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66 Norris held a master’s degree from the University of Michigan and was pursuing his doctorate degree at the University of Southern California. Early in the negotiations, Norris made it clear that he wanted to go to California for a part of each summer to continue his postgraduate studies for his doctorate. Norris gradually assumed responsibility for administration of the college, freeing Bowden to devote additional time to fund-raising and public relations. When Norris was appointed dean of the college, he became an even more active participant in community social gatherings . Many persons in the neighborhood attended the church where he was a member, participated in the same functions, and frequented the same places. Moreover, he taught a Sunday school class that many in the community attended, thus adding to his influence. For fifteen years, Norris served as dean of the faculty ( to ) and in , when Bowden retired, he became dean of the college. The son of an ordained minister and teacher, Norris was born in Houston into a family of nine children. His father was a “strict disciplinarian” and some of the influence from his father can be seen in Norris’s own strict enforcement of rules. In his book, Up From Poverty, Norris explains that he spent a good deal of time during his first year becoming acquainted with Bowden, observing and analyzing the St. Philip’s situation. From this vantage point, he was able to discover some of the problems in the school. One major problem he identified was the relationship between the SAISD and St. Philip’s. The school district had been presClarence W. Norris Sr., Dean Emeritus Nearing five decades spent at St. Philip’s, and with retirement in the not too distant future, Bowden’s search for a replacement led her to handpick Dr. Clarence Norris Sr. On June , , Bowden sent a letter to Norris encouraging him to accept the position and explaining the reasons why she felt he should consider the position. Excerpts from Bowden’s letter read: For several years, I have taken the utmost care in the selection of our Administrative personnel in view of the approaching close of my tenure of office. I have been anxious to bring young people with your qualifications into the work, who would be able to carry it on to higher attainments. Norris, who had given much thought to what the future financial security would be for his family if he accepted the offer of employment at the college, decided to take a chance. He had heard of St. Philip’s history of not fully meeting its obligations to pay its teachers, but he surmised that with their recent affiliation with the school district , salaries would be more likely to be paid in a timely manner. With these thoughts in mind, he accepted the offer and, in , left his position as State Supervisor of Adult Education, Negro Division, with the Works Progress Administration (WPA), to accept a teaching position in sociology, education, and Spanish, and the administrative position of assistant dean. At the time of his hire,  The Norris Years I feel that you, above all applicants we have had in the past few years, have had that training and experience necessary to make a lasting contribution to your people through this institution. I urge your prayerful consideration of this matter, for somehow, I feel that the future of the institution may be affected by your decision. The Norris Years • 67 its doors to all applicants regardless of race, out-of-town recruitment was discontinued. With the open door policy, enrollment of non-black students began a steady climb that, at this writing, has not abated. Another important observation was the clash in personalities between Bowden and Loftin. Bowden, who had served as president of the college since its inception, had relinquished her title of president to Loftin and was now called Dean Bowden. Though the title of dean was a demotion for her, Bowden willingly accepted it in order to help the school, for she knew that without immediate financial assistance from SAISD or some other source, St. Philip’s would cease to exist. With her previous title and position, she dealt directly with the Board of Trustees, the Episcopal Diocese, the McAllister’s, Eleanor Brackenridge, and other important persons in the community, such as the publisher of the newspaper, Frank Huntress. Norris noted that Loftin, as the former president of Texas College of Arts and Industries at Kingsville, Texas, and president...

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