This remarkable photo of Frances Clay is printed from a glass negative that was part of the Ralph and Dossie Rogers collection. It was donated to the museum along with many others after their son Tom passed away. Frances Clay, born in 1893, was just a young adult when this photo was made. Frances and her family created an ongoing legacy in Dublin from their value of education. W.J. Clay, her father, was superintendent of the Dublin schools for a decade and was a member of the first Texas State Textbook Commission. He built a two story house on Clinton Street in 1907 that still stands today. His three daughters Roberta, Frances and Ione all carried the family tradition of education.
“According to an account written by Frances Turney, Frances Clay began her teaching career in Harbin, returning home to Dublin on the Train each weekend.” (The Dublin Citizen March 2002, Laura Kestner, The Clay Sisters) Later, Frances, was a teacher in Dublin for 44 years. Most of her work was at the first grade level. She once remarked “When you’re working with little children, you are working with God.”(The Dublin Citizen March 2002, Laura Kestner, The Clay Sisters) She also volunteered as a librarian. She and others created our library out of a small house in Shamrock Park. None of that was easy. It took hard work and dedication to make it happen. She spent long hours managing the library with the goal to make it an impressive part of Dublin. She also served on the first library board. But her civic pride didn’t stop there. She served as an officer for the Community Chest. The Community Chest was an important source of funding for Boy and Girl Scouts, feeding the needy and finding the cure for Polio.
It was through her work at the First Methodist Church in Dublin that she became President of the Busy Woman’s Class and served for many years. In the 1930s, she took leave of her duties at the school to travel to New York to attend Columbia University.
After her passing she made a gift of $100,000 to build the new library we enjoy today. Frances and Ione Clay also made a donation making possible the Annex at the First Methodist Church.
Frances’ community service made her a legion in the community.
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