Progress Report

Listed below is a general progress report that I have put together on my digital project and research paper over Samuel Walker Houston. This is the progress I have made on my project up until October 20Th.



Samuel Walker Houston Project: Progress Report

Name: Cory Reaves

Title: “Samuel Walker Houston, Modernizer of Huntsville African American Education”
Summary of Progress: Many people are completely unaware of how African Americans were educated prior to desegregation. Samuel Walker Houston was one distinguished figure who took charge at the roots of this issue. Amongst other decorated achievements, he founded the Galilee Community School, which was most likely the first school for African American children in not only Huntsville, but all of Texas during this time. This digital project is designed to take a look back at how Samuel Walker Houston went about accomplishing such a feat, some of the hardships he faced in his efforts, and how he led the small school at Galilee with a single teacher when it began in 1907, to become consolidated with the Huntsville Independent School District in 1930. The research completed leading up to this point consists of six primary sources that are all letters from former president of Sam Houston Normal Institute (the earlier name of SHSU) Harry F. Estill’s records. This first is a letter from who is thought to be President Estill to Henry S. Pritchett, asking for funds to help support the school at Galilee. The next two letters are back and forth from Samuel Walker Houston and President Estill regarding a situation about the possible loss of funding from the " Jeanes Fund”. President Estill looks into the situation and is answered by President of Negro Rural School Fund Anna T. Jeanes Foundation, James H. Dillard in the following two letters concerning the appropriations. The final letter is again from President Estill to Samuel Walker Houston, in which he describes the selling and/or disposal of an old gymnasium building, and refers Samuel Walker Houston to speak with J.L. Pritchett. In accordance with these six letters, two additional secondary sources on the topic are included in the investigation. One is information explaining what exactly the JeanesFund is and who it is available to. The second is an article from “The Handbook of Texas Online”, which summarizes the life and accomplishments of Samuel Walker Houston.

Works Cited:
· Estill, Harry F. "President's Papers." Newton Gresham Library Archives (1912-1913): Aug 1912-Mar 1913.
· Handbook of Texas Online, s.v.”,” http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/HH/fhobs.html (accessed September 14, 2009).
· Louisa County Historical Society, "The Jeanes Fund." http://louisaheritage.org/enlg/JeanesFund.htm (accessed October 18, 2009).

Digital Project Outline:
Samuel Walker Houston, Modernizer of Huntsville African American Education

Thesis: This digital project is designed to take a look back at how Samuel Walker Houston went about founding Galilee Community School, some of the hardships he faced in his efforts, and how he led the small school with a single teacher when it began in 1907, to become consolidated with the Huntsville Independent School District in 1930.

Outline:

I. The foundation of Galilee Community School

A. Funding the school
1. The Jeanes Fund
2. Additional efforts to raise funds

II. Educational Idealism of Galilee Community School