Columns & Opinions

Adversity, it is said, is the truest test of character. When times are flush and problems scarce, few will have to find a way to rise to the occasion when the occasion has risen for them. Gov. Joseph Sayers was a man who faced many crises in his life and faced even greater crises as governor as the state weathered a number of natural disasters. Even in the face of disaster, Sayers found ways to pave a path forward for Texas.

Change often came slowly to the South, but it often arrived with a whirlwind of effort pushing it along. Helen Stoddard, a force of nature unto herself, became a leader in the state with her efforts to defeat alcohol and promote women’s equality. Stoddard became an early professor and pursued a host of causes across Texas, including child welfare, women’s education, food safety, prohibition of alcohol, and women’s suffrage. Her stubborn mindset, coupled with a sharp intellect and fiery sermons galvanized legislators and public opinion at the turn of the century. Along the way, Helen Stoddard became one of the co-founders of what is now Texas Woman’s University and one of the first women to run for Congress.

Contact: Becka Oliver, Executive Director, Writers’ League of Texas becka@writersleague.org The Atlanta Public Library hosts a Writing Workshop at the Mattie Lanier Richey Center on Saturday, June 17 featuring presentations from two accomplished authors.