Lone Star Historian 2: ETHA Fall Meeting

"Lone Star Historian 2" is a blog about the travels and activities of the State Historian of Texas during his second year. Bill O'Neal was appointed to a two-year term by Gov. Rick Perry on August 22, 2012, at an impressive ceremony in the State Capitol. Bill is headquartered at Panola College (www.panola.edu) in Carthage, where he has taught since 1970. For more than 20 years Bill conducted the state's first Traveling Texas History class, a three-hour credit course which featured a 2,100-mile itinerary. In 2000 he was awarded a Piper Professorship, and in 2012 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wild West Historical Association. Bill has published over 40 books, almost half about Texas history subjects, and in 2007 he was named Best Living Non-Fiction Writer by True West Magazine. In 2013 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by his alma mater, Texas A&M University - Commerce.

With ETHA Secretary-Treasurer Chris Gill

Milton Jordan described the origins
of Southwestern University in Georgetown.

The East Association held its fall meeting in Nacogdoches on Thursday-Friday-Saturday, October 8-9-10, 2015. During these three days there were 28 sessions, featuring dozens of papers and several panels. There was a Black History Breakfast on Friday morning and a Women’s History Breakfast on Saturday. On Friday evening the Presidential Address Banquet included recognition of ETHA Fellows, an excellent dinner, and a highly informative program on “Eleanor Roosevelt’s 1939 Train Trip Through East Texas and Beyond.” Following the banquet Mary and Richard Scheer hosted a reception at the Jones House, a superb Victorian home which now is a Bed and Breakfast Inn. A highlight of the Fall Meeting was the Max and Georgiana Lale Lecture Series, an address by Ambassador Robert Krueger held on the campus of our host institution, Stephen F. Austin State University.

The rich and varied program lineup was arranged by Dr. Scott Sosebee, Executive Director of the ETHA, by Chairman Kyle Wilkison and his resourceful Program Committee and by Association Secretary-Treasurer Chris Gill, who worked ceaselessly before and during the meeting. Her efforts at publicizing the program generated 201 early signups, the first time we have ever enjoyed more than 200 pre-registrants. In all attendance exceeded 240, one of the highest totals in the history of the ETHA.

Dan Utley described the origins of
Mary Hardin-Baylor in his
hometown of Belton.

Sessions were organized by sister organizations, including the West Texas Historical Association, the Texas Folklore Society, the Friends of Nacogdoches, and the Central Texas Historical Association, a new organization headed
by Dr. Kenneth Howell. I was especially interested in the West Texas Historical Association, since I rotated out of the WTHA presidency just last April. WTHA Executive Director Tai Kreidler led off with a revealing paper about an underpublicized rancher, John Hittson. Scott Sosebee read a paper on famed cattleman Murdo MacKenzie that was prepared by Leland Turner (who was absent because of a family emergency) of Midwestern State University. Troy Ainsworth closed the session with a provocative account of an 1889 shooting in Shafter. It was a memorable and thought-provoking session, like so many others during our three days.

With Hayley Hasik, graduate student at SFA.

The Fall Meeting closed on Saturday with the Association Awards and Business Meeting Luncheon. Scott Sosebee read resolutions honoring the lives of members who had passed away during the last year: past presidents F.E. “Ab” Abernethy, Naaman Woodland, and Ted Lawe, as well as Joe Louis Atkins, Bob Quillin, and Diana Campbell. As chairman of the Lock Awards Committee I was privileged to present the following awards: Best Historical Research Book to Jere Jackson, author of Designing Modern Nacogdoches (SFA Press); Best Historical Mixed Media/Photography/Artistic Value Book to Richard Orton, author of The Upshaws of County Line (UNT Press); Educator of the Year to Carolyn White of the SFASU History Department; and Research Grants to graduate students Amanda Carr and Laura Ostteen.

With Scott Sosebee.

At the close of the business meeting, Mary Scheer passed the gavel to incoming president Kyle Wilkison, who invited everyone to the Spring Meeting at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Beaumont on February 19 and 20, 2016. President Wilkison then adjourned the meeting until February 19.