The Victoria College, 1925-2000: A Tradition of Excellence

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Mary Nell Schiwitz leads the Victoria
College Band in downtown Victoria.
January 1957, they had secured more than 250
names on the document, enough for the election.
The trustees set January 29, 1957, as the
date for the referendum. 74
Stormont and former board president
Wearden were in the vanguard at local civic
clubs touting the benefits that would accrue
from a favorable vote. The two men emphasized
that the new buildings and the conversion plan
would double the college capacity of 500 fulltime
students. They reiterated the points that
earnings increased for anyone who attended
even one year of college, and families saved
money when their children enrolled in the local
educational institution. 75
Faculty participation in the election was
enlisted by Moore. He called upon the instructors
to remind their acquaintances to vote, and provided
each faculty member with sheets torn from
the Victoria telephone directory marked with the
names of individuals believed to be friendly
toward the college. The faculty was instructed to
call these residents between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30
p.m. on a given date. The president advised the
employees to be prepared to answer questions. 76
To Moore, giving the right responses to what
were likely inquiries was critical to the success
of the passage of the bond issue. Based on conversations
with people at civic, religious, and
social functions, the president anticipated the
questions that would be raised. He was sure that
the instructors would be asked if the college was
going to become a senior institution. The reply,
Moore said, should be there are no current plans
for this happening. The purpose of the bonds
was to build a first-class junior college. Another
likely query, the president remarked, would
center around spending taxpayers’ money to
operate buses out of Victoria County. The reply
should be that out-of-county students pay twenty
dollars more per semester, and the college
receives from the state $200 for these students
per semester. Of course, Moore said, the faculty
members could expect that voters would ask
92 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, 1925-2000