Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

Snuff for Glover!

"Recently one of Miss Glover's English classes presented her with a box of Garrett's snuff as a joke! Most teachers would have been shocked beyond response that her students thought as little of her as to give her such a present! But not Miss Glover! Just what I need to poison the insects on my flowers when they become especially troublesome, she joyously remarked, explaining that she had been wanting some snuff to use as insect poison for a long time, but was afraid to buy any for fear of what her students and friends might think if she did! By this time the class, thoroughly disgusted and thwarted, solemnly agreed that it was nigh on to impossible to get the best of Miss Glover, no matter how hard they tried!" This story was in the November 13, 1951 J-TAC.

Miss Dollie Glover, professor emeritus, was born in Brownwood on February 22, 1895, and graduated as valedictorian of both Brownwood High School and Howard Payne University. She received her M.A. from the University of Texas in 1925. After teaching high school in Taylor, Big Spring, and Santa Anna, she was head of the English Department at Kidd-Key College in Sherman. Glover came to Tarleton as an Assistant Professor of English in 1926/27, and retired in 1960. The Grassburr photos above show Miss Glover in 1929 and 1960.

The 1935 Grassburr was dedicated to her, and she was honored as a distinguished faculty member in 1970. She was the author of A Daily Guide to Correct English published in 1965. Miss Glover was very active in the community and was a charter member of Stephenville's branch of the American Association of University Women. She was a member of the Erath County Retired Teachers Association, was a member of the Erath County American Cancer Society, served on the board of the Senior Citizens Center, and was a member of the American Heart Association and the Tarleton State College Ex-Students Association. She also was a member of the Chamber of Commerce education committee.

In the world of academia, Miss Glover was a charter member of the Joint English Committee for Schools and Colleges, the South-Central Modern Language Association, Conference of College Teachers of English, the American Association of University Professors, and was listed in the Directory of American Scholars and Who's Who in Texas Today.

A member of the Stephenville First United Methodist Church and a charter member of the Wesleyan Service Guild, Miss Glover also wrote a history of the church. She died in Stephenville on January 16, 1984, and was buried in Greenleaf Cemetery in Brownwood.

Not only was Miss Dollie Glover an excellent English teacher and devout supporter of education, she must have also had quite a sense of humor! Wonder if the snuff worked on her flowers...and how many of her former students remember the antic?

Stephenville Empire Tribune, January 17, 1984.

Grassburr, 1929.

Grassburr, 1960.

J-TAC, November 13, 1951.

J-TAC, January 26, 1984.