Marvin College in Waxahachie, TX

Since I thoroughly enjoyed my excursion to Waxahachie a couple of months ago, I have decided to write a brief blog post on Marvin College, one of Waxahachie's first schools. The city's District Conference of the Methodist Church had established a district school in Waxahachie in November 1868. This academy was housed in a two-story building on the corner of Jefferson and Monroe Streets (currently where the Ellis County Women's Building sits). At the fourth session of the Northwest Texas Conference in Weatherford in November 1869, the education committee voted favorably to turn the district school into a college. The Reverend W.G. Veal was appointed financial agent, a proposal charter was drawn up, and Reverend S.D. Akin and Professor Smith Ragsdale were selected as co-presidents. Waxahachie citizens, elated at the fact that a college was going to be in their back yard, subscribed over $15,000 in cash, land, and service for the "purpose of erecting suitable school buildings and endowing a first class school, college or university, to be under the control of trustees for the M.E. Church, South, said school to be located in the town of Waxahachie, in Ellis County, Texas..." Emory W. Rogers, one of Waxahachie's elders who had been given a 640-acre grant from the state in 1849, donated 40 acres of land for the college. Reverend F.P. Ray, Board President, and secretary Sallie A. Kincheloe both played pivotal roles in whipping up support for the new school; in total, 1,500 Waxahachie townsfolk donated to the college's establishment, sums ranging from $50 to $1000. 114 students enrolled in the first year of operation, 1869-1870. Marvin College, named in honor of Bishop Enoch M. Marvin, the presiding bishop of the Trans-Mississippi Conference of the Methodist, Episcopal Church, South, opened to much success.

The Administration Building at Marvin College, c. 1871. Ellis County Historical Society.

The first administration building was completed by the fall of 1871. At a whopping cost of $22,000, the two-story, red brick, 28-foot structure was a massive undertaking for Hoffman Brothers, the contractor. The building had a 4-foot rock foundation as well as 18 inch walls. 6 classrooms and a 40-foot study hall (which could fit 300 people, according to testimonies) graced the first floor, while a large chapel (which could impressively squeeze 800 occupants) was located on the second floor. A huge bell, crafted by New York City merchants, hung in the college's clock tower-- it's booming tones to signify the start and end of the school day could be heard within a radius of five miles. A mansard roof, an comfortable feature to the dreary concrete structure, was built between 1880 and 1882. Although the college had ceased its operations much earlier, the administration building was repurposed by the new city school district at the turn of the Twentieth Century until its demolition in December 1920. The college also had two on-campus dormitories, one male and one female (in hopes of attracting far-reaching students) and a observatory. The two-story observatory, quipped by many as "the most handsome building in North Texas," housed a laboratory and a $1,200, 9-foot telescope, created by Benjamin Pike and Sons in New York City. Additionally, these buildings were razed at the start of the new century.

Marvin College, c. 1880 (just years prior to its closure). Ellis County Historical Society.

The college, a private Methodist school, required each student to attend chapel as well as enroll in Bible classes. The curriculum (at first a classical and later changed to a practical) was spread over 10 years and comprised of a variety of rigorous primary, preparatory, and collegiate classes, including geology, military science, chemistry, and telegraphy. The college also had a renowned music program, based on collegiate music programs from European universities. Owing to the challenging coursework and distinguished professors, Marvin College was "soon to be the Cambridge of Texas," reported the editor of the Waxahachie Enterprise. Although its life span was brief, Marvin College had a student band, campus newspaper, literary societies, and an alumni association. The college granted Bachelor of Arts, Mistress of Arts, Master of Arts, and Mistress of English Literature degrees. At its peak, the college had a healthy enrollment of 350 students and a handful of award-winning faculty members.

Levin Major Lewis, a former Confederate general, was the final president of Marvin College between 1879 and 1884. Prior to this appointment, he was a professor of English at Texas A&M College. In 1884, he was appointed pastor of the First Methodist Church in Dallas. FindAGrave.Com.

Despite the successes, Marvin College's life was cut short due to a big number of leadership issues and financial burdens. The college had a string of 1-year presidents between its opening in 1869 and 1876. Mrs. E.H. Horner gave the college a little boast between 1876 and 1877 when she increased the female student enrollment. However, the college had little leadership between 1877 and 1878 (Mrs. Horner retired and interim leader Charles E. Brown was too focused on other matters). The college split its ties with the Methodist Church after 1879; attorney James A. Walkup purchased the college with his own funds and selected Confederate General Levin Major Lewis as the new president. Lewis was a talented administrator and served in that top position until his sudden retirement in 1884. In addition to the unstable and non-continuous leadership, Marvin College had a debt problem. The college held a $6,000 mortgage with J.B. Watkins and Company, and unpaid tuition bills added fuel to the fire. Moreover, the college used 30 tons of expensive coal during the 1883-1884 winter, which toppled all the remaining safety financial blocks. The final straw was in the summer of 1884 when Mr. Charles E. Brown, a huge beneficiary, stopped donating money since he became associated with H.W. Graber and Company. The final commencement occurred in June 1884, and Marvin College closed its door soon after. The school buildings were repurposed, and later razed at the start of the new century.

A historical marker was erected on the former site of Marvin College in 1977 (more than 100 years after the school's closure!). Flickr.

In conclusion, Marvin College had a very successful, yet short life. In its 15-year existence, the school was a point of pride for the City of Waxahachie (and despite the constant dark financial cloud that hung over, the townsfolk still donated large sums of money and many services to ensure the college stayed afloat until the last year). Also, the college was a tribute to the Methodists of the Waxahachie District of the Northwest Texas Conference, who had conceived the idea of a first-class college and had tirelessly supported it during the joys and challenges. Marvin College holds a stoic, profound, positive place in Waxahachie's history.

Cited Sources:

Billy R. Hancock, "Marvin College," Ellis County Museum Inc., accessed July 29, 2021, https://sites.rootsweb.com/~txecm/marvin_college.htm. 

Charlie C. Haynes, Jr., "Marvin College," Handbook of Texas Online, accessed July 29, 2021, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/marvin-college. 

Edna Davis Hawkins et al., History of Ellis County, Texas (Waco: Texian, 1972). 

William Franklin Ledlow, History of Protestant Education in Texas (Ph.D. dissertation, University of Texas, 1926).

Waxahachie: A Breath Of Fresh Air

My wife and I took a 'mini-vacation' to Waxahachie several weeks ago, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Ellis County either trying 'hole-in-the-wall' restaurants or wandering around the region's many historical and cultural points of interest. All, I would recommend visiting Waxahachie and appreciating the vibrant atmosphere of Central Texas. Below, I have written a brief history of Waxahachie and shared some photographs from our wonderful trip.

The sun shines brightly on the beautiful Ellis County Courthouse, the heart of Waxahachie.

The earliest inhabitants of the South Dallas region were the Tonkawa, Bidai, Kickapoo, Anadarko, and Waco Indians. The Natives' settlements were large and their economies heavily relied on agriculture and trading. Due to the Shawnee Cattle Trail, where ranchers moved longhorns and cattle from San Antonio to Missouri, an influx of settlers moved to the area after the 1836 Texas Revolution. One of the first white settlers was Emory W. Rogers, who, on October 4, 1849, received a grant of 640-acres along the north-fork of the Waxahachie Creek to establish the seat of the newly-created Ellis County (the county is named after Richard Ellis, president of the 1836 Constitutional Congress which had declared Texas' independence from Mexico). By December of 1849, Waxahachie boosted several wood-built stores, 989 people, and a dirt-tracked Main Street. The first courthouse was built of logs and cost only $59 to construct. The City of Waxahachie, located on the black waxy soiled banks of Waxahachie Creek, was officially established in 1850. The name of the new community was proposed by State Representative E.H. Tarrant from the Waxah Indian Tribe (Tarrant County is named in his honor) and the Native word for creek is 'hachie.' Following the Civil War, Waxahachie's economy relied on agriculture and cattle. The first railroads in the county in the 1870s, including the Houston & Texas Central Railway, opened Waxahachie's trading tentacles and connected the people of Central Texas to traders in New Orleans and on the Gulf Coast. At the turn of the twentieth century, prosperous Waxahachie was suitably dubbed the "Banner Cotton County of the World." Owing to a thriving economy, the city saw a herd of wealthy individuals settle on its lands in the 1910s and 1920s, whom built grand "gingerbread" style homes. The city's social life rested heavily on churches, boarding houses, and women's clubs. The Chautauqua Auditorium, an octagonal amphitheater built in 1902, was one of the first in the United States and was frequently used by the city's wealthiest elites. Distinguished orators, such as William Jennings Bryan and William Penn Adair Rogers spoke in this structure. After the 1930s Great Depression, Waxahachie's once-prominent agricultural economy scaled back, making way for a flourishing retail center. Although the cotton industry is gone, today's Waxahachie provides city-goers from Dallas and Fort Worth a breath of fresh country air, plus a variety of fantastic antique shops and local restaurants. 

A section of the Downtown Square. Note the old Texas Movie Theater, which possibly drew huge crowds of hormone-raging teenagers in the 1950s and 1960s (the theater is now closed).

Waxahachie has also been featured in several award-winning films, including Travelling Man (starring Kay Lenz), Valentine's Day (starring Matthew Broderick and William Converse Robert), and Bonnie and Clyde (with the legendary duo Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty). Moreover, TV producers have filmed their television flicks in Ellis County, including The All-American Cowboy (with Charlie Pride) and Of Mice and Men (starring Randy Quaid and Robert Blake). It is of little surprise that filmmakers chose the quiet, picturesque Waxahachie for their flicks' backdrop since the 'ole Texas town is beautiful! Since I am talking about Waxahachie's colorful Hollywood past, it is necessary to bring up the town's prepossessing structures; in particular, the Ellis County Courthouse, located in Waxahachie's Town Square. The building, which was completed in 1897, was flawlessly designed by James Riely Gordon, a New York architect, in a 'Richardsonian Romanesque' style. Marshall Sanguinet, an architect from Fort Worth, was the supervisor during construction. Red limestone from Burnet County as well as pink granite and Pecos red sandstone from a quarry near Barstow were used to coat the building's exterior. The roof was meticulously pieced as ten thousand slate and ceramic tiles were laid that gave way to an imposing clock tower (the tower is now powered by electricity and has a windup of 250 pounds!). A group of bronze eagles finished the tower. The most striking features of the attractive courthouse were the stone carvings in the walls that appeared to be faces. I admired the pair of lion heads over the south entrance. Depictions of the 'Greek Man,' an elderly man, and young woman donning a pillbox hat grace the courthouse's other entrances. Usually, carvings like these are found on oldish-European churches, which gives us the clear impression that Gordon strategically designed this courthouse to be stunning, exquisite, and exuding a powerful tone. I was impressed at the courthouse's interior, which consisted of paneled walls, metal grates, and arching ceilings. The people of Waxahachie appear to have great pride in their county's courthouse since they agreed to pay for a building restoration in 2002, which cost $10 million. The nine-story courthouse proudly stands as a testament to the county's growing pride and political influence in the southern part of Dallas.

My Kia Soul, Winston, sits in front of Waxahachie's train depot. The railroads played an instrumental role in the city's economic growth at the end of the nineteenth century. The last train departed from this depot in 1989.

Information from Waxahachie's city website & various flyers from the County Courthouse/Museum.

All photographs from the author's personal collection.

A group of stone carvings on the Ellis County Courthouse. Some of the heads looked creepy...

Waxahachie has many colorful, cute murals. This one depicts the city's cotton past.

My wife and I treated ourselves to a lunch at Pop's Burger Stand, a local diner that sells fantastic & juicy cheeseburgers (the shakes were great too!). I felt as if I was stepping back in time and re-living the diner experience of the 1950s (the restaurant wall's were covered with car antiques and retro decorations).

The Ellis County Museum is located on the Downtown Square. This building (constructed in 1889) originally housed retail stores and professional offices. Although most of the museum was being renovated at the time of our visit, the exhibitions they did have were fantastic and insightful. Definitely worth another visit in the near future!

At the turn of the twentieth century, many groups constructed monuments to remember their fallen relatives/townsfolk from the Civil War. The Ellis County Confederate Monument, which currently stands next to the courthouse, was unveiled on November 2, 1912.

Waxahachians appear to take great pride in their quaint city. There were many of these large, painted hearts around the city square. This is a beautiful community!

A courtroom in the Ellis County Courthouse. The city renovated their principal structure in 2002.

A statue of Richard Ellis in front of the County Courthouse. Ellis was president of Texas' Congress during the 1836 Revolution. He later was part of the first four congresses of the Republic of Texas.

A tasty meal at the Catfish Plantation included chicken fried steak, Texas toast, fries, and green beans.

My wife and I had a fabulous lunch at Catfish Plantation. According to history, the establishment is the 'Most Haunted Restaurant in Texas!' Some customers have reported to have seen knives and forks being thrown across the room, a fry basket levitating in the kitchen, or coffee cups magically disappearing. The restaurant has been featured on the History Channel. I did not feel the presence of ghosts while eating my meal, however, my wife feels confident that she felt a tap on her shoulder...

New Adventures in Coppell, TX

I recently accepted a phenomenal job offer as a AP United States History teacher at Coppell High School. I am thrilled beyond words since this is a dream job, and I plan to make a positive and profound impact on many students and young history-buffs! This does mean that I will be leaving A&M-Commerce at the end of July, and will thoroughly miss being part of the Lion family. I intend to finish my TAMUC research and hopefully publish my discoveries in the near future. I will miss the connections I made at TAMUC, yet am very excited to make new professional relationships at CHS and in Coppell ISD. Also, since I am a 2012 New Tech High @ Coppell graduate and spent most of my teenager years in Coppell, I am overjoyed to return home to my 'ole stomping grounds and give back to the thriving community I once adored. Below is a brief history of Coppell (information from the City of Coppell and The Coppell Historical Society websites).

I am elated to have received a job opportunity at Coppell High School. The city's inaugural high school was located at the CHS 9's current site prior to its relocation in 1989. Photograph by J. Chanin.

The farming community of Grapevine Springs was created in 1832 and played host to a peace treaty in the 1840s between Sam Houston (then president of the Republic of Texas) and local Indians. This area is now known as Grapevine Springs Park. Settlers, mostly of German or French descent, began moving into the region soon after. Dallas County was organized in 1846, and the City of Dallas was established in 1856. The City of Coppell was originally called 'Gibbs' in honor of former Texas Senator and Lieutenant Gov. Barnett Gibbs. The agricultural community changed its name to Coppell by 1890, after George Coppell, a distinguished New York businessman who funded the construction of railroads in the Lone Star State. The town's post office name was changed to Coppell in 1892. Since the Cotton Belt Railroad (part of the St. Louis and Southwestern Texas Railroad) weaved through North Texas, Coppell's population drastically increased at the end of the nineteenth century; the community had four stores, a lumber yard, blacksmith shop, a school and cotton gin in 1893. By 1909, a second school was constructed west of Coppell's center, and a newspaper, the Coppell Informer, was published for the first time. Dallas County partnered with city administrators and built a watering trough in Coppell in 1911. The community's three schools (Bethel, Coppell, and Gentry) consolidated into one Coppell school in 1928; this school would eventually be burnt down and rebuilt in 1950. The new Coppell School, which stood on the site of Pinkerton Elementary, was 8,000 square feet, cost $21,000 to construct, and served 154 students (according to a 1950 Dallas Morning News article). The Coppell Independent School District, my future employer, was established in 1959, and the city's high school was built in 1967 (at the current location of CHS 9th Center). Coppell was officially incorporated in 1955, and R.M. Johnson, a prominent attorney, was elected the city's inaugural mayor on January 7, 1955. When the enormous neighboring Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport opened in 1974, Coppell blossomed into prosperous community of doctors, scholars, politicians, immigrants, and business leaders. Today, Coppell is home to over 41,000 people (including young families) and several renowned business headquarters, including Amazon, Ci Ci's Pizza, Staples, and 7-Eleven. Coppell's future looks very bright, and I am ecstatically happy that my wife and I are going to be a part of Coppell's story.

A class at Coppell's Gentry School, c. 1925. The city's three existing schools consolidated in 1928. Photograph found on The Coppell Historical Society webpage.

I ask that you continue to follow my teaching and history adventures on this blog as I plan to share my scholarship, lesson plans, and students' work (with their permission). I am 'over the moon' at this unique opportunity and I intend to 'bring history to life' in my classroom as well as inspire future generations of students to seize the leadership mantle and not be afraid to change the world!

Coppell is named after George Coppell, a New York bond holder in the St. Louis and Southwestern Texas Railroad. Mr. Coppell, who immigrated to the United States at age 21, worked in the British Consul and with Maitland, Phelps & Co., a banking firm, for most of his life. It is rumored that he never visited the town named after him. Photograph found on The Coppell Historical Society webpage.

ETSU Stories

I am approaching my three-year anniversary at Texas A&M University-Commerce. I have been blessed to become a large part of the 'Pride' as a community director (in the Residential Living & Learning dept.) and an adjunct professor of history. The connections I have made with staff and faculty will be remembered for a long time, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the philosophical conversations I have had with students in the classroom and residents in the on-campus dormitories (we usually chat about American history, life goals, managing one's finances and time, and self-accountability). Additionally, I have undertaken the task to write a 132-year photographic history of the university (Professor Mayo established East Texas Normal College in 1889). This colossal project, which has been endorsed by TAMUC president, has spawned into a variety of mini projects, including conference presentations, blog posts, lecture materials in class, and a couple of articles in Texas history magazines (also, the East Texan). I have immersed myself in the history of this fantastic institution, and am very proud to continue to write the Lion story. I am going to share a few parts of the Lion story in this blog post.

Professor William L. Mayo established his college in 1889 in Cooper. This was the original building, which housed classrooms, faculty offices, and an apartment for Mayo. The college was relocated to Commerce after a devastating fire destroyed this T-shaped structure in 1894.

Peggy Leeman Ramirez was born in the early 1930s and grew up on a farm. Despite her family's rural roots, Peggy never wanted to milk the cows for the rest of her life, choosing instead to pursue a quality education. She enrolled at East Texas State Teacher's College in February 1952. She received no financial aid nor scholarships (women were not given the same opportunities as men in the 1950s), so she worked the night shifts at a PBX switchboard to pay for her tuition. Through hard work and perseverance, Peggy graduated in 1954 and became an award-winning teacher at Robert T. Hill Middle School in Dallas. She did not tire in her learning and returned to ETSTC to pursue a master's degree; Peggy balanced her job and schoolwork over a three-year period. She noted that obtaining her master's degree was, "One of the best things I ever did." Peggy would work at Bryan Adams High School in Dallas for a large chunk of her later career prior to retirement. She has since reflected on her education, lauding the institution for its top-ranking faculty and degree programs: "If I wouldn't have had the education that East Texas State gave me, I wouldn't have had the fabulous career in teaching, and knowing the wonderful students I have encountered..." Peggy Leeman Ramirez was named a TAMUC Distinguished Alum in 2017.

Whitley Hall, East Texas' tallest building, was built in 1969. This photograph was taken in the 1980s. It currently houses male and female students. I oversaw operations at Whitley Hall btwn 2018 and 2020.

John Spiegel spent most of his teenager years walking the East Texas State University campus with his brother and former ET student, Wayne Spiegel. He admired the beautiful campus, thinking "life would be terrific" at ETSU. John enrolled, took a sincere interest in photojournalism, and studied under two distinguished journalism professors, Drs. Jack Bell and Otis Spencer. He later recalled his challenging typewriting class with Dr. Robert Ward; the strict professor once scolded John's unsatisfactory class performance, noting "Son, if you don't know how to type, you will never make it in this class..." John was also active in the university's Air Force ROTC program (which had been established by President James G. Gee and Congressman Sam Rayburn after World War II). He lived in the married housing with his wife during his time at Commerce (the married housing apartments were located in the grassy lot next to the current Brookshire's). John graduated with his bachelor's degree in 1971, followed by his master's degree in 1973. He served in the United States Army for 31 years prior to retirement. He was recognized as a TAMUC Distinguished Alum in 2017. Now in his twilight years, John has reflected on the fond memories he had had on campus: "Despite all those changes that took place over the years, at the end of the day, there is still one constant that remains and that is the standard of excellence-- the standard that was set by Dr. Mayo and it has continued to permanent across campus still today."

ETSU Memorial Stadium, photographed in the 1980s. The football stadium was built in 1950 to commemorate the ET students who died during World War II. Note the antiqued telephone box...

Steve Sullivan was genuinely considering the University of Tulsa for college. On a trip to Oklahoma with his older brothers, Steve stopped at his brother-in-law's house in Greenville and was persuaded to look around the East Texas State University campus. He met many students in Commerce and fell in love with ET. Steve enrolled in classes and balanced a successful and rigorous academic workload with leadership roles in many on-campus organizations, including the East Texan (where he was the sports editor). After obtaining his bachelor's degree in 1969, Steve joined the publishing staff at Caller-Times in Corpus Christi. Owing to his work ethic, he quickly moved through the ranks and became the vice president of E.W. Scripps Publishing Company in 1997. When he received the Distinguished Alum award in 2014, Steve Sullivan proudly boasted that attending ETSU was the "#1 best decision" he had made. Steve's family continue to donate a lot of scholarship money to the institution.

The (2nd) Rayburn Student Center, built in 2009. The first RSC was constructed in the 1960s near the football field. This current rendition of the RSC houses the dining facilities, bookstore, student activities staff offices, and multiple conference rooms. The building is named after Sam Rayburn, the distinguished Texas congressman and a 1903 ET alum.

Gordon Allen is another successful product of East Texas State University. He grew up in rural Texas on a dirt road, and worked with his father to open their gas station each morning. Gordon enrolled at ETSU and took a variety of business classes, graduating with his bachelor's degree in 1972. He returned to his alma mater, enrolled in night classes and received his MBA in 1984 (1984-1985 was one of the worst years for ETSU since enrollment was at an all-time low). Gordon held several position at GTE Co. (now called Verizon Communications Inc.). He was also bestowed the Distinguished Alum award in 2014.

East Texas State University/Texas A&M University-Commerce has produced many outstanding leaders and scholars, each of whom has made positive, profound impacts in their communities. This university has been special from the beginning (since Professor Mayo's days), and will continue to provide quality instruction and rigorous academic training to young Lions in our continuously-evolving world.

*ET Photographs are from The Portal to Texas History*

Sallie Brooke Capps in the News

In this blog post I am going to share a brief article I wrote on Sallie Brooke Capps, the subject of my new book. The article was published by North Texas e-News in December 2020. 

Sallie B. Capps, c. 1900

Sherman, Texas -- Since its founding in the late 1840s, Sherman—a fairly-concealed, quant gem in North Texas—has been the home to several celebrities, including silent film actress Stella Adams, award-winning musician and heartthrob Buck Owens, Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl XLI champion footballer Hunter Smith, and distinguished FBI Agent Charles B. Winstead. Besides this group of renowned personalities, Sherman has also been the home to a large number of unknown, yet equally industrial community leaders. In this article I will shed light on Sallie Brooke Capps, an education reformer who matured into a young woman and received a quality education whilst in Sherman.

Sarah Angel Brooke—nicknamed Sallie by friends—was born in Sherman on September 16, 1864 to Nancy Caledonia Chaffin and Dr. John Brooke. Her mother was the daughter of a Missourian farming tycoon and her father is best known by local historians as the owner of Sherman’s first drug store, which used to be on the plot of land that the Touch of Class Antique Mall currently sits. As a young child, Sallie developed interests in writing and astronomy. She frequently described colorful dreams in her journal and spent numerous hours observing the night sky’s constellations in the open fields behind the family residence. Moreover, Sallie was an avid collector of poetry, accumulating a prolific collection of literature on nature, including William Shakespeare’s Winter and William Ross Wallace’s The Hands that Rocks the World.

Sallie took preparatory courses in English, mathematics, and instrumental sciences at the Sherman Male and Female High School between 1869 and 1874. The coeducational institution, housed in the former two-story Odd Fellows Hall, enrolled white children from Collin and Grayson Counties between the ages of 4 and 17. Sallie received instruction from several award-winning teachers, including Reverend William P. Petty, Mrs. Burrell Smith of Oklahoma, and St. Louis native J.C. Parks. Following the high school’s acquisition by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1874, Sallie’s education underwent many changes. In line with southern principles which encouraged the sexes to play different roles in society, Sallie’s male colleagues were transferred to a separate high school on the outskirts of town that was headed by Civil War veteran John Henry LeTellier. Moreover, the high school’s existing curriculum was modified to resemble the existing academic programs at liberal arts colleges; electives in engineering, agriculture, and home economics were offered to the young women. On May 28, 1877, the high school’s curriculum was upgraded again, and the North Texas Female College was officially incorporated.

Since the president of North Texas Female College, James Reid Cole saw potential in the young former Sherman high school students, he persuaded the administration to grant admission to white girls aged 5 to 18. In December 1877, the college, now relocated to the current location of Kidd-Key Auditorium, had seven teachers and enrolled more than 200 students, including 13-year-old Sallie. Sallie excelled in her preparatory classes, including world geography, United States history, and English grammar, literature, and composition. In high school, Sallie tackled collegiate-level classes—which, according to the 1880 college bulletin, were all listed as challenging—including Latin composition, mental arithmetic, ancient history and mythology, geometry, astronomy, moral sciences, and logic. Sallie’s time as a student came to a close in the summer of 1882 when she completed three days of examinations and received her academic diploma. Since state education records show that less than 30 percent of women in Texas received a high school diploma in the 1880s, Sallie’s academic record was outstanding and notable.

With a diploma in hand and craving for adventure, Sallie moved to Fort Worth on September 28, 1884. Yet, it was not long before the young woman returned to Sherman to marry her life partner. Sallie tied the knot with William Capps, a renowned attorney and editor of the Fort Worth Record, on June 1, 1887. The ceremony, which was recorded by the Sherman Daily Register, took place at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and officiated by Reverend Alexander Charles Garrett. After the wedding the Capps’s moved into the Queen Anne’s House on Penn Street, which is currently home to the Dent Law Firm.

Sallie would later become president of the Fort Worth Kindergarten Association, an organization that persuaded politicians in Austin to support the 1909 Kindergarten Bill, which permitted school boards to establish nurseries. Furthermore, she was chosen by Governor Oscar Branch Colquitt as a Regent at the College of Industrial Arts in Denton in 1911. During an 18-year period, Sallie played an instrumental role on the institution’s Board, assisting the administration in a curriculum overhaul, hiring two presidents, providing voting information to the female students in wake of the Nineteenth Amendment, and persuading the leadership to expand the campus’s physical plant, which included a residence hall named in her honor. Sallie’s industrious efforts in promoting and enlarging the number of academic opportunities at the college paid off; Texas Woman’s University (what the college became in 1957) became the largest state-supported institution of higher learning for women in the United States.

Grey-haired Sallie continued to advocate for better academic opportunities for women and children in North Texas during her retirement. After an illustrious career as a committed educator and public servant, Sallie Brooke Capps died in Fort Worth on July 16, 1946—she was 81 years old. Although public memory of her noted career has diminished over the years, it is without question that Sallie Brooke Capps appropriately holds a seat among Sherman’s historical standouts as one of the city’s trailblazers in education.

**Author’s Note: More information on Sallie B. Capps’s life, career, and family may be found in the author’s book titled Sallie Brooke Capps: Education Trailblazer in North Texas (spring 2021).

Capps's grave is located at Fort Worth's Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum. 

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The book has been praised by numerous local scholars, history buffs, and education enthusiasts. I am grateful for the support I have received thus far. Sallie's illustrious story is gradually being remembered and retold. My North Texas e-News article was recently used by Texas Woman's University when they wrote a featured article on the significance of their buildings' namesakes (although the original Capps Hall was demolished in the 1980s, TWU constructed a block of student apartments on campus in the late 2010s and named them in honor of Capps). Also, Dr. Carine M. Feyten, chancellor and president of TWU, mentioned my book in her May 2021 newsletter. I hope you enjoyed the book Dr. Feyten. Since my original goal was to spread the word on Capps, I am incredibly proud to showcase her story in a richly-detailed volume that has landed in the laps of many history fans. We all need to continue sharing the vibrant stories of those who deserve a place in the history books but have been overshadowed.

Boldly Go newsletter by TWU Chancellor Carine M. Feyten: https://twu.edu/chancellor/communications/boldly-go-newsletter/may-2021/

What's in a name? Part XIII article: https://inside.twu.edu/read/whats-in-a-name-part-xiii

North Texas e-News article: http://www.ntxe-news.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=83&num=121253&printer=1

The Lowry Woods Community is a group of student apartment blocks on campus. One of the blocks is named in honor of Regent Capps. (TWU photograph)

Statement of Educational Philosophy

* I have recently received several requests from educators and historians asking to see my Statement of Educational Philosophy, so I have decided to post it on here. Since my pedagogy is continuously evolving, my statement frequently changes. *

History is magnificently unique in that it is a very interdisciplinary subject, useful in many different contexts. By the time a student leaves my classroom, I expect that they will be able to take with them the fundamentals of writing, presenting, researching, and analyzing historical texts. They can then apply those skills to future problems in whatever degree and career they choose to pursue. In my classroom, students will be able to nicely fit in the shoes of a historian. They will be able to digest material on the history of the United States and the world, and receive the tools to become knowledgeable citizens who want to change the world. I also expect that my students will be curious and engaged learners, and not be afraid to ask stimulating questions.

My sincere interest in American history stems from my elementary days. Despite a severe speech impediment as a child and several learning disabilities in elementary and middle school, I am incredibly proud of myself for 'sticking it out' and graduating with my history M.A. in 2018.

The foundation of my teaching philosophy is that I care deeply about my students, and see them first as the humans they are, with lives and interests outside of the classroom. I enjoy conversing with my students during passing periods and office hours, and I take immense pleasure at mentoring them and offering graduate school and career advice. I am also known to be a loud and proud spectator at my students’ athletic games and music concerts (pre-Covid… and now, post-Covid since everything is gradually re-opening), earning me the nickname “the crazy professor” by several of my Texas A&M-Commerce colleagues and former students.

Inside my classroom, I always work to foster a welcoming, inclusive environment, starting on day one. I make it a priority to learn every student’s name and say their name whenever I call on them during the semester. Since small-group discussions are common in my lesson plans, students get to know each other (and bounce different ideas off one another). These collaborative approaches help my students and I gain a mutual respect for one another, as well as their peers. Given that a courteous environment is cultivated, I aim for my students to feel more confident asking questions in front of the class. I maintain the mantra there are no stupid questions, and encourage my students to speak up since it is very likely someone else has the same question. Most importantly, I retain the belief that by being an engaged learner, anyone can succeed in my classroom. It does not matter where you come from nor your educational background, you and your questions are always welcome.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stint as a speech and debate instructor at Duke TiP in June-July 2018. I shared my knowledge with a group of talented, high-flying middle-school scholars.

On top of fostering students’ respect for one another in the classroom, I also elicit as much activity from my students as I can during the lectures. I begin each lesson by summarizing what we covered in the previous class (and summarize the material at the end of that lesson too). Furthermore, I ask the students if there are any questions from what was previously taught or if there was a concept that was unclear. This open floor strategy at the start of class ensures we all understand the previous class’s material prior to building on it. I never want a student to dread this subject because “history lectures are long-winded”; history is far more profound and moving than most people realize. Consequently, I believe history is better learned through short stories. My lectures are composed of succinct, compelling anecdotes that chronicle the histories of all Americans, including Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, immigrants and women. Each enthralling story is told in an enthusiastic way and is complemented with a variety of captivating, physical props, such as copies of primary documents, and antique and historical objects (including one of my favorites when I discuss the 1960s, a 1964 campaign doll of Lyndon B. Johnson).

I have found that many of my students are visual learners so I frequently bring historical objects and antiques to class in an effort to 'bring history to life.' I showcase my LBJ bobblehead in this photo.

Visual learners are also given tools to succeed in my classroom. PowerPoint presentations with black-and-white images of important events in American history, as well as colored portraits of historical figures accompany the lectures. Furthermore, I frequently draw battlefield and street maps, as well as statistical diagrams on the white board to provide my students an all-encompassing picture of what happened at that moment in time. Occasionally, I sport a cowboy hat or costume dating from the time period we are talking about in class (including Texas Revolution and Civil War outfits), which further amplifies a student’s ability to envision a character’s appearance from American history. I endorse note-taking in my classes since these scribes are usually the ones who retain the information and perform well on the content quizzes and unit exams. Moreover, I encourage my students to critically think like historians by spending several classes discussing dense scholarly texts that examine different authors’ interpretations of a subject. At the end of the semester, my students engage in an historian’s most distinguished craft: writing. After utilizing technology and a variety of primary and secondary documents at the university’s library, my students are required to create and defend their own thesis in a research paper. Additionally, students polish their oral communication skills by presenting their findings to the class.

I enjoy visiting historical landmarks and 'feeling the ghosts.' I share these stories with my students and encourage them to tour the battlefields, residences, and factories where our great American heroes once worked and lived in. One of my favorite vignettes to share was the time I received a back-stage tour in the Churchill War Rooms in London and got to seat in Winston's chair (the chair's handles were scratched since the PM often dug his fingernails into the wood when he was stressed during the war!).

After outlining how I approach my current classroom and beyond, one thing that I constantly keep in mind is that I am learning too. My pedagogy and instructional methods are continuously evolving. There will always be methods where I can improve what I can do for my students, and I will actively seek these out. One aspect I consistently seek to improve on is student feedback. Currently, I study my assessment tools to see whether my students are effectively retaining the course material and incorporate their feedback every 2-3 weeks in my teaching styles. As I teach more classes and receive more student feedback, I will learn how to better adjust my curriculum and pedagogy for different classroom climates and varying students’ background knowledge. I look forward to the chance to improve my teaching skills and continue helping students learn the tools to become well-informed citizens who are active in their communities.

Updated on July 5, 2021

Although teaching has remained my priority, I still conduct research in my spare time. My research compliments my lesson plans. I recently had my Sallie Capps book published. Capps was a dominant force in North Texas education in the early twentieth century. I stand beside her grave in Fort Worth in this photo (2020).

Our Strongest & Weakest Leaders (C-SPAN Presidential Survey)

Is it not fitting that in this blog post we are discussing our presidents during our nation's birthday?!

I am a HUGE presidential history buff, and have thoroughly enjoyed my research on the individuals who have occupied the White House (including George Washington). I also take great pride in teaching about the presidents (the strongest and weakest leaders our country has had) in my college history classes. Often, the presidents are stereotypes/portraits of America's time periods.

Lincoln, Washington, FDR, TR, Eisenhower, Truman, Jefferson, Kennedy, Raegan, and Obama are our top ten strongest/greatest presidents according to a group of C-SPAN historians.

At the end of each presidential administration, a group of award-winning historians, university professors, and presidential biographers gather and deliberate the rankings of the individuals who have once held our nation's highest elected office. The C-SPAN Presidential Historians Survey is divided into ten sections (known as 'Individual Leadership Characteristics'). These methods of assessment include crisis leadership, economic management, public persuasion, moral authority, international relations, pursued equal justice for all, vision/setting an agenda, relations with Congress, administrative skills, and performance within context of the times. 142 presidential historians recently took the 2021 survey, and ranked each president on the assessment methods on a scale of 1 to 10 with the higher number deemed "very effective." I was giddy when they released the official results a couple of days ago...

Abraham Lincoln, president during the Civil War and commonly known as the Great Emancipator, was ranked first (for the fourth consecutive time). Despite the many hardships he endured, personally and politically, it appears that our nation's scholars still admire the Illinois lawyer-turned D.C. politician for his persistence in winning a bloody, tiresome conflict as well as fiercely advocating for the elimination of slavery among a large opposing entanglement of politicians. The father of our country and hero of the American Revolution, George Washington was ranked second. Washington shed blood and returned to the political scene after a brief retirement to ensure that the young country he had helped build would stay afloat, politically and financially. Since he was the first occupant of the executive branch and created the inaugural cabinet, many of Washington's presidential precedents are employed today. And Franklin D. Roosevelt rounds out the top three presidents in the survey. FDR is our longest-serving president, occupying the Oval Office during the Great Depression and World War II, between 1933 and 1945. He expanded executive power during America's darkest days by creating federal employment programs in the 1930s and strategized a successful end to the world's bloodiest conflict in the 1940s (plus he had to collaborate with a grumbling, no-nonsense Brit named Churchill and a fierce sparring-machine named Stalin-- not an easy task!). FDR is best remembered as the first president to directly talk with the American public in their homes via his famous fireside chats on the radio.

When the nation was splitting in 1860, Abe Lincoln, the quiet and humble lawyer from Illinois, was the best man for the Oval Office. He remains today as one of the strongest presidents we have had.

Teddy Roosevelt, the rough-and-ready cowboy from the Spanish-American War, was ranked fourth by historians. The mustached 'bull-moose' continued his predecessor's work at the start of the twentieth century by developing a small American empire (traits of imperialism) and protecting the democracies in the Western Hemisphere (by signing the Roosevelt Corollary). Dwight D. Eisenhower was after TR. Eisenhower is commonly talked about in history classes as the Allied Supreme Commander in Europe during WWII. However, his story did not end in 1945 and, as a two-term president, presided over a raging economy, the baby boom, and the start of public schools' racial integration in the 1950s. Harry S. Truman was put in sixth place by the survey takers. Despite a record-low approval rating at the end of his presidency, the MO senator who never wanted to become president played an instrumental role in cementing the United States' supremacy at the start of the Cold War (Truman's administration dealt with the Korean War and Iron Curtain in Europe). Thomas Jefferson, our third president and author of the Declaration of Independence, follows suite. Jefferson rightly deserves a place in the top-ten as one of America's most brilliant, inquisitive, and scholarly leaders. His words ('life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness') are inked on our hearts. John F. Kennedy was ranked eighth. Although many have verbally opposed this choice, JFK's charismatic character brought America to its feet when the Soviets appeared to be winning the Cold War. Ronald Reagan, best remembered as the cool, sophisticated actor who rode horses with British PM Maggie Thatcher and passed some of the largest tax cuts in history, was next on the list. Barack Obama, our first black president whose warm smile and brilliant intelligence gave the nation hope and reassurance after the catastrophic 2008 economic recession, rounded out the top ten.

One of the most interesting parts of this survey is seeing how presidents' approval ratings among our nation's top scholars change over time. For example, Ulysses S. Grant, although successful on the Civil War battlefields, was not regarded as an effective president for many decades (his administration was swamped with corruption). In 2000, Grant was ranked a low 33rd by historians. However, perceptions have changed (and a number of glorified biographies on Grant have emerged in the past decade). Grant is now ranked 20th, with historians citing the Civil War general's prosecution of the Ku Klux Klan in the South and protection of African American civil rights. On the opposite end, Andrew Jackson was in the 13th place in the 2000 and 2009 surveys, with many scholars citing the bold statesman's incredible public persuasion skills (Jackson was the first 'commoner' elected to the presidency, and threw a huge inaugural party- with a large slab of cheese- to celebrate!). In recent years, scholars have reviewed the legacy of this once-formidable political titan and have criticized Jackson for his cruel and inhumane treatment of the Native Americans during his time in the Oval Office (the Trail of Tears).

Opinions about presidents change over time (often due to the political climate). In recent years, Ulysses S. Grant, once regarded as an ineffective president, has been revered as an innovative leader.

This survey was the first C-SPAN Presidential Historians Survey that ranked former president Donald J. Trump. Despite what many people believed, historians did not rank Trump at the bottom tier. He was placed 41st out of the 44 presidents surveyed (Joe Biden will join the list at the end of his first/second term(s)). Despite his successes in the 2017 tax cuts and 2018 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement as well as still having major influence in the Republican Party, Trump's one-term presidency was smeared by his hateful rhetoric (often on Twitter), mishandling of the Coronavirus Pandemic, and his refusal to publicly concede the 2020 presidential election, which led to the violent January 6 riots at the Capitol. Additionally, Trump had calamitous relationships with his political peers on the Hill, and is the only president to be impeached, twice. Trump may move up the presidential ranks when the next surveys are released (his GOP predecessors, George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush have moved up), or his unpredictable four years in the White House might be a footnote in the history books. Time will tell... Franklin Pierce, Andrew Johnson, and James Buchanan were ranked behind Trump, at the bottom.

My personal thoughts: I relished these survey results, and appreciated the time and thought my fellow historians put in to provide their rendition of Who is our Greatest President? And Who is our Worst President?. I was surprised at a few of the rankings; most notably, Jimmy Carter- 26th, John Adams- 15th, and Lyndon B. Johnson- 11th. In my honest opinion, these three gentlemen should have been ranked higher. Despite the economic woes he faced at the end of the 1970s, Carter pursued Middle East peace treaties and promoted environmental protection policies (and let's not forget about his spell-binding post-presidency with a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002...). Adams gave his soul for this country, as a revolutionary politician and an extraordinary citizen. He created the vice president role and established the U.S. Navy in 1798. And LBJ (the Texan senator is one of my favorite presidents)… presided over the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act (two groundbreaking bills ensuring racial equality in the US) as well as expanded federal social programs that we still use today, including public broadcasting, urban and rural development, and Medicare/Medicaid. The horrors of the Vietnam War led to LBJ's political demise, yet his domestic agenda will always be praised by scholars and the public. Overall, the presidential survey results in 2021 show us which political traits and personal qualities we enjoy studying in the individuals we elect to the White House.

LBJ swiftly took office in November 1963 after the assassination of JFK. He loudly and proudly advocated for racial equality. LBJ is one of my favorite presidents.

Have a great July 4, folks!!

The C-SPAN Presidential Historians Survey:

https://www.c-span.org/presidentsurvey2021/?page=overall