Dr. Grady Early, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, taught math and computer science at Texas State University for 29 years, serving briefly as interim chair of the newly-formed Computer Science department. After retirement, Early began researching his family history and gained some familiarity with various research tools: ancestry, familysearch, newspapers, San Marcos Record archives, findagrave and many more. This made it easy for him to segue into the histories of non-family members, which is how he began to write a story about Southwest Texas Normal School in San Marcos, also known as San Marcos Normal, which is now Texas State University. The following is an excerpt from Early’s story about Thomas Green Harris, the first school Superintendent. Harris was not President, as the position is called today; the school was a Normal, not a College. Harris was the focus of Early’s research and a difficult one to pin down. There are bio blurbs by Pat Murdock and Tula Townsend Wyatt but nothing definitive. The University Archives has a scant five inches of Harris’ papers discovered under Old Main. Early spent hours on newspapers.com and the San Marcos Record archives. He corresponded with a great granddaughter of John Edward Blair, Sr., a member of the first faculty of San Marcos Normal. He also discovered a fascinating story about a rock in the road that threatened to derail San Marcos Normal before it had a chance. This research was the basis for the nonfiction story that follows.
On 10 May 1899, Gov. Joseph Draper “J.D.” Sayers signed the bill authorizing a normal school at San Marcos.
Remember that name — Sayers.
In 1902, construction of San Marcos Normal was in high gear.
The cornerstone was laid April 28, 1902.
In 1903, the State Board of Education nominated Thomas G. Harris as Superintendent of the new normal. In preparation for the opening class, he composed and sent to the printer the copy for the first catalog. He closed it with: 'If you desire to prepare for the study of law, medicine or theology, do not come to the normal.
'If you wish merely to obtain an education do not come to the normal.
'It is not a reform school. It is not a place for children. Boys and girls incapable of self-control should not enter the normal.
'The work is special and will suit none but those preparing for the teachers' profession.' [2] Fair enough. In the early 1900s, Texas public education was a mess for want of teachers in rural areas. The task of the normal schools was to produce teachers.
Three of Tom's daughters pitched in. Julia was a teacher in Eagle Pass.
Loulein was head librarian at Stephen F. Austin, Nacogdoches. Martha taught in Dallas and in Mount Pleasant.
As I read about the selection of Harris as Southwest Normal's first superintendent, I recalled my elementary school days in the 1950s.
Hot. Dry. No AC. Stuck at a desk trying to figure out what the teacher was trying to do. Finally, relief! Lunch. A quick bite, then out to the playground for recess. Under the watchful eye of a teacher assigned to playground duty to keep order.
Then a girl screams. Boys chant, 'Fight, fight.' And the adult du jour hustles off to mediate.
Sounds like the Texas Senate, 1903.
The Superintendency of a brand new Normal School was a pearl of great price. A Texas educator could make his mark and establish a reputation and policies that might last for decades. And who would always be known as the first.
Two applicants were Thomas Green Harris, Superintendent, Austin Public Schools, and John William Hopkins, Superintendent, Galveston Public Schools. Harris was chosen.
All hell broke loose. Enter Sen. Asbury Bascom Davidson of DeWitt. First elected in 1898, he served until 1903, then was re-elected and served until 1907.
After 3 years in the Senate, he knew his way around, how to get his way or make it difficult for those who opposed him, and he favored Hopkins. He didn't care who knew it.
'I am going to fight the making of this appropriation to cover any deficiency for this institution [San Marcos Normal],' Senator Davidson said, 'and it is not at all a settled matter that they will get their money.'
The Senate had approved Harris's appointment, but Davidson collected a gaggle of supporters and went to work on the appropriations bill.
After much to-ing and fro-ing, that bill was finalized and sent to the governor. With: Southwest Texas Normal School at San Marcos — Salary of superintendent, 'provided Prof. T.G. Harris shall not be appointed' (for two years) ... $4,000. Calisthenic [sic] laboratory building ... $3,000 Music and library ... $10,000 Read that again: 'provided Prof. T.G. Harris shall not be appointed' Nor was money for teachers appropriated. All would be paid with deficiency warrants which might or might not be paid.
'Teachers will be compelled to accept deficiency warrants for the next two years.'
Gov. S.W.T. [really. Samuel Willis Tucker] Lanham vetoed, among others, the 'don't pay 'em' proviso.
The State Board of Education agreed to run SM Normal as a deficiency, having 'no doubt' that the school would be protected by the next legislature.
Tom had supporters, of course.
The Texas School Journal said, 'The best opinion, however, seems to be that the Legislature in its action in this matter has exceeded its lawful authority, and that there is no legal obstacle to Mr. Harris's discharging the duties and receiving the emoluments of the office to which he was appointed by lawfully constituted authority.'
Then, the newspapers went silent about the “Harris Affair”.
Ok, if you think that Harris, concerned about pay, might have looked for cheap teachers fresh out of university with ink barely dry on diplomas, think again.
Harris was an experienced educator in Texas. He began teaching about 1876; in 1880, he was a teacher in Weatherford, TX. He taught, lectured, traveled, and was, at the time of his appointment as Superintendent of SM Normal, the Superintendent of the Austin public schools. He knew everyone: the best, the brightest, the most experienced, the most capable of hitting the ground running. And he hired them.
Here's that first faculty: In 1895, Alfred Freshney was selected chair of science in the Austin HS.
In 1885, Annie Pearsall was attending State Teachers' Association meetings. In 1899, she joined the faculty of the State Institution for the Blind. The Senate could have used her services.
At the time he was lured to SM Normal, J.E. Blair was superintendent of the Denison public schools.
John E. Pritchett was president of Coronal Institute and was a practicing attorney.
Kate E. White was welloff. In 1907, she and her family incorporated the White Abstract Company, Tyler. $8,000 capital stock.
Lucy Burleson had been a teacher in the SM public schools since 1889.
The widow of Dr. Ford Burleson, she, too, was well-off.
Lula Hines prompted protests when the Dallas free school failed to reappoint her in 1884. In 1895, she was a teacher in Weatherford. Maud M. Shipe was probably the most junior. She received her degree from UT in 1900.
S.W. Stanfield had been president of Coronal Institute, SM, and president of Weatherford College.
W.A. Palmer had been superintendent of the Huntsville schools, but, at the time of Harris's call, was principal of a Dallas school.
Jessie Alison Sayers was teaching by 1883 in Austin. She was still there when Harris tapped her for SM Normal.
Sayers? Yep, Gov. J.D. Sayers was her brother There was some political heft to Harris's faculty. Not gonna pay Gov. Sayers' sister? Good luck with that.
Harris might have specified the curriculum, but he did not have to prepare lesson plans; his faculty already knew what to teach. They were aware that, as the first faculty of a brand new school, the eyes of Texas were upon them; failure was not an option.
Is it any wonder that SM Normal was so wildly successful?
Texas State University rests upon a solid foundation.
