Editor's note: J. E. Mayfield, editorial writer for The Daily Sentinel might have been the first to raise this question, but he was certainly not the last. The State Legislature determined as early as 1915 that a school must be name after Texas patriot Stephen Fuller Austin. The choice of name appeared years before the selection of Nacogdoches came into the picture; the original location was to be somewhere "east of the 96th meridian." Stephen F. Austin the man did not have a great affection for Nacogdoches and certainly the importance of Rusk is well stated in the selection below from 1923. (JLJ)

"'What's in a name?' For instance, the name Shakespeare, hard to spell, not often used as a namesake, yet more famous in literary circles than any name in the English language.

"But the name of Rusk ought to be in the lead for present purposes. The Stephen F. Austin Normal College at Nacogdoches, should be named the Thos. J. Rusk Normal. That would mate it with the Sam Houston Normal at Huntsville. Houston and Rusk were intimate associates in the development and events that made the Republic of Texas. Rusk never lived on any homestead but the one where this new normal is now located. He was the most respected and beloved citizen in the state, ranking next to Houston in the Texas revolution. And his home was here, his dearest ties were here.

"Could the name of the normal be changed to Rusk? If not so then let the next best thing be done. Let the name Rusk be honored by calling the most popular boulevard Rusk &endash; or at least let this name be given to a most prominent part or point.

"Another that should be similarly honored is Griffith. If we entertain angels unawares, in like manner we may entertain magnates of humanity unawares. This was the case in the fact that Dr. L. E. Griffith, who was the next owner and occupant of the General Rusk homestead, and stayed on it until he left town, was a man of great ancestry, culture and personal merit. And his descendants show the blood. . . .As a young medical doctor full of hope and pep, Dr. Griffith left his habitat of affluence in the early 40's and came to Texas , then the scene of adventure and prospects. He joined the U. S. army and went as a military surgeon to Mexico. He married a Texas girl, Miss Jane Clark, of a pioneer family. He was, in every sense, always a refined and true gentleman. His heirs have stood for the normal school here, and have been generous friends in the struggle for this location. Then, let the name of Griffith be honored in merited perpetuity. Name a Griffith Park or promenade. . . ." [Several things named Griffith exist on campus: the Griffith Boulevard and Griffith Fine Arts Auditorium come to mind. JLJ]