https://hiddenhistoriesut.org/files/original/978f174282235bebd521159718ecfead.jpg 0940f7a52b25f00a43d9da7922e9f7ec https://hiddenhistoriesut.org/files/original/f7ea1a3d1e5b029d9f3b2ff3c989ccaf.jpg 2a44a7eee348d3fb39f749c080d8be2e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Helen Marr Kirby: Co-education at UT Austin Subject The topic of the resource Memorial biography of Helen Marr Kirby, the first Dean of Women at the University of Texas Description An account of the resource Remembrances of the contributions of Helen Marr Kirby, the first Dean of Women at UT Austin, on facilitating coeducation at the university. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1920s and 1930s Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Magazine articles Biography Memorial Newspaper Articles Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Texas University of Texas at Austin Early 20th century Education Women's Rights Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Manuscript Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Alcalde. The Daily Texan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Dolph Briscoe Center for American History NewspaperArchive Relation A related resource Adams, Mary Alice. “Woman Who Made Co-Education Reality in Texas Honored Today.” p.1-2. Austin Daily Texan, Jan. 17, 1937. Newspaper Archive. Casis, Lilia M. Biography of Helen Marr Kirby in The Alcalde, January 1922. Call number 051 AL161, Volume 9, No. 6, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin. Unknown. Announcement of Helen Marr Kirby’s Resignation as Dean of Women in The Alcalde. July 1919. Call number 051 AL161, Volume 7, No. 3. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This electronic resource is made available by the University of Texas Libraries solely for the purposes of research, teaching and private study. This material is made available for education and research purposes only. The creator of this exhibit does not own the rights for these items; it cannot grant or deny permission to use this material. Copyright law protects unpublished as well as published materials. It is your responsibility to determine the rights status and secure whatever permission may be needed for the use of any item. Due to the nature of archival collections, rights information may be incomplete or out of date. We welcome updates or corrections. Upon request, we'll remove material from public view while we address a rights issue. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Daily Texan "Woman Who Made Co-education a Reality in Texas Honored Today" Subject The topic of the resource UT Austin First Dean of Women Helen Marr Kirby Description An account of the resource Article written by Alice Mary Adams for the January 17, 1937 copy of The Daily Texan titled "Woman Who Made Coeducation a Reality in Texas Honored Today." Remembers the life of Helen Marr Kirby 100 years after her birth and recounts her contributions to coeducation at UT Austin. Transcript Title: Woman Who Made Co-education a Reality in Texas Honored Today Author: Alice Mary Adams This is the story of Helen Marr Kirby, born one hundred years ago today, who in 1884 came to the University’s first Board of Regents and took over co-educational discipline, a job which those worthy gentlemen were viewing with the nervousness of a hen who has hatched sea-gulls. This is the story of the University’s first dean of women. Her portrait, painted by the late Julian Onderdonk of San Antonio, is on exhibit in the foyer of the Texas Union for one week, which began Saturday It shows her as so many of her friends knew her: courageous, whimsical, understanding, gentle, a person with the unaffected ease of true dignity. It pictures her as the attentive, helpful, thoughtful listener she was known to be–her whole person held in calm poise, restful strength in the pose of her hands. In a trivial incident told about the dean of women, who was lady assistant until 1904, one may guess at the extent of her courage, tact, and humor. “Laws” Rebel As the University grew, classroom space was diminishing. The Board of Regents decided to transfer a number of academic classes into the Law Building. The “laws,” apparently even more jealous of their sanctuary than they are today, protested that the building was theirs and that life would be unbearable with co-eds perpetually under-foot. They threatened to make themselves so obnoxious that the academic students would demand to be removed. On the first day of classes, Mrs. Kirby led the little procession of girls that apprehensively filed across the campus. Her chin was high; her eyes snapped with half-humorous challenge “Look!” cried one of the girls as they came within view of the front entrance. “They’ve all lined up outside the door! Oh Mrs. Kirby, what do you suppose they’re going to do?” “I’m sure,” replied Mrs. Kirby, gently “that these young men are not so vicious as they would have us believe. Just pretend you see nothing amiss. I’ll take care of them.” As the group approached the building, not a sound came from the ranks of the “laws.” “Good morning, young gentlemen,” greeted Mrs. Kirby with her prettiest smile. Suddenly Become Polite All hats were lifted as if by a puff of wind. “You are most thoughtful to welcome us to your building,” she continued. “We greatly appreciate your generosity in sharing it with us–and now would you mind showing the young ladies to their classes? I must get back to my office.” By no accident was Mrs. Kirby a staunch believer in the gentle art of being a lady. Born in Mobile, Ala., January 17, 1837, she was one of the six children of Richard and Margaret Conner Swearingen, gentle people of the Old South. When Helen Marr was 11, the family moved to Chapel Hill, Texas. Helen Marr received her early schooling at home. In 1855 she took a bachelor of arts degree at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Ga. Three years later she was married to a wealthy plantation owner, Jared E. Kirby, a widower. She lived happily for seven years in the manor house that Mr. Kirby built for his bride on a 1,000-acre tract of land near Hempstead. She was always a gracious hostess to his friends and a loving mother to his two children and later to their own three boys. War Ends Idyll Colonel Kirby’s fortune was swept away in the Civil War. Shortly afterwards he was killed by a political enemy. Mrs. Kirby turned her home, the only property left to her, into a girls’ boarding school, which she called Alta Vista Institute. In 1875 Mrs. Kirby closed her school and came to Austin to teach in Tom Stacy’s private school for girls. This, then, was the woman whom the Regents of an “infant institution,” The University of Texas, implored to take the “white elephant” of discipline off their hands. “Your duties?” exclaimed Gegent Shepherd when she asked for an outline of them. “My dear Mrs. Kirby, you may use your own judgement. We are helpless!” The first year must have been a difficult one for Mrs. Kirby. But as time went on, both boys and girls found themselves eagerly seeking her regard. As for her, she said at her resignation twenty-five years later, “My work was new, often bewildering and hard; the reward has come, great, inspiring and eternal.” Girls Would Be Girls Though Mrs. Kirby watched with interest the growing intramural and extramural activities of the University, she stoutly resisted infractions of the principles of womanliness. Not infrequently she found occasion to quote a lightly significant jingle: “Girls, don’t wiggle when you walk, don’t giggle when you talk.” The former mistress of Alta Vista had not forgotten, however, that her happiest years had been spent as a housewife. “Girls are meant for boys,” she said one time, “But remember–for good boys!” In 1904 Mrs. Kirby’s title became “dean of women.” She served in that capacity until 1919, when she resigned and was made Dean Everita. For two years more she continues to give gentle counsel to “her girls.” She died October 29, 1921. “The woman who made co-education a reality in Texas,” they call her. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Daily Texan Written by Alice Mary Adams Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource January 17, 1937 Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Austin, Texas Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPEG Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Daily Texan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived NewspaperArchive Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The Daily Texan Relation A related resource Austin Daily Texan Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This material is made available for education and research purposes only. The creator of this exhibit does not own the rights for these items; it cannot grant or deny permission to use this material. Copyright law protects unpublished as well as published materials. It is your responsibility to determine the rights status and secure whatever permission may be needed for the use of any item. Due to the nature of archival collections, rights information may be incomplete or out of date. We welcome updates or corrections. Upon request, we'll remove material from public view while we address a rights issue.