Kerrville's Schreiner Institute in 1929

Schreiner Institution, Administration Building, Kerrville, as it appeared in 1929.
Click on any image to enlarge.

Dickey Hall, 1929

This week a long-time friend brought by a copy of the 1929 Recall, the yearbook of Schreiner Institute. The book, with an elaborate cover, has about 186 pages, and has a lot of wonderful photographs of the school and its students.
Schreiner Institute is now Schreiner University, and was started in late 1917, when Charles Schreiner donated $250,000 to establish the school, along with 140.25 acres of land, with the condition construction not begin until World War I was over and at least one year had passed from the signing of the peace treaties. In the years after that first gift, Schreiner added to his commitment, eventually providing a little over $550,000 to start the school.

Headmaster's House, 1929

Construction on the campus began in 1922. Three buildings were erected: a three-story main building, today called Weir Academic Building; a dormitory, Dickey Hall; and a headmaster's house, now used as the Alumni House. The architectural style of the buildings was described in the Kerrville Mountain Sun as "English Colonial," a style "which is specially adapted to the rugged surroundings and has the further advantage of being very homelike."

Hoon Hall, 1929

The choice of this architecture style is interesting. Charles Schreiner was not English, but was born in Alsace, a region of France bordering Germany. I wouldn't call the architecture style of Charles Schreiner's own house on Earl Garrett Street "English," either, though his eldest son's house might have some English inspiration. It's the big house between the print shop and the library.

A. C. Schreiner Hall, 1929

Perhaps the style of architecture was chosen because it best represented a local idea of what a school should look like, using design to create something from nothing.
In September, 1923, classes began at Schreiner Institute. This means the 1929 yearbook given to me this week offers a glimpse of the school from its earliest days.
Five brick buildings are featured in the 1929 yearbook: in addition to the original three, A. C. Schreiner Hall was built in 1925, and Hoon Hall in 1926.
Two Kerrville homes are also featured in the yearbook: the Water Street home of A. C. Schreiner, who was the president of the Schreiner Institute's board of directors in 1929; and the home of Louis Schreiner, "Tulahteka," which is south of town on a hill, and was most recently the headquarters of the LDBrinkman Corporation.

Schreiner Football, 1928 season

In 1929, J. J. Delaney was the school's president, who lead a faculty of twenty men and women.
The students ranged from high school freshmen through college sophomores. 34 college sophomores are listed in the yearbook, all pictured in military uniforms. Most of the young men are from Texas towns, ranging in size from Dime Box to San Antonio. Many of the sophomores are from Kerrville. There were 77 college freshman listed, and there were 94 students enrolled in the high school department. The student body, when combining the high school and college student, was 205 young men in 1929.

Schreiner Basketball, 1928-29 season

The sports teams at Schreiner had a successful season in 1929. The football team won 8 out of 9 games, only losing to Texas Tech; the basketball team won 17 of 20 games.

Recall, 1929

Sixty nine diplomas were awarded in 1929, with 22 graduating as college sophomores, and 47 graduating as high school seniors.
I visited the Schreiner University campus this week, and was reminded what a special part of Kerrville it is. We are very lucky to have the school in our community.
Until next week, all the best.

Joe Herring Jr. is a Kerrville native who is especially fond of one particular Schreiner College graduate, the lovely Ms. Carolyn. This column originally appeared in the Kerrville Daily Times December 8, 2018.

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