Office of Alumni Relations

Jessie May Hines fondly remembers a telephone call from Cameron President Charles M. Conwill on May 1, 1946, asking her to join the faculty.

"It happened to be my birthday and the call seemed like a birthday gift _ the realization of my goal to become a college teacher," she recalled.

Hines came to Cameron from Lawton Junior High and the age difference in students was a challenge, since many were veterans of World War II. She found Cameron's family of faculty and students to be closely knit and made enduring friendships. She still exchanges Christmas letters with many of her students.

Her philosophy of teaching was not confined to presenting subject matter in the classroom; she believed in helping the whole person, something which has been verified by many former students.

Hines received an associate degree with majors in Latin, English and music at Central State College, a masters in English at Oklahoma State University and did post-graduate hours at the University of Oklahoma. She studied abroad, attending seminars at Cambridge, Stratford-on-Avon, Edinburgh and at the University of London with professors from Oxford and Cambridge.

She taught 20 years, mostly on the secondary level, before coming to Cameron and logging 30 more years in the classroom before her retirement in 1976.

At Cameron she taught varied English courses and a general humanities course and was department chairman. She co-chaired the curriculum committee for both junior college and four-year status in the North Central accreditation process with Blanche Beavers, a fellow professor emerita and CUAA Faculty Hall of Fame recipient.

Hines organized and co-chaired the Cameron Student Education Association, and was sponsor of the International Students Club. She was a charter member of Cameron's Phi Kappa Phi chapter and received its Meritorious Service and Meritorious Life Member awards. She is a member of Phi Delta Kappa and received its Certificate of Recognition.

Although not a Cameron alumna, Hines received the 1985 CUAA Distinguished Alumni Award for supporting the university. She was Cameron's Teacher of the Year in 1967 and received Central State's Distinguished Former Student Award that year.

A board member of the Cameron Campus Ministry since 1973, she has been honored with its Saint Emeritus Award and Board Member Emeritus award. She has been an active member of local, state and national education associations and local community service organizations.

Hines was a charter member of the Lawton Woman's Forum and worked with its allied students' sponsor program. She is a member of the American Association of University Women and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She directed choirs and choruses for many years, including the Schubert Club Women's Chorus.

She continues to support the university through donations to the Cameron Foundation, the Sciences Complex and KCCU-FM. She was instrumental in establishing the Jessie May Hines Language Arts Scholarship.