Margaret Catherine Berry |
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Margaret….. Margaret Catherine Berry…. was born in DAWSON, TEXAS…. Her parents were Winfred Berry and Lillian Lavinia McCluney. Winfred was born at Spring Hill, Texas in 1880, one year before the town of Dawson was created. He grew up in ”The House on Rabbit Hill,” located on his father’s farm just west of the community of Dawson on the Old Waco Hiway. After completing Dawson High School, Winfred attended North Texas State Normal in Denton and received a teaching certificate in 1906. His teaching career was, however, short lived, and, by 1907, he had been appointed rural mail carrier for the Blackland farm area south of Dawson. His parents were Moses Lafford Berry 1857-1934…and..Maude Margaret Houston 1859-1938, both from families who had settled early in Western Navarro Co. Lillian Lavinia McClunney was born 1887 at Woodland MS, daughter of William Allan McClunney born 1850 at Pontotoc Co MS, and grand daughter of James Wesley McClunney..born 1823.. in SC. The McCluney Family had migrated from Ireland had lived for some time in Bedford Co VA. Lillian, one of five McClunney daughters who lived at Kerens, Texas and were school teachers, was teacher at the small rural school called…”Harmony,” located on the mail route served by Winifred. The two were married at Kerens, Texas…September 1914 and moved into a residence which is still standing at Highway 31 and Smith Street. It was here that Dr Margaret Catherine Berry was born. Later, the Berry Family lived briefly in a residence on the Old Waco Highway just east and across a small branch from The House on Rabbit Hill. The next move was to a farm Winfred purchased and was located five miles northwest of Dawson. When Margaret reached school age, it was time to move back to town. Winfred purchased The Cannon House on Smith Street, just across the street and west from The Dawson School. The house had been constructed on one of the Dawson Farm Lots, twice the width of normal town lots and the depth extended to the west Cemetery Street. Winfred constructed one of the finest barns in Dawson where he kept the horses he rode to carry the mail when his Model T Ford could not be used on the muddy Blackland roads. He came to know those road well, and, it was he, who went to Austin again and again to lobby the state legislature to fund desperately needed farm to market roads in Western Navarro Co. The Berrys continued to live on Smith Street until 1940 when Winfred and Lillian purchased the beautiful two story residence on Fullerton Street which his father had built in the late 1920s. His parents were then deceased and the purchase was made from the estate. This was home until 1963 when Winfred and Lillian joined Margaret in a new residence in Austin. Winfred Berry continued to carry the mail for thirty-nine years and relinquished his route only when Neil Clark returned home from WWII and became qualified for the job. He, also, enjoyed serving on the Board at the Methodist Church, on the City Council, and, for many years, on the Board of Navarro Junior College. He was an active member of The Lions Club. His wife, Lillian, was, also, active in the Methodist Church, a leader in the Garden and Study Clubs of Dawson, and served as judge for many flower shows.
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Margaret Catherine Berry began first grade at Dawson in 1922. Margaret loved school and excelled in her studies. Ralph Glenn Akers, son of Houston and Mable Skinner Akers, who, also lived on Smith Street…just two houses north…began school that year. He and Margaret began a life long friendship and were constant companions throughout their school years at Dawson. Both were excellent students and when grades were tabulated to determine the Valedictorian of Dawson High School for the year 1933…it was a tie between the two.
Margaret Berry and Ralph Glenn Akers became Co-Valedictorians. That fall their lives began journeys in separate directions. Margaret enrolled at The University of Texas in Austin…..Ralph at Baylor University in Waco. Margaret, after graduating from the University of Texas (with honors) in 1937, busied herself teaching history… first at El Campo, Texas, then, in 1941..Freeport, Texas. Ralph worked briefly as an assistant to the president of a college in Brownsville, Texas, but was soon hired by Shell Oil Company and moved to Louisiana. He married after WWII, had two children, and, upon his retirement from Shell, moved to Longview, Texas. He died there in 2003, preceded in death by his wife and both children. World War II came, and Ralph served as an officer at The War College in Washington, DC for most of the war. Margaret, meanwhile, was teaching history at Ball High School in Galveston 1942-1947. Margaret did not marry. Margaret spent summers completing courses for an advanced degree and it was in 1943 when Margaret received a Masters Degree in History from Columbia University in New York City….with honors. During the summer of 1944….she worked for NEWSWEEK magazine in New York City. And….she almost stayed. Ever seeking to expand her academic horizons, Margaret spent six weeks of the summer of 1945 engaged in a HUMAN RELATIONS WORKSHOP at the University of Denver, Colorado. Ray Waller came to Dawson in the late 1920s as football coach and teacher at the school. He, later, became High School Principal. He moved away in the early 1930s, but returned in the 1940s as superintendent of the Dawson School. After WWII, Ray Waller was named President of a new school in Corsicana, Texas…..the Navarro County Junior College. When Ray Waller began to assemble the initial administration and faculty of the new school he, immediately, thought of one of his most gifted students at Dawson. Margaret came to Corsicana in 1947 to help lay the academic foundation for that now outstanding institution.. She was named Assistant Dean-Registrar and Instructor in History. She would remain there for three years. East Texas State Teachers College needed a Dean of Women in 1950 and Margaret moved to Commerce, Texas. She, also, served as Professor of History. She would remain there for twelve years. She did, however, take a leave of absence in 1961 and 1962 to do graduate work, one year at Columbia University, and, another year at the University of Texas at Austin collecting data for her doctoral studies. The University of Texas at Austin beckoned and, in 1962, she was named Assistant Dean of Women at one of the most prestigious schools in America. Later, she would be named Associate Dean of Women, Assistant Dean of Students, and Associate Dean of Student. Her final role was to serve in The Office of Vice President for Student Affairs. Her roles included scores of special assignments….the creation of many innovative programs and organizations... most…carefully focused to meet student needs at the school. One of the most outstanding was a course designed to prepare students for leadership positions on campus….and…in later life. Margaret “retired” in 1980, but…she was never “retired retired.” She began….1995…teaching a Freshman Seminar… ”HIGHLIGHTS in the HISTORY of The University of Texas.” This effort would continue until the year 2002 when she decided she was sufficiently old to actively retire. She directed that her salary be channeled to a new program of Religious Studies… in memory of her parents. The program is now a major at The University of Texas Twenty-four pages of her twenty-eight page Biographic Summary, prepared in 2004, are filled with honors bestowed upon Dr Margaret Berry and of her association with so many worthy organizations both state and national. The following are but a fraction of those listed….
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD
MOST
WORTHY CITIZEN
NOTWOTNY
MEDAL
MARGARET
C BERRY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Margaret is a published author. She had written nine books, four of which are about….what else…The University of Texas. She is, presently, writing her tenth book. and has written volumes of periodicals on a variety of subjects. She continues to be active. Margaret speaks on a variety of subjects; is active in her church; presents book reviews to professional-student-civic groups; delivers commencement addresses; and participates in TV and radio presentations.
“Life is good.” Says Dr Margaret Berry “Keep busy. Always have something to do when you get up in the morning.”
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March, 2009
Edward L. Williams & Barbara
Knox