans<br />
for this happening. <strong>The</strong> purpose <strong>of</strong> the bonds<br />
was to build a first-class junior college. Another<br />
likely query, the president remarked, would<br />
center around spending taxpayers’ money to<br />
operate buses out <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> County. <strong>The</strong> reply<br />
should be that out-<strong>of</strong>-county students pay twenty<br />
dollars more per semester, and the college<br />
receives from the state $200 for these students<br />
per semester. Of course, Moore said, the faculty<br />
members could expect that voters would ask<br />
92 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
about the tax rate increase. This should be<br />
addressed by assuring the public that the rate<br />
would go up seven cents but not go over the<br />
established 50 cents. 77<br />
<strong>The</strong> result <strong>of</strong> the election was what Moore<br />
and Stormont expected. <strong>The</strong> bond issue passed<br />
1,163 to 501. <strong>The</strong> president was disappointed<br />
there was not a greater turnout, but he blamed<br />
the low voter participation on the inclement<br />
weather. <strong>The</strong> urban voters, as before, were disposed<br />
to back the college while the rural electorate<br />
was generally against the issue. After the<br />
outcome was announced, the board employed<br />
Jordan C. Ault and Robert Rick as architects to<br />
plan and supervise the construction <strong>of</strong> the two<br />
proposed buildings. 78<br />
Coach Eddie Shinn’s 1956-57 track team had<br />
another superb season. Under his tutelage, the<br />
squad won the Border Olympics, <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Invitational Track Meet, Blinn Relays, and made<br />
respectable showings at various other college<br />
track contests before ending the year in May 1957<br />
with a fifth national junior college championship.<br />
79 Overcoming flood detours in Oklahoma<br />
that delayed the train’s arrival at Hutchinson,<br />
Kansas, food poisoning among several <strong>of</strong> the athletes,<br />
and a slow start at the track meet, the team<br />
blew away the opposition, racking up 94 points.<br />
<strong>The</strong> nearest competitor was Weber Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> Ogden, Utah, with 42 points. Bobby Singleton<br />
put-on an outstanding display <strong>of</strong> track talent and<br />
became the meet’s high point man. He won the<br />
220 yard low hurdles and the 120 yard high<br />
hurdles, tying the meet record in the high hurdles.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 440 yard dash was won by Anton Smajstrla.<br />
George Harris finished first in the 100 yard dash<br />
while Hoy Rogers out dueled his competitors<br />
from the shot-put ring. <strong>The</strong> 440 yard relay quartet<br />
<strong>of</strong> Herbert Wuthrich, Thomas Mendez, Jack<br />
Gilliam, and Smajstrla was flawless in crossing the<br />
finish line ahead <strong>of</strong> the pack. <strong>The</strong> mile relay foursome<br />
<strong>of</strong> Johnny Orsak, Gilbert Gerdes, Gilliam,<br />
and Smajstrla was also victorious. 80<br />
Construction <strong>of</strong> the natural science and<br />
library buildings pushed forward in the fall <strong>of</strong><br />
1957 and into 1958, despite the delays caused<br />
by shortage <strong>of</strong> materials and bad weather. While<br />
the building program progressed, work began<br />
on expanding the Student Union by sixty percent.<br />
By increasing the size <strong>of</strong> the existing structure,<br />
dances, school administrators thought,<br />
could be held in it rather than the gym. Changes<br />
to the edifice included enclosing a porch,<br />
adding a wing that was to be used for a bookstore,<br />
and covering the terrace with tile. 81<br />
<strong>The</strong> football team took it on the chin in the<br />
fall <strong>of</strong> 1957. <strong>The</strong> squad was unable to duplicate<br />
its preceding year’s performance. Nevertheless,<br />
Johnny Orsak, the leading scorer for the Pirates,<br />
was honored by being selected to play in the<br />
All-American Junior <strong>College</strong> Football Classic in<br />
Jackson, Mississippi. 82<br />
While the football players fared poorly, this<br />
was not the case for all the college’s intercollegiate<br />
participants. <strong>The</strong> tennis team emerged as<br />
Longhorn Conference champions, and the<br />
✯<br />
A rare snowfall draped the campus in<br />
1958.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 93
✯<br />
Graduation ceremonies and faculty<br />
dinners were held in the Library<br />
Building for several years after it<br />
opened in 1958.<br />
New to the campus at the start <strong>of</strong> the 1958-<br />
1959 academic year was Lamar Fly, a former<br />
assistant principal at Cuero High School. Fly<br />
was named director <strong>of</strong> student activities and<br />
taught business administration. After a tenure<br />
<strong>of</strong> a couple <strong>of</strong> years at the college, he pursued<br />
and earned a doctor’s degree from the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Texas. Fly would become the<br />
president <strong>of</strong> Hill Junior <strong>College</strong> when it<br />
reopened in the 1960s. Dr. Rex Whiteside,<br />
who became dean at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> in 1975,<br />
was a faculty member at the Hillsboro school.<br />
He told the story that when Fly put together<br />
the Hill Junior <strong>College</strong> catalogue, the president<br />
used the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> catalogue as a reference.<br />
In so doing, he incorporated in his bulletin<br />
a phrase that stated in effect that to be eligible<br />
to graduate from Hill Junior <strong>College</strong>, the<br />
student must meet the graduation requirements<br />
at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. Fly apparently had<br />
some embarrassing, but good humored,<br />
moments for this blooper. 85<br />
In January 1959, the board proclaimed that<br />
student bus service would cease as <strong>of</strong><br />
September 1. When queried as to why the<br />
action was taken, Moore responded by giving<br />
two reasons. In the first place, the president<br />
stated the cost <strong>of</strong> funding the buses fell upon<br />
Pirate tracksters in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1958 again <strong>Victoria</strong> County taxpayers while the majority <strong>of</strong><br />
won the junior college national championship. students who used the service lived outside the<br />
<strong>The</strong> track team did so, however, in an unusual college district. A second reason, Moore said,<br />
manner. <strong>The</strong> squad placed first in only one was the buses were old and replacement vehicles<br />
would be very expensive. 86<br />
event, the mile relay. Shinn remarked, “This<br />
was by far the strongest competition we’ve had Attesting to the age <strong>of</strong> the buses, and in particular<br />
their mechanical unsoundness, was stu-<br />
here.” He added, “We’ve had lots <strong>of</strong> firsts in the<br />
past, but we had to do it with seconds, thirds dent driver Joel Tanner <strong>of</strong> Port Lavaca. His bus,<br />
and fourths this time.” <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>ns who affectionately referred to as the “<strong>Victoria</strong><br />
placed highest in the events were Hoy Rogers, Meteor” by staff members <strong>of</strong> the Jolly Roger, on a<br />
second in the discus; Bob Campbell, second in run to the college from the port community<br />
the low and the high hurdles; and Anton stalled at a railroad crossing. Tanner and his<br />
Smajstrla, second in the 440 yard dash. Billy passengers spied a train coming at them.<br />
Weiler tied with two other contestants in the Consequently, “Some headed out the back door,<br />
high jump. 83<br />
cleared away the back traffic, and let the bus roll<br />
Stormont received another appellation from backwards to safety. Others calmly remained on<br />
the college as the 1958 fall semester rolled the bus, commenting that they would rather be<br />
around. He accepted the appointment as vice hit by a train than have to take the tests that<br />
president along with his position as dean. Dr. were due that day.” 87<br />
Roland Bing, employed in 1954 to supervise On April 24-25, 1959, the college held its<br />
student publications and teach economics, first University Interscholastic League event for<br />
became assistant dean and director <strong>of</strong> the Region IV Conference A and AA high schools.<br />
evening school. 84 School facilities throughout the city were used<br />
94 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
to accommodate some 92 schools from 16<br />
districts as they competed in track, tennis,<br />
golf, and literary activities. Impetus for conducting<br />
the event was to help boost the local<br />
economy. <strong>The</strong>re were an estimated 2,000<br />
persons who would visit the city for the twoday<br />
affair and spend money in the town.<br />
Another factor in holding as many contests as<br />
possible on the campus was to expose prospective<br />
students to <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. In time the<br />
faculty became weary <strong>of</strong> its involvement in the<br />
event, citing the loss <strong>of</strong> classroom time and<br />
questioning the affair’s promotional value.<br />
Eventually, in the early 1990s, at the behest <strong>of</strong><br />
the instructors, the administration ceased the<br />
college’s involvement. 88<br />
Wilbur L. Collins, music instructor, was honored<br />
in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1959 when his Psalm 25,<br />
an original composition, was selected for performance<br />
at the Creative Music Festival sponsored<br />
by San Jose State <strong>College</strong> in California.<br />
<strong>The</strong> work was written in 1953 and received an<br />
outstanding choral music award in 1954 from<br />
the Southwestern Symposium <strong>of</strong> Contemporary<br />
Music supported by the University <strong>of</strong> Texas at<br />
Austin. Psalm 25 was Collins’ fourth composition<br />
published. <strong>The</strong> other three were He Showed<br />
Me <strong>The</strong> River <strong>of</strong> Life, Now As We Stand, and Sing<br />
To <strong>The</strong> Lord. 89<br />
During the 1950s and into the 1960s, it<br />
became customary for the sophomore class to<br />
present a gift to the college. <strong>The</strong> president <strong>of</strong><br />
the class <strong>of</strong> 1959, Cecil Durham, selected a<br />
committee chaired by Roger Van Rekom to<br />
choose an appropriate gift. Van Rekom “came<br />
up with the idea <strong>of</strong> getting a flag or banner, primarily<br />
a flag…so that they could fly it up on the<br />
flag pole, but it didn’t seem to be very practical.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> committee “decided to go ahead and<br />
get a banner.” <strong>The</strong> design was chosen from proposals<br />
submitted by the student body. Each<br />
sophomore was asked to contribute twenty-five<br />
cents to pay for the gift. <strong>The</strong> banner was oblong<br />
and made <strong>of</strong> white canvas with a maroon border.<br />
A maroon <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> logo was placed<br />
in the middle. 90<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s intercollegiate athletes<br />
again scored some noteworthy accomplishments<br />
in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1959. Bobby C<strong>of</strong>fey shot<br />
a two under par at Riverside Golf Course to<br />
win the Pioneer Conference individual golf<br />
title. Billy Pickett, in a tennis match that lasted<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1959 <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Saberettes.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 95
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> campus in 1959.<br />
three hours, defeated his opponent from<br />
Tarleton State for the Pioneer Conference’s<br />
men’s singles championship. Pickett and Larry<br />
Doig teamed up to capture the men’s doubles at<br />
the conference tournament. Unlike previous<br />
years, the college had only one representative at<br />
the National Junior <strong>College</strong> Track and Field<br />
Meet, Sam Ketcham. <strong>The</strong> Pirate thin clad was<br />
eliminated in the 100 yard dash and placed<br />
fifth in the 220 yard dash. 91<br />
Beginning with the 1959 fall semester, sixteen<br />
tuition scholarships were awarded for<br />
choral music as a “counterpart <strong>of</strong> the scholarships<br />
in Instrumental Music.” In general, choral<br />
music was “considered sort <strong>of</strong> second fiddle to<br />
instrumental music as a college subject” prior to<br />
the appointment <strong>of</strong> Ruth Williams as choral<br />
director in 1954. Under her direction, however,<br />
the choir received worldwide recognition. <strong>The</strong><br />
decision by college <strong>of</strong>ficials to grant the scholarships<br />
in 1959 was a testimonial to the progress<br />
the choir made in the five years Williams was<br />
director and to the positive impression it had on<br />
the local community. 92<br />
Another endeavor the college undertook with<br />
the commencement <strong>of</strong> the 1959 fall semester<br />
was a vocational nursing program, the “first<br />
<strong>of</strong> its kind in <strong>Victoria</strong>.” A mounting shortage <strong>of</strong><br />
nurses in the region and a desire “to provide<br />
qualified women with an opportunity to prepare<br />
themselves for a vital occupation” were the two<br />
key factors influencing the establishment <strong>of</strong> the<br />
program. Marguerite Weeks was employed as<br />
coordinator. Out <strong>of</strong> the twenty-five students<br />
who began the course, twenty-one were capped<br />
by Dorothy Swickheimer, administrator <strong>of</strong><br />
Citizens Memorial Hospital, on January 7, 1960,<br />
at a ceremony held in the library. <strong>The</strong> first to<br />
receive the honor was Bessie Perry. After completing<br />
their college work, the students entered<br />
a thirty-three week regimen <strong>of</strong> clinical training<br />
at the county supported hospital. 93<br />
Nineteen <strong>of</strong> the vocational nursing students<br />
graduated on August 12 in the Student Union.<br />
96 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
<strong>The</strong> featured speaker at the ceremony was Dr.<br />
Heaton Smith. <strong>The</strong> entire group successfully<br />
passed the State Board Examination. Two <strong>of</strong> the<br />
graduates, Lessie Fay Wilson and Patricia<br />
Buckley, were ranked among the state’s top ten<br />
students. Overall, the first vocational nursing<br />
class at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> placed ninth scholastically<br />
in a field <strong>of</strong> seventy-four schools that took<br />
the examination. 94<br />
Faculty members took an extraordinary step<br />
at their 1960 fall meeting by agreeing to form a<br />
committee to draft a resolution <strong>of</strong> appreciation<br />
for the recently retired long-time social sciences<br />
instructor Jewell Hudler. Stormont stated that<br />
she had a greater impact on the community<br />
than any administrator and her presence<br />
was “imponderable.” Wilma Felger, Chad<br />
Whitmore, and Lois Rowland were appointed<br />
by the dean to compose a formal statement “in<br />
appreciation <strong>of</strong> a teacher who has served the<br />
community and the cause <strong>of</strong> education long<br />
and well.” <strong>The</strong> three member committee were<br />
diligent and thoughtful in writing a resolution<br />
that recognized Hudler’s “many years <strong>of</strong> service<br />
that have contributed immeasurably to the<br />
growth and development <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>.” <strong>The</strong> resolution was passed unanimously<br />
by the faculty on October 30 and<br />
was placed in the minutes. A typed copy was<br />
framed and sent to Hudler. 95<br />
For some reason, perhaps because <strong>of</strong> a query<br />
from an academician who expressed a dislike for<br />
nontransferable courses, Stormont, during the<br />
faculty meeting in September 1960, made strong<br />
uncompromising comments as to the role <strong>of</strong> the<br />
local educational institution. He pointed out in a<br />
slow, meticulous, and forward manner that the<br />
transfer function was very important, but when<br />
the overall student body was considered, less<br />
than fifty percent <strong>of</strong> those attending <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> will enroll in a senior college. <strong>The</strong>refore,<br />
as long as <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> had an open admissions<br />
policy, Stormont remarked, it has an obligation<br />
to do something for the terminal student,<br />
such as providing post high school educational,<br />
recreational, and social experiences. 96<br />
Tragedy struck the Pirate football team in the<br />
fall <strong>of</strong> 1960. In the first half <strong>of</strong> the game against<br />
Cisco Junior <strong>College</strong> on October 23, Gene<br />
McCann, a nineteen-year-old, 240-pound tackle<br />
from Lacawanna, New York, hurt his leg. <strong>The</strong><br />
team doctor diagnosed the injury “as a torn<br />
✯<br />
Dorothy Swickheimer, Citizens<br />
Hospital administrator, fits Bessie<br />
Perry with the first cap <strong>of</strong> the<br />
vocational nursing program as<br />
President J. D. Moore looks on.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 97
✯<br />
Darlese Thomas (left), Sharon Kern<br />
(center), and Marie Frerichs (right)<br />
give Gwen Foutz advice on how to<br />
make a poster.<br />
muscle, a bruised artery and a tear in the vein.”<br />
Later that evening in the Boys’ Dormitory, his<br />
leg became swollen and throbbed unmercifully.<br />
At 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning, a doctor was<br />
summoned. <strong>The</strong> physician ordered him rushed<br />
to the hospital for emergency surgery to remove<br />
a “blood clot that had formed.” In what the surgeons<br />
thought would be a routine operation to<br />
repair the damaged limb, McCann’s heart<br />
“stopped for four crucial minutes.” Physicians<br />
immediately opened his chest and massaged the<br />
heart until it began functioning. McCann lapsed<br />
into a coma that lasted twenty-two days, during<br />
which time he flailed “wildly about until his<br />
hands had to be tied.” Special duty nurses<br />
attended to him “round the clock,” and at least<br />
one male faculty member was assigned to his<br />
room at night “to help handle him during<br />
convulsive fits.” 97<br />
Alfred “Al” Allen, mathematics and chemistry<br />
instructor, <strong>of</strong>fered his assistance at the hospital.<br />
He stated the injury was “one <strong>of</strong> those tragic<br />
things. When the administration asked for volunteers,<br />
I said I would. He [McCann] did all<br />
right during the day, but at night he became<br />
wild. He was so strong that the nurses could not<br />
hold him. I stayed until midnight when somebody<br />
relieved me.” 98<br />
McCann’s mother lived in the dorm while her<br />
son was in Citizens Memorial Hospital, and<br />
his father spent as much time in <strong>Victoria</strong> as his<br />
work would permit. A fund was established for<br />
the injured player, and money was raised to<br />
bring the “younger McCann children” from New<br />
York for the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately,<br />
McCann never fully recovered and remained<br />
with physical and mental disabilities. 99<br />
<strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficials made headlines when they<br />
announced on December 14, 1960, that football<br />
was to be discontinued. In an <strong>of</strong>ficial statement,<br />
adopted at a special meeting, the board<br />
commented that the move was made “because<br />
<strong>of</strong> the rising cost <strong>of</strong> the program and difficulty<br />
in arranging a satisfactory playing schedule.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> governing body pointed out that revenue<br />
produced from ticket sales in some <strong>of</strong> the<br />
98 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
games with freshmen <strong>of</strong> “B” teams from senior<br />
colleges “have not been enough to pay<br />
even the operating expense <strong>of</strong> the game (<strong>of</strong>ficials,<br />
tickets, field rental, travel).” As evidenced<br />
by the gate receipts, there was little<br />
community interest in the senior college clubs<br />
and certain junior colleges would not compete<br />
against a school that admitted “Negroes.”<br />
Incidentally, Booker T. Carter, a Pirate halfback,<br />
and Victor Marshall, a pole vaulter, hold<br />
the distinction <strong>of</strong> being the first black athletes<br />
at the college. Scheduling games also became<br />
more difficult when Arlington and Tarleton<br />
became senior colleges. 100<br />
A rumor circulated among the students and<br />
the community that the real reason for the elimination<br />
<strong>of</strong> football was the debilitating injury<br />
suffered by McCann. Moore emphatically<br />
denied the assertion. He continually reemphasized<br />
the board’s position that the cost was too<br />
great, and “the interest among the people in the<br />
city was not enough to keep it going.” Allen<br />
agreed with Moore’s assessment. He recalled<br />
that “<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> didn’t draw anybody. I<br />
told the business manager at the time that by<br />
dropping football the college could give the<br />
teachers a $500 raise. He said it could be a lot<br />
more than $500.” <strong>The</strong> move may have been<br />
coincidental, but the following year after the<br />
elimination <strong>of</strong> football, the board lowered the<br />
tax rate. 101<br />
In October 1957, Sputnik, the first satellite<br />
to orbit the earth and a product <strong>of</strong> the Soviet<br />
Union, shattered the nation’s belief that the<br />
United States was scientifically and technologically<br />
invincible. To recoup lost ground and<br />
regain scientific and technological supremacy,<br />
the country responded by supporting policies<br />
that accentuated student participation in<br />
biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> emulated the mood <strong>of</strong> the<br />
nation. When the football program was<br />
dropped, eliminating over twenty scholarships,<br />
the college established ten academic scholarships<br />
and strengthened the entrance requirements<br />
for math and science. 102<br />
Caroline Summers, speech and drama<br />
instructor, escorted her speech students to Big<br />
Spring, hoping to be competitive at the State<br />
Speech Meet in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1961. <strong>The</strong> students<br />
measured up to the task and captured the speech<br />
sweepstakes. Her team, reminiscent <strong>of</strong> the college<br />
days at Patti Welder, won three firsts, three<br />
seconds, and one third. <strong>The</strong> first place victors<br />
were Peggy Tolbert, poetry; James Wallace, oratory;<br />
and Ada Jackson, dramatic interpretation. 103<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> track and field athletes<br />
and the tennis players in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1961<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong>re were few empty chairs in<br />
the Student Union Building in<br />
the mornings.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 99
✯<br />
Coach Eddie Shinn, builder <strong>of</strong><br />
champions.<br />
performed superbly and took the Pioneer<br />
Conference titles in both sports. <strong>The</strong> thin clads<br />
at the conference track meet won nine first<br />
places. Meanwhile, the tennis squad won six out<br />
<strong>of</strong> seven matches on the first day <strong>of</strong> play. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
were so successful that the girl’s singles final was<br />
an all <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> affair. Although the golf<br />
team did not duplicate the feat <strong>of</strong> the track and<br />
tennis athletes, Bill Power won laurels for himself<br />
and the college by winning the conference<br />
golf title. 104<br />
<strong>The</strong> National Junior <strong>College</strong> Track and Field<br />
Meet at Big Spring in May 1961 proved to be<br />
Eddie Shinn’s finale as a coach. Although the<br />
local contingent experienced moments <strong>of</strong> joy,<br />
the Pirate competitors overall did not fare well.<br />
A rather inauspicious ending for a man whose<br />
teams dominated junior college track and field<br />
during the 1950s. 105<br />
Hurricane Carla, the largest in Texas history<br />
with estimated wind gusts <strong>of</strong> 175 miles per<br />
hour at Port Lavaca, savagely roared into the<br />
Coastal Bend area on September 11, 1961.<br />
Property damage along the Texas coast exceeded<br />
$300 million. Because <strong>of</strong> advanced warning,<br />
people on the coast fled inland. <strong>The</strong> college<br />
gym was turned into a refuge for individuals<br />
and families seeking shelter from the torrential<br />
rains, and the flying debris that carried a<br />
wallop strong enough to kill a human or a<br />
beast. Out <strong>of</strong> concern for the safety <strong>of</strong> students<br />
and college personnel, classes were postponed<br />
until the danger from the wind and flooded<br />
roads was irrelevant. <strong>The</strong> college suffered<br />
about $5,000 in damage from the hurricane, a<br />
minor figure compared to losses elsewhere in<br />
the region. 106<br />
Moore became actively involved in the local<br />
campaign promoted by the <strong>Victoria</strong> Chamber<br />
<strong>of</strong> Commerce to build a new civic center on a<br />
twenty acre tract <strong>of</strong> land east <strong>of</strong> the Science<br />
Building. He maintained the new complex<br />
would satisfy the college’s most immediate<br />
need, an air conditioned auditorium. As envisioned<br />
by the backers <strong>of</strong> the civic center, the<br />
college would cede the twenty acres in<br />
exchange for Brownson Home property that<br />
adjoined the northeast section <strong>of</strong> the campus,<br />
which presumably was going to be purchased<br />
from bond funds. <strong>The</strong> president called upon<br />
the student body, as well as the faculty, to take<br />
a role in getting the electorate to the polls on<br />
the bond election day. Moore’s efforts were in<br />
vain, the <strong>Victoria</strong> County voters rejected the<br />
bond issue. <strong>The</strong> setback, however, was temporary.<br />
Before the decade ended, the college had<br />
an auditorium. 107<br />
Ever since the Library and Science buildings<br />
were opened in 1958, “there had been some<br />
consideration given to installing a campus<br />
marker.” This goal was accomplished when the<br />
1962 sophomore class, as a departing gift, voted<br />
to install a sign. <strong>The</strong> college accepted the <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
and agreed to subsidize it. <strong>The</strong> marker was 28<br />
feet long, 5 feet high, made <strong>of</strong> hollow tile faced<br />
100 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
with brick with “15-inch-high aluminum letters<br />
spelling out ‘<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.’” It was placed at<br />
the corner <strong>of</strong> Ben Jordan and Red River streets.<br />
Floodlights were added and directed toward the<br />
sign so it could be seen at night. <strong>The</strong> marker<br />
became a college landmark. 108<br />
In 1962, the college conducted a self-study<br />
for reaffirmation by the Southern Association<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s and Secondary Schools. Dr. Roland<br />
Bing served as chairman <strong>of</strong> the self-study committee.<br />
<strong>The</strong> result <strong>of</strong> the hard work put in by<br />
the faculty was a report that Bing dubbed “the<br />
little red book” because <strong>of</strong> its scarlet cover.<br />
Since a majority <strong>of</strong> the faculty were not around<br />
when the initial study was made in the early<br />
1950s, apprehension as to what to expect from<br />
the organization was rampant on the campus, a<br />
malady that has afflicted those involved in succeeding<br />
self-studies. Moore was unperturbed,<br />
but not wishing to appear too overconfident,<br />
he remarked that “the administrative staff<br />
and faculty will be on their respective toes for<br />
the visit.” 109<br />
Chairing the three member reaccreditation<br />
committee was Dr. J. L. Ashmore, president<br />
<strong>of</strong> Pensacola (Florida) Junior <strong>College</strong>. <strong>The</strong><br />
educators spent April 8-11, 1962, on the<br />
campus analyzing college policies, checking to<br />
see if the educational institution measured<br />
up to the organization’s standards, and visiting<br />
with the faculty and students. At the conclusion<br />
<strong>of</strong> the visitation, Ashmore and his associates<br />
met with an assembled faculty in the Student<br />
Union. <strong>The</strong> chairman made a number <strong>of</strong><br />
humorous statements, praised the quality <strong>of</strong><br />
education at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, and then commented<br />
that the college would be reaccredited<br />
even though a few recommendations were<br />
made, a typical move by reaffirmation committees<br />
no matter how thorough the educational<br />
institution is in compiling its report. One <strong>of</strong><br />
the recommendations was a college incentive<br />
policy for instructors. <strong>The</strong> administration<br />
addressed this issue the following year. 110<br />
<strong>The</strong> first 13 years the college was at the Red<br />
River Street site were, to say the least, remarkable.<br />
Not only had the educational institution<br />
gained the confidence <strong>of</strong> the community by<br />
providing a quality education at minimal<br />
expense, but it was also recognized as one <strong>of</strong><br />
the best two-year colleges in the state. Even<br />
though there was not an appreciable rise in the<br />
cost <strong>of</strong> attending the college throughout this<br />
period, the campus experienced an expansion<br />
<strong>of</strong> facilities and faculty to meet the ever<br />
increasing demands <strong>of</strong> a rising enrollment.<br />
From the outset, the college insisted that student<br />
academic pr<strong>of</strong>iciency be equal to, if not<br />
better than, the first two years at senior colleges.<br />
Consequently, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> students<br />
who transferred to upper level educational<br />
institutions performed admirably. Whatever<br />
financial and academic accomplishments the<br />
college enjoyed during the thirteen-year span<br />
can be attributed to two men—J. D. Moore and<br />
John W. Stormont.<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> name marker was a gift from the<br />
1962 sophomore class.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Dynamic Duo ✦ 101
ENDNOTES<br />
1<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate, 20 July 1949, 9 August 1949; <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Board Minutes, 8 August 1949.<br />
2<br />
Registrar’s Records, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>; Advocate, 28 July 1949, 9 August 1949, 11 August 1949, 18 August 1949.<br />
3<br />
VC Minutes, 12 July 1949.<br />
4<br />
Advocate, 9 August 1949, 21 August 1949.<br />
5<br />
VC Minutes, 13 June 1949.<br />
6<br />
Lois Lunsford, letter to author, 7 September 1997; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 15 January 1965.<br />
7<br />
Lunsford, letter to author.<br />
8<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 23 February 1968; J. D. Moore, interview with author, 8 May 1995; Advocate, 13 September 1949.<br />
9<br />
Registrar’s Records, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
10<br />
Lunsford, letter to author.<br />
11<br />
Advocate, 15 September 1949.<br />
12<br />
<strong>The</strong> Pirate, 1950; Advocate, 19 September 1949.<br />
13<br />
Kemper Williams, Jr., letter to author, 22 September 1997.<br />
14<br />
Ibid.<br />
15<br />
Billy Mullen, interview with author, 8 August 1998; Advocate, 2 November 1949.<br />
16<br />
Advocate, 18 November 1949.<br />
17<br />
Ibid., 14 March 1950.<br />
18<br />
Ibid., 14 April 1950.<br />
19<br />
Ibid., 10 April 1950, 16 April 1950.<br />
20<br />
Ibid., 16 April 1950.<br />
21<br />
Ibid.<br />
22<br />
Ibid.<br />
23<br />
Ibid.<br />
24<br />
Ibid., 30 May 1950.<br />
25<br />
Ibid., 18 July 1950, 20 August 1950; Wilbur Collins, tape interview with author, 12 August 1997.<br />
26<br />
Collins, tape interview.<br />
27<br />
Ibid.<br />
28<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 15 November 1950.<br />
29<br />
VC Minutes, 4 December 1950; Advocate, 5 December 1950; Ibid., 19 December 1950.<br />
30<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 18 April 1951.<br />
31<br />
Ibid., 18 January 1951.<br />
32<br />
Ibid., 18 April 1951.<br />
33<br />
Pirate, 1951.<br />
34<br />
Registrar’s Records, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>; Advocate, 12 February 1952.<br />
35<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 11 January 1952; Advocate, 15 January 1952.<br />
36<br />
Pirate, 1952; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 29 November 1950.<br />
37<br />
Pirate, 1952; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 7 May 1952.<br />
38<br />
Pirate, 1952.<br />
39<br />
Advocate, 10 June 1952, 15 June 1952, 14 July 1953; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 13 October 1952.<br />
40<br />
James Simons, interview with author, 14 July 1998.<br />
41<br />
Advocate, 12 August 1952, 13 May 1953.<br />
42<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 13 October 1952; Ibid., 1 October 1953, 3 December 1969.<br />
43<br />
Advocate, 19 October 1952.<br />
44<br />
Larry Shook, letter to author, 23 May 1997.<br />
45<br />
Advocate, 9 December 1952.<br />
46<br />
Jim Lehrer, A Bus <strong>of</strong> My Own (New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1992), 28-29.<br />
47<br />
Advocate, 10 May 1953, 13 May 1953.<br />
48<br />
Pirate, 1953.<br />
102 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
49<br />
Registrar’s Records, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
50<br />
Advocate, 8 November 1959; Lunsford, letter to author.<br />
51<br />
Advocate, 15 February 1954; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 19 February 1954.<br />
52<br />
Advocate, 4 March 1954.<br />
53<br />
Ibid., 16 May 1954.<br />
54<br />
Vollie Williams, letter to author, 28 July 1998.<br />
55<br />
Ibid.<br />
56<br />
Advocate, 7 June 1954; San Antonio Register, 18 July 1954; C. R. Callis, tape interview with author, 9 January 1996.<br />
57<br />
Advocate, 15 June 1954, 14 September 1954; VC Minutes, 14 June 1954.<br />
58<br />
Chadbourne Whitmore, telephone interview with author, 7 October 1996; Mary Doughtie, interview with author, 14 July 1998.<br />
59<br />
Whitmore, telephone interview.<br />
60<br />
Lunsford, letter to author.<br />
61<br />
Registrar’s Records, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>; Advocate, 14 September 1954.<br />
62<br />
VC Minutes, 13 September 1954; Advocate, 14 September 1954.<br />
63<br />
Advocate, 13 March 1956; VC Minutes, 12 March 1956; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 28 March 1956.<br />
64<br />
Advocate, 15 February 1955, 14 June 1955; VC Minutes, 13 June 1955.<br />
65<br />
VC Minutes, 13 June 1955; Advocate, 14 June 1955.<br />
66<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 25 May 1955.<br />
67<br />
Pirate, 1956.<br />
68<br />
Ibid.<br />
69<br />
Advocate, 26 May 1956, 10 July 1956.<br />
70<br />
Pirate, 1957; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 18 January 1957.<br />
71<br />
Advocate, 11 September 1956; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 24 October 1956.<br />
72<br />
VC Minutes, 10 December 1956; Advocate, 11 December 1956; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 17 December 1956.<br />
73<br />
Advocate, 11 December 1956; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 17 December 1956.<br />
74<br />
VC Minutes, 7 January 1957; Advocate, 8 January 1957.<br />
75<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 18 January 1957.<br />
76<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Faculty Minutes, 28 January 1957.<br />
77<br />
Ibid., 14 December 1956.<br />
78<br />
VC Minutes, 4 February 1957; Advocate, 30 January 1957.<br />
79<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 12 April 1957.<br />
80<br />
Advocate, 18-19 May 1957.<br />
81<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 1 November 1957, 27 November 1957.<br />
82<br />
Ibid., 27 November 1957, 14 April 1958; Pirate, 1958.<br />
83<br />
Advocate, 18 May 1958.<br />
84<br />
Ibid., 17 June 1958.<br />
85<br />
Ibid., 15 July 1958.<br />
86<br />
Ibid., 13 January 1959; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 30 January 1959.<br />
87<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 11 March 1959.<br />
88<br />
Advocate, 10 February 1959; Ibid., 20 February 1959.<br />
89<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 24 April 1959.<br />
90<br />
Roger Van Rekom, tape interview with author, 7 June 1997; Ibid., 11 March 1997.<br />
91<br />
Pirate, 1959; Advocate, 17 May 1959.<br />
92<br />
Advocate, 15 June 1954, 14 April 1959; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 24 April 1959.<br />
93<br />
Advocate, 14 July 1959; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 5 February 1960; Pirate, 1960.<br />
94<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 9 December 1960; Advocate, 12 July 1960.<br />
95<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 2 September 1960, 3 October 1960.<br />
96<br />
Ibid., 2 October 1960.<br />
97<br />
Advocate, 25 October 1960.<br />
98<br />
Alfred Allen, interview with author, 27 July 1998.<br />
99<br />
Advocate, 15 November 1960; VC Faculty Minutes, 12 December 1960.<br />
Endnotes ✦ 103
100<br />
Advocate, 15 December 1960.<br />
101<br />
Ibid., 15 December 1960, 10 July 1961; J. D. Moore, telephone interview with author, 24 July 1998; Allen, interview with author.<br />
102<br />
Advocate, 14 March 1961.<br />
103<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 14 April 1961.<br />
104<br />
Ibid., 12 May 1961.<br />
105<br />
Advocate, 21 May 1961.<br />
106<br />
Ibid., 15 September 1961.<br />
107<br />
Ibid., 10 July 1961; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 27 October 1961.<br />
108<br />
Advocate, 14 November 1961, 13 March 1962; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 6 April 1962.<br />
109<br />
Advocate, 9 January 1962.<br />
110<br />
Ibid.<br />
104 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
✯<br />
A mid-1950s <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Women’s Sports Association,<br />
sponsored by Esther Etzel, the fifth<br />
person from the right.<br />
Below: Ronald Koss, Coach Eddie<br />
Shinn, and Ynacensio Cantu stand<br />
behind <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s first national<br />
track trophy.<br />
Bottom, left: FORE!<br />
Endnotes ✦ 105
106 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
CHAPTER 5<br />
TURMOIL AND CONSISTENCY<br />
During the 1960s, students across the nation took issue with what they considered the inhibiting,<br />
materialistic society <strong>of</strong> their parents. Crew cuts gave way to long hair, unkempt attire replaced neat<br />
dress, disrespect for authority became commonplace, openness in sexual relations punctured the firewall<br />
that kept intimate relations from becoming a public spectacle, minorities insisted on their rightful<br />
share <strong>of</strong> the American pie, cynicism toward political figures permeated the campuses, and bad<br />
manners rewrote the book on etiquette. Social historians continually explore and search for causes <strong>of</strong><br />
the societal transformation and its long term results.<br />
Even though the overall campus atmosphere was passive, the college was not completely<br />
untouched by the momentous events <strong>of</strong> the decade. With the conservative social and political environment<br />
<strong>of</strong> the community, any challenge to the status quo was <strong>of</strong>ten looked upon as an extension<br />
<strong>of</strong> the tumultuous occurrences elsewhere. To many at the college, support for the Civil Rights Act <strong>of</strong><br />
1964, skepticism as to the validity <strong>of</strong> the Vietnam War, calls for a new student dress code, political<br />
activism, or the slightest verbal nourishment for controversial items cast a suspicious light upon a<br />
student or a faculty member. Consequently, divisiveness, albeit minor except for personal differences,<br />
developed among the faculty. Aspersions were cast against those who were viewed as coddling<br />
deviant attitudes that threatened the very existence <strong>of</strong> society. A running joke among the faculty was<br />
that if two or more instructors were standing and talking in the hall, there was some sort <strong>of</strong> conspiracy<br />
afoot, or as one senior faculty member remarked, “a cabal.”<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> never came close to replicating the student unrest at the major college campuses,<br />
such as the University <strong>of</strong> California at Berkeley and the University <strong>of</strong> Texas at Austin. David<br />
Urbano, a <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> alumnus and a keen observer <strong>of</strong> Mexican-American social and political<br />
behavioral patterns in Texas, provides an explanation as to why, at least, there was not the Mexican-<br />
American upheaval at the college that was experienced elsewhere. He maintains that “<strong>Victoria</strong> was<br />
a very conservative community and that conservatism is still ingrained in the community’s ethos,<br />
numerous parents admonished their children never to engage in activities that would tarnish the<br />
family name,” and “the lack <strong>of</strong> minority representation at the city, county, and school boards made<br />
many feel politically powerless to challenge the existing system.” Urbano further observes that<br />
“some Mexican-American parents felt that if their children participated in radical politics the representatives<br />
<strong>of</strong> the economic and political power structures could have unleashed a severe backlash<br />
that would have wreaked havoc on families already struggling to pursue the American dream.”<br />
Moreover, he argues that “the goals and aspirations <strong>of</strong> many <strong>of</strong> the social activists were commendable,<br />
many were in high school and their youth and inexperience necessitated a community leader<br />
to step forth and <strong>of</strong>fer guidance and direction.” Finally, Urbano points out that an insensitive media,<br />
which sometimes equated protest with communism, did not “disseminate the movement’s goals and<br />
aspirations to a community.” 1<br />
Despite the verbal warfare over social and political issues, the faculty was united in the basic goals<br />
and missions <strong>of</strong> the college—to put forth challenging course work to prepare transfer or terminal students<br />
for their future endeavors and to serve the community’s broad educational needs. From the<br />
administration down to the classroom instructor, there existed a sincere cooperative spirit to achieve<br />
these desired ends. <strong>The</strong> administrators provided the tools for academic development, the necessary<br />
resources for classroom settings, and, to their credit, they did not enter the teacher’s classroom<br />
domain. Pride in being a member <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> family and dedication to producing quality<br />
course work at nominal cost to the student and to the taxpayer has never been lacking among the<br />
faculty and administration.<br />
<strong>The</strong> college took significant steps to upgrade the physical plant in the 1960s. Although faculty<br />
<strong>of</strong>fices were already air conditioned, classrooms in the Administration Building, currently the<br />
✯<br />
Richard Walker presents a lecture to<br />
his history students.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 107
✯<br />
V. T. Kallus managed the bookstore<br />
and taught classes in agriculture.<br />
Academic Building, were not climate controlled<br />
until the summer <strong>of</strong> 1962. Because the administration<br />
deemed a central air system as too costly,<br />
a small unit was installed to cool down every<br />
two rooms. <strong>The</strong> air conditioners, located in the<br />
classrooms, were extremely noisy, and one room<br />
was usually warmer than the other, causing friction<br />
between faculty members who wanted their<br />
room colder than hotter or hotter than colder.<br />
<strong>The</strong> units were unreliable and frequently quit<br />
working, thus causing instructors either to<br />
move their classes to vacant rooms with functioning<br />
air conditioners or to open the windows.<br />
Although there were problems with the cooling<br />
systems, the classroom environment was, nevertheless,<br />
greatly improved. 2<br />
Prior to the installation <strong>of</strong> the air conditioners,<br />
windows were opened for ventilation.<br />
Invariably the shrubs that lined the outside <strong>of</strong><br />
the classroom buildings, and the ivy that draped<br />
the exterior facade, housed nests <strong>of</strong> yellow jackets.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se insects invaded the classrooms and<br />
buzzed the students and instructors, making<br />
education secondary as students and teachers<br />
dodged and swatted, sometimes blindly, at the<br />
intruding yellow jackets. As a matter <strong>of</strong> self protection,<br />
alertness was the order <strong>of</strong> the day.<br />
Because the number <strong>of</strong> classes were limited<br />
and central air conditioning was available, summer<br />
school was conducted in the Science<br />
Building for most <strong>of</strong> the 1960s. <strong>The</strong>re was, however,<br />
a certain problem associated with teaching<br />
in the Science Building. <strong>The</strong> cooling system was<br />
cut <strong>of</strong>f on Friday afternoon to save money. Over<br />
the weekend the building warmed. Early<br />
Monday morning, the unit was turned on.<br />
When the cool air collided with the heat, moisture<br />
collected on the desk tops, resulting in student<br />
note pads and books becoming damp.<br />
Besides installing the air conditioners in the<br />
Administration Building in 1962, construction<br />
<strong>of</strong> a metal maintenance building began and in<br />
October the edifice was completed. <strong>The</strong> new<br />
building was designed to replace a frame structure<br />
the college purchased in 1948 for $500. 3<br />
Salary schedules, effective for the 1963-1964<br />
academic year, were revised in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1963<br />
by the board in response to a Southern<br />
Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s and Secondary Schools<br />
recommendation that the college develop an<br />
incentive program to encourage faculty members<br />
to acquire additional college hours. Basic starting<br />
salary for an instructor with a master’s degree was<br />
increased from $4,800 to $5,000 and for a doctor’s<br />
degree from $5,000 to $5,600. Incorporated<br />
in the scale was a new category—master’s degree<br />
plus 30 semester hours—which had a beginning<br />
salary <strong>of</strong> $5,300. Yearly increments <strong>of</strong> $150<br />
108 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
up to a maximum <strong>of</strong> 12 years were permitted.<br />
President Moore stated that the college goal<br />
was to have 40 percent <strong>of</strong> the instructors holding<br />
a master’s degree or better and 20 percent<br />
with an earned doctor’s degree by 1966. <strong>The</strong><br />
college had little difficulty attaining the 40 percent,<br />
but fell woefully short <strong>of</strong> reaching the 20<br />
percent figure. 4<br />
Monroe Northcutt’s track team in the spring<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1963 enjoyed its best season since the glory<br />
days <strong>of</strong> the national championships. <strong>The</strong> squad<br />
won first place at the San Antonio <strong>College</strong><br />
Invitational, Blinn Invitational, Pirate Relays,<br />
Harlandale Relays, and Alamo Heights tournament.<br />
At the national track meet in Big Spring,<br />
the Howard County tracksters proved to be<br />
unbeatable, producing four records and tying<br />
two. <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> finished third at the meet.<br />
Phoenix, Arizona, edged the Pirates for second<br />
place by a single point. An outstanding performance<br />
was made by <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> thin<br />
clad Roger Kirkwood. He established a record<br />
for the mile run and won the 880 yard dash.<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong>ns also captured the sprint medley<br />
relay. Participating on the relay team were<br />
Kirkwood, John Brandon, Timm Mikulenka,<br />
and John Kiesling. 5<br />
Troubled by societal changes that were <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
blamed on the new music craze <strong>of</strong> rock and roll<br />
and long hair, the administration, ever sensitive<br />
to cultural modifications, issued a Student<br />
Union membership card. <strong>The</strong> privilege <strong>of</strong> using<br />
the facility was denied to any student who<br />
engaged in a public demonstration <strong>of</strong> affection,<br />
spoke or laughed too loudly, played domino<br />
games before 11:14 a.m., or played card games<br />
anytime. Also, male students were not allowed<br />
to wear hats or caps inside the building. Faculty<br />
members were assigned to police the Student<br />
Union and to ask any <strong>of</strong>fending student to leave.<br />
Furthermore, shorts, culottes, pedal pushers,<br />
blue jeans, and slacks were considered inappropriate<br />
apparel for coeds to wear on the campus.<br />
When an instructor brought up the dress code<br />
at a faculty meeting, pointing out that the outlawed<br />
attire was not as revealing as the permissible<br />
mini skirts, he was ridiculed by the administration<br />
for questioning the dress policy. 6<br />
So as not to leave the impression that the college<br />
was a drab, lusterless place, let it be noted<br />
that there were considerable student activities<br />
sponsored by the college that permitted students<br />
to enjoy lively social experiences. <strong>The</strong><br />
types <strong>of</strong> social affairs ran the gamut from formal<br />
dances to country/western entertainment. While<br />
a live band played the appropriate music, students<br />
did the twist, Cotton-Eyed Joe, waltz, or<br />
two-step. Loud, ear-shattering music vibrated<br />
the walls <strong>of</strong> the Student Union, <strong>of</strong>ten irritating<br />
the faculty members who were required to<br />
chaperone these social gatherings. Normally,<br />
when a dance was in progress, instructors and<br />
administrators sat at a distance and played<br />
cards, dominoes, scrabble, or some other game,<br />
leaving their chairs every so <strong>of</strong>ten to tell the<br />
band to reduce the volume.<br />
✯<br />
Carolyn Toalson adjusts her PTK cap.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 109
✯<br />
Top, left: Dr. John W. Stormont<br />
recognizes Glenn Hackstedt as winner<br />
<strong>of</strong> Western Week’s Best Beard Contest.<br />
Top, right: Charles Spurlin, history<br />
instructor, serves a hot dog to a<br />
student at a freshmen picnic.<br />
Other social affairs sponsored by the college<br />
included the annual freshmen picnic, either at<br />
the Student Union or local public park, and an<br />
out-<strong>of</strong>-town sophomore trip. At the picnics, hot<br />
dogs with all the trimmings were served, while<br />
the students enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere in<br />
their slacks, pedal pushers, or blue jeans. With<br />
music pouring from the radios, the young ladies<br />
and men demonstrated how light <strong>of</strong> foot they<br />
were. <strong>The</strong> sophomore excursions <strong>of</strong>ten involved<br />
similar activities and occasionally a playful<br />
adventure at a swimming pool. Naturally, the<br />
students wore bathing suits. Even the faculty<br />
who disliked the college dress code frowned<br />
upon skinny dipping.<br />
Let it not be forgotten that Western Week,<br />
later Western Day, gave students a lively outlet<br />
for their energies. This was the extracurricular<br />
event that linked the students <strong>of</strong> the 1950s with<br />
those <strong>of</strong> the 1960s. Harmless pranks by students<br />
were commonplace in both decades. Vollie<br />
Williams, an athlete in the mid-1950s, remembered<br />
how he and some <strong>of</strong> his friends caused a<br />
commotion with a four-legged animal in the<br />
boys’ dorm during Western Week. He remarked<br />
that “a bunch <strong>of</strong> us put a donkey in an upstairs<br />
room…while the guys were gone. <strong>The</strong>y were<br />
quite shocked when they came in…face to face<br />
with a donkey, early the next morning…<strong>The</strong><br />
donkey was not ‘house-broke’…[It] did mess up<br />
the room!!!” 7<br />
Dr. C. A. Talley who came to the college in<br />
1961 to teach economics was imminently associated<br />
with the Western Week activities after he<br />
became director <strong>of</strong> student personnel. He<br />
recalled the progressive extinction <strong>of</strong> the event<br />
in the 1960s. Talley noted:<br />
About twenty ‘Mafiosos’ from Port Lavaca<br />
came dressed in black with derby hats and carrying<br />
violin cases. <strong>The</strong>y gathered at a large table<br />
in the Student Union. <strong>The</strong> Sheriff’s deputies and<br />
many ‘cowboy’ members <strong>of</strong> a posse attempted to<br />
arrest and put the ‘city slickers’ in jail. In the<br />
scuffle the glass <strong>of</strong> the door <strong>of</strong> the Student Union<br />
110 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
was broken out. <strong>The</strong> mafiosos left with a threat<br />
to return with real guns. As Director <strong>of</strong> Student<br />
Personnel, and an ‘O.K. Corral’ in the making, I<br />
decided to call in the police who stopped the<br />
Port Lavaca men at the campus entrances. <strong>The</strong><br />
next day the iron-barred jail was missing. It was<br />
later retrieved from the Guadalupe River where a<br />
fisherman had encountered it. ‘Western Week’<br />
was reduced to three days the next year.<br />
During a city-wide western parade a flat-bed<br />
truck moved down Main Street with an old<br />
wooden outdoor toilet with ‘VICTORIA COL-<br />
LEGE’ painted on it. Someone inside was hollering<br />
and beating on the walls. Viewers were<br />
amused but the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> administration<br />
was not. Western Week was again shortened for<br />
the next year.<br />
Vehicles came onto campus loaded with beer<br />
and other such beverages. <strong>The</strong> hallways became<br />
clogged with boisterous ‘cowboys’ who were<br />
noisy and discourteous. One faculty member<br />
who apparently thought he was being accosted<br />
nearly ‘ran down’ a ‘Sheriff’ who had decided to<br />
arrest him. <strong>The</strong> Sheriff jumped to avoid being<br />
hit, landed on the hood and crashed into the<br />
windshield, breaking it. Another student was<br />
found in a stupor on the floor <strong>of</strong> the men’s restroom.<br />
<strong>The</strong> student became very uncooperative<br />
and had to be arrested. Several other such events<br />
occurred. Western Week was shortened to one<br />
day for the next year.<br />
An attempt was made to place a faculty member<br />
in jail for not wearing western clothes.<br />
Unknown to the ‘lawmen’ the faculty member<br />
had clinical claustrophobia. <strong>The</strong> faculty member<br />
fled the campus for the day. Other irregularities<br />
occurred and Western Week was shortened to<br />
✯<br />
Top: Students at a Western<br />
Week dance.<br />
Below: Dr. C. A. Talley lectures to an<br />
economics class.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 111
✯<br />
Dr. Roland E. Bing is busy at his desk<br />
in the Administration Building.<br />
one afternoon for next year. Eventually, Western<br />
Week rode <strong>of</strong>f into the sunset. 8<br />
In the meantime, freshman Gayle Wagner<br />
won the 1963 4-H Dress Review held in Dallas.<br />
Her award winning dress was a sheer wool flannel<br />
with a mohair matching coat. Wagner wore<br />
a mohair pillbox hat to go along with her<br />
ensemble. She was given an all-expense paid<br />
trip to the National 4-H Congress in Chicago for<br />
her achievement. 9<br />
Dr. John W. Stormont decided the time had<br />
come to step down as dean and vice president<br />
in 1964. Before <strong>of</strong>ficially presenting his resignation<br />
to the board, he informed the faculty <strong>of</strong><br />
his intent. Stormont stated that he wanted<br />
more time to pursue private interests. He <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
remarked, in jest, that whenever the student<br />
daytime enrollment reached 1,000, it was<br />
time for him to step down. <strong>The</strong> college was<br />
on the verge <strong>of</strong> breaking that mark. <strong>The</strong><br />
board reluctantly accepted his request to resign<br />
on January 13. After his resignation, which<br />
took effect on July 1, he assumed the responsibilities<br />
as director <strong>of</strong> the Evening School and<br />
part-time government instructor. 10<br />
As an instructor, the former dean carried his<br />
notes, textbook, handouts, and tests to class in a<br />
cardboard box. He walked into his room, placed<br />
the box on the teacher’s table, took out a pocket<br />
watch that must have cost at least two or three<br />
dollars, set it on the table, and began teaching.<br />
When Stormont finished, he placed his notes<br />
back inside the cardboard box, the watch in his<br />
pocket, and left the room.<br />
Replacing Stormont as dean was Dr. Roland<br />
E. Bing, assistant dean and director <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Evening School and an individual well-liked by<br />
the faculty and the community. One <strong>of</strong> Bing’s<br />
personal characteristics was a distinguishable<br />
giggle that caused everyone in hearing distance<br />
to take notice. He was bright, current on educational<br />
matters, a booster <strong>of</strong> the faculty, a fiscal<br />
conservative, and a hands-on administrator. <strong>The</strong><br />
new president was on occasion socially crass<br />
and a distributor <strong>of</strong> nicknames to faculty members<br />
(e.g., Audley Dry was “Prohibition” and<br />
Blake Farmer was “Progressive Farmer”).<br />
William F. Buckley, Jr., a syndicated columnist,<br />
compared him to author Truman Capote in<br />
social habits and looks. 11<br />
Ruth Williams served as the <strong>College</strong> Choir<br />
director for thirty-seven years. During her<br />
tenure, she sought to achieve four goals: to<br />
“attain better vocal habits for the future <strong>of</strong><br />
each student; to teach basic literature for<br />
their education; to utilize contemporary music<br />
for their enjoyment and social lives; and to tour<br />
112 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
to the max to produce the most finished<br />
performance level.” 12<br />
In 1963, Williams formed the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Corraliers. <strong>The</strong>se “select voices” were given the<br />
high honor <strong>of</strong> performing in the Texas Pavilion<br />
on May 28-29, 1964, at the New York World’s<br />
Fair. <strong>The</strong> eighteen singers left <strong>Victoria</strong> for the<br />
Big Apple on May 23 in three vans. <strong>The</strong>y “sang<br />
each night on the way to and fro to earn their<br />
dinner, bed and breakfast,” presenting programs<br />
at churches and colleges. When the troupe<br />
reached the nation’s capitol, it stopped long<br />
enough to have breakfast and visit with<br />
Congressman Clark Thompson. When the<br />
Corraliers arrived at Senator Ralph Yarborough’s<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice, the Senator “asked them to sing and<br />
opened the door so his neighboring salons<br />
could hear.” Among the vocalists were three students<br />
(Linda Pennington, Kathleen Hummel,<br />
and Joan Horton) known as the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Girls Trio who performed special renditions.<br />
Exhausted but satisfied with their performances<br />
on the tour, the local group arrived back in<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> on June 6. Frank Deaver, history<br />
instructor and publicist for the trip, summed up<br />
the general feeling <strong>of</strong> the students and accompanying<br />
faculty members when he remarked,<br />
“Everybody’s happy to be back in Texas.” 13<br />
Because there was a need for additional classrooms<br />
and intercollegiate athletics was downsized,<br />
the Boys’ Dormitory was converted into a<br />
Language Arts Building during the summer <strong>of</strong><br />
1964. <strong>The</strong> basketball and track students on<br />
scholarship who normally resided in the dormitory<br />
were provided room and board <strong>of</strong>f campus,<br />
a move that proved to be undesirable for the<br />
college. Whereas the athletes living in the dorm<br />
had adult supervision, the apartments where<br />
they lived were undersupervised. To the chagrin<br />
<strong>of</strong> the administration, parties and midnight<br />
swims were not out <strong>of</strong> the ordinary for the funloving<br />
young men. 14<br />
<strong>The</strong> board decided at its September 1964<br />
meeting to follow the recommendation <strong>of</strong> Moore<br />
and authorized the construction <strong>of</strong> a much<br />
needed auditorium. Seating capacity for the<br />
building was projected to be slightly over 1,000,<br />
ample space for the college according to the<br />
president. Moore told the board that he had visited<br />
with college <strong>of</strong>ficials in the state and was<br />
informed that <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> did not “need a<br />
big auditorium” because “it doesn’t seem practical<br />
to build a large one when this size will be<br />
good for 20 to 25 years.” 15<br />
Payment for the auditorium was made possible<br />
by a new state law that permitted the college<br />
✯<br />
Corraliers Linda Pennington and<br />
Mickey Regen visit with Senator<br />
Ralph Yarborough on their way to the<br />
1964 New York World’s Fair.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 113
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> Final Grades Are Posted!<br />
to assess students a building use fee. <strong>The</strong> board<br />
was enthusiastic over the manner <strong>of</strong> raising new<br />
revenue without having to go to the taxpayers<br />
for a bond issue. Dr. C. P. Bauer, considered a<br />
leading authority on acoustics and a pr<strong>of</strong>essor at<br />
the University <strong>of</strong> Texas at Austin, was employed<br />
as a consultant. Unfortunately, cost overruns<br />
caused a scaling back on the original plans. <strong>The</strong><br />
auditorium, as envisioned by Moore, was to<br />
house the art department, but, because construction<br />
expenditures eclipsed the budget, the<br />
plans were altered, and the art classes continued<br />
to be taught in the Administration Building. 16<br />
In 1965, Louise Hume was appointed registrar,<br />
replacing Leona Jones, who retired after<br />
having been associated with the college for<br />
over twenty years. <strong>The</strong> new registrar had been<br />
employed by the college in 1957 as a business<br />
instructor and in 1962 became dean <strong>of</strong> women.<br />
As the registrar, she was a dominant force in<br />
the daily management <strong>of</strong> the educational institution.<br />
Hume oversaw the transition from<br />
manual record keeping to computers. Her<br />
duties included developing schedules, recruiting,<br />
consulting students on classes, handling<br />
public relations, assisting in generating the college<br />
catalogue, and carrying out certain graduation<br />
responsibilities. 17<br />
Duties <strong>of</strong> the Registrar’s Office changed drastically<br />
by the early 1990s. Martha Watts, assistant<br />
to Hume, succeeded to the position in<br />
1991. Her functions became more specialized<br />
and highly refined. Counseling <strong>of</strong> students by<br />
the registrar was eliminated and, following a<br />
trend developed by the Social Sciences<br />
Department, scheduling <strong>of</strong> classes was turned<br />
over to the divisions. One casualty <strong>of</strong> the change<br />
in counseling procedure was less student interaction<br />
with the faculty. Another change in the<br />
Registrar’s Office was brought about by the<br />
Coordinating Board’s directives becoming more<br />
restrictive, requiring the assignment <strong>of</strong> a staff<br />
member to concentrate on the compilation <strong>of</strong><br />
reports for the state agency. 18<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> students performed<br />
admirably in intercollegiate and other extracurricular<br />
activities in 1965. In sports, Harold<br />
Gardner’s linksters won the Gulf Coast Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> Athletic Conference championship for<br />
the fourth consecutive year. Coach Monroe<br />
Northcutt’s thin clads won numerous events<br />
throughout the season but fell short <strong>of</strong> a national<br />
championship, placing second to a “powerhouse”<br />
squad from Phoenix, Arizona, at the<br />
National Junior <strong>College</strong> Track and Field Meet in<br />
Garden City, Kansas. Pirate Donnie Coker<br />
received special recognition in Kansas by being<br />
named the outstanding individual performer.<br />
And, perform he did. Coker set a new 220 yard<br />
dash record; came in second to teammate Larry<br />
McCartney in the 100 yard dash; and ran with<br />
Norman Borth, McCartney, and Arthur Jackson<br />
on the first place 440 yard sprint relay team. 19<br />
Impressive also were the journalism students<br />
who received accolades for their quality work<br />
under the sponsorship <strong>of</strong> Frank Deaver during<br />
the 1964-1965 academic year. At the Texas<br />
114 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Junior <strong>College</strong> Press Association convention at<br />
Texas A&M University in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1964, the<br />
college newspaper was awarded the first place<br />
trophy and was presented the sweepstakes<br />
award for accumulating the most points in<br />
spring competition. Furthermore, three staff<br />
members (Larna Gregory, Mary Streetman, and<br />
Linda Tipton) were elected <strong>of</strong>ficers <strong>of</strong> the organization.<br />
In the spring <strong>of</strong> 1965, the Jolly Roger<br />
journalists won the association’s sweepstakes<br />
honor for the second consecutive year. First<br />
place awards went to Bruce Spinks for editorial<br />
writing and Gary Smith for cartoons. 20<br />
<strong>The</strong> Singing Corraliers were chosen by the<br />
Alamo Mission Chapter <strong>of</strong> the Daughters <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Republic <strong>of</strong> Texas to perform during the spring<br />
1965 chapel procession at the annual Fiesta San<br />
Antonio. <strong>The</strong>ir performance was part <strong>of</strong> a special<br />
ceremony paying homage to the fallen<br />
defenders <strong>of</strong> the Alamo. Among the other participants<br />
at the observance were military leaders,<br />
city and state <strong>of</strong>ficials, patriotic and civic<br />
organizations, and personnel from the San<br />
Antonio schools. <strong>The</strong> dignitaries led a floral<br />
laden procession from the Municipal<br />
Auditorium to the Alamo. 21<br />
Two significant policy changes effective for<br />
the fall semester were made by the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> to conform to practices at other colleges.<br />
Prior to 1964, all classes at the college<br />
were 50 minutes long and met three times per<br />
week. That meant that an instructor might have<br />
one day with two classes and another day with<br />
four or five. Other colleges and universities got<br />
around this disparity by conducting Saturday<br />
morning classes. By the 1960s, weekend sessions<br />
were eliminated and all Tuesday-Thursday<br />
lecture classes were lengthened to an hour<br />
and 15 minutes. Not all the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
faculty were pleased with the new policy.<br />
✯<br />
Coach Harold Gardner gives<br />
instructions to his golf team.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 115
✯<br />
Ronnie Jones performs at a college<br />
assembly.<br />
<strong>The</strong> main argument expressed against the<br />
change was that the longer classes could work to<br />
the disadvantage <strong>of</strong> the students who had short<br />
attention spans. <strong>The</strong> other policy alteration<br />
adopted by the college involved going from a<br />
three point grade system to the more common<br />
four point system. 22<br />
Ten acres were added to the campus in the<br />
fall <strong>of</strong> 1965 when the board agreed to purchase<br />
land from the Brownson Estate for $50,000.<br />
Moore was told by board members that “we had<br />
better acquire the property while we have the<br />
opportunity.” <strong>The</strong> acquisition increased the college<br />
land holding to 50 acres. 23<br />
Day school fall enrollment at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
climbed from 702 in 1961 to 1,554 in 1966.<br />
Baby Boomers and accelerated United States<br />
participation in Vietnam had a conspicuous<br />
impact on the college’s increased enrollment<br />
during the 1960s. <strong>The</strong> bulk <strong>of</strong> children born to<br />
World War II era parents reached college age<br />
during the decade, sending record numbers <strong>of</strong><br />
students to higher education institutions. 24<br />
<strong>The</strong> Vietnam War also played a role in the<br />
increased number <strong>of</strong> college students. Many college-age<br />
males disdained the thought <strong>of</strong> being a<br />
casualty in this highly unpopular conflict and<br />
avoided military service by attending college.<br />
Deferments from military service were granted<br />
for four calendar years to students making satisfactory<br />
progress toward a bachelor’s degree. <strong>The</strong><br />
draft-eligible males had to take and pass at least<br />
twelve semester hours each semester. If a student<br />
was placed on scholastic probation or was<br />
not taking the required minimum hours, the<br />
college notified the local draft board. To ward<br />
<strong>of</strong>f criticism from parents whose children did<br />
not meet the standard, Bing commented that if a<br />
student was drafted “it’s the draft board’s decision<br />
and not that <strong>of</strong> the college.” 25<br />
When the college was created in <strong>1925</strong>, it was<br />
under the supervision <strong>of</strong> the Texas State<br />
Department <strong>of</strong> Education and after 1949, the<br />
Texas Education Agency; thus, state laws that<br />
governed the junior colleges were generally the<br />
same as those applied to independent school<br />
districts. In 1965, the legislature, acting on a<br />
proposal by Governor John Connally, established<br />
the Coordinating Board, Texas <strong>College</strong><br />
and University System. All public junior colleges<br />
in the state were placed under the supervision<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Commissioner <strong>of</strong> Higher Education,<br />
an appointee <strong>of</strong> the Coordinating Board. An<br />
objective <strong>of</strong> the new arrangement was to make it<br />
less difficult for two-year college students to<br />
transfer to senior colleges by creating regulations<br />
that would permit junior colleges and senior<br />
institutions to work together harmoniously.<br />
Whether or not the Coordinating Board has<br />
accomplished that goal remains debatable<br />
among educators. 26<br />
116 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
In the spring <strong>of</strong> 1966, journalism students<br />
were thrilled to learn that <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> was<br />
the first two-year institution to be accepted as a<br />
participant in a new intern plan sponsored by<br />
<strong>The</strong> Texas Daily Newspaper Association. <strong>The</strong><br />
program was designed “to train and encourage<br />
students who plan to obtain a journalism degree<br />
and enter the newspaper pr<strong>of</strong>ession.” Student<br />
interns worked during vacations at one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
seventy-two state newspapers that were members<br />
<strong>of</strong> the organization. 27<br />
Grand opening events for the new Fine Arts<br />
Auditorium were conducted on October 11,<br />
1966. A morning assembly, featuring foreign<br />
service <strong>of</strong>ficer T. Patrick Killough as the speaker,<br />
kicked <strong>of</strong>f the day’s festivities. That evening<br />
“an exciting musical act,” the nationally<br />
renown Four Freshman, performed before an<br />
estimated audience <strong>of</strong> 700, most <strong>of</strong> whom were<br />
faculty and community residents. A capacity<br />
crowd <strong>of</strong> 1,019 was expected, but the entertainers<br />
were passé; students were not inclined<br />
to purchase a $1.00 ticket for the “slow” music<br />
played by the group. 28<br />
History instructor Robert W. Shook, who<br />
possessed an enormous interest in local history,<br />
took the pr<strong>of</strong>ound step in 1966 <strong>of</strong> collecting<br />
photographs and slides that were relevant to<br />
the history <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> County. He and Frank<br />
Deaver, utilizing their spare time, set up a camera<br />
in the Industrial Arts Building and copied<br />
images from the 1934 historical edition <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate. Within weeks, they produced<br />
an estimated 450 slides, a humble start for a<br />
collection that in the 1990s exceeded 10,000<br />
slides and photographs. In developing the photographic<br />
holding, Shook was “especially interested<br />
in old pictures <strong>of</strong> street scenes, public<br />
buildings, wildlife recreation resources, and<br />
pioneer homes and families.” He contemplated<br />
that the photos and slides “could be used by<br />
civic groups, historical meetings, and interested<br />
individuals.” Little did Shook realize that his<br />
deed to preserve images <strong>of</strong> the past would<br />
develop into a photographic collection that is<br />
heralded by countless individuals as one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
best in the state. 29<br />
Hurricane Beulah moved into South Texas in<br />
September 1967. Thousands <strong>of</strong> coastal Texans<br />
fled inland from the advancing storm, as they<br />
had done during Hurricane Carla, to safer surroundings.<br />
An estimated 7,000 evacuees arrived<br />
in <strong>Victoria</strong>. To accommodate the refugees, the<br />
gym and Student Union were put into service by<br />
the Red Cross. Classes were dismissed for three<br />
days because <strong>of</strong> the uncertainty as to how<br />
destructive the hurricane might become and the<br />
unpredictability that torrential rains might have<br />
on classroom attendance. Some students, however,<br />
braved the miserable weather and high<br />
water to assist the Red Cross by serving meals to<br />
refugees and entertaining children either by<br />
playing games or by reading to them. Included<br />
among the college volunteers were Margaret<br />
Ferguson, Patricia Hodge, David De La Rosa,<br />
Juan Bazan, Royce Milberger, Barbara Hyak,<br />
Steve Yarbrough, and Roysteen Hodge. 30<br />
✯<br />
Cathy Benge, copy editor <strong>of</strong> the Jolly<br />
Roger in 1966, reads an edition <strong>of</strong><br />
the college newspaper as it comes <strong>of</strong>f<br />
the press.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 117
✯<br />
Hurricane Beulah sweeps across<br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> campus on<br />
September 20, 1967, bringing rain<br />
and high winds.<br />
Although the college’s student population<br />
rose throughout most <strong>of</strong> the 1960s, the 1967<br />
fall enrollment figure was a major exception.<br />
This decline in 1967 was attributed to the<br />
opening <strong>of</strong> Bee County <strong>College</strong>, a decrease in<br />
nursing students, a reduced number <strong>of</strong> returning<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> students due to a large<br />
spring graduating class, and an exceptionally<br />
high dropout rate that increased from 13 to 20<br />
percent. <strong>The</strong> latter factor, according to Moore,<br />
was at least in part because the college enrolled<br />
a larger number <strong>of</strong> students who were incapable<br />
<strong>of</strong> doing college work. Instead <strong>of</strong> “dumbing<br />
down” academic course work, remedial courses<br />
were introduced and additional vocational<br />
courses were developed. 31<br />
Charles S. Stone, Refugio county judge in the<br />
1990s and a product <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s high<br />
academic standards, attested that the courses he<br />
took prepared him for his upper division classes<br />
at Southwest Texas State University. Initially,<br />
he was not a serious student at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
and paid little heed to the demands <strong>of</strong> his<br />
instructors. Stone remarked:<br />
My first college course, first period during<br />
my first semester was in Mr. Jack Edward’s<br />
English class. Mr. Edwards was an excellent<br />
instructor and he had a subtle way <strong>of</strong> encouraging…his<br />
students to excel. My second period<br />
class that first semester happened to be a break<br />
period during which time I studied the fine art<br />
<strong>of</strong> table tennis at the Student Union.<br />
I evidently played more table tennis than I<br />
studied because my first test grade in college<br />
which was also in Mr. Edward’s class was ‘D.’ I<br />
was very much dejected and discouraged but by<br />
the time I made it to the Student Union I was<br />
really mad at myself. I slammed so many balls<br />
with so much energy that several were cracked<br />
and my opponents were ducking everywhere.<br />
From then on the friends that I played with<br />
knew pretty much how things were going in my<br />
English class when they saw how I played. By<br />
the end <strong>of</strong> the semester…I had earned a solid ‘A’<br />
in Mr. Edward’s class and also had become a<br />
pretty good table tennis player to boot. To this<br />
day I still tell people that when I went to college<br />
I ‘minored’ in table tennis but they just wouldn’t<br />
understand that my English teacher was the<br />
motivation behind it. 32<br />
<strong>The</strong> former county judge’s <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
academic experience would cause him to be<br />
hard pressed to place in his vocabulary the derisive<br />
title, “Pirate High,” the nickname a few students<br />
gave the college.<br />
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society<br />
programs were a factor in expanding federal<br />
funding for public education. However, <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
118 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
<strong>College</strong>, reflecting the politically conservative<br />
attitude possessed by the majority <strong>of</strong> the community,<br />
refused to accept any federal financial<br />
assistance. When the college was given the<br />
opportunity for student loans, Moore took the<br />
position that they were not needed since the<br />
educational institution had funds available for<br />
short term loans and local jobs were available<br />
without using federal monies. 33<br />
<strong>The</strong> college finally acquired its first Xerox<br />
machine in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1967, and it was greatly<br />
welcomed by the students. <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger<br />
noted with glee that the machine was capable <strong>of</strong><br />
copying two pages at a time from a book.<br />
Instructors were permitted to use the copier for<br />
class material at no charge, otherwise they paid<br />
the normal ten cents per page. A major benefit<br />
the college derived from the machine was the<br />
reduction in the number <strong>of</strong> books and magazines<br />
mutilated by students to secure information<br />
for classroom assignments. 34<br />
An additional ten acres <strong>of</strong> land was purchased<br />
from the Brownson Estate in December<br />
1968 at a cost <strong>of</strong> $6,500 per acre. Although the<br />
board recognized that the land was “not needed<br />
for any immediate development,” the members<br />
maintained “that it is better to purchase the<br />
property now than to wait until it becomes difficult<br />
to add acreage to the campus.” <strong>The</strong> ten<br />
acre tract was located east <strong>of</strong> the college along<br />
Red River Street. 35<br />
W. R. “Dede” Matthews <strong>of</strong> Matthews and<br />
Associates from Bryan, architects and engineers,<br />
in the employ <strong>of</strong> the college presented the first<br />
master plan for the campus. Included among the<br />
proposals were the construction <strong>of</strong> a new health<br />
and physical education building and a technical<br />
building by 1970. Matthews further recommended<br />
that the college build new library and fine arts<br />
buildings by 1975. <strong>The</strong> architect also suggested<br />
that the current Library Building be used for<br />
administrative <strong>of</strong>fices, that the Science and<br />
Administration buildings be renovated, and that<br />
a new classroom building be constructed. <strong>The</strong><br />
master plan called for placing the main entrance<br />
to the college on Ben Jordan, and locating the<br />
library northeast <strong>of</strong> the old Library Building, “giving<br />
it somewhat <strong>of</strong> a central position on the campus.”<br />
Total cost for the new buildings and renovation<br />
<strong>of</strong> the existing ones was projected to be a<br />
little over 2.7 million dollars. 36<br />
Sensitive to faculty demands that employment<br />
and the exercise <strong>of</strong> academic freedom be protected<br />
from administrations and boards who possessed<br />
contrary viewpoints, the Coordinating<br />
Board issued an order that all public colleges and<br />
universities in the state adopt policies on academic<br />
freedom, tenure, and responsibility. When<br />
the edict was explained to the board members,<br />
the ever self-confident Moore remarked “there’s<br />
not a thing in here I’m afraid <strong>of</strong>.” 37<br />
A committee comprised <strong>of</strong> Stormont, as<br />
chairman, Wilma Felger, Carl DuBose, Chad<br />
Whitmore, and Robert W. Shook was chosen by<br />
the faculty to study faculty compensation and<br />
✯<br />
Marie Frankson, librarian,<br />
demonstrates how to use the new<br />
Xerox machine to Bill Moody.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 119
✯<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Cheerleaders for<br />
1966-67 were (left to right) Cathie<br />
Zirjacks, Lydia Serrata, Bea Bauer,<br />
and Judy Knowles.<br />
compose a policy on academic freedom, tenure,<br />
and responsibility. <strong>The</strong> discussions among the<br />
group entered a contentious stage when Frank<br />
Deaver addressed the committee and requested<br />
that a pr<strong>of</strong>essional ranking system be established.<br />
Among the advantages <strong>of</strong> rank, the college<br />
newspaper sponsor pointed out, were<br />
enhanced community respect, prestige at pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
meetings, avenues to publications and<br />
public lectures, academic motivation, pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
recognition, and recruitment and retention<br />
<strong>of</strong> faculty. On a motion by DuBose that the<br />
committee consider its mandate to draft a statement<br />
on academic freedom, tenure, and responsibility<br />
before considering pr<strong>of</strong>essional rank, the<br />
committee, by a three to two vote, chose to<br />
ignore Deaver’s item. Shook and Whitmore,<br />
after expressing support for pr<strong>of</strong>essional rank,<br />
quickly discovered, if they did not know beforehand,<br />
they were a distinct minority on this matter<br />
and other details that arose in the meetings. 38<br />
Deaver’s proposal set <strong>of</strong>f a campus fire storm<br />
as the faculty debated its pros and cons at the<br />
c<strong>of</strong>fee table in the Student Union and in the<br />
hallways between classes. <strong>The</strong> opposition<br />
thought the idea posed a threat to the pay<br />
schedule, arguing that all instructors doing the<br />
same teaching assignment would be paid<br />
differently because one had a higher pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
rank. Another reason given against pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
rank was that instructors would be pressured<br />
to obtain a doctor’s degree even though at<br />
the junior college level such a degree was<br />
unnecessary since a two-year educational institution<br />
did not require research. Moreover, the<br />
opponents maintained, the entire concept <strong>of</strong><br />
rank had the hideous odor <strong>of</strong> academic elitism.<br />
Moore, never hesitant to speak his mind to<br />
the faculty, became involved in the dispute<br />
when he emphasized that rank was an administrative<br />
matter. If the faculty wanted to create a<br />
committee to study rank, he asserted, so be it,<br />
but all the instructors were to understand that<br />
the final decision, regardless if a majority<br />
favored pr<strong>of</strong>essional rank, was to be made by<br />
the administration. 39<br />
Bing was adamantly opposed to rank at the<br />
college. He embraced the notion that the faculty<br />
stating that the faculty was employed without<br />
rank, the rights <strong>of</strong> everyone should be considered,<br />
and that rank was not to be forced upon<br />
any single faculty member. <strong>The</strong> dean stressed<br />
that teaching and counseling, not research or<br />
writing, were the primary functions <strong>of</strong> the college.<br />
Bing’s stance prevailed. Although a policy<br />
on pr<strong>of</strong>essional rank has never been adopted by<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, it does exist presently for the<br />
Division <strong>of</strong> Social and Behavioral Sciences. 40<br />
Stormont’s committee completed its work and<br />
presented a “Statement <strong>of</strong> Academic Freedom<br />
120 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
✯<br />
Left: Dr. Wayne McAlister explains<br />
the importance <strong>of</strong> science in a<br />
person’s life.<br />
Below: Gasping for air, Richard Wier<br />
beats his competition across the finish<br />
line in the Border Olympics.<br />
and Tenure” to the faculty in May 1968. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
were some minor adjustments made by the<br />
instructors, but overall the document as submitted<br />
remained intact. <strong>The</strong> proposal suggested that<br />
all faculty members with four years <strong>of</strong> service at<br />
the college be automatically tenured, a provision<br />
that made it palatable to skeptical faculty members<br />
and, thus, avoided a floor fight. When the<br />
board next convened, the trustees endorsed the<br />
recommendation thereby establishing the college’s<br />
first tenure policy. 41<br />
At the National Junior <strong>College</strong> Track and<br />
Field Meet in Garden City, Kansas, in 1968, the<br />
track team finished third. 42 <strong>The</strong> event at Garden<br />
City was the last for Pirate track teams. On the<br />
recommendation <strong>of</strong> Moore, the board dropped<br />
the program at its July meeting. <strong>The</strong> president<br />
attributed the decision to budgetary considerations<br />
and “lack <strong>of</strong> support from both townspeople<br />
and student body.” Moore remarked that<br />
“track is not a spectacular sport…and [there<br />
are] very small turnouts at any <strong>of</strong> the events.”<br />
He also maintained that attendance at local<br />
track meets were affected by the lesser quality <strong>of</strong><br />
athletes competing at the college. Moore stated<br />
that the most sought-after track prospects<br />
attended senior colleges “with smaller schools<br />
being invariably the loser when a student is<br />
<strong>of</strong>fered a four-year scholarship.” 43<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 121
✯<br />
Above: Dr. Ben Burdine, economics<br />
instructor, finds time to read the Wall<br />
Street Journal between his classes.<br />
Below: Otto Knudson, psychology<br />
instructor, discusses a memory test<br />
with Julius Cano.<br />
Looking forward to expanding the technical/vocational<br />
program, the board approved<br />
the construction <strong>of</strong> a new technical building.<br />
<strong>The</strong> structure was designed to house a computer<br />
system and kindred courses. Business<br />
administration classes were to be removed<br />
from the second floor <strong>of</strong> the Administration<br />
Building to the new building. Matthews and<br />
Associates, the architectural firm that drew up<br />
the plans for the auditorium, was hired to<br />
oversee the estimated $485,000 construction<br />
project. <strong>The</strong> building was to be ready for occupancy<br />
by 1970. 44<br />
Faculty emotions again sizzled in the fall <strong>of</strong><br />
1968. Insistence by instructors advocating a creation<br />
<strong>of</strong> a faculty senate led to the formation <strong>of</strong><br />
a temporary committee to review the issue and<br />
make a recommendation. Ben Burdine, Marshall<br />
McCleary, Charles Spurlin, Michael Hummel,<br />
Wilma Felger, S. T. Boykin, and C. F. Schneider<br />
were elected by acclamation to comprise the<br />
constitutional committee. In a brilliant procedural<br />
maneuver by opponents <strong>of</strong> a faculty senate,<br />
a naive Spurlin was nominated and elected<br />
chairman <strong>of</strong> the ad hoc committee when it convened<br />
in the library conference room on<br />
October 3, 1968. <strong>The</strong> tactic was employed to<br />
prevent Spurlin, viewed as too liberal by a certain<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the committee, from voting on<br />
items except in case <strong>of</strong> a tie. 45<br />
<strong>The</strong>re was limited interest among some <strong>of</strong><br />
the committee participants. One suggested<br />
that the current World Series was more important.<br />
Nevertheless, useful meetings were held,<br />
albeit with tempers reaching the brink <strong>of</strong><br />
exploding, demonstrating a deep division<br />
between those who were satisfied with the status<br />
quo and those who desired a greater faculty<br />
participatory role. To Moore’s credit, he did<br />
not exercise his authority to silence the critics<br />
<strong>of</strong> the status quo. His inaction was dictated by<br />
122 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
his overall trust in faculty decision making and<br />
his self-assurance that he could handle any and<br />
all situations that might arise.<br />
After intense discussions, flavored with the<br />
chairman being called a psychotic, and<br />
Hummel being accused <strong>of</strong> trying to take over<br />
the presidency, a majority report emerged by a<br />
three to two vote with one abstention. <strong>The</strong><br />
document created a Faculty Advisory Council<br />
composed <strong>of</strong> the entire faculty. It was chaired<br />
by the dean and convened at the call <strong>of</strong> the<br />
president, dean, or at the request <strong>of</strong> four or<br />
more faculty members whenever the matter<br />
related to two or more academic departments.<br />
In effect, the instrument maintained the status<br />
quo. A minority report was drafted, calling for<br />
the formation <strong>of</strong> a committee comprised <strong>of</strong><br />
seven to fifteen members that met periodically.<br />
<strong>The</strong> second document further stated that an ad<br />
hoc committee be elected to determine the<br />
proposed committee’s structure and function.<br />
Presentations <strong>of</strong> the two plans were made to<br />
the full faculty. Felger took the lead in describing<br />
the majority report, and Spurlin gave a less<br />
than articulate explanation <strong>of</strong> the minority position.<br />
After discussing the propositions, a secret<br />
ballot was taken. <strong>The</strong> majority report was<br />
approved thirty-one to twenty-one, a smaller<br />
margin differential than the spokesmen for the<br />
minority report expected. In the twenty-odd<br />
years the Faculty Advisory Committee existed, it<br />
was used on one occasion.<br />
From time to time, departments initiated<br />
specific-interest publications. In the spring <strong>of</strong><br />
1969, English instructors Jessica Warnl<strong>of</strong> and<br />
Jack Edwards, co-sponsors <strong>of</strong> the Prism Club, a<br />
creative writing organization, coordinated the<br />
creation <strong>of</strong> a new literary journal, <strong>The</strong> Prism,<br />
containing student poems, essays, and short stories.<br />
Ronald Sloan was chosen the first editor.<br />
<strong>The</strong> next year Dill Starr was selected as the editor.<br />
In order to accommodate the number <strong>of</strong><br />
items submitted by students, a welcome development<br />
for the sponsors, the publication <strong>of</strong> the<br />
journal was increased to twice a year. 46<br />
During the spring <strong>of</strong> 1969, the local chapter<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Texas Student Education Association was<br />
selected as the outstanding organization in the<br />
state at the annual TSEA convention in Fort<br />
Worth. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> students also received the<br />
Emphasis ‘69 Honor Award for membership<br />
involvement. As an added bonus, Leon Bazar,<br />
president <strong>of</strong> the chapter, was elected national<br />
delegate for the South Central States Region. 47<br />
Faculty spirits were lifted when the board, at<br />
the administration’s suggestion, agreed to adopt<br />
a developmental leave policy in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1969.<br />
<strong>The</strong> faculty elected a five-member committee to<br />
✯<br />
Gavel Club members at the<br />
Halloween Whoopie in 1969 are (left<br />
to right) Judy Frederick, Larry Bauer,<br />
and Judy May. Eddie De La Rosa is in<br />
the foreground.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 123
✯<br />
Michael Hummel is the center <strong>of</strong><br />
attention during registration. Seated<br />
(left to right): Kenneth Greenhill,<br />
Geraldine Talley, Hummel, Ricky<br />
Webb, and E. F. “Pete” Gummelt.<br />
compose the eligibility requirements and procedures<br />
for selecting the recipients. Initially, two<br />
instructors were permitted to pursue a doctor’s<br />
degrees or additional hours above the master’s<br />
for a year at half salary. <strong>The</strong> first two faculty<br />
members selected by the faculty committee were<br />
Wilbur Collins who attended North Texas State<br />
University to study music and Jessica Warnl<strong>of</strong><br />
who enrolled in Texas Tech University to take<br />
English courses. Warnl<strong>of</strong> seized the opportunity<br />
and earned a Ph.D. In the early 1970s, the policy<br />
was scaled back to one instructor a year. <strong>The</strong><br />
program was sound and aided several faculty<br />
members who could not have otherwise earned<br />
a terminal degree. Included among the instructors<br />
who were granted leave and earned a doctor’s<br />
degree were Ben Burdine, C. A. Talley,<br />
Michael Hummel, Richard Walker, C. F.<br />
Schneider, and Mary Lee Archer. 48<br />
Without appearing to be too restrictive, yet<br />
trying to avoid the “Yippie” dress on the campus,<br />
administrators in the late 1960s again<br />
printed recommendations for student dress. <strong>The</strong><br />
suggestions stipulated that a student could be<br />
dismissed from class “and other activities” if in<br />
the opinion <strong>of</strong> a faculty member the student’s<br />
appearance was <strong>of</strong>fensive or disruptive. Among<br />
the list <strong>of</strong> what could be considered unacceptable<br />
were shorts, except for P.E. classes and<br />
intramural competition, bare feet, women with<br />
ungroomed hair, men with hair extending below<br />
the normal dress collar line, men with sideburns<br />
extending below ear lobes, and women dressed<br />
in extreme mini-skirts.<br />
Objections by students, and a few outspoken<br />
faculty members, resulted in a modification <strong>of</strong><br />
the recommendations. In December 1969,<br />
females were permitted to wear slacks on campus<br />
without concern <strong>of</strong> repercussions. Kathy<br />
Newberry summed up the student reaction to<br />
the change when she remarked, “It’s great.”<br />
Frances Workman, a college secretary, reflecting<br />
the viewpoint <strong>of</strong> many faculty members and<br />
staff, commented that she “would personally<br />
rather see girls in a pair <strong>of</strong> slacks than a dress<br />
that is inches too short.” 49<br />
<strong>The</strong>re was not an immediate relaxation in the<br />
recommendations for men’s dress. However, recognizing<br />
that campus life was definitely not the<br />
same as in the 1950s, and a dogmatic stand<br />
opposing any alterations in student dress was<br />
counterproductive in recruiting prospective students,<br />
and that court decisions more and more<br />
struck down dress codes, the administration<br />
sought a compromise. Searching for the appropriate<br />
middle ground, graduating sophomores<br />
and the faculty were surveyed as to their opinions<br />
on a male dress code. A majority <strong>of</strong> the<br />
students responded in favor <strong>of</strong> long hair, beards,<br />
sandals without socks, and wearing shirttails<br />
out. <strong>The</strong>y were against wearing shorts to class.<br />
<strong>The</strong> faculty reaction was the same as the<br />
124 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
students except for long hair. <strong>The</strong> administration<br />
responded to the changing times and tempered<br />
its opposition. As a result, the controversy<br />
surrounding a dress code subsided to the<br />
point that little if anything was said about it by<br />
the end <strong>of</strong> the 1970s. 50<br />
<strong>College</strong> basketball enthusiasts suffered a serious<br />
setback in 1970 when the board terminated<br />
the intercollegiate basketball program. Moore<br />
remarked that the poor attendance at the games<br />
did not justify the cost <strong>of</strong> carrying the sport. He<br />
stated that a survey <strong>of</strong> five games indicated that<br />
the average student attendance was less than<br />
eighty. By dropping the program, the president<br />
noted, the college saved $16,000 a year. 51<br />
While the statements by Moore were accurate,<br />
the basketball games at the college were better<br />
attended during the period that Harlon Gerhold<br />
was head coach than the preceding three or four<br />
years before he came to the college. He did an<br />
excellent job leading the team. His style <strong>of</strong> play<br />
was at a faster tempo than previous years and the<br />
spectators enjoyed the change. An added attraction<br />
at the games during the 1969-1970 season<br />
was the Saberette Shipmates comprised <strong>of</strong><br />
Jacquelyn Duke, Sandy Phillips, Sherry<br />
Farquhar, Alice Pozzi, and Shirley McMurray.<br />
<strong>The</strong> group was formed to assist the cheerleading<br />
corps <strong>of</strong> Jo Nell Arnold, Shelley Ann Schauer,<br />
Judy Lynn Frederick, and Karen Brucene Smith<br />
and to draw more students to the basketball contests.<br />
Ruben Pena even helped to organize a pop<br />
band to provide pregame and half time entertainment.<br />
But, alas, attractive young ladies,<br />
music, and Eddie and David De La Rosa in their<br />
✯<br />
Above: Coach Harlon Gerhold<br />
explains to David Barnes the proper<br />
way to run a play.<br />
Left: <strong>The</strong> 1968-69 Pirate cheerleaders<br />
were (left to right) Judy Frederick,<br />
Mary Thweatt, Alannah Spinks, and<br />
Carole Haines. In the foreground are<br />
Eddie De La Rosa (left) and David<br />
De La Rosa who gave spirited<br />
performances at basketball games<br />
dressed as buccaneers.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 125
✯<br />
Above: Caroline Summers, speech and<br />
drama instructor, produced speech<br />
and drama teams that were successful<br />
in intercollegiate competitions.<br />
swashbuckling attire, and a court-wise coach<br />
were not sufficient to attract people to the games<br />
in the numbers to keep the program afloat. An<br />
exasperated cheerleader sarcastically commented<br />
after one <strong>of</strong> the games, “What is it going to take<br />
to get students to come to the games? Do we<br />
need to take <strong>of</strong>f our clothes?” Realistically, commuter<br />
schools like <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> cannot<br />
expect students to return after they leave for the<br />
day because <strong>of</strong> jobs and the unacceptable travel<br />
time for out-<strong>of</strong>-county students. 52<br />
Caroline Summers’ speech students made an<br />
impressive showing in competition during the<br />
spring <strong>of</strong> 1970. At the Texas Speech and Drama<br />
Contest for Junior <strong>College</strong>s tournament on the<br />
campus <strong>of</strong> North Texas State University in<br />
Denton, Dianne Ulman won the state championship,<br />
and Ronnie Williams placed third in the<br />
original oratory category. 53<br />
A law enforcement education program was<br />
<strong>of</strong>fered for the first time in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1970 to<br />
meet the need <strong>of</strong> individuals who wanted to<br />
make a career <strong>of</strong> law enforcement. <strong>The</strong> classes<br />
also afforded those currently in the pr<strong>of</strong>ession an<br />
opportunity for personal development. Bing<br />
noted in justifying the program that “many agencies<br />
require a basic two years <strong>of</strong> college education<br />
and investigative agencies at the state and<br />
federal levels usually have qualifications including<br />
four years <strong>of</strong> college work.” Apparently referring<br />
to the United States Supreme Court decisions<br />
<strong>of</strong> the 1960s that had law and order advocates<br />
in a tizzy, he further stated, “Today’s society<br />
demands that the law enforcement <strong>of</strong>ficer be<br />
an educated, trained and skilled specialist in<br />
crime detection and law enforcement. To be successful,<br />
he must have certain qualities <strong>of</strong> character,<br />
dedication, training and education in the<br />
basic skills <strong>of</strong> this pr<strong>of</strong>ession.” 54<br />
In addition to the new law enforcement program,<br />
students were <strong>of</strong>fered a computer course<br />
for the first time during the 1970 fall semester.<br />
<strong>The</strong> college leased an 1130 IBM computer,<br />
enabling students to complete a curriculum in<br />
computer science technology. Prior to leasing<br />
the computer, only data processing courses<br />
were taught. 55<br />
In November 1970, Wilma Felger, chairman<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Department <strong>of</strong> Social Sciences, was<br />
awarded a plaque during one <strong>of</strong> her history<br />
classes by a representative <strong>of</strong> the Texas State<br />
Teachers Association. Making the presentation<br />
was Johnny Peacock, elementary school principal<br />
in Goliad and past treasurer <strong>of</strong> TSTA’s Region<br />
III. Felger was recognized for her many contributions<br />
to the history sections at the organization’s<br />
regional meetings. Peacock acknowledged<br />
her pr<strong>of</strong>essional dedication and the giving up <strong>of</strong><br />
her time unselfishly. 56<br />
Performances by the speech students at the<br />
Southwest Texas State University Speech Festival<br />
at San Marcos on November 20-21 were exceptional,<br />
resulting in several awards for the<br />
contestants. <strong>The</strong>y received three superior ratings,<br />
six excellent, and six good. <strong>The</strong> superior ratings<br />
were received by Dianne Ulman, persuasive<br />
126 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
manuscript; Kay Burns, poetry interpretation;<br />
and Sylva Shroyer, persuasive manuscript.<br />
Excellent ratings went to Karen Huegele, original<br />
poetry; Twinkle Johnson, dramatic reading;<br />
Roy Mark, extemporaneous speaking; Shelly<br />
Lee, poetry; and Huegele and Bill Wright,<br />
duet reading. Good ratings were awarded Sherry<br />
Farquhar, Sally Aman, Burns, Shroyer, Mark,<br />
and Turner Mooneyham. 57<br />
Another award winning group was the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Chapter <strong>of</strong> the Texas Student<br />
Education Association, sponsored by faculty<br />
members LeRoy Pahmiyer and Jean Dabney. In<br />
the spring <strong>of</strong> 1971, the chapter earned a first<br />
place for its scrapbook at the annual TSEA<br />
Convention at Dallas. <strong>The</strong> local organization<br />
also received the Emphasis Award and was<br />
named first runner-up for the Outstanding<br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> in Texas. Shirley McMurray was<br />
president <strong>of</strong> the chapter. 58<br />
V. T. Kallus ended his distinguished career at<br />
the college in 1971 on a high note. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
District <strong>of</strong> the Soil and Water Conservation<br />
Society recognized him as the most outstanding<br />
agriculture teacher in the field <strong>of</strong> soil conservation<br />
management. Furthermore, he was cited by<br />
the Texas Conservation Society as the outstanding<br />
business pr<strong>of</strong>essional man in Texas in the<br />
field <strong>of</strong> conservation for 1970. Kallus came to<br />
the college after his discharge from the military<br />
service at the end <strong>of</strong> World War II. He assumed<br />
the responsibility <strong>of</strong> running the veterans program<br />
which involved agriculture, distributive<br />
education, and mechanical arts. When he<br />
retired, Kallus was teaching agricultural classes<br />
and managing the bookstore. 59<br />
✯<br />
Top: Al Allen, math instructor, gives<br />
a demonstration on the latest<br />
computer technology.<br />
Left: Wilma Felger, chairman <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Social Sciences Department, discusses<br />
her visit to the Mid-East with the<br />
Newman Club.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 127
✯<br />
Above: Members <strong>of</strong> the 1971 debate<br />
team were (left to right) Roy Mark,<br />
Cynthia Bielee, David Bissett, Dianne<br />
Ulman, and Coach James Gleason.<br />
Right: Aggie Club sponsor V. T. Kallus<br />
discusses a film with (left to right)<br />
Don Wieland, Janice Fanning, and<br />
Dennis Lala.<br />
Changes in the selective service law and roaring<br />
inflation rates spilled over to the college,<br />
impacting fall enrollment figures throughout the<br />
1970s. From 1971 to 1982, the number <strong>of</strong> students<br />
who registered for course work was relatively<br />
flat. While the head count increased from<br />
1,711 in 1971 to 2,439 in 1981, full-time equivalency<br />
rose only from 1,649 to 1,760. In 1972,<br />
there was a drop <strong>of</strong> 145 in enrollment from<br />
1971, and in the same period, full-time equivalency<br />
decreased from 1,649 to 1,480. In 1975,<br />
the number <strong>of</strong> full-time students increased<br />
(2,180) and so did full-time equivalency<br />
(1,831). However, the head count rose the next<br />
two years, but the full-time equivalency<br />
remained the same. By 1979, the number <strong>of</strong><br />
128 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
full-time students expanded to 2,276 while the<br />
full-time equivalency grew to 1,690, a figure<br />
comparable to 1973. Since the fall <strong>of</strong> 1982, the<br />
enrollment tables indicate a steady rise in both<br />
head count and full-time equivalency, except for<br />
minor aberrations. 60<br />
<strong>The</strong> college annual, <strong>The</strong> Pirate, which was<br />
first published in 1930 and intermittently thereafter,<br />
was discontinued in 1971. Reasons cited<br />
by the administration for its demise were: the<br />
college was a commuter school without “a sustained<br />
loyalty as a senior college,” only onefourth<br />
<strong>of</strong> the students bought the book in 1970<br />
or even had their pictures taken, and the<br />
college decided to produce a more cost effective<br />
college magazine, the Kaleidoscope. 61<br />
“Wow! I know her” was a common refrain on<br />
the campus in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1971. <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
graduate and former Pirate cheerleader Brucene<br />
Smith from Port Lavaca, after having been chosen<br />
Miss La Bahia Downs and Miss Texas World,<br />
won the Miss USA-World contest, earning her<br />
an opportunity to compete in the Miss World<br />
International Pageant in London. Although the<br />
crown eluded her, Smith was selected as one <strong>of</strong><br />
the seven finalists. Ironically, her entry into the<br />
world <strong>of</strong> beauty pageants was unplanned. <strong>The</strong><br />
odyssey began when Smith’s name was placed in<br />
the La Bahia Downs contest over her objection;<br />
but once she was entered, Smith nevertheless<br />
competed. She enjoyed the experience and<br />
entered other beauty events. 62<br />
Speech students continued to perform at an<br />
exceptional level in competition with college<br />
students from other campuses. At the 1971 fall<br />
speech festival at Southwest Texas State<br />
University, Twinkle Johnson and Cynthia Woehl<br />
received superior ratings. Excellent ratings were<br />
awarded Kay Burns, dramatic literature reading;<br />
Shelly Janota, poetry; Charlene Goodman, poetry;<br />
and Rufus Diggs, original poetry. Receiving<br />
good ratings were Shelly Lee, poetry; Linda<br />
Ruddick, entertaining speech; and Woehl,<br />
entertaining speech. 63<br />
In the spring <strong>of</strong> 1972, a reaffirmation committee<br />
from the Southern Association <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>s and Schools made its decennial visit to<br />
the campus. Since the fading weeks <strong>of</strong> 1970 and<br />
throughout 1971, the administration, faculty,<br />
and staff engaged in preparing a self-study<br />
report under the chairmanship <strong>of</strong> Stormont. As<br />
the college personnel went about their assigned<br />
tasks <strong>of</strong> gathering data, attending committee<br />
meetings, and evaluating distinct elements <strong>of</strong><br />
the college; personal, philosophical, and issueoriented<br />
differences caused vocal eruptions. <strong>The</strong><br />
bickering was over such things as types <strong>of</strong> university<br />
degrees, faculty participation in areas<br />
considered administration prerogatives, and<br />
alleged closed committee meetings. Stormont<br />
was undeterred by the grumbling and steadily<br />
moved forward to complete a satisfactory document.<br />
When he compiled the final report, the<br />
former dean crafted responses that disregarded<br />
viewpoints and conclusions that were contrary<br />
to his, leaving no guesswork as to what he<br />
✯<br />
Brucene Smith, Miss USA-World,<br />
with escort.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 129
✯<br />
Donnell Cole (right), math instructor.<br />
thought <strong>of</strong> the critics’ opinions. As most <strong>of</strong> the<br />
faculty and administration expected, the<br />
Southern Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s reaccredited<br />
the college with a few recommendations.<br />
Off and on, from the time <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
was established, there were community discussions<br />
over the two-year institution becoming a<br />
four-year college. Moore and other college<br />
authorities, whenever they were brought into<br />
the conversations, steadfastly maintained that<br />
the sole aim <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> was to become a<br />
first-class junior college and “serve the needs <strong>of</strong><br />
the community.” <strong>The</strong> president predicted in the<br />
mid-1960s that the college might add junior<br />
and senior years sometime in the 1980s when<br />
the population grew enough to warrant a senior<br />
institution. Considering such a possibility, the<br />
1967 college master plan was prepared in such<br />
a way that it was “adaptable enough to take care<br />
<strong>of</strong> even greater growth that would result if a senior<br />
college program were required.” 64<br />
Although the board and Moore were not<br />
attracted to the idea <strong>of</strong> the college becoming a<br />
four-year institution, they supported civic leaders<br />
in the Coastal Bend region who were seriously<br />
inclined to pursue the creation <strong>of</strong> a senior<br />
college in <strong>Victoria</strong>, the hub <strong>of</strong> the area.<br />
Standing in the way <strong>of</strong> the proponents was the<br />
Coordinating Board’s opposition to the formation<br />
<strong>of</strong> a new senior college. <strong>The</strong> state agency<br />
maintained that Texas currently had enough<br />
four-year institutions, but if one were to be<br />
approved, it would be located in San Antonio, a<br />
major city without a state-supported college. 65<br />
Optimistic that the state legislature would be<br />
receptive to their solicitation for a senior college,<br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce influenced<br />
the district’s state representative, Richard<br />
H. “Dick” Cory, to introduce legislation in 1969<br />
establishing <strong>Victoria</strong> State University. Morris<br />
Shattuck, president <strong>of</strong> the local chamber and a<br />
board member, felt positive about the bill and<br />
stated that he had not encountered any opposition.<br />
Winston Zirjacks, president <strong>of</strong> the board<br />
and a bank executive, remarked that a university<br />
would significantly boost the <strong>Victoria</strong> economy.<br />
After the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> trustees endorsed<br />
the proposal, Moore asked the faculty to discuss<br />
the matter with the public and stress that the<br />
establishment <strong>of</strong> the university was ten or fifteen<br />
years in the future because <strong>of</strong> the opposition<br />
from the Coordinating Board. 66<br />
Determined to change the position <strong>of</strong> the<br />
higher education supervisory body and to<br />
secure a favorable vote in the legislature, the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce composed a<br />
report outlining the need for <strong>Victoria</strong> State<br />
University and gathered testimonials from city<br />
and school <strong>of</strong>ficials, business executives, farm<br />
organizations, and spokesmen from pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
130 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
societies within the 15 counties the university<br />
was to serve. Two points were emphasized by<br />
the chamber. One <strong>of</strong> them being financial savings<br />
for both the state and the students. A second<br />
advantage in having a local senior institution<br />
would be the overall educational benefits<br />
for a growing population in the region. <strong>The</strong><br />
chamber predicted that the university would<br />
have an enrollment <strong>of</strong> 1,309 by 1973 on a 200<br />
acre site it was “prepared to supply.” 67<br />
Sadly, the action taken by the chamber<br />
did not sway the Coordinating Board. Without<br />
the blessing <strong>of</strong> the college supervisory body,<br />
support in the legislature was insufficient<br />
to secure the necessary number <strong>of</strong> votes for<br />
Cory’s bill. Although their first meaningful<br />
attempt to establish a senior institution in<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> failed, advocates <strong>of</strong> the objective<br />
were determined to push forward for an upper<br />
level college.<br />
Even though partisans for expanded higher<br />
education opportunities for people living in a<br />
radius <strong>of</strong> 75 miles around <strong>Victoria</strong> continued to<br />
give some thought to <strong>Victoria</strong> State University,<br />
✯<br />
Daniel Potcinske and Kay Robinson<br />
perform a special ballet.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 131
✯<br />
Dominoes were a daily routine in the<br />
Student Union.<br />
their primary attention shifted to enticing a senior<br />
university to locate a branch on the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> campus. It was thought, based on<br />
hearsay, that this approach would be greeted<br />
warmly by the Coordinating Board. <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> trustees C. P. “Pete” Montier and R. E.<br />
“Earl” Cliburn in their reelection bids in 1970<br />
embraced the concept by publicly supporting<br />
“a separate upper level institution located here<br />
by the state in the future to supply needs <strong>of</strong><br />
students from <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and other area<br />
junior colleges.” 68<br />
Vigorous lobbying <strong>of</strong> the Coordinating Board<br />
by local community leaders finally paid dividends.<br />
<strong>The</strong> state agency on April 23, 1971,<br />
opened the door for the establishment <strong>of</strong> an<br />
upper division college branch by recommending<br />
that the legislature permit a senior institution to<br />
locate a branch at the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. Moore’s<br />
response to the step was short and to the point.<br />
He said, “We are very well pleased with the<br />
board’s action.” Sam D. Young <strong>of</strong> El Paso, a<br />
Coordinating Board member, stated, “<strong>The</strong> <strong>of</strong>f<br />
campus center…will permit utilization <strong>of</strong> facilities<br />
for instructional purposes at considerable<br />
savings to the state. In point <strong>of</strong> fact, the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
plan is the most economical way we have available<br />
to expand educational opportunity, at the<br />
upper division level, and into those communities<br />
showing need.” 69<br />
Which university would place a branch at<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>? How would a branch affect<br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>? <strong>The</strong>se were questions that<br />
dominated faculty conversations. Moore<br />
addressed the queries by remarking that he<br />
thought Texas A&M University was favorably<br />
inclined to establish an extension on the campus.<br />
He said that Texas A&M President Jack<br />
Williams had demonstrated a keen interest “in<br />
pursuing the possibility.” Southwest Texas State<br />
University had also made an inquiry. Moore<br />
also commented that should an upper level<br />
branch be placed on the campus there would be<br />
no loss <strong>of</strong> investment by the college because<br />
132 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
any additional buildings constructed to meet<br />
the needs <strong>of</strong> the senior university would be utilized<br />
by the college. 70<br />
Showing the greatest amount <strong>of</strong> enthusiasm<br />
for the placement <strong>of</strong> a branch campus in <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
was the University <strong>of</strong> Houston. Because the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston Board <strong>of</strong> Regents was convinced<br />
there was an educational need in the area<br />
and the community supported the enterprise, in<br />
1972, it authorized Dr. Philip H<strong>of</strong>fman, president<br />
<strong>of</strong> the university, to proceed with plans to<br />
create a branch on the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> campus.<br />
Under the auspices <strong>of</strong> H<strong>of</strong>fman, a preliminary<br />
study was conducted to prioritize the courses <strong>of</strong><br />
study. <strong>The</strong> findings <strong>of</strong> the survey indicated that<br />
the teaching field was the greatest demand, a<br />
master’s program in engineering was second, and<br />
business administration placed third. 71<br />
In June 1972, the Coordinating Board, by<br />
unanimous vote, gave the green light for the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston to open an upper level<br />
center in <strong>Victoria</strong>. State funding <strong>of</strong> some<br />
$161,200 was allocated to plan for the establishment<br />
<strong>of</strong> the branch. Meanwhile, the college<br />
✯<br />
Sherry Pavlica (left) and Adela<br />
Sanchez compete in a table tennis<br />
tournament.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 133
✯<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> began teaching<br />
classes at Warm Springs in<br />
September 1973.<br />
received numerous calls from prospective students<br />
inquiring as to when the classes would<br />
begin and what courses would be <strong>of</strong>fered. 72<br />
Dr. Reginald Traylor, who served as chairman<br />
<strong>of</strong> the University <strong>of</strong> Houston’s Math<br />
Department, was named as director <strong>of</strong> the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston <strong>Victoria</strong> Center. <strong>The</strong><br />
director, from his <strong>of</strong>fice in the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Administration Building, proceeded to prepare<br />
for the <strong>of</strong>fering <strong>of</strong> course work in January<br />
1973. Initially, the center, which rented classroom<br />
and <strong>of</strong>fice space from the college, intended<br />
to schedule four courses the first semester<br />
and a full complement in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1973.<br />
Enrollment and demand for classes, however,<br />
were greater than projected. Consequently,<br />
twelve courses were <strong>of</strong>fered to accommodate<br />
105 students, most <strong>of</strong> whom were taking<br />
education courses. 73<br />
In the meantime, the college proposed a<br />
building program to satisfy the projected needs<br />
for both institutions. Accordingly, the board<br />
called for a $2,750,000 bond election to be<br />
held on October 14. <strong>The</strong> funds were to be used<br />
to construct a library building, an <strong>of</strong>fice and<br />
classroom complex for the center, an additional<br />
gymnasium, an allied health structure, and<br />
more covered walkways. A portion <strong>of</strong> the<br />
money was to be used to convert the existing<br />
library into a college administration building.<br />
Since the bond issue would not be sufficient to<br />
pay for the entire proposal, $100,000 was to be<br />
used from the college operational budget.<br />
Matthews and Associates <strong>of</strong> Bryan were<br />
employed as the architects. Don Krueger<br />
Construction Company <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> won the bid<br />
to become the general contractor. 74<br />
Soon after the bond issue was accepted by<br />
the county voters, the original gymnasium blueprint<br />
was altered so a three-story library building<br />
could be constructed that would meet<br />
the projected book space requirements for the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston <strong>Victoria</strong> Center. <strong>The</strong> most<br />
important changes in the gym were the elimination<br />
<strong>of</strong> bleachers and the reduction in size <strong>of</strong> the<br />
basketball courts. Initially, Moore anticipated<br />
leaving the third floor <strong>of</strong> the library vacant, but<br />
even before the structure was completed, it was<br />
apparent to the president the entire building<br />
was going to be occupied to satisfy the unexpected<br />
demand for space. 75<br />
Meanwhile, in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1972, <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> speech and drama students competed<br />
in the Southwest Texas State University Speech<br />
Festival and placed fifth in a field <strong>of</strong> 35 colleges<br />
and universities from Texas, Arkansas, and<br />
Louisiana. Local participants receiving superior<br />
ratings at the festival were Georganne Joseph,<br />
original poetry; Cynthia Woehl, dramatic<br />
literature; and a nine member cast <strong>of</strong> the Reader’s<br />
<strong>The</strong>atre for their presentation <strong>of</strong> “Prophets<br />
Write on Subway Walls.” 76 Included in the<br />
entourage from the college was the Black Readers<br />
<strong>The</strong>atre which was founded the previous year.<br />
134 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
<strong>The</strong> group <strong>of</strong>fered a program in which members<br />
Rufus Diggs, Wilfred Burns, Shelly Green, DeTar<br />
Drinkard, Virlece Ellison, and Vicky Lott performed<br />
songs and read poetry and prose written<br />
by blacks. 77<br />
For the first time in its history, the college in<br />
early 1973 sought a federal grant to assist in the<br />
construction <strong>of</strong> the new library building.<br />
<strong>Tradition</strong>ally, college <strong>of</strong>ficials were opposed to<br />
federal assistance on the grounds that the funds<br />
came strapped with burdensome regulations.<br />
But ultimately the lure <strong>of</strong> lower local taxes<br />
brought a change <strong>of</strong> heart. 78<br />
In February 1973, the Gonzales Warm<br />
Springs Foundation sent a letter <strong>of</strong> inquiry to<br />
seven South Texas junior colleges to ascertain<br />
their interest in providing academic instruction<br />
at their facility for the severely handicapped.<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s response was immediate and<br />
the only one that demonstrated an enthusiastic<br />
willingness to establish a program. <strong>The</strong> <strong>of</strong>fering<br />
<strong>of</strong> course work by the college, however, was<br />
subject to the approval <strong>of</strong> the Coordinating<br />
Board. On March 26, the state supervisory<br />
agency gave its consent, and soon afterwards an<br />
agreement was negotiated between the college<br />
and the Warm Springs Foundation. <strong>The</strong> intent<br />
<strong>of</strong> the project was to “provide students with<br />
saleable skills for self-employment or employment<br />
in the business community” and <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
“transferable credits for continued study at<br />
other colleges and universities.” Jerry Zavesky, a<br />
graduate <strong>of</strong> Southwest Texas State University<br />
and a resident <strong>of</strong> San Marcos, was employed by<br />
the college as the instructor and chairman <strong>of</strong><br />
the program. Classes began on September 14,<br />
1973, with 19 students. 79<br />
Dr. George Taulbee, who taught courses at<br />
Warm Springs after Zavesky moved to the<br />
main campus in <strong>Victoria</strong>, attempted “to make<br />
the experience <strong>of</strong> going to school here as<br />
comparable as possible to what the student<br />
would experience if he or she were attending<br />
a four-year university.” He tried “to maintain<br />
the quality <strong>of</strong> grading as well as work study<br />
that a university would have to prepare the<br />
students for their future studies.” Taulbee<br />
was impressed with the students, considering<br />
them to be “extremely courageous and<br />
motivated individuals.” 80<br />
✯<br />
Jerry Zavesky was the instructor and<br />
chairman <strong>of</strong> the college program at<br />
Warm Springs.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 135
✯<br />
Mary Ann Wright (left) and Marilyn<br />
Powell want their students to know<br />
they are not heartless!<br />
Caroline Summers’ speech and drama students<br />
again demonstrated their theatrical talents<br />
in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1973. In the junior college<br />
division at the Southwest Texas State<br />
University Speech Festival which was composed<br />
<strong>of</strong> 648 students from forty-one schools<br />
in five states, the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Readers<br />
<strong>The</strong>atre received an outstanding award for its<br />
performance <strong>of</strong> “Searching In, Reaching Out.” 81<br />
<strong>The</strong> Lyceum has become a major feature <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> life. Its origins are found in the<br />
old class schedules when special periods each<br />
week were assigned to club activities and assemblies.<br />
<strong>The</strong> new schedule established in the mid-<br />
1960s eliminated the special periods, but occasionally<br />
classes were canceled or rearranged to<br />
accommodate particular programs. Because the<br />
affairs did not attract many students, in<br />
February 1969, Bing appointed an ad hoc<br />
assemblies committee, chaired by Chad<br />
Whitmore, to suggest programs more appealing<br />
to the students. Whitmore’s committee was to<br />
present its recommendations before the end <strong>of</strong><br />
the spring semester so funds for the assemblies<br />
could be budgeted. At the May faculty meeting,<br />
Whitmore reported the committee had reached<br />
the conclusion that only evening events should<br />
be held, maintaining that assemblies did not<br />
warrant the loss <strong>of</strong> class time. <strong>The</strong> committee<br />
also suggested that a student activity fee <strong>of</strong><br />
$2.00 per semester per student might assure<br />
higher quality programming. It further recommended<br />
that the administration bow out <strong>of</strong> the<br />
selection process and a standing committee<br />
composed <strong>of</strong> faculty members and students, but<br />
primarily students, be formed to select the<br />
speakers or entertainers. 82<br />
<strong>The</strong> advice was duly considered and a sevenmember<br />
Assemblies Committee, comprised <strong>of</strong><br />
elected faculty members, emerged. Acting on<br />
the recommendation <strong>of</strong> the ad hoc committee,<br />
evening programs were conducted, but, as with<br />
day assemblies, student turnout was sparse.<br />
Even Ge<strong>of</strong>frey Holder, a national television and<br />
radio personality, drew less than 500 people, a<br />
respectable but not an impressive figure. 83<br />
New members were elected to the Assemblies<br />
Committee in 1973, and a different approach<br />
to programming was advanced. <strong>The</strong> committee<br />
decided to bring a nationally known speaker<br />
to the campus for a morning presentation.<br />
Moore was approached with the idea, and he<br />
concurred. <strong>The</strong> president requested that the<br />
committee recommend the names <strong>of</strong> three<br />
nationally prominent individuals, and he would<br />
select one. A list was compiled, and Moore<br />
chose Roger Mudd, a CBS congressional correspondent<br />
and an occasional replacement for<br />
136 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Walter Cronkite, anchor <strong>of</strong> the network’s popular<br />
evening news.<br />
Mudd made his appearance on the campus at<br />
9:30 a.m. on March 27, 1974. He was originally<br />
set to speak in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1973, but because the<br />
television correspondent underwent oral surgery<br />
during that period, his program was rescheduled.<br />
When Mudd made his presentation, the<br />
Fine Arts Auditorium was filled to capacity. In<br />
his speech, he gave an update on current events<br />
in the nation’s capital and predicted that<br />
President Richard Nixon would leave <strong>of</strong>fice early<br />
as the result <strong>of</strong> the Senate Watergate hearings.<br />
When the session was opened to queries from<br />
the audience, Mudd was very adept at fielding<br />
questions. His address proved that with the right<br />
personality a morning event would draw more<br />
students than an evening performance, and the<br />
faculty would accept loss <strong>of</strong> class time if the<br />
speaker possessed a national reputation. 84<br />
Because the morning assembly programs featuring<br />
speakers such as Mudd became extremely<br />
popular with the students, faculty, regional high<br />
schools, and the community, they were expanded<br />
✯<br />
Chad Whitmore, English instructor, is<br />
surrounded by admiring students.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 137
✯<br />
Kenneth Peery and Nancy Nillen in<br />
the foreign language lab.<br />
from once a year to once each semester, and<br />
eventually to five per year. At least one event was<br />
conducted at night, even though the crowds were<br />
smaller, to give residents whose work prevented<br />
them from attending the morning sessions an<br />
opportunity to hear nationally recognized speakers.<br />
Also, since the programs evolved into something<br />
different from a mere assembly for students,<br />
and literally became the envy <strong>of</strong> colleges and universities<br />
throughout the state, the Assembly<br />
Committee adopted a new name, the Lyceum.<br />
<strong>The</strong> change came about at the suggestion <strong>of</strong> committee<br />
member Richard Walker who thought it<br />
necessary because the committee was performing<br />
functions other than arranging assembly programs,<br />
and it needed a distinct identity.<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> choir members were given a<br />
once-in-a-lifetime experience in the summer <strong>of</strong><br />
1974. <strong>The</strong>y became one <strong>of</strong> ten American<br />
singing groups to make a month long tour to<br />
Romania. In preparation for the trip, Ruth<br />
Williams rehearsed the chorus for several<br />
months before taking them to Westminster<br />
Choir <strong>College</strong> in Princeton, New Jersey, for<br />
seven days <strong>of</strong> intense rehearsal. <strong>The</strong> party spent<br />
three weeks in the communist country with<br />
some interesting results. One <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong>ns<br />
met and married a student <strong>of</strong> another American<br />
choir, and a second <strong>Victoria</strong>n “had his passport<br />
lifted from his hip pocket,” causing the group<br />
to spend “four days in fear” before they “arrived<br />
at a location where he could obtain a replacement.”<br />
Williams remarked that she and the students<br />
“were handed flowers on the street,<br />
watched over by plainclothes men everywhere,<br />
hounded for encores and allowed to view some<br />
<strong>of</strong> the most beautiful scenery and rural sights I<br />
will ever be permitted to see.” 85<br />
Another attempt was made in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1974<br />
to create a faculty senate. At the September 19<br />
faculty meeting, Michael Hummel made a<br />
motion that a faculty committee be elected to<br />
investigate the possibility <strong>of</strong> establishing a faculty<br />
organization. After the motion passed, James<br />
Gleason, a government instructor, proposed an<br />
amendment that called for a special meeting in<br />
two weeks to discuss the 1968 faculty senate<br />
resolution. Gleason’s motion was accepted. Bing<br />
asked Charles Spurlin, the chairman <strong>of</strong> the 1968<br />
faculty committee, to make the report. 86<br />
138 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
When the faculty convened on October 4,<br />
Spurlin presented a brief account <strong>of</strong> the events<br />
that revolved around the committee in 1968.<br />
He reviewed the faculty’s reaction to the majority<br />
and minority recommendations, and the<br />
subsequent passage <strong>of</strong> the majority suggestion<br />
to create an advisory council. When Spurlin<br />
finished with his remarks, Jerry Duren, agriculture<br />
instructor, moved that the existing<br />
arrangement be kept. Gary Underwood, biology<br />
instructor, seconded the motion. A lively,<br />
animated discussion followed before Audley<br />
Dry, dean <strong>of</strong> men, called for the question. By a<br />
show <strong>of</strong> hands, Duren’s proposal was approved<br />
28 to 22. <strong>The</strong> status quo remained intact to<br />
the satisfaction <strong>of</strong> Bing and the misinformed<br />
faculty members who were concerned <strong>of</strong> a<br />
“liberal” takeover. 87<br />
Interestingly, Dr. Reginald Traylor <strong>of</strong> the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston Center played a role in<br />
the eventual reunification <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
faculty. Appearing before the college faculty in<br />
1974, he related his thoughts on the merger <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and his institution, suggesting<br />
it would be beneficial to the community. In<br />
response to an inquiry by James Franz, English<br />
instructor, as to how many college faculty would<br />
be retained if there were a consolidation, Traylor<br />
commented that the faculty members would<br />
have to apply for employment. <strong>The</strong> decision<br />
would then be left to UHC to assess the teaching<br />
qualifications <strong>of</strong> the applicants. Traylor gave<br />
no assurances whatsoever that the college faculty<br />
would be absorbed by the upper-level institution.<br />
<strong>The</strong> faculty members interpreted his comments<br />
to mean there was a strong possibility<br />
they would lose their jobs. He also provided<br />
unsatisfactory answers, at least to the college<br />
instructors, on tenure, organizational structure,<br />
and salary. <strong>The</strong> supporters <strong>of</strong> the UHC were<br />
aghast at Traylor’s remarks. Without a doubt, he<br />
did more to bring about the end <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> faculty factionalism in the 1970s than<br />
any other person. At the conclusion <strong>of</strong> the meeting,<br />
the instructors left the room all but united<br />
in opposition to the merger. 88<br />
On a more pleasant note, Monroe Northcutt,<br />
who was employed by the college in 1961, was<br />
recognized with a special award by the National<br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> Track and Field Association for<br />
his many contributions to national junior college<br />
track and field events. While he was the<br />
track coach, his teams placed in six <strong>of</strong> the seven<br />
years they competed at the national meets. In<br />
1970, he was selected as referee <strong>of</strong> the national<br />
meet, a distinctive honor in itself. <strong>The</strong> association<br />
acknowledged further respect for Northcutt<br />
by choosing him to serve as chairman <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Rules Committee. 89<br />
On March 17, 1975, Moore surprised the<br />
trustees and college community when he read<br />
to the board his letter <strong>of</strong> resignation, effective<br />
✯<br />
Listening to comments being made by<br />
President J. D. Moore at a capping<br />
ceremony are (left to right) Harold<br />
Nichols, business manager, and allied<br />
health instructors Mary Ann Wright<br />
and Marjorie Patek.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 139
✯<br />
Dr. C. F. Schneider reviews a student<br />
article for the Jolly Roger.<br />
July 1. Trustee Leo Welder made a motion to<br />
accept the letter “with regret.” Bing, on Moore’s<br />
recommendation, was named unanimously to<br />
succeed him as president. At the time the president<br />
announced his resignation, he stated<br />
“that there were a number <strong>of</strong> things he wanted<br />
to do.” For one thing, Moore expressed a desire<br />
to take some trips with his wife Edith, “assuming<br />
that gasoline is available.” Furthermore, he<br />
wanted to achieve his goal <strong>of</strong> beating the<br />
eighty-year-old Sandy Santleben, a friend and a<br />
retired railroad worker, in a round <strong>of</strong> golf at the<br />
Riverside Golf Course before Santleben<br />
reached ninety. 90<br />
Accolades from throughout the state were<br />
showered upon Moore as word spread <strong>of</strong> his<br />
impending retirement. San Marcos Baptist<br />
Academy presented him with the school’s highest<br />
award, the Exemplary Service Medal, for his<br />
contributions to Christian and public education.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Texas Public Junior <strong>College</strong> Association<br />
gave him an award <strong>of</strong> appreciation at a luncheon.<br />
Making the presentation <strong>of</strong> the TPJCA<br />
plaque was Tom Spencer, a friend and long-time<br />
associate <strong>of</strong> Moore. Spencer praised the retiring<br />
president and jokingly remarked, “<strong>The</strong>re are<br />
some stories about J. D. Moore that I could tell<br />
here today, but I won’t because the statute <strong>of</strong><br />
limitations on them is not yet up.” 91<br />
Local recognition <strong>of</strong> Moore’s civic and public<br />
achievements was expressed in diverse ways.<br />
<strong>The</strong> college chapter <strong>of</strong> the Texas Association <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Teachers sponsored a dinner on May 16<br />
at the <strong>Victoria</strong> Country Club honoring him.<br />
<strong>The</strong> organization purchased, without Moore’s<br />
knowledge, the desk he used at the college.<br />
During the festivities, economics instructor<br />
Ben Burdine, on behalf <strong>of</strong> the faculty, informed<br />
the outgoing president that the desk was his<br />
to keep. He also presented Moore with a plaque<br />
that was to be affixed to the desk. <strong>The</strong> evening<br />
event was enlivened by humorous comments<br />
by Dr. John W. Stormont, Monroe Northcutt,<br />
and Burdine. Entertainment, if the term is<br />
used loosely, was provided by the Moribund<br />
Quartet, a surprisingly harmonious group. <strong>The</strong><br />
quartet was comprised <strong>of</strong> Moore’s daughter,<br />
Cora Jo Hummel and her husband Michael<br />
140 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Hummel, Ruth Williams, and Don Cole with<br />
Donna Cole providing piano accompaniment.<br />
<strong>The</strong> City <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> and <strong>Victoria</strong> County<br />
declared June 15, the date the college conducted<br />
an open house <strong>of</strong> its new facilities, as J. D.<br />
Moore Appreciation Day. 92<br />
After interviewing prospective candidates,<br />
Bing, with the board’s unanimous approval,<br />
tapped Dr. Oscar Rex Whiteside, dean <strong>of</strong> Hill<br />
Junior <strong>College</strong>, as his replacement. Whiteside, a<br />
veteran <strong>of</strong> the Korean War, received an undergraduate<br />
degree from Texas A&M University, a<br />
master’s degree from Texas Christian University,<br />
and a doctorate in education from Baylor<br />
University. He taught in the Fort Worth public<br />
schools and Arlington State <strong>College</strong> before his<br />
employment at the Hillsboro junior college.<br />
While at the two-year school in Hill County,<br />
Whiteside served as registrar prior to being elevated<br />
to the dean’s position. 93<br />
A favorite story <strong>of</strong> the students at Hill Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> had to do with Whiteside. It seems that<br />
while he was dean, Whiteside taught a math<br />
class, a practice he briefly continued at <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>. One day he was uncustomarily late to<br />
class. After waiting some twenty minutes, his<br />
students left the room. At the next class session,<br />
Whiteside took them to task for leaving<br />
because they knew he would be there. A student<br />
politely stated, “I thought we had to wait<br />
ten minutes for an instructor with a master’s<br />
degree”…which Whiteside had “and 15 minutes<br />
for one with a doctorate.” Whiteside<br />
quickly retorted, “That’s right, but you wait all<br />
day for the Dean!” 94<br />
Whiteside had his first opportunity to visit<br />
with the faculty at a July reception in the<br />
Student Union honoring Bing as the new<br />
president. Reaction from the faculty who met<br />
him was positive. When Whiteside was<br />
introduced at the general faculty meeting on<br />
August 25, Bing, as expected, gave an emphatic<br />
endorsement to the dean. <strong>The</strong> president<br />
said, “If you do not please Dr. Whiteside in<br />
instructional matters, you will not please me.”<br />
Whiteside in his segment <strong>of</strong> the meeting provided<br />
a ray <strong>of</strong> light as to his role at the college.<br />
He remarked that the dean’s position was<br />
strictly to help the faculty, and the instructor’s<br />
position was to create an atmosphere in which<br />
learning took place. His words were comforting<br />
to the faculty, but there remained a dash <strong>of</strong><br />
apprehension. Whether the new leadership<br />
combination would be as successful as the preceding<br />
one was anyone’s guess. Only time<br />
would tell. 95<br />
✯<br />
Kenneth Greenhill and Doyle<br />
Christian await the arrival <strong>of</strong> the<br />
next group <strong>of</strong> students to register<br />
for classes.<br />
Turmoil and Consistency ✦ 141
1<br />
David Urbano, letter to author, 5 October 1998.<br />
ENDNOTES<br />
2<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate, 10 July 1962; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 28 September 1962.<br />
3<br />
Advocate, 10 July 1962; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 26 October 1962.<br />
4<br />
Advocate, 12 March 1963.<br />
5<br />
Ibid., 19 May 1963.<br />
6<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 27 September 1963.<br />
7<br />
Vollie Williams, letter to author, 28 July 1998.<br />
8<br />
C. A. Talley, letter to author, 4 September 1998.<br />
9<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 25 October 1963.<br />
10<br />
Advocate, 14 January 1964; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 14 February 1964.<br />
11<br />
Advocate, Ibid.<br />
12<br />
Ruth Williams, letter to author, 26 August 1998.<br />
13<br />
Ibid.; Advocate, 14 February 1964, 28-29 May 1964, 6 June 1964; Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 6 May 1964.<br />
14<br />
Advocate, 14 January 1964, 12 May 1964; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 14 February 1964.<br />
15<br />
Advocate, 11 September 1964.<br />
16<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Faculty Minutes, 21 January 1965; Ibid., 27 January 1965; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 21 May 1965.<br />
17<br />
Louise Hume, interview with author, 8 April 1995; Advocate, 26 May 1965.<br />
18<br />
Martha Watts, interview with author, 8 April 1995.<br />
19<br />
Pirate, 1965.<br />
20<br />
Caller-Times, 7 October 1964; San Antonio Express News, 7 October 1964; Advocate, 7 October 1964, 8-9 May 1965.<br />
21<br />
Advocate, 18 April 1965.<br />
22<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 22 May 1964, 21 January 1965.<br />
23<br />
Advocate, 14 September 1965.<br />
24<br />
Registrar’s Records, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
25<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 14 January 1966; Advocate, 9 November 1965.<br />
26<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Self-Study and Evaluation Report, 1972, 7-8.<br />
27<br />
Advocate, 27 March 1966.<br />
28<br />
Ibid., 11 October 1966; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 30 September 1966.<br />
29<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 28 April 1967.<br />
30<br />
Ibid., 25 September 1967.<br />
31<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 21 January 1965; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 25 September 1967; Registrar’s Records, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
32<br />
Charles S. Stone, letter to author, 24 June 1997.<br />
33<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 20 January 1966.<br />
34<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 20 October 1967.<br />
35<br />
Advocate, 6 December 1967.<br />
36<br />
Ibid., 11 July 1967.<br />
37<br />
Ibid., 17 November 1967.<br />
38<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 17 November 1967.<br />
39<br />
Ibid., 3 May 1968.<br />
40<br />
Ibid.<br />
41<br />
Ibid., 30 May 1968.<br />
42<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 24 May 1968.<br />
43<br />
Advocate, 11 July 1968.<br />
44<br />
Ibid., 19 November 1968, 12 May 1970.<br />
45<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 19 September 1968.<br />
46<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 28 March 1969, 14 November 1969.<br />
47<br />
Ibid., 28 March 1969.<br />
48<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 12 September 1969, 7 October 1969.<br />
142 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
49<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 19 December 1969.<br />
50<br />
Ibid.<br />
51<br />
Advocate, 12 March 1970; Ibid., 20 March 1970.<br />
52<br />
Advocate, 19 October 1969, 20 November 1969, 3 December 1969.<br />
53<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 20 March 1970.<br />
54<br />
Advocate, 26 April 1970; Ibid., 23 October 1970.<br />
55<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 23 October 1970.<br />
56<br />
Ibid., 20 November 1970.<br />
57<br />
Ibid., 18 December 1970.<br />
58<br />
Ibid., 17 March 1971.<br />
59<br />
Ibid., 30 April 1971.<br />
60<br />
Registrar’s Records, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
61<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 15 October 1971.<br />
62<br />
Ibid., 24 March 1972.<br />
63<br />
“Gavel Club Scrapbook 1971-1972,” Local History Collection, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Library; Advocate, 23 November 1971.<br />
64<br />
Advocate, 14 March 1967; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 24 February 1967.<br />
65<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 24 February 1967.<br />
66<br />
Ibid., 28 March 1969, 5 May 1969.<br />
67<br />
A Proposal for <strong>Victoria</strong> State University, 21 April 1969.<br />
68<br />
Advocate, 23 January 1970.<br />
69<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 30 April 1971.<br />
70<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 21 January 1971; Advocate, 19 February 1971.<br />
71<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 24 March 1972.<br />
72<br />
Advocate, 10 June 1972, 18 July 1972.<br />
73<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 6 October 1972, 19 February 1973.<br />
74<br />
Ibid., 6 October 1972; VC Faculty Minutes, 21 September 1972, 8 August 1973, 6 June 1973.<br />
75<br />
Advocate, 21 November 1972.<br />
76<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 15 December 1972.<br />
77<br />
Ibid., 6 October 1972.<br />
78<br />
Ibid., 9 February 1973.<br />
79<br />
Robert Jerry Zavesky, “Description Of A New And Unique Junior <strong>College</strong> Program Which Provides Special Aid For Handicapped<br />
Learners,” unpublished Master’s <strong>The</strong>sis, University <strong>of</strong> Texas at San Antonio, 1976; VC Faculty Minutes, 13 May 1973; Ibid., 11<br />
October 1973.<br />
80<br />
Judy Moore, “<strong>College</strong> for the Handicapped,” <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Kaleidoscope (Spring 1980), 6.<br />
81<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 9 November 1973.<br />
82<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 4 February 1969, 5 May 1969.<br />
83<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 15 December 1972.<br />
84<br />
Ibid., 29 March 1974.<br />
85<br />
Ruth Williams, letter to author.<br />
86<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 19 September 1974.<br />
87<br />
Ibid., 4 October 1974.<br />
88<br />
Ibid.<br />
89<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 13 December 1974.<br />
90<br />
Advocate, 18 March 1975.<br />
91<br />
Ibid., 30 May 1975, 16 June 1975.<br />
92<br />
Ibid, 18 May 1975, 16 June 1975.<br />
93<br />
Ibid., 20 May 1975.<br />
94<br />
Odie B. Faulk, Hill <strong>College</strong>: An Illustrated History (Hillsboro: Hill <strong>College</strong> Press, 1996), 128-129.<br />
95<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 25 August 1975.<br />
Endnotes ✦ 143
144 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
CHAPTER 6<br />
BINGDOM<br />
When Dr. Roland E. Bing assumed the presidency <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> on July 1, 1975, the conversion<br />
<strong>of</strong> the old Library Building into an administration complex, which began before J. D. Moore<br />
retired, was yet to be completed. It was not until October that the structure was sufficiently remodeled<br />
and furnished. Meanwhile, Bing moved from the dean’s <strong>of</strong>fice in the Administration Building<br />
into the existing presidential space across the hall and remained there until his new quarters on the<br />
second floor <strong>of</strong> the renovated structure became available.<br />
When the trustees met in September 1975 in the newly finished boardroom on the second floor<br />
<strong>of</strong> the old Library Building, the board members voted to rename the old Administration Building<br />
the Academic Building. Furthermore, they designated the old Library Building as the<br />
Administration Building. It was at their meeting that Bing presented his first report to the board as<br />
president. Being a strong advocate <strong>of</strong> allied health education, he used the opportunity to provide an<br />
assessment <strong>of</strong> the nursing program. Assisting him in this endeavor were Ruth Constant, director <strong>of</strong><br />
Associate Degree Nursing, and Mary Ann Wright, director <strong>of</strong> Vocational Nursing. Constant pointed<br />
out that the new two-year nursing program had received accreditation, and its inaugural classes<br />
were filled to capacity. She remarked that a total <strong>of</strong> forty students were enrolled and the average<br />
composite on the American <strong>College</strong> Test scores was 20.5 out <strong>of</strong> a possible 36. Wright provided a<br />
similarly upbeat report on the one-year vocational nursing program. She stated that about 75 percent<br />
<strong>of</strong> the nurses in the <strong>Victoria</strong> hospitals were graduates <strong>of</strong> the college. Wright emphasized the<br />
importance <strong>of</strong> the training <strong>of</strong> nurses for the community when she said, “we have calls from doctors<br />
at graduation time every year wanting our nurses.” 1<br />
<strong>The</strong> appearance <strong>of</strong> Constant and Wright before the board signaled that the meetings were going<br />
to be different under Bing. When Moore was president, very few faculty members or students ever<br />
attended a board meeting. It was not that they were discouraged from doing so, but the atmosphere<br />
seemed uncomfortable. Bing, on the other hand, regularly asked individuals within the college community<br />
to give reports. During the first year <strong>of</strong> Bing’s presidency, Student Council president Debbie<br />
Spurlin made a presentation on the activities <strong>of</strong> student organizations, and Carl DuBose, Evening<br />
School director, commented on vocational courses. As the years passed, students and members <strong>of</strong><br />
the faculty, either cheering the college or complaining about a problem, were presented to the board<br />
by Bing.<br />
A Constitutional Review Forum entitled “Community Forum: A New Constitution for Texas?” was<br />
conducted in the Fine Arts Auditorium on October 13, 1975. In 1974, the state legislature had met<br />
as a constitutional convention and failed to approve a new state constitution. At the following legislative<br />
session in 1975 the legislators resolved to place before the voters a proposed constitution in<br />
the form <strong>of</strong> eight propositions. If approved by the electorate, each proposition in the form <strong>of</strong> an<br />
amendment would replace an existing feature <strong>of</strong> the constitution. State <strong>of</strong>ficials made numerous presentations<br />
throughout Texas on behalf <strong>of</strong> constitutional reform. Included on the forum panel at the<br />
college were Speaker <strong>of</strong> the House <strong>of</strong> Representatives Bill Clayton, Chief Justice <strong>of</strong> the Supreme Court<br />
<strong>of</strong> Texas Joe R. Greenhill, state representative Joe Wyatt, Jr., and state representative Tim Von Dohlen.<br />
On November 4, the voters had their say on the matter and by landslide proportions defeated the<br />
propositions; only 4 <strong>of</strong> 254 counties accepted the items. 2<br />
On February 6, 1976, the first graduation ceremony was held for students who completed course<br />
work in the college’s emergency medical services program. Carl DuBose, director <strong>of</strong> the Evening<br />
School, remarked the program was established to prepare unemployed low income individuals to<br />
find jobs. 3<br />
Two faculty members became presidents <strong>of</strong> their respective pr<strong>of</strong>essional organizations in the<br />
spring <strong>of</strong> 1976. Robert Meeks, geology instructor, was elected head <strong>of</strong> the Texas Division <strong>of</strong> the<br />
✯<br />
Dr. Roland E. Bing was president <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> from 1975 to 1989.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 145
✯<br />
Debra Spurlin, 1975-76 Student<br />
Senate president.<br />
National Association <strong>of</strong> Geology Teachers, a<br />
group that included over 200 geology<br />
researchers in higher education. Louise Hume,<br />
college registrar, was chosen to lead the South<br />
Texas Association <strong>of</strong> Registrars and Admission<br />
Officers, an organization composed <strong>of</strong> 30 South<br />
Texas colleges and universities. 4<br />
Among the college student community<br />
receiving special recognition during the spring<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1976 were the Circle K Club and the intramural<br />
basketball team. Circle K, a student<br />
service organization, was awarded first place<br />
for achievements in its division at the Texas-<br />
Oklahoma District Convention in Dallas. <strong>The</strong><br />
club was specifically applauded for its contribution<br />
in the District Huntington’s Disease<br />
Fund Drive. <strong>The</strong> intramural basketball team<br />
was crowned champion at the Texas Intramural<br />
Athletic Association South Zone Basketball<br />
Tournament. Howard Terrell led the squad<br />
in scoring. 5<br />
By a margin <strong>of</strong> 255 votes, Dave Lack, owner<br />
<strong>of</strong> a chain <strong>of</strong> furniture stores, defeated incumbent<br />
board member Dr. C. P. “Pete” Montier for<br />
a place on the college board <strong>of</strong> trustees. Montier<br />
was an original board member and was seeking<br />
his fifth full term. Although there had been previous<br />
contested elections, Lack, who won the<br />
election by virtue <strong>of</strong> capturing the city polling<br />
boxes, was the first person to unseat a sitting<br />
board member. 6<br />
A noticeable expansion <strong>of</strong> vocational and<br />
technical courses occurred in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1976.<br />
Carl DuBose, who assumed the position <strong>of</strong><br />
director <strong>of</strong> Vocational/Technical Education, stated<br />
that the increase was due to local industrial<br />
expansion and the growing job market. He<br />
remarked, “Parents and students alike are more<br />
interested in this type <strong>of</strong> training than ever<br />
before.” Among the new courses <strong>of</strong>fered during<br />
the academic year were floral design, structural<br />
steel drafting, air conditioning and refrigeration,<br />
basic emergency training, medical and surgical<br />
nursing, backhoe operation, farm and ranch<br />
management, and heavy equipment operation. 7<br />
In December, the board was approached by<br />
the Brownson Home trustees on the sale <strong>of</strong> 19.1<br />
acres east <strong>of</strong> and adjacent to the campus for<br />
$479,000. <strong>The</strong> board jumped at the chance to<br />
purchase the land since the price was considered<br />
a bargain, and there was concern that an<br />
opportunity to expand the campus to 80 acres<br />
would be lost if the college did not act immediately.<br />
Consequently, the board called for a<br />
$400,000 bond election to be held on March 5,<br />
1977, with the promise that should the bonds<br />
be approved, there would not be a tax increase. 8<br />
Skepticism over the no-tax pledge was<br />
expressed by some <strong>of</strong> the voters in the county.<br />
<strong>The</strong> disbelievers argued that taxes would have<br />
to be raised, “if not to pay directly for the land,”<br />
to pay for the higher costs <strong>of</strong> operations and<br />
146 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
maintenance brought about by soaring inflation<br />
and projected enrollment increases. To emphasize<br />
their position, the critics pointed out that<br />
the college raised the tax rate six cents within<br />
the last year “to meet higher operating costs.” 9<br />
Without denying the possibility <strong>of</strong> a future<br />
tax increase, Bing and the board members made<br />
persuasive public statements to rally support for<br />
the bond issue. <strong>The</strong> president remarked, “It’s a<br />
good deal for the college and a good deal for the<br />
public. Land isn’t going down in price.” Leo<br />
Welder noted, “<strong>The</strong> bonds can be retired over a<br />
12-year period without an increase in the tax<br />
rate.” Jack Wood said, “It would be extremely<br />
short-sighted to fail to seize the opportunity to<br />
obtain this last vacant tract <strong>of</strong> land adjacent to<br />
the college campus.” Thomas M. O’Connor took<br />
a similar stand by releasing a written statement<br />
proclaiming, “Now is the time to buy the land.<br />
If we wait any longer, the land may not be available<br />
and the only solution for extra land to take<br />
care <strong>of</strong> the college’s growth would be the condemnation<br />
process, which is slow, expensive<br />
and fraught with controversy.” Morris Shattuck<br />
justified the purchase by emphasizing the land<br />
was needed to accommodate “the role <strong>of</strong> a community<br />
college.” He remarked, “We furnish the<br />
freshmen and sophomores a highly pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
faculty that is not available to beginners at the<br />
big universities. We are filling a very special<br />
need in higher education.” 10<br />
Opposition to the bond issue emerged shortly<br />
before the election from an unexpected source.<br />
An anonymous group called the Organization for<br />
Concerned Students attempted to drum up votes<br />
against the proposition. In a flyer distributed by<br />
this disgruntled element, criticism was leveled at<br />
the college for spending money on land when the<br />
funds could be used to expand vocational, technical,<br />
and adult education programs, to repair the<br />
ro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> the Student Union Building, and to support<br />
the library book budget. 11<br />
Bing quickly refuted the statements. He<br />
punctuated the fact that the organization was<br />
✯<br />
A college float was a component <strong>of</strong> a<br />
parade held in downtown <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
during the 1970s.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 147
“composed largely <strong>of</strong> students at the University<br />
<strong>of</strong> Houston <strong>Victoria</strong> Campus that banded<br />
together to prevent cutbacks in programs and<br />
faculty at UHVC.” <strong>The</strong> president noted that the<br />
ro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> the Student Union Building was repaired<br />
and declared that “more money was spent on<br />
books this year than last year.” He acknowledged<br />
that budgets were “trimmed across the<br />
board” to satisfy higher utility bills, therefore,<br />
the library took a financial hit the same as other<br />
areas <strong>of</strong> the college. 12<br />
When the ballots were tallied after the polls<br />
closed on March 5, the bond election passed by<br />
a three-to-one margin. <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficials were<br />
jubilant that the county electorate concurred<br />
with their decision to purchase the land. <strong>The</strong><br />
passage <strong>of</strong> the bond issue was a testimonial to<br />
the majority in the community that the college<br />
was a sound financial investment. This attitude<br />
first developed under Moore’s leadership and<br />
carried over into Bing’s presidency. 13<br />
Relations between the college and the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston <strong>Victoria</strong> Campus<br />
improved significantly in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1977. In<br />
January, Dr. Reginald Traylor resigned as<br />
chancellor and was temporarily replaced by<br />
Dr. George Taulbee, an administrator at UHVC.<br />
Taulbee, to the elation <strong>of</strong> the college faculty<br />
who considered him a friend, announced that<br />
all talk <strong>of</strong> a merger <strong>of</strong> the two schools would<br />
end immediately and that UHVC would no<br />
longer teach courses which duplicated the ones<br />
being taught at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. <strong>The</strong> upperlevel<br />
institution, by using different course terminology,<br />
had been <strong>of</strong>fering classes that were<br />
essentially the same as some courses at the college.<br />
This maneuver had been a source <strong>of</strong> serious<br />
tension between the two institutions.<br />
Within seven months <strong>of</strong> Taulbee’s appointment,<br />
the cooperative atmosphere became apparent.<br />
Bing was invited to attend a University <strong>of</strong><br />
Houston Board <strong>of</strong> Regents meeting and, afterwards,<br />
at the request <strong>of</strong> Bing, Taulbee appeared<br />
before the college board. In the presence <strong>of</strong> the<br />
trustees, the interim chancellor remarked, “It’s a<br />
pleasure to meet with such warm and understanding<br />
people. It’s been kind <strong>of</strong> cool out<br />
there.” He further stated that for the first time<br />
the two educational institutions could “<strong>of</strong>fer a<br />
program which enables us to tell a freshman if<br />
he follows a definite program, then he can graduate<br />
on the same campus in four years.” 14<br />
A videotaped weekly television series,<br />
“Higher Education in <strong>Victoria</strong>,” produced by the<br />
college and UHVC and carried by KXIX-TV, was<br />
launched in July 1977. A total <strong>of</strong> 78 programs<br />
✯<br />
Dr. E. F. “Pete” Gummelt prepares for<br />
a college television presentation.<br />
148 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
were generated and aired Saturday evenings at<br />
10:00 o’clock. In what was likely a unique public<br />
relations enterprise for a junior college, the<br />
programs ranged from student musical productions<br />
to special interest faculty areas, such as<br />
local archaeology and world travel. <strong>The</strong> first two<br />
broadcasts revolved around the purposes, programs,<br />
and relations <strong>of</strong> the two institutions. <strong>The</strong><br />
initial installments were followed with presentations<br />
by faculty members. Among the college<br />
participants were Dr. Robert W. Shook, history<br />
instructor, and Colonel Lorne Black, government<br />
instructor, who discussed President Jimmy<br />
Carter’s controversial Panama Canal Zone<br />
Treaty; and Drs. Ben Burdine and C. A. Talley,<br />
economic instructors, who voiced their views on<br />
✯<br />
Wilbur Collins and Ruth Williams,<br />
music instructors, prepare for<br />
a rehearsal.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 149
✯<br />
Audley Dry’s hat is a bit smaller than<br />
the one the student is wearing.<br />
the energy crisis. <strong>The</strong> series was developed by<br />
Dr. C. F. Schneider, English instructor and director<br />
<strong>of</strong> Public Relations. 15<br />
On October 26, 27, and 28, the college hosted<br />
the Texas Junior <strong>College</strong> Choral Festival.<br />
Ruth Williams, choral director, coordinated the<br />
event. Some 200 singers from junior colleges<br />
throughout the state took part in the festival.<br />
Included among the vocalists from <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> were Elaine Mayer, Gary Newman,<br />
Eileen Pickle, Peggy McLaurin, Ed Vogt, Scott<br />
Wilkinson, Janet Cheshire, and Noble Gray. Dr.<br />
Charles Hirt, an internationally known leader <strong>of</strong><br />
choral music, conducted a group composed <strong>of</strong><br />
representatives from the junior college participants<br />
for the festival concert. 16<br />
<strong>The</strong> Social Sciences Department held its first<br />
annual Social Sciences Symposium on February<br />
4, 1978, in the lecture room located in the<br />
library basement. Initially, the affair was directed<br />
at public school teachers from the area who<br />
could use the conference to fulfill their in-service<br />
obligations. A factor in the creation <strong>of</strong> the<br />
symposium was to illustrate that <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> flourished with pr<strong>of</strong>essionally motivated<br />
faculty members who desired to do more for<br />
the community than meet their perfunctory<br />
obligation <strong>of</strong> teaching classes. <strong>The</strong> conference<br />
provided area residents an opportunity to attend<br />
scholarly presentations that were generally limited<br />
to gatherings at larger colleges and cities.<br />
Speakers at the symposium, all <strong>of</strong> whom were<br />
members <strong>of</strong> the department, were Charles<br />
Spurlin, Dr. James Gleason, Burdine, Black,<br />
Richard Walker, and Doyle Christian. As an<br />
added feature, Dr. Robert Shook displayed the<br />
S. R. Weisiger Collection and other resource<br />
materials housed in the Local History Room. 17<br />
Until the mid-1980s, the symposium’s annual<br />
programs consisted <strong>of</strong> varied topics.<br />
Beginning in 1986, the sessions began to<br />
address a specific theme, the first <strong>of</strong> which was<br />
the Texas Revolution. Also, in 1986, the conference<br />
acquired funds through the effort <strong>of</strong> Bing<br />
from the Kathryn Stoner O’Connor Foundation<br />
to present an annual Kathryn Stoner O’Connor<br />
Distinguished Texas History Lecture. <strong>The</strong> first<br />
O’Connor lecturer was Dr. Archie McDonald,<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> history at Stephen F. Austin State<br />
University, who made a presentation entitled<br />
“Travis: One Chief Rol’d Among the Rest.”<br />
As the symposium evolved, it went through<br />
name changes. In 1990, the sessions began to<br />
focus on South Texas and were referred to as<br />
the Conference on South Texas Studies. It<br />
was renamed the John W. Stormont Lectures<br />
on South Texas five years later when the<br />
former dean’s family, in a generous move<br />
150 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
to honor the distinguished gentleman, funded<br />
the symposium.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the splendid by-products that<br />
emerged from the conference was the establishment<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Press, an<br />
accomplishment limited to only a handful <strong>of</strong><br />
colleges and universities in Texas. <strong>The</strong> press<br />
was created in 1986 when the college took the<br />
modest step <strong>of</strong> publishing McDonald’s presentation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> following year all the papers given<br />
at the symposium were printed, and in 1990,<br />
when the decision was made to concentrate on<br />
South Texas, the Social Sciences Symposium<br />
periodical was renamed South Texas Studies.<br />
<strong>The</strong> new publication’s cover featured a distinctive<br />
cactus as a logotype. <strong>The</strong> symbol was<br />
selected by a committee composed <strong>of</strong> Spurlin,<br />
Walker, and Hummel.<br />
On Valentine’s Day 1978, the Fine Arts<br />
Auditorium was filled to capacity for a lecture<br />
by folksy, strict constructionist Senator Sam<br />
Ervin <strong>of</strong> North Carolina, who acquired national<br />
prominence as chairman <strong>of</strong> the Senate<br />
Watergate Committee which investigated the<br />
improprieties associated with President<br />
Richard Nixon’s administration. In a lackluster,<br />
canned presentation, he denounced the<br />
Panama Canal Treaty as the result <strong>of</strong> a guilt<br />
complex and opposed the Equal Rights<br />
Amendment as unnecessary. Ervin explained<br />
what he considered the five basic rights found<br />
in the United States Constitution: economic,<br />
personal, intellectual, political, and religious.<br />
At the end <strong>of</strong> the program Karen Hoefer, president<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Student Senate, presented the<br />
speaker with a heart-shaped box <strong>of</strong> candy.<br />
Ervin’s appearance on the campus was sponsored<br />
by the Assembly Committee. 18<br />
After a prolonged study, the board <strong>of</strong> trustees<br />
in March established an educational foundation<br />
that was authorized “to solicit, encourage and<br />
otherwise obtain gifts, grants, loans and contributions”<br />
which would “contribute to the academic<br />
and physical growth and development <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>.” Bing suggested that the foundation<br />
would serve as “a vehicle whereby people<br />
who want to give a tax-free gift can do so.”<br />
Board member Leo Welder remarked “that<br />
under the endowment, persons could donate<br />
buildings, machinery or land, etc.” Gifts and<br />
contributions did not flow into the foundation<br />
as its founders envisioned, due to the lack <strong>of</strong><br />
any organized fund drive or sustained effort to<br />
solicit grants. It was not until Dr. Jimmy<br />
Goodson became president <strong>of</strong> the college that<br />
the foundation became effectual. 19<br />
Results <strong>of</strong> the college nursing students who<br />
took the Board <strong>of</strong> Nurse Examiners test in<br />
✯<br />
Karen Hoefer, president <strong>of</strong> the Student<br />
Senate, presents Senator Sam Ervin<br />
with a heart-shaped box <strong>of</strong> Valentine<br />
candy after his Lyceum presentation.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 151
✯<br />
Coach Monroe Northcutt stands<br />
behind trophies won by his<br />
track teams.<br />
February 1978 were impressive. Thirty-one <strong>of</strong><br />
the 36 students passed with average scores<br />
higher than the state mean in the five fields<br />
examined and, except for psychology, greater<br />
than the national mean. <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> nursing<br />
graduate June V. Cook received the highest<br />
grade in the state on the medical nursing exam<br />
and tied for the best score on the surgical<br />
nursing exam. 20<br />
Construction projects received considerable<br />
attention in the 1978-1979 academic year. One<br />
was prompted by Federal disability regulations.<br />
Bing announced that elevator access to the second<br />
floors <strong>of</strong> the Science and Academic buildings<br />
was necessary or the “feds are going to get<br />
us.” Instead <strong>of</strong> installing an elevator in each<br />
building, the college constructed a two-story<br />
hallway, including an elevator, linking the two<br />
structures. This structure soon became known,<br />
outside <strong>of</strong> Bing’s hearing, as the “Bing Wing.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> second project was an expansion <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Allied Health Building to meet the space requirement<br />
for a new operating room technology<br />
course. A large share <strong>of</strong> the funds for this addition<br />
to the latter structure was provided by the<br />
M. G. and Lillie A. Johnson Foundation, Inc. 21<br />
Dr. James D. Gleason, government instructor,<br />
noticed one day as he observed the construction<br />
<strong>of</strong> the enclosure between the Science<br />
and Academic buildings, the concrete ramp on<br />
the south side was too precipitous for wheelchair-bound<br />
students to open the entrance door.<br />
He brought the matter to the attention <strong>of</strong> college<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficials and “a less steep ramp with guard rail<br />
and a flat landing was provided.” After the addition<br />
was finished and opened to traffic, Gleason<br />
and his students found that in order to use the<br />
elevator, a key had to be secured from the secretary<br />
in the Science Building. “Several times my<br />
students were unable to locate anyone with a<br />
key,” Gleason stated. “<strong>The</strong> final straw” came<br />
when he had to carry his daughter, Heather Kay,<br />
who “was injured in cheerleader practice at<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> High [School] up those steep steps in<br />
the Academic Building” to reach his <strong>of</strong>fice on<br />
the second floor. Gleason stated, “I was mad. I<br />
finally got a key but then the college administration<br />
changed its mind and let all students and<br />
faculty use the elevator without a key.” 22<br />
As 1978 came to a close, Dr. Julia Riggs,<br />
biology instructor and former dean <strong>of</strong> women,<br />
was elected to serve as an at-large member on<br />
the eighteen-member board <strong>of</strong> directors <strong>of</strong><br />
the National Association <strong>of</strong> Biology Teachers. <strong>The</strong><br />
organization was composed <strong>of</strong> over 6,000 life science<br />
and biology teachers dedicated to promoting<br />
better teaching at all education levels. Each<br />
year the NABT selected from every state, the<br />
District <strong>of</strong> Columbia, and Puerto Rico an<br />
Outstanding Biology Teacher. Riggs as director atlarge<br />
was appointed an ex-<strong>of</strong>ficio member to the<br />
Committee <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> in Biology Education. 23<br />
In the spring <strong>of</strong> 1979, special recognition<br />
was bestowed upon Douglas Kidder, a <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> student, for his positive involvement<br />
with the Circle K Club. He was elected lieu-<br />
152 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
tenant governor <strong>of</strong> Circle K Division 9, an area<br />
that included the junior and senior colleges in<br />
South Texas. In this post, he published a division<br />
newsletter, “Kidder’s Kaller,” three times<br />
a month. 24<br />
Rampant double digit inflation in the 1970s<br />
took its toll upon the college. Escalating operating<br />
costs, largely due to rising utility bills,<br />
placed a hardship on the budget. In an effort to<br />
control expenses, classroom thermostats were<br />
lowered in the colder months and raised during<br />
the warmer months. <strong>The</strong> administration<br />
requested that faculty turn classroom lights <strong>of</strong>f<br />
between classes and ordered the reduction <strong>of</strong><br />
hall lighting, resulting in a dull, eerie appearance.<br />
To further reduce utility expenses, Bing<br />
distributed a memo citing the United States<br />
Department <strong>of</strong> Energy’s proper use <strong>of</strong> portable<br />
heaters and ventilating equipment. Although it<br />
never came to pass, a faculty member suggested<br />
that instructors be assigned to each building to<br />
monitor energy usage. 25<br />
Of particular importance to the faculty during<br />
these high inflationary times was the slippage<br />
<strong>of</strong> real income for college employees. <strong>The</strong><br />
Richard Nixon administration responded,<br />
unsuccessfully, to the economic crisis by temporarily<br />
freezing wages. When Gerald Ford<br />
assumed the presidency after Nixon resigned, he<br />
kicked <strong>of</strong>f a “Whip Inflation Now” campaign<br />
whereby the nation was asked to restrain spending.<br />
In an effort to gain public support, his<br />
administration distributed round WIN buttons<br />
and stickers. A few <strong>of</strong> the labels turned up on<br />
classroom lecterns used by the faculty to mock<br />
the anti-inflation drive. <strong>The</strong> inflationary spiral<br />
went unabated and dogged the Jimmy Carter<br />
presidency. A partial solution to the critical economic<br />
problems, so his administration thought,<br />
was to limit salary increases to seven percent a<br />
year, a decision that ruffled the faculty.<br />
On May 10, 1979, a committee selected by<br />
the faculty consisting <strong>of</strong> economic instructors<br />
Dr. Ben Burdine and Dr. Claude A. Talley and<br />
history instructor Richard Walker composed a<br />
letter to Alfred E. Kahn, chairman <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Council on Wage and Price Stability, requesting<br />
an exemption to the restriction. <strong>The</strong> trio<br />
stressed the “insidious depletion” <strong>of</strong> the faculty’s<br />
real income and noted that an exemption would<br />
prevent “further income erosion.” Attached to<br />
the letter was a chart illustrating the decline <strong>of</strong><br />
real income for selected faculty members along<br />
with pertinent statements and sections from the<br />
✯<br />
Dr. Robert W. Shook looks through<br />
materials from the Local<br />
History Collection.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 153
✯<br />
Before the computer age, card<br />
catalogues were the vogue in<br />
the library.<br />
government’s Fact Book: Wage and Price<br />
Standards. Before the end <strong>of</strong> June, the committee<br />
received a response from the Council on Wage<br />
and Price Stability rejecting the request for an<br />
exception to the pay standard. Fortunately, for<br />
the faculty and the nation, inflation was shackled<br />
in the 1980s during the presidency <strong>of</strong><br />
Ronald Reagan. 26<br />
When James Ross, a college custodian,<br />
opened the door <strong>of</strong> the Administration Building<br />
around 7:30 a.m. on November 7, 1979, he discovered<br />
the structure was filled with heavy<br />
smoke. Sometime during the preceding night<br />
hours, a thief or thieves entered the building,<br />
smashing in “the front door…allowing the perpetrators<br />
to either crawl through or reach<br />
through and depress the panic bar door opener<br />
to open the door.” Filing cabinets and desks<br />
were ransacked in the intruder(s) fruitless<br />
search for valuables. <strong>The</strong> trespasser(s) tore a<br />
hole through the sheetrock wall <strong>of</strong> the registrar’s<br />
safe and set two fires which destroyed a<br />
few old grade books and documents. Despite<br />
Bing’s public statement that the college was prepared<br />
for a loss <strong>of</strong> the records, in reality, if the<br />
fire had spread, all the documents would have<br />
been lost. 27<br />
Once again, burglars entered the<br />
Administration Building on December 4, 1980.<br />
Entry was secured by the careful removal <strong>of</strong> a<br />
large pane <strong>of</strong> glass from the edifice. Several<br />
<strong>of</strong>fices were ransacked and a candy machine was<br />
broken into. <strong>The</strong> thieves, oddly, selected only<br />
one variety <strong>of</strong> candy to remove from the vending<br />
machine. <strong>The</strong> purloiners also made an<br />
abortive attempt to open a vault. Bing was not<br />
surprised that the would-be safecrackers were<br />
unsuccessful and smiling said, “Getting into that<br />
particular vault is difficult enough when you<br />
know the combination.” 28<br />
During March 1980, college maintenance<br />
workers removed the ivy that covered the<br />
exteriors <strong>of</strong> several campus buildings. Over<br />
the years, the roots <strong>of</strong> the vegetation had<br />
grown into the brick mortar and sewer lines,<br />
causing damage to the structures and pipes,<br />
and harbored doves and occasionally snakes.<br />
Furthermore, the ivy attracted yellow jackets<br />
154 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
which endangered the work crews assigned to<br />
trimming the climbing plants and distracted<br />
students when the insects invaded a classroom,<br />
compelling Bing to comment, “I’m afraid we’re<br />
going to get somebody killed.” A less important<br />
consideration for removing the ivy was the distraction<br />
the cutting caused when the work was<br />
carried out while instructors were conducting<br />
classes. Frequently, the attention <strong>of</strong> the students<br />
and faculty was interrupted when they heard the<br />
clank <strong>of</strong> an extension ladder on the outside <strong>of</strong><br />
the building and saw a smiling maintenance<br />
employee peering through the window gently<br />
moving his lips, expressing a cheerful hello. In<br />
the meantime, first floor classes were amused as<br />
the cut leaves fluttered to the ground. 29<br />
Stating that he was not retiring but “wanted<br />
more time for other activities,” Harold J.<br />
Nichols, college business manager since 1956,<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficially submitted his resignation in May 1980.<br />
<strong>The</strong> board members accepted it “with regret”<br />
and proceeded to name Robert E. Gaines as<br />
Nichols’ successor. Before relocating to <strong>Victoria</strong>,<br />
Gaines was registrar and director <strong>of</strong> admissions<br />
at Southwest Texas State University. 30<br />
Bing was notoriously known as a very poor<br />
driver. <strong>The</strong> faculty knew it. His friends and associates<br />
knew it. Gaines did not know it. <strong>The</strong> business<br />
manager had been in <strong>Victoria</strong> a short time<br />
when Bing took him to a local bank to meet the<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficials <strong>of</strong> the business. On the return trek to<br />
the college, the pair traveled north on Bridge<br />
Street and turned east on Rio Grande Street.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y came to the stop light at Main Street. Bing,<br />
oblivious to the red signal, drove across the<br />
thoroughfare without stopping. Fortunately, for<br />
all concerned, no cars were traveling in either<br />
direction on Main Street. After crossing the<br />
intersection, Gaines asked Bing, “Do you do that<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten?” Bing replied, “What do you mean?” To<br />
which Gaines responded, “Drive through red<br />
lights.” Bing did not answer. Some time later,<br />
when the two men were walking to the president’s<br />
car located in the parking lot between the<br />
Library Building and the old Industrial Arts<br />
Building, the business manager extended his<br />
hand with palm up toward Bing. Without a<br />
word being spoken, the president placed the car<br />
keys into the open palm. From that time forward,<br />
Gaines was Bing’s chauffeur. “But,” the<br />
business manager fondly remembered, “he<br />
would never buy me a chauffeur’s hat.” 31<br />
On September 23, 1980, syndicated columnist<br />
and advocate <strong>of</strong> politically conservative<br />
causes William F. Buckley, Jr., addressed the<br />
largest crowd ever to hear a speaker in the Fine<br />
Arts Auditorium. Students from area high<br />
schools were bused to the campus, posing a<br />
serious seating problem for the Lyceum, the<br />
sponsor <strong>of</strong> the program. To accommodate the<br />
✯<br />
Engrossed with Phi <strong>The</strong>ta Kappa<br />
matters are (left to right) Melanie<br />
Holland, Charles Stone, Mary<br />
Kilgore, Linda Heinrich, and<br />
Shirley Thigpen.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 155
overflow crowd, folding chairs were set up on<br />
the stage, the first and only time for a Lyceum<br />
program. Buckley’s polysyllabic vocabulary and<br />
speaking style entertained and delighted the<br />
mostly conservative throng by skillfully orating<br />
upon the key issues <strong>of</strong> the day and taking verbal<br />
swipes at President Jimmy Carter. 32<br />
In the spring <strong>of</strong> 1980, Dr. S. Joe McCord,<br />
library director, received a letter from C. A.<br />
LaBarre, superintendent <strong>of</strong> documents for the<br />
United States government, stating that the<br />
library had been given an excellent rating<br />
for its depository collection. LaBarre commended<br />
him for “achieving standards <strong>of</strong> excellence<br />
in all depository library groups,” which<br />
placed the library “among a select vanguard <strong>of</strong><br />
pace-setters serving as creative models for<br />
depository documents.” 33<br />
During the 1980 fall semester, the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Library was ranked first among Texas<br />
community colleges in the number <strong>of</strong> books per<br />
student and faculty. Statistically, there were 78.66<br />
books per student while the number <strong>of</strong> volumes<br />
per faculty member was over 1,000. This notable<br />
accomplishment was made possible by placing<br />
volumes <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and the University <strong>of</strong><br />
Houston <strong>Victoria</strong> Center into a joint collection. 34<br />
Dr. Richard C. Allen, Jr., <strong>Victoria</strong> physician,<br />
was the commencement speaker for the first<br />
graduates <strong>of</strong> the nursing attendants program, a<br />
course <strong>of</strong> study designed to provide assistance<br />
to registered nurses and licensed vocational<br />
nurses. <strong>The</strong> ceremony for the twenty-nine graduates<br />
was held on November 13, 1980, in the<br />
Fine Arts Auditorium. <strong>The</strong> highlight <strong>of</strong> the<br />
evening’s event was the presentation <strong>of</strong> a bronze<br />
plaque by the students to Rose Pustka, RN,<br />
director <strong>of</strong> the program. Inscribed on the gift<br />
was a statement <strong>of</strong> appreciation dedicated to<br />
Pustka and the names <strong>of</strong> the graduating class. 35<br />
Under the able advisorship <strong>of</strong> Jerry Zavesky,<br />
business instructor, a team <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
students won the Business Case Competition at<br />
Corpus Christi State University at the beginning<br />
<strong>of</strong> the 1981 spring semester. <strong>The</strong> contest was<br />
conducted by the senior institution to provide<br />
community college students an opportunity to<br />
refine their business skills. <strong>The</strong> local college<br />
aggregate was composed <strong>of</strong> Norma Martinez,<br />
Reuben Salone, Cindy Kaiser, Kenneth Cykola,<br />
and Lou Talbott. 36<br />
In April 1981, the board adopted a resolu-<br />
✯<br />
Did someone say flag football<br />
was nonphysical?<br />
156 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
tion conforming to a state plan for higher education<br />
that was designed to satisfy the United<br />
States Department <strong>of</strong> Education. <strong>The</strong> statement<br />
reaffirmed the college’s “long standing commitment<br />
to operate on a totally desegregated basis<br />
and to provide equal educational opportunities<br />
for all, without regard to race, color, religion,<br />
sex, national origin, or handicap.” <strong>The</strong> resolution<br />
committed the two-year institution to<br />
increasing “the proportion <strong>of</strong> black and<br />
Hispanic students enrolled at the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>.” <strong>The</strong> board emphasized that the action<br />
it took did not establish quotas or lower the<br />
college’s academic standards. 37<br />
Taxing authorities found themselves in<br />
unfamiliar territory in 1981 as they prepared<br />
their upcoming year’s budgets. A new state<br />
law required the taxing districts, including<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, to calculate tax rates on an<br />
assessment ratio <strong>of</strong> 100 percent <strong>of</strong> the property’s<br />
market value. Previously, tax rates were<br />
based on an assessed value determined by the<br />
taxing authority; the assessed value was generally<br />
the purchase price <strong>of</strong> the property.<br />
Consequently, severe inequalities developed<br />
between someone who had owned a home for<br />
several years and a new neighbor who had<br />
paid a higher price for a comparable dwelling.<br />
To eliminate the inequities, the measure stipulated<br />
that county appraisal districts were to<br />
be created to set the market value for each<br />
piece <strong>of</strong> property.<br />
Acting upon a recommendation by Bing, the<br />
board established the district’s tax at ten cents<br />
per $100 on 100 percent <strong>of</strong> the assessed market<br />
value. <strong>The</strong> tax rate represented a decrease from<br />
the preceding year’s 33 cents per $100 assessed<br />
value. Alert to the possibility the suggested figure<br />
might turn out to be inaccurate, Bing<br />
remarked, “I just hope and pray the tax roll on<br />
which our levy is based proves to be correct. I<br />
think we can live with little mistakes. But a big<br />
one might cause us problems.” 38<br />
Pulitzer Prize winning writer Alex Haley was<br />
✯<br />
Elmer Outlaw stands ready to answer<br />
questions from students in his<br />
computer class.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 157
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> welding program <strong>of</strong>fers<br />
students an opportunity to learn<br />
a pr<strong>of</strong>itable trade.<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the Lyceum speakers for the 1981-1982<br />
academic year. Haley, author <strong>of</strong> Roots and a marvelous<br />
storyteller, spoke to a packed crowd in<br />
the Fine Arts Auditorium. In a captivating presentation,<br />
he related his background and provided<br />
insight into the events that produced his<br />
major work. When asked by a member <strong>of</strong> the<br />
audience why he accepted the speaking engagement<br />
in <strong>Victoria</strong>, the author remarked that barbeque<br />
was a favorite food <strong>of</strong> his, and Texas had<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the best barbeque found anywhere. To<br />
satisfy his craving, Haley was taken by some<br />
members <strong>of</strong> the Lyceum Committee to Leo’s<br />
Feed Lot, located at the regional airport, the<br />
evening prior to his lecture. Afterwards, in a<br />
most gracious manner, he commented that Leo’s<br />
barbeque was the best he had ever eaten. 39<br />
Following the Lyceum program, Haley was<br />
escorted to lunch by several faculty members.<br />
During a conversation at the meal, Mary<br />
Doughtie, a member <strong>of</strong> the Lyceum Committee,<br />
remarked how lovely San Antonio was with the<br />
Alamo and the Riverwalk. Mike Hummel and<br />
others from the college confirmed the comment.<br />
Haley was so impressed with the descriptive<br />
statements he canceled his travel plans to fly to<br />
Senegal, drove to San Antonio, and leased an<br />
apartment. In explaining his impulsive act, he<br />
said, “It was the ambience that got to me. I just<br />
got charmed like hell. <strong>The</strong> next morning I woke<br />
up and said, ‘…I’d like to have an apartment in<br />
this city.’” <strong>The</strong> author commented that his<br />
Alamo City residence would be a hideout when<br />
wanted to work. 40<br />
Recognition came in triplets for Marylyn<br />
Underwood, English instructor, during the fall <strong>of</strong><br />
1981. Her superb research and writing on science<br />
fiction were rewarded with an invitation to participate<br />
in the 19th International Festival <strong>of</strong><br />
Science Fiction Films at San Guisto Castle in<br />
Trieste, Italy. Underwood was one <strong>of</strong> 300 journalists,<br />
writers, film producers, and directors from<br />
throughout the world who were invited to attend<br />
the event. Although she was unable to make the<br />
trip, the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> English instructor was<br />
permitted to cast a vote for the eight films she<br />
considered classics worthy <strong>of</strong> saving. Meanwhile,<br />
Underwood was also notified that two <strong>of</strong> her<br />
essays were accepted for publication. 41<br />
An unflattering report on the nation’s community<br />
colleges was released by a wire service in<br />
December 1981. <strong>The</strong> article stated that a threeyear<br />
study headed by David W. Breneman, a<br />
senior fellow at Brookings Institution, concluded<br />
that standards at the two-year colleges were<br />
grossly diluted to assure increased enrollments<br />
and budgets. Bing rose to the defense <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>, and forcefully argued the study’s findings<br />
did not apply to the local community college.<br />
<strong>The</strong> president proudly proclaimed, “We<br />
have standards higher than many four-year<br />
institutions in Texas, and we intend to keep it<br />
that way.” He further emphasized that the faculty<br />
took pride in its work. In response to a statement<br />
in the report that belly dancing, poodle<br />
grooming, and Christmas caroling had “prolifer-<br />
158 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
ated” in community colleges, Bing indignantly<br />
remarked, “We will not teach you how to trim<br />
your poodle or decorate a cake. We feel you can<br />
learn that by yourself.” 42<br />
Merging <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and the University<br />
<strong>of</strong> Houston <strong>Victoria</strong> Campus became a torrid<br />
topic <strong>of</strong> discussion again in 1982. At the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston Board <strong>of</strong> Regents meeting<br />
in January, Dr. Ed Bishop, University <strong>of</strong> Houston<br />
System president, presented a six-year plan in<br />
which he suggested “<strong>The</strong> institutions should<br />
make a study <strong>of</strong> the potential advantages and<br />
disadvantages <strong>of</strong> merger.” Without giving his<br />
own personal feelings on the issue, Bishop<br />
remarked, “Naturally, we would be keenly interested<br />
to see if a single four-year approach would<br />
put the <strong>Victoria</strong> higher education picture in a<br />
better light as far as state funding is concerned.<br />
I would suspect there would be some financial<br />
advantages to us both through merger.” 43<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> faculty and administration<br />
were not impressed with Bishop’s<br />
comments. Unlike the 1970s when a division<br />
developed among the faculty over merger, there<br />
existed a singular attitude among the instructors<br />
and administrators: the two institutions <strong>of</strong> higher<br />
education should remain apart. This view was<br />
vigorously articulated by Bing. He remarked that<br />
unification <strong>of</strong> the college and UHVC “would be a<br />
far piece down the road.” “We’re not ready,” Bing<br />
commented, “to do any serious thinking in that<br />
direction.” <strong>The</strong> college president acknowledged<br />
that the UH president had broached the subject<br />
and left the impression that it did not matter if<br />
Bing or the board members thought the idea was<br />
or was not sound. As far as Bishop’s suggestion<br />
that the merger should be studied, Bing dismissed<br />
it and said the college had to concern<br />
itself with the current self-study required by the<br />
Southern Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s and Schools.<br />
He stated, “We’ve got plenty <strong>of</strong> things going on<br />
around here right now to keep us quite busy. I<br />
don’t think we will be too receptive to spreading<br />
ourselves too thin in the area <strong>of</strong> unwarranted<br />
studies.” <strong>The</strong> foray into merger discussions<br />
proved to be brief, becoming dormant by the<br />
end <strong>of</strong> the year. 44<br />
Heedful <strong>of</strong> UHVC’s lack <strong>of</strong> space as expressed<br />
by Bishop and Dr. Martha Piper, UHVC interim<br />
chancellor, the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> board in<br />
February 1982 authorized that bids be advertised<br />
for the construction <strong>of</strong> a new upper-division<br />
building. After the specifications were<br />
modified to bring the overall cost <strong>of</strong> the structure<br />
closer to what architect W. R. Matthews<br />
estimated, construction began. <strong>The</strong> general contractor<br />
for the 3,645 square foot classroom and<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice building was Main Construction<br />
Company <strong>of</strong> San Antonio. 45<br />
Jim Lehrer, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> alumnus and former<br />
editor <strong>of</strong> the Jolly Roger, returned to the<br />
campus in February 1982 and addressed the<br />
student body, faculty, and residents <strong>of</strong> the community<br />
in the Fine Arts Auditorium. <strong>The</strong> coanchor<br />
<strong>of</strong> the PBS news show, MacNeil-Lehrer<br />
Report, reminisced about his years at the college.<br />
Parenthetically, Lehrer, who had assisted his<br />
father as a ticket agent at the Trailways Bus<br />
Terminal, admitted publicly he had a crush on<br />
his Spanish instructor Mary Doughtie when he<br />
was a student. Winston Zirjacks, president <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees, presented<br />
him a Distinguished Alumnus Award, and<br />
the city <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> declared February 4 as Jim<br />
Lehrer Day. A vase <strong>of</strong> roses sent to him by his<br />
staff in Washington, D.C., decorated the stage<br />
during his lecture. 46<br />
Previous to Lehrer’s visit, he was socializing<br />
with his friend Roger Mudd, the college’s first<br />
nationally known speaker. When he told the<br />
CBS news correspondent about his upcoming<br />
trip to <strong>Victoria</strong>, Mudd smugly told him that he<br />
had already spoken at the college. Lehrer<br />
quickly retorted, “But, did the city declare a day<br />
for you?” 47<br />
Special recognition was extended to <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> students for their academic and<br />
extracurricular activities at a banquet held at the<br />
Community Center on February 3, 1982. Cheryl<br />
Brown was the recipient <strong>of</strong> the first <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Faculty Scholarship, a product <strong>of</strong> a recommendation<br />
made by history instructor, Dr.<br />
Richard Walker. At the event, which featured<br />
veteran referee for the National Football League<br />
Dr. Jim Tunney as the principal speaker, more<br />
than $10,000 in scholarships were awarded.<br />
Brown, Candy Marie Brown, and Rebecca Robles<br />
were co-recipients <strong>of</strong> the prestigious <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Academic <strong>Excellence</strong> Scholarship.<br />
<strong>The</strong> idea for and the impetus behind an<br />
annual dinner to honor the students originated<br />
with Audley Dry, dean <strong>of</strong> men. He thought there<br />
Bingdom ✦ 159
✯<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> students have<br />
many talents.<br />
was a real need for some type <strong>of</strong> awards program.<br />
Freshman students, according to Dry, had<br />
been rewarded for their outstanding academic,<br />
sports, and service related performances at special<br />
high school ceremonies, but the sophomores<br />
were not being acknowledged for their<br />
academic and extracurricular achievements. Dry<br />
was convinced a dinner would attain the objective<br />
desired by recognizing the deserving students<br />
and at the same time paying tribute to<br />
their parents. By the mid-1990s, the dinner concept<br />
gave way to an awards program held during<br />
an evening in the Fine Arts Auditorium. 48<br />
<strong>The</strong> 42nd edition <strong>of</strong> Who’s Who in America<br />
included Bing in its biographical sketches. His<br />
citation in the esteemed publication was the<br />
first and only occurrence for an employee <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. 49<br />
Hoping to reduce electrical use and to provide<br />
better control <strong>of</strong> temperatures in the<br />
rooms, the college installed a computerized air<br />
conditioning system for the campus buildings<br />
before the end <strong>of</strong> 1982. Electrical usage did<br />
decline but temperature control in the classrooms<br />
was not satisfactory. Academic Building<br />
room 205 was the worst because since the early<br />
1960s, the thermostat had been located close to<br />
the window where it was exposed to the sun’s<br />
heat, causing the room to be too cold. Under the<br />
new system, instructors could not set the thermostat,<br />
but they could turn it <strong>of</strong>f and they did.<br />
This upset the maintenance director who moved<br />
the thermostat to an adjoining room only a few<br />
inches from the Art Department’s kiln. Needless<br />
to say, when the oven was turned on, the room’s<br />
temperature declined drastically. Accordingly,<br />
without access to the thermostat, instructors<br />
opened windows to warm the classroom. 50<br />
In February 1983, the faculty united with students<br />
to produce a slate <strong>of</strong> programs during<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Week. A lecture series featuring<br />
various instructors ran from Monday through<br />
Friday. Jack Edwards, English instructor, spoke on<br />
“James Bowie and the Bowie Knife;” Charles<br />
Spurlin made a presentation on “Texans in the<br />
Mexican War;” Dr. James Gleason addressed<br />
“Pornography in the Court;” Jim Franz, English<br />
instructor, discussed “183 Ways to Simplify Life;”<br />
Gary Underwood, biology instructor, gave a talk<br />
on “How to Make a Million Dollars in Six Days and<br />
Other Lies;” Marylyn Underwood reviewed<br />
“Creative Writing;” and Kenneth Greenhill,<br />
English instructor, lectured on “Winston<br />
Churchill: <strong>The</strong> Coming <strong>of</strong> the War.” Members <strong>of</strong><br />
the Baptist Student Union and the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
choirs provided entertainment. Students compet-<br />
160 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
ed for prizes in backgammon, video games, and<br />
photography. Displays in the Student Union<br />
included pottery exhibits, computer art, and welding<br />
projects. Contests in pool, Ping Pong, chess,<br />
and basketball were conducted. <strong>The</strong> week’s festivities<br />
were topped <strong>of</strong>f with a spaghetti supper in the<br />
Student Union served by Phi <strong>The</strong>ta Kappa. 51<br />
Although the Southern Association <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>s and Schools took the unusual step <strong>of</strong><br />
asking the college to delay its institutional selfstudy<br />
report until 1983, Bing, nevertheless, proceeded<br />
to name Mary Doughtie as chairman and<br />
Dr. C. F. Schneider as vice-chairman, to head a<br />
Self-Evaluation Committee. Normally, a selfstudy<br />
report as part <strong>of</strong> accreditation reaffirmation<br />
is completed at ten-year intervals and,<br />
therefore, a college or university steering committee<br />
to coordinate subcommittees is created<br />
two years before the final document is due. In<br />
this instance, the process began three years<br />
in advance. Unlike the 1972 self-study process,<br />
there was less internal rancor. 52<br />
On March 21, 1983, a nine-member accreditation<br />
team from the Southern Association <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>s and Schools, having reviewed the college’s<br />
self-study report, began a three-day visit at<br />
the college for the evaluation <strong>of</strong> the school’s programs<br />
and policies. <strong>The</strong> self-study report noted<br />
that Bing did not delegate responsibilities well<br />
and that there were no clear-cut lines <strong>of</strong> authority.<br />
Not surprisingly, the comments were completely<br />
ignored by the accreditation group, leaving<br />
the existing system intact. Bing, therefore,<br />
justifiably declared at a faculty meeting that the<br />
college remained a president-and-dean institution.<br />
Official confirmation that the college was<br />
reaffirmed came at the December 1983<br />
Southern Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s and Schools<br />
annual meeting in New Orleans. Bing and<br />
Whiteside were at the conference when the<br />
announcement was made. 53<br />
During the visitation, Dr. Blake Farmer,<br />
director <strong>of</strong> Student Personnel, was interviewed<br />
by a member <strong>of</strong> the accreditation team. <strong>The</strong> visitor<br />
informed Farmer <strong>of</strong> the high value the<br />
Southern Association placed on alumni organizations,<br />
the implication being that if a college<br />
did not have one, it should. Farmer, a pleasant<br />
and thoughtful man who delivered his comments<br />
slowly, responded that <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
did not have an ex-students’ organization, but to<br />
comply with the Southern Association’s criteria,<br />
an alumni association would be formed. He<br />
then asked the gentleman to send him a copy <strong>of</strong><br />
the alumni bylaws at his college. Sheepishly, the<br />
inquirer said his school did not have such an<br />
association either. Farmer chuckled and the two<br />
men turned to another issue.<br />
Audley Dry received a vote <strong>of</strong> confidence<br />
from the Junior <strong>College</strong> Student Personnel<br />
Association <strong>of</strong> Texas when he was selected by the<br />
organization to serve on its board <strong>of</strong> directors.<br />
<strong>The</strong> association represented two-year institutions<br />
across Texas and was composed <strong>of</strong> more<br />
than 400 members. 54<br />
Flight training reoccurred as a course in the<br />
✯<br />
Jack Edwards, English instructor, gives<br />
a talk on one <strong>of</strong> his favorite subjects,<br />
the Bowie Knife.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 161
✯<br />
Warren Nichols (far left) was the first<br />
director <strong>of</strong> the Police Academy.<br />
fall <strong>of</strong> 1983. <strong>The</strong> last time the college <strong>of</strong>fered a<br />
class to train pilots was during the World War II<br />
era. <strong>Victoria</strong> Aviation Services, Inc., at <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Regional Airport was authorized by the college<br />
to instruct the students in single-engine and<br />
multi-engine planes. Cost <strong>of</strong> the program,<br />
which held enrollment to ten students, was<br />
funded by the two-year institution to the tune <strong>of</strong><br />
$44,540 for the first two years. If the course<br />
succeeded, Bing expected the state to appropriate<br />
the money required to continue the flight<br />
instruction. Insufficient interest and excess cost<br />
doomed the program, and it was dropped from<br />
the class schedule after only a few years. 55<br />
More successful than the pilot training was<br />
the new <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Police Academy. Basic<br />
law enforcement training for the region had<br />
been handled by the <strong>Victoria</strong> Police Academy, a<br />
division <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> Police Department,<br />
through a cooperative arrangement with the<br />
Golden Crescent Regional Planning<br />
Commission. <strong>Victoria</strong> County Sheriff “Dutch”<br />
Meyer and <strong>Victoria</strong> City Police Chief Kenneth<br />
Rosenquest approached Bing and recommended<br />
that the college become the training agency for<br />
a seven-county area. Rosenquest suggested that<br />
the training under the control <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> would give students an opportunity to<br />
obtain “10 to 12 semester hours” <strong>of</strong> academic<br />
accreditation and the utilization “<strong>of</strong> the college<br />
teaching personnel…would improve the standard<br />
<strong>of</strong> training somewhat.” He also noted,<br />
along with <strong>Victoria</strong> City Manager James J.<br />
Miller, the college would receive funding for the<br />
program through the Texas Education Agency.<br />
After careful consideration, college <strong>of</strong>ficials<br />
went along with the request and employed<br />
Warren Nichols, a ten-year veteran <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Arlington Police Department who held a graduate<br />
degree from the University <strong>of</strong> Texas at<br />
Arlington, as the director <strong>of</strong> the academy. 56<br />
Establishment <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Police<br />
Academy was not free from controversy. <strong>The</strong><br />
college charged regular tuition whereas under<br />
the previous arrangement small fees, about<br />
$25, for incidental costs had been collected. At<br />
least one GCRPC director, Jackson County<br />
Judge Sam Seale, objected to reserve <strong>of</strong>ficers<br />
paying tuition. Bing became adamant and<br />
“objected to implications that the college was<br />
162 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
getting paid too much to provide the service.”<br />
He was emphatic in making the point that<br />
tuition was necessary to pay a director <strong>of</strong> the<br />
academy and instructors. Michael O’Connor, a<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the academy advisory board,<br />
remarked that the reserve <strong>of</strong>ficers “really have<br />
just had it too good in the past,” and they<br />
should anticipate paying “at least a part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
cost” <strong>of</strong> the training. Another bone <strong>of</strong> contention<br />
was that the students did not receive<br />
college credit for the courses. Patrick Kennedy,<br />
executive director <strong>of</strong> GCRPC, raised the issue <strong>of</strong><br />
college credits for the students. He remarked it<br />
was the understanding <strong>of</strong> the regional planning<br />
organization that the trainees would receive<br />
credit toward an associate <strong>of</strong> arts degree.<br />
Rosenquest replied there were discussions with<br />
college <strong>of</strong>ficials on the matter and “we’re working<br />
toward that, but we’re not there yet.” By the<br />
time the parties involved in the dialogue aired<br />
their views, most <strong>of</strong> the questions addressed<br />
were satisfactorily resolved. <strong>The</strong> principal individuals<br />
agreed that the dispute was due to an<br />
absence <strong>of</strong> communications, and they were<br />
“going to have to keep this from happening in<br />
the future.” 57<br />
Integration <strong>of</strong> the faculty became a reality in<br />
the fall <strong>of</strong> 1983. African-American educator<br />
Agnes Jewett was employed by the college as a<br />
counselor, an administrative position. Jewett<br />
recalled that she was told that she would not be<br />
in the classroom but “ended up teaching psychology<br />
and reading.” She remarked that at the<br />
1983 fall faculty meeting an acquaintance <strong>of</strong><br />
hers, Dr. Michael Hummel, said, “Agnes, you are<br />
not the first black faculty member.” She was surprised<br />
and replied, “I thought I was.” He commented,<br />
“No, Lorne Black was.” <strong>The</strong> two had a<br />
hearty laugh. She further stated, “I was welcomed<br />
with open arms. My colleagues are the<br />
best in the world.” 58<br />
Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father <strong>of</strong><br />
America’s nuclear navy, was the Lyceum’s inaugural<br />
speaker for the 1983-1984 academic year. His<br />
address was presented on September 27 in the<br />
Fine Arts Auditorium and centered on the importance<br />
<strong>of</strong> individual responsibility, excellence, creativity,<br />
and ethical and moral conduct. During the<br />
question and answer session, Rickover made<br />
abrasive and insulting remarks. He characterized<br />
one question as stupid and berated the person<br />
who made the query. Before the admiral finished<br />
his campus visit, the brilliant, cantankerous<br />
octogenarian had managed to ridicule almost<br />
✯<br />
Agnes Jewett was the first African<br />
American employed by the college as<br />
a faculty member.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 163
everyone he encountered. His objectionable<br />
behavior seemed to be calculated to reenforce|<br />
the public perception that he was a difficult<br />
and obnoxious person. If that was Rickover’s<br />
goal, he succeeded. 59<br />
Damage from a hailstorm on March 21,<br />
1984, was extensive in <strong>Victoria</strong> County. Ro<strong>of</strong>s<br />
on all the college buildings, except one, were so<br />
badly damaged they had to be replaced. <strong>The</strong><br />
ro<strong>of</strong> that did survive was sufficiently harmed<br />
and needed considerable repair work. <strong>The</strong><br />
tower on the Fine Arts Auditorium, screens,<br />
walkways, and air conditioning equipment suffered<br />
varying forms <strong>of</strong> destruction from the ice<br />
pellets. Cost for the required repairs was<br />
estimated to be over $250,000. Fortunately,<br />
the college was insured and only paid the<br />
obligatory $1,000 deductible. 60<br />
Audley Dry, in April 1984, released the findings<br />
<strong>of</strong> a survey he and his colleagues administered<br />
to first-year students during the initial week<br />
<strong>of</strong> the 1983 fall semester. <strong>The</strong> study was part <strong>of</strong> a<br />
larger inquiry on student views conducted on<br />
358 college and university campuses across the<br />
nation. <strong>The</strong>re were 61 two-year institutions<br />
included in the survey. <strong>The</strong> purpose <strong>of</strong> the<br />
inquiry was to compare 1973 student attitudes to<br />
1983 collegiate opinions. Dry noted that the survey<br />
was made when the students were “green and<br />
raw” and unaffected by anything they may have<br />
learned in college. <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> students,<br />
according to the survey, were more conservative<br />
than the national average and less confident in<br />
government protecting consumers and the environment<br />
than their counterparts in 1973. Only<br />
23.9 percent in 1983 thought women were better<br />
<strong>of</strong>f remaining at home as compared to 35.7 percent<br />
in 1973, and 43.2 percent in 1983 considered<br />
it necessary to develop a philosophy <strong>of</strong> life,<br />
a drop <strong>of</strong> 21 percentage points since 1973. 61<br />
Expansion <strong>of</strong> the Fine Arts Building to provide<br />
space for art classes was given the green<br />
light by the board in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1984. Coastal<br />
Construction Company <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> with the low<br />
bid <strong>of</strong> $807,921 was awarded the contract to do<br />
the work. To pay for the addition and other<br />
improvements, $870,000 was transferred from<br />
the college building fund. 62<br />
An unusual request was made at the board<br />
meeting in September 1984 by Bruce Spindler, a<br />
petroleum land lease operator for the Jane<br />
H<strong>of</strong>fman Land and Minerals Company. He proposed<br />
that Exxon Corporation be permitted to<br />
lease a drilling site on the campus. Spindler presented<br />
“two lease agreements, one for three<br />
years and one for five years.” <strong>The</strong> three-year<br />
arrangement would produce $10,000 for the<br />
college and the five-year lease would yield<br />
$22,400 in revenue. Both agreements included a<br />
three-sixteenths royalty. Spindler said Exxon<br />
was particularly interested in the college property<br />
because “it is a large single tract.” <strong>The</strong> suggestion<br />
was tabled and was never rekindled. 63<br />
On October 29, 1984, a closed session consisting<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> board members; Dr.<br />
Charles Bishop, president <strong>of</strong> the University <strong>of</strong><br />
Houston System; and Dr. Martha Piper,<br />
Chancellor <strong>of</strong> the University <strong>of</strong> Houston-<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong>, convened to discuss a proposed purchase<br />
<strong>of</strong> college property by the University <strong>of</strong><br />
Houston System. UHV was interested in acquiring<br />
twenty-five acres <strong>of</strong> the college campus that<br />
extended along Ben Wilson Street as a first step<br />
<strong>of</strong> a ten-year plan “to build facilities that will<br />
adequately best serve the students <strong>of</strong> the area.”<br />
Once UHV took title to the acreage, the next<br />
move would be to construct a three million dollar<br />
three-story communication center. Piper<br />
noted that if all went well with the college, it<br />
would be at least four years before any building<br />
could actually take place, and “we still have to<br />
get approval <strong>of</strong> the…coordinating board.” 64<br />
Ultimately, the land purchase transaction<br />
envisioned by Bishop and Piper never materialized.<br />
Negotiations between <strong>of</strong>ficials from the two<br />
educational institutions were conducted <strong>of</strong>f and<br />
on until 1986 when an <strong>of</strong>fer was made by the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston to purchase 11.7 acres<br />
for $571,830. Weighing heavily on the minds<br />
<strong>of</strong> the college board as it considered the request<br />
was the future <strong>of</strong> UHV. <strong>The</strong>y asked themselves,<br />
how would the closure <strong>of</strong> the upper level institution<br />
affect the property purchased? <strong>The</strong> land,<br />
<strong>of</strong> course, would revert back to <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />
but at what price? University <strong>of</strong> Houston <strong>of</strong>ficials<br />
insisted that any repurchase agreement should<br />
stipulate the college would pay the fair market<br />
price in the event UHV did not manage to<br />
construct a building on the property within<br />
ten years. This proposal was unacceptable to<br />
the board. Trustee David Lack expressed the<br />
sympathy <strong>of</strong> the governing body on the matter<br />
164 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
when he said, “I don’t see how we can obligate<br />
the college to buy back land ten years from now<br />
at an unknown price.” Deadlocked and with no<br />
acceptable solution on the horizon, the college<br />
trustees and the University <strong>of</strong> Houston Board <strong>of</strong><br />
Regents issued a press release announcing the<br />
postponement <strong>of</strong> further discussions on the land<br />
purchase. <strong>The</strong> joint pronouncement stated that<br />
“in view <strong>of</strong> the state’s difficult economic situation<br />
and the current state governmental crisis, it<br />
would not be prudent to continue the land sale<br />
and purchase process at this time.” 65<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> community was given a treat on<br />
Halloween in 1984 when the Lyceum hosted a<br />
debate on Reaganomics between syndicated<br />
columnist William F. Buckley, Jr., and former<br />
U.S. ambassador to India, John Kenneth<br />
Galbraith. Kenneth Ashworth, commissioner <strong>of</strong><br />
the Higher Education Coordinating Board, at the<br />
invitation <strong>of</strong> Bing, served as the moderator.<br />
<strong>College</strong> faculty members Colonel Lorne Black,<br />
Dr. Ben Burdine, Dr. James Gleason, and Dr. C. A.<br />
Talley were seated on the stage and posed questions<br />
to the internationally known guests. <strong>The</strong><br />
capacity crowd in the Fine Arts Auditorium<br />
chuckled, hissed, and cheered whenever a<br />
debater made a salient point. Buckley and<br />
Galbraith, long-standing friends, filled the program<br />
with “good humored personal jibes.” If one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the speaker’s viewpoint prevailed, it would<br />
have been Buckley’s because his comments were<br />
more receptive to the politically and economically<br />
conservative audience. 66<br />
Excitement reverberated across the campus on<br />
the day <strong>of</strong> the Buckley-Galbraith debate. On the<br />
afternoon <strong>of</strong> the event, Indira Gandhi, prime minister<br />
<strong>of</strong> India, died from an assassin’s bullet.<br />
Galbraith who was a close friend <strong>of</strong> the slain<br />
leader was urgently sought after by news media<br />
across the globe for an interview. <strong>The</strong> college<br />
switchboard operator, Wanda Gilstrap, was inundated<br />
with messages to pass along to the former<br />
ambassador. Billie North, the college information<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficer, received so many calls that for her to count<br />
them “would be impossible.” She passed the notes<br />
to Galbraith who placed them in his pocket.<br />
North fielded questions from all major television<br />
networks, “and there was even a call from the<br />
CNN cable network news.” When phone calls<br />
came in during the debate, they were received at<br />
the night desk in the Academic Building and were<br />
relayed to Galbraith by a student. 67<br />
Meanwhile, Galbraith had received a message<br />
from the White House, via the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Police Department. Jane McConathy, crew<br />
leader dispatcher, was on duty when a message<br />
✯<br />
When the Lyceum-sponsored debate<br />
between John Kenneth Galbraith<br />
and William F. Buckley, Jr., was held<br />
on Halloween in 1984, the Fine<br />
Arts Auditorium was filled to<br />
capacity. Participants on the program<br />
were (left to right) Galbraith,<br />
Dr. James Gleason, Dr. C. A. Talley,<br />
Dr. Ben Burdine, Buckley, and<br />
Dr. Kenneth Ashworth.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 165
✯<br />
Verifying the correctness <strong>of</strong> class<br />
schedules are (left to right) Carl<br />
DuBose, Mary Jo Kinghorn, and<br />
Audley Dry.<br />
from an operator at the White House who stated<br />
that “they needed to get some information to<br />
Mr. Galbraith.” “Even though it was Halloween<br />
night…she didn’t think it could be a Halloween<br />
prank.” McConathy transferred the message by<br />
radio to Police Officer Julia Catchings, who<br />
then gave it to the Harvard economics pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
when he arrived on campus after a private dinner<br />
at the <strong>Victoria</strong> Country Club. Galbraith was<br />
taken to the Academic Building, where he<br />
called an aide in President Ronald Reagan’s<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice. <strong>The</strong> White House <strong>of</strong>ficial attempted to<br />
persuade the former ambassador “to take an<br />
immediate flight out.” <strong>The</strong> request was rejected.<br />
Galbraith stated that people were “waiting for a<br />
lecture, and he wasn’t going to disrupt it and<br />
leave them.” 68<br />
Because <strong>of</strong> the White House call, the debate<br />
did not begin on time. <strong>The</strong> audience was<br />
unaware <strong>of</strong> the transpiring events and became<br />
restless. Dr. C. F. Schneider, director <strong>of</strong> public<br />
relations, detected the uneasiness and stepped<br />
to a microphone at one <strong>of</strong> the podiums. He said,<br />
“Mr. Galbraith is on the telephone to the White<br />
House, so we decided to give that priority.” His<br />
words had a soothing affect upon the audience.<br />
After the program ended, Burdine took<br />
Galbraith to <strong>Victoria</strong> Regional Airport, where<br />
the former ambassador caught a flight to<br />
Houston on a chartered plane so he could<br />
appear on an early morning television show. 69<br />
<strong>The</strong> October 31 program was the first <strong>of</strong> what<br />
was hoped to be a permanent string <strong>of</strong> speakers<br />
in the John W. Stormont Distinguished Lecture<br />
Series. Funds for the presentation were provided<br />
by the Stormont family as a means to acknowledge<br />
the former dean’s multitude <strong>of</strong> civic and<br />
educational contributions. Stormont unselfishly<br />
devoted much <strong>of</strong> his time to causes he deemed<br />
worthy. Bing spoke for many people when he<br />
referred to him as “a giant among men.” Former<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> President J. D. Moore credited<br />
Stormont for the high academic standards that<br />
“have been responsible for the excellent reputation<br />
<strong>of</strong> the college and for the acceptability <strong>of</strong><br />
programs by the senior colleges and universities.”<br />
Although the lecture series was not <strong>of</strong>ficially part<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Lyceum, the committee was charged with<br />
recommending speakers to the president and<br />
making all arrangements for the guests. However,<br />
the series was discontinued for lack <strong>of</strong> funds,<br />
Charlton Heston being the last speaker. 70<br />
Meanwhile <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> campus facilities<br />
continued to expand. In January 1985, the Allied<br />
Health Building was renamed the M. G. and<br />
Lillie A. Johnson Building in recognition <strong>of</strong> the<br />
$600,000 donated by the M. G. and Lillie A.<br />
Johnson Foundation for health education. A portion<br />
<strong>of</strong> the funds was used for the construction<br />
<strong>of</strong> the main complex and the remainder for a<br />
166 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
wing that was designed for associate degree and<br />
vocational nursing programs, emergency medical<br />
training, and the Police Academy. Bing<br />
remarked that the addition was necessary<br />
because “Medical science is moving so fast that<br />
we have to plan ahead to keep in step.” 71<br />
In 1985, <strong>Victoria</strong> Mayor Ted Reed declared<br />
February 17-23 as <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Week. <strong>The</strong><br />
five fun-filled days included basketball and<br />
table tennis tournaments; a performance by the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>/University <strong>of</strong> Houston-<strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Choir; a “chalk in” for students; displays in the<br />
Student Union; and literary, photographic, and<br />
art contests. Among the winners were Diane<br />
Bush, painting; Pat Soward, drawing; David<br />
Locher, three-dimensional; Lori Immenhauser,<br />
best overall photography; Carol Tippins for her<br />
essay “Down at the Dump;” and Mia Jones for<br />
her poem “Butterflies.” 72<br />
On May 30, 1985, exhausted and weary from<br />
lack <strong>of</strong> sleep after a two-week excursion to<br />
China, the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>-University <strong>of</strong><br />
Houston-<strong>Victoria</strong> Choir was thrilled to be home.<br />
<strong>The</strong> tour which included performances in<br />
Beijing, Hong Kong, and Honolulu, produced<br />
life-long memories and opportunities to experience<br />
cultural diversity. Melissa Thiele found<br />
“adjusting to the food was difficult because it<br />
was so unusual.” She remarked, “One time<br />
everyone decided to try something, and it turned<br />
out to be jellyfish tentacles.” Although the choir<br />
members were apprehensive over how they<br />
would be received in China, the entourage discovered<br />
the people were exceedingly friendly.<br />
When the <strong>Victoria</strong>ns sang the Chinese national<br />
anthem, which they learned phonetically, the<br />
audience untraditionally “stood up through<br />
theirs, and then through ours.” Roel Padilla commented<br />
that the Chinese “went crazy for the<br />
‘chicken’”. . .and “tried dancing to ‘Cotton Eyed<br />
Joe,’ and they even picked up the schottische<br />
pretty fast.” Billie North, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> information<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficer, noted, “We gave a good impression<br />
<strong>of</strong> the American people, and <strong>Victoria</strong>. We<br />
did a good job <strong>of</strong> creating good will.” 73<br />
During the early 1980s, the Texas oil industry<br />
witnessed a sharp decline. In drafting its<br />
budget for higher education, the legislature<br />
failed to make adequate adjustments for<br />
increased enrollments and inflation, and it distributed<br />
funds later than usual. <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />
a financially conservative bastion, was impacted<br />
less than other colleges and universities.<br />
Fortunately for the college, local taxable property<br />
values showed increases, partially <strong>of</strong>fsetting<br />
the state shortfall. 74<br />
Bing, an astute observer <strong>of</strong> the poor economy,<br />
assured the faculty and staff there would be no<br />
salaries cut or positions terminated, but he took<br />
other steps to address the problem. <strong>The</strong> administration<br />
continued to assign biology instructor<br />
Harvey Spies agriculture classes, rather than hire<br />
a new agriculture teacher; eliminated the career<br />
pilot program because enrollment in the class was<br />
✯<br />
Kemper Williams, Jr., (left) <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Civic Chorus listens to<br />
comments by Governor Bill Clements<br />
who handed <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Choral Director Ruth Williams a<br />
proclamation making the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
singers the <strong>of</strong>ficial Texas ambassadors<br />
to the 1988 Australian World’s Fair.<br />
Also present at the ceremony are (left<br />
to right) Dr. Glenn Goerke, UHV;<br />
Rosamund Haynes <strong>of</strong> New Zealand;<br />
and Dr. Roland E. Bing.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 167
✯<br />
Luther Troell (left) and Dr. Rex<br />
Whiteside await the results <strong>of</strong> another<br />
University Interscholastic League<br />
track and field event.<br />
never high enough to create enthusiasm for it;<br />
declined to spend $52,000 for desired computer<br />
drafting equipment; and asked the instructors to<br />
reduce the amount <strong>of</strong> Xeroxed material they were<br />
distributing to the students. As an added step to<br />
better the college finances, tuition was raised two<br />
dollars per credit hour in 1985. Even though the<br />
economic circumstances were bleak, Bing still<br />
managed to secure moderate salary raises for the<br />
faculty and staff. 75<br />
For the audience in the Fine Arts Auditorium,<br />
the Lyceum program on the evening <strong>of</strong> October<br />
22, 1985, was something for them to remember.<br />
As the speakers Rowland Evans and Robert<br />
Novak, Jr., syndicated columnists, were concluding<br />
their presentations on national and international<br />
issues, they were interrupted by the<br />
Lyceum Committee chairman, Charles Spurlin,<br />
who announced that word had been received<br />
that a bomb was planted in the building. <strong>The</strong><br />
lecturers were extremely reluctant to end the<br />
program. <strong>The</strong>y were convinced there was no<br />
explosive device and did not wish to give in to a<br />
terrorist. Nevertheless, at the insistence <strong>of</strong> college<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficials, Evans and Novak left the stage, and<br />
the auditorium was quickly vacated in an orderly<br />
fashion. Local law enforcement <strong>of</strong>ficers made<br />
a thorough search <strong>of</strong> the premises but did not<br />
find a bomb. 76<br />
This was the first time the college encountered<br />
a bomb threat. It was not, however, the last. In<br />
the fall <strong>of</strong> 1995, classes were temporarily dismissed<br />
on a couple <strong>of</strong> occasions because <strong>of</strong><br />
anonymous telephone callers uttering that explosives<br />
were hidden in campus buildings. In none<br />
<strong>of</strong> the occurrences was such a device uncovered.<br />
<strong>The</strong> threats did, however, lead to the college<br />
developing a bomb evacuation and search policy.<br />
In the 1985-1986 school year, <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> received some very good news. First,<br />
results <strong>of</strong> a pre-pr<strong>of</strong>essional skills test that was<br />
taken by students in the state’s colleges and universities<br />
were released in November 1985. When<br />
he announced the results <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
students, Dean Rex Whiteside said, “It shows<br />
that our students were adequately prepared for<br />
the test and the first two years <strong>of</strong> college.” How<br />
correct he was. <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s pass rate <strong>of</strong><br />
77.3 percent surpassed the state average <strong>of</strong> 57<br />
percent, placing the local school eighth overall in<br />
Texas and first among the community colleges. A<br />
good showing for the local students, indeed.<br />
Additionally, the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> campus at the<br />
Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital <strong>of</strong><br />
Gonzales was lauded for its exemplary program<br />
by the Regional Rehabilitation Exchange, a federally<br />
funded project based at the Southwest<br />
Educational Development Laboratory at Austin.<br />
<strong>The</strong> RRE examined 52 rehabilitation programs<br />
and selected the Warm Springs campus as one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the seven best for the disabled in the United<br />
States. <strong>The</strong> college was applauded for “providing<br />
a high quality <strong>of</strong> service related to the delivery<br />
<strong>of</strong> support services to disabled students in a<br />
college environment.” 77<br />
After 30 <strong>of</strong> dedicated service as a board<br />
member, Leo Welder resigned on November 18,<br />
1985. His announcement coincided with the<br />
installation <strong>of</strong> Ron B. Walker as a trustee. Welder<br />
remarked, “You have one young man now.<br />
Perhaps you can get another young man or<br />
woman to serve on the board.” His replacement,<br />
co-owner <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate, Catherine<br />
McHaney, was a distinguished, well-qualified<br />
168 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
lady, and the first woman in the college’s sixtyyear<br />
history to be a board member. She was at the<br />
time <strong>of</strong> her appointment serving on the Executive<br />
Committee <strong>of</strong> the Texas Research League, the<br />
Citizens Medical Center Board, the Warm Springs<br />
Rehabilitation Hospital Board, and the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Fine Arts Association Board. 78<br />
On April 15, 1986, at the 66th annual banquet<br />
<strong>of</strong> the American Association <strong>of</strong> Community<br />
and Junior <strong>College</strong>s in Orlando,<br />
Florida, Jim Lehrer, a 1954 graduate <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>, received the 1986 Alumnus <strong>of</strong> the Year<br />
award. He was chosen for his “outstanding contribution<br />
at the national or international level.”<br />
Lehrer was co-anchor <strong>of</strong> the MacNeil-Lehrer<br />
Report on the Public Broadcasting System. He<br />
and his associate, Robert MacNeil, had received<br />
over 30 significant awards for their superb journalism.<br />
Whiteside attended the event and<br />
accepted a $2,500 check presented by John<br />
Wiley & Sons, a publishing firm, for the creation<br />
<strong>of</strong> a scholarship at the college in the name<br />
<strong>of</strong> Lehrer and Wiley. 79<br />
Two instructors were singled out for special<br />
recognition during the spring semester <strong>of</strong> 1986.<br />
Mary Doughtie, a member <strong>of</strong> the faculty for over<br />
30 years and chairman <strong>of</strong> the English<br />
Department for 23 years, was made a life member<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Conference <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong> Teachers <strong>of</strong><br />
English for her dedicated service to the organization.<br />
She was the first person in the organization’s<br />
history to be so honored. Ruth Williams,<br />
director <strong>of</strong> the college choir, was chosen by her<br />
alma mater, Beaver <strong>College</strong> in Glenside,<br />
Pennsylvania, for the 1986 Golden Disc Award,<br />
an annual <strong>of</strong>fering presented to a deserving<br />
alumnus. She was the first music major at<br />
Beaver <strong>College</strong> to receive the award. 80<br />
<strong>The</strong> possible merger <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
and the University <strong>of</strong> Houston-<strong>Victoria</strong> again<br />
attracted the attention <strong>of</strong> the area in May and<br />
June <strong>of</strong> 1986. <strong>The</strong> first salvo fired on the merger<br />
issue was by Dr. Michael C. Gallagher, UHV<br />
interim chancellor. At his initial news conference<br />
after taking the reins from former chancellor<br />
Dr. Martha Kimper Piper, he remarked,<br />
“At some point <strong>of</strong> time, we may merge next<br />
door.” Gallagher did add that the union was<br />
more than ten years away and then only after<br />
“a thorough study and debate.” Afterwards,<br />
Bing refused to comment on the merger but<br />
did say that the college “stands ready to cooperate”<br />
on activities that were <strong>of</strong> mutual benefit<br />
to the two institutions. Later, Gallagher, who<br />
may have received negative feedback from<br />
his earlier comment, stated, “Right now, there<br />
are two strong institutions <strong>of</strong> higher education<br />
in <strong>Victoria</strong>. Changing the system as it now<br />
✯<br />
Joyce Miller receives instructions on<br />
registration from Louise Hume,<br />
registrar.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 169
stands may weaken one <strong>of</strong> them (referring to<br />
UHV).” He further remarked, “It will be up to<br />
the people <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> if they want the college<br />
and university to merge.” 81<br />
Less than two weeks passed after the interim<br />
chancellor’s news conference when Bing<br />
received a memo from the Select Committee on<br />
Higher Education asking for a response to its<br />
suggestion that the two schools unite. <strong>The</strong> committee<br />
was charged with recommending ways<br />
the state could streamline and reorganize public<br />
colleges and universities. One <strong>of</strong> the options<br />
that developed from the committee was the<br />
merger <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and the University <strong>of</strong><br />
Houston-<strong>Victoria</strong>. Another option was to convert<br />
UHV into a branch learning center. Bing’s<br />
immediate reaction to the memo was to call for<br />
a special meeting <strong>of</strong> the board members, a group<br />
that was not a proponent <strong>of</strong> merger. Influential<br />
trustee Thomas M. O’Connor commented, “I<br />
don’t think a change is necessary. We want a<br />
strong junior college and a strong university.”<br />
Catherine McHaney concurred. She said, “I feel<br />
what we have is the best.” Trustee Ron Walker<br />
proposed that an assessment be made as to how<br />
any modification in higher education would<br />
affect <strong>Victoria</strong> and the college. He was concerned<br />
that any alterations, especially if UHV<br />
was converted to a branch learning center,<br />
“would change the delivery <strong>of</strong> higher education<br />
in <strong>Victoria</strong>.” 82<br />
After deliberating the issue, the board drafted<br />
a letter to the state committee that carried<br />
the signatures <strong>of</strong> Winston L. Zirjacks, board<br />
president, and Bing. Reacting to Walker’s recommendation<br />
<strong>of</strong> considering higher education<br />
in <strong>Victoria</strong> as a whole, the missive rejected the<br />
committee’s suggested option <strong>of</strong> converting<br />
UHV into a branch study center, stating, “We<br />
think that it would be detrimental to the best<br />
interest <strong>of</strong> the University <strong>of</strong> Houston-<strong>Victoria</strong><br />
because it would lessen its credibility and<br />
would lessen its public esteem and materially<br />
effect enrollment.” Moreover, the board rejected<br />
the merger option, noting, “We recommend no<br />
change in the current structure.” Five reasons<br />
were given for the latter position. <strong>The</strong> board<br />
listed among its explanations that the instruction<br />
at the community college was less costly<br />
than a four-year institution, the college has an<br />
open door policy which allows more students<br />
to enroll and advance their education, and<br />
merger might lead to the elimination <strong>of</strong> allied<br />
health programs which would deprive commu-<br />
✯<br />
Sweating to the “oldies.”<br />
170 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
nities “<strong>of</strong> trained medical personnel.” In the<br />
end, the Select Committee on Higher Education<br />
listened to the ground swell <strong>of</strong> opposition to its<br />
suggestions and dropped the ideas <strong>of</strong> the college<br />
and UHV merging or UHV converting to a<br />
branch studies center. 83<br />
Only one Lyceum program has ever been presented<br />
on a Sunday. That was on October 12,<br />
1986, when actor Charlton Heston was the featured<br />
speaker. His visit was set for a weekday<br />
but was changed to accommodate the popular<br />
performer who would have otherwise canceled<br />
his visit to <strong>Victoria</strong>. Even though the lecture was<br />
on a Sunday evening, usually a poor time for<br />
any type <strong>of</strong> event, the Fine Arts Auditorium was<br />
packed. Heston mesmerized many in the audience<br />
as he related his thoughts on several<br />
extraordinary historical figures and expressed<br />
his views on freedom. <strong>The</strong> actor was eloquent in<br />
reading an excerpt from Thomas Wolfe’s Of Time<br />
and the River. 84<br />
At the close <strong>of</strong> the 1986 fall semester, the Jolly<br />
Roger, after thirty-six years <strong>of</strong> continuous publication,<br />
ceased being circulated as a student<br />
newspaper and became a college newsletter. Bing<br />
stated that the decision to drop the student publication<br />
was based on the declining enrollment in<br />
journalism classes and the need to reduce expenditures.<br />
Billie North, college publicist and composer<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Newsletter, assumed<br />
the responsibility <strong>of</strong> editor <strong>of</strong> the new formatted<br />
Jolly Roger. Later, there was an attempt made to<br />
revive the student-driven newspaper, one edition<br />
was published in 1988 and another in 1989, but<br />
the new versions were not in the same league as<br />
the earlier paper. 85<br />
Enrollment for the 1987 spring semester was<br />
lower than expected, showing a drop <strong>of</strong> one percent<br />
from 1986. Robert Gaines, business manager,<br />
was unconcerned, pointing out the reduction<br />
was “not significant because there are several<br />
variables that can affect registration.” Bing<br />
attributed the decline directly to elimination <strong>of</strong><br />
courses at Warm Springs where only one class<br />
made the previous fall. 86<br />
<strong>College</strong> participation at the Gonzales facility<br />
took a downturn when the Warm Springs<br />
Rehabilitation Hospital closed its live-in quarters.<br />
John Davis, live-in facility director, gave as<br />
a factor for decreased enrollment the increased<br />
availability to senior institutions for physically<br />
challenged students. He stated that since 1973,<br />
when the facility opened, state colleges and universities<br />
had made their campuses accessible to<br />
handicapped individuals. Davis commented<br />
that in the early 1970s “there were not many<br />
facilities open to the disabled.” “But due to mandates<br />
and legislation,” he said, “students with<br />
✯<br />
Gary Underwood slices a cabbage<br />
for instructional purposes in his<br />
biology class.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 171
handicaps can now have their choice <strong>of</strong> which<br />
institution <strong>of</strong> higher learning they want to<br />
attend.” <strong>The</strong> college continued to maintain a<br />
presence at Warm Springs by <strong>of</strong>fering basic academic<br />
courses and a licensed vocational nursing<br />
program. Prior to the elimination <strong>of</strong> the live-in<br />
quarters there were 60 to 70 students regularly<br />
enrolled at Warm Springs, but in the fall <strong>of</strong><br />
1986, the first semester without resident students,<br />
four <strong>of</strong> the five classes <strong>of</strong>fered did not<br />
have sufficient enrollment to make. 87<br />
Dedication ceremonies were conducted on<br />
March 11, 1987, for the <strong>of</strong>ficial opening <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Johnson Symposium Center, an auditorium<br />
with a seating capacity <strong>of</strong> over 200. Dr. Charles<br />
L. Borchers, a <strong>Victoria</strong> physician, was the principal<br />
speaker. In his remarks, he praised the<br />
M. G. and Lillie Johnson family for their benevolent<br />
contribution, funding that was essential<br />
for the construction <strong>of</strong> the facility. In recognition<br />
<strong>of</strong> her financial assistance, a resolution was<br />
presented to Mrs. Johnson by Debbi Rader,<br />
president <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Nursing<br />
Student Association. Presiding at the ritual was<br />
Winston Zirjacks, president <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees. 88<br />
Economic doldrums in the state continued<br />
to plague public higher education, preventing<br />
the legislature from appropriating monies necessary<br />
to <strong>of</strong>fset rising education costs. For the<br />
1986-1987 fiscal year, state funding to the college<br />
was reduced $323,000. Compounding the<br />
financial crunch for the college was the depreciation<br />
<strong>of</strong> local property values. When Bing<br />
was informed <strong>of</strong> the cut in the state appropriation,<br />
he took the news in his customary unperturbed<br />
stride and quipped, “We’re going to<br />
pull in our belts and we are going to have<br />
school.” To compensate for the loss <strong>of</strong> revenue,<br />
major improvements to campus buildings were<br />
sidelined, the tax rate was increased, the<br />
tuition was hiked, and a variety <strong>of</strong> austerity<br />
programs were implemented. During this period<br />
<strong>of</strong> financial juggling, Bing, ever vigilant to<br />
the pecuniary comfort <strong>of</strong> the faculty, secured a<br />
modest raise for the college employees in the<br />
1987-1988 budget. 89<br />
Academic enrollment cracked the 3,000 barrier<br />
in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1987 with a head count <strong>of</strong> 3,168.<br />
<strong>The</strong> overall figure which included vocationaltechnical<br />
courses was 3,494, a 7.5 percent<br />
increase from the fall <strong>of</strong> 1986. Bing was especially<br />
delighted to see the growth in the “good old<br />
basic academic areas: English, government, history,<br />
mathematics and computer science.” He also<br />
noted that the allied health programs were at<br />
capacity. <strong>The</strong> president stated, “Medical lab technician<br />
training, full; respiratory therapy, full; and<br />
surgical technology, they’re full too.” Bing added,<br />
“I cannot leave out the sciences. <strong>The</strong>y’re full too.<br />
✯<br />
Mark Keathley (left) shows his latest<br />
creation to art instructor Larry Shook.<br />
172 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
We have had trouble trying to get students to take<br />
organic chemistry. <strong>The</strong> enrollment in that course<br />
right now is double what it has been.” 90<br />
<strong>The</strong> excellent enrollment figures eased the<br />
college’s budgetary pressures. With classes “full<br />
to the brim and bursting at the seams,” the<br />
board authorized the extension <strong>of</strong> the parking<br />
lot located next to the Technical Building.<br />
Because <strong>of</strong> strong opposition from residents in<br />
the Brownson Terrace addition to an outlet on<br />
Loma Vista Drive, Bing made it clear that the<br />
parking lot would not be extended to the residential<br />
street. He stated, however, “<strong>The</strong> next<br />
time we expand parking, we may have to have it<br />
empty into Loma Vista. And if we ever do, we<br />
should have them just turn left.” 91<br />
Spanning the years, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong>fered<br />
courses and programs to fulfill its obligations as<br />
a community college, but none was more<br />
important than the college’s assault upon<br />
regional adult literacy. In November 1987, the<br />
board approved the implementation <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Phonetic Alphabet Learning System (PALS), an<br />
IBM computer program designed for individuals<br />
with less than a fifth grade reading level.<br />
Supposedly, any person who spent an hour a<br />
day, five days a week for sixteen to twenty<br />
weeks, would be able to read and write at a<br />
higher level. Counselor and psychology instructor<br />
Agnes Jewett was given the assignment <strong>of</strong><br />
directing the computer literacy system housed<br />
in the Academic Building. Her fervor to assist<br />
the functionally illiterate was abundantly plain.<br />
Jewett remarked, “We are creating a stimulating<br />
environment that enhances pride and learning.”<br />
“On a college campus,” she said, “they are solving<br />
their problems with dignity. <strong>The</strong>se learners<br />
have endured years <strong>of</strong> failure and frustration,<br />
and they have developed a cover for a fragile<br />
self-concept. It takes tremendous courage for<br />
the adult non-reader to come forward and admit<br />
there is a problem.” After a couple <strong>of</strong> years, the<br />
program was assumed by the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Independent School District, but was later<br />
returned to the college. Jewett was content with<br />
what she accomplished as director stating that<br />
“the program was very successful.” 92<br />
Dr. S. Joe McCord, director <strong>of</strong> the VC/UHV<br />
Library, was honored by the Texas Library<br />
Association when the organization named him<br />
Librarian <strong>of</strong> the Year for 1988. At the time he<br />
was presented the award, McCord was chairman<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Texas Council <strong>of</strong> State University<br />
Librarians. He was acknowledged for his role in<br />
legislative issues important to the Texas Library<br />
Association, the unification <strong>of</strong> the VC/UHV<br />
staffs, numerous publications and presentations,<br />
implementing <strong>of</strong> grants to improve library services,<br />
and the establishment <strong>of</strong> the only hospital<br />
library circuit housed in a nonmedical library. 93<br />
In March 1989, the board employed the<br />
architects Warren Young and Rawley McCoy <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> to draw plans for a vocational building<br />
and a classroom/<strong>of</strong>fice building. To keep from<br />
✯<br />
Three members <strong>of</strong> the Business Office<br />
are poised to collect donations for a<br />
scholarship fund established for the<br />
outgoing <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> President<br />
Dr. Roland E. Bing. <strong>The</strong>y are (left to<br />
right) Joanie Lytle, Becky Payne, and<br />
Rosalie Hutcherson.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 173
✯<br />
State Senator Kenneth Armbrister<br />
(left) and <strong>Victoria</strong> County Judge<br />
Norman Jones chat with guests at the<br />
reception on August 4, 1989, honoring<br />
Dr. Roland E. Bing.<br />
pushing for a tax bond referendum to pay for<br />
the structures, college reserve funds and revenue<br />
bonds were used. Because approximately<br />
$500,000 had been donated to the college<br />
by the William A. Wood Family Foundation,<br />
the new vocational building, located north<br />
<strong>of</strong> the tennis courts, was to be named in honor<br />
<strong>of</strong> William A. Wood. <strong>The</strong> classroom/<strong>of</strong>fice<br />
complex, designated as the Language Arts<br />
Building, was placed between the Library and<br />
Technical Building where the razed Industrial<br />
Arts Building had been located. Total cost<br />
for the two structures was estimated at two<br />
million dollars. 94<br />
From spring <strong>of</strong> 1972 to spring <strong>of</strong> 1989, the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Kaleidoscope, provided a chronicle<br />
each semester <strong>of</strong> the college’s development<br />
and activity. Originally a replacement for the<br />
more costly yearbook, it was mainly a record <strong>of</strong><br />
student functions edited by journalism students.<br />
Eventually, under the editorship <strong>of</strong> journalism<br />
instructor and public relations director<br />
Dr. C. F. Schneider, it became a medium, not<br />
only for student activities, but also for features<br />
on the college itself, a pictorial series on <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
County history by Dr. Robert Shook, and special<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional interest articles by faculty members.<br />
After seventeen years <strong>of</strong> continuous publication,<br />
it was discontinued in favor <strong>of</strong> a more<br />
diverse approach to public information.<br />
Because <strong>of</strong> his distinguished contributions<br />
to the teaching pr<strong>of</strong>ession, the positive ways he<br />
influenced his students, and his invaluable<br />
service to the community, Dr. Wayne McAlister,<br />
174 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
iology department chairman, was named a<br />
Piper Pr<strong>of</strong>essor for 1989, the first such award<br />
given to a <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> faculty member. <strong>The</strong><br />
honor was bestowed upon him by the Minnie<br />
Stevens Piper Foundation, which selects ten<br />
Piper Pr<strong>of</strong>essors a year from the state’s colleges<br />
and universities. On May 1, 1989, in recognition<br />
<strong>of</strong> his receiving this prestigious award, a<br />
reception was held for McAlister in the<br />
Holidome at the Holiday Inn. Bing presented<br />
the recipient with a plaque and a check for<br />
$2,500 that accompanied the award. McAlister’s<br />
numerous academic achievements include the<br />
publications Trees <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>, Common Spring<br />
Wildflowers <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong> Area, and A Guidebook<br />
to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Clearly, he<br />
was an outstanding instructor and well-respected<br />
by the entire faculty. <strong>The</strong> honor could not<br />
have gone to a more deserving individual. 95<br />
By legislative mandate, individuals enrolling<br />
in the 1989 fall semester were required to take<br />
the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) test, a<br />
measurement <strong>of</strong> student skills in mathematics,<br />
reading and writing. Anyone failing the quiz or<br />
parts there<strong>of</strong> would be required to enter remedial<br />
classes. An exception was made for any student<br />
who had earned a minimum <strong>of</strong> three college<br />
credit hours prior to the fall semester. To circumvent<br />
TASP, recent high school graduates enrolled<br />
in the 1989 summer term in record numbers,<br />
smashing the previous all-time high. Over 1,700<br />
students registered for classes the first term, a 30<br />
percent increase from the preceding year’s 1,316.<br />
Bing responded to the sharp rise in enrollment in<br />
his characteristically nonchalant manner by<br />
remarking, “That’s a pretty good jump.” 96<br />
In the summer <strong>of</strong> 1989, the Bing presidential<br />
era came to an end. On January 16, the<br />
board, to the surprise <strong>of</strong> most faculty and staff<br />
members, announced it intended to establish a<br />
presidential search committee. <strong>The</strong> trustees<br />
further stated that as soon as a replacement<br />
was employed, Bing was to be designated as<br />
president emeritus and contractually permitted<br />
to teach two years, at which time he would<br />
turn seventy. Board member David Lack<br />
praised Bing for his dedicated service to the<br />
college by remarking, “Dr. Bing has done an<br />
admirable job over the years in steering<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, and we’re glad to see he has<br />
the opportunity <strong>of</strong> continuing with us for<br />
awhile.” Comforting words to a man who most<br />
faculty and staff thought would remain at the<br />
helm <strong>of</strong> the college until he was carted <strong>of</strong>f on<br />
a stretcher. 97<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> has had only<br />
three presidents since it was<br />
established. <strong>The</strong>y are (left to right)<br />
Dr. J. D. Moore, Dr. Roland E. Bing,<br />
and Dr. Jimmy Goodson.<br />
Bingdom ✦ 175
1<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate, 16 September 1975.<br />
2<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 24 October 1975.<br />
3<br />
Ibid., 20 February 1976.<br />
4<br />
Ibid., 9 April 1976.<br />
5<br />
Ibid.<br />
6<br />
Advocate, 4 April 1976.<br />
ENDNOTES<br />
7<br />
Ibid., 1 August 1976; “Technical-Vocational Education,” <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Kaleidoscope (Fall 1976), 10-11.<br />
8<br />
Advocate, 7 December 1976, 24 December 1976, 4 March 1977; <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Faculty Minutes, 10 December 1976.<br />
9<br />
Advocate, 4 March 1977.<br />
10<br />
Ibid., 2 March 1977.<br />
11<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Files, Local History Collection, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Library.<br />
12<br />
Advocate, 8 March 1977.<br />
13<br />
Ibid.; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 8 April 1977.<br />
14<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 10 January 1977; Advocate, 19 July 1977.<br />
15<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 11 November 1977; 14 December 1979.<br />
16<br />
Ibid.<br />
17<br />
Ibid., 9 December 1977; Advocate, 5 February 1978.<br />
18<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 24 February 1978.<br />
19<br />
Advocate, 17 January 1978, 7 March 1978.<br />
20<br />
Ibid., 2 May 1978.<br />
21<br />
Ibid., 19 September 1978, 21 November 1978, 27 January 1979, 22 May 1979.<br />
22<br />
James D. Gleason, letter to author, 5 October 1998.<br />
23<br />
Advocate, 16 December 1978; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 2 February 1979.<br />
24<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 4 May 1979.<br />
25<br />
Richard Walker, interview with author, 29 September 1998.<br />
26<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Files, Local History Collection, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Library.<br />
27<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 21 November 1979; Advocate, 8-9 November 1979.<br />
28<br />
Advocate, 5 December 1980.<br />
29<br />
Ibid., 4 March 1980; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 31 March 1980.<br />
30<br />
Advocate, 6 May 1980; Robert E. Gaines, telephone interview with author, 1 October 1998.<br />
31<br />
Gaines, telephone interview.<br />
32<br />
Ibid.<br />
33<br />
Ibid., 2 May 1980.<br />
34<br />
Ibid., 21 November 1980.<br />
35<br />
Ibid.<br />
36<br />
Ibid., 13 February 1981.<br />
37<br />
Advocate, 22 April 1981.<br />
38<br />
Ibid., 21 July 1981, 24 September 1981; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 2 October 1981.<br />
39<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, Ibid.<br />
40<br />
Ibid., 6 November 1981.<br />
41<br />
Ibid.<br />
42<br />
Advocate, 4 December 1981.<br />
43<br />
Ibid., 13 January 1982.<br />
44<br />
Ibid.<br />
45<br />
Ibid., 4 February 1982, 16 July 1982, 20 July 1982.<br />
46<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 26 March 1982.<br />
47<br />
Jim Lehrer, interview with author, 4 February 1982.<br />
48<br />
Audley Dry, telephone interview with author, 15 October 1998.<br />
176 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
49<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 3 March 1982.<br />
50<br />
Advocate, 16 November 1982.<br />
51<br />
Ibid., 20 February 1983.<br />
52<br />
Ibid., 18 November 1980.<br />
53<br />
Ibid., 16 March 1983, 22 March 1983, 15 December 1983; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 23 March 1983.<br />
54<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, Ibid.<br />
55<br />
Advocate, 8 March 1983, 17 May 1983, 21 August 1983.<br />
56<br />
Ibid., 31 August 1982, 21 August 1983; Eva Easley, “New-<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Police Academy,” <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Kaleidoscope (Fall<br />
1983), 6-8.<br />
57<br />
Advocate, 17 September 1983.<br />
58<br />
Agnes Jewett, interview with author, 14 October 1998; <strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 6 October 1983.<br />
59<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, Ibid.<br />
60<br />
Advocate, 6 May1984, 5 June 1984.<br />
61<br />
Ibid., 18 April 1984.<br />
62<br />
Ibid., 6 March 1984, 5 June 1984.<br />
63<br />
Ibid., 19 September 1984.<br />
64<br />
Ibid., 24 October 1984, 28 October 1984.<br />
65<br />
John Cordary, telephone interview with author, 22 October 1998; Advocate, 3 June 1986, 25 July 1986, 9 August 1986.<br />
66<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 13 October 1984; Advocate, 1 November 1984.<br />
67<br />
Advocate, 2 November 1984.<br />
68<br />
Ibid.<br />
69<br />
Ibid.<br />
70<br />
Ibid., 17 January 1984.<br />
71<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 11 February 1985; Advocate, 21 November 1984, 22 January 1985.<br />
72<br />
Advocate, 22 February 1985.<br />
73<br />
Ibid., 15 May 1985, 31 May 1985.<br />
74<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 27 August 1984; Advocate, 16 July 1985.<br />
75<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 17 January 1985; Advocate, 16 January 1985.<br />
76<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 6 December 1985.<br />
77<br />
Advocate, 7 November 1985, 20 December 1985.<br />
78<br />
Ibid., 12 December 1985; <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Newsletter (December 1985).<br />
79<br />
Advocate, 13 February 1986.<br />
80<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger, 7 March 1986; VC Newsletter (April-May 1986).<br />
81<br />
Advocate, 30 May 1986, 10 June 1986.<br />
82<br />
Ibid., 10 June 1986, 17 June 1986.<br />
83<br />
Ibid., 27 June 1986.<br />
84<br />
VC Newsletter (October 1986).<br />
85<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger (February 1987).<br />
86<br />
Advocate, 3 February 1987.<br />
87<br />
Ibid., 20 August 1986, 3 February 1987.<br />
88<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jolly Roger (April 1987); Ibid., 10 March 1987.<br />
89<br />
Advocate, 12 August 1986, 16 September 1986, 26 September 1986, 18 November 1986, 19 May 1986, 19 May 1987, 28 July<br />
1987, 18 August 1987.<br />
90<br />
Ibid., 3 September 1987, 17 September 1987.<br />
91<br />
Ibid., 22 September 1987.<br />
92<br />
Agnes Jewett, interview with author, 28 October 1998; Ibid., 17 November 1987, 8 April 1988.<br />
93<br />
Advocate, 21 April 1988.<br />
94<br />
Ibid., 14 March 1989.<br />
95<br />
Ibid., 2 May 1989; VC Faculty Minutes, 16 May 1989.<br />
96<br />
Advocate, 7 June 1989.<br />
97<br />
Ibid., 17 January 1989, 4 April 1989.<br />
Endnotes ✦ 177
178 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
CHAPTER 7<br />
A NEW CHIEF, A NEW ERA<br />
Soon after Dr. Roland Bing’s public announcement <strong>of</strong> his “retirement,” the entire board <strong>of</strong> trustees<br />
assumed the role as a search committee. Winston Zirjacks, board president, served as its chairman.<br />
Trustee David Lack provided pivotal insight as to the type <strong>of</strong> individual the search committee was<br />
looking for to assume the presidency. Bing’s successor, he stated, would have to be three dimensional.<br />
<strong>The</strong> candidate should be sensitive to “the need for higher education in this community to serve<br />
the students who graduate from the high schools, as well as those people who didn’t attend college<br />
and want to further their education;” be willing to assist in the training <strong>of</strong> personnel for the petrochemical<br />
industry “that we hope will come to this area, as well as other down-stream companies we<br />
believe will come to this area;” and be disposed to “look at the quality <strong>of</strong> life that will be improved”<br />
by college classes which will bring about the “enhancement <strong>of</strong> minds to seek enjoyment and pleasure<br />
in books, music and other activities.” Lack’s ideal president was a tall order for the search committee,<br />
but one that was filled. 1<br />
Candidates throughout the state who held creditable educational credentials sought the presidential<br />
position. Guided by Bing through the search process, the board interviewed four impressive finalists.<br />
Ultimately, Zirjacks, on June 30, 1989, announced the appointment <strong>of</strong> Dr. Jimmy Goodson,<br />
president <strong>of</strong> Southwest Texas Junior <strong>College</strong> in Uvalde, as the new <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> president.<br />
Goodson received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Sam Houston State University and his<br />
doctorate from East Texas State University. He began his association with the Southwest Texas Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong> in 1968 as an instructor <strong>of</strong> history and political science, and eventually assumed the school’s<br />
presidency in 1981.<br />
In declaring the selection <strong>of</strong> Goodson, Zirjacks stated that the board was influenced in its choice<br />
by the appointee’s experience with Sul Ross State University’s extension center at Southwest<br />
Texas Junior <strong>College</strong>, similar to the type <strong>of</strong> arrangement <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> had with the University<br />
<strong>of</strong> Houston-<strong>Victoria</strong>. <strong>The</strong> board president remarked, “This (experience) is a rare thing. This will<br />
help him be knowledgeable <strong>of</strong> the relationships we have (with UHV).” Goodson was just as charitable<br />
in his comments when he accepted the position. “I am delighted,” he said, “to have been<br />
named president <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>…<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> enjoys a reputation throughout the state as<br />
an outstanding two-year college with a superb faculty and strong commitment to academic excellence.<br />
It also has enjoyed a solid tradition <strong>of</strong> sound administrative leadership at the presidential<br />
and trustee levels.” 2<br />
A public reception to honor Bing was held on August 4, 1989, in the dome area <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Community Center. One <strong>of</strong> the highlights <strong>of</strong> the day’s festivities was when Mayor John Blackaller and<br />
County Judge Norman D. Jones proclaimed August 4 as Roland Bing Day. Invitations were sent to<br />
residents from the eleven counties served by the college. Some 500 friends and acquaintances<br />
responded, including local and state dignitaries who presented the retiring president with certificates<br />
<strong>of</strong> appreciation or <strong>of</strong>fered accolades. Dr. Marvin Felder, president <strong>of</strong> Temple <strong>College</strong>, delivered a document<br />
adopted by the Texas Public Community Junior <strong>College</strong> Association acknowledging the many<br />
contributions Bing made to the two-year college movement. State senator Ken Armbrister, a former<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> instructor, gave the outgoing president a certificate <strong>of</strong> recognition from the Texas<br />
Senate. Former congressman and state legislator Joe Wyatt took the microphone and remarked, “I<br />
did receive an education from Dr. Bing. He educated me on how I should vote on education.” Wyatt<br />
was followed by Texas Railroad Commissioner John Sharp who commented to the assemblage that<br />
“for the first six years I was in the State Legislature I thought my first name was ‘Now.’ Dr. Bing would<br />
call me up and say, ‘Now, John—.’” <strong>The</strong> UHV interim president, Dr. Don Smith, commended Bing<br />
heartily to the group saying that “I have been serving with Dr. Bing for two years. It has been at times<br />
an honor, at other times a pleasure and sometimes it has been an education.” Joe Ferguson,<br />
✯<br />
Dr. Jimmy Goodson became president<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> in 1989.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 179
✯<br />
Chitchatting before a board meeting<br />
are (left to right) Thomas M.<br />
O’Connor, Dr. Rex Whiteside,<br />
and Dr. Jimmy Goodson.<br />
a graduate <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and an employee<br />
<strong>of</strong> UHV, good naturedly said to the group that<br />
when he received his diploma from the college,<br />
it was not signed. He took it to Bing and the<br />
president “looked at the diploma and then<br />
called for my records.” Ferguson noted that<br />
“After he was satisfied I really had graduated he<br />
signed the diploma.” Most <strong>of</strong> those present at<br />
the Community Center thought the evening’s<br />
affair was an apt balance <strong>of</strong> seriousness and joviality<br />
to laud a man who had devoted an enormous<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> energy to <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. 3<br />
On August 15, Goodson <strong>of</strong>ficially assumed<br />
the presidency. Six days later he addressed an<br />
assembled faculty in the Johnson Symposium<br />
Center. As was the custom, the meeting was<br />
called to order by Dean Rex Whiteside who<br />
immediately stepped aside and turned the session<br />
over to the president. Goodson’s opening<br />
remarks, intended or not, eased any apprehensions<br />
the group might have possessed with<br />
a new leader who was relatively unknown<br />
among its ranks. After expressing his delight<br />
to be given an opportunity to work at the college<br />
and praising the faculty, he reaffirmed a<br />
practice that was an important centerpiece in<br />
the relations between the college employees<br />
and administrators by emphasizing that his<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice was accessible to all faculty members and<br />
students at anytime. <strong>The</strong>se were welcome<br />
words, indeed, to those seated in the symposium<br />
room. 4<br />
Although Goodson continued the practice <strong>of</strong><br />
presidential accessibility, he veered away from<br />
the concentration <strong>of</strong> administrative authority<br />
used by Bing. Within a year after his selection<br />
he steered the college down the path <strong>of</strong><br />
inclusion whereby the faculty materialized as<br />
an element in the decision-making process. In a<br />
gesture to reduce to a minimum issues that<br />
interested the campus community from falling<br />
through bureaucratic cracks, Goodson began to<br />
meet with faculty elected representatives at a<br />
monthly luncheon. Faculty committees were<br />
180 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
also formed to provide directional advice on<br />
long-range planning and to review the faculty<br />
policy handbook. Goodson also changed the<br />
time-honored system <strong>of</strong> certain courses and<br />
instructors not being assigned to any department.<br />
<strong>The</strong> new president instructed the dean to<br />
assign every teaching faculty member to one <strong>of</strong><br />
the newly created divisions. Furthermore, the<br />
division chairs were given responsibilities and<br />
authority much beyond the minor roles <strong>of</strong><br />
department chairmen under the previous modus<br />
operandi. Chosen by Whiteside to present to the<br />
president for confirmation as the first division<br />
chairs were Dr. Ben Burdine, Social and<br />
Behavioral Sciences; Dr. C. F. Schneider,<br />
Humanities and Fine Arts; and Bennie<br />
Schramm, Science and Math. Additionally, two<br />
individuals remained in their posts but were<br />
placed on par with the divisions. <strong>The</strong>y were<br />
Tom Walton, director <strong>of</strong> Vocational and<br />
Technical Programs, and Marilyn Morris, director<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Associate Degree Nursing Program. 5<br />
An administrative overhaul took place as<br />
well. Goodson reduced the number <strong>of</strong> administrators<br />
who reported to him and renamed<br />
positions to better reflect his viewpoint that<br />
two-year colleges were providers <strong>of</strong> services.<br />
Whiteside assumed the title <strong>of</strong> dean <strong>of</strong><br />
Instructional Services and Bob Gaines was<br />
named dean <strong>of</strong> Financial and Administrative<br />
Services. A dean <strong>of</strong> Student Services was also<br />
established under the new administrative<br />
arrangement. <strong>The</strong> person who probably would<br />
have been appointed to fill that spot, Director <strong>of</strong><br />
Student Personnel Dr. Blake Farmer, announced<br />
his intent to resign at the end <strong>of</strong> the academic<br />
year. To fill the vacancy, a nationwide search was<br />
initiated. At the end <strong>of</strong> the interview process,<br />
which included applicants from the college,<br />
Goodson selected Dr. Alice Ann Isaac, director<br />
<strong>of</strong> School Relations and Academic Development<br />
at Hartnell <strong>College</strong>, Salinas, California, to round<br />
out the dean positions. 6<br />
How to resolve the issues associated with<br />
deteriorating buildings, inadequate classroom<br />
and science lab space, a new facility for UHV,<br />
and landscaping was near the top, if not at<br />
the top, <strong>of</strong> Goodson’s agenda when he moved<br />
into his <strong>of</strong>fice on the second floor <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Administration Building. He tackled the questions<br />
by appointing a sixteen-member planning<br />
committee comprised <strong>of</strong> administrators,<br />
faculty, and staff. Goodson charged the group<br />
with the responsibility <strong>of</strong> reviewing the existing<br />
infrastructure and recommending a building<br />
program. What the committee initially<br />
suggested in the way <strong>of</strong> new structures was,<br />
perhaps, more ambitious than the president<br />
✯<br />
Dr. Alice Ann Isaac, dean <strong>of</strong> Student<br />
and Information Services.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 181
✯<br />
Dr. Steve Thomas, dean <strong>of</strong><br />
Instructional Services.<br />
had in mind. <strong>The</strong> group’s proposal called for<br />
a $19 million outlay to construct new buildings<br />
and to renovate the existing ones that<br />
evaded the bulldozer. Goodson characterized<br />
the plan as “frightening” and observed that the<br />
college could not realistically accept it in its<br />
entirety. <strong>The</strong> board agreed. David Lack<br />
remarked, “I think we all know it’s not within<br />
our reach.” Nevertheless, the president recognized<br />
that a few <strong>of</strong> the more expensive items<br />
needed to be immediately addressed because<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the buildings were in such poor condition.<br />
As he put it, “We just don’t have an<br />
option.” <strong>The</strong> board concurred and instructed<br />
the president to trim the improvements program<br />
to $12 million. 7<br />
Acting upon the board’s directive, Goodson<br />
teamed with the planning committee and<br />
devised an acceptable alternative. <strong>The</strong> governing<br />
body approved the proposal and set<br />
December 9, 1989, as the date for a bond<br />
election. <strong>The</strong> $12 million expansion and<br />
improvements program was to be accomplished<br />
over a three-year period. <strong>The</strong> first stage<br />
was to be the construction <strong>of</strong> a science lab<br />
complex, a UHV classroom and <strong>of</strong>fice complex,<br />
a student center building, and improvements<br />
to building sites. Later, the Science Building<br />
was to be renovated, the physical education<br />
facility expanded, the current Student Union<br />
and old Language Arts buildings razed, and<br />
asbestos-contaminated soil removed. Last on<br />
the campus enhancements list was the remodeling<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Academic Building. 8<br />
An orchestrated campaign was conducted by<br />
boosters <strong>of</strong> the college improvements to persuade<br />
voters to support the bond issue. <strong>The</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate ran a series <strong>of</strong> five articles illustrating<br />
the sad condition <strong>of</strong> the Student Union<br />
and Industrial Arts buildings. In a show <strong>of</strong> solidarity<br />
with the college, UHV <strong>of</strong>ficials, whose<br />
campus would be a beneficiary, expressed<br />
strong support for the plan. UHV President Dr.<br />
Glenn Goerke stated that the current upperlevel<br />
institution’s building was “bursting at its<br />
seams” with students. He further noted that,<br />
“[<strong>The</strong> new building] is critical to us if we’re<br />
going to continue to grow and to bring new programs<br />
on line. We’re getting to the point now<br />
where I don’t know what we’ll do if the bond<br />
issue doesn’t pass. <strong>The</strong>re’s no more room.” Dr.<br />
Don Smith, UHV’s dean for Academic Affairs,<br />
envisioned the day “we’d be able to have all <strong>of</strong><br />
our faculty and staff together under one ro<strong>of</strong>.”<br />
Even <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> students went to bat for<br />
the proposal. Kari Perry was direct and succinct,<br />
but, yet, understated the situation when she<br />
remarked that the Student Union Building was<br />
182 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
“falling apart,” and “it’s not very nice.” <strong>The</strong><br />
structure was more than “not very nice.” It had<br />
been in need <strong>of</strong> replacement for years. <strong>The</strong><br />
building’s interior floor had subsided and separated<br />
from the walls. To hide the deterioration,<br />
maintenance employees during Bing’s presidency<br />
placed wooden benching over the crack. 9<br />
Never knowing for sure how any election<br />
will turn out, especially because bond issue<br />
elections <strong>of</strong>fered by other public entities had<br />
failed, there were anxious moments for the<br />
proponents. Such anxiety was unwarranted.<br />
<strong>The</strong> county’s voters gave a resounding<br />
approval, favoring the bond issue 1,323 to<br />
446, a three-to-one margin. When the results<br />
were finalized, Zirjacks stated, “today has been<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the most important days in the life <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and the University <strong>of</strong><br />
Houston-<strong>Victoria</strong>.” Goodson was gratified that<br />
the county residents continued to have confidence<br />
in the college. <strong>The</strong> passage <strong>of</strong> the bond<br />
package, the president maintained, assured<br />
students continued low tuition. Analyzing the<br />
results, Goodson commented that “educational<br />
opportunity will be made available to all<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> County residents without undue<br />
regard to economic circumstances and that’s a<br />
very proud achievement for the county.” <strong>The</strong><br />
results were largely a testimony to the school’s<br />
excellent reputation and the people’s confidence<br />
in the administration, faculty, and staff.<br />
In terms <strong>of</strong> money and space this project was<br />
much larger than the original campus or bond<br />
issues <strong>of</strong> the subsequent building projects. 10<br />
While waiting in the Administration Building<br />
for the precinct election judges to bring in the<br />
voting packets, Goodson and two senior faculty<br />
members, one <strong>of</strong> whom was Bennie Schramm,<br />
chair <strong>of</strong> the Science and Math Division, engaged<br />
in idle conversation about the election. <strong>The</strong><br />
chief executive expressed the opinion that he<br />
thought that the bond issue would prevail but<br />
realized there existed the possibility the vote<br />
could go the other way. <strong>The</strong> president was not<br />
going to relax until a final tally was announced<br />
approving the proposition. Schramm and his<br />
colleague were more presumptuous and assured<br />
Goodson the bonds would be accepted by 70<br />
percent <strong>of</strong> the voters. Startled by such a forecast,<br />
the president stated he would buy lunch for the<br />
two faculty members if the prediction proved<br />
correct. <strong>The</strong> three men enjoyed their meal at the<br />
Golden Corral.<br />
In typical fashion, Goodson turned to the<br />
faculty and staff for advice in developing plans<br />
for construction and renovation. By involving<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Choir under the<br />
direction <strong>of</strong> Ruth Williams entertain<br />
the audience at a commencement.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 183
✯<br />
Police Academy students learn to take<br />
down a suspect.<br />
those who would actually be using the structures,<br />
a partnership was created, resulting in a<br />
friendlier teaching and working environment.<br />
Clearly, not all the advice given the president<br />
was accepted. <strong>The</strong>re was enough, however,<br />
that a true collaborative relationship existed.<br />
<strong>The</strong> beneficiaries <strong>of</strong> the alliance, without their<br />
realizing it, were the students passing through<br />
the portals.<br />
Demands for qualified registered nurses in<br />
the region contributed to the expansion <strong>of</strong> the<br />
college nursing program by sixty percent in the<br />
fall <strong>of</strong> 1990. <strong>The</strong> move was prompted by a<br />
survey that found that 111 budgeted RN<br />
positions were vacant in <strong>Victoria</strong> and the surrounding<br />
counties. Marilyn Morris, director <strong>of</strong><br />
the Associate Degree Nursing Program, said the<br />
students “will have no difficulty in securing<br />
employment.” She further remarked that<br />
recent follow-up studies showed that “100 percent<br />
<strong>of</strong> the graduates are being employed<br />
immediately upon graduation.” Affirming<br />
Morris’ comments were Dorothy Miller, assistant<br />
administrator at Citizens Medical Center,<br />
and Jean Herman, assistant administrator at<br />
DeTar Hospital. Miller noted that “the bottom<br />
line is, recruiting from Canada to outer<br />
Mongolia has proved unsuccessful. We have to<br />
rely heavily on <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> to supply our<br />
RNs.” Herman argued, “We simply have no<br />
resource for RN recruitment other than the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> program.” <strong>The</strong> three allied<br />
health specialists were on sound footing with<br />
their statements. According to figures produced<br />
by the three <strong>Victoria</strong> County hospitals,<br />
fifty-two percent <strong>of</strong> their full-time registered<br />
nurses were graduates <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. 11<br />
In May 1990, jubilation reigned among the<br />
47 graduates from the Associate Degree<br />
Nursing Program when they learned the entire<br />
group had passed the state licensing exam.<br />
This was the sixth time since 1975 that a<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> graduating class enjoyed a<br />
100 percent pass rate. Morris attributed the<br />
achievement to the students’ “dedication to<br />
learning, a supportive administration, and<br />
excellent nursing and general course teaching<br />
faculty.” Furthermore, “our students,” she stated,<br />
“are also fortunate to have quality health<br />
care facilities in the area that play a major role<br />
in their clinical experience.” 12<br />
<strong>The</strong> nursing students were not the only ones<br />
to demonstrate that <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> graduates<br />
received quality preparation. Spring graduates<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Emergency Medical Technology Program<br />
earned the second highest scores on the state<br />
184 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
EMT licensing test. Mark Reger, director <strong>of</strong> the<br />
local program, pridefully proclaimed that his<br />
former students’ exam scores averaged 91.45,<br />
a shade behind the highest average <strong>of</strong> 92.06<br />
but conspicuously higher than the state average<br />
<strong>of</strong> 84.3. 13<br />
Equally excited were Alan Baker and<br />
Richard Evan, instructors <strong>of</strong> the EMT intermediate<br />
programs. <strong>The</strong>ir students in Gonzales and<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> ranked first and second, respectively,<br />
on the state’s certification test. <strong>The</strong> students<br />
who attended Baker’s class in Gonzales averaged<br />
93 percent while Evan’s students in<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> posted an average <strong>of</strong> 92.5 percent,<br />
well above the state medium. 14<br />
Data was released by Dr. Luther Troell, director<br />
<strong>of</strong> Institutional Research, that signified former<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> students who transferred<br />
to senior universities performed competently.<br />
<strong>The</strong> grade point average for the students at the<br />
two-year institution was 2.76 while their average<br />
GPA at the transfer schools was 2.71.<br />
Universities used in the study were Texas A&I,<br />
Texas A&M, North Texas State, Sam Houston<br />
State, Southwest Texas State, Texas Tech,<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston, University <strong>of</strong> Houston-<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong>, and the University <strong>of</strong> Texas. Troell,<br />
after analyzing the data, sagaciously stated, “At<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> students receive quality academic<br />
instruction in a supportive atmosphere.<br />
When the time comes to transfer, the foundation<br />
for success is there.” 15<br />
Students again competed for top honors in a<br />
variety <strong>of</strong> contests during Activities Week in the<br />
spring <strong>of</strong> 1990. When the event concluded,<br />
first place winners were Tria E. Airheart, poetry;<br />
Cathy Fleska, essay; Bob L. Morgan, Jr.,<br />
short story; Rachel Thomas, ceramic; Eric Ross,<br />
three-dimensional; Stephen Hyde, drawing;<br />
Darla Rhodes, painting; Vicky Speed, nature<br />
photography; Nancy Bruns, people photography;<br />
Mary Fricke, typing; and Valerie Novian,<br />
word processing. 16<br />
Trustees at the May 1990 board meeting<br />
revived the drama program, dormant since the<br />
1970s, by employing Charles “Chuck” Root, an<br />
adjunct teacher at Dallas Community <strong>College</strong><br />
and Collin County Community <strong>College</strong>, as a<br />
speech and drama instructor. <strong>The</strong> action taken<br />
by the governing body was a bona fide effort by<br />
it and the administration to improve the quality<br />
<strong>of</strong> life on the campus. Under the direction <strong>of</strong> the<br />
✯<br />
Harry Wagner, geology instructor,<br />
comments on a fossil to (left to right)<br />
Linda Wagner, Matthew Morrison,<br />
and Andrew Cande.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 185
new instructor there were to be two major stage<br />
presentations each year and scholarships for<br />
student actors. <strong>The</strong> chief goals for Root were “to<br />
prepare <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> theater majors to continue<br />
their education in drama and to train students<br />
who want to go into acting school and<br />
become pr<strong>of</strong>essional actors.” 17<br />
Classes were held for the first time in the new<br />
William A. Wood Vocational Building in June<br />
1990. <strong>The</strong> design <strong>of</strong> the latest campus structure<br />
was largely the handiwork <strong>of</strong> Chris Warren,<br />
welding instructor. As Warren envisioned, the<br />
building was furnished with the finest equipment<br />
that could be purchased to accommodate<br />
welding, drafting, electronics, and air conditioning/refrigeration<br />
courses. Among its state-<strong>of</strong>-the<br />
art features was a self-contained welding lab<br />
which provided “students with a near perfect<br />
learning environment.” 18<br />
Charles Spurlin, head <strong>of</strong> the Social Sciences<br />
Department, was surprised in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1990<br />
to learn that he was one <strong>of</strong> 20 Texans selected<br />
to receive the Texas House <strong>of</strong> Representatives<br />
Certificate <strong>of</strong> Citation Award. <strong>The</strong> award<br />
acknowledged his “generous gift <strong>of</strong> talent<br />
and effort to enrich” the community.<br />
Presentation ceremonies were conducted in<br />
the Texas Senate Chamber by Mack Wallace,<br />
a state representative, from the Houston<br />
area. Afterwards, a reception was held in the<br />
lieutenant governor’s quarters adjacent to the<br />
Senate Chamber. 19<br />
Concluding that the time had come to step<br />
down as dean while his health was good, Dr.<br />
Rex Whiteside at the beginning <strong>of</strong> the 1990 fall<br />
semester announced his resignation, effective<br />
December 31. Recognizing that the dean’s<br />
responsibilities had changed over the years, he<br />
remarked, “<strong>The</strong> Dean <strong>of</strong> Instruction now needs<br />
to work with the division chairmen and department<br />
heads rather than with student counseling.”<br />
Goodson appointed a search committee to<br />
screen and to recommend a replacement for<br />
Whiteside. After interviewing several hopefuls<br />
and submitting a pool <strong>of</strong> names for the president<br />
to choose from, Goodson selected Dr. Steve<br />
Thomas, dean <strong>of</strong> Academic Affairs for Lexington<br />
Community <strong>College</strong>, Lexington, Kentucky, as<br />
the new dean <strong>of</strong> Instructional Services. 20<br />
Retiring with Whiteside at the close <strong>of</strong> the<br />
fall semester was Louise Hume. Since assuming<br />
the position <strong>of</strong> registrar in 1965, she had been<br />
a potent element during the two decades that<br />
spanned Bing’s years at the college as dean and<br />
president. Stating a truism, she commented in<br />
an interview prior to her retirement, that as registrar,<br />
“I was able to watch and help with each<br />
student’s progress, all the way from registration<br />
to graduation.” Hume was succeeded by Martha<br />
Watts, assistant registrar. 21<br />
✯<br />
Louise Hume, registrar, checks to<br />
see if the form is completed with<br />
black ink.<br />
186 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
When the faculty members convened in<br />
January 1991 to start the spring semester, they<br />
were told that the college had ended its association<br />
with the University Interscholastic League.<br />
<strong>The</strong> announcement brought cheers from the<br />
assembled faculty who, for years, had campaigned<br />
for the college to drop its sponsorship.<br />
Instructors criticized the loss <strong>of</strong> critical class<br />
time and dissatisfaction with being put into a<br />
position <strong>of</strong> “volunteering” their free time to<br />
judge events. If a tear was shed by a single faculty<br />
member over the loss <strong>of</strong> the college’s participation,<br />
it was not evident. 22<br />
Preparations for the decennial reaffirmation<br />
visit by the Southern Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s<br />
and Schools began in earnest in January 1991.<br />
Dr. Ben Burdine, chair <strong>of</strong> the Division <strong>of</strong> Social<br />
and Behavioral Sciences, was picked by<br />
Goodson as chairman <strong>of</strong> the Self-Study Steering<br />
Committee. In a presentation at a faculty meeting,<br />
Burdine informed the assemblage that the<br />
process would take two years, and he provided<br />
each member a performance time line. In addition<br />
to Burdine, the steering committee was<br />
composed <strong>of</strong> Morris Azbill, Audley Dry, Vera<br />
Johnson, Marilyn Morris, Dr. Dale Pigott, Dr.<br />
Julia Riggs, Dr. C. F. Schneider, Dr. Joe Sekul,<br />
Dr. Geraldine Talley, and board member<br />
Catherine McHaney. 23<br />
Open house was held for the new Language<br />
Building on the evening <strong>of</strong> April 18. <strong>The</strong> $1.7<br />
million, two-story structure <strong>of</strong>fered an “up-todate”<br />
teaching and learning facility for both students<br />
and faculty members. Recognizing the<br />
necessity for the building, Goodson commented,<br />
“We are getting some badly needed classroom<br />
space. Our college has had steady growth<br />
and the University <strong>of</strong> Houston-<strong>Victoria</strong> has also<br />
had substantial growth. <strong>The</strong> Language Building<br />
will provide immediate relief to the overcrowding<br />
problems <strong>of</strong> both schools.” 24<br />
Stating the obvious in introducing the Tech-<br />
Prep Cooperative Program to the public in<br />
August 1991, Tom Walton, director <strong>of</strong><br />
Technical-Vocational Education, remarked, “A<br />
lot <strong>of</strong> kids leave high school without any preparation<br />
for what lies ahead <strong>of</strong> them. Not all will<br />
be going <strong>of</strong>f to college and all too <strong>of</strong>ten they<br />
have had no vocational or technical training to<br />
prepare them for a job.” <strong>The</strong> new program was<br />
✯<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s Marie Alaniz<br />
addresses a question at a financial aid<br />
seminar in Goliad.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 187
✯<br />
Children and their parents have fun<br />
at a Halloween carnival in the<br />
Student Center.<br />
designed to remedy the deficiency by focusing<br />
on industrial and technical, business and <strong>of</strong>fice,<br />
and health and protective services. “Instead <strong>of</strong><br />
students being trapped in [high school and college]<br />
courses that lead nowhere,” explained<br />
Carrie Nelson, state project director for Tech-<br />
Prep, “they are put in courses where they have<br />
many options that can allow them to go on and<br />
directly earn a baccalaureate degree or get a<br />
job.” Under the course <strong>of</strong> study, students could<br />
take general education and technological classes<br />
and “at the end <strong>of</strong> the two years in high school,”<br />
said Melonie Wade, Tech-Prep coordinator at<br />
the college, “you have to be sure the kid has a<br />
salable skill—one in which they could find a<br />
job.” She stressed that the goal was “to assure a<br />
good solid foundation <strong>of</strong> marketable skills [so]<br />
secondary students would get a head start and<br />
would be ready to enter the labor market with<br />
employable skills.” 25<br />
Students returning to the campus for the<br />
1992 spring semester found the scenery had<br />
changed for the better. <strong>The</strong>re now existed a new<br />
Student Center and a Science Building. <strong>The</strong><br />
Student Center <strong>of</strong>ficially opened on January 15<br />
in time for spring registration. A few weeks later,<br />
the Science Building became available for occupancy.<br />
By April, the University <strong>of</strong> Houston-<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Building was completed. To give the<br />
local taxpayers an opportunity to see the results<br />
<strong>of</strong> the 1989 bond package, the public was invited<br />
to an open house on April 11. Meanwhile,<br />
demolition <strong>of</strong> the old Student Union and<br />
Language Arts buildings was embarked upon. 26<br />
After thirty-seven years teaching voice,<br />
piano, organ, and choir at the college, Ruth<br />
Williams announced her retirement, effective<br />
at the end <strong>of</strong> the spring semester. In jest, she<br />
remarked, “I know in a couple <strong>of</strong> years, I’ll<br />
probably want to come back. I’ll miss a lot<br />
about this job. I love being in the big middle<br />
<strong>of</strong> everything.” Under her direction, the choir<br />
was recognized throughout the state as exemplary.<br />
At the May faculty meeting, state senator<br />
Ken Armbrister presented the retiring instructor<br />
with a Senate Proclamation praising her<br />
for the contributions she made to the college<br />
and the community. Armbrister also conveyed<br />
to Williams a congratulatory letter from<br />
Governor Ann Richards. <strong>The</strong> governor<br />
applauded the choir for being “one <strong>of</strong> our<br />
state’s musical treasures” and complimented<br />
Williams by stating, “you have proven your talent<br />
and audiences around the world have been<br />
touched by your music.” 27<br />
Within two months after receiving accolades<br />
from the state senate and the governor,<br />
Williams was on the road again for one final<br />
188 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
trip with the college choir. <strong>The</strong> group was<br />
appointed by Governor Richards as the Texas<br />
representative at the World’s Fair in Seville,<br />
Spain. Some thirty students, faculty, civic chorus<br />
members, and area residents embarked for<br />
Spain on July 8 via Morocco and Portugal. On<br />
July 16, the choir made its scheduled performance<br />
at the United States Pavilion in Seville<br />
before an appreciative crowd composed <strong>of</strong> people<br />
from around the world. 28<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s countywide election system<br />
was brought into question when a federal<br />
lawsuit was filed against the community college<br />
by Alex Rojas, a local businessman and<br />
former <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> student. Rojas claimed<br />
the litigation was necessary because “the<br />
method <strong>of</strong> electing board members discriminates<br />
against the minority community.” His<br />
attorney, Roland Rios, contended that the legal<br />
action should not be viewed as a hostile move.<br />
<strong>The</strong> litigants, Rios said, were “not saying that<br />
the present board is doing a bad job (<strong>of</strong> representing<br />
minorities). But this will just make the<br />
board a little more democratic.” He further<br />
stated, “With minorities comprising approximately<br />
34 percent <strong>of</strong> the population served by<br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> district it is clear to me<br />
that minorities should have the opportunity to<br />
elect <strong>of</strong>ficials <strong>of</strong> their choice.” 29<br />
Winston Zirjacks, board president, held a<br />
dissimilar view. He stated the lawsuit came as<br />
a surprise to him for there was “no reason for<br />
minorities to be objectionable to anything<br />
we’ve done.” Maintaining that any eligible individual<br />
could seek election to the board, he<br />
commented that “they just have to run.” <strong>The</strong><br />
board president further remarked, “Truthfully,<br />
I don’t know if anything needs to be changed.”<br />
Zirjacks did say, however, that the board would<br />
discuss the legal action “before <strong>of</strong>ficially replying<br />
to the suit.” Goodson concurred with the<br />
board president that no public statements<br />
should be made until he and the trustees conferred<br />
with an attorney. <strong>The</strong> president did<br />
point out that the board had “always tried to<br />
represent the interests <strong>of</strong> all citizens <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
County in providing the best educational<br />
opportunities possible.” Goodson’s assessment<br />
was correct. On the other hand, the plaintiffs<br />
were dead-right by insisting “a change in the<br />
election process is needed.” 30<br />
Of utmost concern to the board and<br />
Goodson was how the lawsuit could be<br />
resolved “to save taxpayers money that would<br />
be lost during a prolonged court battle.” To<br />
assist them in reaching a satisfactory solution,<br />
the trustees employed Bob Heath <strong>of</strong> the Austin<br />
law firm <strong>of</strong> Bickerstaff, Heath and Smiley. After<br />
wrestling with the issue for six months, an<br />
acceptable understanding between the two<br />
sides was agreed upon. Goodson announced<br />
that “the board felt it was in the interest <strong>of</strong> the<br />
✯<br />
Jack Warren (far right) discusses<br />
career opportunities with<br />
prospective students.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 189
college and the population <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> County”<br />
to adopt a new method <strong>of</strong> electing its members.<br />
He added that to do otherwise “would<br />
have been expensive to pursue the matter in<br />
court.” <strong>The</strong> settlement agreed to provide that<br />
four board members be elected from singlemember<br />
districts, two from super districts (a<br />
combination <strong>of</strong> two single-member districts)<br />
and one at-large from the entire district.<br />
Boundaries <strong>of</strong> the single-member districts were<br />
drawn to coincide with county commissioner<br />
precincts. As structured by the board, Super<br />
District 3 was composed <strong>of</strong> precincts 1 and 2<br />
while Super District 7 comprised county commissioners<br />
precincts 3 and 4. Another stipulation<br />
<strong>of</strong> the arrangement obligated the college to<br />
pay Rojas’ lawyer $9,000. 31<br />
At the end-<strong>of</strong>-the-year faculty meeting on<br />
May 19, 1992, Dr. Michael Hummel once again<br />
placed before the group a recommendation to<br />
establish a faculty senate. Contrary to past<br />
attempts to create such an organization, the<br />
motion passed with no dissenting votes. A<br />
seven-member ad hoc committee was elected to<br />
draft a constitution and bylaws and present it to<br />
the faculty for consideration. Chosen to perform<br />
that duty were Dr. Ben Burdine, Morris<br />
Azbill, Hummel, Marilyn Morris, Dr. Dale<br />
Pigott, Dr. Richard Walker, and David White.<br />
<strong>The</strong> members <strong>of</strong> the committee elected<br />
Hummel as chairman. 32<br />
Working persistently through the summer<br />
months <strong>of</strong> 1992, the ad hoc Faculty Senate<br />
Committee drafted “a policy defining the structure,<br />
composition, responsibilities, and authority<br />
<strong>of</strong> a faculty senate.” Immediately following<br />
the adjournment by Dean Steve Thomas <strong>of</strong> the<br />
regular faculty meeting in the Johnson<br />
Symposium Center on August 24, the instructors<br />
reassembled in Room 213 <strong>of</strong> the Allied<br />
Health Building to consider the proposed faculty<br />
senate constitution and bylaws. <strong>The</strong> initial<br />
issue discussed was the ad hoc committee’s recommendation<br />
that a faculty organization be<br />
established. After a brief dialogue, a secret ballot<br />
was taken. <strong>The</strong> proposal passed 84 to 14. 33<br />
Following the adoption <strong>of</strong> the motion to<br />
establish a faculty organization, the instructors<br />
turned to the committee’s recommendation to<br />
approve the proposed constitution and bylaws<br />
and “to expedite the implementation <strong>of</strong> the documents.”<br />
During the discussion on the motion,<br />
minor changes were embraced. An attempt was<br />
made by some overly concerned faculty members<br />
to table the recommendation, but they<br />
failed to sidetrack the process by a vote <strong>of</strong> 39 for<br />
✯<br />
Amused by Dr. Jimmy Goodson’s<br />
comment are (left to right) Catherine<br />
McHaney, board president, and<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s first lady,<br />
Michelle Goodson.<br />
190 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
and 55 against the motion. When the faculty<br />
finally got around to deciding on the constitution<br />
and bylaws, the documents, as amended,<br />
were adopted by secret ballot 77 to 20.<br />
Afterwards, the new senate appropriately selected<br />
Hummel as its president. 34<br />
<strong>The</strong> Faculty Senate quickly became a positive<br />
force for the college because both the senate and<br />
the administration conscientiously avoided an<br />
adversarial relationship in favor <strong>of</strong> a collaborative<br />
one. While most <strong>of</strong> the formal senate recommendations<br />
to the administration emanated from the<br />
faculty, the administration also actively solicited<br />
the senate’s input on a number <strong>of</strong> key issues.<br />
Certainly there were differences <strong>of</strong> opinions,<br />
sometimes strong differences, but they were<br />
resolved in a spirit <strong>of</strong> cooperation. Among the<br />
accomplishments <strong>of</strong> the senate were revisions to<br />
the tenure policy, salary schedule, faculty evaluation<br />
by students and administrators, creation <strong>of</strong><br />
faculty development grants, and guidelines for<br />
experimental or innovative teaching.<br />
After two years <strong>of</strong> acute self-evaluation conducted<br />
by the faculty and staff, the college was<br />
ready for the Southern Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s<br />
and Schools Reaffirmation Committee’s visit that<br />
began on February 22, 1993. Burdine, chairman<br />
<strong>of</strong> the college self-study, had exercised exceptional<br />
leadership in supervising the preparation<br />
<strong>of</strong> a final report to present to the regional<br />
accreditation team. <strong>The</strong> revisitation, to say the<br />
least, went prosaically for the four days the<br />
group was on the campus. When the obligatory<br />
junket concluded, the committee made a minimal<br />
number <strong>of</strong> recommendations. No matter<br />
how exhaustively a college self-study has been<br />
conducted and recorded, reaffirmation committees<br />
apparently think their work is not complete<br />
unless recommendations are produced as evidence.<br />
At its annual meeting on December 15,<br />
1993, SACS reaccredited <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> for<br />
another decade. <strong>The</strong> college was required to<br />
respond to five minor recommendations in a follow-up<br />
report. Acting upon the directive, Dean<br />
Thomas compiled a reply that was accepted by<br />
the board and submitted to SACS. 35<br />
Doors <strong>of</strong> the new Sports Center were opened<br />
in August 1993. Featuring an assortment <strong>of</strong> athletic<br />
equipment, the facility, designed with individual<br />
utilization in mind rather than team<br />
sports, <strong>of</strong>fered the students, faculty, and staff<br />
opportunities to stay physically fit. Each segment<br />
<strong>of</strong> the college community quickly took<br />
advantage <strong>of</strong> the accommodations. Harlon<br />
Gerhold, kinesiology department head, noted<br />
that “students are really enjoying using the<br />
Center during their <strong>of</strong>f hours.” Kelly McKay,<br />
kinesiology instructor, remarked that “the faculty<br />
and staff enrolled in the wellness program<br />
were having a great time.” She added, “Everyone<br />
✯<br />
Cindy Bedwell (left), manager <strong>of</strong> Food<br />
Services, and her assistant, Kim<br />
Reger, arrange decorations in the<br />
Student Union.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 191
✯<br />
Elaine Marcinkowska (left), dean <strong>of</strong><br />
Administrative Services, and Patti<br />
Sagebiel, purchasing director.<br />
leaves with an overall great workout.” Bob<br />
Leach, kinesiology instructor, pointed out that<br />
the faculty and staff involved in the wellness<br />
program had a participation menu that ranged<br />
from group tennis to shooting hoops.” 36<br />
Decision making had been relatively easy<br />
for the board when it came to the construction<br />
<strong>of</strong> new buildings, but with the Sports Center<br />
in place, the trustees had to tackle the thorny<br />
issue <strong>of</strong> whether to tear down the existing<br />
Academic and Science buildings or to do<br />
major renovation work on the two facilities. At<br />
its March meeting, the governing body discussed<br />
the options and concluded that some<br />
additional information was needed. <strong>The</strong> matter<br />
was passed to the board’s building committee<br />
and architect Rawley McCoy <strong>of</strong><br />
Young/McCoy Architects <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>. When the<br />
assigned parties reviewed their charge, they<br />
concluded the taxpayers would best be served<br />
by refurbishing. McCoy stated that the cost <strong>of</strong><br />
razing the structures and constructing new<br />
ones would cost the college over ninety percent<br />
more than it would cost to renovate them.<br />
Another factor that entered into the decision<br />
for restoration was historical preservation. <strong>The</strong><br />
Academic Building is the last surviving structure<br />
<strong>of</strong> the original campus and is representative<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1940s architectural style. Wisely, the<br />
board chose renovation. 37<br />
Bids submitted by prospective contractors<br />
were not exactly what Goodson and the trustees<br />
expected. Approximately $2 million was dedicated<br />
from revenue bonds and private foundation<br />
donations for the restoration work.<br />
However, the lowest quotation received by the<br />
college was $2.165 million. A consideration for<br />
the increased cost was the removal <strong>of</strong> window<br />
and room air conditioners from the Academic<br />
Building and replacing them with a central heating<br />
and cooling system. Because the bids were<br />
higher than anticipated, the suggested improvements<br />
were postponed. <strong>The</strong> board’s building<br />
committee in consultation with the president<br />
and architect McCoy commenced exploring<br />
ways to reduce the expenses. By reevaluating the<br />
original proposal, McCoy pared the specifications<br />
sufficiently enough to reduce the costs. On<br />
February 11, 1994, the trustees awarded a<br />
$1.97 million contract to Alvarez and Associates<br />
Construction Company <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> for renewal<br />
<strong>of</strong> the two buildings, replacement <strong>of</strong> the connecting<br />
hallway’s glass windows so they conformed<br />
to state requirements, and the cleaning<br />
<strong>of</strong> the stone and brick at the Fine Arts Building.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Academic Building was carefully restored to<br />
192 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
preserve the extensive woodwork and to maintain<br />
the “feel” <strong>of</strong> the old building. 38<br />
Concluding that “the time is now” and that he<br />
was “old enough to start smelling the roses,”<br />
David Lack, a veteran <strong>of</strong> the board for 18 years,<br />
resigned in February 1994. “After lamenting<br />
how much they’ll miss David Lack, <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> trustees wasted no time” in naming<br />
Arnold Galindo Davis as his replacement. <strong>The</strong><br />
new board member, the executive director <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Hispanic Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce and<br />
manager <strong>of</strong> Casa Ole, was the first Hispanic in<br />
college history to serve on the board. He represented<br />
a redrawn district that emerged from the<br />
Alex Rojas lawsuit. Davis served the remaining<br />
three months <strong>of</strong> Lack’s term and was elected<br />
without any opposition to a full term as trustee. 39<br />
What many individuals who were acquainted<br />
with him considered an overdue honor, Wesley<br />
Aldis, bookstore manager, was selected as a<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the National Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Stores Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees at the organization’s<br />
April 1994 meeting in Orlando, Florida. <strong>The</strong><br />
association consisted <strong>of</strong> approximately 3,200<br />
college and university bookstores in the United<br />
States and Canada. Six board members were<br />
elected by store members to represent regional<br />
districts and there were also two at-large places.<br />
Aldis was chosen to represent the Southwest<br />
region which was composed <strong>of</strong> Texas and four<br />
surrounding states. 40<br />
Wesley Aldis, or “John Wesley” as Bing<br />
referred to him, had been associated with the<br />
college since the 1960s, first as a student and<br />
later as an employee. While he attended college,<br />
he wrote a sports article for the college newspaper.<br />
As bookstore manager, a position he<br />
assumed when long-time employee V. T. Kallus<br />
retired in the early 1970s, Aldis witnessed<br />
changes in its operation and the items sold. <strong>The</strong><br />
most striking difference was in technology, ranging<br />
from electric cash register to computer. Aldis<br />
has “sold everything from slide rules to calculators<br />
that run a space ship.” He recalled that Al<br />
Allen, math instructor, purchased an early<br />
“hand-held calculator, which he had to assemble<br />
for something like $300.00, now that same [calculator]<br />
can be bought for only $6.99 assembled.”<br />
His prescription for operating a bookstore—“adjust<br />
and be flexible.” 41<br />
Interactive video was introduced on the campus<br />
during the spring <strong>of</strong> 1994. <strong>The</strong> movement to<br />
employ its use at the college was led by Marilyn<br />
Powell, coordinator <strong>of</strong> vocational nursing, after<br />
she observed its application in January 1994<br />
when a medication administration lecture was<br />
beamed from Houston to <strong>Victoria</strong>. From her<br />
point <strong>of</strong> view, Powell noted the “technology<br />
✯<br />
Wesley Aldis, bookstore manager.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 193
✯<br />
Gladys Bolting, student employment<br />
coordinator, gives instructions to<br />
Mandi Wallace on the proper way to<br />
complete a job application.<br />
allows us to better utilize faculty and support<br />
service resources, and to <strong>of</strong>fer educational<br />
experiences to individuals who now have<br />
distance as a barrier to accomplishing their<br />
educational goals.” Dean Thomas expressed a<br />
similar opinion when he said, “this state-<strong>of</strong>-theart<br />
technology not only creates access for rural<br />
students, but also can be utilized for conferencing<br />
and staff development.” <strong>The</strong> responsibility <strong>of</strong><br />
teaching the first academic interactive video college<br />
credit courses fell to Dr. Stephen Hardin,<br />
history instructor, and Dr. Jerry Novosad,<br />
psychology instructor. During the first session <strong>of</strong><br />
the 1994 summer term, courses were <strong>of</strong>fered,<br />
with mixed success, to students in Hallettsville<br />
and the main campus. Television monitors were<br />
set up in the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Library Building<br />
and the hospital in Hallettsville. Hardin taught a<br />
course in <strong>Victoria</strong>, and his lectures were simulcast<br />
to the Hallettsville site, whereas Novosad<br />
conducted a psychology class in Hallettsville and<br />
his presentations were transmitted to <strong>Victoria</strong>. 42<br />
Another historical event took place at the<br />
college in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1994. On May 14, Dr. F.<br />
Benton Burdine, retiring chairman <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Division <strong>of</strong> Social and Behavioral Sciences,<br />
delivered the address at the college commencement,<br />
thus becoming the first faculty member<br />
to be the principal speaker at a graduation ceremony.<br />
<strong>The</strong> idea to have Burdine make the<br />
presentation came from Goodson. <strong>The</strong> affable<br />
speaker, who was held in high esteem by his<br />
colleagues, told the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> graduates<br />
they had “the right to make their own mistakes—just<br />
don’t repeat ours.” He counseled<br />
them to “be productive citizens” for they owed<br />
it not only to themselves, but “to your children<br />
and to your country.” 43<br />
Heeding a directive by the state for community<br />
colleges to increase their activity in workforce<br />
development, the local college responded<br />
by <strong>of</strong>fering “customized training and education”<br />
to Union Carbide and Formosa employees<br />
in August <strong>of</strong> 1994. Working closely with<br />
the ABC Merit Shop Training Program, established<br />
in 1987 by Formosa and five other companies,<br />
the classes were initially held at Union<br />
Carbide, but they were expanded to Formosa<br />
employees. <strong>College</strong> credit was earned for<br />
“real-world subjects like carpentry, welding,<br />
pipe-fitting, electronics, instrumentation, and<br />
industrial mechanics.” 44<br />
Consummate Texas historian and <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> instructor Dr. Stephen Hardin walked<br />
<strong>of</strong>f with virtually every major historical book<br />
award for 1994 with his work, Texian Iliad: A<br />
Military History <strong>of</strong> the Texas Revolution. Among<br />
the laurels he received were the Texas Historical<br />
194 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
✯<br />
Left: Dr. Steve Thomas awards<br />
a scholarship to a delighted Betty<br />
Jean Bland.<br />
Bottom: Jerry Dvorak, director <strong>of</strong><br />
Media Services, catches up on his<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice work after delivering<br />
audio/visual equipment for<br />
classroom use.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 195
Commission’s T. R. Fehrenback Book Award, the<br />
Summerfield G. Roberts Award, and the<br />
Certificate <strong>of</strong> Merit from <strong>The</strong> American<br />
Association for State and Local History.<br />
Furthermore, the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> instructor<br />
was inducted into the Texas Institute <strong>of</strong> Letters.<br />
His exhaustive study on the Texas Revolution<br />
made him a much sought-after person by the<br />
news media. He made appearances on the TV<br />
series “<strong>The</strong> Real West” and gave interviews on<br />
radio talk shows. When the controversial<br />
José Enrique de la Peña diary, With Santa<br />
Anna in Texas: A Personal Narrative <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Revolution, was to be auctioned in the fall <strong>of</strong><br />
1998, Hardin was interviewed in New York on<br />
NBC’s Today show. 45<br />
Funding for technological resources by the<br />
board rose dramatically in 1994. <strong>The</strong> trustees<br />
authorized $650,000 to implement a five-year<br />
plan that permitted faculty, staff, and students to<br />
access Internet from any building on the campus<br />
and thereby provided instructors new<br />
opportunities for classroom instruction.<br />
Another $80,000 was spent to develop a drafting<br />
program that was compatible with area<br />
industries. Jody Muschalek, director for drafting<br />
technology and instructor <strong>of</strong> the classes, accurately<br />
remarked that it was “important to keep<br />
students up to date.” Cognizant <strong>of</strong> how rapidly<br />
computer technology changes, he astutely stated<br />
that “you can graduate from college and five<br />
years later, be behind the times.” 46<br />
Student accessibility to technology on the<br />
campus was hastened during the fall <strong>of</strong> 1995.<br />
<strong>The</strong> college received a portion <strong>of</strong> a grant from<br />
the National Science Foundation awarded to the<br />
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to<br />
connect to Internet. When the grant was<br />
announced, Dr. Kenneth H. Ashworth, commissioner<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Coordinating Board, stated that the<br />
Internet “capability will improve the college’s<br />
ability to play an even larger role in workforce<br />
and economic development by providing state<strong>of</strong>-the-art<br />
opportunities to students, faculty and<br />
administrators.” Internet quickly became an<br />
instructional tool for some <strong>of</strong> the faculty. <strong>The</strong><br />
Allied Health Division downloaded material<br />
from medical libraries and the world for distribution<br />
to students, and psychology instructor<br />
Dr. Karen Hoblit assigned research papers<br />
requiring Internet sources. Furthermore, students<br />
were provided with e-mail addresses, thus<br />
permitting them to send and receive electronic<br />
mail from various campus locations. 47<br />
Because <strong>of</strong> the financial assistance the M. G.<br />
and Lillie A. Johnson Foundation contributed to<br />
the college for allied health facilities and equipment,<br />
the board renamed the renovated Science<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> covered walkways may<br />
not have been aesthetic, but they<br />
did provide protection from<br />
inclement weather.<br />
196 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Building the M. G. and Lillie A. Johnson Hall.<br />
Monies from the foundation were the principal<br />
source <strong>of</strong> funding for remodeling the structure. In<br />
another gesture <strong>of</strong> the college’s gratitude for the<br />
foundation’s financial contributions, Goodson<br />
dedicated a classroom in the renewed building<br />
for Lewis Allen, Jr., the Johnsons’ nephew. 48<br />
In the spring <strong>of</strong> 1996, Winston Zirjacks<br />
retired after serving on the board for 49 years,<br />
forty <strong>of</strong> which as the president. He was elected<br />
to the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees in 1947<br />
when the two-year institution became a separate<br />
entity from the <strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School<br />
District. His connection to the college in 1927,<br />
two years after it was established. While a student<br />
at <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>, Zirjacks was<br />
president <strong>of</strong> the student body and participated<br />
in extracurricular activities. At the May 6 board<br />
meeting, he was made president emeritus, and<br />
Catherine McHaney, the new board president<br />
and the first woman to hold that position, read<br />
a laudatory proclamation for his service to the<br />
college, and Goodson presented him with an<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficial state judge’s gavel that was manufactured<br />
by the Texas Department <strong>of</strong> Corrections. More<br />
than 200 people attended a public reception for<br />
the retiring board president in the Student<br />
Center. During the festivities, Zirjacks was presented<br />
with a congratulatory letter from<br />
Governor George W. Bush, proclamations from<br />
the state senate, city, and county, and Dr.<br />
Michael Hummel, president <strong>of</strong> the Faculty<br />
Senate, presented him with a gift, purchased<br />
with money raised by volunteer contributions,<br />
on behalf <strong>of</strong> the faculty. 49<br />
History instructor, head <strong>of</strong> the Social<br />
Sciences Department, and teacher at the college<br />
for thirty-five years, Charles D. Spurlin was<br />
selected as a 1996 Piper Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, an honor<br />
given by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation<br />
to ten Texas college and university educators a<br />
year to recognize excellence in teaching. Only<br />
one other <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> instructor was a<br />
recipient <strong>of</strong> the award, Dr. Wayne McAlister in<br />
1989. On May 1, at a luncheon in the Student<br />
Center sponsored by the college, Hummel, with<br />
Spurlin’s wife, Pat, and five children in attendance,<br />
presented him a framed Piper Pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
Award certificate. Goodson, in turn, gave the<br />
recipient a $2,500 check from the Minnie<br />
Stevens Piper Foundation and a Piper Pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
Pin. <strong>The</strong> college president suggested the honoree<br />
should take a well-deserved trip with the<br />
money. Spurlin, tearfully, thanked his colleagues,<br />
students, and friends. He remarked,<br />
“When you’re selected from a faculty <strong>of</strong> over<br />
✯<br />
Lines can be long at registration.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 197
✯<br />
In November 1996, two live oak trees<br />
were dedicated in memory <strong>of</strong> former<br />
board members Leo Welder and Tom<br />
O’Connor, Jr. At the podium is Board<br />
President Catherine McHaney.<br />
100 to be the nominee, that in itself is an honor,<br />
because there’s a lot <strong>of</strong> fine people out here who<br />
teach.” How true. 50<br />
Spurlin was further complimented in the<br />
spring when members <strong>of</strong> the Texas State<br />
Historical Association elected him to the<br />
Executive Council, a position seldom held by a<br />
person from the ranks <strong>of</strong> a community college.<br />
Another faculty member who received recognition<br />
during the spring <strong>of</strong> 1996 was Caroline C.<br />
Garrett, instructor <strong>of</strong> accounting and <strong>of</strong>fice systems<br />
technology. She was named to Who’s Who<br />
Among America’s Teachers. Garrett was actively<br />
involved in the Texas Community <strong>College</strong><br />
Teachers Association by serving as the organization’s<br />
local campus representative. 51<br />
In November 1996, live oak trees were<br />
planted and plaques were placed in front <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Academic Building in memory <strong>of</strong> two staunch<br />
supporters <strong>of</strong> the college, Leo Welder and<br />
Tom O’Connor, Jr., both <strong>of</strong> whom had died<br />
the previous summer. Approximately 100 people<br />
attended the ceremony and heard commendable<br />
remarks by Catherine McHaney,<br />
board member Robert J. Hewitt, Sr., and<br />
Goodson. <strong>The</strong> plaques were unveiled by board<br />
members Mark Zafereo and Ron Walker.<br />
Afterwards, a reception was held in the<br />
Academic Building. 52<br />
A major highlight <strong>of</strong> the 1997 spring semester<br />
was a February 11 presentation by the world<br />
renown poet Maya Angelou. Before a packed<br />
house in the Fine Arts Auditorium and people<br />
watching closed circuit television broadcast in<br />
the Student Center and the Johnson Symposium<br />
Center, she mesmerized the audience by her<br />
captivating demeanor and dramatic poetry reading.<br />
<strong>The</strong> program attracted the second largest<br />
number <strong>of</strong> persons to ever attend a Lyceum<br />
sponsored event in the Fine Arts Auditorium. 53<br />
On April 23-25, a peer review team<br />
representing the Texas Higher Education<br />
Coordinating Board conducted a site visit.<br />
Although not as intense as an evaluation by a<br />
Southern Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s and Schools<br />
Reaffirmation Committee, the group reviewed<br />
the college’s programs and interviewed faculty<br />
and staff for an overall assessment <strong>of</strong> the<br />
services provided by the local two-year institution.<br />
<strong>The</strong> visiting team was generally<br />
impressed with the college. It declared the<br />
Licensed Vocational Nursing Program an<br />
Exemplary Program and praised a number <strong>of</strong><br />
other courses <strong>of</strong> study. 54<br />
198 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
University <strong>of</strong> Houston-<strong>Victoria</strong>’s dream <strong>of</strong><br />
having its own property and buildings finally<br />
became a reality in 1997. Serious discussions<br />
between <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and UHV <strong>of</strong>ficials on<br />
the sale <strong>of</strong> college land to the upper division<br />
university had transpired periodically for the<br />
preceding three years. When the negotiations<br />
reached the point that a sale-purchase agreement<br />
appeared certain, the college in 1996<br />
employed local attorney Munson Smith as a<br />
negotiator. Throughout the discussions, the college<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficials wanted to devise an <strong>of</strong>fer that was<br />
fair to UHV and did not jeopardize in any way<br />
the college’s educational capacity nor its constituents.<br />
In a gesture to bring the matter to an<br />
end, state Representative Steve Holzheauser succeeded<br />
in attaching a rider to education legislation<br />
authorizing $10 million <strong>of</strong> state funds for<br />
UHV expansion if the University <strong>of</strong> Houston<br />
System rejected a purchase proposal. 55<br />
On April 21, the college board met and agreed<br />
to sell the UH System the building that was currently<br />
being used by UHV and fifteen adjacent<br />
acres for $5.05 million. Three days later, the<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston System Board <strong>of</strong> Regents<br />
convened in Houston and approved the purchase.<br />
Kay Walker, a regent from <strong>Victoria</strong>, commented,<br />
“It’s a new era for wonderful opportunities for<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong>.” UHV President Karen Haynes remarked,<br />
“We can now begin to plan for initiatives and<br />
implementations <strong>of</strong> those.” Obviously, both ladies<br />
were ecstatic over the regents’ decision. 56<br />
In the summer <strong>of</strong> 1997, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> once<br />
again became the primary agency within the<br />
community for adult education, assuming the<br />
responsibility from the <strong>Victoria</strong> Independent<br />
School District. <strong>The</strong> adult education program<br />
was originally established “to reach out into the<br />
community and help those adults needing to finish<br />
high school requirements.” Transfer <strong>of</strong> the<br />
responsibility was mutually agreeable to the college<br />
and public school <strong>of</strong>ficials. Goodson noted<br />
that the state legislature in 1973 “added a literacy<br />
mission to our general adult mission,” and Dr.<br />
Jack Clemmons, VISD superintendent, stated,<br />
“Philosophically it belongs with the college.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y’re in that line <strong>of</strong> business.” <strong>The</strong> center was<br />
housed in a building at 802 East Crestwood<br />
Drive leased from Central Power & Light<br />
Company. As a practical matter, to accommodate<br />
students in need <strong>of</strong> adult education, the college<br />
provided the <strong>Victoria</strong> Adult Literacy Council<br />
space in the new facility. Unification <strong>of</strong> the two<br />
programs at a central location was placed in perspective<br />
by George Alexander, director <strong>of</strong><br />
recruiting and marketing. He remarked that<br />
“area adults who need help can come to one<br />
place and receive a range <strong>of</strong> services.” 57<br />
✯<br />
Dr. James Gleason (right) has the<br />
attention <strong>of</strong> John Sharp (left), state<br />
comptroller, as Dr. Joe Dahlstrom,<br />
library director, stands ready to enter<br />
into the conversation.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 199
A study released in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1997 by the<br />
Institutional Research and Planning Office<br />
comparing the performance <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> transfer students with first-year transfer<br />
students from other community colleges<br />
once again illustrated that the local two-year<br />
institution <strong>of</strong>fered excellent higher education<br />
course work at a fraction <strong>of</strong> the cost at a senior<br />
institution. <strong>The</strong> data was compiled on<br />
transfer students to the University <strong>of</strong> Texas at<br />
Austin, Southwest Texas State University, and<br />
Texas A&M University and indicated that former<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> students earned higher<br />
grade point averages than other community<br />
college transfer students. <strong>The</strong> GPA for <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> students at UT-Austin ranged from 3.0<br />
to 3.5 whereas the GPA for transfer students<br />
from the other community colleges was<br />
between 2.5 and 3.0. Former <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
students also performed better than their<br />
counterparts from the other two-year institutions<br />
at Southwest Texas State University and<br />
Texas A&M University. Remarkable findings,<br />
indeed. <strong>The</strong> Institutional Research and<br />
Planning Office also noted that 3,822 students<br />
were enrolled for the 1997 fall semester, the<br />
all-time high for the college. 58<br />
With only $203 remaining in the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Foundation, the board <strong>of</strong> trustees, on<br />
Goodson’s recommendation, reorganized the<br />
foundation in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1997 to include nonboard<br />
members. As it was originally designed,<br />
the foundation was established to accept large<br />
donations to be principally used for building<br />
projects, but there now existed other important<br />
needs for funds. <strong>The</strong> foundation was an ideal<br />
solution, so the trustees thought, as a means <strong>of</strong><br />
paying for programs because its monies were<br />
less restricted than contributions placed in the<br />
general funds. <strong>The</strong> board and the president<br />
reasoned that in order to attain the new funding<br />
goals, individuals in addition to board members<br />
should be involved in foundation activities. On<br />
November 17, 1997, after revamping the<br />
foundation, the trustees initially appointed<br />
Catherine McHaney, Mark Zafereo, John<br />
Vasquez, John Brimberry, David Gaddis, Lee<br />
Swearingen, Zac Lentz, Gene Moreno, and<br />
Dennis Broughton as directors. <strong>The</strong> members in<br />
turn elected Gaddis as president. Penni Gietz, a<br />
new appointee, was chosen secretary, and<br />
Zafereo was selected as the treasurer. 59<br />
During the spring <strong>of</strong> 1998, Police Academy<br />
Director Herman “B. J.” Roe was named to the<br />
✯<br />
In 1998, Jim Lehrer presented the first<br />
“Jim Lehrer Award for Print<br />
Journalism” to Russell Gold.<br />
200 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
State Testing Committee for the Texas<br />
Commission on Law Enforcement Officer<br />
Standards and Education, the state’s law<br />
enforcement governing body. His appointment<br />
signified the high esteem that he and the<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Police Academy had earned in<br />
law enforcement circles. According to the commission,<br />
the local program ranked as one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
state’s exemplary regional police academies. 60<br />
Of equal significance to Roe’s selection were<br />
Karen Hoblit’s and Wes Aldis’ accomplishments.<br />
Hoblit, who began teaching an on-line<br />
psychology course in the fall <strong>of</strong> 1997, became<br />
one <strong>of</strong> only eight psychology instructors across<br />
the nation to be given the opportunity to scrutinize<br />
an interactive web-based online program,<br />
CourseNet, that was created by Russ<br />
Whitehurst from the State University <strong>of</strong> New<br />
York at Stony Brook and distributed by Worth<br />
Publishing Company. Additionally, a biographical<br />
sketch on her was included in the 1998<br />
edition <strong>of</strong> Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.<br />
Aldis, on the other hand, was featured in<br />
ShelfTalk, a newsletter sent to booksellers by<br />
Springhouse, a publishing firm. <strong>The</strong> article on<br />
the efficient <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> bookstore manager<br />
was titled “Meet the Pied Piper <strong>of</strong> Book Fairs<br />
and Learn How He Draws ‘Em In.” <strong>The</strong> item<br />
was especially complimentary <strong>of</strong> the way he<br />
conducted a “medical book and career fair” on<br />
the campus. 61<br />
Meanwhile, two faculty members were recognized<br />
for their pr<strong>of</strong>essional achievements.<br />
LeAnn Wagner in August 1998 became the<br />
chairperson <strong>of</strong> the Texas Nurses’ Association<br />
Council on Education. A couple <strong>of</strong> months<br />
later in El Paso the college’s venerable Director<br />
<strong>of</strong> Counseling Services Audley D. Dry was<br />
conferred the 1998 Distinguished Service Award<br />
by the Junior/Community <strong>College</strong> Student<br />
Personnel Association <strong>of</strong> Texas. <strong>The</strong> honor<br />
was presented to him at the association’s<br />
annual meeting for his consequential statewide<br />
and local service and for the numerous<br />
contributions he made to student development<br />
in community colleges and to the organization. 62<br />
In the summer <strong>of</strong> 1998, the college was<br />
notified that it was awarded a $1.7 million,<br />
five-year federal Title III Strengthening<br />
Institutions Project Grant. <strong>The</strong> grant had the<br />
purpose <strong>of</strong> improving the “infrastructure<br />
(other than buildings) in colleges and universities<br />
to provide assistance to institutions in<br />
reaching their full educational potential.”<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> intended to use the money in<br />
two ways. One was to improve the academic<br />
programs by the implementation <strong>of</strong> multimedia<br />
presentations in the classroom. Secondly,<br />
there was to be a gradual expansion <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>f-campus<br />
or distance learning courses. To fulfill the<br />
objectives, a Faculty Resource Center was created<br />
in the Student Center to train the faculty<br />
✯<br />
Left to right are Joseph Lara; Dr.<br />
Keith Kilpatrick, sociology instructor;<br />
Dr. Karen Fritz, history instructor;<br />
Kelly Picha; and Leslie Finster. <strong>The</strong><br />
picture was taken at the beginning <strong>of</strong><br />
the 1999 fall semester.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 201
in the utilization <strong>of</strong> multimedia. <strong>The</strong> first<br />
remote learning center was established in<br />
Cuero and became operational in 1999. <strong>The</strong><br />
college administration predicted that by the<br />
year <strong>2000</strong>, remote centers would be functioning<br />
in Hallettsville, Refugio, and Gonzales.<br />
Each site is to have an interactive television, a<br />
minimum <strong>of</strong> ten computers, Internet access,<br />
and a phone connection to the main campus.<br />
Dr. Dale Pigott assumed the position <strong>of</strong> Title III<br />
grant coordinator, relinquishing his post as<br />
chair <strong>of</strong> the Mathematics and Science Division<br />
until the conclusion <strong>of</strong> the grant period. 63<br />
Calling its initiative the “<strong>Tradition</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Excellence</strong>,” the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Foundation<br />
commenced the first annual giving campaign on<br />
November 1, 1998. Although pledges were previously<br />
sought from businesses and charitable<br />
organizations, the foundation’s newest effort was<br />
to reach out and tap contributions from the<br />
entire community. In announcing the fund<br />
drive, Gaddis stated that “the gift-giving<br />
campaign would allow the college to improve its<br />
services and help more students.” Goodson<br />
added that since the public was sensitive toward<br />
taxation, the “annual giving campaign will allow<br />
the community a choice in supporting the college<br />
in reaching its goal <strong>of</strong> providing even higher<br />
levels <strong>of</strong> excellence.” Money raised in the<br />
drive was earmarked as matching funds for a<br />
Telecommunications Infrastructure grant from<br />
the state and to fund scholarships, faculty and<br />
staff development, and technology. 64<br />
In what was the largest nonfoundation donation<br />
to the college, the board accepted $180,000<br />
from the Ruby A. Nelson estate for scholarships<br />
that were to be awarded to students from<br />
Goliad, Karnes, Bee, Refugio, DeWitt, and<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> counties. <strong>The</strong> scholarship fund was<br />
named for Jake A. Nelson, Jr., the benefactor’s<br />
brother. Ruby Nelson “believed in children,”<br />
remarked the executor <strong>of</strong> Nelson’s estate, Darrel<br />
Cooper. He added that “she would do anything<br />
she could to help them…With this, she backed<br />
up her commitment to children.” Cooper further<br />
stated “the estate plans to add another<br />
$40,000 to $50,000” in future years. 65<br />
As a means <strong>of</strong> making transfer <strong>of</strong> courses<br />
between higher educational institutions easier,<br />
the state legislature in 1997 required all public<br />
colleges and universities to formulate a core curriculum<br />
consisting <strong>of</strong> a minimum <strong>of</strong> forty-two<br />
credit hours. <strong>The</strong> local college’s response was to<br />
create a curriculum, effective for the 1999-<strong>2000</strong><br />
academic year, that was composed <strong>of</strong> 45 to 47<br />
credit hours, a more stringent requirement than<br />
✯<br />
Gayle Hardcastle, library assistant,<br />
announces that all is well with the<br />
computer hook up.<br />
202 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
the state’s mandated minimum. <strong>The</strong> additional<br />
requirements imposed by <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> were<br />
a computer science course and up to two physical<br />
education courses. 66<br />
Band instructor Jonathan Anderson was recognized<br />
for his musical skills in Downbeat magazine.<br />
In the publication’s May 1999 issue,<br />
Anderson was cited as a Jazz Combo winner. <strong>The</strong><br />
college instructor was a member <strong>of</strong> musical<br />
groups who recorded and released CDs entitled<br />
“Kentucky Roastup” and “Stinkin’ Up the Place.” 67<br />
President Goodson in the spring <strong>of</strong> 1999 presented<br />
a ten-year master plan, produced with<br />
the assistance <strong>of</strong> the faculty and staff, for the<br />
construction <strong>of</strong> new buildings on the campus.<br />
Under the proposal, a general services building,<br />
a technology center, and another allied health<br />
building would be added to the college complex.<br />
All <strong>of</strong> the structures were to be funded by<br />
revenue bonds. Top priority was given to the<br />
construction <strong>of</strong> the maintenance/general services<br />
building behind the Student Center and east<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Wood Vocational Building. After the completion<br />
<strong>of</strong> this structure, a multi-story technology<br />
edifice would be placed on the site <strong>of</strong> the<br />
metal Maintenance Building. <strong>The</strong> allied health<br />
edifice is not to be constructed until the close <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>2000</strong>-2010 proposal. 68<br />
On May 7, 1999, the board authorized six<br />
million dollars in revenue bonds to fund the<br />
construction <strong>of</strong> both the general services and<br />
the technology buildings. Goodson commented<br />
that work on the general services building<br />
would begin by the end <strong>of</strong> 1999, whereas the<br />
construction <strong>of</strong> the technology edifice should<br />
begin in 2001. He noted that the revenue bonds<br />
would not require a tax increase or an increase<br />
in student fees. Goodson remarked that the new<br />
buildings would allow “<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> to grow<br />
and expand.” Completion <strong>of</strong> the general services<br />
building is projected to be December <strong>2000</strong><br />
and the technology structure December 2002. 69<br />
While college <strong>of</strong>ficials planned for the construction<br />
<strong>of</strong> the two new facilities, steps were<br />
✯<br />
Dr. Joe Sekul (left), director <strong>of</strong><br />
the John W. Stormont Lectures on<br />
South Texas, visits with speakers<br />
Dr. Rosario Torres-Raines and<br />
Dr. Jose Hinojosa.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 203
✯<br />
In attendance at a John W. Stormont<br />
Lectures on South Texas luncheon are<br />
Mrs. John W. Stormont (left) and<br />
Janet Stormont Miller.<br />
being taken to convert Administration<br />
Building I into a museum to collect, preserve,<br />
exhibit, and interpret the history and heritage<br />
<strong>of</strong> the region. Administration Building I had<br />
originally served as a library, but when the<br />
current Library Building was opened in the<br />
mid-1970s, the structure was converted to<br />
house administrative <strong>of</strong>fices. <strong>The</strong> facility, however,<br />
proved to be inadequate as an <strong>of</strong>fice<br />
building. A high ceiling, for example, prevented<br />
the construction <strong>of</strong> satisfactory work areas.<br />
Consequently, unsightly portable partitions<br />
were erected. With the construction <strong>of</strong> new<br />
buildings and the renovation <strong>of</strong> older ones on<br />
the campus, the first floor <strong>of</strong> Administration<br />
Building I was vacated by the fall <strong>of</strong> 1999<br />
except for the president’s <strong>of</strong>fice, the development<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice, and the boardroom.<br />
Since the Administration Building I was<br />
not suitable for <strong>of</strong>fices and razing it was not in<br />
the cards, Goodson concluded the structure<br />
was ideal for a museum, an item <strong>of</strong> interest for<br />
the community that fell within the scope <strong>of</strong><br />
the college mission. <strong>The</strong> president formed an<br />
informal committee composed <strong>of</strong> himself; Dr.<br />
Joe Dahlstrom, library director; Catherine<br />
McHaney, president <strong>of</strong> the board; Louise<br />
O’Connor, an interested citizen; and Charles<br />
Spurlin, director <strong>of</strong> the Local History<br />
Collection. After the initial meeting, John<br />
McLean from Jarrell, Texas, became a member<br />
<strong>of</strong> the committee to represent the interests <strong>of</strong><br />
O’Connor. Larry Francell, a museum consultant<br />
from Fort Davis, Texas, was employed to<br />
assist in formulating a museum policy and to<br />
provide advice on the conversion <strong>of</strong> the facility<br />
to a museum. Under Francell’s guidance,<br />
the group chose a name for the museum,<br />
Museum <strong>of</strong> the Coastal Bend, and a policy<br />
was adopted. <strong>The</strong> museum was projected to<br />
open in the spring <strong>of</strong> <strong>2000</strong>.<br />
Stress on technological usage at the college<br />
continued unabatedly in 1999. First, the library<br />
pushed forward its involvement in areas <strong>of</strong><br />
technology that began in the early 1980s.<br />
Electronic subscriptions were improved to permit<br />
“access by students and faculty from home,<br />
and access for students taking classes at <strong>of</strong>fcampus<br />
sites and students enrolled in online<br />
[courses].” According to Dr. Joe F. Dahlstrom,<br />
library director, “the library’s vision is for<br />
students to be able to access the information<br />
they need whenever and wherever they need<br />
it.” Also, in May 1999, the first students to<br />
complete the process technology program<br />
received the associate <strong>of</strong> applied science degree.<br />
204 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
<strong>The</strong> course <strong>of</strong> study was designed to train individuals<br />
as entry-level process operators at<br />
petrochemical plants. Third, an online psychology<br />
course was taught by Dr. Karen Hoblit, psychology<br />
instructor, as one <strong>of</strong> the interim courses<br />
<strong>of</strong>fered in May 1999. By the fall, online<br />
courses were expanded to include math,<br />
accounting, art, business, and computers.<br />
Hoblit noted that students taking the classes<br />
“have to be very self-disciplined…self-motivated.”<br />
Furthermore, the college, in the fall <strong>of</strong><br />
1999, utilizing recently purchased video<br />
conferencing equipment, taught courses from<br />
a renovated classroom in the Academic<br />
Building to 283 students who were enrolled in<br />
distance education classes at sites located in<br />
Cuero, Hallettsville, Refugio, and Shiner. Mary<br />
Hall, English instructor, placed the interactive<br />
television courses in perspective when she<br />
remarked, “We are reaching people who would<br />
not have otherwise enrolled in college.” Dr. Joe<br />
Sekul, government instructor, added that “the<br />
goal <strong>of</strong> teaching distance education is to make<br />
it as natural as possible.” He further stated that<br />
this could be done by providing the distance<br />
learning students “the same course they’d get in<br />
a normal setting.” 70<br />
During the summer <strong>of</strong> 1999, registration<br />
for course work became easier for students,<br />
and a creative approach to teaching Spanish<br />
was launched. Computer-based registration,<br />
known as EZREG, allowing students to selfregister<br />
for academic and workforce credit<br />
courses commenced with the second summer<br />
term. Moreover, the program, written by<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> programmers Allen Brotze<br />
and David Barth, permits certified students “to<br />
review their course grades, check stops, print<br />
un<strong>of</strong>ficial transcripts, and perform degree<br />
audits.” Following the introduction <strong>of</strong> EZREG,<br />
the college through the efforts <strong>of</strong> Spanish<br />
instructor Rafael Venegas signed an agreement<br />
with the Universidad International-Center for<br />
Bilingual Multicultural Studies in Cuernavaca,<br />
Mexico. <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, therefore, became<br />
the first community college in the United<br />
States to enter into an arrangement with the<br />
Mexican educational institution in which<br />
students are eligible to receive college credit<br />
after spending two weeks enrolled at the<br />
Center. Under the terms <strong>of</strong> the accord, which<br />
takes affect in May <strong>2000</strong>, students start their<br />
course work on the local campus and finish<br />
their studies in Mexico. An elated Venegas<br />
remarked that the program “is a wonderful<br />
opportunity for VC students and residents to<br />
participate in a complete immersion into the<br />
Spanish language and culture.” 71<br />
✯<br />
Dr. Stephen Hardin (left), history<br />
instructor, stands alongside a guest to<br />
the campus, Stephen Harrigan.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 205
✯<br />
Dr. Jimmy Goodson (right) listens to<br />
Governor George W. Bush’s proposal<br />
to reduce state taxes.<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> scored another first on<br />
August 31 when nine students became the first<br />
graduates <strong>of</strong> the firefighters certification program.<br />
Instructor Jode Zavesky commented<br />
that the course the college <strong>of</strong>fered was different<br />
than those found at other community colleges<br />
because the local program was designed<br />
to permit students to take the training and<br />
hold full-time jobs. He said, “<strong>The</strong>re are other<br />
firefighting schools in the state, but most <strong>of</strong><br />
them are 8 to 5.” Zavesky added that this<br />
poses a hardship for those who want to<br />
become a firefighter but find it difficult to give<br />
up their employment. “This one,” the instructor<br />
noted, “has filled the gap.” 72<br />
At its meeting on September 20, the board<br />
adopted a ten-year master plan designed to<br />
give “the <strong>College</strong> direction in construction and<br />
layout for about the next 25 years.” Among the<br />
proposal’s features are “enhancing the entrance<br />
<strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> Red River Street leading to the Student<br />
Center to create a main campus entrance and<br />
focal point,” developing the quadrangle area in<br />
the rear <strong>of</strong> the Academic Buliding, and relocating<br />
“parking to the exterior <strong>of</strong> the campus<br />
which provides space future construction.” 73<br />
<strong>The</strong>re have been many changes at <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> over the past seventy-five years. When<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> was established, course<br />
<strong>of</strong>ferings were minimal, class enrollment<br />
was small, the college shared a campus<br />
with Patti Welder High School, students were<br />
nattily dressed, walking to school was commonplace,<br />
and racial segregation was the order<br />
<strong>of</strong> the day. As the first decade <strong>of</strong> the new millennium<br />
approaches, students have a wider<br />
array <strong>of</strong> courses to choose from; class sizes<br />
have mushroomed; males as well as females<br />
wear earrings; the students dress less formally;<br />
automobiles <strong>of</strong> all descriptions are driven on<br />
206 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
campus by students; and students <strong>of</strong> all races<br />
are, without reservation, welcomed as part <strong>of</strong><br />
the college community.<br />
Yet, despite the variations, there has been a<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>ound consistency <strong>of</strong> fundamental values<br />
throughout the years. From <strong>1925</strong> until today,<br />
the college has provided high-quality educational<br />
programs to fulfill the needs <strong>of</strong> individuals<br />
and the community. <strong>The</strong> college from its<br />
inception has had an exceptionally well-qualified<br />
faculty who have had a sincere interest in<br />
the educational well-being <strong>of</strong> the students.<br />
From the beginning there has existed an attitude<br />
among the various administrations and the<br />
governing bodies that the physical facilities be<br />
technologically current and conducive to a<br />
higher education learning environment.<br />
Beginning in the 1930s, the college has engaged<br />
in programs that effectively fulfill business and<br />
industry needs. Albeit the delivery method has<br />
not remained the same, counseling has been a<br />
mainstay to ensure that all students have the<br />
maximum opportunity to pursue their higher<br />
educational goals. Finally, the college has been<br />
led by individuals over the past 75 years<br />
who have been conscious <strong>of</strong> their financial<br />
stewardship and have prudently managed the<br />
financial resources.<br />
What about the next 25 years for the college?<br />
Will the scribe who pens the centennial<br />
history <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, most likely a current<br />
faculty member, note a dramatic shift in<br />
the college’s mission, or will the study show<br />
continued continuity? A partial answer to<br />
the questions is provided by Dean <strong>of</strong><br />
Instructional Services Steve Thomas. He foresees<br />
“a more ethnically diverse population”<br />
enrolled in “a variety <strong>of</strong> flex courses” that are<br />
designed “to accommodate students’ needs.”<br />
Thomas also expects competition between<br />
institutions <strong>of</strong> higher learning to “become<br />
more <strong>of</strong> an issue due to distance education<br />
technology” and <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>, therefore,<br />
will find itself “competing in a global society.”<br />
In this changed environment, the dean is confident<br />
that the college will continue its “long<br />
standing tradition <strong>of</strong> academic excellence,”<br />
maintain the time-honored practice <strong>of</strong> employing<br />
a faculty <strong>of</strong> “experts in subject matter and<br />
pedagogical methodology,” and remain “a valuable<br />
educational resource for <strong>Victoria</strong> and the<br />
surrounding region.” 74<br />
✯<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Board <strong>of</strong><br />
Trustees, 1999-<strong>2000</strong>. Standing (left to<br />
right): Robert J. Hewitt, John E.<br />
Vasquez, Thomas M. O’Connor, and<br />
Ernest G. Guajardo, Sr. Seated (left to<br />
right): Ronald Walker, secretary;<br />
Catherine McHaney, president; and<br />
Mark E. Zafareo, vice president.<br />
A New Chief, A New Era ✦ 207
1<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate, 4 April 1989.<br />
2<br />
Ibid., 1 July 1989.<br />
3<br />
Ibid., 4-5 August 1989.<br />
4<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Faculty Minutes, 21 August 1989.<br />
5<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Newsletter (March 1990).<br />
6<br />
Advocate, 23 January 1990, 22 May 1990.<br />
ENDNOTES<br />
7<br />
Ibid., 9 September 1989; <strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Files, Local History Collection, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Library.<br />
8<br />
Advocate, 21 October 1989.<br />
9<br />
Ibid., 17 November 1989.<br />
10<br />
Ibid., 10 December 1989.<br />
11<br />
Ibid., 13 April 1990.<br />
12<br />
Ibid., 12 October 1990.<br />
13<br />
Campus Communicator (August 1990), 6.<br />
14<br />
<strong>The</strong> Experience (November 1990), 4.<br />
15<br />
Ibid., (August 1990), 2.<br />
16<br />
VC Newsletter (March 1990), 4.<br />
17<br />
Advocate, 22 May 1990, 6 December 1990.<br />
18<br />
Campus Communicator (May 1990), 1.<br />
19<br />
<strong>The</strong> Experience (December 1990), 2.<br />
20<br />
Ibid., 1.<br />
21<br />
Ibid., 1, 4.<br />
22<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 7 January 1991.<br />
23<br />
Ibid.<br />
24<br />
Advocate, 16 March 1991, 8 April 1991; <strong>The</strong> Experience (April 1991), 1, (May 1991), 2.<br />
25<br />
Advocate, 9 August 1991, 28 September 1991; <strong>The</strong> Experience (September 1991), 4.<br />
26<br />
Advocate, 10 April 1992.<br />
27<br />
Ruth Williams, letter to author, 26 December 1998; Ibid., 16 March 1992; VC Faculty Minutes, 19 May 1992.<br />
28<br />
Williams, letter to author; “<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Choir Scrapbook 1991-1992,” Local History Collection, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Library.<br />
29<br />
Advocate, 22 May 1992.<br />
30<br />
Ibid.<br />
31<br />
Ibid., 31 May 1992, 2 June 1992, 21 July 1992, 17 November 1992.<br />
32<br />
VC Faculty Minutes, 19 May 1992; Michael Hummel, “Memorandum to All Benefit Eligible Faculty,” 10 August 1992.<br />
33<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Special Faculty Session Minutes, 24 August 1992.<br />
34<br />
Ibid.<br />
35<br />
Self-Study Newsletter, 27 February 1991, 8 April 1992, 8 February 1993; Steve Thomas, “Memorandum to Academic Council,” 3<br />
February 1994; Charles D. Spurlin, “Memorandum to Social Sciences Department,” 2 March 1994; <strong>The</strong> Board Report, 21 September<br />
1993; 1993 Self-Study File, Local History Collection, <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Library; Advocate, 21 December 1993.<br />
36<br />
Advocate, 29 June 1993; VC Today! (Spring 1994), 2.<br />
37<br />
<strong>The</strong> Board Report, 22 March 1993; Advocate, 30 March 1993.<br />
38<br />
Advocate, 21 December 1993, 12 February 1994.<br />
39<br />
Ibid., 19 February 1994, 22 February 1994; <strong>The</strong> Board Report, 9 May 1994.<br />
40<br />
VC Today! (Spring 1994), 6; Wesley Aldis, letter to author, 14 December 1998.<br />
41<br />
Wesley Aldis, letter to author, 15 December 1998.<br />
42<br />
Advocate, 21 April 1994; VC Today! (Spring 1994), 1, 3.<br />
43<br />
VC Today! (Spring 1994), 4.<br />
44<br />
Advocate, 20 August 1994.<br />
45<br />
VC Today! (Spring 1995), 7, (Spring 1996), 8.<br />
46<br />
Advocate, 20 August 1994; Ibid., (Fall 1994), 1.<br />
208 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
47<br />
VC Today! (Fall 1995), 1; Measure <strong>of</strong> Success: 1995-1996 Report to <strong>The</strong> Community, 8.<br />
48<br />
Board Report, 18 September 1995; VC Today! (Spring 1996), 4.<br />
49<br />
Board Report, 6 May 1996; VC Today! (Spring 1996), 1.<br />
50<br />
VC Today! (Spring 1996), 3.<br />
51<br />
Ibid., (Fall 1996), 7.<br />
52<br />
Ibid.<br />
53<br />
Ibid.<br />
54<br />
Strategic Insight (Spring 1997), 5, (Summer 1997), 5.<br />
55<br />
Advocate, 20 April 1997; Board Report, 26 November 1996.<br />
56<br />
Advocate, 25 April 1997.<br />
57<br />
Ibid., 18 June 1997; VC Today! (Winter 1997), 4.<br />
58<br />
Strategic Insight (Fall 1997), 1; VC Today! (Winter 1997), 2.<br />
59<br />
Advocate, 16 September 1997; Board Report, 17 November 1997; VC Today! (Winter 1997), 5.<br />
60<br />
VC Today! (Spring 1998), 7.<br />
61<br />
Ibid.<br />
62<br />
Ibid., (Fall 1998), 10; Advocate, 15 November 1998.<br />
63<br />
Strategic Insight (Summer 1998), 1; VC Today! (Fall 1998), 1.<br />
64<br />
VC Today! (Fall 1998), 6; Advocate, 2 November 1998.<br />
65<br />
Advocate, 19 January 1999; Board Report, 18 January 1999.<br />
66<br />
Ibid.<br />
67<br />
VC Today! (Spring 1999), 11.<br />
68<br />
Board Report, 15 February 1999; Advocate, 16 February 1999.<br />
69<br />
Advocate, 8 May 1999; Strategic Insight (Spring 1999), 1.<br />
70<br />
Board Report, 15 February 1999; Joe F. Dahlstrom, letter to author, 4 January 1999; Advocate, 14 May 1999, 6 October 1999.<br />
71<br />
Strategic Insight (Summer 1999), 2, 6; Advocate, 3 September 1999.<br />
72<br />
Advocate, Ibid.<br />
73<br />
Ibid., 21 September 1999; Board Report, 20 September 1999.<br />
74<br />
Steve Thomas, letter to author, 8 June 1999.<br />
Endnotes ✦ 209
210 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
CHAPTER 8<br />
HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE TIME…<br />
…Robert E. Gaines, registrar at Southwest Texas State University, was interviewed by Dr. Roland<br />
Bing to replace the retiring business manager Harold Nichols. During the meeting, a conversation<br />
developed over how many weeks vacation would be allotted to Gaines. At Southwest Texas State<br />
University, he was granted three weeks, but Bing <strong>of</strong>fered only two weeks. This was unsatisfactory to<br />
Gaines, but by the time the discussion ended, the university registrar was promised four weeks.<br />
About a year later, Gaines was in Dr. Rex Whiteside’s <strong>of</strong>fice chatting. <strong>The</strong> dean asked the business<br />
manager when he was going on vacation. Gaines remarked that he “couldn’t take four weeks.” <strong>The</strong><br />
best that he could do “was ten days or two weeks,” Whiteside was astonished and his face turned red,<br />
and he exclaimed, “What! You get four weeks?” Come to find out, the dean didn’t.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Mary Ann Wright taught nursing in a section <strong>of</strong> the Homemaking Cottage when another part<br />
<strong>of</strong> the building was used as a faculty lounge. It was not uncommon for LeRoy Pahmiyer, William<br />
Miller, and Jerry Zavesky to arrive “with barbecue wrapped in butcher paper…and use totally contaminated<br />
pocket knives for utensils.” <strong>The</strong>re was also the time that William “Doc” Steele was summoned<br />
to open the jaloused windows. As he was carrying out the task, lightning hit the transformer<br />
causing yellow jackets to swarm into the classroom during a lecture, creating a chaotic scene as students<br />
scattered to safety.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Earline Grizzle was moved from <strong>of</strong>fice to <strong>of</strong>fice. During her first year at the college, she and<br />
Marylyn Underwood shared Jessica Warnl<strong>of</strong>’s <strong>of</strong>fice in the “English Building” while Warml<strong>of</strong> was on a<br />
leave <strong>of</strong> absence working on her doctor’s degree. At the end <strong>of</strong> the first semester, Dr. Roland Bing, the<br />
dean, said, “Mrs. Grizzle, Dr. Warnl<strong>of</strong> would like to have her <strong>of</strong>fice back.” She questioned Bing as to<br />
where he wanted her to take her things. He remarked that “we’d find you a place.” Since there was<br />
nowhere else to put them, she stored all her personal belongings from the <strong>of</strong>fice in the trunk <strong>of</strong> her car.<br />
Grizzle was finally assigned the outer <strong>of</strong>fice in Dr. John Stormont’s complex in the Administration<br />
Building, a space previously used by the former dean’s secretary. Before she took up residence, Stormont<br />
approached her and asked if she was a good speller. Grizzle informed him that she was and had medals<br />
to prove it. He commented that the instructor had to pass a spelling test before taking up residence.<br />
“Mrs. Grizzle,” Stormont queried with a twinkle in his eyes, “can you spell asafetida?” She responded,<br />
“I can spell it two ways. Which way would you like it?” Her comment startled him, and he said, “Mrs.<br />
Grizzle, can you spell idiosyncrasy?” She did, and Stormont remarked with a sheepish smile, “Mrs.<br />
Grizzle, you may move in.” After a short stay in this <strong>of</strong>fice, she was relocated in a room down the hall.<br />
Grizzle remained there for a short time before moving into the Science Building to share an <strong>of</strong>fice with<br />
Harvey Spies.<br />
In an attempt to make the room more attractive, Grizzle brought a Persian rug from her home and<br />
laid it on the floor. Because <strong>of</strong> the height <strong>of</strong> the rug’s fiber, the <strong>of</strong>fice door would not close. She asked<br />
William H. “Doc” Steele, maintenance director, to cut a portion <strong>of</strong> the door <strong>of</strong>f so it could be shut. Steele<br />
said he would but not immediately. Eventually, he appeared at the <strong>of</strong>fice and began removing the door.<br />
Spies, who was alone at the time, asked him what he was doing with his door. Steele curtly said it was<br />
not his door. Spies, good-humoredly, queried, “Who’s door is it?” Steele replied, “Mrs. Grizzle’s door.”<br />
When Caroline Summers retired, Grizzle was moved back to the Administration Building and given<br />
a cubicle that was constructed within a classroom that was formerly used by the drama department.<br />
✯<br />
Michael Hummel, history instructor,<br />
wears appropriate attire in the 1970s<br />
in an effort to relate to his students.<br />
Have I Told You About <strong>The</strong> Time… ✦ 211
✯<br />
Top: Hazel Johnson and Robert<br />
Gaines, dean <strong>of</strong> Administrative<br />
Services, partake <strong>of</strong> refreshments at a<br />
retirement party.<br />
Below: Mary Doughtie, English<br />
instructor, finalizes her semester<br />
grade sheet.<br />
Shortly thereafter, computers were placed in<br />
the area adjacent to her <strong>of</strong>fice for an adult learning<br />
program. When Bing informed her as to why<br />
the computers were in the room, she said, “Dr.<br />
Bing, how about my <strong>of</strong>fice?” He quickly<br />
remarked, “Oh, you won’t bother them.” She did<br />
her best not to do so. Grizzle was relocated one<br />
additional time before settling down in the<br />
Language Arts Building.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Mary Doughtie shared an <strong>of</strong>fice during the<br />
1950s with Louise Browne, Chad Whitmore,<br />
and Marshall McCleary in the college mailroom<br />
located in the Administration Building. <strong>The</strong><br />
administration expected faculty members to<br />
drop by the college post <strong>of</strong>fice each morning<br />
and pick up their letters and packages, and<br />
especially the daily bulletin which contained<br />
brief campus information that was to be read to<br />
an instructor’s first two classes.<br />
One morning, Browne, feeling extraordinarily<br />
lively, entered the <strong>of</strong>fice. With her back to the<br />
door, she began to read in dramatic fashion the<br />
bulletin to her colleagues. While giving her spirited<br />
reading performance, Dr. John Stormont<br />
walked into the room without Browne seeing<br />
him. Doughtie, Whitmore, and McCleary sat<br />
dead still at their desks and did not call to the<br />
English teacher’s attention the dean’s presence.<br />
When Browne finished her animated demonstration,<br />
she turned, saw Stormont, became<br />
embarrassed, and quietly sat down. <strong>The</strong> four<br />
instructors waited to hear a disparaging comment<br />
from the dean, but he didn’t utter a remark<br />
to the relief <strong>of</strong> the quartet.<br />
212 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Louise Hume shared an <strong>of</strong>fice with J. D.<br />
Howell and Lucille Adair when she began teaching<br />
at the college in 1957. Invariably, when<br />
Hume returned to the her <strong>of</strong>fice after a class,<br />
“there would be Lucille’s dead pig” on Hume’s<br />
desk and Howell “smoking those cigars!” Under<br />
the circumstances, Hume could do little but<br />
find a vacant space in her <strong>of</strong>fice to put her books<br />
down and leave.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Donnell Cole and Michael Hummel, feeling<br />
rather spry one day, disassembled the scaffolding<br />
which had been left in the hallway and reassembled<br />
it across the instructor’s desk and lectern in a<br />
room used by Richard Walker. When Walker<br />
arrived in the classroom, he saw the temporary<br />
platform, became highly irritated, and immediately<br />
exited the room. When he saw his two pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
associates standing nonchalantly in the hall,<br />
Walker angrily asked, “Who put that scaffolding in<br />
there?” He also wanted to know where James Ross,<br />
the custodian, might be. Hummel told him that he<br />
and Cole were unaware <strong>of</strong> the rearranged room<br />
and speculated that Ross was downstairs. Away<br />
Walker went to find the custodian. Meanwhile,<br />
Cole and Hummel tore down the scaffolding and<br />
put it back together again in the hall. What was<br />
Walker’s reaction when he saw the temporary platform<br />
in the hall? His colleagues could not answer<br />
the question. <strong>The</strong>y had vacated the scene before<br />
Walker returned.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Mary Doughtie was caught <strong>of</strong>f-guard by<br />
remarks made by a student. During the spring<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1961, a banquet was given by the college to<br />
honor Rusty Russell, the retiring football coach.<br />
Invited as a special guest was the legendary<br />
Doak Walker who played for Russell at<br />
Southern Methodist University. Word <strong>of</strong> Walker<br />
coming to <strong>Victoria</strong> spread rather rapidly<br />
throughout the campus. A student approached<br />
Doughtie and excitedly informed her <strong>of</strong> the<br />
approaching visit by the former college All-<br />
American football player. Doughtie unaware <strong>of</strong><br />
Walker’s acceptance <strong>of</strong> the invitation to attend<br />
the banquet jokingly said, “Yea, and I’m<br />
Marilyn Monroe.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Ben Burdine was embarrassed at a faculty<br />
meeting. An issue that received an “inordinate”<br />
✯<br />
Earline Grizzle (left) and Marilyn<br />
Morris (right) welcome poet Maya<br />
Angelou to the campus.<br />
Have I Told You About <strong>The</strong> Time… ✦ 213
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Louise Hume interviewed an interestingly<br />
dressed applicant for a job. As college registrar,<br />
Hume was responsible for hiring the individuals<br />
who worked in her department. <strong>The</strong>re came a<br />
time when she needed to employ a secretary. A<br />
very buxom young lady applied for the job and<br />
was interviewed by Hume. <strong>The</strong> applicant wore a<br />
tee shirt with the word “boo” that ran across the<br />
breast portion <strong>of</strong> the garment. Hume attempted<br />
to avoid looking at the woman because every<br />
time she did, her eyes saw the “boo.” <strong>The</strong> young<br />
lady did not get the job.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
✯<br />
Above: Martha Watts, registrar, has<br />
witnessed numerous technological<br />
changes in her <strong>of</strong>fice over the years.<br />
Below: Morris Azbill, English<br />
instructor, was assigned to work in<br />
the bookstore during spring<br />
registration in 1983.<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> the faculty’s time when Burdine first<br />
arrived on the campus was the girls’ dress code.<br />
At a faculty meeting, he addressed the issue and<br />
remarked that the dress code was like a newspaper<br />
story, “the women’s skirts should be short<br />
enough to be interesting and long enough to<br />
cover the subject.” President J. D. Moore looked<br />
him “square in the eye” and asked, “Mr. Burdine<br />
what is the subject?” <strong>The</strong> instructor’s “only<br />
response was to shut up and blush.”<br />
…Morris Azbill was arranging his <strong>of</strong>fice after<br />
being hired by the college to teach English.<br />
When the football program was dropped, the<br />
Boys’ Dormitory was converted into a classroom<br />
and <strong>of</strong>fice facility, primarily for English instruction.<br />
In the reconfiguration <strong>of</strong> the interior <strong>of</strong> the<br />
building, the kitchen area was turned into faculty<br />
<strong>of</strong>fices. Azbill was assigned accommodations<br />
that were shared with C. F. Schneider and<br />
Kenneth Greenhill. To liven up his allotted area,<br />
he decided to place an 8” x 10” cartoon on the<br />
wall. <strong>The</strong> item featured a man with a funny<br />
expression on his face with a large screw sticking<br />
through him. <strong>The</strong> original cartoon had a<br />
caption that stated “work diligently with integrity<br />
and you will get your just reward.” Azbill<br />
removed the statement beforehand. Being a new<br />
instructor and having been told by acquaintances<br />
that the college was very conservative, he<br />
asked Schneider and Greenhill if they thought<br />
President J. D. Moore would object to his displaying<br />
the cartoon. <strong>The</strong> two men responded<br />
that to their knowledge Moore had never been<br />
in the <strong>of</strong>fice, and “they didn’t think it would<br />
bother him anyway.” Azbill proceeded to attach<br />
the sketch to the wall “and within five minutes<br />
the door opened,” and Moore entered the room,<br />
looked at the picture, “never said a word,<br />
turned, and walked back out.” Although<br />
Moore’s visit didn’t phase Azbill, Schneider and<br />
Greenhill were “pole axed.” <strong>The</strong> three English<br />
teachers searched the <strong>of</strong>fice looking for a listening<br />
device because they just “knew it had to be<br />
there.” Finding none, Azbill hypothesized that<br />
214 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Moore was standing outside the room “waiting<br />
to come in to see how things were going and<br />
overheard their conversation.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Jim Franz told Otto Knudson that if you<br />
spelled his name inside out, it was toot.<br />
Knudson was speechless, an unusual condition<br />
for him.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Geraldine F. Talley, history instructor, had<br />
an interesting, but personally rewarding experience<br />
with a male student who pr<strong>of</strong>essed to hold<br />
a liberal philosophy. This particular individual<br />
originally attended Texas A&M University after<br />
graduating from high school. His attitude at the<br />
university was “there was no need to take tests”<br />
since “he should be able to merely sit in class<br />
and learn with no tests required.” This approach<br />
to an academic education led to his dismissal<br />
from Texas A&M and subsequent colleges and<br />
universities he attended. Finally, the student<br />
entered <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> and enrolled in Talley’s<br />
history class. He disliked the local college’s dress<br />
code and expressed his opinion in her class. She<br />
“suggested that [if] he continued to do<br />
well…that his efforts would culminate in a<br />
Ph.D. <strong>The</strong>n, inferring that he should return to<br />
tell the ‘Administration’ his proposals, he would<br />
be qualified to be heard.” He responded, “Dr.<br />
Talley, if I take that long then I will be as conservative<br />
as you are.” <strong>The</strong> student became a<br />
medical doctor and a lawyer, “specializing in<br />
medical court cases.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…C.A. Talley and Ben Burdine had <strong>of</strong>fices in<br />
the Technical Building and learned they were to<br />
be relocated by reading about it in the local<br />
newspaper. <strong>The</strong> preceding day the trustees met<br />
and decided that the faculty in the building<br />
were to be moved. <strong>The</strong> item was placed in the<br />
newspaper by the reporter covering the board<br />
meeting. <strong>The</strong> two economics instructors were<br />
surprised by the story since they were not given<br />
any previous notification by a college <strong>of</strong>ficial.<br />
Thus, Talley and Burdine became the only<br />
known faculty members in the history <strong>of</strong> the<br />
college to be informed in a newspaper article<br />
they were being moved from their <strong>of</strong>fices.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Morris Azbill helped influence the demise<br />
<strong>of</strong> the faculty beard code. During the summer<br />
months, some <strong>of</strong> the male faculty who did not<br />
✯<br />
James Franz, English instructor,<br />
proudly displays a sign he carved.<br />
Have I Told You About <strong>The</strong> Time… ✦ 215
✯<br />
April Nunley (left), director <strong>of</strong><br />
development, and Susan Windwehen,<br />
administrative assistant to<br />
the president.<br />
teach grew beards. To comply with the college<br />
policy prohibiting beards, the men shaved them<br />
<strong>of</strong>f at the start <strong>of</strong> the fall semester. On one occasion,<br />
however, Michael Hummel challenged the<br />
code by attending the beginning-<strong>of</strong>-the-year faculty<br />
meeting with a beard. Hummel was sent<br />
home by the administration to remove it. Which<br />
he did. A summer or so later, Azbill and Wayne<br />
McAlister wearing their summer growth by<br />
chance met in the mail room. <strong>The</strong> two instructors<br />
exchanged compliments on the other man’s<br />
beard. As Azbill and McAlister chatted about<br />
their facial hair and the beard code, they decided<br />
to approach Dr. Roland Bing and ask him if<br />
he would approve the retention <strong>of</strong> their beards.<br />
After they pleaded their case, Bing said he<br />
would look into the matter. A short time later,<br />
Bing told them they could keep their beards if<br />
the facial hair was neatly trimmed.<br />
Consequently, the beard code became a thing <strong>of</strong><br />
the past.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Steve Spurlin worked during the summer<br />
at the college assisting the maintenance workers.<br />
Because the days were extremely hot, whenever<br />
Spurlin, Chuck Zavesky, and the other<br />
employees had an opportunity to get in the<br />
shade, they did so. Vincent Terrell, a regular<br />
maintenance worker, was given the responsibility<br />
<strong>of</strong> cutting the grass on the back part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
campus. At lunch one day, he parked the tractor<br />
under a shade tree and went to sleep. After it<br />
was time to go back to work, there was no activity<br />
from the resting driver. Bob Schramek, the<br />
maintenance supervisor, yelled at Terrell to go<br />
to work, but there was no movement. By this<br />
time, Schramek became concerned, thinking<br />
that the employee was dead. He leaped into his<br />
pick-up, and at an above normal speed, jumped<br />
the curbing and raced to where Terrell was<br />
located. To Schramek’s relief, he found the grass<br />
cutter was in a deep slumber.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Susan Windwehen was a student and she<br />
dropped by the Student Union for relaxation.<br />
She recalled that Conway Twitty seemed to be<br />
the only singer on the juke box as the students<br />
“gathered around the vintage 1950s chrome<br />
tables with matching red vinyl chairs.”<br />
Windwehen considered it “a really big deal<br />
when the lunch counter started <strong>of</strong>fering sandwiches<br />
on wheat bread.” A person had to be<br />
quick <strong>of</strong> feet to buy one because whenever the<br />
sandwiches were “sold out, they sold out—<br />
216 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
no making extras!” <strong>The</strong> Student Union was the<br />
site <strong>of</strong> the spring dances, including the formal<br />
occasion when Pirate Belles were introduced<br />
under the watchful gaze <strong>of</strong> the male students<br />
who were “‘stylin’ in their baby blue polyester<br />
tuxedos with ruffled shirts.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Audley Dry assisted the faculty cooks at a<br />
barbecue. <strong>The</strong> college for a number <strong>of</strong> years had<br />
a spring barbecue for the families <strong>of</strong> the faculty<br />
and staff. On one <strong>of</strong> the occasions, the affair was<br />
held at the Central Power & Light Park. When<br />
the faculty who were doing the cooking arrived<br />
on the morning <strong>of</strong> the barbecue, they found an<br />
almost full keg <strong>of</strong> beer left from a party the night<br />
before. By noon, the contents <strong>of</strong> the container<br />
had been consumed by the cooks and other faculty<br />
members who dropped by during the<br />
morning to visit. Everyone had a great time!<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Wayne Dierlam demonstrated his skill as a<br />
basketball player. In the early 1960s, ten intramural<br />
basketball players were selected to play<br />
the Pirate team. Dierlam was chosen and at 5’4”<br />
was by far the shortest person on the court. As<br />
he put it, “When you are 5’4” everybody is tall.”<br />
Dierlam’s performance was fantastic. Although in<br />
a losing cause, he scored twenty-two points.<br />
Players on both teams were thrilled to see such a<br />
gutsy little guy do so well. <strong>The</strong> game was the<br />
“highlight” <strong>of</strong> Dierlam’s college career.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Chris Rivera and Gloria Trevino Cano were<br />
the key figures in a tournament never played. As<br />
part <strong>of</strong> the recreational entertainment for students,<br />
intramural Ping Pong games were held in<br />
the Student Union. Both Rivera and Cano were<br />
exceptionally skilled players, dominating their<br />
opponents throughout the year. When a tournament<br />
was scheduled, they were placed in different<br />
brackets. <strong>The</strong> two students played their normally<br />
good games, but in the end Rivera and<br />
Cano, for reasons beyond their control, did not<br />
square <strong>of</strong>f against each other in the championship<br />
game, thus the two best players throughout<br />
the year and the tournament missed the<br />
opportunity to <strong>of</strong>ficially determine who was the<br />
better Ping Pong specialist.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Ben Burdine was having c<strong>of</strong>fee with<br />
Kenneth Greenhill in the Student Union. <strong>The</strong><br />
ultra-patriot English instructor Greenhill was<br />
very amused at a sketch <strong>of</strong> an “Andy Gump”<br />
looking, toothless character who was dressed in<br />
an Air Force uniform decorated with an overabundance<br />
<strong>of</strong> medals. A caption stated something<br />
to the effect that “I sleep a little better<br />
knowing that the person was an <strong>of</strong>ficer in the<br />
Air Force.” Greenhill thought Dr. John<br />
Stormont, who was at the adjoining table,<br />
would also be titillated. When he showed<br />
Stormont the drawing, Greenhill discovered his<br />
perception was incorrect. <strong>The</strong> stately Stormont<br />
pointedly remarked, “Mr. Greenhill, I think you<br />
are supporting something here that you don’t<br />
intend to support.” <strong>The</strong> message was loud and<br />
clear, leaving Greenhill in a withered state.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Lydia Serrata entered <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> after<br />
attending a Presbyterian boarding school. When<br />
she arrived at the local campus in 1966, Serrata<br />
“felt liberated” as a “college girl.” Yet, the college<br />
produced a “secret tension” for her. Serrata<br />
“marched, yelled, whined for equal rights as a<br />
woman—on the other hand,” she “thanked God<br />
that the sheer fact” her gender eliminated her<br />
from being drafted. Serrata renewed her friendships<br />
from the days she was a Patti Welder<br />
Termite and made new ones. She and her friends<br />
“did everything together: school, dances, athletics,<br />
Riverside Park, Magnolia Beach, dates, and,<br />
<strong>of</strong> course, V.C. Library.” <strong>The</strong> library gave her a<br />
“nightly way out <strong>of</strong> the house and doing dinner<br />
dishes because ‘we had to study.’”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Charlotte E. Kenell attended <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> during World War II. <strong>The</strong>re were<br />
few males registered because <strong>of</strong> the war. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
“had left to join the Military Service or work in<br />
defense plants.” Kenell and the other girls in her<br />
Have I Told You About <strong>The</strong> Time… ✦ 217
class thought they were “special” because <strong>of</strong> the<br />
greater amount <strong>of</strong> personal freedom they had as<br />
college students. She was one <strong>of</strong> the seven allgirl<br />
graduating class <strong>of</strong> 1945.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…David Bianchi applied for admission to<br />
Texas A&M University in 1938. For some<br />
unknown reason, <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
gave him credit for a semester <strong>of</strong> integral<br />
calculus that he had not taken. Bianchi did<br />
not complain. At the university, he took the second<br />
semester <strong>of</strong> the course and earned a grade<br />
that exempted him from the final. He has<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten wondered if he could have passed the<br />
final examination.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Chad Whitmore, chairman <strong>of</strong> the English<br />
Department, sought approval <strong>of</strong> textbooks by Dr.<br />
John Stormont. <strong>The</strong> chairman was asked if he<br />
“had looked at this and that in the various<br />
books.” Whitmore said that he had. Again,<br />
Stormont was queried by the chairman about the<br />
books. After the discussion, Whitmore returned<br />
to his <strong>of</strong>fice “placed all the textbooks on a hand<br />
truck and took them to Dr. Stormont to review.”<br />
Afterwards, whenever he approached the dean<br />
about a textbook, Whitmore received an “okay”<br />
without having to go through the torturous<br />
inquisition <strong>of</strong> selecting textbooks.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Marilyn Morris and other nursing instructors<br />
held a social event and invited Dr. Roland<br />
Bing. For the occasion, Lee Zawadzki baked a<br />
rum cake. “She apparently reasoned that if 1/4<br />
cup <strong>of</strong> rum was good, 1/2 cup would be better.”<br />
Before the guests arrived Zawadzki heated the<br />
cake up, and “the entire Allied Health Building<br />
exuded this aromatic fragrance <strong>of</strong> rum.” All<br />
those in attendance, including Bing, had a<br />
splendid time.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Lela Welder Cliburn gave a student a ride<br />
home in her car. “He rode in the rumble<br />
seat…and played his tuba the entire trip.” <strong>The</strong><br />
driver was not amused.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Mrs. Charles Baass was a Pirate<br />
cheerleader during the Depression. She had a<br />
✯<br />
William H. “Doc” Steele, director <strong>of</strong><br />
the Maintenance Department.<br />
218 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
great time interacting with other members <strong>of</strong> the<br />
squad and rooting for the football team that was<br />
composed <strong>of</strong> several players “who paid their<br />
tuition by doing janitorial work.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Mark Zafereo gave a thumbs up to Eddie<br />
De La Rosa and David De La Rosa for their spirited<br />
participation at college activities. At basketball<br />
games the two brothers dressed as buccaneers<br />
and displayed a life-sized pirate they constructed.<br />
Many students considered the De La<br />
Rosas as mascots for the roundball squad.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Mary Ann Wright’s stressed-out vocational<br />
nursing students decorated a skeleton “that was<br />
gender-specific with baubles.” <strong>The</strong><br />
students decorated the skeleton immediately<br />
prior to a Christmas break as a lark. Starley<br />
Boykin, math instructor, “with pipe in<br />
mouth, lit <strong>of</strong> course, stood in front” <strong>of</strong> the<br />
room and seemed completely oblivious to it.<br />
Oh, well! he was probably too absorbed with<br />
a math problem.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Gloria Espitia received a bomb threat. On<br />
Tuesday evening, October 22, 1985, the <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Lyceum was featuring Rowland Evans<br />
and Robert D. Novak. It just so happened that<br />
she was the librarian at the reference desk that<br />
night. Espitia was experiencing a routine<br />
evening until the “call” came through.<br />
During the mid-1980s, the VC/UHV Library<br />
was able to afford a student assistant specifically<br />
to answer phones and do some clerical work.<br />
<strong>The</strong> “lucky” student assistant answering the<br />
phone that night was Michelle Perez. Sometime<br />
before 9:00 p.m., Perez received a call informing<br />
her that a bomb had been placed inside the Fine<br />
Arts Auditorium earlier in the day, and the<br />
building should be immediately evacuated.<br />
Espitia recalled:<br />
Michelle who was well-versed in her role<br />
as a student assistant, calmly told the caller<br />
that she was going to have to transfer him to<br />
the librarian on duty since she did not have<br />
the authority to follow up with the call. At<br />
first when she told me about the call, I<br />
thought it was a joke, but after speaking to<br />
✯<br />
Gloria Espitia, librarian, gives<br />
instructions to her student assistant,<br />
Michael Moore.<br />
Have I Told You About <strong>The</strong> Time… ✦ 219
✯<br />
Psychology instructor Dr. Karen<br />
Hoblit (left) and Dr. Martha Jones,<br />
reading instructor, participated in the<br />
1996 John W. Stormont Lectures on<br />
South Texas.<br />
the caller I could see that it was not. Since the<br />
topic <strong>of</strong> ‘bomb threats’ had never been discussed<br />
in my library science courses, I had to<br />
really do some serious thinking as to what<br />
immediate action I should take. <strong>The</strong> first step<br />
that I took was to call the police department.<br />
After what seemed like an eternity, the dispatcher<br />
said they would send a police car to<br />
the auditorium. After hanging up with the<br />
dispatcher, I called the auditorium lobby<br />
phone to see if somehow I could get a message<br />
to Dr. Roland Bing about the bomb<br />
threat, but <strong>of</strong> course no one was going to<br />
answer since everyone was inside listening to<br />
the speakers.<br />
So many thoughts raced through my head<br />
after I placed the calls. Would the auditorium be<br />
blown up like the caller had said? Should I get<br />
everyone out <strong>of</strong> the library in case the bomb was<br />
quite powerful? Should I try to contact some <strong>of</strong><br />
the other buildings and inform them <strong>of</strong> the<br />
bomb? Why did I have to be the one on duty<br />
that night?<br />
About forty-five minutes after I called the<br />
police department, a police <strong>of</strong>ficer came into<br />
the library. He asked Michelle and I numerous<br />
questions for his report and then said that the<br />
auditorium had been evacuated and that a<br />
bomb had not been found. Never had the<br />
library had so much excitement like that night.<br />
Oh, what a night!<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…<strong>Victoria</strong> Moreno found a piece <strong>of</strong> lingerie<br />
in the ladies’ restroom on the third floor <strong>of</strong> the<br />
library. When she entered the restroom to clean<br />
it, Moreno “found a slip laying on the counter.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> undergarment “was no good, and it had a<br />
huge hole and a large silver safety pin on it.”<br />
Since she thought whoever owned it had decided<br />
to dispose <strong>of</strong> the slip, Moreno threw the tattered<br />
item in the trash. Later that day, a student<br />
assistant approached her and asked about it. She<br />
told Moreno that the slip was left in the restroom<br />
“because it kept falling down.” When the<br />
young lady was informed that the undergarment<br />
had been thrown into the trash, her response<br />
was, “Oh, no! I need that slip, that was the only<br />
one I had.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Erma Gutierrez and other library personnel<br />
had to contend with bats that had taken up<br />
residence in the library. <strong>The</strong> nocturnal flying<br />
mammals zoomed throughout the building, and<br />
on one occasion a bat flew straight at a librarian<br />
causing her to “hit the floor” and run “to the<br />
back room as soon as she was able to get up.” In<br />
another incidence, a reference librarian took<br />
refuge under a desk to escape a pesky flying animal.<br />
Throughout the bat ordeal, “students<br />
220 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
thought it was exciting.” Whenever the librarians<br />
arrived for work in the morning, they took<br />
caution not to “spook” the bats that “hung from<br />
the walls or ceilings.” Eventually, maintenance<br />
workers “figured out how the bats were getting<br />
inside the library and closed the entrances.”<br />
Ever so <strong>of</strong>ten a bat finds “a way to get into the<br />
building and hangs out for awhile to keep” the<br />
staff aware “that they are still around.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Richard Walker was caught with his zipper<br />
up and his mouth open. Walker had an <strong>of</strong>fice<br />
that was located directly across the hall from<br />
Michael Hummel’s on the second floor <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Administration Building. All <strong>of</strong> the <strong>of</strong>fice doors<br />
at the time were required to have plain glass<br />
windows because the administration thought<br />
visibility <strong>of</strong>fered some protection to faculty<br />
members against possible student charges <strong>of</strong><br />
molestation. A female student one day dropped<br />
by Walker’s <strong>of</strong>fice to discuss class work.<br />
Hummel, sitting at his desk across the hall, saw<br />
Walker talking to the student and phoned to tell<br />
him that he was unzipped, causing Walker to<br />
glance down at himself.<br />
Walker, who had been embarrassed by the<br />
episode, decided to reciprocate. At what he<br />
thought was the opportune moment, Walker<br />
placed two cigarettes in the nostrils <strong>of</strong> his nose<br />
and sneaked to the door <strong>of</strong> the classroom that<br />
was supposedly occupied by Hummel. Walker<br />
rapidly rose from his kneeling position, peered<br />
through the glass <strong>of</strong> the door, and made a babbling<br />
sound. To his astonishment, he discovered<br />
that Hummel was not teaching in the classroom,<br />
Dr. Roland Bing was. <strong>The</strong> chagrined Walker<br />
quickly slithered away.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Brenda Fisseler and other members <strong>of</strong> the<br />
library staff helped Vera Johnson celebrate a birthday.<br />
“One year, very early on the morning <strong>of</strong> Vera’s<br />
birthday, the pages met in the library and proceeded<br />
to fill Vera’s <strong>of</strong>fice, from floor to ceiling,<br />
with balloons, confetti, signs and other items…<br />
deemed appropriate for the occasion.” <strong>The</strong> student<br />
assistants “used shaving cream to write birthday<br />
messages on the windows” <strong>of</strong> Johnson’s <strong>of</strong>fice.<br />
Because there was ample glass to write upon, the<br />
well-wishers extolled her “virtues” and extended<br />
birthday wishes. When Johnson arrived for work,<br />
she was surprised and graciously thanked the students<br />
for the “many good wishes.” Afterwards, a<br />
sufficient number <strong>of</strong> balloons were deflated “so<br />
she could get to her desk and went to work,<br />
✯<br />
Erma Gutierrez, library assistant,<br />
looks at the call numbers to make<br />
sure the books are properly shelved.<br />
Have I Told You About <strong>The</strong> Time… ✦ 221
✯<br />
Top: Vera Johnson, librarian, was<br />
responsible for the initial indexing <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate.<br />
Below: Dr. C. F. Schneider, English<br />
instructor, hosted the college’s Fourth<br />
<strong>of</strong> July picnic for over a decade.<br />
leaving her <strong>of</strong>fice decorated the entire day.”<br />
Fisseler extended a special thank you to Johnson<br />
“for being such a good sport.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Martha Everman Jones mentioned the time<br />
that her brother-in-law Norman Jones was a student<br />
at <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong>. As <strong>of</strong>ten was the case,<br />
Norman Jones in 1965 went to the library to<br />
study with his friends. When he sat down at a<br />
table with his study group “and prepared to open<br />
his books, the librarian and long-time friend <strong>of</strong><br />
the family, Lois Rowland Lunsford, dutifully<br />
walked over and quietly told him he had to leave<br />
because he was not properly dressed.” It seems<br />
that Jones was wearing a tee shirt, Bermuda<br />
shorts, and flip-flops, a clear violation <strong>of</strong> the college<br />
dress code. Jones left the library as requested.<br />
“A short time later, he returned, making a<br />
grand entry through the library’s main doors<br />
fully attired in a dark suit, starched white shirt,<br />
tie, his dad’s dress hat, and carrying a matching<br />
umbrella.” Lunsford “looked up from her desk<br />
and burst out laughing, accompanied by everyone<br />
in viewing distance.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…C. F. Schneider hosted the annual Fourth <strong>of</strong><br />
July picnic at his home on the Lower Mission<br />
Valley Road. <strong>The</strong> “flag-waving celebration” lasted<br />
“nineteen years for the faculty and staff and families.”<br />
It had a modest beginning with a limited<br />
number <strong>of</strong> participants, but before the social<br />
affair ceased to exist, it “had grown to one hundred<br />
thirty-five.” Initially, only watermelons and<br />
cookies were served. Later, hot dogs with chili<br />
and corn-on-the-cob were added. “A hay wagon<br />
and a 1952 Ford tractor provided hay rides to<br />
the river for kids, in addition to romps in the<br />
creek, and early on a hay ride for adults was<br />
petitioned with success.” Inclement weather<br />
222 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
conditions did not interrupt the picnics. “Shelter<br />
was always found in the barns, or the shop, or<br />
the house.” Ultimately, “the activity outgrew<br />
itself and was relegated to the scrapbook <strong>of</strong><br />
unique events for the college.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Vincent Terrell found himself in “hot<br />
water” with Dr. Roland Bing. Chuck Zavesky,<br />
Steve Spurlin, and Pat Erskine were working<br />
with the maintenance employees during the<br />
summer. As Terrell and the summer employees<br />
were walking by the tennis courts they saw<br />
another regular employee, Boo, at a distance.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y began to yell loudly, “Boo, Boo.” A lady<br />
was playing tennis and thought the group<br />
was shouting “Moo, Moo.” Thinking the men<br />
were disrespectful, she turned them in to Bing<br />
who was very upset over the perceived employees’<br />
remarks and “jumped them.” When Terrell<br />
and the others explained to him they were<br />
saying “Boo” not “Moo,” Bing calmed down<br />
and grinned.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Debra Spurlin was a student at <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>. Frequently, she and her classmates<br />
met in the temporary structure that was placed<br />
at the entry <strong>of</strong> the library when the new facility<br />
was under construction. Her family didn’t<br />
think she was doing much studying under the<br />
circumstances, but apparently there was considerably<br />
such activity. <strong>The</strong>re was, however, a<br />
great deal <strong>of</strong> laughing and socializing among<br />
the students. <strong>The</strong> hilarity did not please the<br />
librarians, but there was little said to discourage<br />
the collegians.<br />
Spurlin was involved in a number <strong>of</strong> college<br />
extracurricular activities, including playing on<br />
the intramural volleyball team. <strong>The</strong> first day<br />
she went to the gym, there was a talented black<br />
girl spiking a ball against the wall. Spurlin recognized<br />
quickly how good a player the spiker<br />
was and muttered to herself, “I sure hope she is<br />
on my team.” <strong>The</strong> young lady was and the<br />
two became companions. <strong>The</strong> girl’s name—<br />
Florence Grant.<br />
When Spurlin was elected president <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Student Council, she possessed limited knowledge<br />
on how to run a meeting and she found<br />
herself “making some embarrassing mistakes.”<br />
However, with assistance from Caroline<br />
Summers, a speech instructor, the errors were<br />
gradually reduced. By the end <strong>of</strong> the academic<br />
year, Spurlin had “learned a few things about<br />
the proper way to conduct a meeting.”<br />
✯<br />
Taking time out from a busy work<br />
schedule are (left to right) <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Casas Moreno, Dolly Holmes, and<br />
Vincent Terrell.<br />
Have I Told You About <strong>The</strong> Time… ✦ 223
✯<br />
Sandy Schramek is thinking how<br />
elated she will be when this book<br />
is completed.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Eddie Shinn commented to a reporter<br />
about how barren the <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> site was in<br />
1949. <strong>The</strong> area was so underdeveloped that his<br />
track squad did not have a “track to work out<br />
on” so the thin clads “worked out in the street.”<br />
discovered the female gender.” Williams enrolled<br />
in a government class taught by Jewell Hudler.<br />
<strong>The</strong> instructor had the habit <strong>of</strong> snapping<br />
“her garter belt with her left hand while lecturing.”<br />
Some <strong>of</strong> the students in the class would<br />
“guess how long it would take for her to snap the<br />
garter belt.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Chester Evans assisted in putting up a<br />
fence at Patti Welder Stadium in the 1930s to<br />
keep spectators <strong>of</strong>f the football field during<br />
games. Invariably, during a football contest, fans<br />
roamed “the sidelines following the progress <strong>of</strong><br />
the game.” Occasionally, the crowd would walk<br />
on the field. To prevent this, a barrier <strong>of</strong> cedar<br />
posts and wire was erected.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Kemper Williams, Jr., was a freshman<br />
at <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> in 1948. A favorite<br />
meeting place for the students was the Student<br />
Union room located between the high school<br />
and college buildings. <strong>The</strong> area was generally<br />
filled with tobacco smoke “because everyone<br />
smoked in those days.” During his first<br />
semester he “learned to play pinochle and<br />
…David Urbano had a class under sociology<br />
instructor Doyle Christian. During the semester,<br />
the Chicano movement was addressed. As a<br />
device to stimulate class involvement, the<br />
instructor played the devil’s advocate, causing a<br />
heated debate “that made an hour class seem<br />
like five minutes.” Urbano and some <strong>of</strong> his<br />
classmates took the position that the movement<br />
“was basically an attempt by an ethnic community<br />
to get the nation to live up to its democratic<br />
principles.” By contrast, “Christian, by design<br />
or accident, rallied around the American flag<br />
and that motivated class discussion.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Lois Rowland Lunsford described the<br />
library when it was located on the second floor <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Building. “<strong>The</strong> room<br />
224 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
was light and airy, thanks to tall window along<br />
the south wall. At one end <strong>of</strong> the room four locally<br />
constructed, double-faced book cases comprised<br />
a stack area which was separated from the<br />
reading room by a waist-high locally constructed<br />
counter which served as a check-out desk.<br />
Admittance to the stacks was through a swinging<br />
door—kept in constant motion! <strong>The</strong> reading area<br />
seated 25 or 30 students at small tables and nononsense<br />
straight chairs. Reference books and<br />
periodicals were on built-in wall shelving.”<br />
Because the library was dreary, the “<strong>Victoria</strong><br />
Art Guild…placed several paintings by local<br />
artists on loan in the room to make the area<br />
‘attractive’.” Also to spruce up the library someone<br />
added, “a small bronze <strong>of</strong> a young Susie<br />
Maud Ward…playing croquet. She wore long<br />
braids, a ‘middy-blouse’ and a pleated skirt, turn<strong>of</strong>-the-century<br />
style. Every detail was charming.”<br />
Lunsford “was tempted to kidnap her” when the<br />
college was relocated “but thought better <strong>of</strong> it!”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…when the faculty was expected to go by the<br />
college post <strong>of</strong>fice in the Academic Building every<br />
morning to fetch their mail and, in particular,<br />
the daily bulletin. If a member <strong>of</strong> the faculty<br />
failed to do so, the administration sent someone<br />
looking for that person. Each faculty member was<br />
to retrieve his or her mail in person. During her<br />
first semester as an instructor, Earline Grizzle<br />
found it more convenient to go by the mail room<br />
after her first class, but quickly learned to get<br />
the mail before classes began. It seems that<br />
Grizzle failed to deliver a note to a student in her<br />
first period class and was brusquely informed by<br />
an administration <strong>of</strong>ficial to pick up her mail<br />
before class!<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Monroe Northcutt helped with registration.<br />
Northcutt was employed by the college in 1961<br />
to replace the retiring Eddie Shinn as track coach.<br />
During the first semester, registration was held in<br />
the library. Pencils were placed on tables for the<br />
students to use to fill out class schedules.<br />
Afterwards, the students went to various stations<br />
to complete their enrollment. Some <strong>of</strong> them,<br />
however, inadvertently carried the writing instruments<br />
with them. “Leona Jones, the registrar,”<br />
Northcutt recalled, “gave me the job <strong>of</strong> retrieving<br />
the pencils before the students left the building.”<br />
✯<br />
Jim Lehrer tells Elizabeth Wagner,<br />
student assistant, a story about the<br />
time he was a student at <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>.<br />
Have I Told You About <strong>The</strong> Time… ✦ 225
✯<br />
A happy trio during intermission at a<br />
John W. Stormont lecture are (left to<br />
right) Clare Brice, Pat Spurlin, and<br />
speaker Donaly Brice.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Ben Burdine, Louise Hume, Morris Azbill,<br />
Richard Walker, Joy Walker, Mary Doughtie, and<br />
Earline Grizzle attended the beginning <strong>of</strong> the<br />
year dinners in the 1960s and 1970s.<br />
<strong>Tradition</strong>ally, the affair is held on the first<br />
evening after the faculty reported to duty at the<br />
start <strong>of</strong> the fall semester. Generally, socialization<br />
before the meal has been minimal. <strong>The</strong> faculty,<br />
staff, and, in recent years, maintenance personnel,<br />
and their spouses arrived at the facility<br />
where the dinner was to be served and stood in<br />
a buffet line. Periodically, there was a speaker. In<br />
the mid-1960s, the library was the site <strong>of</strong> the<br />
evening event. One night, the speaker did not<br />
arrive on time. While waiting for the honored<br />
guest, each faculty member, at the request <strong>of</strong><br />
J. D. Moore, was asked to recite what they did<br />
during the summer. Ten years or so later, the<br />
dinner was held at the Holiday Inn. <strong>The</strong> speaker<br />
at one <strong>of</strong> the events was an <strong>of</strong>ficial with the<br />
Coordinating Board who was considered an outstanding<br />
orator. That particular evening Joe<br />
Wyatt, a state representative, was invited and<br />
was presented an attaché case for his support <strong>of</strong><br />
the college. <strong>The</strong> speaker, to the surprise <strong>of</strong> the<br />
faculty, cited a series <strong>of</strong> statistics on the history <strong>of</strong><br />
the state’s community colleges. <strong>The</strong> talk was<br />
extremely boring. Azbill and Michael Hummel<br />
amused each other by folding their dinner napkins<br />
into different shapes. Pat Spurlin and Wyatt<br />
cast humorous glances between them to pass the<br />
time. Virtually everyone in the room could not<br />
wait to leave. <strong>The</strong> presentation was undoubtedly<br />
the worst the dinner guests had ever endured.<br />
In the 1960s and early 1970s, evening<br />
gowns were frequently worn by the ladies to<br />
the affair. <strong>The</strong> tradition waned when wives <strong>of</strong><br />
the younger faculty members began to attend in<br />
their short skirts. A custom emerged among<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the faculty to meet after the dinner at<br />
one <strong>of</strong> their homes where a lively, friendly get<br />
together occurred. <strong>The</strong> party was justification<br />
for the social attire worn by the faculty members<br />
and their spouses. <strong>The</strong> after-dinner<br />
episodes were also a means <strong>of</strong> bonding among<br />
those who attended.<br />
226 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Donnell Cole’s clothes were mysteriously<br />
padlocked in a gym locker, along with the key to<br />
open it. Cole had placed his street clothes in the<br />
locker before donning his workout attire. He<br />
went to the restroom, and when he returned, the<br />
locker door was closed and secured with his<br />
lock. Michael Hummel <strong>of</strong>fered to drive Cole<br />
home if the nude instructor would buy the gas.<br />
Since Cole did not at the moment have any ready<br />
cash, Hummel went about his business, leaving<br />
the bare instructor “stuck in the locker room for<br />
two hours.” Eventually, Harry Wagner arrived<br />
and found Cole naked and <strong>of</strong>fered assistance.<br />
Wagner located bolt cutters and cut <strong>of</strong>f the lock,<br />
allowing Cole to roam the campus again.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Richard Walker had a student enrolled in<br />
his geography class who thought it was a geology<br />
course. <strong>The</strong> student was not doing well on the<br />
tests, and he kept referring to Walker as “Mr.<br />
Wagner.” A slip <strong>of</strong> the tongue, Walker thought.<br />
At mid-term, the geography instructor asked the<br />
class to bring their textbooks to the next meeting<br />
because he wanted to go over some maps and<br />
other items in it. <strong>The</strong> students dutifully did so,<br />
and at the conclusion <strong>of</strong> the session, the particular<br />
student in question came up to Walker and<br />
said that the pictures in his book were not the<br />
same as the ones being described. Walker asked<br />
to see the book. When the student showed it to<br />
him, the instructor discovered that it was a geology<br />
textbook. Walker told the student that it was<br />
the wrong book to which the reply was, “Isn’t<br />
this Mr. Wagner’s geology class?” <strong>The</strong> student<br />
had thought all along he was in a geology class,<br />
and obviously did not know the difference<br />
between the words “geology” and “geography.”<br />
He had been reading the assigned pages from the<br />
wrong textbook for the entire semester.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Nancy Bandy’s workroom was so cold that<br />
it felt as if she were in a meat locker. Because <strong>of</strong><br />
difficulties in maintaining adequate climate control<br />
in the Academic Building room 205, William<br />
“Doc” Steele reinstalled the thermostat in the<br />
adjoining workroom. However, he placed it in<br />
close proximity to the kiln. Whenever the oven<br />
was in use, it produced heat that rose to about<br />
2200 degrees. Consequently, the room temperature<br />
plummeted.<br />
✯<br />
Richard Walker seems to be looking<br />
for a razor.<br />
Have I Told You About <strong>The</strong> Time… ✦ 227
✯<br />
Mark Zafareo (right), board member,<br />
visits with Lech Walesa, former<br />
president <strong>of</strong> Poland.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Morris Azbill thought he was going to be<br />
frostbitten because <strong>of</strong> the sub-zero temperature<br />
in his <strong>of</strong>fice. <strong>The</strong> heating system was not functioning<br />
properly due to a filter problem. During<br />
a particularly cold day, the temperature dropped<br />
to 23° in the room. President J. D. Moore was<br />
notified, and he brought “his personal heater”<br />
that served as a foot warmer. Azbill turned it on<br />
and let the heater run while he was in class.<br />
When the instructor returned, the temperature<br />
had risen two degrees. <strong>The</strong> heater was obviously<br />
not a solution.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…John and Judy Clegg were students at the<br />
college during the 1960s. John lived in Port<br />
Lavaca and commuted to the campus, “making<br />
many <strong>of</strong> the trips…in record time.” One day<br />
when he and his companions were returning<br />
home, they tied “a rope to the back <strong>of</strong> their car<br />
and skied home in the ditches” that were filled<br />
with water from an exceedingly heavy rain.<br />
Judy found the college to be “an educational<br />
center” and “a meeting place for all the surrounding<br />
area students.” She “became friends<br />
with fellow students from Edna, Hallettsville,<br />
Cuero, and most <strong>of</strong> all Port Lavaca.” Judy had<br />
a great time in the Student Union Building,<br />
“the social center for students.” <strong>The</strong> facility<br />
served as “a domino hall and social club<br />
all rolled into one.” It was the site for such<br />
entertaining games as moon and forty-two, and<br />
the dances that were held “about every six<br />
weeks with a different theme for each one.” She<br />
was a lively participant in campus activities. In<br />
1967, Judy was elected along with Lydia<br />
Serrata, Cathie Zirjacks, and Bea Bauer to the<br />
cheerleading squad.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Betsy Mynette Wright, the first female<br />
Student Council secretary-treasurer at <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
228 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Junior <strong>College</strong>, collected coins from the s<strong>of</strong>t<br />
drink machines that were located in the “junior<br />
college lounge.” As treasurer, she had the<br />
responsibility to “clean out the money” at least<br />
once a week. Wright took the cash to Gilbert V.<br />
Pritchard, registrar, who “locked it up.” Later,<br />
when sufficient funds were accumulated, a picnic<br />
was held for the students in the area behind<br />
the junior college building.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Donnell Cole attended his first faculty<br />
meeting. When he walked into room 202 <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Science Building where the meeting was being<br />
held, the new instructor found the faculty segregated<br />
with the women and administrators<br />
seated on the west side <strong>of</strong> the room and the science<br />
and math instructors on the east side. “<strong>The</strong><br />
further back one sat, the more radical the faculty<br />
member was considered to be.” Cole found<br />
that the people who spoke to him were in the<br />
rear <strong>of</strong> the room. At the meeting, he was<br />
“shocked” when J. D. Moore told the faculty that<br />
“if anyone stayed past 3:30 p.m. everyday, he<br />
may have hired the wrong person.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Ben Burdine’s <strong>of</strong>fice was next to Dr. John<br />
Stormont’s in the Administration Building. One<br />
afternoon Burdine was sitting at his desk when<br />
Stormont opted to call it a day. <strong>The</strong> two instructor’s<br />
rooms were configured in such a way, that<br />
Stormont, in order to exit his <strong>of</strong>fice, had to pass<br />
through Burdine’s. <strong>The</strong> former dean, oblivious<br />
to Burdine, turned out the lights as he left the<br />
room and locked the door.<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Mark Zafereo, an active member <strong>of</strong> the student<br />
body and later a member <strong>of</strong> the college<br />
board <strong>of</strong> trustees, recalled a presentation he<br />
made in a speech class he had under Caroline<br />
Summers. He noted, “I once dressed up like a<br />
butcher, whipped out a whole chicken, head and<br />
all, out <strong>of</strong> a bag, chopped <strong>of</strong>f the head and proceeded<br />
to demonstrate how to properly cut up<br />
the bird for frying. Several <strong>of</strong> the girls in the front<br />
row passed out. Mrs. Summers gave me an A!”<br />
Zafereo, when he was not in class or working<br />
in the meat market at Dick’s food store on<br />
Crestwood, spent much <strong>of</strong> his <strong>of</strong>f time with the<br />
Student Council. <strong>The</strong> sponsor <strong>of</strong> the group was<br />
Iris Baillio, a physical education instructor. To<br />
Zafereo she was “a no-nonsense kind <strong>of</strong> person,”<br />
an individual “you had to work really hard to<br />
make her depart from the agenda or to make her<br />
laugh.” Of course, he remarked, “We <strong>of</strong>ten succeeded<br />
in accomplishing both.” Duties the students<br />
performed on the Student Council were<br />
varied, but not necessarily heady.<br />
Zafereo remembered that the members dealt<br />
with such things “as fending <strong>of</strong>f gripes about<br />
parking and Student Center food selections.”<br />
He also said the Student Council was “allowed<br />
major input on the Western Day activities (such<br />
as where to buy the eggs for the egg toss), and<br />
the intricate details on Student Council<br />
sponsored campus elections, All-<strong>College</strong> and<br />
Class Favorites, a get-acquainted dance at the<br />
beginning <strong>of</strong> each year (in other words, scope<br />
out any new talent), a Christmas dance and the<br />
Spring Formal.”<br />
✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯<br />
…Richard Walker confessed to his involvement<br />
in an episode that took place in the 1970s.<br />
He, his wife Joy, and two children went into<br />
Michael Hummel’s <strong>of</strong>fice on a Sunday afternoon<br />
and “turned everything backwards,” including<br />
books, desk, file cabinet, and pictures. Even a<br />
“mirror that had a logo on it was turned upside<br />
down.” <strong>The</strong> family afterwards “went into his<br />
classroom that he taught in that next morning,”<br />
placed the lectern in the back <strong>of</strong> the room by<br />
the windows, and turned the chairs backward.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> no smoking sign was turned upside down<br />
and backwards.”<br />
When Hummel arrived on the campus the<br />
next day and spied his <strong>of</strong>fice and classroom in<br />
disarray, he “never said a word about it.” As a<br />
matter <strong>of</strong> fact, the history instructor did not<br />
mention that anything had happened for about<br />
three months so that his colleagues would not<br />
know he was disturbed. For years, Hummel<br />
blamed Donnell Cole. Walker never corrected<br />
Hummel’s charges because, as he said, “Cole<br />
takes blame so well.” Finally, the rest <strong>of</strong> the story<br />
has been told.<br />
Have I Told You About <strong>The</strong> Time… ✦ 229
230 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
APPENDIX<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Alma Mater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Fight Song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Administration, <strong>1925</strong>-1949 . . . . . . . . . . . . 235<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees, <strong>1925</strong>-1949 . . . . . . . . . . 235<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Administration, 1949-<strong>2000</strong>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees, 1949-<strong>2000</strong> . . . . . . . . . . . . 236<br />
✯<br />
Using blackboard diagrams, Dr. John W. Stormont points out the organization <strong>of</strong> various types <strong>of</strong> government.<br />
Appendix ✦ 231
THE VICTORIA COLLEGE<br />
ALMA MATER<br />
To <strong>Victoria</strong> we pledge our hearts<br />
To evermore be true.<br />
For everything she stands for,<br />
Maroon and white to you.<br />
<strong>The</strong> friends we’ve made while going here<br />
Will last our whole lives through.<br />
To the Pirates and our school<br />
We pledge ourselves anew.<br />
THE VICTORIA COLLEGE<br />
FIGHT SONG<br />
Pirates bold we’re loyal to you<br />
Faithful through all the years.<br />
When Maroon and white is unfurled<br />
We will rise and proudly cheer<br />
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!<br />
Bold and fearless we will remain<br />
Add more laurels to your name.<br />
Take this as a tip you’ll never<br />
sink our ship so go you Pirates<br />
Win this game!<br />
To the left to the right<br />
Fight you Pirates fight<br />
Hit ‘em high, hit ‘em low<br />
go you Pirates go—OH!<br />
232 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
✯<br />
Top: Jose Rodriguez attended<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> before becoming<br />
a DuPont engineer..<br />
Middle: Willie Brooks, criminal<br />
justice instructor, promotes <strong>The</strong><br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> to prospective<br />
students at <strong>College</strong> Night in 1999.<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY OF KEVIN JORDAN.<br />
Bottom: Dustin Keane and<br />
Erika Timpoine browse a<br />
reading assignment.<br />
Appendix ✦ 233
✯<br />
Top: Shannon Anderson, recruiting/<br />
marketing assistant, with George<br />
Alexander, recruiting/marketing<br />
director.<br />
Middle: Left to right are Billy Blevins,<br />
John Winkenwerder, Allen Schoener,<br />
Harold Ballenger, and David Hagan.<br />
Bottom: Left to right are Chris Kallus,<br />
respiratory therapy instructor,<br />
Shuvonne Pennell, Rubi Guajardo,<br />
and Mickey Lange.<br />
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN JORDAN.<br />
234 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
VICTORIA JUNIOR COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION<br />
<strong>1925</strong>-1949<br />
PRESIDENTS<br />
Virgil L. Griffin<br />
Porter S. Garner<br />
J. H. Bankston<br />
T. A. Roach<br />
DEANS<br />
E. J. Dysart<br />
B. F. Hardt<br />
W. E. Eckles<br />
J. D. Moore<br />
C. C. Wilkes<br />
B. F. Harbour<br />
REGISTRARS<br />
Mae J. Kohleffel<br />
Stella Rice Collins<br />
Lillian Pierce Lewis<br />
Margaret DuPre<br />
Louise Stromberg<br />
Nan Proctor<br />
Avis Adcock<br />
G. V. Pritchard<br />
BUSINESS MANAGERS<br />
Margaret DuPre<br />
G. V. Pritchard<br />
DIRECTOR OF<br />
INSTRUCTION<br />
J. W. Edgar<br />
VICTORIA JUNIOR COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES<br />
<strong>1925</strong>-1949<br />
A. <strong>The</strong>o Andersen<br />
Ed. L. Atzenh<strong>of</strong>fer<br />
D. E. Blackburn<br />
Ralph Calhoun<br />
W. B. Callan<br />
Frank Crain<br />
R. L. Daniel<br />
C. O. Durham<br />
Herman Fischer<br />
Frank Guittard<br />
G. H. Hensley<br />
George E. H<strong>of</strong>mann<br />
J. V. Hopkins, M.D.<br />
P. H. Keefe<br />
Roy S. Lander<br />
H. A. Lawrence<br />
Cody Lentz<br />
Jules Meyer<br />
Dennis O'Connor<br />
William Offer<br />
P. P. Putney<br />
Morris Roberts<br />
Fred Schneider<br />
C. A. Schuchert<br />
Allan Shields, M. D.<br />
W. H. Smith<br />
Hugh Stanly<br />
T. L. Sterne<br />
J. H. Tolson, M. D.<br />
T. P. Traylor<br />
J. E. Weatherly<br />
Albert York<br />
Appendix ✦ 235
THE VICTORIA COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION<br />
1949-<strong>2000</strong><br />
PRESIDENTS<br />
J. D. Moore, L.L.D.<br />
Roland E. Bing, Ph.D.<br />
Jimmy Goodson, Ed.D.<br />
DEANS<br />
John W. Stormont, Ph.D.<br />
Roland E. Bing, Ph.D.<br />
O. Rex Whiteside, Ed.D.<br />
DEANS OF<br />
INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES<br />
DEAN OF STUDENT &<br />
INFORMATION SERVICES<br />
DEANS OF<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES<br />
O. Rex Whiteside, Ed.D.<br />
Steve Thomas, Ph.D.<br />
Alice Ann Isaac, Ph.D.<br />
Robert E. Gaines<br />
Elaine C. Marcinkowska<br />
THE VICTORIA COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES<br />
1949-<strong>2000</strong><br />
E. A. Brinkman<br />
R. E. Cliburn<br />
Arnold G. Davis<br />
Webb T. DeTar, M.D.<br />
Gerald Dubose<br />
Arvle Elliott<br />
Ernest Guajardo, Sr.<br />
Robert J. Hewitt<br />
Raymond W. Hill<br />
David B. Lack<br />
Mary Logan<br />
A. D. Magruder<br />
Roy McFaddin<br />
Catherine McHaney<br />
William F. Moeller<br />
C. P. Montier, D.D.<br />
Thomas M. O’Connor<br />
Tom O’Connor, Jr.<br />
F. C. Proctor, Jr.<br />
Morris Shattuck<br />
John Vasquez<br />
Ronald B. Walker<br />
Joseph Wearden<br />
Leo J. Welder<br />
Jack Wood<br />
Mark E. Zafereo<br />
Winston L. Zirjacks<br />
236 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
✯<br />
Top: Dian Denker, 1999-<strong>2000</strong><br />
Student Government president.<br />
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN JORDAN.<br />
Middle: Student assistants<br />
Maria R. Hernandez (left) and<br />
Stephanie M. Grewe.<br />
Bottom: <strong>The</strong> benches in the rear <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Academic Building are used by<br />
students between classes.<br />
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN JORDAN.<br />
Appendix ✦ 237
INDEX<br />
A<br />
Adair, Lucille, 65, 213<br />
Adams, Vernon A., 15<br />
Airheart, Tria E., 185<br />
Alaniz, Marie, 187<br />
Albrecht, Elenora, 29<br />
Aldis, Wesley, 193, 201<br />
Alexander, George, 199, 234<br />
Alkek, Margaret, 75<br />
Allen Academy, 76<br />
Allen, Alfred, 98, 127<br />
Allen, Elizabeth, 14<br />
Allen, Lewis, Jr., 197<br />
Allen, Richard C., Jr., 156<br />
Aloe Army Air Field, 45, 46, 47, 56, 63<br />
Aman, Sally, 127<br />
American Association for State and Local<br />
History, 196<br />
American Association <strong>of</strong> Community and Junior<br />
<strong>College</strong>s, 169<br />
American Association <strong>of</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>s, 10<br />
American <strong>College</strong> Test, 145<br />
Anderson, Jonathan, 203<br />
Anderson, Shannon, 234<br />
Angelou, Maya, 198, 213<br />
Archer, Mary Lee, 124<br />
Armbrister, Ken, 174, 179, 188<br />
Arnold, Jo Nell, 125<br />
Ashmore, J. L., 101<br />
Ashworth, Kenneth H., 165, 196<br />
Association <strong>of</strong> Texas <strong>College</strong>s, 9<br />
Athletic Association Committee, 16, 22<br />
Atkinson, V. E., 63<br />
August Wagner's Silver Cornet Band, 14<br />
Auld, George, 80, 83<br />
Ault, Jordan C., 58, 93<br />
Austin <strong>College</strong>, 65<br />
Austin-San Antonio District Educational<br />
Conference, 23<br />
Autry, Gene, 30<br />
Azbill, Morris, 187, 190, 214, 215, 216, 226, 228<br />
B<br />
Baass Brothers Concrete Company, 63<br />
Baass, Mrs. Charles, 218<br />
Baillio, Iris, 229<br />
Baker, Alan, 185<br />
Baldwin, Bill, 86<br />
Ballard, W. W., 10<br />
Ballenger, Harold, 234<br />
Bandy, Nancy, 227<br />
Banks, Barbara, 73, 77<br />
Bankston, J. H., 33, 34, 45, 46<br />
Baptist Student Union, 69<br />
Barnes, David, 125<br />
Barnsdall Oil Company, 73<br />
Barth, David, 205<br />
Bauer, Bea, 120, 228<br />
Bauer, C. P., 114<br />
Bauer, Larry, 123<br />
Bauer, Mary Gladys, 48, 49, 72<br />
Baugh, E. A., 23<br />
Baylor University, 141<br />
Bazan, Juan, 117<br />
Bazar, Leon, 123<br />
Beams, J. B., 34<br />
Beard, Roland, 65<br />
Beaver <strong>College</strong>, 169<br />
Bedwell, Cindy, 191<br />
Bee County <strong>College</strong>, 118<br />
Belcher, Truman, 50<br />
Belken, Leslie, 80<br />
Bell, Pat, 80<br />
Benge, Cathy, 117<br />
Bianchi, David, 27, 28, 31, 218<br />
Bianchi, Felix, 49<br />
Bielee, Cynthia, 128<br />
Bielstein, C. A., 47<br />
Bielstein, Florine, 53<br />
Bing, Roland E., 94, 101, 112, 116, 120, 126,<br />
136, 138, 139, 140, 141, 145, 147, 148, 150,<br />
151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 157, 158, 159, 160,<br />
161, 162, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171,<br />
172, 173, 175, 179, 180, 183, 186, 193, 211,<br />
212, 216, 218, 220, 221, 223<br />
Bishop, Charles, 164<br />
Bishop, Ed, 159<br />
Bissett, David, 128<br />
Black, Lorne, 149, 150, 163, 165<br />
Black, Norval, 80<br />
Blackaller, John, 179<br />
Blackburn, D. E., 38<br />
Blanar, Robert, 61<br />
Bland, Jean, 195<br />
Blinn Memorial <strong>College</strong>, 31<br />
"Blue Beetle," <strong>The</strong>, 55<br />
Boehnke, Ben, 80, 83<br />
Bolting, Gladys, 194<br />
Borchers, Charles L., 172<br />
Borth, Norman, 114<br />
Boykin, Starley, 122, 219<br />
Boysen, Geneva, 83<br />
Brandes, Adrian, 48, 54, 56<br />
Brandon, John, 109<br />
Breed, Aubrey, 48<br />
Breneman, David W., 158<br />
Brice, Clare, 226<br />
Brice, Donaly, 226<br />
Brimberry, John, 200<br />
Brock, Buddy, 74<br />
Brooks, Willie, 233<br />
Brotze, Allen, 205<br />
Broughton, Dennis, 200<br />
Brown v. Board <strong>of</strong> Education, 85, 86<br />
Brown, Candy Marie, 159<br />
Brown, Cheryl, 159<br />
Browne, Louise, 212<br />
Browne, Roy, 65, 81<br />
Browne, Mrs. Roy G., 65<br />
Brownson Addition, <strong>The</strong>, 18<br />
Brownson, Mrs. J. M., 18<br />
Brownsville Junior <strong>College</strong>, 16<br />
Bruns, Nancy, 185<br />
Buccaneer, <strong>The</strong>, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18<br />
Buckley, Patricia, 97<br />
Buckley, William F., Jr., 112, 155, 156, 165<br />
Buffalo Bills, <strong>The</strong>, 90<br />
Bullock, Henry, 80<br />
Burda, Shirley, 81<br />
Burdine, F. Benton, 122, 124, 140, 149, 150, 153,<br />
165, 166, 181, 187, 190, 191, 194, 213, 214,<br />
215, 217, 226, 229<br />
Burns, Kay, 127, 129<br />
Burns, Wilfred, 135<br />
Bush, Diane, 167<br />
Bush, George W., 206<br />
C<br />
Cadden, Merry, 56, 61<br />
Calliham, Dave, 53<br />
Callis, C. R., 85<br />
Campbell, Bob, 94<br />
Cande, Andrew, 185<br />
Cano, Gloria Trevino, 217<br />
Cano, Julius, 122<br />
Cantu, Ynacensio, 80, 83, 105<br />
Capps, Robert, 74<br />
Carpenter, Charles, 80<br />
Carsner, Charles, 29<br />
Carter, Booker T., 99<br />
Carter, Jimmy, 149, 153, 156<br />
Catchings, Julia, 166<br />
Central Power & Light Company, 73, 199<br />
Chandler, C. O., 23<br />
Cheshire, Janet, 150<br />
Chicago University, 34<br />
Christian, Doyle, 141, 150, 224<br />
Circle K Club, 146, 153<br />
Cisco Junior <strong>College</strong>, 15, 97<br />
Citizens Memorial Hospital, 96, 98<br />
Civil War, 7, 35<br />
Civilian Aeronautics Authority, 34, 35<br />
Clack, John A., 14<br />
Clayton, Bill, 145<br />
Clegg, John, 228<br />
Clegg, Judy, 228<br />
Clements, Bill, 167<br />
Clemmons, Jack, 199<br />
Cliburn, Lela Welder, 27, 218<br />
C<strong>of</strong>fey, Bobby, 95<br />
C<strong>of</strong>fey, Ruth, 18<br />
Coker, Donnie, 114<br />
Cole, Donna, 141<br />
Cole, Donnell, 130, 141, 213, 227, 229<br />
Coleman, Dalphard, 74<br />
Collin County Community <strong>College</strong>, 185<br />
Collins, Wilbur, 75, 76, 95, 124, 149<br />
Colorado State Teachers <strong>College</strong>, 34<br />
Colvert, Clyde C., 53, 74, 75, 84<br />
Committee on Classified and Accredited High<br />
Schools, 23<br />
Compton, Jack, 15<br />
Conference <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong> Teachers <strong>of</strong> English, 169<br />
Connally, John, 116<br />
Constant, Ruth, 145<br />
Cook, June V., 152<br />
Coolidge, Calvin, 40<br />
Cooper, Darrel, 202<br />
Copley, Charles, 14<br />
Corpus Christi Junior <strong>College</strong>, 32, 46<br />
Corpus Christi State University, 156<br />
Corsair, <strong>The</strong>, 30, 31, 33<br />
CourseNet, 201<br />
Crain, Frank H., Jr., 76<br />
Crain, Frank H., Sr., 7, 8<br />
Crain, William Henry, 8<br />
Crawford, J. N., 36<br />
Crawford, Mike, 47<br />
Cronkite, Walter, 137<br />
Crouch, Margaret, 31, 33<br />
Curran, Mary Catherine, 14<br />
Cykola, Kenneth, 156<br />
D<br />
Dabney, Jean, 127<br />
Dahlstrom, Joe F., 199, 204<br />
Dallas Community <strong>College</strong>, 185<br />
Daniel, Price, 75<br />
Daughters <strong>of</strong> the Republic <strong>of</strong> Texas, 115<br />
Davis, Arnold Galindo, 193<br />
Davis, John, 171<br />
de la Peña, José Enrique, 196<br />
De La Rosa, David, 117, 125, 219<br />
De La Rosa, Eddie, 123, 125, 219<br />
Deaver, Frank, 113, 114, 117, 120<br />
Del Mar <strong>College</strong>, 49, 74, 78, 79, 89<br />
Dellinger, Floyd, 90<br />
Denker, Dian, 237<br />
Denver Hotel, 56, 73<br />
DeTar, Webb T., 54, 55<br />
Dickson, J. L., 10<br />
Diebel, Frank, 37<br />
Dierlam, Wayne, 217<br />
Diggs, Rufus, 129, 135<br />
Dillon, Leo, 31<br />
Don Krueger Construction Company, 134<br />
Doughtie, Mary, 86, 158, 159, 161, 169, 212,<br />
213, 226<br />
Downbeat, 203<br />
Drinkard, DeTar, 135<br />
Dry, Audley D., 112, 139, 150, 160, 161, 164,<br />
166, 187, 201, 217<br />
DuBose, Carl, 119, 120, 145, 146, 166<br />
Duke, Jacquelyn, 125<br />
Duncan, Wayne, 47<br />
DuPont, 40, 91, 233<br />
Duran, Rudy, 72<br />
Duren, Jerry, 139<br />
Durham, Cecil, 95<br />
Durham, Clarence, 34<br />
Dvorak, Jerry, 195<br />
Dysart, Edward J., 9, 10, 14, 15, 19, 27, 60<br />
E<br />
Easley, Billy, 34<br />
Easley, Rex, 40<br />
East Texas State University, 179<br />
Eckles, W. E., 31, 36<br />
Edinburg Junior <strong>College</strong>, 21, 34<br />
Edna Herald, <strong>The</strong>, 19<br />
Edwards, Jack, 118, 123, 160, 161<br />
Eklund, Bobby, 80<br />
El Campo High School, 36, 59<br />
Elledge, Jerome, 34<br />
Elliott, Arvle, 54, 64, 74<br />
Elliott, Edwin A., 31<br />
Ellison, Virlece, 135<br />
Ennen, Frederick, 31<br />
Ennen, Henrietta, 30<br />
Erskine, Pat, 223<br />
Ervin, Sam, 151<br />
Espitia, Gloria, 219<br />
Etzel, Esther, 65, 86<br />
Evan, Richard, 185<br />
Evans, Billy, 74<br />
Evans, Chester, 10, 45, 224<br />
Evans, Estelle, 78<br />
Evans, Hester W. “Stump”, 15, 35, 37, 40, 45,<br />
49, 65, 72, 78, 80, 91<br />
Evans, N. A., 11<br />
Evans, Rowland, 168, 219<br />
Exxon Corporation, 164<br />
EZREG, 205<br />
F<br />
F. W. Gross High School, 85<br />
Fagan, Joseph, 15<br />
Fanning, Janice, 128<br />
Farmer, Blake, 112, 161, 181<br />
Farquhar, Sherry, 125, 127<br />
Farrell, Doug, 31<br />
Farrer, Ossie, 48<br />
Farrow, Kenneth, 80<br />
Federal Emergency Relief Administration, 22<br />
Federal Works Administration, 45<br />
Felder, Marvin, 179<br />
Felger, Clarence, 34<br />
Felger, J. C., 11<br />
Felger, Wilma, 97, 119, 122, 123, 126, 127<br />
Fenner, Mary Claire, 65<br />
Ferguson, Joe, 179, 180<br />
Ferguson, Margaret, 117<br />
Ferguson, Miriam A., 21<br />
Fernandez, Alfred, 32<br />
Filley, George, Jr., 28<br />
Finster, Leslie, 201<br />
First English Lutheran Church, 11<br />
Fischer, Herman, 8, 11, 21, 27<br />
Fisseler, Brenda, 221, 222<br />
Fleska, Cathy, 185<br />
Flunky Club, <strong>The</strong>, 30<br />
Fly, G. W. L., 35<br />
Fly, Lamar, 94<br />
Fly, William S., 35, 69<br />
Folwell, William Watts, 7<br />
Ford, Gerald, 153<br />
Fossati, Grace, 29<br />
Foster Air Force Base, 38, 83, 85<br />
Fougeron, Myron, 80<br />
Foutz, Gwen, 98<br />
Francell, Larry, 204<br />
Frankson, Marie, 119<br />
Franz, Dorothy, 79<br />
Franz, James, 139, 160, 215<br />
Frederick, Judy Lynn, 123, 125<br />
Frels, Mrs. Ruben, 46<br />
Frerichs, Marie, 98<br />
Fricke, Mary, 185<br />
Friedel, James, 74<br />
Fritsch, Danny, 89, 90<br />
Fritz, Karen, 201<br />
Fuhrman, Leslie, 47<br />
G<br />
Gaddis, David, 200, 202<br />
Gaines, Robert E., 155, 171, 181, 211, 212<br />
Galbraith, John Kenneth, 165, 166<br />
Gallagher, Michael C., 169<br />
Gandhi, Indira, 165<br />
Gardner, Harold, 65, 114, 115<br />
Garner, Porter S., 27, 30, 31, 33, 34<br />
Garrett, Caroline C., 198<br />
Gentry, Etta Lou, 56, 57<br />
Gerdes, E. J., 63<br />
Gerdes, Gilbert, 93<br />
Gerhold, Harlon, 125, 191<br />
Gietz, Penni, 200<br />
Gilchrist, Gibb, 58<br />
Gillar, George, 89<br />
Gilliam, Jack, 93<br />
Gilstrap, Ralph, 89<br />
Gilstrap, Wanda, 165<br />
Gisler, Grace, 80<br />
Glass, Betty Lou, 57, 72, 73<br />
Glass, Clara W., 10<br />
Gleason, Heather Kay, 152<br />
Gleason, James D., 128, 138, 150, 152, 160, 165,<br />
199<br />
Godard, J. M., 78<br />
Goerke, Glenn, 167, 182<br />
Gold, Russell, 200<br />
Goldsum, Johnny, 45, 46, 47, 58<br />
Goodson, Jimmy, 151, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183,<br />
186, 187, 189, 190, 192, 194, 197, 198, 199,<br />
200, 202, 203, 204, 206<br />
Goodson, Michelle, 190<br />
Gordon, Ezra, 90<br />
Grant, Florence, 223<br />
Grath, August, 63<br />
Gray, Noble, 150<br />
Great Depression, <strong>The</strong>, 18, 20, 23<br />
Green, Shelly, 135<br />
Greenhill, Joe R., 145<br />
Greenhill, Kenneth, 124, 141, 160, 214, 217<br />
Greer, Louise, 30<br />
Greeson, Bully, 37<br />
Gregory, Larna, 115<br />
Grewe, Stephanie M., 237<br />
Griffin, Boydene, 48<br />
Griffin, Virgil L., 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18, 20, 22,<br />
23, 27<br />
Grizzle, Earline, 211, 212, 213, 225, 226<br />
Guajardo, Ernest G., Sr., 207<br />
Guajardo, Rubi, 234<br />
Guittard, Frank, 51<br />
Gulf Coast Executive Club, 27<br />
Gulf Coast Junior <strong>College</strong> Athletic Conference, 114<br />
Gummelt, E. F., 124, 148<br />
Gutierrez, Erma, 220, 221<br />
H<br />
Hackstedt, Glenn, 110<br />
Hagan, David, 234<br />
Haines, Carolyn, 125<br />
Halepaska, Mary, 34<br />
Haley, Alex, 158<br />
238 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>
Hall, Broyles, 65, 75<br />
Hall, Mary, 205<br />
Hampton, Harold, 75<br />
Harbour, B. F., 41, 46, 55, 65, 69<br />
Hardcastle, Gayle, 202<br />
Hardin, Stephen, 194, 196, 205<br />
Hardt, Ben F., 27, 28, 36<br />
Harper, William Rainey, 7<br />
Harrel, Mrs. D. K., 55<br />
Harrel, Edith, 71<br />
Harrigan, Stephen, 205<br />
Harris, George, 93<br />
Hartman, Valerie, 34<br />
Hartnell <strong>College</strong>, 181<br />
Harwin, E. L., 74<br />
Hauschild's Opera House, 10, 14<br />
Hawkins, Mary Fern, 34<br />
Haynes, Karen, 199<br />
Haynes, Rosamund, 167<br />
Hays, Gaynelle, 14<br />
Heaner, Wallace, 34<br />
Heath, Bob, 189<br />
Heiling, Joe, 73<br />
Heinrich, Linda, 155<br />
Henderson, William, 10<br />
Henry, Rita, 14<br />
Herman, Jean, 184<br />
Hernandez, Maria R.<br />
Heston, Charlton, 166, 171<br />
Hewitt, Robert J., Sr., 198, 207<br />
Hill, Cecil, 37<br />
Hill, Charles, 71<br />
Hill, Clover Dell, 14<br />
Hill Junior <strong>College</strong>, 94, 141<br />
Hill, Raymond, 54, 62<br />
Hinojosa, Jose, 203<br />
Hirt, Charles, 150<br />
Hnatek, Margaret, 19<br />
Hobbs, Dorothy Mae, 85<br />
Hobbs, Leeta, 85<br />
Hoblit, Karen, 196, 201, 205, 220<br />
Hodge, Patricia, 117<br />
Hodge, Roysteen, 117<br />
Hodges, Walter Wayne, 75<br />
Hoefer, Karen, 151<br />
H<strong>of</strong>fman, Glenn, 80<br />
H<strong>of</strong>fman, Philip, 133<br />
Holder, Ge<strong>of</strong>frey, 136<br />
Holland, Melanie, 155<br />
Holmes, Dolly, 223<br />
Holzapfel, Bill, 80<br />
Holzheauser, Steve, 199<br />
Horton, Joan, 113<br />
House, Jerry, 80, 83<br />
Houston Junior <strong>College</strong>, 15<br />
Howell, J. D., 65, 72, 77, 82, 213<br />
Howell, Marion, 84<br />
Hubbard, Lois, 83, 86<br />
Hudler, Jewell, 28, 29, 36, 51, 52, 53, 65, 97<br />
Huegele, Karen, 127<br />
Hume, Louise, 81, 114, 146, 169, 186, 213, 214,<br />
226<br />
Hummel, Cora Jo, 140<br />
Hummel, Kathleen, 113<br />
Hummel, Michael, 122, 123, 124, 138, 141, 151,<br />
158, 163, 190, 191, 197, 211, 213, 216, 221,<br />
226, 227, 229<br />
Hunter, Una T., 10, 20, 53, 65<br />
Hurricane Beulah, 117, 118<br />
Hurricane Carla, 100, 117<br />
Hutcherson, Rosalie, 173<br />
Hutchins, Gene, 74<br />
Hutchinson, Lewis, 89<br />
Hyak, Barbara, 117<br />
Hyde, Stephen, 185<br />
I<br />
Immenhauser, Lori, 167<br />
Irwin, Peyton, 8<br />
Isaac, Alice Ann, 181<br />
J<br />
Jackson, Ada, 100<br />
Jackson, Arthur, 114<br />
Jacksonville Junior <strong>College</strong>, 31, 32<br />
Jacobson, Charles, 73<br />
Jane H<strong>of</strong>fman Land and Minerals Company, 164<br />
Jank, Allen, 83<br />
Jarratt, Ken, 74<br />
Jecker, Alma, 81<br />
Jennings, Nedra, 86, 87<br />
Jewett, Agnes, 163, 173<br />
John Wiley & Sons, 169<br />
Johnson, Hazel, 212<br />
Johnson, Lillie, 172<br />
Johnson, Lyndon B., 118<br />
Johnson, Twinkle, 127, 129<br />
Johnson, Vera, 187, 221, 222<br />
Joliet Junior <strong>College</strong>, 7<br />
Jolly Roger, <strong>The</strong>, 73, 77, 82, 94, 115, 117, 119,<br />
159, 171<br />
Jones, Leona, 53, 65, 81, 114, 225<br />
Jones, Martha Everman, 220, 222<br />
Jones, Mia, 167<br />
Jones, Norman D., 179, 222<br />
Jones, Ronnie, 116<br />
Joost, Albert, 40<br />
Jordan, Dudley, 60<br />
Jordan, Ella North, 29, 30<br />
Joseph, Georganne, 134<br />
Junior <strong>College</strong>, <strong>The</strong>, 7<br />
Junior <strong>College</strong> Student Personnel Association <strong>of</strong><br />
Texas, 161<br />
K<br />
Kahn, Alfred E., 153<br />
Kaiser, Cindy, 156<br />
Kallus, Chris, 234<br />
Kallus, V. T., 41, 58, 65, 80, 108, 127, 193<br />
Kathryn Stoner O'Connor Foundation, 150<br />
Keane, Dustin, 233<br />
Keathley, Mark, 172<br />
Kelley, Nellie Lee, 10, 11<br />
Kenell, Charlotte E., 39, 217<br />
Kennedy, Patrick, 163<br />
Kern, Sharon, 98<br />
Ketcham, Sam, 96<br />
Key, Mrs. Ollie, 54<br />
Kidder, Douglas, 152<br />
Kiesling, John, 109<br />
Kilgore Junior <strong>College</strong>, 90<br />
Kilgore, Bessie, 14<br />
Kilgore, Mary, 155<br />
Killough, T. Patrick, 117<br />
Kilpatrick, Keith, 201<br />
Kimbrough, J. W., 22<br />
Kindred, Harold, 34<br />
Kinghorn, Mary Jo, 166<br />
Kinsel, Richard, 74, 77<br />
Kirkwood, Roger, 109<br />
Klapproth, <strong>The</strong>resa, 10<br />
KNAL, 74<br />
Knowles, Judy, 120<br />
Knudson, Otto, 122, 215<br />
Kolle, Jenell, 89<br />
Korean War, 77<br />
Koss, Ronald, 80, 83, 105<br />
Krehmeier, Herman J., 41<br />
Krenek, Shirley, 46<br />
Krueger's Restaurant, 51<br />
Kubola, Dan, 73<br />
KVIC, 34, 53, 56, 57<br />
KXIX-TV, 148<br />
L<br />
LaBarre, C. A., 156<br />
Lack, David, 146, 164, 175, 179, 182, 193<br />
Lala, Dennis, 128<br />
Lander, Roy, 51<br />
Lange, Mickey, 234<br />
Lara, Joseph, 201<br />
Laredo Junior <strong>College</strong>, 76<br />
Larson, Perry, 10<br />
Lasell <strong>College</strong>, 7<br />
Leach, Bob, 192<br />
Lee, Shelly, 127, 129<br />
Leffland and Ault, 63<br />
Leffland, Jules, 22<br />
Leffland, Kai J., 22, 58<br />
Leggett, Grace, 32<br />
Lehrer, Jim, 82, 159, 169, 200<br />
Lentz, Cody, 51<br />
Lentz, Zac, 200<br />
Lenz, Jerry, 49<br />
LeSage, Margaret, 14<br />
Lexington Community <strong>College</strong>, 186<br />
Ley, Magdalene, 34, 35<br />
Locher, David, 167<br />
Lon Morris Junior <strong>College</strong>, 80<br />
Loos, Delasso, 34<br />
Los Angeles Times, <strong>The</strong>, 90<br />
Lott, Vicky, 135<br />
Lowery, Hugh, 10<br />
Loyd, James, 69<br />
Lunsford, Lois Rowland, 222, 224, See also<br />
Parker, Lois and Rowland, Lois<br />
Lytle, Joanie, 173<br />
M<br />
M. G. and Lillie A. Johnson Foundation, Inc.,<br />
152, 166, 196<br />
Machac, Marvin, 89, 90<br />
MacNeil, Robert, 169<br />
Magruder, A. D., 64<br />
Man Shop, <strong>The</strong>, 51<br />
Manhattan Cafe, 51<br />
Manning, Raymond, 34<br />
Marcinkowska, Elaine, 192<br />
Mark, Roy, 127, 128<br />
Marlin, Mike, 73<br />
Marshall Junior <strong>College</strong>, 31<br />
Marshall, D. W., 63<br />
Marshall, Victor, 99<br />
Martinez, Norma, 156<br />
Matchett, Henry, 72<br />
Matthews and Associates, 119, 122, 134<br />
Matthews, Hilary, 47, 62<br />
Matthews, W. R., 119, 159<br />
Mattox, Ed, 30, 31<br />
May, Judy, 123<br />
Mayer, Elaine, 150<br />
McAlister, Wayne, 121, 175, 197, 216<br />
McCann, Gene, 97, 98, 99<br />
McCartney, Larry, 114<br />
McCleary, Marshall, 89, 122, 212<br />
McConathy, Jane, 165, 166<br />
McCord, James E., 27, 28, 29<br />
McCord, S. Joe, 156, 173<br />
McCord, Tom, 30<br />
McCoy, Rawley, 173, 192<br />
McDonald, Archie, 150, 151<br />
McDowell, F. M., 7<br />
McElroy, Sue, 15<br />
McEnroe, P. J., Jr., 64<br />
McHaney, Catherine, 168, 169, 170, 187, 190,<br />
197, 198, 200, 204, 207<br />
McKay, Kelly, 191<br />
McLaurin, Peggy, 150<br />
McLean, John, 204<br />
McMullen, Ruth, 20<br />
McMurray, Shirley, 125, 127<br />
McNeese State University, 90<br />
Meeks, Robert, 145<br />
Meier, Walter, 77<br />
Mendez, Thomas, 93<br />
Meyer, Dalton G. "Dutch", 162<br />
Mikulenka, Ann, 78<br />
Mikulenka, Timm, 109<br />
Milberger, Royce, 117<br />
Miller, Dorothy, 184<br />
Miller, James J., 162<br />
Miller, Janet Stormont, 204<br />
Miller, Joyce, 169<br />
Miller, William, 211<br />
Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, 175, 197<br />
Miori, Lillian, 57, 72, 73<br />
Mitchell, William L., 7<br />
Montier, C. P., 54, 63, 146<br />
Moody, Bill, 119<br />
Moody, Dan, 74<br />
Mooneyham, Turner, 127<br />
Moore, Claude, 40<br />
Moore, Edith, 54, 75, 140<br />
Moore, J. D., 36, 39, 40, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60,<br />
61, 62, 63, 65, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78,<br />
80, 81, 84, 85, 86, 87, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 97,<br />
99, 100, 101, 109, 113, 114, 116, 118, 119,<br />
120, 121, 122, 125, 130, 132, 134, 136, 139,<br />
140, 141, 145, 166, 175, 214, 215, 226, 228,<br />
229<br />
Moore, Sue, 10<br />
Moreno, Gene, 200<br />
Moreno, <strong>Victoria</strong>, 220, 223<br />
Morgan, Bob L., Jr., 185<br />
Morris, Jimmy, 73<br />
Morris, Leopold, 23<br />
Morris, Marilyn, 181, 184, 187, 190, 213, 218<br />
Morrison, Matthew, 185<br />
Mozisek, John, 89<br />
Mudd, Roger, 136, 137, 159<br />
Mullen, Billy, 72, 73<br />
Mullenix, Duane, 80<br />
Mullins, Claude, 14<br />
Murphy, Billy, 29, 69<br />
Muschalek, Jody, 196<br />
Museum <strong>of</strong> the Coastal Bend, 204<br />
N<br />
National Association for the Advancement <strong>of</strong><br />
Colored People, 85<br />
National Association <strong>of</strong> Biology Teachers, 152<br />
National Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong> Stores, 193<br />
National Association <strong>of</strong> Geology Teachers, 146<br />
National Industrial Act, 21<br />
National Industrial Recovery Board, 21<br />
National Science Foundation, 196<br />
Nazareth Academy, 27, 29, 39<br />
Neely, J. P., 84<br />
Nelson, Jake A., Jr., 202<br />
Nelson, Ruby A., 202<br />
Netarlus, Joe, 80<br />
Newberry, Kathy, 124<br />
Newman Club, 69<br />
Newman, Gary, 150<br />
Nichols, Harold J., 139, 155<br />
Nichols, Warren, 162<br />
Nillen, Nancy, 138<br />
Nixon, Richard, 137, 151, 153<br />
North, Billie, 165, 167, 171<br />
Northcutt, Monroe, 39, 40, 109, 114, 139, 140,<br />
152, 225<br />
Novak, Kim, 84<br />
Novak, Robert D., Jr., 168, 219<br />
Novian, Valerie, 185<br />
Novosad, Jerry, 194<br />
Nunley, April, 216<br />
O<br />
O. C. Stroman High School, 39<br />
O’ Pioneer, 23, 29<br />
O'Connor, Louise, 204<br />
O'Connor, Michael, 163<br />
O'Connor, Thomas, Jr., 198, 207<br />
O'Connor, Thomas, Sr., 63<br />
O’Connor, Thomas M., 147, 170, 180<br />
O'Daniel, W. Lee, 33<br />
Offer, William, 45<br />
Offer, Wilma, 29<br />
Officer's Procurement Program, 39<br />
Orsak, Johnny, 93<br />
Othold, Roy, 47<br />
Our Lady <strong>of</strong> Victory Catholic Church, 63<br />
Outlaw, Elmer, 157<br />
Overgoner, Merle, 89<br />
P<br />
Padilla, Roel, 167<br />
Pahmiyer, LeRoy, 127, 211<br />
Parker, Lois, 45, 65, 70, 71, 84, 86, See also<br />
Rowland, Lois and Lunsford, Lois Rowland<br />
Patek, Marjorie, 139<br />
Patrick, Darrell, 57<br />
Patrick, David, 89<br />
Patterson, Glen, 80<br />
Patti Welder High School, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 29,<br />
32, 37, 39, 40, 45, 47, 49, 54, 55, 59, 64, 65,<br />
70, 85, 100, 206<br />
Paulus, Henry, 14<br />
Pavlica, Sherry, 133<br />
Payne, Becky, 173<br />
Peacock, Johnny, 126<br />
Peery, Kenneth, 138<br />
Pennell, Shuvonne, 234<br />
Pennington, Linda, 113<br />
Pensacola Junior <strong>College</strong>, 101<br />
People's National Bank, 8<br />
Perez, Michelle, 219, 220<br />
Perry, Bessie, 96, 97<br />
Perry, Kari, 182<br />
Phillips, Sandy, 125<br />
Picha, Kelly, 201<br />
Pickering, George, 78, 79<br />
Pickett, Billy, 95, 96<br />
Pickett, Carroll, 78, 79<br />
Pickett, Clifford, 75<br />
Pickett, Ken, 89<br />
Pickett, R. C., 69<br />
Pickle, Eileen, 150<br />
Pigott, Dale, 187, 190, 202<br />
Piper, Martha Kimper, 159, 164, 169<br />
Pirate, <strong>The</strong>, 76, 129<br />
Pleasure Island, 28<br />
Port Lavaca High School, 10<br />
Port Lavaca Transportation Company, 69<br />
Potcinske, Daniel, 131<br />
Powell, Marilyn, 136, 193<br />
Power, Bill, 100<br />
Pozzi, Alice, 125<br />
Prism Club, <strong>The</strong>, 123<br />
Prism, <strong>The</strong>, 123<br />
Pritchard, Gilbert V., 14, 41, 54, 229<br />
Proctor, Fred, Jr., 54, 55, 63, 64<br />
Progressive Voters' League, 85<br />
Pustka, Rose, 156<br />
Q<br />
Qualls, Jack, 47<br />
R<br />
Rader, Debbi, 172<br />
Randolph <strong>College</strong>, 15<br />
Rangow, Beatrice, 36<br />
Reagan, Ronald, 154, 166<br />
Reconstruction Finance Corporation, 21<br />
Reece, Aubrey, 32<br />
Reed, Ted, 167<br />
Reger, Kim, 191<br />
Reger, Mark, 184<br />
Regen, Mickey, 113<br />
Reuter, Fred, 89, 90<br />
Rhodes, Darla, 185<br />
Rice Institute, 11<br />
Richards, Ann, 188, 189<br />
Rick, Robert, 93<br />
Rickover, Hyman, 163, 164<br />
Rigamonti, Grace, 75<br />
Riggs, Julia, 152, 187<br />
Rios, Roland, 189<br />
Rivera, Chris, 217<br />
Roach, T. A., 45, 47, 48, 51, 52, 55<br />
Robins, Odessa, 15<br />
Robinson, Kay, 131<br />
Robles, Rebecca, 159<br />
Rodriguez, Jose, 233<br />
Rodriguez, Victor, 80<br />
Roe, Herman, 200, 201<br />
Rogers, Avery, 74<br />
Rogers, Billie, 55, 56<br />
Rogers, Hoy, 93, 94<br />
Rojas, Alex, 189, 190, 193<br />
Roosevelt, Franklin, 35<br />
Root, Charles, 185, 186<br />
Rosenquest, Kenneth, 162, 163<br />
Ross, Eric, 185<br />
Ross, James, 213<br />
Round Top House, 29<br />
Routt, W. A., 65<br />
Rowland, Lois, 87, See also Parker, Lois and<br />
Lunsford, Lois Rowland<br />
Ruben Pena, 125<br />
Index ✦ 239
Rushing, Bob, 37<br />
Russell, H. N. "Rusty", 90, 91, 213<br />
S<br />
S. S. Pirate, <strong>The</strong>, 89<br />
Sagebiel, Patti, 192<br />
Salone, Reuben, 156<br />
Sam Houston State University, 179, 185<br />
San Angelo Junior <strong>College</strong>, 21<br />
San Jose State <strong>College</strong>, 95<br />
Sanchez, Adele, 133<br />
Santleben, Sandy, 140<br />
Sardelich, Pete, 84, 89<br />
Sasser, J. J., 10<br />
Satterwhite, Perry, Jr., 20<br />
Schauer, Shelley Ann, 125<br />
Schiwitz, Mary Nell, 92<br />
Schmidt, Everette, 60<br />
Schneider, C. F., 122, 124, 140, 150, 161, 166,<br />
174, 181, 187, 214, 222<br />
Schneider, Fredaline, 34, 35<br />
Schoener, Allen, 234<br />
Schoenig, Marlene, 85<br />
Schramek, Bob, 216<br />
Schramek, Sandy, 224<br />
Schramm, Bennie, 181, 183<br />
Schreiner Institute, 15, 21, 31, 65<br />
Schuchert, C. A., 11<br />
Schultz, Charles, 80<br />
Seale, Sam, 162<br />
Sekul, Joe, 187, 203, 205<br />
Selective Service <strong>College</strong> Qualification Test, 77<br />
Selective Training and Service Act <strong>of</strong> 1940, 38<br />
Self, Allen, 65<br />
Serrata, Lydia, 120, 217, 228<br />
Servicemen's Readjustment Act, 41, 45<br />
Sestak, James, 90<br />
Sharp, John, 179, 199<br />
Shattuck, Morris, 147<br />
ShelfTalk, 201<br />
Shields, F. S. "Ted", 53, 54<br />
Shields, Fred B., 11<br />
Shields, George, 11, 14<br />
Shinn, Ed C., 65, 78, 80, 84, 85, 89, 91, 93, 94,<br />
100, 105, 224, 225<br />
Shook, Larry, 82, 172<br />
Shook, Robert W., 117, 119, 120, 149, 150, 153,<br />
174<br />
Shroyer, Sylva, 127<br />
Shutt, Bob, 30<br />
Simon, Clarence, 56<br />
Simons, James, 81<br />
Singleton, Bobby, 90, 93<br />
Sloan, Ronald, 123<br />
Smajstrla, Anton, 93, 94<br />
Smith, Billie, 14<br />
Smith, Don, 179, 182<br />
Smith, Gary, 115<br />
Smith, Heaton, 97<br />
Smith, Karen Brucene, 125, 129<br />
Smith, Munson, 199<br />
Smith, W. H., Sr., 21, 27<br />
Smith-Hughes Vocational Education Act, 20<br />
Snead, Bettye Jean, 48<br />
Sockwell, Jewell, 65<br />
Soldiers Bonus Bill, 40<br />
South Park Junior <strong>College</strong>, 15<br />
South Texas Association <strong>of</strong> Registrars and<br />
Admission Officers, 146<br />
South Texas Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce, 21<br />
South Texas Junior <strong>College</strong> Conference, 45<br />
Southern Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s and Schools,<br />
159, 161, 187, 191, 198<br />
Southern Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s and Secondary<br />
Schools, 78, 82, 101<br />
Southern Methodist University, 213<br />
Southern Pacific Drum and Bugle Corps, 22<br />
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory,<br />
168<br />
Southwest Texas Junior <strong>College</strong>, 179<br />
Southwest Texas State University, 118, 126, 129,<br />
132, 134, 135, 136, 155, 185, 200, 211<br />
Southwestern Symposium <strong>of</strong> Contemporary<br />
Music, 95<br />
Soward, Pat, 167<br />
Speed, Vicky, 185<br />
Spencer, Tom, 140<br />
Spiegelhauer, Elton, 40<br />
Spies, Harvey, 167, 211<br />
Spindler, Bruce, 164<br />
Spinks, Alannah, 125<br />
Spinks, Bruce, 115<br />
Splawn, William W., 11<br />
Spoor, Ray, 75<br />
Spurlin, Charles D., 110, 122, 123, 138, 139,<br />
150, 151, 160, 168, 186, 197, 198, 204<br />
Spurlin, Debra, 145, 146, 223<br />
Spurlin, Pat, 197, 226<br />
Spurlin, Steve, 216, 223<br />
St. Joseph High School, 29, 72<br />
St. Mary's University, 15<br />
Stanly, Hugh, 38<br />
Stark, Eddie, 31<br />
Starnes, John, 83<br />
Starr, Dill, 123<br />
State Junior <strong>College</strong> Basketball Tournament, 31<br />
State University <strong>of</strong> New York, 201<br />
Steele, Lucille, 32<br />
Steele, William H. “Doc”, 64, 65, 69, 211, 218,<br />
227<br />
Stephen F. Austin State University, 150<br />
Stone, Charles S., 118, 155<br />
Stormont, John W., 65, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74,<br />
75, 76, 78, 79, 81, 82, 92, 93, 94, 97, 101,<br />
110, 112, 119, 120, 129, 140, 150, 166, 211,<br />
212, 217, 218, 229, 231<br />
Stormont, Mrs. John W., 204<br />
Streetman, Mary, 115<br />
Stroman, O. C., 39<br />
Stuart, Edward, 34, 37<br />
Stubbs, Jimmie Lee, 46<br />
Summers, Caroline, 99, 126, 136, 211, 223, 229<br />
Sunkel, Pat, 78<br />
Swearingen, Lee, 200<br />
Swickheimer, Dorothy, 96, 97<br />
Swoboda, John, 89<br />
Swope, T. J., 48<br />
T<br />
Talbott, Lou, 156<br />
Talley, Claude A., 110, 111, 124, 149, 153, 165,<br />
215<br />
Talley, Geraldine F., 124, 187, 215<br />
Tanecka, Joe, 83<br />
Tanner, Joel, 94<br />
Tappan, Henry Phillips, 7<br />
Tarleton State University, 96<br />
Taulbee, George, 135, 148<br />
Taylor, Billy, 80<br />
Taylor, Virginia, 56<br />
Temple <strong>College</strong>, 179<br />
Temple Junior <strong>College</strong>, 32<br />
Terrell, Howard, 146<br />
Terrell, Vincent, 216, 223<br />
Terry, Pat, 73<br />
Texas A&I <strong>College</strong>, 39, 185<br />
Texas A&M University, 41, 58, 115, 132, 141,<br />
185, 200, 215, 218<br />
Texas Academic Skills Program, 175<br />
Texas Agricultural and Mechanical <strong>College</strong>, 36<br />
Texas Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong> Teachers, 140<br />
Texas Association <strong>of</strong> <strong>College</strong>s, 10<br />
Texas Association <strong>of</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong>s, 23<br />
Texas Christian University, 31, 141<br />
Texas <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> Mines, 65<br />
Texas Community <strong>College</strong> Teachers Association,<br />
198<br />
Texas Council <strong>of</strong> State University Librarians, 173<br />
Texas Daily Newspaper Association, 117<br />
Texas Historical Commission, 194, 196<br />
Texas Institute <strong>of</strong> Letters, 196<br />
Texas Inter-Scholastic League, 27<br />
Texas Junior <strong>College</strong>, 179<br />
Texas Junior <strong>College</strong> Association, 17, 18<br />
Texas Junior <strong>College</strong> Conference, 31<br />
Texas Junior <strong>College</strong> Press Association, 115<br />
Texas Library Association, 173<br />
Texas Lutheran <strong>College</strong>, 21<br />
Texas Nurses' Association, 201<br />
Texas Public Community Junior <strong>College</strong><br />
Association, 179<br />
Texas Public Junior <strong>College</strong> Association, 140<br />
Texas Relief Commission, 23<br />
Texas State Historical Association, 198<br />
Texas State Teachers Association, 27, 126<br />
Texas Student Education Association, 123, 127<br />
Texas Tech University, 11, 124, 185<br />
Thames, Dorothy, 30, 31<br />
Thiele, Melissa, 167<br />
Thigpen, Shirley, 155<br />
Thomas, Darlese, 98<br />
Thomas, Jack, 91<br />
Thomas, Rachel, 185<br />
Thomas, Steve, 182, 186, 190, 191, 194, 195,<br />
207<br />
Thompson, Clark W., 73<br />
Thurman, Richard, 80<br />
Thurmond, Ethel, 65, 81, 82<br />
Thurmond, George, 10, 11<br />
Thweatt, Mary, 125<br />
Tibiletti, Philip, 59<br />
Timpoine, Erika, 233<br />
Tippins, Carol, 167<br />
Tipton, Linda, 115<br />
Toalson, Carolyn, 109<br />
Tolbert, Peggy, 100<br />
Torres-Raines, Rosario, 203<br />
Traber, Betty Ann, 81<br />
Traylor, Reginald, 134, 139, 148<br />
Trcka, Mike, 80<br />
Trinity Episcopal Church, 71<br />
Troell, Luther, 168, 185<br />
Truman, Earl, 47<br />
Tunney, Jim, 159<br />
Turk, Sue, 83<br />
Tyler Junior <strong>College</strong>, 37<br />
Tyng, Anita, 81<br />
Tyng, Elena, 14<br />
U<br />
Uhler, Jo Ann, 83<br />
Ulman, Dianne, 126, 128<br />
Underwood, Gary, 139, 160, 171<br />
Underwood, Marylyn, 158, 160<br />
United States Bureau <strong>of</strong> Education, 7<br />
Universidad International-Center for Bilingual<br />
Multicultural Studies, 205<br />
University Interscholastic League, 94, 187<br />
University <strong>of</strong> California, 34, 107<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Chicago, 7<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Georgia, 7<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Houston, 133, 134, 139, 148, 156,<br />
159, 164, 165, 167, 169, 170, 179, 183, 185,<br />
199<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Michigan, 7<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Minnesota, 7<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Missouri, 82<br />
University <strong>of</strong> North Texas, 34, 36, 59, 124, 126,<br />
185<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Texas, 11, 14, 17, 22, 29, 34, 35,<br />
37, 40, 53, 65, 74, 84, 94, 95, 107, 114, 162,<br />
185, 200<br />
Uptown <strong>The</strong>ater, 30<br />
Urban, Helen, 89<br />
Urbano, David, 107, 224<br />
V<br />
"V" Association, <strong>The</strong>, 15, 16<br />
Van Rekom, Roger, 95<br />
Van Zant, Bobby, 74<br />
Vasquez, John E., 200, 207<br />
Venegas, Rafael, 205<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Adult Literacy Council, 199<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Advocate, <strong>The</strong>, 9, 15, 20, 23, 27, 30, 31,<br />
33, 37, 45, 46, 47, 51, 59, 117, 168<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Art Guild, 225<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Athletic Association, 27, 30, 31<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Aviation Services, Inc., 162<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce, 33, 100<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Kaleidoscope, <strong>The</strong>, 174<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> <strong>College</strong> Nursing Student Association,<br />
172<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Corraliers, 113, 115<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Council <strong>of</strong> Parent-Teacher Associations,<br />
53<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> County United War Chest <strong>of</strong> Texas, 60<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Field, 38<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Hispanic Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce, 193<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Independent School District, 8, 20, 21,<br />
23, 27, 37, 45, 46, 50, 54, 55, 64, 173, 199<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce, 53<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Dramatic Club, 14<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Junior <strong>College</strong> Drum and Bugle Corps,<br />
22<br />
"<strong>Victoria</strong> Meteor," <strong>The</strong>, 94<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Ministerial Association, 33<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Municipal Band, 27<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> National Bank, 55<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong> Typewriter Company, 51<br />
<strong>Victoria</strong>n, <strong>The</strong>, 45<br />
Vietnam War, 107, 116<br />
Vogt, Ed, 150<br />
Vogt's Radio Shop, 54<br />
Von Dohlen, Tim, 145<br />
W<br />
Wade, Melonie, 188<br />
Wagner, Elizabeth, 225<br />
Wagner, Gayle, 112<br />
Wagner, Harry, 185, 185<br />
Wagner, LeAnn, 201<br />
Wagner, Linda, 185<br />
Wagoner, Mary Ethel, 56, 62<br />
Walesa, Lech, 228<br />
Walker, Doak, 213<br />
Walker, Joy, 226, 229<br />
Walker, Richard, 107, 124, 138, 150, 151, 153,<br />
159, 213, 221, 226, 227, 229<br />
Walker, Ronald B., 168, 170, 198, 207<br />
Wallace, James, 100<br />
Wallace, Mack, 186<br />
Wallace, Mandi, 194<br />
Walters, Bill, 78<br />
Walton, Tom, 181, 187<br />
War Assets Administration, 46, 56, 63, 64<br />
Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital, 134, 135,<br />
168, 169, 171<br />
Warnl<strong>of</strong>, Jessica, 123, 124, 211<br />
Warren, Chris, 186<br />
Warren, Glenn, 74, 78, 79<br />
Warren, Jack, 189<br />
Watkins, William Ward, 11<br />
Wattinger, John, 11<br />
Watts, Martha, 114, 186, 214<br />
Wearden, Joseph, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 64, 65,<br />
74, 75, 90, 92<br />
Webb, Ricky, 124<br />
Weber Junior <strong>College</strong>, 93<br />
Weeks, Marguerite, 96<br />
Weiler, Billy, 94<br />
Weisiger, Robert, 73<br />
Weisiger, Sidney R., 10<br />
Welder, Leo, 140, 147, 151, 168, 198<br />
West, Charlotte, 14<br />
Western Week, 79, 110, 111, 112<br />
Westminster Choir <strong>College</strong>, 138<br />
Wharton County Junior <strong>College</strong>, 47<br />
Wharton Junior <strong>College</strong>, 72, 80<br />
White Oak School, 36<br />
Whitehurst, Russ, 201<br />
Whiteside, Oscar Rex, 94, 141, 161, 168, 169,<br />
180, 181, 186, 211<br />
Whitmore, Chadbourne, 86, 97, 119, 120, 136,<br />
137, 212, 218<br />
Who's Who Among America's Teachers, 198, 201<br />
Who's Who in America, 160<br />
Who's Who in American Art, 65<br />
Wieland, Don<br />
Wier, Richard, 121<br />
Wilkes, Clark C., 41<br />
Wilkinson, Scott, 150<br />
William A. Wood Family Foundation, 174<br />
Williams, Dennis, 80<br />
Williams, Jack, 132<br />
Williams, Kemper, Jr., 72, 73, 167, 224<br />
Williams, Mary Ann, 65<br />
Williams, Ronnie, 126<br />
Williams, Ruth, 96, 112, 138, 141, 149, 150,<br />
167, 169, 183, 188<br />
Williams, Vollie, 84, 89, 110<br />
Williamson, A. C., 10<br />
Williamson, Glenn K., 14<br />
Williamson, Marcus, 10<br />
Wilson, Lessie Fay, 97<br />
Windwehen, Susan, 216<br />
Winkenwerder, John, 234<br />
Woehl, Cynthia, 129, 134<br />
Wolfe, Thomas, 171<br />
Wood, William A., 174<br />
Woods, L. A., 23, 34<br />
Workman, Frances, 124<br />
World War II, 35, 38, 39, 40, 45, 46, 116, 127,<br />
217<br />
Worth Publishing Company, 201<br />
Wright, Betsy Mynette, 56, 59, 228<br />
Wright, Bill, 127<br />
Wright, Mary Ann, 136, 139, 145, 211, 219<br />
Wuthrich, Herbert, 90, 93<br />
Wyatt, Joe, Jr., 145, 226<br />
Y<br />
Yarborough, Ralph, 113<br />
Yarbrough, Steve, 117<br />
Yeager, Billy, 80<br />
York, Albert, 51, 53, 54<br />
Young, Carroll, 85<br />
Young, Sam D., 132<br />
Young, Warren, 173<br />
Youngblood, Don, 78<br />
Z<br />
Zafereo, Mark, 198, 200, 207, 219, 228, 229<br />
Zambrano, Joe, 83<br />
Zavesky, Chuck, 216, 223<br />
Zavesky, Jerry, 135, 156, 211<br />
Zavesky, Jode, 206<br />
Zawadski, Lee, 218<br />
Zirjacks, Cathie, 120, 228<br />
Zirjacks, Winston L., 14, 37, 54, 55, 63, 64, 74,<br />
90, 159, 170, 172, 179, 183, 189, 197<br />
240 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, <strong>1925</strong>-<strong>2000</strong>