Answers to Go

SAN MARCOS PUBLIC LIBRARY

625 E. HOPKINS ST.

512-393-8200 Q.

Q. March is Women’s History Month. Who are some notable women from San Marcos?

First, I must A. highlight a woman who is very familiar to anyone who has used the San Marcos Public Library’s Local History collection – Tula Townsend Wyatt. Mrs. Wyatt was one of San Marcos’ notables and, as a trusted local historian, endeavored to collect and organize information about San Marcos’ past. Mrs. Wyatt was born on Jan. 18, 1895 in Wimberley and lived in Hays County all her life, passing away on Monday, June 11, 1990 at the age of 95. As one of San Marcos’ local historians, and as an active woman, she was generous in donating to her community in many ways. She served for many years as chairperson of the Hays County Historical Commission, and in that capacity was responsible for the placing of historical markers and medallions on many local homes and buildings. Her historical research facilitated the restoration of many old homes in this area. Mrs. Wyatt was also a member of multiple organizations — The Bicentennial Commission, Daughters of the American Revolution, Colonial Dames, Huguenot Society, Magna Charta Dames, American Legion Auxiliary, Spring Lake Garden Club and the Friends of the San Marcos Public Library. She also helped to organize the Girl Scouts in Hays County in 1926 and worked with that organization for many years. On April 17, 1977, the library held a dedication to celebrate a donation of Mrs. Wyatt’s to the library. It was a collection of newspaper articles, scrapbooks, oral histories, and many other documents and books important to San Marcos and Hays County history. Tula Townsend Wyatt donated a lifetime’s worth of documents numbering over 4,000 pieces, helping to establish the foundation of the library’s local history collection.

Many people knew Emmie Craddock because of her eight (total) years as Mayor of San Marcos, the first woman mayor, and her many years on the City Council. However, as reported by Linda Allen in the San Marcos Daily Record on Sept. 13, 1984, “The love of history is what brought Mayor Emmie Craddock to San Marcos, but once here, she turned that love of history in to the making of it.” She was a history professor at (then named) Southwest Texas State University and was instrumental in conceiving the honors program there, something for which she was particularly proud. While at SWT, she received the President’s Excellence Award from the president of the university. Craddock taught at SWT from 1950 to 1980 and during her career she won several other honors of excellence in teaching, including the Piper Professor award from the Piper Foundation in San Antonio. She also directed the university’s General Honors Program, chaired the faculty senate, was state president of the Texas Association of College Teachers, and co-wrote the book “Lyndon B. Johnson: The Formative Years (in the public library’s collection today). Emmie Craddock passed away on Oct. 26, 1998 at the age of 83.

Johnnie Marie Odoms Armstead passed away in 2008, and she is still well remembered in San Marcos. As the curator of the Calaboose African American History Museum, she was essential to our community. Not only was she active with the Calaboose, but she started a program to recognize women entrepreneurs and was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame in San Marcos. She managed the Hays County Democratic headquarters for 20 years and served on the San Marcos Minority Economic and Tourism Development Board. She contributed a chapter to the book “Bricks Without Straw” which the library has available to check out. In addition to all those things, she was a poet. Originally published on May 13, 1984 in the San Marcos Daily Record, I found this poem in the library’s file on Mrs. Armstead. It is a fitting tribute to all women during Women’s History Month.

Who am I?

In honor of all mothers

I am as enjoyable as ambrosia.

I am as strong as an umbilical cord.

I am as enduring as silk.

I am as patient as Job.

I am as understanding as Neoma.

I am as beautiful as a sunset.

I am as graceful as a ballerina.

I am as peaceful as Gandhi.

I am as fragrant as a field of roses.

I am as warm as a summer’s day.

I am as calm as a rainbow.

I am as helpful as a heart beat.

I am as knowledgeable as Solomon.

I am as ageless as eternity.

A am as spectacular as the Motherland.

Who am I? — I am a Woman.

Suzanne Sanders is the new columnist for the library. She is the Community Services Manager for the San Marcos Public Library and came from the Austin Public Library in 2015 after having served there as a librarian for over 20 years. She gratefully accepts your questions for this column.