This Week in Texas Methodist History,  December 20,

 

Methodist Colleges Confer Honorary Degrees (Lots of Degrees!) December 1947

 

Conferring honorary Doctor of Divinity or Doctor of Laws degrees was once a favorite activity of Methodist colleges and universities in Texas.  Most convocations featured at least four and sometimes more degrees being conferred.  There was usually a mix of clergy and laity who received the honorary degrees.  The clergy were often recognized for their service beyond the local church.  They were men (all men at the time) who served on Conference boards and agencies and were often on the boards of the universities awarding the degrees.  The laity tended to be philanthropists who had donated to the institutions and also served on the boards of trustees.

 

It was common practice for one of the honorees to deliver the commencement address during the ceremony. 

 

In December 1947 quite a few Texans were able to affix a newly coined “Dr.” to their business cards and stationery thanks to Iliff and Southwestern.  Here are the honorees, whose names will be known to many readers of this blog.

 

Iliff (only Texan honorees named)

 

Olin Nail, pastor at Donna, and historian of the Southwest Texas Conference

Gaston Foote

Frank Richardson

 

 

 

Southwestern

 

Finis Crutchfield, District Superintendent of the Corsicana District

Homer Fort, First Methodist Beaumont

The Honorable Beaufort Jester, Governor of Texas

The Honorable Sam Rayburn, U. S. House of Representatives

Harold Egger, President of the Southwestern ex-students association

Craig Cullinan, Houston,

 

The practice of awarding honorary degrees has declined in recent years.