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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.

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.

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. Augustin talks about growing up and attending college in Nebraska. Along with discussing how he ended up in the field of geography and his early work, Dr. Augustin speaks about what convinced him to come to Texas State. Dr. Augustin outlines his methods and philosophies of teaching geography and applauds the faculty of the geography department. He briefly talks about how the university and San Marcos has changed as well as where he has traveled.

Everette Swinney talks about his upbringing in Ohio and higher education in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and finally at UT-Austin. Along with describing his family and participation in academic societies, Dr. Swinney discusses his writings on the 14th and 15th Amendments. He recalls his teaching experiences in the history department (specifically as chairman) and his recent interest in developing software and teaching computer courses. He reflects on how student life has changed from the 1960s to the 1980s, noting the impacts of the principle of in loco parentis, student activism, computers, and the General Studies Program.

Dr. Charles Chapman talks about his views of Texas State and San Marcos as both a student and a faculty member. He recalls his experiences attending SWTSU in the early 1970s and teaching at Lockhart High School. He discusses his professional and educational career, specifically his time working for Governor Briscoe and the Texas Department of Community Affairs as well as earning his PhD and JD at UT-Austin. Dr. Chapman talks about being elected as District Attorney, living in San Marcos and working with its City Council, and his opinions about Lee Smith and Robert L. Hardesty's university administrations.