This Week in Texas Methodist History Oct 2 Walter Vernon Moves to Nashville but Keeps his Heart in Texas, October 1938 Readers of this column already know about the career of Walter N. Vernon, Jr. (1907-1993) Few people have done more for Texas Methodist History than Vernon. His life began in a Methodist parsonage in Verdin, Oklahoma, His family moved to Paris, Texas in 1911 and Walter graduated from Paris High School. He earned three degrees from SMU and was appointed to Lakewood Methodist Church in Dallas. In addition to his pastoral duties, he threw himself into religious journalism. His significant contributions to the Soutwestern Christian Advocate caught the attention of editors of the Christian Advocate, the main denominational organ of the MECS. In October 1938 Vernon moved to Nashville as Associate Editor of the Advocate and also on staff of the General Board of Education after the creation of the Methodist Church. In 1953e was promoted to secretary of the curriculum committee putting him in charge of all church school publicatons. Even with these responsibilities, he produced the most significant history books about Texas and Arkansas Methodism of his era. His Methodism Moves across North Texas (1967), a biography of Bishop Paul Martin (1973), and Methoism mvoes Across Arkansas (1976) were a prelude to his leadership role in the Methodist Excitement in Texas (1984) with three other authors. His historical expertise was greatest in the area in which he was raised===northeast Texas, southeast Oklahoma, and southwest Arkansas, but his intimate association with Texas Methodist across the years gave him a larger perspective. The Texas United Methodist Historical Society, of which Vernon was a founder, honors his memory with the Walter Vernon Essay Contest.