The Honorable Judge Thomas Wheeler of the 350th District Court will bring his courtroom to the Hardin-Simmons campus to give students a sense of what a legal career really feels like. Assistant Criminal District Attorney Sam Carroll, husband of Gracie Carroll, HSU associate vice president for academic advising & retention, will prosecute the case.

"It's so hard to get students to the court house to see how a real-world trial works," said Professor Sandy Self, associate professor of political science and director of legal studies. "So if I can't get them to the courthouse to see a real trial, then we'll just bring one to them." Due to the emotional nature of a criminal trial involving alleged injury to a child, she expects the HSU courtroom to fill up quickly.

Self arranged the first-ever criminal trial on a college campus at HSU over two years ago, a historic event in which District Judge Wheeler moved his entire courtroom to the campus to try a local man for possession of an illegal substance. That case resulted in a hung jury when the prosecution could not prove its case.

The trial will be held in the Elwin L. Skiles Social Science Building Courtroom (Room 114) beginning Monday afternoon, October 13th at approximately 1:00 p.m. and continuing until its expected conclusion on Wednesday, October 15th. Judge Wheeler will conduct jury selection prior to moving the court, give jurors a lunch break, and instruct them to be at HSU by 1:00. Self notes that jury selection is often more difficult when injury to a child is involved and the 1:00 start time may slip from 30 minutes to an hour.

While all students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend one of the sessions, criminal justice students as well as political science majors may benefit most from the proceedings. The format is come and go, but students are asked to be as quiet as possible when entering and leaving the courtroom. Judge Wheeler will have a question and answer period after the case is concluded to discuss students' questions about the proceedings.

Hardin-Simmons University offers an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice. Students may choose to pursue an emphasis in either corrections or police science and administration. The program integrates theory and practical applications through lectures, case materials, guest speakers from throughout the industry, and special events such as this live-on-campus case.

The Honorable Judge Thomas Wheeler of the 350th District Court will bring his courtroom to the Hardin-Simmons campus to give students a sense of what a legal career really feels like. Assistant Criminal District Attorney Sam Carroll, husband of Gracie Carroll, HSU Associate VP for Academic Advising & Retention, will prosecute the case.

"It's so hard to get students to the court house to see how a real-world trial works," said Professor Sandy Self, associate professor of political science and director of legal studies. "So if I can't get them to the courthouse to see a real trial, then we'll just bring one to them." Due to the emotional nature of a criminal trial involving alleged injury to a child, she expects the HSU courtroom to fill up quickly.

Self arranged the first-ever criminal trial on a college campus at HSU over two years ago, a historic event in which District Judge Wheeler moved his entire courtroom to the campus to try a local man for possession of an illegal substance. That case resulted in a hung jury when the prosecution could not prove its case.

The trial will be held in the Elwin L. Skiles Social Science Building Courtroom (Room 114) beginning Monday afternoon, October 13th at approximately 1:00 p.m. and continuing until its expected conclusion on Wednesday, October 15th. Judge Wheeler will conduct jury selection prior to moving the court, give jurors a lunch break, and instruct them to be at HSU by 1:00. Self notes that jury selection is often more difficult when injury to a child is involved and the 1:00 start time may slip from 30 minutes to an hour.

While all students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend one of the sessions, criminal justice students as well as political science majors may benefit most from the proceedings. The format is come and go, but students are asked to be as quiet as possible when entering and leaving the courtroom. Judge Wheeler will have a question and answer period after the case is concluded to discuss students' questions about the proceedings.

Hardin-Simmons University offers an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice. Students may choose to pursue an emphasis in either corrections or police science and administration. The program integrates theory and practical applications through lectures, case materials, guest speakers from throughout the industry, and special events such as this live-on-campus case.

Hardin-Simmons University expects to see approximately 1,100 of its alumni and friends as Homecoming 2008 kicks off Thursday, Oct 9, with the theme "Stars of the West." From the opening Alumni Awards Banquet, to the benediction at the alumni-led worship service on Sunday, graduates returning to the Forty Acres will participate in class reunions, enjoy the All-School Sing, honor special alumni, root for Cowboys athletic teams, and reflect on the common bond that they all share.

Over 72 events are scheduled for the weekend. Director of Alumni Services, Britt Jones says, "Already, alumni from as far away as New York, Washington, D.C., Kansas, Delaware, and the state of Washington are making travel plans."

The Moody Student Center will be packed with registering participants, the University Queen will be chosen, and grads will undoubtedly visit the Alumni Wall--looking for their names, and those of spouses, parents, and friends, forever cast in bronze on the circular edifice.

Highlights include:

Alumni Awards Banquet--Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Abilene Civic Center, $26, honoring the University's Outstanding Young Alumni and Keeter Award Winners.

Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet--Friday, 6:30 p.m., Johnson Building, $25, honoring news inductees into the HSU Athletic Hall of Fame.

Reunion Classes--especially honored this year are 1998, 1988, 1983, 1978, and 1968. These include Friday evening informal gatherings and a Reunion Dinner on Saturday.

Golden Lariat Society Dinner--Saturday for all graduates who have celebrated their 50th Class Reunion.

Age-appropriate activities for kids, 2-15, the Posse Corral and a Behind-The-Scenes Tour.

Homecoming Cookout--Saturday prior to the football game.

Cowboy Band--celebrating 85th anniversary with several activities.

All-School SING--Friday & Saturday evenings, 8:00 p.m.

Football Game--2:00 against East Texas Baptist University

Homecoming Worship Service--Sunday, Oct 12 in Logsdon Chapel. The program is entirely alumni-led, with speaker alumnus Charles Massegee '58.

The Alumni Association Hosts Homecoming to encourage and strengthen the bonds of friendship formed in college days, to promote the University and her alumni, and to solidify life-long HSU connections for alumni and friends of the University.

Check the Alumni & Friends website for more details.

Abilenians John and Betty (Thornton) Crowe are the 2008 John J. Keeter Alumni Service Award Recipients for Hardin-Simmons University. They will be honored at the HSU Alumni Awards Banquet, October 9, at 6:30 p.m., in the Abilene Civic Center.

The John J. Keeter Alumni Service Award is the highest alumni honor HSU can bestow. It is presented to the alumnus/a who has/have contributed the most in his or her field of endeavor towards the betterment of HSU or who has rendered the greatest service to the University. Awards have been made yearly since 1943 and are selected by a set committee whose members are established by a campus leadership role.

John and Betty Crowe have faithfully served Hardin-Simmons University for the majority of their lives, whole-heartedly supporting their beloved alma mater. Not only did John and Betty devote their time to HSU when they were students, they also have given of their time and talent to HSU since their graduations more than 50 years ago.

While a student at HSU, John was a member of Alpha Chi and Pi Gamma Mu, was Student Council vice president in 1956, and was named to Who's Who. He graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1956. While in the HSU ROTC program, John was a member of the Pershing Rifles, received the Distinguished Military Student Award, and was the first HSU ROTC student to be given a regular Army commission. He served in the U.S. Army as an airplane and helicopter pilot, and was stationed at Ft. Knox, Kentucky and Ft. Hood, Texas, and served at flying schools in San Marcus; Mineral Wells; Ft. Rucker, Alabama; Ft. Stewart, Georgia, and Ft. Eustis, Virginia.

As an HSU student, Betty was a member of Future Teachers and the Colt Club, and served as sophomore social chairman and senior class secretary. She was also a member of both the Six White Horses Team and the Cowgirls.

John and Betty met when they were 17-year-old students at Abilene high School. They were married August 12, 1955 at Abilene's First Baptist Church.

John's contracting business, the John Crowe Group, has constructed many of the magnificent buildings on the HSU campus. John also has contributed numerous personal hours to the continued development of HSU by serving as a member of the Board of Development from 1999 to 2008 and serving as an Alumni Volunteer. John and Betty are lifetime members of the Presidents Club.

Betty, who retired in 2002 after teaching in the Abilene Independent School District for 35 years, is a former Board of Development member, a current member of the Academic Foundation and the Ex-Cowgirls club. In 2005, she served as the 1955 Golden Reunion Committee Chair.

John and Betty are members of First Baptist Church of Abilene and have lived in Abilene for over seven decades. They have five children, John and Tamara (Allred) Crowe, both '78; Joseph, Timothy, and David Crowe; and Sara (Crowe) Burleson. They also have 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Delbert Allred, Past President of the Abilene Southwest Rotary, presents the scholarship check to Heather Portillo as Dr. Bridges looks on

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, a 20-year U.S. Army veteran, is a 1976 law enforcement graduate of Hardin-Simmons University. She earned her commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army through the Hardin-Simmons University Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and became the first woman commissioned as an ROTC officer in the state of Texas.

Born in Laredo, Texas, and raised in a small barrio near the border, Kickbusch is a strong proponent of life-skills and mentorship. She credits a "social experiment" at HSU for giving her the skills and knowledge to succeed. In 1973, Dr. Julian Bridges, then professor of social work, led a program that brought 30 disadvantaged Hispanic youth to HSU as students. Consuelo was among the group of poor, non-English speaking students who were the beneficiaries of Dr. Bridges' encouragement, guidance, and compassion. He helped them find the strength and resolve to succeed at the University despite the alien environment they first encountered.

Since retiring from the army, Consuelo has chosen a path of teaching--reinforcing her belief that a nation with strong leaders will be globally competitive. She has been recognized nationally for her selfless devotion and dedication toward improving the lives of children who are dealing with low self-esteem, crisis of identity, poverty, gang involvement, and lack of education.

Dr. Julian Bridges taught at Hardin-Simmons University for 31 years as a professor of sociology. Bridges earned five degrees over a 21-year period from 1952 to 1973. He completed the PhD (1973), MA (1969) and BA (1952) from the University of Florida at Gainesville, and the bachelor of divinity (1956) and doctor of theology (1961) in Christian ethics from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

A former minister, Dr. Bridges served with the International Mission Board from 1959 to 1973, and served in Costa Rica and Mexico where he was director and professor at the University (Baptist) Student Center at the 125,000-student University of Mexico in Mexico City. He also taught while on sabbatical at the Baptist Theological Seminary in Madrid, Spain, Hong Kong Baptist University, and in Arusha, Tanzania.

Dr. Bridges has been a deacon at Abilene's First Baptist Church, a city council member, and active in numerous civic and professional organizations. He was recently elected president of the HSU Former Faculty, Staff Administration Fellowship.

Members of the HSU financial aid staff selected Portillo on the basis of academic performance, character, need, and the potential to "pay it forward" through a career in social work. Portillo carries a 4.0 grade point average.

A bank and holding company founder, Gene Adams; an author, guest speaker and columnist, Rebecca (Barlow) Jordan; and the Chief Reporter in the Office of Official Reporters of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, DC, Joe Strickland are the Hardin-Simmons University Distinguished Alumni honorees for 2007. The trio will be honored at the HSU Alumni Awards Banquet, October 9, at 6:30 p.m., in the Abilene Civic Center.

This award, given since 1970, is presented to alumni whose personal and professional accomplishments exemplify the ideals and aims of the University, and thus bring honor to HSU.

Gene Adams
BBA 1954/MA 1962

Gene Adams currently serves as president and founding chairman of the board of Baylor Bancshares Inc., a multi-bank holding company which he has built to four banks and four branch banks with nine locations. He established the company in 1979 after beginning his career in 1954 at Farmers and Merchants National Bank, Abilene (currently First Financial Bank, Abilene). Gene has now served as president of banks in Abilene, El Paso, Lamesa, Plainview, and Seymour.
During his career he has been recognized as "an outstanding West Texas banker and businessman." He is currently serving as chairman and vice chairman of the boards of four banks. In 1993, he traveled to Moscow while serving on an International Committee invited by the Russian Bankers Association to help convert Russian banks to free enterprise system operation. He has also served on the boards of the Baptist Church Loan Corp. and the Federal Reserve Bank, and was an advisor to the U.S. Comptroller of the Currency.

While a student at HSU, Gene was involved in tennis and played on the 1953 national championship team. He was the 1953 Senior Class Favorite and Senior Class treasurer.
He has continued his involvement with Hardin-Simmons, serving two nine-year terms and twice as chair of the Board of Trustees. He is also a former member of the Board of Development and the Alumni Association Board.
He received the Keeter Alumni Service Award in 1991 and in 2003 was inducted into the HSU Athletics Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Irma, have two adult children and are members of First Baptist Church of Seymour.

Rebecca (Barlow) Jordan
Ex 1966

Rebecca Jordan has a passion "to help others find their own deep connection with a loving, faithful God." She has accomplished her goal by sharing personal reflections of her own profound connectedness with God. Since leaving Hardin-Simmons in 1966, Rebecca has authored/co-authored 10 inspirational books, is a frequent guest speaker, and has been a newspaper columnist.

While she continues to write, Rebecca also teaches a Bible study class at Highland Terrace Baptist Church where her husband, Larry '67, is Executive Pastor. She and Larry lead marriage enrichment retreats and co-authored Marriage Toners, Weekly Exercises to Strengthen Your Relationship. Rebecca has also taught at writers' conferences, has been a church deaf interpreter, and has worked with women's ministry and discipleship.

Her newest book is 40 Days in God's Blessing: a Devotional Encounter, the second in a new 40-day devotional series. She also authored the bestselling Daily in Your Presence and Daily in Your Image, as well as At Home in My Heart: Preparing a Place for His Presence.

Rebecca co-authored with four friends the Courage for the Chicken Hearted and Eggstra Courage for the Chicken Hearted series which has sold over 150,000 copies, has been translated in Korean, and published as a hardback collector edition for Guideposts.
Rebecca and Larry live in Greenville, TX, and have two married daughters and four grandchildren.

Joe Strickland
BM 1976

How does one get from the small farming community of Rotan, Texas, to the U.S. Capitol? Joe Strickland can explain that journey. His starting point was at Hardin- Simmons University.

Joe's career has been a mixture of music, travel, and reporting. Raised by a minister whose mission was to build new churches, Joe and his family moved from church to church and home to home throughout his childhood. While at HSU majoring in music, Joe traveled internationally with the Concert Choir and other HSU singing groups. By the time he graduated from HSU, the love of travel was deeply embedded in his spirit.
In 1978, he and a partner opened Epic Travel, Inc. in Plano, Texas. For the next 10 years, he co-owned and managed this successful retail agency and arts and entertainment tour operation, traveling all over the world.

In 1988 he sold the travel business and began training for his next career--in court reporting. Excelling at his new chosen profession, Joe moved, in only 10 short years, from working as a live on-air closed captionist for a local ABC affiliate in El Paso to become the Chief Reporter in the Office of Official Reporters of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, DC. Along the way, he served as a freelance court reporter in Washington, DC, as an official reporter, then as the Deputy Chief Reporter for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Joe recently moved from the suburbs of northern Virginia to the vibrant U Street Corridor in the District of Columbia.

The 2008-2009 Leland Scholars are:

Caleb Cruce, is a native of Leander and the son of Clay and Patricia Cruce. He is a youth ministry and psychology double major. He plans to be a youth minister or professional musician.

Alexandra Townsend-Dokter, from Abilene, is the daughter of HSU alumnus Kelly Townsend. The fine arts/graphic design major would like to become a visual effects artist for a major movie company.

Phoebe Glick, from Amarillo, is the daughter of Cindy Glick. The biology (pre med) major has wanted to be a doctor since she was six, "so it's amazing to finally be on the way to that goal."

Kelsie Nygren, a native of El Paso, is the daughter of Curt and Diana Nygren. The English major began writing fiction when she was twelve years old and hasn't stopped since. One of her works has already been published by a Christian publishing company, and she would love to earn her living writing Christian fantasy. "Some say the novel or newspaper is almost extinct because of the Internet," she says, "I say there is nothing better than the feel of a book that holds untold riches in its pages."

Katie Witmore, is an official military brat. Born in the Netherlands, she comes to HSU from Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan, where her parents Eric and Jean Whitmore are stationed and her father serves as an Air Force chaplain. Sister Tori is also in the honors program, so her entire family isn't half a world away. She plans to major in political science, with a minor in missions. She hopes to have a career in international affairs so she can continue to travel and experience new things.

June Frost Leland, a 1940 graduate of Hardin-Simmons University, Six White Horses rider, philanthropist, and Ruidoso, New Mexico, resident, surprised HSU with the largest single gift ever received by the University. A significant portion of the bequest was dedicated to the Honors Program, and the establishment of the Leland Scholars endowment for the Honors Program allows the University to compete each year for larger numbers of top academic performers.

The 15 students selected for the Honors Program in addition to the Leland Scholars are:
Abigail Bailey of Demming, New Mexico; Callie Rankin of Midland/Odessa; Chelsea Steelman of Paris; Courtney Browning of Seymour; Cullen Dees of Canyon; Jeremiah Banks of San Angelo; Lauren Jay of Kingwood; Lyndsay Matthews of Henrietta; Meghan Stearns, of Louisville; Melissa Rosales of Mission; Morgan Rainer of Texarkana; Rebecca Roth of Weatherford; Sarah Shurbet of Pittsburg; Tori Whitemore from Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan; and Travis Tincher from Whitehouse.

Students admitted to the Honors Program receive an honors scholarship for each semester, as long as they are in good standing in the program. The HSU Honors Program provides an enriched educational environment for undergraduate students of exceptional promise who have a wide variety of interests and seek an enhanced learning opportunity. In keeping with the University's Christian mission, the Honors Program promotes creative and critical thinking skills to equip individuals for success in today's world.

"Living Current: God's Word on Today's BIG Issues" is the theme Dr. Jim Denison, pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, brings to Hardin-Simmons University for this year's The Cornerstone Series. The series, featured Sep 30 - Oct 2, is a sequence of Bible lectures presented to help perpetuate the ideals set forth in the foundation agreement of Simmons College, now Hardin-Simmons University. These ideals are commensurate with the New Testament revelation of Christ, the cornerstone of the Christian faith.

Dr. Denison's work in apologetics, worldviews, and cultural studies is extensive and well documented. He has also written a number of scholarly articles which examine historical evidences for Jesus, the Bible, and Christianity.

All sessions are open to the public, and Dr. Denison's words promise to be compelling and thought-provoking. The lectures are presented in Behrens Chapel on the Hardin-Simmons University campus and begin at 9:30 a.m. Topics include:

Tuesday, Sep 30 - Radical Islam

Wednesday, Oct 1 - Evil and Suffering

Thursday, Oct 2 - End Times

Dr. Denison writes a daily devotional on cultural issues from a spiritual perspective, "God Issues Today," which is e-mailed each weekday to more than 11,000 subscribers worldwide (www.godissues.com and www.godissues.org. He is author of five books, Wrestling With God: How Can I Love a God I'm Not Sure I Trust?; The Bible--You Can Believe It: Biblical Authority in the Twenty-First Century; Myth and the Manger; Life on the Brick Pile: Answers to Suffering from the Letters of Revelation ; and Seven Crucial Questions About the Bible. His weekly Bible commentaries written for Sunday School teachers are used by BaptistWay Press as an online teaching tool.

Dr. Denison has a Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Dallas Baptist University. He teaches a PhD seminar at DBU, where he also serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees. He also serves on the board of trustees for the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute.
Prior to PCBC, he pastored churches in Atlanta, GA, Midland, TX, and Mansfield, TX.

Worship leaders for the series are Hardin-Simmons University students Zeke Dorr and Brian Jones. They currently lead worship at University Baptist Church in Abilene.

The Cornerstone Series was endowed in 1966 by Dr. Lee Hemphill and his late wife, Lunelle Nix Hemphill, in honor of his parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Hemphill of Coleman, Texas.

The conference is appropriate for any church, minister, staff, or member. The cost for each participant is $25 and includes a copy of the newly revised and released 3rd edition of the book Keeping Your Church Out of Court, and the conference luncheon. Contact James Stone, Director of Church Relations, Congregational Resourcing and Ministry Placement for HSU for reservations by calling (325) 670-1258 or by email to jstone@hsutx.edu. Participants may register at the door; however, those who register after 22 Sep are responsible for their own lunch.

Session topics include: "Churches, Politics and the IRS," "Church Liability Issues and Top 10 Ways to Keep Your Church Out of Court," and "Top Immigration Issues for Churches." The Christian Life Commission realizes that no one expects to find their church involved in a lawsuit, since churches are filled with well-meaning Christians who come together for worship, fellowship, learning, and missions. By following sound operating procedures and taking common-sense precautions, churches can avoid potentially crippling lawsuits or loss of their not-for-profit status.

In an election year, when candidate values are hotly debated, churches need to know what they can and cannot publicly endorse. Churches that have outreach programs to undocumented workers must be familiar with immigration liability issues. No church wants to be sued by a disgruntled former employee or be the site of an accident, but lawsuits happen all too often. Church members deserve the reassurance that their leaders are good stewards of their tithe and trust. Keeping your Church Out of Court is a resource that focuses on prevention by helping to insure that church structure and policies provide the best possible legal standing and protection.

The HSU community mourns as Dr. J. G. Martin, professor emeritus of music education, passed away on Monday, Sept. 22, at age 77 at his home in Abilene. Dr. Martin served the University for 26 years and was department head of the department of music education and church music when he retired in 1993.

The publisher of several books, including Sharing Music: An Introductory Guide to Music Education, and A Normal Family, Dr. Martin might be best remembered for forming the choral group Singers Ho! The song and dance group toured the nation frequently under his baton, and was invited to entertain U.S. servicemen on three overseas tours including Greenland, Iceland, and Labrador in 1970; Germany, Italy, Belgium, England, and Holland in 1972; and eight weeks of shows in the Far Pacific in the winter of 1974-1975.

The former chairman of the State Keyboard Committee of the College Division of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), co-chairman of the Abilene North District for the National Guild of Piano Teachers, and member of the TMEA Committee for Fine Arts Education didn't slow down when he reached retirement. He served as president of the Hardin-Simmons University Former Faculty-Staff-Administration Fellowship, and was conductor and co-founder of the community choral organization, The Celebration Singers. Dr. Martin continued to serve as an interim and supply music director for churches in the region for many years.

Dr. Martin received his bachelor's degree in piano from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, a master's in piano at the University of Arizona, and a doctor of musical arts in music education from the University of Texas, Austin.

Together with his wife, Billie, also a former HSU faculty member, he used the travel time afforded by retirement to make several trips to Thailand, where he was invited to teach and conduct at Baptist mission school choirs, and speak during school chapel programs.

Services for Dr. Martin will be at Logsdon Chapel, on the Hardin-Simmons University campus, on Friday, Sep 26th, at 1:30 p.m.

The dust finally settled on the Six White Horses practice arena, the judges finished a particularly difficult winnowing session, and the 2008-2009 Six White Horses lineup was set as the annual tryouts for the storied riding team came to a close. The Rodeo Queens are safe, but two riders from last year's team didn't make the cut. If you'd seen the 13 ranch-grown, cattle-cutting, horse-showing, rodeo-riding cowgirls who came out to this year's auditions, you'd understand why. This was arguably the best crop of applicants to line up at the horse barn in many years. Even the horses, who looked decidedly sleepy during the saddling portion of the tryouts, took notice after being pushed hard by experienced and expert riders. More than one horse needed to catch its breath during the rider's interview with the judges.

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The session started at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, and lasted late into the night. The riders were done by 7:30, but the judges debated over a dinner that lasted well into the evening. Pleased with the number of applicants, more than one judge was overheard saying, "This is going to be tough, we've got some great kids and they're all very, very good." Judges included Taylor County Judge George Newman and former HSU biology professor; Dr. Natalie Matthews, former Six White Horses rider and veterinarian at Brookhollow Animal Clinic; attorney Kelly Gill; former HSU rodeo team member and speech therapist Linda Boeshart; former rider and retired HSU faculty member Paula Windham; and Butch Boeshart, retired oilman.

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By 10:00 p.m., Debbie Jones, Six White Horses program director, finally had her team. They included the 2005 and 2008 West Texas Fair and Rodeo Queens, two theatre majors, a future nurse, a future therapist, several future teachers, a hopeful for law school, and the great granddaughter of former HSU president Dr. E. A. Reiff. Nine riders in all made the team. Although only six will ride during any given performance, nine riders give Jones flexibility with class schedules and illness--and she always needs extra help when the team goes on the road. All nine members will travel to parades at Trent and Newcastle this weekend, and were already practicing Wednesday night under the lights at the practice arena.

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Your HSU Six White Horses riders for this year are: Kristin Akins from Hawley, Lara Clapp from Iowa Park, Jamie Cooley from Eula, Becky Daniel from Truscott, Whitney Hicks (2005 WTF&R Queen) from Hamby, Rachel Newman from Roxton, Kristen Ringler from Alvaredo, Amy Turner from Rochester, and Lauren Willen (2008 WTF&R Queen) from Albany.

When Terri Hendrix left Hardin-Simmons University in 1988, saying goodbye to a music scholarship and studies in opera, she never dreamed she would be back performing in Abilene as a Grammy Award winning songwriter with 11 major releases to her credit. Hendrix and co-producer, band member, and business partner Lloyd Maines (father of Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines), take the stage at the Paramount Friday, Sep 26, at 7:30 p.m. They headline the Texas Songwriter's Concert, part of the week-long West Texas Book & Music Festival.

Hendrix, who co-wrote "Lil' Jack Slade," a Grammy-winning instrumental performed by the Dixie Chicks, milked goats in exchange for guitar lessons after leaving the Forty Acres, and played the small hill country venues, hauling her sound system around in the back of her beat-up pick-up truck. She released her first album, 1996's Two Dollar Shoes, independently, and inspired a grassroots following that spread like Texas wildflowers with each show. The industry really began to take note when her 2002 release, The Ring, was named one of the 12 best independent releases of the year. Her latest CD, The Spiritual Kind spent several weeks on the Americana Chart, topped the Roots Music Report's Folk chart and landed Hendrix on the cover of the nationally distributed Texas Music magazine. Not surprisingly, it garnered some of the best reviews of her career and found a home on many critics' year-end Top 10 lists.

Although she'll play for a crowd of 75 or 15,000, she was in demand at such premiere events as the Newport Folk Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival and, closer to home, the Texas State Fair at the Cotton Bowl, the Austin City Limits Music Festival and the Kerrville Folk Festival. She's also appeared on the nationally syndicated World Café and Mountain Stage radio shows, and her songs have been included on numerous compilation CDs by Putumayo World Music and influential radio stations like Philadelphia's WXPN, Austin's KGSR and Tucson's KXCI (among others).

No matter how big the gig, she spends at least an hour after every show signing CD's and mixing with fans. Hendrix contributed tracks on the HSU Playlist CD's the past two years. These promotional CD's were sent to 30,000 prospective students.

If you can't make the concert, or just want to hear more of Terri, she'll perform at the Abilene Public Library's Brown Bag program at noon Friday. Fans may bring their own lunches or purchase a sandwich lunch (supplies are limited) for $4.

The Texas Songwriters Concert is free and open to the public. In a year when Hendrix is busy touring in support of her newest offering, The Spiritual Kind, the Paramount concert is a gift that all her fans--past, present, and future, will treasure.

Dr. Zane Mason, professor of history emeritus at HSU, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at age 89 in Mabank, Texas. A president of the faculty for two terms, five-time nominee from HSU for the Piper Professor Award, Cullen Professor, first Rupert N. Richardson Chair of American History at HSU, Faculty Member of the Year in 1986, and Former Faculty Member of the Year in 1999, Dr. Mason served from 1959 until his retirement in 1988.

Dr. Mason attended five colleges and two seminaries, and received four degrees, including the first Doctor of Philosophy in the field of history from Texas Tech University. He taught at Stephen F. Austin State University, Lincoln Memorial University, and Texas Tech before finding a home at Hardin-Simmons University for 29 years under five university presidents.

As a teacher, Dr. Mason's philosophy was to "stress more in my classes than subject-matter, since there is a life to live which has needs morally, ethically, and spiritually." When questioned about the value of teaching and learning in a small university, he said, "My answer for myself and most of my colleagues...is because we believe we have a chance to lay out before our students, and thus society, a value system which will guide them through this life and open the doors for the one to come."

A native of Brandenburg, Ky., Dr. Mason graduated from high school in Tampa, Florida, and received his B.A. degree from Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tennessee. He earned the B.D. degree at Grace Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana, and the M.A. from Stephen F. Austin State College, Nacogdoches, Texas. He was ordained a Baptist minister in 1941, and held pastorates in Florida, Tennessee, and Texas.

He published a book, Frontiersmen of the Faith, and his vita lists over four pages of service in committees, listings in scholarly directories, membership in professional and honor societies, and articles and research published. He was married to the former Bobbie (Snowball) Bell Wade, a surgical nurse at Hendrick Medical Center, who preceded him in death.

The history teacher and man of God summed up his life aptly, "We are giving our lives because we feel that this institution promotes, requires, and demands that we stand up and speak up for values that are life-changing, soul-searching, and of eternal worth...no matter what our academic disciplines may be. More than all of this I have said, there are a few of us who have a compelling motivation to point our students to the One who is the source of all joy, all comfort, and our blessed hope beyond this life."

Services for Dr. Mason are scheduled for Thursday, 18 Sept., at 2:00, at First Baptist Church Mabank, Texas. Hardin-Simmons University will hold a special memorial service for Dr. Mason Friday, 19 Sept., at 11:00 a.m. in Logsdon Chapel.

One of the Six White Horses riders will take a special victory lap during each performance at this year's West Texas Fair & Rodeo. Lauren Willen, starting her second year as a rider with the team, was crowned the 2008 West Texas Fair and Rodeo Queen Tuesday night, Sep 9. When the iconic HSU riders line up in the arena, Lauren will be called out and introduced as this year's rodeo royalty.

Six White Horses program director Debbie Jones was pleased with the selection, "several of our riders have been chosen to be the Rodeo Queen over the years, and Lauren's selection brings honor to our team and to our university." If you haven't seen the Six White Horses go through their routine this year, you can still catch the show through Saturday, Sep 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Expo Center.

Willen's selection shouldn't be a surprise; she's grown up in a saddle. The 10-time qualifier for the State 4-H Horse Show specializes in speed events and the halter class, and won points with the rodeo judges for personality and speech. The Albany native is a Sophomore history major who's been a fixture with the Six White Horses this year, often volunteering to travel to area schools with program director Debbie Jones to educate children about horses. Willen plans to continue to ride with the Six White Horses as reigning West Texas Fair & Rodeo Queen--if she passes the annual auditions for the storied riding group.

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Speaking of auditions, Jones announced the date of try-outs for the 2008-2009 riding team. She needs to fill several vacancies this year, so cowgirls with visions of joining this elite equestrian team should start getting some quality-time in the saddle. Auditions will be at the Doc Beazley Six White Horses Center on the HSU campus, 16 Sep, at 5:00 p.m. The public is invited to the try-outs.

Prospective riders must be enrolled as full-time students at HSU, and must have strong riding skills. Each applicant will be interviewed to assess their ability to represent the University and to maintain poise under stressful conditions. To make sure only the best riders are chosen, even current riders must audition each year.

Typically, prospects will demonstrate the ability to properly saddle a horse as judges evaluate their confidence, strength, and interaction with the horses. The group rides out to the arena where each prospect will demonstrate the ability to control a horse through a predetermined course. The course ends at the judge's stand with the judges' interview.

Riders perform throughout the year and are expected to groom their horses, handle tack and riding gear, and practice riding routines 2 - 3 times per week. The selection team generally chooses 8 riders so that at least 6 will be available at any given time for the program's grueling schedule. Riders must have the stamina to guide a horse through complex routines while carrying one of the six flags that are associated with Texas history.

If weather is a factor, and with recent rains it may well be, riders will compete at an indoor location yet to be announced. Directions will be posted at the horse barn, but the venue will likely be the Roy Bozark Arena (Gate C) at the Taylor County Expo Center. Tryouts will begin a half-hour later if prospective riders and judges need to travel from the barn to an alternate location..

Hardin-Simmons University's Dr. Mark Ouimette, professor and head of geological and environmental sciences, received the first ever Holland Award of Excellence from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists presented by Dr. David "Scotty" Holland in a special ceremony in the Holland Health Science Building on the HSU campus, Wed, Sep 3.

Dr. Ouimette, whose 14 years of hands-on teaching at HSU give students an appreciation for fieldwork and an authentic context for geological sciences says, "I am very honored to receive this award. I am truly thankful to the Dr. Holland and the AAPG for making it available. The award is an affirmation of the learning environment we provide here at Hardin-Simmons. You won't find the attention to detail directed toward a student's future at any public institution like what we have here."

The award was established by the Hollands, through the AAPG, to select high achieving faculty members from the Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics for special recognition and award. Intended for professional development and enrichment, the purpose of the award, and the endowment that makes it possible, is to make the best in the classroom better at the Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics.

The recipient of the award is selected by the dean, and the dean determines the manner in which the funds will be used prior to the finalization of the award. Most of the award will go toward the purchase of much needed equipment for the department, including a high quality microscope and a digital visual device for lectures (known as ELMO), and the remainder will be used to send Dr. Ouimette to meetings focused at geoscience department accreditation.

"The Holland School is excited to be the beneficiary of another gift from Dr. and Mrs. Holland," says Dr. Chris McNair, dean of the school, "This annual gift enables the recipient to purchase much needed Awequipment, attend professional meetings, and develop the curriculum for programs in their respective area of sciences and mathematics. We are all very proud of this year's recipient, Dr. Mark Ouimette."

The AAPG Foundation was established in 1967 with the primary goal of providing a source of funding for educational, charitable, and scientific objectives, which directly and indirectly benefit the geologic profession and the general public.

Dr. Holland has been a geologist, corporate executive, industry leader and entrepreneur. He joined Pennzoil in the mid-1960s as a senior exploration geologist, and ultimately became president and chief executive officer of Pennzoil Exploration and Production, and served as a group vice president of the Pennzoil Company until his retirement in 1990.

Presently, he is president of Holland Holding Inc., Holland energy Inc. and Post Oak Petroleum and serves on the boards of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, The Geology Foundation of the University of Texas, and the AAPG Foundation. In 1997 Dr. Holland and his wife, Jacque, established the Endowed Holland Geology Scholarship Fund; in 2000, they funded the major endowment for the HSU School of Sciences and Mathematics; and recently, their financial gift led to the Holland Award of Excellence at Hardin-Simmons University. Recently, they were instrumental in funding the $3.9 million Holland Health Science Building, the location of a "first of its kind" high school health sciences magnet school built and maintained by HSU.