O.W. Moerner first attended Southwestern University in 1910. During his years at the university, he also took classes at the Fitting School. In 1912, he joined the faculty at Cherokee Junior College, where he participated in the Glee Club and the College Quartette. He also helped coach/manage the Cherokee Junior College Men’s Baseball Team. After two years at Cherokee, Moerner returned to Southwestern an active student. He was a member of the San Jacinto Literary Society, Southwestern University Glee Club, Head Yell Leader, and a competitor on the Southwestern Track Team. Moerner also had the privilege of being one of the Chief Marshals at the first May Fete held in 1915. After he graduated from the university that same year, Moerner went on to become a Methodist preacher. O.W. Moerner was an active alumnus of Southwestern University throughout the rest of his life.

The O.W. Moerner Collection includes several of Moerner’s personal belongings acquired during his years at Southwestern University and Cherokee Junior College. The collection reflects Moerner’s involvement at both institutions. A majority of this collection was donated by his daughter, Alyce Phillips.

From Moerner’s first years at Southwestern University, the collection includes an SU Student handbook, debate programs, a debate speech by Moerner, and a track meet program. A Cherokee Junior College Catalogue and Annual are included in the collection from the years in which Moerner was a faculty member at the college. In photograph archives, there is a picture of the Cherokee Junior College Men’s Baseball Team with Coach (?) Moerner pictured to the far right. There is also a picture of the SU class of 1915 at their 50th reunion in 1965, and a picture of Moerner along with a Rev. King and Iola Bowden [Chambers] and several others who are unidentified. The rest of the Moerner collection is from Moerner’s later years at Southwestern, including alumni events. There are programs for recitals, Moerner’s graduation, debate meets, Glee Club, senior luncheon, and a Baccalaureate service. There is also a program for the first May Fete in 1915. The textiles collection contains a May Fete sash Moerner wore as one of the official May Fete Marshals. Among the programs there are broadsides/flyers for several concerts, track meets, and team manager elections. Other Southwestern includes promo flyers, a game ticket, SU buttons, and an SU Homecoming flag with a picture of the Homecoming King and Queen. There are also two ribbons Moerner earned in his track events. One was awarded to him for receiving 2nd place in the relay race, and the other for receiving 3rd place in the 440-yard run. Moerner’s photograph album dates from about 1911 to 1915 and contains pictures of Moerner at track meets, districts/towns in which he possibly preached, fellow students, friends, and family.

Box and Folder

1. “O.W. Moerner Collection” 1909, 1910, 1913-1915, 1916, 1965.

Folder includes broadsides/flyers (concerts, team manager elections including R. Lee Dobie, and track meets), programs (recitals, graduations, debate meets, Glee Club, luncheon, Baccalaureate service, and May Fete), and student materials (student handbook, song and yell books/pamphlets, track ribbons, game ticket, SU buttons) for Fitting School [Prep School, Preparatory Department], Texas State Oratorical Association, Alamo and San Jacinto Societies, Ladies Annex, and Alumni Association. (See also: SU Textiles and Small Collections.) Folder contains 59 items.

Box/Folder: 4.12 Small Collections: Southwestern University

2. “Removed from O.W. Moerner Collection: c. 1913, 1965.

Photograph of Cherokee Junior College Men’s Baseball Team [1913] with Moerner in extreme right; group photograph with Moerner, Rev. King, and Iola Bowden [Chambers] identified; Photograph of 50th reunion for class of 1915, all identified on reverse; photo album including: photographs of original SU campus sporting events—track, baseball (original SU [Old Main] building in background); Goldthwaite, TX; Llano, TX and Llano River; Fredericksburg; hospital Monterrey, Mexico; camp meeting at “Plehweville”; Starkes, TX; Cherokee, TX; Austin, TX; Galveston Bay; Georgetown, TX; Topeka, KS; Ft. Worth, TCU; Castell.

Box/Folder: 22.4 Photograph Archives: Collections

3. “O.W. Moerner Collection” c. 1915

Ceremonial sash worn by O.W. Moerner at first May Fete (see also: Small Collections and Photograph: Archives).

Box/Folder: 3 Southwestern University: Memorabillia, Textiles.