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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.

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.