IN MEMORIAM
ANNA MARIE STENGEL
Anna Marie Stengel, a faculty
member at The University of Texas at Austin from 1958 to 1984,
passed away June 15, 2002.
Anna, one of three children of Marguerite and Carl Stengel, was born on
September 23, 1926, in Austin, Texas. She graduated from Austin High School
in 1943. For a time, she and her family lived in the house that is now
occupied by the East Side Cafe, on Manor Road.
In 1943, Anna enrolled as a business education major in the College of
Business Administration at UT Austin, receiving a BBA degree in 1950. During
this period she was employed as a part-time clerk in the Texas Department
of Education (1944-1945) and as a full-time stenographer by the Texas Department
of Welfare (1945-1947).
Upon graduation from the University, she held a number of teaching positions
at various high schools (East Bernard High School 1950-1953, Mason High
School 1953-1954, Lampasas High School 1955-1956, and in the Austin Public
Schools 1956-1958), teaching primarily bookkeeping, typewriting, and shorthand
classes.
In 1952, Anna enrolled in the Graduate School of Business MBA program.
Because of her teaching commitments at the various high schools, she was
unable to complete her MBA (major in business education) until 1959.
In 1958, she was offered the position of special instructor in business
services at The University of Texas at Austin by then Chairman Leo G. Blackstock
and Dean J. Arch White. She accepted this appointment at a nine-month salary
of $4,000, teaching four secretarial study classes per semester.
Her love for teaching, advising, and working with students was exhibited
throughout her entire twenty-six years as an instructor and assistant professor
at UT. She volunteered to teach every summer session while at UT; served
as sponsor or co-sponsor of Pi Omega Pi Fraternity (Undergraduate Business
Education Teachers) for approximately twenty-five years; served as president,
secretary, treasurer of Delta Pi Epsilon Fraternity (Graduate Honorary
Business Education Teachers) for about the same length of time; worked
for years with the University Scholastic League in preparing copy for and
directing district, regional, and state typing and shorthand contests;
worked with the Texas Business Education Association in various capacities,
including its legislative committee and the setting up of a one-year business
program in high schools; held or participated in a number of workshops
for business education teachers and secretaries both here in Austin and
throughout the state of Texas. Her file is filled with laudatory letters
thanking her for her participation in the above activities.
In 1965, Professor Stengel was promoted from special instructor
to instructor and in 1972, because of her teaching excellence
and service to her profession,
she was promoted to the rare rank of assistant professor with tenure, a
rank she held until her retirement in 1984. It was also during this period
that Anna started to teach business communications courses, thus extending
her teaching excellence into three areas – office administration,
business education, and business communications.
In October 1974, Professor Stengel was named winner of the District 13
Business Education Teacher of the Year Award of the Texas Business Education
Association. She was also the Department of General Business nominee for
the Jack Taylor Teaching Award (for undergraduates) in the College of Business
Administration four times. Some of her student evaluations ranked her in
the top one percent among all instructors the students had at UT.
Probably the best testimony to Anna’s twenty-six years at UT are
comments in letters written by her colleagues, students, and administrators.
To list excerpts from all in her file would make this memorial resolution
into a small book. A few, however, are illustrative.
From Colleagues
Anna Stengel is an outstanding
teacher in the true sense of the word. She prepares her classroom
material thoroughly and is always searching for additional
material to make the class more interesting and valuable to
the student. She gives time to her students whenever they need
it whether for class related situations or for personal situations.
Her special talent, as I have been told by innumerable students,
is her extraordinary ability to humanize the educational
process. She is evidently
one of the few among us who draw forth students’ best efforts less
by imposing rigid standards than by inspiring their confidence.
In her quiet, patient, unobtrusive way, Anna has been an outstanding
teacher in the department for many years. Her lectures are of substantial
content in an area that is basically very important (business communication)
but not genuinely loved or appreciated.
Students
I have known for years that
I will work many times harder for an instructor who takes a
personal interest in my work. Your personal interest in me
has made my enthusiasm in the course easy.
If more classes were conducted in this manner, I feel students would
become more interested in the content of the course.
Overall I have really enjoyed this course, and more important I have
learned something.
I really appreciate your taking such an interest in your teaching instruction
methods. You have really stimulated my interest in teaching for my career.
Business Communication is one of the best courses offered
at the University. The material I learned from the course
will aid me tremendously in whatever
job I may undertake. You made it very enjoyable, and believe me, this
semester I needed a class like this. What can I say? Well, at no other
time have I ever had a teacher that took a greater interest in students
than you have! It amazes me how you are always willing to help (no matter
how often!). The lessons I have learned from your class will be beneficial
my entire business career… Someday when you see me at the top of
the business world you can proudly say “I had a part of making
him what he is today.”
Administrators
Lawrence Buford – Director
of Secondary Education – Austin Independent School District:
There has never been a better supervisor of student teachers than Anna.
She is the model that I use when I advise new supervisors of the most
effective student teacher supervision. Anna takes great pains to let
student teachers know what is expected of them and then, through a program
of education, visitation, and conferences, helps them grow into teachers.
William J. Lord, Jr. – Chairman of the General Business
Department:
She regularly receives high evaluations from her students for her teaching
effectiveness and there is a big student demand for her courses.
Professor Stengel also served
on a number of college and university committees, including the
Financial Aid Committee, Committee on Teaching Effectiveness,
University Council on Teacher Education, CBA Commencement Committee,
and Senate 8 Committee. She also served as Coordinator for Business
Education/Office Administration Division.
Anna’s parents and her brother Arnold predeceased her.
She is survived by her brother Bobby and his wife Beverly Stengel.
<signed>
Larry R. Faulkner, President
The University of Texas at Austin
<signed>
John R. Durbin, Secretary
The General Faculty
This memorial resolution was prepared by a special committee consisting
of Professor Emeritus Gaylord A. Jentz (chair), Professor Emeritus Charles
T. Clark, and retired staff member Ms. Margaret Cox.
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