Docents of the Governor’s Mansion February 2018

new year and a new beginning.

The Docent Newsletter is designed to keep Docents informed of opportunities and events related to history and to aid Docents in their service to the Governor’s Mansion. Your input is important. Please send your items for the newsletter to:

Jo Betsy Norton | 611 Westbrook Dr., Austin 78746 | 512-879-8995 | [email protected] Nancy Jo Spaulding |3921 Myrick Dr., Austin 78731 | 512-346-9211 | [email protected].

Welcome from Our 2018 Chair, (hope to see you on the trip to Bayou Bend). Our Garden Party Chair is working to make this year’s Jill Brown event especially memorable. What a great turnout for our January 23, 2018 meeting. Our speaker, Elizabeth Whitlow, 2018 Executive Committee was mesmerizing and so Chair: ...... Jill Brown interesting as she shared the Chair-Elect: ...... Sara Conley history and insights about Secretary:...... Linda Amey Lucadia and Elisha Marshall Treasurer:...... LeAnne Skinner Pease. We could have spent Immediate Past Chair: ...... Cindy Mitchell many more hours listening to Education Co-Chairs: ...... Kay Harvey-Mosley Elizabeth and look forward to Candace Hunter her upcoming book when published. Meetings Chair: ...... Susan Peloquin I am grateful to our Executive Committee for Communications Co-Chairs: ...... Jo Betsy Norton agreeing to serve our organization and share their Nancy Jo Spaulding talents. I consider it an honor and look forward to Program Co-Chairs: ...... Jeani Smith serving as your Chair for 2018. Please feel free to Gale Webb call with any suggestions to make us more effective Membership Chair: ...... Louri O’Leary as a group. I appreciate all of you and your Historian: ...... Alison Suttle willingness to dedicate your time with this Garden Party Chair: ...... Martha Coons wonderful organization—the Docents of the Advisor: ...... Nancy Prideaux Governor’s Mansion. It was a pleasure to recognize Ex-Officio: ...... Erika Herndon our 2017 Chair, Cindy Mitchell, at the meeting for her leadership. Elsewhere in this newsletter, you will see a 2017 Recap of the hours served by 2018 Nominating Committee

Docents, the number of Mansion events, and the Chair: ...... Cindy Mitchell number of guests who attended the events. Executive Committee Member: ...... Louri O’Leary Additionally, looking forward, we have many Member-at-Large: ...... Joanie Bentzin exciting opportunities planned for 2018. Our Member-at-Large: ...... Kay Berry Program Chairs and Education Chairs are working Member-at-Large: ...... Jeani Smith to provide extraordinary experiences for the group

Rita Clements and Governor were my mentors and friends. I met Rita in when Bill Clements decided to run for governor in 1978. After his historic win, I moved to Austin with my husband who joined his administration. Seeking something interesting to do in my new hometown, I contacted Rita Clements and volunteered to do anything she needed to support her goals for the Governor’s Mansion. Knowing our shared interest in volunteerism and historic preservation, she immediately responded that she had a task for me, to set up a tracking/curatorial system for the historic furnishings that had recently been removed from the Mansion to begin construction work. This task had not been done in the past and many of the pieces once in the Mansion disappeared over the years. My “office” was the floor of Mansion Administrator Joann Cook’s office, where I spread out the sparse records and used an IBM typewriter to type inventory cards that consolidated the information we could find. I was a volunteer and rarely saw Remembering Rita Clements Rita in that office since her focus was the by Dealey Herndon restoration itself, but I understood what she expected. Her concern was that important pieces First Lady ’s remarkable life be preserved, tracked, and protected for future came to an end on January 6, 2018. She was governors and the public. When I later became responsible for the magnificent Mansion interiors the first administrator of Friends of the Governor’s that we, as Docents, interpret today. Mansion (FGM), I applied her goal to the FRIENDS collection – preserve, track, protect. Rita Crocker was born in in 1931, and moved with her family in 1942 to Brady, Texas. I came to know Rita’s commitment to excellence in She was raised in a ranching family, loved horses, all that she did, and her passion for Texas and the and had Texas small town values. She was a good Governor’s Mansion. When she arrived in Austin student, attending Hockaday School as a boarder as First Lady, she and the Governor were appalled and making lifelong friends. She attended at the condition of the home of Texas governors. In Wellesley College and The University of Texas, typical Rita fashion, she immediately developed a where she graduated in 1953. She served two vision and a plan to achieve it. As one of the most terms on The University of Texas System Board of historic in the country, the Texas Governor’s Regents. Her memorial service was held in Dallas Mansion needed to be restored, furnished with at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. historic furnishings, and then routinely maintained going forward. When I think of Rita Clements, I think of her close partnership with Bill Clements and her pride in her Rita realized that the home itself would not reflect four wonderful children and her grandchildren. I the Texas they loved without furnishings that were also think of her many friendships, both personal of a quality and historic relevance that the house and professional, with whom she accomplished deserved. As each Docent has learned, the great things for Dallas, for the country, and contents of the home varied from administration to certainly for Texas. Above all, she was a good administration, with most of the furnishings going person. home with the governor who brought them. In many cases, especially in the 19th century, only a Rita and Bill Clements loved Texas history and handful of pieces were state owned. With a few historic buildings. In Dallas, Bill Clements saved outstanding exceptions – most notably Sam the old Cumberland School and meticulously ’s bed and portrait, Stephen F. Austin’s restored it as his company’s (SEDCO) desk, ’s dining room table and server, and headquarters. It is still used today as one of the Memento Collection – the furnishings in 1978 Dallas’s more significant restored buildings. Rita were of inconsistent historic value, quality, period, and Bill Clements bought and preserved a and condition. Rita’s vision was to identify a beautiful early home in the Virginia countryside period of fine antiques that were still available on when they lived in Washington. the market that would make the Mansion a magnificent and educational home. Rita and Governor Clements had decided not to manual for the new Docent organization that Linda move into the Mansion, but instead to address the Gale White began, and then moving on to the first critical need for renovations. The plan to fund guidebook. Working with that first board was their vision was to use state appropriations, seamless since they knew and respected Rita and balanced with privately-raised funds, for the shared her goals. We all knew what Rita had interiors. The Clements committed $100,000, and envisioned and believed it was both important and then called on close friends and fellow possible. During this time, Rita and I did not talk philanthropists who loved Texas history. The first about FGM. To her great credit, she respected the 10 private donors gave $100,000 each in 1979. fact that Linda Gale While was First Lady. This $1,000,000 was the initial funding of the non- Governor Mark White and Linda Gale were profit Rita Clements incorporated in 1979 (FGM) constant supporters of FGM and established the to purchase, own, and then conserve the new precedent for treating the contents of the Mansion collection, which was to be composed of early as a Texas treasure while enjoying it as their family American-made antiques, and Texas furnishings home. FGM became independent, there to support and fine arts. the elected while conserving and interpreting the Mansion Collection. The Governor leveraged this commitment of private funds to win support for a then unheard of In 1987, Bill Clements was reelected, and they $1,000,000 state appropriation to bring the home spent four years appreciating living in the beautiful up to modern standards. This was the beginning Governor’s Mansion that they had made possible. of almost four decades of ongoing preservation and It was truly their home for the first time. Rita restoration of one of the most significant state- Clements strongly supported FGM and the Docents owned historic public buildings in Texas, setting a those four years. national standard for excellence. In his second term, Bill Clements was eager to take Rita and a group of Dallas leaders formed Friends on the restoration of the Texas Capitol, which was of the Governor’s Mansion that first year. The First in desperate need of the master plan and state Lady asked 18 prominent Texans who loved and funding that were called for after the 1983 fire in knew historic interiors to serve as the first board to the Senate area. During the White Administration, raise the money and approve the acquisitions. historic research had begun and the original They were remarkably successful and worked Capitol furnishings inventory put in place, but the closely with the First Lady to raise $3,500,000 for Capitol remained at risk with no plan. As the true new furnishings to add to what we have known as partners that they were in everything, Bill and Rita the Mansion Collection since 1983. She wanted Clements strongly supported the effort. Governor the historic state pieces included in the Mansion Clements oversaw the Capitol Preservation and Collection for conservation and tracking reasons. Extension Project and the successful implementation of a plan that was supported and Rita and Bill Clements were hands-on restoration funded by the legislature. The first phase of that leaders and effective managers. They wanted to plan was the Capitol Extension Project, and know the details and the justification for construction began. The Clements returned to everything being done, providing strong leadership Austin in 1995 to celebrate the successful without interfering. They required and encouraged completion of the Project, joining Governor George their teams to keep them informed, but that did and , Governor , and not have to happen often since they were very clear Governor and Mrs. Mark White on the stage. about their goals for the end result. The Mansion was complete and opened to the public in 1982, Rita Clements was the first First Lady to look at and they moved in that spring. being First Lady as a job. She was ahead of her time nationally. She had a state office in the Sam Six months later, in November 1982, Governor Houston Building - a first - where she directed not Clements lost the election to Mark White. Rita only the restoration of the Governor’s Mansion, but realized she had run out of time to complete her also programs for the empowerment of women, for plan to set up the administration of FGM going the encouragement of volunteerism, and for forward. The White Administration began in historic preservation. Nothing shook Rita. She January 1983, a transition for the state and for was organized and got to the point with remarkable FGM. In April, I was approached by the FGM clarity. She always had a good plan and was board to become the administrator since I was so focused on accomplishing it. She led by example familiar with what had been done. I spoke with and inspired others. Gracious and respectful of Linda Gale White and then accepted. others, she inspired confidence. She was a My job was to set up the operating procedures, remarkable leader. which involved insuring the FGM Collection, With the success of the Clements restoration of the initiating the Society as our Governor’s Mansion, the public embraced, and the fundraising mechanism, creating the first Docent fully funded, the restoration of Guest Speaker Elizabeth Whitlow Previewed the Texas Capitol, the Old General Land Office, the her Upcoming Book on the Peases Capitol Grounds and the saving of the Governor’s Mansion after the fire. The $1,000,000 Martha Coons introduced author and historian, appropriated in 1979 for the Mansion during the Elizabeth Whitlow, who is writing the first definitive first Clements Administration was the beginning of double biography on Governor Elisha Marshall Pease the state’s commitment to preservation of its and his wife, Lucadia Niles Pease. historic buildings, leading to $210,000,000 in state Elizabeth regaled the audience with brief tales of the funding for restoration work over the next 25 years. Rita and Bill Clements demonstrated that Peases’ courtship and family life, Governor Pease’s preserving the historic Texas Governor’s Mansion business pursuits, and the family’s purchase of to the highest standards was appreciated by all of Woodlawn, another Austin mansion built by master Texas. builder Abner Cook. The world is a better place because of Rita She also recounted Governor Pease’s legislative Clements for many reasons, not the least of which service and accomplishments during his three terms is her commitment to the Governor’s Mansion. as governor, including overseeing the construction of She created something unique in the preservation the Governor’s Mansion, creating Texas’ first public world: a museum setting that is first and foremost school fund, and establishing “asylums” for the an occupied historic home to be enjoyed and insane, the deaf, and the blind. celebrated. When asked about the anticipated completion date of In all of our lives, we meet people who change our the Pease double biography, Elizabeth initially lives forever in a significant way. Bill and Rita responded, “When donkeys fly!” She went on to Clements began my journey through the explain that she has completed seven of 10 planned restoration of the most historic state buildings in chapters, and hopes to have the book finished in Texas and supported me in every way. I will approximately 18 months. always be grateful to Rita and Bill Clements for their inspiration, their trust, and their abiding Elizabeth shared the photograph below of the Pease friendship. As Docents, we celebrate Rita every family at Woodlawn (ca. 1884). Mrs. Pease is on the time we give a tour and share the Mansion south portico watching the Graham grandchildren: Collection she built with the people of Texas. Carrie Margaret and Niles are on the lawn, and Marshall is on the pony.

Docents of the Governor’s Mansion Luncheon January 23, 2018

Following the luncheon, the business meeting was

conducted by 2018 Chair, Jill Brown.

2017 Recap 2017 was a busy year at the Mansion:  54 events;

 5,410 guests; and Chair Jill Brown and Elizabeth Whitlow

 364 Docents serving 574.5 hours. Save the Dates for Upcoming Events & Meetings Quarter Chairs for 2018 March 20, 2018 – Garden Party The Third Garden Party honoring the Chair-Elect/Scheduling Chair, Sara Conley, has been busy planning the staffing of volunteers for the memory of Kathy Rogers will be held scheduled events at the Mansion in the New Year. on Tuesday, March 20, from 11:30 a.m. The quarter chairs listed below will be “ringing your to 1:30 p.m., at Martha Coons’ home, phone.” You can help make their job easier by 1605 Niles Road. An added feature to this informing the Membership Chair, Louri O’Leary, if year’s party is a tour of Woodlawn, the phone numbers, fax numbers, or e-mail addresses Pease Mansion, which is owned by Jeff and Laura change during the year. Sandefer. Erika Herndon has provided new, scrambled alphabet calling lists for each quarter. It is the We will all gather at Martha’s home for the party, responsibility of each Docent who is unable to serve, and at the appropriate time, Docents wanting to to contact another Docent to take her place. The tour Woodlawn will be divided into small groups Docent also needs to contact Katie Taylor, Jill Brown, for the short walk across the street. Sara Conley and the Day Chair with the replacement Docent’s name. Katie Taylor will then contact April 5, 2018 – Docent Trip to Bayou Bend Security to revise the list of Docents serving that event. Our program chairs have planned a fun The quarter chairs keep accurate records of the times day trip to Houston each Docent is called to work, calls that were (or were not) returned, times scheduled, times Docents to tour Bayou Bend, were unable to work, etc. the former home of philanthropist Ima First Quarter: Carol Hanle (A, C, G, K, L, M, O, R, W) Hogg that now and Eva Womack (B, D, H, N, P, S) houses the Museum of Fine Arts’ collection of Second Quarter: Pam Whitley (A, C, G, J, K, M, O, R, W) American decorative arts and paintings. Considered and Vanessa Wolfe (B, D, H, P, S) one of the premier collections in the country, the rare Third Quarter: Betsy Schmidt and and beautiful objects are installed throughout the Nancy Jo Spaulding 1920s mansion in 28 period room settings. Fourth Quarter: Dolly Barclay, Rebecca Davis, and Linda Gladden Event: Docent-led tour of Bayou Bend followed

by a reception courtesy of the Bayou Bend Docents Date: Thursday, April 5, 2018 Depart: Bus departs Barton Creek Mall promptly at 8:00 a.m. Return: Bus returns to Barton Creek Mall at approximately 7:00 p.m. Food: Snacks on the way to Houston, a box lunch at Bayou Bend, and wine and snacks on the way home. Guests: Guests are welcome, as space allows. Cost: $76 - Your check to DGM and sent to Gale

Webb, 134 Hazeltine Dr. Georgetown, TX Standing: Nancy Jo Spaulding, Eva Womack, Rebecca 78628, is your reservation. Davis, Betsy Schmidt, Dolly Barclay and Carol Hanle Seated: Pam Whitley, Vanessa Wolfe and Linda Gladden Deadline: February 15. May 22, 2018 – General Meeting Erika reported that the iPad project is complete. The guest speaker for the May 22 General Meeting is Room books, as well as additional information Dr. Kenneth Hafertepe, Department Chair of Museum about the Mansion and collections, are available on Studies at Baylor University. The subject of his three iPads for Docent use if desired. presentation is Hermann Lungkwitz and German Erika further reported that the updated FGM romantic painting on the Texas frontier. website project, which will have a DGM page, will

be completed in March. September 22, 2018 – General Meeting Details will be coming soon! Jeani Smith and Gale Webb, Program Chairs

Committee Reports

Membership Statistics Active Members: 59 Associate Members: 29 Docents Emeritae: 1 Total Membership: 89 Docents

Louri O‘Leary, Membership Chair

Education Committee Report As of January 2018, Docents must earn three Lower Parking Lot credits of continuing education per calendar year. Looking out from the front porch of the Mansion In previous years, Docents were required to earn toward the parking lot, in the lower lot, closest to only two credits per year. The Education the Capitol, along 11th street, there are only FOUR Committee is working on other opportunities for places with signs designated “Governor’s Docents to earn extra credits in addition to Mansion.” attendance at meetings and Docent-sponsored THE OTHER PLACES IN THE LOWER LEVEL ARE FOR field trips. STATE EMPLOYEES ONLY. You can be ticketed. Katie Kay Harvey-Mosley and Candace Hunter, Taylor will notify Docents when the lower lot has Education Co-Chairs been reserved for large evening events, so that Docents will know they are allowed to park there after working hours. Friends of the Governor’s Mansion Upper Parking Lot In the upper level, along 10th Street, there is At the September meeting, Executive Director Erika additional parking and there are designated spaces Herndon updated the Docents on Friends of the with signs for “Governor’s Mansion.” Note: there Governor’s Mansion activities. are signs in the upper level behind the Old She thanked the membership for the prior year’s Emporium Bakery that specify spaces for their Mansion gift — lidded plastic containers for holiday employees ONLY. decoration storage.