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