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Myra Carroll Winkler

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Myra Carroll Winkler (1880 – August 21, 1963) was an American educator and was the first woman to hold elected office in El Paso County.

Biography

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Winkler was born in Corsicana, Texas and her father, Clinton M. Winkler, was one of the first judges on the Texas State Court of Appeals.[1] Winkler's mother, A.V. Winkler, was active in collecting Confederate artifacts.[2] Winkler attended and graduated from the Sam Houston Teacher's College, and moved to El Paso, Texas in 1902.[1] In El Paso, Winkler taught at several El Paso public schools, including El Paso High School.[1]

Winkler was elected superintendent of El Paso County schools in 1912, becoming the first woman elected to public office in El Paso County.[3][1] Winkler was also one of eight women who were elected to the office of superintendent in Texas in 1912.[4] Under her tenure as superintendent, she was responsible for improving many schools in El Paso County.[5] She retired as superintendent in 1922.[6] In 1923, Winkler became an adjunct professor of history and economics at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), becoming the second woman to work as faculty at the school.[7][8]

Winkler married Andrew Jackson Zilker in August 1925.[9] In 1945, she was a candidate for earning her masters of science from the North Texas State College.[10]

Winkler died on in her home in El Paso on August 21, 1963.[11] A school, Myra Winkler County School, was named after her, though the name was changed to Travis Elementary School in the 1950s.[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Longo, Joseph (Spring 2016). "Early El Paso Women Political Pioneers: 1912-1952". Password. 60 (1): 15.
  2. ^ "Is a Regent of the Confederate Museum". El Paso Herald. 1906-08-25. p. 8. Retrieved 2019-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Forty Years Ago". El Paso Times. 1952-11-14. p. 6. Retrieved 2019-12-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "In Old El Paso". El Paso Herald-Post. 27 September 1971. Retrieved 1 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Miss Winkler Applies". El Paso Evening Post. 1929-07-30. p. 1. Retrieved 2019-12-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Miss Myra C. Winkler". El Paso Times. 1922-12-27. p. 12. Retrieved 2019-12-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Rodriguez, Christina; Vierra, P.J. (Summer 2017). "The XX Factor: A Century of Women at UTEP". UTEP Magazine.
  8. ^ "Miss Winkler To Teach at Mines School". El Paso Herald. 1922-09-09. p. 3. Retrieved 2019-12-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Miss Myra Winkler. Beloved El Paso Teacher Becomes Bride of Austin Man on Tuesday". El Paso Herald. 1925-08-11. p. 8. Retrieved 2019-12-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Will Receive Degree". El Paso Times. 1945-08-13. p. 3. Retrieved 2019-12-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Winkler". El Paso Times. 1963-08-23. p. 26. Retrieved 2019-12-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Six Pupils Will Be Graduated At Myra Winkler County School". El Paso Herald. 1922-12-06. p. 9. Retrieved 2019-12-04 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Travis Elementary School". El Paso Times. 1990-08-22. p. 20. Retrieved 2019-12-03 – via Newspapers.com.
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