Descriptive SummaryWilson, Louita Dodson 1917-1992.Louita Dodson Wilson Papers, 1974, 1986-1992
Materials are written in English.MS 12
.33 linear feet (approximately 250 items)
Archives and Special Collections Department, The University of Texas at San Antonio LibraryLouita Wilson Dodson was a petroleum geologist, anthropologist, author, and community leader in Texas.Autobiographical papers of Louita Dodson Wilson consist of works, notes, letters, legal documents, printed material, and artwork created during the latter part of her life.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Louita Dodson Wilson Papers, 1974, 1986-1992, Archives and Special Collections, Library, University of Texas at San Antonio.
Historical Note
Louita Wilson Dodson (1917-1992) was a petroleum geologist, anthropologist, author, and community leader in Texas. She was born April 3, 1917, in Dallas, Texas, and received her BA in Geology from The University of Texas at Austin in 1940. During WWII she was one of a few women employed in the field of geology and worked for such companies as West Texas Range Improvement Co, Midland (1940-1943); Geophysical Services, Inc., Dallas (1943-1945); Sun Oil Co., Dallas (1945-1946); and Atlantic Refining Co., Caracas, Venezuela (1946-1948).
In 1948 she married Thomas Carroll Wilson with whom she had three children: Thomas Texas, Allison Carroll, and Katherine. She wrote a how-to book,
Making the Most of Every Move, under the name Garner Dodson. The book was published by Putnum in 1958. In 1961 she earned her MA in Anthropology from The University of Colorado, and from 1965-1966 she was an anthropology researcher at The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.
Ms. Wilson spent the latter years of her life in San Antonio, Texas, where she was committed to women's and community issues. She was a member of the American Association of University Women, from 1944 to 1985, for which she held several positions including President. She was membership chairperson for the Bexar County Woman's Political Caucus, 1988-1990, a member of the National Organization for Women, and co-founder of the Doté Foundation, a local not-for-profit organization that provides funding and support for activities that empower women in San Antonio.
Ms. Wilson died in 1992.
Scope and Content Note
The Louita Dodson Wilson Papers, 1974, 1986-1992, consists of works, notes, letters, legal documents, printed material, and artwork created during the latter part of her life. The collection includes computer printouts, handwritten and typed manscripts, and computer disks. The material is arranged into series primarily by form with Unpublished Works and Writing Class comprising the bulk of the collection. Both offer autobiographical perspectives into her life and provide insight into her experiences as a female geologist.
The Unpublished Works were obtained from her computer disks posthumously and include short stories and fragments of an autobiography. The Writing Class series is divided into three subseries arranged by form: Journal Entries, Notes, and Printed Material. Each of these subseries was either created or collected by Ms. Wilson for a writing class held at the Bexar County Women's Center. The smaller series' of Letters, Legal Documents, and Artwork offer supplemental insight into the her life and activities. The final series, Works by Other Authors, consists of a manuscript written by Shirley Ann Mackeller and printed from Ms. Wilson's computer disk.
ArrangementThe collection is arranged as follows:
- Unpublished Works
- Writing Class
- Letters
- Legal Documents
- Dote Foundation
- Artwork
- Works by other authors
Acquisition Information
Papers were donated by Katharine Sheldon in 1995 (Acc. 1995-006).
Access RestrictionsResearchers are required to wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish material from the collection must be obtained from the Archives and Special Collections, University of Texas at San Antonio.
Processing InformationProcessed by Katie Salzmann, Processing Archivist, June 1996.
Index Terms
PersonsWilson, Louita Dodson, 1917-1992.
TopicsWomen--Texas--San Antonio.
Women authors--Relations with men.Women geologists.
Genres/formatsCorrespondence.Manuscripts.Printed material.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Unpublished Work
Autobiographical material printed posthumously from Ms. Wilson's computer disks. Texts describe her experiences growing up in Del Rio Texas, attending The University of Texas at Austin, and working as a geologist. Of particular note are descriptions of her relationships with her family and her husbands.
Arranged chronologically by events described.
1
1
Roaming
1
1
Soil Saving
1
1
Geophysical
1
2
Caracas
1
2
Europe
1
2
Compelling Dreams
Writing Class
Writing assignments, class notes, and printed material created during the course of an informal writing class held at the Bexar County Women's Center and taught by Rachel Weiner. Corrections and comments are written in the author's hand at the suggestion of class members. The bulk of the series is journal entries which are autobiographical and offer insight into Ms. Wilson's thoughts and experiences. The entries were originally housed in dated folders and the original order has been maintained.
Arranged by type of material.
1
Journal Entries, 1987-1992
1
Journal Entries, 1987
1
3
A Ship
1
3
Lily
1
3
A Ship, (Photocopy)
1
3
A Puzzle
1
3
Denver Neighborhood, May 6, 1987
1
3
My Most Wanted Birthday Present, May 20, 1987
1
3
"Frances" A Character Description
1
3
A Story I've Been Told
1
3
In Thanks
1
3
A Place I Remember
1
3
Reworked Myth
1
3
A Place I Know Well
1
3
A Baby, Holograph Manuscript
1
Journal Entries, 1988-1989
1
4
My Ten Commandments
1
4
The Language of my Family, Holograph Manuscript
1
4
Free Writing, Holograph Manuscript
1
4
In the Beginning
1
4
A Dream
1
4
In My Four-Chambered Heart
1
4
The Last Time I Saw You…
1
4
Something Lost--Something Found
1
4
Salvador - Orrichra, Holograph Manuscript
1
4
untitled poem, Holograph Manuscript
1
4
Search, Holograph Manuscript
1
4
On a Trip, Holograph Manuscript
1
4
Prescription, Holograph Manuscript, April 27, 1988
1
4
Differences in a Girl of Eleven Years and Sixteen Years
1
4
Plowing the Sea
1
4
The Ring
1
4
Magical Rain
1
4
Vagarious Reflections: The Wheel to Freedom
1
4
Overheard Conversations
1
4
Overheard Conversations
1
4
What Now, Experts?
1
4
Nelda Sue
1
4
Eileen
1
4
My Hero
1
4
Juana Ines de la Cruz
1
5
Anticipation, Holograph Manuscript
1
5
Tower Murders, July 6, 1988
1
5
Tower Murders
1
5
Tower Murders
1
5
Enchantment, October 12, 1988
1
5
A Pure Moment
1
5
Spring, October 19, 1988
1
5
Last Chance - Foreign Language Exam, November 2, 1988
1
5
My Checkbook
1
5
The Ultimate Insanity
1
5
A Widow's Challenge
1
5
Untitled
1
5
The Chameleon
1
5
Homage to Another Age, Holograph Manuscript
1
5
Untitled
1
5
An Unhappy Family
1
5
Adele's Addiction
1
5
Rank, Holograph Manuscript
1
5
A Day in Maracay
1
5
A Pioneer Mother
1
5
A Pioneer Mother
1
5
What Makes a Feminist?
1
5
What Makes a Feminist?
1
5
Untitled fragment
1
5
Reflections in a West Texas Flower Garden
1
5
The Scientific Method
1
5
Smuggling
1
5
Untitled, May 17, 1989
1
5
A Woman's Friends, May 23, 1989
1
5
A New Schoolhouse, September 27, 1989
1
5
Adele's Trip, November 8, 1989
1
5
Border Patrol, November 29, 1989
1
5
Overheard Conversations, [1989]
1
5
The Ring
1
Journal Entries, 1990
1
6
Evolutionary Musings
1
6
Evolutionary Musings
1
6
Evolutionary Musings
1
6
Evolutionary Musings
1
6
Violet, January 31, 1990
1
6
Introduction, fragment
1
6
The Enduring Land, February 14, 1990
1
6
Lawyers or Liars?, February 21, 1990
1
6
Lawyers or Liars?, February 21, 1990
1
6
Does Fear Breeds Brains, February 28, 1990
1
6
Cleo's Granddaughter, March 28, 1990
1
6
Susan - Cleo's Granddaughter, March 28, 1990
1
6
Observations of an Urban Anthropologist, April 14, 1990
1
6
Observations of an Urban Anthropologist, April 14, 1990
1
6
Observations of an Anthropologist II, May 2, 1990
1
6
Observations of an Anthropologist II, May 2, 1990
1
6
Observations of an Anthropologist II, May 2, 1990
1
6
Cod Liver Oil, May 9, 1990
1
6
Cod Liver Oil, May 9, 1990
1
6
Mother Just Laughed, May 16, 1990
1
6
The Turning Point, May 23, 1990
1
6
Revealing Comments, May 30, 1990
1
6
Jeepers, Goddess
1
6
Jeepers, Goddess
1
6
Mothering, July 11, 1990
1
6
Mothering, July 11, 1990
1
6
The Lost Grave, September 26, 1990
1
6
The Lost Grave, September 26, 1990
1
6
Water, October 17, 1990
1
6
Streetcars, October 24, 1990
1
6
Tomorrows, October 31, 1990
1
6
Musings about Marriage
1
6
Reunion, November 14, 1990
1
6
Uncle Worthless, Holograph Manuscript
1
Journal Entries, 1991
1
7
Water / Seashore, January 9, 1991
1
7
Chaco Canyon, January 23, 1991
1
7
Foreordained?, February 6, 1991
1
7
My Mentor, March 13, 1991
1
7
Our Foremothers, April, 1991
1
7
Fireworks, May 1, 1991
1
7
Grandmother's Genes, May 22, 1991
1
7
My World at Ten Years, June 9, 1991
1
7
A Real Uncle, June 26, 1991
1
7
Wondrous Excitement, July 10, 1991
1
7
The Comment, July 17, 1991
1
7
Swimming, July 24, 1991
1
7
Swimming, July 24, 1991
1
7
The First Time, July 30, 1991
1
7
My Life Quilt
1
7
Sure Trouble
1
7
Rape
1
7
Rape, computer print out
1
7
The Secret
1
7
Washington Views, October 20, 1991
1
7
Textures
1
7
Stardust, November 11, 1991
1
7
My Birth Story, December 9, 1991
1
8
Notes, 1986-1988
1
9
Printed Material, undated
Letters
Three letters. Of note is a typed letter from Ms. Wilson to her son, Tex. The letter regarding the 1991 Tour of Homes for the Monte Vista Historical Association was printed off a computer disk posthumously. The letter from Ms. Riddle was found among the journal entries.
110Letters, 1974, 1991, 1992
Legal Documents
Two documents printed off of Ms. Wilson's computer; her Fifth Annual Account covering June 21, 1989 - June 20, 1990, and a generic Contract of Agreement.
Arranged by type.
111Legal Documents,undated
Doté Foundation
Ms. Wilson was co-founder of the Women's Resource Center and this series consists of three documents found on her computer disks; minutes of the August 31, 1990 Board meeting of the Dote Foundation, a statement of objectives for the Resource Center, and the vitae of the Center's co-founder, Kay W. Price.
Arranged by type .
112Doté Foundation,1990, undated
Artwork
Three watercolors.
113Artwork,undated
Works by Other Authors
Text to an autobiographical manuscript written by Shirley Ann Mackeller and found on Ms. Wilson's computer disks. Ms. Mackeller was a friend of Ms. Wilson's in Australia.
1
Mackeller, Shirley Ann
1
14
Papua New Guniea, undated