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Murphy, Retta

Retta Murphy

Biography

From her arrival in 1919 until her retirement in 1956, Dr. Retta Murphy personified excellence at Southwest Texas (now Texas State University).  Her demanding and popular courses in U.S. and Latin American history exposed generations of students to the intellectual vigor, depths of knowledge, and keen wit which characterized her teaching.  In 1938, she received a doctorate from the University of Texas, where she pursed research in the Spanish Southwest, the subject of subsequent scholarly publications.  A resolute classroom instructor and trusted professional colleague, her contributions to the University’s academic vitality were many and enduring.

Craddock Oral Histories

In the 1974 interview, conducted by students Bobbie Vaughn and Stan Siler, Dr. Murphy talks briefly about her family, her education, and her first teaching job at Trinity where she was also Dean of Women.  The focus of the interview is related to her experiences at Southwest Texas State, beginning with her arrival in San Marcos in 1919.  Dr. Murphy discusses her memories and observations of the History Department, examples of discrimination she experienced as a woman on the faculty, and some memories from teaching troops on campus during WWII.   She also talks about President C.E. Evans, President John G. Flowers, Professor Greene, and Lyndon Johnson.

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PDF Transcript, February 28, 1974
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HTML Transcript, February 28, 1974

Full audio is available for this interview.  Request via Ask an Archivist.

Brown Oral Histories

In the 1978 interview, conducted by History faculty members Merry FitzPatrick and Ronald C. Brown, Dr. Murphy talks about her experiences at Southwest Texas State, from her arrival in 1919 when the school was still a Normal College, through her retirement in 1956.  She relates stories about President “Prexy” Evans, President Flowers, Lyndon Johnson, and mentions SWT professors H.M. Greene, James Taylor, Emmie Craddock, Alfred Nolle, and Betty Kissler among others. She also talks about her beliefs about education and teaching and offers examples from her years of teaching college students.  The interviewers and Dr. Murphy had a collegial relationship and they laughed through much of the interview.

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PDF Transcript, Ausust 17, 1978
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HTML Transcript, August 17, 1978

Full audio is available for this interview.  Request via Ask an Archivist.