NEWS ITEMS
Miss Eleanor Buckley, who for some years has been calendaring the Bexar archives at the University of Texas, has gone to the University of Pennsylvania to continue study in history for the doctorate. Mrs. Mattie Austin Hatcher has taken up Miss Buckley's work in the archives.
Dr. Frederic Duncalf, for the past two years Adjunct Professor of Medieval history at the University of Texas, has accepted a similar position at the University of Illinois.
William Edward Dunn has been appointed instructor in Spanish American history at the University of Texas. He will offer graduate courses in early Texas history and in the history of the South-west, and during the summers will direct the work of making transcripts of historical documents in Mexican and other foreign archives.
The Brenham Daily Press on September 1 issued a special industrial edition, which contains a “Chronological History of Brenham” and the “Social History of Brenham,” by Mrs. R. E. Pennington, and the address delivered by Dr. Richard F. Brenham, at Austin, on April 21, 1840, copied from the Austin City Gazette May 13, 1840.
W. P. Zuber, perhaps the last survivor of those under the command of General Houston at San Jacinto, died at Austin, September 22, 1913. He was born in Twiggs county, Georgia, July 6, 1820. During the last few years he wrote his reminiscences and planned to publish them under the title, “Eighty Years in Texas.”
“Rev. R. H. Crozier, D. D., for twenty-one years pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, of Palestine, Texas, passed away at his home in that city, July 16th. . . . Dr. Crozier was born at Coffeeville, Mississippi, January 28, 1836, and was educated at Oxford University, being graduated in June, 1857. In April, 1861, he was made captain of Company I, Thirty-third Mississippi Regiment. . . . He was licensed to preach in April, 1873. . . . Besides being a strong preacher, he was known as an author.” [The titles of some of his books are “Araphel, or The Falling Stars of 1833;” “Fiery Trials;” “Deep Waters.”]—Christian Observer, August 6, 1913.
Captain William A. Pitts died at Austin, October 13, at the age of eighty-three. Since 1850, when he enlisted in Henry E. McCullough's company of Texas Rangers, he has been a prominent figure in the military and civil history of the State. A brief sketch of his career appears in the Dallas News, of October 14.
On February 1, 1913, John W. Curd died at his home in El Paso, of acute nephritis.
Mr. Curd was born August 29, 1876, at Paducah, Kentucky. In early boyhood he came to Texas, where he spent the remainder of his life. On July 31, 1901, he married Miss Anna Wallace at Abilene. He is survived by his wife and four children, two sons and two daughters.
Mr. Curd's career was typical of that of the American teacher. He was reared on a farm and his early education was secured in the public schools. After teaching three years, he entered the State University in 1901, and was graduated in 1904. At the time of graduation he was awarded a Fellowship in Physics, but instead became teacher of History, and later principal, in the El Paso School, where he established a reputation as one of the strongest History teachers in the State.
Recognizing the rich possibilities for local historical work in the El Paso region, Mr. Curd at once began to investigate that field, a work which took him to Mexico City and Chihuahua, and into the local archives at Juarez. Some of the results of his studies were published in historical articles in the local press. He also was active in the promotion of a local historical society.
It was Mr. Curd's purpose to continue his studies in the University of California, and in 1912 he resigned his position in the High School to enter business, with the hope of being able sooner to carry out that plan. Meanwhile he taught history in the El Paso Military Institute.
In the death of Mr. Curd the Southwest lost a man of sterling qualities, a history teacher of first rank, and a student of much promise.—H. E. B.
How to cite:
"NEWS ITEMS", Volume 017, Number 2, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, Page 215 - 216. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v017/n2/back_6.html
[Accessed Sun Nov 23 2:38:31 CST 2008]
