Founders' Day Award Recipients

In 1924, the Ex-Students association chose January 10 as College of Industrial Arts Pancake Night. The date was selected to honor the laying of the corner stone of the Administration Building on January 10, 1903. A pancake carrying 21 birthday candles was a special feature at the occasion.

In 1936, about the same time CIA became Texas State College for Women, the name Pancake Night was changed to Founders’ Day. Students provided the programs and sponsored fund-raising projects in honor of the event.

The observance of Founders’ Day was discontinued in 1955, but was revived on February 24, 1978, by President Mary Evelyn Huey, who asked the National Alumnae Association (now known as the Former Students Association) to assist in its planning. The pancake buffet tradition was continued, but the occasion was delayed twice that year by ice storms.

The pancake tradition came from a legend that in the Middle Ages monks returning from a long journey would be served a cake baked in a pan – a real luxury since most cakes were baked in the ashes – while they told their fellow monks, gathered about them in the warmth of the fire, of their travels.

In 2006, current Chancellor and President Ann Stuart decided to move the Founders’ Award Luncheon to early April to coincide with the date legislation was signed creating what is now Texas Woman’s University – April 6, 1901.

The event provides an opportunity to reflect on the history of TWU and on the contributions of those visionaries who set TWU on a sold foundation for success.

--Founders’ Awards Luncheon Program, 2007

• Ann Williams
• Denton Arts & Jazz Festival

• Mary Evelyn Blagg-Huey, Ph.D.
• United Way of Denton County

• Glenda Brock Simmons, Ph.D.
• Denton Independent School District
• Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)

• Betty and Joe Alford
• Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital - Denton

• Patsy and Fred Patterson
• Denton LULAC Council #4366

• Jo Kuhn
• National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Dallas Section
• PointBank

• Lillian Moore Bradshaw*
• The Nelda C. adn H. J. Lutcher Stark Foundation

• Sarah Lea*
• Troy Howard LaGrone* (Posthumous Award)
• Daughters of the American Revolution, Benjamin Lyon Chapter

• Frank N. Martino*
• The Wendell W. Mayes, Sr. Family
• Bill DeBerry Funeral Directors

• Andre J. "Frenchy" Rheault
• DATCU Credit Union
• Ann Bradshaw Stokes Foundation

• Margaret and Gus W. Davis
• Denton Record-Chronicle
• Native Plant Society of Texas, Trinity Forks Chapter

• Ben E. Keith Foundation
• First State Bank of Texas
• Hoblitzelle Foundation
• Houston Endowment

• The Morrison Milling Company, Inc.
• Sid W. Richardson Foundation
• The Texas Medical Center
• United Methodist Women

• Denton Chamber of Commerce
• GTE (Verizon)
• Texas Federation of Women's Clubs

• Ariel Club
• City of Denton
• Texas Instruments Corporation
• Woman's Shakespeare Club of Denton