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Photograph of Southwest Texas State College President John G. Flowers speaking into a microphone, with two other men on each side of him.

Photograph of Southwest Texas State College President John G. Flowers speaking into a microphone, with another man on his side.

Photograph of Southwest Texas State College President John G. Flowers looking through a camera.

This is the transcript from the second of three interviews that Bruce Roche conducted with Dr. Flowers just prior to his retirement. Dr. Flowers (Class of 1913) was President of Southwest Texas State College from 1942-1964. In this interview, he talks about the development of general education requirements that brought the Humanities (arts and philosophy) back into mainstream course requirements. He discusses his opinions about faculty qualifications and who should supervise student teachers, about the college adopting a team-teaching approach, and the role of a college president. Flowers also talks about funding from the Danforth Foundation and the Hogg Foundation that allowed the school to implement programs it couldn’t otherwise afford. Interviewer Bruce Roche was director of the College News Service. This interview was the source material for his article “Goal: Excellence – Dr. Flowers’ Lifelong Watchword,” published in the Austin American-Statesmanon August 30, 1964.

This is the transcript from the third of three interviews that Bruce Roche conducted with Dr. Flowers just prior to his retirement. Dr. Flowers (Class of 1913) was President of Southwest Texas State College from 1942-1964. In this interview, Dr. Flowers talks about the people who influenced his life and career, his relationship with his predecessor Dr. Evans, and various faculty, staff, and administrators at SWT who contributed to the success of the college. He talks about meeting Lady Bird Johnson in Washington in 1942 and how she helped get a resolution passed in Congress to give a part of Riverside (now Sewell Park) to the school. Flowers also talks about his pride in the institution and being able to work with faculty even when they disagreed. Interviewer Bruce Roche was director of the College News Service. This interview was the source material for his article “Goal: Excellence – Dr. Flowers’ Lifelong Watchword,” published in the Austin American-Statesmanon August 30, 1964.

Jerome Cates discusses his career as an educator and his time working for Texas State. He begins by describing his adolescence in Robstown, Texas, and recalling his high school, dating, working, and early teaching experiences in Beeville. Mr. Cates discusses how things have changed since he first came to the university, including San Marcos and the campus's growth. He tells of his work as the university's Chief Financial Officer, Head of Business Affairs, and briefly as an accounting professor. He also outlines the college's relationship with San Marcos, from the 1950s through now, and touches on topics such as integration, LBJ, and changing student attitudes. He shares his opinions on the work of Presidents John G. Flowers, James McCrocklin, Billy Mac Jones, and Lee Smith. Mr. Cates talks about his experience serving as interim president after Billy Mac Jones's resignation, during which he encountered challenges such as the streaking phenomenon that took hold of campus.

President Robert L. Hardesty talks about the effects recent (1986) cutbacks in university funding have had on the General Studies program at Texas State.