Howard Payne University Artifacts: Annie

from Link Magazine - Fall 2018

Harrison Earns Success in the Classroom and on the Soccer Field

1910s-1960s Annie Shelton and Cap Shelton

Cap Shelton’s dog tags from World War I

Cap Shelton and Annie Shelton at Old Main

by Dr. Robert Mangrum, professor of history and government and university historian HPU has always been about people, both students and faculty/staff. Two such influential persons were siblings Annie and Cap Shelton.

Annie Shelton was born in Lorena on March 9, 1885. She graduated from HPC in 1916 and returned as a faculty member after teaching one and a half years at Paint Rock. She received her master’s degree from George Washington University and also did graduate work at Columbia.

At HPC, “Miss Annie,” as she was popularly known, served as professor of history from 1918 until her retirement in 1953. Her service to students outside the classroom includes time as faculty sponsor of the Baptist Student Union, the sophomore class and the pep squad. The Lasso yearbook was dedicated to her three times, once after she had retired.

In 1958, reflecting the “true spirit of Howard Payne,” she donated a 225-acre farm to HPC. She had purchased the farm during her early teaching years, saving $75 a month until she had saved the $5,000 needed for the purchase.

“It is a great joy for me to make this gift,” she said. “I will always feel greatly indebted to Howard Payne for offering me the opportunities that have enriched my life. My teaching years were happy ones.”

In 1959, Miss Annie was honored along with Cap as HPC’s Ex-Students of the Year. She was also honored at HPC’s 75th Anniversary Homecoming in November 1963 and again in May 1964 spring graduation exercises. She died on January 14, 1971, at the age of 91.

John Horace “Cap” Shelton was born on a farm in Coleman County on May 12, 1893, 20 days after his father died. Cap attended HPC, where he was a fullback with the football team, manager of the basketball team and ran the 880 and the mile in track. He graduated from HPC in 1917.

After two stints as a math teacher at Sherman High School with service in the U.S. Army in between, he returned to his alma mater in 1920 as instructor of math and track coach. He also served as faculty manager of athletics and, in 1928, was named director of athletics. He also found time to do additional graduate study at the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois and Baylor.

Cap was so multi-talented that he also served as HPC’s basketball coach (1920 to 1924), registrar (1929 to 1931) and business manager (1931-1956), with four of those years (1934- 1938) as vice president and business manager. He also served as director of properties and development (1956-1964).

On the cinder track, Cap guided HPC to 17 conference titles and one national championship between 1925 and 1967. He helped establish the Texas Conference and served as chair of the conference’s Athletic Council. After HPC joined the Lone Star Conference, Cap was named the conference’s Coach of the Year in 1964. His reputation led to his demand as a referee at top track meets such as the Texas Relays. Fittingly, he was named to the National Track Hall of Fame, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame and the HPU Sports Hall of Fame. Cap served 47 years at HPC. He and his wife, Opal, had no children except for the hundreds of students who knew and valued him as their mentor during their years at HPC. He died at the age of 74 on June 28, 1967.

Dr. Robert Mangrum has published an account of HPU’s history titled For Howard Payne My All: 125 Years of Christian Higher Education and Service, 1889-2015. The book, which took 17 years to write, celebrates the university’s history since its founding in 1889. It is available for $30 on DVD or USB flash drive at HPU’s Spirit Store in the Mabee University Center or at www.hputx.edu/store. All proceeds from the book’s sales support an academic scholarship at HPU.