2020 College Report

hi story of the college cont inued - 1961 - Te Bobcat Band, now led by Maurice Callahan , marches in the inaugural parade of President John Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon Johnson . - Ramsey Yelvington joins SWT as playwright-in-residence and faculty member in Speech and Drama. Over the years he writes several plays directed by James Barton . - called theatre). - Texas State University, and with it the name of the changes to the 1949 1960 1965 1971 1972 1985 During the 1960s, as President of the United States, alumnus Lyndon Baines Johnson returned to campus to sign the historic Higher Education Act of 1965. Te site of that signing is currently home to our School of Music. * Wr i t t en by T.Cay Rowe Te 1970s and ‘80s were highlighted by the arrival and leadership of Richard Cheatham. During his 26 years as Dean (1985-2011), the unit formally becomes the College of Fine Arts and Communication (1999) and experiences signifcant growth. - 1948 - Bachelor’s degree in journalism is approved (later mass communication). - 1949 - Music Hall is dismantled and moved to make way for the Fine Arts Building. (pictured) - 1950 - College enrollment bounces back to 2,013 in the fall of 1950, thanks in part to the G.I. Bill. Fall replaces summer as the highest enrollment period. - 1951 - Music and Art occupy the new Fine Arts Building, which includes 30 practice rooms and an auditorium that seats 200-300. In the mid-1980s, the building is renovated into Taylor-Murphy. - Master’s degree in music is approved. - 1954 - Anton Bek takes direction of the Bobcat Band, encouraging the frst drill teams and baton twirlers. - 1956 - Te current Music Building is built as Strahan Gymnasium. Strahan Coliseum’s construction in 1982 allows the building to be renovated to house Music. - 1957- Master of education degree in speech is approved. - 1959 - Southwest Texas State Teachers College becomes Southwest Texas State College. - 1960 - Te Strutters drill team is founded and performs with the Bobcat Band. (pictured) In 1978 the group is moved from the Music Department to Athletics, where it remains. - 1962 - Dana Jean Smith , a black high school graduate, applies to SWT and is denied admission because of the “whites-only provision in the college’s charter.” She wins her lawsuit against the school and is enrolled, along with four other black female students, in 1963. - 1964 - Jim McCrocklin becomes president of SWT. His tenure oversees an explosion in enrollment. Fall enrollment in 1963 is 3,850; by fall 1973 it is 12,142. - 1965 - Te band accepts Lyndon Johnson’s invitation to lead his inaugural parade; the University of Texas Longhorn Band tries to replace SWT, but the Bobcats prevail. - President Lyndon Johnson signs the Higher Education Act in Strahan Gymnasium (the current Music Building). Te ceremony had been planned for the steps of Old Main, but rain moves it to the gym. (pictured) - LBJ cedes the Fish Hatchery property to SWT. Tese 25 acres are later the site of J.C. Kellam and the Speech and Drama Center. - 1966 - University reorganized into a fve-school liberal arts model. Journalism is now in the School of Applied Arts; Art, Music and Speech are in the School of Liberal and Fine Arts. 1967 - Bachelor’s degree in drama is approved (later 1969 - Te name of the college changes to Southwest College Star Te University Star . - 1970 - Enrollment doubles within fve years to 9,853 in fall 1970; Master of arts degree in speech and drama is approved. - 1971 - Te Speech and Drama Building (now the Teatre Center) opens. - Ralph Harrel (pictured) named dean of the School of Creative Arts, which is housed in the College of Arts and Sciences; he is dean until 1985. - 1972 - Drama is now included in the name of the Department of Speech. - Te new Ebony Players, under the direction of James Barton , perform A Raisin in the Sun (pictured) at the LBJ Ranch for President and Mrs. Johnson . - 1974 - Lee Smith is the new president of the university. He splits the two colleges into seven separate schools: Journalism is in the School of Applied Arts. Art, Music, and Speech and Drama are in the School of Creative Arts. - 1977 - Art moves to the building that is now Lampasas Hall. - 1978 - Richard Cheatham becomes chair of Speech and Drama at SWT. - 1979 - Ralph Harrel , dean of Creative Arts, and San Marcos resident Maude Ogle partner to formTe Dean’s List, a group of local patrons who support the arts that in 1993 becomes the Friends of the Fine Arts and Communication. - 1980 - University enrollment hits 15,400. - 1981 - Bob Hardesty , former special assistant to President Lyndon Johnson, becomes president of the university. - 1982 - Music moves into renovated Strahan Gymnasium; KAT Radio begins operation on a cable access channel in San Marcos. - 1984 - Journalism joins the School of Fine Arts and Communication. - Te Opening Door Dance Teatre is begun by faculty members Karen Earl , Sandy Rodriguez and LeAnne Smith . - 1985 - Richard Cheatham (pictured) becomes dean, serving until 2011. He oversees new master’s degrees in journalism/mass communication and art and design; the new tower and license for KTSW; and the opening of the Fire Station Studio, the Joann Mitte Art Complex and the design of the Performing Arts Center. During his tenure, univeristy enrollment goes from 19,267 to 32,572, with Fine Arts and Communication majors rising from 1,614 to 4,668. - 1986 - Steven Beebe joins the faculty as chair of Speech Communication and Teatre Arts and serves as chair of Speech Communication until 2014. 26 . COLLEGE REPORT 2020 F i r s t gen / N e x t gen . 27