When it became evident in the summer of 1923 that the Austin Building was not going to in condition for service in September, President Birdwell had to call on the citizens of Nacogdoches to step forward once again to save SFA. The Chamber of Commerce supplied the famous "Shack." But, the home for the classes came from the public schools. Birdwell had a particularly close friendship with the Superintendent R. F. Davis. The two men had roomed together at the University of Texas and had cooperated, in Birdwell's words, "since the beginning...of the educational revival in East Texas." In the selections below, written at the time of Davis' death, Birdwell tells what Davis did for SFA. (JLJ)

"It will be recalled that we had no buildings, that we had no equipment, and that he furnished the college its first home. For almost a year, the college was conducted in the High school building, and there was the most beautiful cooperation between the college faculty and the high school faculty.

"Perhaps no man did more to make the Stephen P. Austin State Teachers College possible than did Mr. Davis. He believed in East Texas, in Nacogdoches, and in the good that might be done by a college located here. Before the Locating Committee, before the Board of Regents, before Legislative Committees, Mr. Davis' presentation of the claims of Nacogdoches and of East Texas were masterful, both in motion of facts and eloquent presentation. It is hard to see how the same results could have been obtained without his constructive work.

"Then, too, he made possible the success of the first year of the college. He furnishad the college its first home, and, with sympathetic cooperation, made it possible to do good work from the very first day. An already over-crowded high school building was shared with the college, and the most beautiful harmony prevailed. It was felt by every member of the collegee family that the big heartedness, the optimism, the commanding personality of R. F. Davis presided over the whole situation. We, therefore, owe him a debt of gratitude that can never be paid."