The Last Fifty Years

by J. D. Long
(From Biology Department Newsletter, 1994)

The review of the history of the biology program at Sam Houston in earlier Newsletters had gotten, with the last issue, to the time of Dr. S.R. Warner's initial retirement in 1947. Dr. Robert Livezy who had joined the faculty a year earlier, assumed the directorship of the biology program in 1947 but resigned from the faculty in 1949 to accept a teaching position at Notre Dame University in Indiana. At President Harmon Lowman's request, Dr. Warner returned to the active faculty and began to seek additional teachers and a new person to direct the biology program. By 1952, the faculty was increased to six members, Frank A Cowan had become departmental director and Dr. Warner retired for the second and final time.

As indicated in previous Newsletter issues, Warner's influence continued over a long span of years and the quality of biology instruction at Sam Houston reflects the impact he had on our program. Dr. and Mrs. Warner continued living in Huntsville until their deaths in 1976. After retirement, he was on the campus often and came to be known and admired by several succeeding generations of students and faculty.

In 1953, Mr. Cowan suffered a severe heart attack and died in his sleep. Dr. William K. Clark succeeded to the directorship on this occasion, continuing in this role until 1962. Dr. James D. Long served as director until 1972 when Dr. John R. Hilliard became chairman. Dr. Maynard Yoes, who replaced Dr. Hilliard in 1974, held the chairmanship until he was replaced by Dr. Darrell D. Hall in 1981. Dr. Andrew A Dewees has occupied the position of chair since 1983. Dr. Everett Wilson served as Dean of the College of Science from 1965 until 1979 . In the late 1960's, enrollment at Sam Houston first reached five digit numbers.

Faculty involved in the biology program increased to eighteen by 1970 and has remained close to that number ever since. It seems inappropriate to make biographical comments about faculty still active with the program today. The list of individuals below does cite all of those who have held positions with the program at some time during the last fifty years.

POST WW II SHSU BIOLOGY FACULTY (as of Spring 1995)

Longino, Grace - 1948 - 1955           
Sparks, Albert K. - 1949 – 1951
Cowan, Frank A. - 1949 - 1953 
Dacres, William G.- 1949 - 1956 
Mcleod, Claude A. - 1949 - 1979      
Clark, William K. - 1952 - 1964 
Thornton, Wilmot A. - 1954 - 1961      
Buchanan, G. Dale - 1956 - 1958 
Flados, Norman D. - 1958 - 1966   
Stewart, Robert B. - 1958 - 1959 & 1965 - 1994 
Long, James D. - 1959 - Present        
Moskowitz, George - 1959 - 1960 
Whitson, Charles - 1961 - 1971         
Lasater, John - 1962 – 1985
Wilson, Everett D. - 1962 - Present    
Yoes, Maynard - 1962 - 1987 
Potter, Floyd - 1963 - 1970            
Foerster,Harold - 1964 - Present 
Horne, David - 1964 - 1971             
Thomas, Ruth B. - 1964 – 1991
Hall, Darrell D. - 1965 - Present      
Hoage, Terrell R - 1965 - Present 
Meade, Thomas G. - 1965 – Present 
Sundman, Jack - 1965 - 1966             
Black, Homer S. - 1966 - 1968 
Sawa, Takashi - 1966 – 1969             
Brown, Dwight - 1967 - Present with Geology  
Dewees, Andrew - 1967 - Present 
Hilliard, John R - 1968 - Present      
Moldenhauer, Ralph R - 1968 - Present 
*Prince, Wayne - 1968 - 1974            
DeShaw, James R - 1970 – Present
Hinderstein, Barry - 1971 - 1975
Smith, Roberta H. - 1973 - 1974        
*Phelps, Robert - 1974 - 1979 
Minor, Karen - 1977 - 1979             
*Rutledge, Jerry - 1979 - 1981 
Barber, Susan - 1979 - 1982          
Turner, Jack - 1980 - 1983 & 1987 - Present 
Ward, John M. - 1980 - 1981            
*Smith, Leanna - 1981 - 1990 
Gary, Michael- 1982 - 1983              
Warnock, Michael- 1982 - Present 
Bruns, Dale A. - 1983 - 1984            
Herron, Rex C. - 1984 - 1885 
*Rose, Lori - 1990 – Present             
Bagdonas, Karolis - 1990 - Present 
Hudson, Joan Nester - 1991 - Present    
Thies, Monte - 1992 - Present
DeVore, Melanie - 1993 - Present 
Kurtz, Harry - 1994 - Present            
Phillips, Ted - 1994 - Present 

* Freshman Biology Laboratory Coordinators

(Next, The Jimmie Long Era)