Rainey, Homer P. (Homer Price), 1896-

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Homer Price Rainey (1896-1985) was born in Clarksville, Texas, where he grew up in a poor farming family. He was valedictorian of his class at Lovelady High School in 1913. At the age of 19, he became a Baptist minister, and he served in the United States army during World War I. In 1919, Rainey earned his B.A. degree from Austin College and taught education there for three years before attending the University of Chicago, where he earned a master’s degree in 1923 and a doctorate in 1924. Rainey taught at the University of Oregon until 1927, when he became president of Franklin College in Indiana, 1927-1931. He then became president of Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, 1931-1935, and served for four years as director of the American Youth Commission of the American Council on Education.

The board of regents of the University of Texas appointed Rainey president in 1939. Rainey often battled with the board, protesting against the regents’ firings of professors, weakening of tenure, and terminating social science research funds. He further angered the regents by attempting to bring the UT Medical Branch at Galveston into the university proper. However, the greatest conflict between Rainey and the board involved their attempts to fire a professor who placed the third volume of John Dos Passos’ USA trilogy on the English department’s sophomore reading list. Eventually the board of regents fired Rainey in November 1944, citing no reasons, and 8,000 students went on strike in response, marching from the campus to the Capitol and the Governor’s Mansion. Governor Stevenson appointed new regents and made other changes, but Rainey was never reinstated as president.

In 1946, Rainey ran for governor, and though he lost to Railroad Commissioner Beauford H. Jester, he made waves as being the first candidate to run for state office supported by minorities, labor unions, and independent progressives. One year later Rainey became president of Stephens College in Missouri, and joined the education faculty at the University of Colorado in 1956. In 1971 he wrote an account of his experiences at UT entitled The Tower and the Dome . He married Mildred Collins in 1920 and they had two daughters. He died in 1985.

Source: Green, George N. Rainey, Homer Price. Handbook of Texas Online . Accessed July 27, 2010. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fra54 .

From the guide to the Rainey, Homer Price, papers 1939; 1948; 1949; 93-055; 2010-228., 1861, 1938-1946, 1961-1974, 1985, 1991, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

Homer Price Rainey (1896-1985) was born in Clarksville, Texas, where he grew up in a poor farming family.

He was valedictorian of his class at Lovelady High School in 1913. At the age of 19, he became a Baptist minister, and he served in the United States army during World War I. In 1919, Rainey earned his B.A. degree from Austin College and taught education there for three years before attending the University of Chicago, where he earned a master's degree in 1923 and a doctorate in 1924. Rainey taught at the University of Oregon until 1927, when he became president of Franklin College in Indiana, 1927-1931. He then became president of Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, 1931-1935, and served for four years as director of the American Youth Commission of the American Council on Education.

The board of regents of the University of Texas appointed Rainey president in 1939. Rainey often battled with the board, protesting against the regents⁰́₉ firings of professors, weakening of tenure, and terminating social science research funds. He further angered the regents by attempting to bring the UT Medical Branch at Galveston into the university proper. However, the greatest conflict between Rainey and the board involved their attempts to fire a professor who placed the third volume of John Dos Passos⁰́₉ USA triology on the English department⁰́₉s sophomore reading list. Eventually the board of regents fired Rainey in November 1944, citing no reasons, and 8,000 students went on strike in response, marching from the campus to the Capitol and the Governor⁰́₉s Mansion. Governor Stevenson appointed new regents and made other changes, but Rainey was never reinstated as president.

In 1946, Rainey ran for governor, and though he lost to Railroad Commissioner Beauford H. Jester, he made waves as being the first candidate to run for state office supported by minorities, labor unions, and independent progressives.

One year later Rainey became president of Stephens College in Missouri, and joined the education faculty at the University of Colorado in 1956. In 1971 he wrote an account of his experiences at UT entitled The Tower and the Dome. He married Mildred Collins in 1920 and they had two daughters. He died in 1985.

From the description of Rainey (Homer Price) Papers, 1938-1946 (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 776659516

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Frede, Ralph E. Frede, Ralph E. papers, 1942-1992. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Eugene Campbell Barker Papers, 1785 (1812-1959) Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Governor's Race Scrapbook. Governor's Race Scrapbook, 1945-1946 University of Texas Libraries
creatorOf Rainey, Homer Price. Rainey (Homer Price) Papers, 1938-1946 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Allen, Ruth Alice, 1889-1979. Allen, Ruth Alice, papers, 1943-1973. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Battle, William James, 1870-1955. Battle, William James, papers, 1870-1959. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Peach, William Nelson, 1912-. Oral history interview with W. N. Peach, 1966 June 24. University of North Texas Library, UNT
referencedIn Ludlow mss., 1898-1948 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
referencedIn Barker, Eugene C. (Eugene Campbell), 1874-1956. Barker, Eugene Campbell, papers, 1785-1895, 1812-1895. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Van Waters, Miriam, 1887-1974. Papers, 1861-1971 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Rainey, Homer Price, papers 1939; 1948; 1949; 93-055; 2010-228., 1861, 1938-1946, 1961-1974, 1985, 1991 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Granbery, John C. Granbery, John C. Papers, 1863-1955 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Heinsohn, Edmund. Heinsohn, Edmund, papers, 1925-1990. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Granbery, John C. Papers 86-150., 1863-1955 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Governor's Race Scrapbook, 1945-1946 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Hudson, Manley Ottmer, 1886-1960. Papers, 1894-1960 Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Foster, J. Fagg, 1907-1985. Oral history interview with J. Fagg Foster, 1967 August 28. University of North Texas Library, UNT
creatorOf Rainey, Homer P. (Homer Price), 1896-. Oral history interview with Homer P. Rainey, 1967 August 27. University of North Texas Library, UNT
referencedIn Ayres (Clarence Edwin) Papers AR 73-106; 81-30. 22711835., 1919-1972. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn W. Scott Schreiner Papers 2003-070., 1942-1947 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Walter Prescott Webb Papers, 1857-1966 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Biography -- Rainey, Homer Price. Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library
referencedIn William James Battle Papers, 1870-1959 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Van Waters, Miriam, 1887-1974. Papers, 1861-1971 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Schreiner, W. Scott. W. Scott Schreiner papers, 1942-1947. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Lomax, John A. (John Avery), 1867-1948. Lomax, John Avery, family papers, 1842-1986. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Rainey, Homer Price. Rainey (Homer Price) Papers, 1938-1946 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Lomax (John Avery) Family Papers 30425536., 1842, 1853-1986. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Webb, Walter Prescott, 1888-1963. Webb, Walter Prescott, papers, 1857-1966. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Sidney Van Ulm Collection MSS 0013., ca. 1920's - 1960's Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Libary
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Allen, Ruth Alice, 1889-1979. person
associatedWith Ayres, Clarence Edwin, 1891-1972 person
associatedWith Barker, Eugene Campbell, 1874-1956 person
associatedWith Battle, William James person
associatedWith Battle, William James, 1870-1955. person
associatedWith Brandon, Arthur L. (Arthur Leon) person
associatedWith Burdine, J. Alton (John Alton), 1905- person
associatedWith Castro, Américo, 1885-1972 person
associatedWith Cochran, Kendall. person
associatedWith Edwards, Newton, 1889- person
associatedWith Foster, J. Fagg, 1907-1985. person
associatedWith Frede, Ralph E. person
associatedWith Gordon, Wendell Chaffee, 1916- person
associatedWith Governor's Race Scrapbook person
associatedWith Governor's Race Scrapbook person
associatedWith Granbery, John C. person
associatedWith Gulick, Luther Halsey, 1828-1891 person
associatedWith Hackett, Charles W. (Charles Wilson), 1888-1951 person
associatedWith Heinsohn, Edmund. person
associatedWith Himstead, Ralph E. (Ralph Ebner), 1893-1955 person
associatedWith Hoblitzelle, Karl, 1879- person
associatedWith Hudson, Manley Ottmer, 1886- person
associatedWith Jacob, Henry person
associatedWith Jacob, Henry. person
associatedWith Jester, Beauford Halbert, 1893-1949 person
associatedWith Leake, Chauncey Depew, 1896-1978 person
associatedWith Lomax, John Avery, 1867-1948 person
associatedWith Ludlow, Louis, 1873-1950 person
associatedWith MIRIAM VAN WATERS, 1887-1974 person
associatedWith North Texas State University. Oral History Collection. corporateBody
associatedWith O'Daniel, W. Lee (Wilbert Lee), 1890-1969 person
associatedWith Painter, Theophilus S. (Theophilus Shickel), 1889-1969 person
associatedWith Pattee, Richard, 1906- person
associatedWith Peach, William Nelson, 1912- person
associatedWith Pittenger, Benjamin Floyd, 1883- person
associatedWith Rainey, Homer Price person
associatedWith Reeves, Floyd W. (Floyd Wesley), 1890-1979 person
associatedWith Schreiner, W. Scott person
associatedWith Schreiner, W. Scott. person
associatedWith Sellards, E. H. (Elias Howard), 1875-1961 person
associatedWith Stevenson, Coke R. (Coke Robert), 1888-1975 person
associatedWith Texas Political History Oral History Project. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Texas corporateBody
associatedWith University of Texas. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Texas at Austin corporateBody
associatedWith University of Texas. Board of Regents corporateBody
associatedWith University of Texas. Board of Regents. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Texas System. Board of Regents. corporateBody
associatedWith Van Ulm, Sidney person
associatedWith Van Waters, Miriam. person
associatedWith Webb, Walter Prescott, 1888-1963 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Texas
Austin (Tex.)
Texas
Colorado
Austin (Tex.)
Subject
Academic freedom
Anti-communist movements
Political campaigns
College presidents
College presidents
College teachers
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1896-01-19

Death 1985-12-19

Americans

English

Information

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