Texas Archival Resources Online

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Descriptive Summary

Historical Note

Restrictions

Index Terms

Related Material

Administrative Information

Detailed Description

Houston Public Library, Houston Metropolitan Research Center

Dr. Kate Bell Collection:

An Inventory of Records at the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library



Descriptive Summary

CreatorBell, Kate
TitleDr. Kate Bell Collection
Inclusive Date1952-1958
IdentificationMSS 98
Extent1 box
LanguageMaterials are in English.
RepositoryHouston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library

Historical Note

Dr. Kate Bell, a teacher with the Houston Independent School District, was elected president of the Texas State Teachers Association in 1953. During her tenure, the HISD school board decided to fire Dr. George Ebey, hired by the school district as deputy superintendent in 1952, because of his "controversial" actions, notably his support for racial equality and interaction.

Ebey's opponents claimed he supported communism. Although the school board found no evidence that Ebey was himself a communist, they agreed that he had worked with known subversives, and on that basis, decided to fire him. The Minute Women, a right-wing pressure group formed in the atmosphere of the Cold War, supported the school board's actions. The case attracted attention to Houston and caused national outrage.

Dr. Bell, one of Ebey's supporters, pushed for an outside investigation into H.I.S.D.'s actions by the National Education Association which determined that Houston teachers were under pressure to modify liberal political and social views. In response, her opponents tried to have H.I.S.D. cancel her teaching contract. In 1958, Bell's support of liberals for school board positions again almost cost her job with H.I.S.D. as opponents rallied unsuccessfully to have her fired.

Return to the Table of Contents


Restrictions

Access Restrictions

None.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish or reproduce materials from the Kate Bell Collection must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder.

Return to the Table of Contents


Index Terms

Subjects (Persons)
Ebey, George, 1907-
Bell, Kate
Subjects
Anti-communist movements--Texas--Houston
School elections--Texas--Houston
School superintendents--Texas--Houston
Subjects (Organizations)
Houston Independent School District
Minute Women of the U.S.A., Inc. Houston Chapter

Return to the Table of Contents


Related Material

MSS 70, Dr. George Ebey Collection

Return to the Table of Contents


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Kate Bell Collection. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library.

Processing Information

Processed by Suzanne L. Summers, April, 1990.

Return to the Table of Contents


Detailed Description

 
BoxFolder
11Brochures, Statements, etc.

Return to the Table of Contents




 
BoxFolder
12Correspondence

Return to the Table of Contents




 
BoxFolder
13Photographs

Return to the Table of Contents




 
BoxFolder
14-7Newspaper Clippings

Return to the Table of Contents