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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.

Clara Louise Harrison Cape (1892-1995) was married to Edward Matthew Cape (1890-1972), son of early San Marcos settler John Matthew Cape. Her scrapbooks and knowledge of local history contributed to the research that produced "Clear Springs and Limestone Ledges: A History of San Marcos and Hays County for the Sesquicentennial." For the first part of the interview, Cape reads from a prepared statement that highlights what she remembered about San Marcos after arriving here in 1906 when she was about 15 years old. She talks about how different Texas was from Alabama, life as a student at the East End School, and the creation of Southwest Texas State Normal School. Cape then answers interviewer questions, discussing topics including the San Marcos River, native vegetation, the Depression, her family history, and being a friend of Lyndon Johnson.

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.

John Matthew (J.M.) Cape II (1924-2013), grandson of early San Marcos settler John Matthew Cape, was born in his family home on the banks of the San Marcos River. He joined the family cotton business, working for 43 years as a cottonseed broker. Cape discusses growing up in San Marcos, his family’s business, the history of cotton in Texas including farms, mills, and gins, the current state of cotton oil production, and some of the changes he’s witnessed in the city and the surrounding areas.

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.

Charles Clayton talks about his Texas State experiences as both a child growing up on campus and in San Marcos and as a faculty member in the history department. He shares his memories attending the campus's laboratory school and working on the college's maintenance crew. He recalls prominent memories concerning other well-known faculty members, such as President Evans, President and Mrs. Flowers, Dr. Spurgeon Smith, J.R. Buckner, Coach Strahan, Jerome Cates, Prof. Green, James Taylor, Retta Murphy, Leland Derrick, Deacon Wright, and others. Mr. Clayton describes how the New Deal played out on campus, including the construction of certain buildings like Evans and Sayers Hall. He talks about earning his BA and MA degrees and then working as Vice Principal at San Marcos High School. He touches on other topics such as the San Marcus River, Old Main, and the changes he's seen on campus and in town.

H.Y. Price talks about the difficulties he faced while starting up the San Marcos Telephone Company, the task of remaining independent in the midst of other large telephone cooperations, and about his involvement with the Campus Christian Community Center at Texas State.

Marian Meeks talks about talks about the life of her father, H.A. Nelson, who taught agriculture at Texas State for many years. She shares his own experiences attending SWTSTC in the 1930s and 1940s. She discusses aspects of campus life including literary societies, athletics, recitals, the Faculty Club, Aquarena (Spring) Lake, and shares stories about campus figures such as Mary Brogdon. Mrs. Meeks shares her early teaching experiences in Moulton, her graduate studies at UT-Austin, work in VA hospitals, and how she returned to San Marcos.

Merry Kone Fitzpatrick talks about how her family came to settle in San Marcos and her childhood in San Marcos. She recalls her elementary, junior high, and high school experiences, including tidbits about the Blanco and San Marcos Rivers, Sewell Park, the Presbyterian Church, and attending the campus school. Professor FitzPatrick shares information about her brothers and their careers. She describes downtown San Marcos and its local landmarks and businesses, covering her childhood through the 1930s.

Edwin Fauver reflects on the changes he has seen on campus since he first came to the university. He talks about the challenges that have accompanied the campus's expansion and offers some information on campus buildings like the Music Building, Jowers Center, Evans Field, and the Psychology Building. He also recalls some of San Marcos's floods.

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.

Augustine Lucio discusses what life in San Marcos was like growing up as a Mexican migrant worker in the 1930s. He goes on to talk about his experiences in the military in WWII and the 1940s and how that inspired him to pursue an education. Mr. Lucio describes what San Marcos was like at time and its local politics and education system, especially in relation to the town's Latino community.

Margaret Fields talks about her early life in New Braunfels and life during the Great Depression. She describes the university campus and the schooling she received at Texas State in the 1930s and 1940s. She mentions places like Old Main; people such as C.E. Evans, Mary Brogdon, Leland Derrick, and John Flowers; and her experiences living off-campus. She discusses the various teaching jobs she took in Comal County and Medina County as well as her work with the state vocational rehabilitation department in Austin and other companies in Houston. She outlines how it all led her to her current job at the Sophienburg Museum in New Braunfels.

George Sullivan talks about his experiences as a Presbyterian pastor in San Marcos. He also reflects on his relationships with various faculty members such as Oscar Strahan, Leland Derrick, and Dr. Martin Juel. He talks about his religious faith and his book, The Son of Thunder, Tamed. He also shares some of the poetry that he's written.

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.

Lola Cheatham, a long-time San Marcos resident talks about the growth of San Marcos and what Texas State used to be like. She recalls growing up and attending school in Caldwell County, going to college at Texas College in Tyler, and working for SWTSU for sixteen years. She shares her experiences and duties during her employment at the University Staff Lounge in Flowers Hall. Ms. Cheatham discusses university figures such as Emmie Craddock, John Flowers, LBJ, and Dana Smith, the university's first enrolled African-American student.

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.

Terry Serur talks about his family history and local business, Serur's Varsity Shop. Mr. Serur describes what Texas State was like when he was a student in the 1960s, how he thinks San Marcos has changed, his family's association with LBJ.