Online Source: http://www.shsu.edu/~pin_www/pdf/HeritageSpring08.pdf

THE BEARKAT BUNCH

Seven members of the Sowers family inspired a tradition of loyalty to
Sam Houston State that has flourished throughout multiple generations

by Julia May

Although Sam Houston State doesn't keep statistics on how many family members attend and graduate from the university, it is possible that the Sowers family may hold the record for the most Bearkats to come through campus.

For more than 50 years, from the late 1920s through the 1980s, 24 individuals in the family were enrolled as students. One Sowers even went on to serve as an administrator at Sam Houston State.

The Sowers family has its roots in the Piney Woods of East Texas, where J.B. and Fannie Sowers were bringing up their four sons and three daughters on a Houston County farm near Weldon before the Depression hit.

Although she had never been to college, Fannie always stressed the importance of a college education to her children. In fact, it was so important to her that she and Pappa Sowers made the decision to move the entire family close to Huntsville so the children could attend Sam Houston State Teachers College.

In 1928 the family loaded up all their belongings in a wagon and moved to a farm near town. Each Sowers child who started college literally followed in the footsteps of the older sibling who had gone before--they all walked to and from campus to attend class. Along the route, they sold vegetables grown on the family farm to finance their education.

Cullen Sowers was the first to graduate. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture in 1931. He went on to serve as Sam Houston's registrar and later as the dean of the graduate school at East Texas State.

His younger brother, Morris, graduated next in 1933 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. He played football and was an all-conference basketball player at Sam Houston. His teammates gave him the nickname ``Tree Top'' because he was 6 feet 6 inches tall, which was quite unusual at the time. His wife, Woodie Dell Hale, attended Sam Houston and earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Morris also received a Master of Education degree from Texas A&M University.

Their sister, Jessye, graduated in 1935 with a bachelor's degree in history.

Brother Sam received his Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture in 1940. He joined the Coast Guard and served in World War II. When the war was over, he returned to Sam Houston and completed his master's degree in agriculture education in 1948. He married Ida West who also attended Sam Houston.

Sister Glyn Nell graduated with a bachelor's degree in home economics in 1941.

Brother George received his bachelor's degree in science in 1946, after serving in World War II. George's son, Howard, received his degree in agriculture.

Another sister, Lily Belle, received a teaching certificate from Sam Houston. She married Fritz McPhail, also a Sam Houston graduate.

Norma Rives and Sara Cole, the daughters of Morris Sowers and his wife, Woodie, were recently at Sam Houston State University for a visit. Both daughters are Bearkats, as well as Sara's husband, Donald Cole. They had many good memories about campus life from their college days.

``We always knew about Sam Houston State from our earliest days because both our parents went to school here,'' Norma said.

``Our father was a Sam Houston athlete, and we would come to campus for homecoming and other events when he would be honored,'' she said. ``We grew up attending special events at Sam Houston.''

``Dad's niece, Glyda McPhail McCullough, was the daughter of his sister Lily Belle,'' said Sara. ``Glyda had also attended Sam Houston and was the nursing supervisor at the health clinic on campus during the 1950s.''

Glyda and her husband, James ``Pete'' McCullough (also a Sam Houston graduate), lived in the back of the clinic. They had a son, Charles Morris--named after Norma and Sara's father--who received his degree from Sam Houston State in 1985.

``We came to campus to visit them from time to time when we were growing up,'' Sara said. ``Although we didn't live in the area, we were in Huntsville a lot because of family ties.''

When the Sowers family got together, the Sam Houston connection was often the main topic of conversation.

``The adults talked about their college days and things going on at Sam Houston all the time--non-stop,'' laughed Norma. ``Because, in addition to the brothers and sisters who attended, their spouses, children and grandchildren had either attended or were attending as well.''

``They enjoyed talking about different professors and their memories of the Estill Building,'' said Sara. ``Our mother's graduation picture was taken on the steps of the Estill Building, so we knew the significance of that building to her when we were very young.''

Morris also inspired a sense of Bearkat pride in the girls as they were growing up.

``Dad's Sam Houston class ring was very special to him,'' said Sara. ``He always wore it, except for the time he had to send it off to be re-cast, because the cast had worn away.''

As the girls were growing up, they had the opportunity to see just how much their parents valued their education at Sam Houston.

``Both our parents influenced many of their students to attend Sam Houston State,'' said Sara. ``They were very proud of the Sam Houston tradition and wanted it to continue.''

When Norma and Sara finished high school, they said it wasn't hard at all for them to decide which college to attend.

``Both our parents were teachers, and they encouraged us to go to Sam Houston,'' said Norma.

There was one time during the mid-1960s when four of the Sowers cousins were enrolled in Sam Houston at the same time.

Sam Sowers and his wife, Ida, had three daughters--Ann (Anderson), Mary Jane (Bradley) and Linda (Frazee)--born within 29 months of each other. They all attended Sam Houston when Sara did.

``There were three of us in Martha Ann Turner's Literature of the Southwest class,'' Sara said. ``She called us Sowers No. 1, Sowers No. 2 and Sowers No. 3.''

Although Ann later graduated from the University of Texas, Mary Jane and Linda both received their bachelor's and master's degrees from Sam Houston. Linda additionally earned a Ph.D. at the University of Colorado.

The family members had many similar experiences while they were Bearkats, but Norma had one college experience that is unique only to her. She went to the beloved Tripod's funeral.

``I was the only member of the Sowers family who attended,'' she said proudly.

Because of their parents' influence, both Norma and Sara chose careers in teaching, and both received their bachelor's and master's degrees in elementary education from Sam Houston State. Norma taught 38 years in Galena Park and Liberty, and Sara taught a total of eight years in the Houston, Spring Branch and Cypress-Fairbanks Districts.

Following the example set by their parents, Norma and Sara encouraged their students to attend Sam Houston State, even though their students were elementary school age. Norma's son, Michael Rives, also attended.

``When I was teaching, I would take pictures of the campus to my classroom to show the children and tell them about my college,'' Norma said.

Although it has been awhile since a direct member of the family has been enrolled as a student at Sam Houston State University, it's possible that someone whose last name is or was Sowers guided some current students directly or indirectly to the SHSU campus.

Sam taught science and agriculture in Wortham, Mexia, and Texas City and was an administrator at the Mexia State School and in Texas City. During his time in Wortham and Mexia, he assisted farmers with soil conservation, crop rotation, and insect control.

``He was a man who appreciated the value of education and shared this value with his family, his friends, and his students,'' said his daughter, Mary Jane.

``Through the years, my sisters and I often heard our dad's former students say, `Mr. Sowers turned my life around,' or `I would never have gone to college without your encouragement','' she said. ``The education he received from Sam Houston State inspired him to help others.''

Sara had a similar experience remembering her parents.

``I can't begin to tell you how many teachers, principals and school superintendents in Texas were trained by our mom and dad or received their degrees from Sam Houston because of our parents,'' she said.

``When they died, we got letters from people all over the state--other educators, students, and even parents of former students--telling us how much our parents meant to them,'' she said.

``Sam Houston is a great university! Many memories are reflected from the past. It is an honorable tribute that the Sowers family is part of its history.''