In 1906, Samuel Walker Houston moved to the small community of Galilee, located about five miles west of Huntsville Texas and accepted a teaching post in a tiny African American school that met in a twelve-by fourteen foot hut that had previously served as a private home. The school was in such poor repair that Houston refused to use the building. Instead, he paid 4 dollars of his own 35 dollars monthly salary to rent the Galilee Methodist Church. There, he and his assistant, Mamie Arnold, taught students in grades one through six. This was only the beginning.
In looking through some of the many pictures in the Museum, I found this portrait of a young Samuel W. Houston. I had never seen a young photo of him. In my mind this photo shows a young man with determination written all over his face. He was determined to succeed in his mission, and he did. His legacy continues.