Texas Tech University Archives

There are numerous resources within the Southwest Collection which document women's history at Texas Tech.


Four of the five women enrolled in the first class of the Law School in 1967.Image from the Information Services Collection, U 100.11.
First recipient of Ford Foundation Advanced Study Fellowship for Black American at Texas Tech. Image from the Information Services Collection, U 100.11.
Undated photograph of twirlers rehearsing with the Texas Tech Goin' band. Image from the Music Department Collection, U 123.6.

The Texas Tech Women's Timeline highlights many of important milestones throughout the university's history.

The Women Who Shaped Texas Tech page features women who have made lasting impressions on the university and their communities. Each year 3-5 women are selected as a "woman who shaped Texas Tech" honoree. These women have legacies and/or have made contributions that span decades.

The Women's History Month page highlights aspects of the "Women Who Shaped Texas Tech" exhibit the University Archives creates each March in celebration of national Women's History Month.

A Guide to Women in Texas lists the diversity of holdings within the Southwest Collection covering the lives, achievements and activities of women in the State of Texas.

Resources within the University Archives: Manuscript Collections, Oral History Collections, Photograph Collections, and Additional Resources

I. Manuscript Collections

Academics:

  • U 92.3 Home Economics Records, 1952-1981 and undated: This 7 box collection contains material documenting the activities of Texans for ERA. Included are organizational records, correspondence, printed material, and brochures.  Eight posters on ERA transferred to oversize section.
  • U 93.1 Home Economics Department Records, 1967, 1971: This 2 wallet collection includes brochures and programs concerning the Home Economics Department at Texas Tech University.
  • U 261.1 College of Human Sciences: This 36 box, 59 scrapbooks, 2 blueprints and 72 sound recordings collection includes annual departmental reports, alumni recollections, faculty biographies, degree programs and proposals, and historical information on Phi Upsilon Omicron and the Home Management House. Many of the scrapbooks have been digitized and are available for viewing as PDFs here.
  • U 85.1 Health, Physical Education and Recreation Records, 1958-1980: This 4 box collection contains mainly administrative materials, including correspondence, meeting minutes, faculty reports and information, tenure files, degree requirements and curriculum, and registration statistics.
  • U 385.1 Women's Studies Program Records, 1980-2006 - This 8 box collection contains the administrative files for the program, including correspondence, minutes from the Women's Studies Council, and the working conference files.

Administration:

  • U 57.1 Dean of Women Records, undated: This 4 box collection contains the records concerning the instruction and behavior of female students of the college. Also included are the scrapbooks of the Association of Women Students, Las Leales Honor Society, and the Freshman Honor Society dating from 1928 through 1957.
  • S 1146.1 Margaret W. Weeks Papers, 1925-1967: This 2 box collection includes correspondence, biographical data, and a listing of honors and minutes of the Quarterly Club (1932-1957) of Texas Technological College. The collection bulks with six scrapbooks pertaining to Margaret Weeks' career and activities and business related to Texas Technological College. Weeks was one of the original faculty members at Texas Tech as well as the first Dean of the School of Home Economics.
  • U 334.1 Margaret E. Wilson Papers, 1935-2007: This 19 box collection documents Dr. Wilson's work as a professor in the Physical Education division, her time as president of the Faculty Senate during the conflict between the faculty and Tech President Lauro Cavazos, and, as a pioneer in Tech's women's athletics, her work in obtaining equal resources for women's athletic programs.
  • The February 13, 1965 Board of Regents meeting minutes contains a report by Florence L. Phillips, Dean of Women, which gives an brief overview of education for women in the United States since 1837 before delving into the history of women's education at Texas Tech, its related social and honor programs and activities, recommendations for the future, and an appendix containing statistics on college enrollment of women.
  • The April 10, 1965 Board of Regents meeting minutes contains a report by Willa Vaughn Tinsley, Dean of the School of Home Economics, which gives a history of the students, faculty, and the school's programs and facilities.
  • Women's Recognition Service, 1932-1966 (See U 14.1 James G. Allen Records)
  • U 189.1 Women's Studies Council Records, 1981-2001 and undated: This 1 box collection consists of the Women's Studies exit interviews, conducted from 1981-2001, of former Texas Tech employees.

Faculty:

  • American Association of University Women. Lubbock Chapter Records, 1925-1962: Founded in 1882, the AAUW is an organization open to all women holding a baccalaureate degree from an AAUW-accredited university. Its purpose is to work for the advancement of women, as well as for the solution of social, economic, and political problems. Includes printed materials, annual reports, and miscellaneous information about AAUW.
  • S ? American Association of University Women Records, 1969-1977 and undated: This is a 2 wallet collection.
  • S ? American Association of University Women Records, 1969-1977 and undated: This is a 2 wallet collection.
  • S ? American Association of University Women Records, 1928-1981 and undated: This is a 3 box collection of scrapbooks and literary publications.
  • U 204.1 American Association of University Women Records, 1951-1952: This is a 1 wallet collection contains the "Annual Report: Lubbock Branch, 1951-1952."
  • American Association of University Women Records, 1947-1953 (See
  • American Association of University Women Records, 1957 (see U 57.1 Dean of Women Records)
  • American Association of University Women Records, 1971-1988 (See U 147.37 Lauro Cavazos Records)
  • American Association of University Women Records, 1972-1981 (See U 192.3 Home Economics Records)
  • S 375.1 Edna Gott Papers, 1960-1986: This 1 wallet collection bulks with employment records, correspondence, personal material and class evaluations of Dr. Gott. There is also material on Dr. Gott’s discrimination charge against Texas Tech University’s Economics Department, as well as papers and a tape on the memorial service held for Dr. Gott.
  • U 76.1 Faculty Women's Club Records, 1943-1974: This 1 box collection primarily contains news clippings, meeting minutes and activity summaries.
  • U 371.1 Margarette Harden Mercer Collection, 1940-2000: This collection consists of the research, publications, and field notes of Dr. Margarette Harden Mercer. There are also 721 slides in this collection and 10 scrapbooks.
  • S ? Ilse Hildegarde Wolf Papers, 1926-1942: This 1 wallet collection consists of scrapbook and legal materials pertaining to Wolf's education and career. It bulks (1926-1942) with a news clipping scrapbook.
  • Women's Faculty Club, 1949-1963 (see U 49.1 Dewey O. Wiley Papers)

General:

  • Freshmen Honor Society, 1938-1949 (See U 14.1 James G. Allen Records)
  • Freshmen Girls Honor Society, 1939-1940 (See U 14.1 James G. Allen Records)
  • Freshmen Honor Society scrapbooks, 1938-1948 (see U 57.1 Dean of Women Records)
  • U 398.1 Maxine Fry Scrapbook, 1937-1958: This scrapbook is in very fragile condition. It includes news clippings and a few photographs concerning Maxine's years at Texas Technological College, the beginning of her teaching career and her wedding. There are also a few loose items such as her student government campaign poster.

Honor Organizations:

  • U 121.1 Mortar Board Records, 1928-2005: This 3 box and 5 newspaper box collection consists of materials related to the original organization, Forum, Forum Chapter of Mortar Board, and the Alumni Chapter of Mortar Board. Manuscript material dates back to 1928, and includes 45 prints, 25 negatives, 1 contact sheet, 2 VHS tapes, 1 photo CD, 1 audio CD. Also included is a collection of 9 chapter scrapbooks dating back to 1939.
  • Mortar Board, 1954-1963 (See U 14.1 James G. Allen Records)
  • Mortar Board, 1956-1957 (see U 57.1 Dean of Women Records)
  • There are also the following Mortar Board interviews:
    • Rebecca Akard oral history interview (2001)
    • Betty Bell oral history interview (2001)
    • Melinda Corwin oral history interview (2001)
    • Keig Elle oral history interview (2001)
    • Willouise Fortenbery oral history interview (2001)
    • Emily Anny Core Gilmer oral history interview (2001)
    • Elizabeth G. Haley oral history interview (2001)
    • Carolyn Harding oral history interview (2001)
    • Jean A. Jenkins oral history interivew (1975)
    • Victoria McClure oral history interview (2001)
    • Pat Nunley oral history interview (2001)
    • Barbara Anne McDougal oral history interview (2001)
    • Judy Poffenbarger oral history interview (2001)
    • Sue Ava Rainey oral history interview (1973)
    • Elizabeth Thomasson oral history interview (1973)
    • Winfred Vigness oral history interview (2001)
    • Jo Beth Walker oral history interview (2001)
    • Fran Waters oral history interview (2001)
    • Rebecca Wylie oral history interview (2001)
  • U 372.1 Phi Upsilon Omicron - Double Key Chapter Records, 1935-2007: This 2 box collection contains information regarding the history of the Texas Tech Double Key Chapter of the Phi Upsilon Omicron sorority, including membership cards, a scrapbook and photos of individual members.
  • Phi Upsilon Omicron, 1932-1993 (see U 261.1 College of Human Sciences Records). Many of the scrapbooks from this collection have been digitized and are available for viewing here.
  • Phi Upsilon Omicron, 1994-1998 (see U 371.1 Margarette Harden Mercer Collection)

Faculty, Staff and Spousal Social Groups:

Student Organizations:

II. Oral History Interviews

Faculty:

Athletics:

General:

Race and Gender Issues:

III. Photograph Collections IV. Additional Resources
  • Texas Tech Alumni Association Publications, 1937-1964 - Contains news coverage on the activities of the Council of Women Graduates, various women's groups and degree programs, and women faculty.
  • Board of Regents Meeting Minutes - The minutes from the BOR contains information of women's issues such as housing, academic programs, and female faculty.
  • Course Catalogs - The TTU course catalogs outline academic offerings to women as well as information on the campus and student organizations.
  • Tech Tips - These handbooks described Housing and Dining policies and fees, the various student organizations on campus, and gave advice on proper social etiquette for young female college students.
  • The Activist's Forum, 1968-1969 - This short run Texas Tech student newspaper covered topics such as women's rights, racism, protest movements, and civil rights.
  • The Catalyst, 1969-1971 - This Texas Tech related student newspaper was a controversial underground paper whose censorship lead to a notable court case involving freedom of the press for school newspapers. Topics covered included politics, racial discord, women's rights, and the Vietnam War.
  • El Editor, 1977-2013 - The newspaper for the Hispanic community of Lubbock includes articles on women's activities and programs.
  • The Toreador, 1925- - The official Texas Tech student newspaper contains numerous articles on women's activities related to the university.
  • The Southwest Digest, 1977-2014 - The newspaper for the African-American community of Lubbock includes articles on women's activities and programs.

 

 
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