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This is the transcript from the first 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 history of education in Texas, his educational philosophy, and the need for vocational schools to provide practical skills to their students. He also talks about growing up in a family that had books in their home, and how he was encouraged to get his master’s degree at the age of 30. 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-Statesman on August 30, 1964.

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.

In the 1974 interview, conducted by students Bobbie Vaughn and Stan Siler, Dr. Henrietta "Retta" Murphy talks briefly about her family, her education, and her first teaching job at Trinity where she was also Dean of Women. The focus of the interview is related to her experiences at Southwest Texas State, beginning with her arrival in San Marcos in 1919. Dr. Murphy discusses her memories and observations of the History Department, examples of discrimination she experienced as a woman on the faculty, and some memories from teaching troops on campus during WWII. She also talks about President C.E. Evans, President John G. Flowers, Professor Greene, and Lyndon Johnson.

In the 1978 interview, conducted by History faculty members Merry FitzPatrick and Ronald C. Brown, Dr. Henrietta "Retta" Murphy talks about her experiences at Southwest Texas State, from her arrival in 1919 when the school was still a Normal College, through her retirement in 1956.  She relates stories about President “Prexy” Evans, President Flowers, Lyndon Johnson, and mentions SWT professors H.M. Greene, James Taylor, Emmie Craddock, Alfred Nolle, and Betty Kissler among others. She also talks about her beliefs about education and teaching and offers examples from her years of teaching college students.  The interviewers and Dr. Murphy had a collegial relationship and they laughed through much of the interview.

Dr. Kissler discusses her early educational experiences in Colorado, including a failed stint in law school before getting her BA and MA in history. She recalls her trip to Europe in 1950 and early teaching experiences in Montana and California. She details her PhD work at UT-Austin under Dr. W.P. Webb and how she began working at SWTSTC in the education department before becoming an assistant professor in the history department in the late 1950s and 1960s.

Emmie Craddock talks about her early life in Louisiana and then Houston, her education at Rice, and her early teaching days in Missouri City. She recalls her time in the U.S. Navy during WWII, during which she was head of the women's reserve, as well as studying for her PhD in history with W.P. Webb at UT-Austin. She discusses how she was hired by James Taylor to join the history department and her career as a faculty member at Texas State. Dr. Craddock also describes her political career as a councilwoman and mayor for the City of San Marcos, touching on topics such as creating a local charter and dealing with environmental disputes, ordinances, flooding, and landfills.

Dr. Houston talks about growing up in Denton County, attending college at UNT and teaching in Big Spring, Texas. He discusses studying for his PhD at UT-Austin and being recruited by Deacon Wright to teach at SWTSTC in the 1930s. He describes campus, the English department and its staff, and his experiences as a professor, head of the English department, and Dean of Liberal and Fine Arts during his time at the university (1937-1970). He also relates stories about Dr. McCrocklin and the university's participation in the AAUP and other academic organizations.

In her second interview, Merry Kone Fitzpatrick talks about graduating from high school and attending college at SWTSTC. Along with describing her college and graduate courses and certain professors like Professor Green, Retta Murphy, James Taylor, Betty Jane Kissler, and Emmie Craddock, she discusses what the school, her first job during WWII, and her work supervising student teachers were like. She describes the then-social science division and its faculty, as well as campus buildings like Old Main and certain local characters. This interview covers the 1930s through the 1960s.

Dr. Houston talks about his role in creating the university's institutional self-studies during his time as Dean of Liberal and Fine Arts. He reflects on his experiences with students such as Senator Walter Richter, and other important local figures including Russ and Anne Vliet, Gates Thomas, and Dudley Dobie. He emphasizes President Flowers and Leland Derrick's significance in shaping the university.

Clarence Schultz, sociology professor, shares his memories of coming to SWTSTC as an undergraduate student in the post-WWII era. Along with describing married student housing and the college's home economics program, he talks about the City of San Marcos and its businesses. He explains the class registration process and how he came to work in the university's Department of Economics and Sociology, which he joined in 1965. Mr. Schultz outlines how the Department of Sociology has evolved throughout the decades. He spends time reflecting on the university's presidents, the university's past as a teacher's college, Sewell Park's water pageants, certain faculty members like Prof. Green , Dr. James Taylor, and Dr. John Flowers, assorted student societies, and the men's faculty club.

Dr. Brunson talks about his early teaching at Delmar College before applying for a job at SWTSC. He describes what Southwest Texas was like when he fist began teaching in 1960, touching on important moments such as the creation of a separate history department. He discusses the books that he's written, both published and unpublished. He also mentions his religious faith, his military service, and his musical hobbies.

Dr. Bowles discusses what led him to become a music professor at SWTSU. He talks about Dr. Flowers and shares some memorable moments from his own teaching career, including his thoughts on what inspired him to stay around for so long. He also reflects on his travel experiences and life philosophy.

In the second interview, Daniel Farlow discusses his teaching career in the political science department and the evolution of the college from SWTSTC to SWTSC to SWTSU. He talks about his studies at UT-Austin and being hired by Dr. James Taylor for the then-social science division. He discusses different university administrations of Presidents John Flowers, James McCrocklin, Billy Mac Jones, Lee Smith and Robert L. Hardesty. He shares his predictions for the university's future and its academic reputation.

Empress Zedler discusses how she went about organizing courses and clinics for the university's special education department. These clinics brought lecturing scholars to teach university students methodology and topics relating to special education and helping children with special needs. Dr. Zedler mentions specific visiting professors as well as Dr. Flowers in particular.

Dr. Brunson discusses the changes the university's at Texas State has seen over the years. She talks about the challenges of being a woman professor and certain women faculty members, specifically in the English department. Along with discussing the English department's offerings and history, she describes the ways that different university presidents' administrations', including Billy Mac Jones and Dean Ralph Randolph, affected the English department's curriculum and operations. Dr. Brunson recalls her time as chair of the department and helping to establish the Therese Kayser Lindsey Chair. Dr. Brunson reflects on some of her department colleagues, including Dr. Ralph Houston. She talks about changes in students' preparation and changes for women on campus, including the creation of a women's studies minor.

De Johnson shares her family's history in Texas and her experience attending graduate school at UT-Austin. She explains how her education background and teaching experiences at private business colleges in Austin led to her employment at SWTSU in the 1970s. She describes her time working in the university's counseling center and teaching psychology courses. Dean Johnson outlines the creation of SLAC and the resources she's developed to help university students effectively learn, and she predicts what SLAC will be like in the future.

Dr. Kirk talks about his childhood and background in Washington, D.C., his education at Princeton University, his service in WWI and WWII, his trip to Europe in the 1920s, his marriage, and his life as a long-time English professor.

Dr. Juel discusses the similarities and differences of the Texas State campus, the student body, and the curriculum over the 31-year span of his career at Texas State. He shares the different responsibilities he had as the school's health coordinator, dean of students, professor in the education department, and essentially disciplinarian from the 1950s through the 1980s. Dr. Juel mentions the San Marcos Ten, certain recollections of disciplinary problems, changing campus extracurricular activities, and the declining quality of education and teachers over time.

Frederick Fahringer talks about growing up in Wisconsin, attending Bucknell University, and coming to Texas via the Air Force and Lackland Airfield. Beyond describing his long career with the Air Force, he shares how he became a psychology professor at SWTSU. He also discusses his personal philosophies and beliefs about students and college, and mentions little anecdotes about his teaching assistants and Dr. Clarence Schultz.