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 in San Marcos, also known as San Marcos Normal, which is now Texas State University. This series will highlight the first staff at Southwest Texas Normal.
According to the 1907 Pedagogue, Jessie Alison Sayers was a co-efficient of unknown numbers; collector of sums, differences, products and quotients; serves as a prime factor in all Normal work.
Dr. David Sayers had two families. The first, with Mary Peete, produced Joseph Draper “J.D.” in 1841; the second with “Inda” Scott produced Jessie Alison in 1859.
Born in Bastrop, Jessie received her public school education there. Then she attended the August Female Seminary in Staunton, VA. It seems likely that her sister “Lilly” attended at the same time.
Returning to Texas, Jessie and Lilly quickly found employment in the Austin school system where they taught from at least 1883. In 1890, Lilly married a distant cousin Nicholas Albert Sayers; like Eleanor Roosevelt, she didn’t have to change her monogram. Lilly moved to Virginia. When Nicholas died in 1912, Lilly moved to San Marcos and lived with Jessie until Lilly’s death in 1918. She was buried in Pulaski, Va., with her husband.
After Lilly’s marriage and move to Virginia, Jessie continued to teach in Austin, probably becoming acquainted with some of her future colleagues at SWTN: Alfred Freshney, Helen Hornsby, Mary Stuart Butler and certainly with her once and future boss Tom Harris who was superintendent of the Austin public schools.
Jessie taught in the primary and junior high grades until 1899 when, after study in mathematics at UT in 1898 and attendance at the Austin summer normal in 1899, she was transferred to the West Austin High School.
Jessie led a semi-public life. In 1900, the U.S. census found her living in the governor’s mansion with J.D. and family as well as three servants. In 1902, while half-brother J.D. Sayers was still governor, she attended a swank reception at a private home. Naturally, a reporter from the Austin Statesman was on hand and was moved to report that the home’s “furnishings are all that culture and refinement could demand.”
When J.D. left the governor’s office in January of 1903, his wife was too ill to attend the inaugural ball for in-coming governor S.W.T. Lanham, so Jessie filled in. J.D. escorted Lanham’s wife Sallie, and Lanham escorted Jessie.
Jessie stayed in close touch with her family, visiting J.D. on a fairly regular basis. She also visited another brother William Branch Sayers in Gonzales.
In Fall of 1903, Jessie trudged up Chautauqua Hill to begin teaching mathematics as an assistant [professor] to Headmaster [professor] Joseph Shotwell Brown.
She also spent a few summers at Chautauqua, NY, the home of the Chautauqua Institute and the Chautauqua Movement, which spread throughout rural America, even to San Marcos atop Chautauqua Hill.
Her interests were varied. 1912-1913, Jessie attended Columbia University, NY. Naturally, she attended various local and state teachers’ association meetings. In 1914, she was on the local YWCA advisory council. In 1917, she addressed a meeting at the San Marcos city hall. In 1922, she entertained the children’s choir of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and was a director of the normal’s lyceum. In 1923, Jessie was co-director of “A Pair of Boots,” a Dixie play, produced women’s costumes for the play “A Pair of Boots” and hosted the Sorosis Club. In 1924, at an ex-students banquet, Jessie reminisced about university professors she had known and gave a “Critical Study of Masefield” at a Sorosis Club meeting.
She was a charter member of the Pathfinders Club. At a reception honoring President C.E. Evans, Jessie spoke of the college history from founding to present. The evening closed with the singing of the Alma Mater, written by Jessie, which is still Texas State University’s school song.
She was a delegate to the diocesan council of the Episcopal church in San Antonio. She attended the 5th annual convention of the Texas Division of the American Association of University Women.
In honor of Jessie’s contributions to the college and to San Marcos, the university named Jessie Sayers Hall, a women’s dormitory, in her honor. It was first occupied in 1934. After various remodels and extensions, it was demolished about 1974 to make way for what is now the Education building.
In 1940, Dean Speck officiated at the first dormitory wedding in the history of the college; it was in Sayers Hall, of course.
The original Sayers Hall may be gone, but the name lives on. In 2024, another dormitory complex was completed. One part of that complex is Sayers Hall.
In 1935, Jessie was toast-mistress at the luncheon called Pioneer Spirit is Again in San Marcos, which saluted the first residents of SM. In 1936, Jessie “sort of ” retired; it was a leave of absence with the privilege of part-time teaching.
Jessie even put her money where her mouth was. Ever short on money, Evans borrowed from all and sundry, including Jessie, and noted in the August 1937 Board of Regents meeting.
Jessie stayed active until January of 1939 when she fell ill and was confined to the Hays County Memorial Hospital. She died on March 25 of arteriosclerosis and lobar pneumonia.
None of her students will forget Miss Jessie A. Sayers, who was “witty, keen, alert, exhibiting a thoroughness in scholarship and expecting in return perfect recitations.”
Information about her grave can be found at Findagrave # 53549383. Check out the virtual cemetery of the complete first faculty at finda grave.com/virtual-ceme tery/1934255.
Jessie Alison Sayers
