Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

"Miss Mary Marrs Enjoys a Trip to Mexico City"

"Not all faculty members suffered from the Texas heat all summer!" Miss Mary Marrs and her sister, Mrs. W.B. McAdams, flew to Mexico City for a weeks vacation the summer of 1936. It was Miss Marrs' first time to fly, but after the trip she was then a "confirmed air traveler."

Miss Marrs and her sister had a wonderful trip, making side trips to Tasco, Cuerna Vava, and the famous Floating Gardens....."where orchids are a dime a dozen." However, I'm not sure that they escaped the Texas heat - it's hot in Mexico too - but the trip was awesome!

Assistant Professor Marrs taught mathematics at Tarleton for 27 years, retiring in 1952. Not only did she teach at Tarleton, she was a member of the first Tarleton class in 1899. Miss Marrs recalled that the first year there were four teachers, Dr. W.H. Bruce, the president, who also taught the advanced students upstairs in the first Tarleton building. Other teachers were H.J. McIlhany, Mrs. Pearl Ponder Chamberlin, and Miss Clara Bartholomew. She stated that most students rode horses to school and tied them to the trees. A windmill and wooden water tank were located behind the building. Dubbed the "Dog House", this is where the athletes took their baths.

In 1899 the girls and boys weren't allowed to associate with each other. One time Miss Marrs and her date wanted to go to a party. Just before time to go they donned their party clothes and went to see Dr. Bruce for permission.....it worked....he let them go!

During her Tarleton teaching career Miss Marrs taught a number of future Tarleton faculty including Dick Smith, Zeddie Edgar, H.W. Leach, Autis McMahan, Reuben Friou, and former Tarleton business manager Gerald Fanning.

Miss Marrs retired from Tarleton in the summer of 1952. Regretting that she didn't finish out a full 50 years, she stated that "after all, 48 years is a long time!" After retiring, "I am going to travel in the Northeast, particularly Washington, New York, and Boston."  Unfortunately, Miss Marrs died October 15, 1953, after being hospitalized for seven months.

Hope you can escape some of the Texas heat this summer too......even if it is to Mexico heat!

Grassburr, 1935.

J-TAC, September 16, 1952, October 20, 1953.