Texas Almanac, 1949-1950 Page: 354
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TEXAS ALMANAC.-1949-1950.
office was discontinued by the Fifty-first Leg-
islature. and a State Commissioner of Edu-
cation substituted their efor, to be appointed
by a 21-member State Board of Education.
(See Gilmer-Alkin Act. p. 405.)
Most authorities on state governments con-
sider the Texas administrative system cum-
bersome and capable of less efficiency than
might be effected by a better organized gov-
ernment with more definitely placed func-
tions. Actually, the efficiency of the various
state agencies varies widely, both as among
the agencies and from year to year in any
single agency, according to the abilities of
the men in office. Paralleling the movement
for a new, or radically revised. State Consti-
tution, there has been an effort to have the
state's administrative system simplified and
integrated.
Legislative.
The Texas State Government is character-
ized by the dominance ol its legislative
branch. It consists of a Senate of thirty-one
members elected to 4-year. overlapping terms.
and a House of Representatives of i50 mem-
bers elected to 2-year terms. (See p. 361 for
statement of meeting date. salary, officials
and membership of Fifty-first Legislature.)
The Fifty-first Legislature submitted an
amendment, subject to vote of the people,
Nov. 8, 1949. raising salaries and providing
annual, instead of biennial, sessions. (See
p. 48.) Adoption of this amendment would
greatly Increase the dominance of the Legis-
lature in state affairs.Judicial.
The State Supreme Court stands at the head
of the Texas judiciary, having final jurisdic-
tion in all civil cases. Its nine members are
elected to 6-year, overlapping terms. There is
a companion Court of Criminal Appeals, hav-
ing final jurisdiction in all criminal cases.
There are eleven Courts of Civil Appeals hav-
ing jurisdiction in eleven Supreme Judicial
Districts. They are intermediate between the
District Courts and the Supreme Court in
civil cases. The thre justices in each court
are elected to 6-year overlapping terms.
There are also about 130 District Courts. (See
pp. 441-446.) In the more populous areas there
are several districts to a county. In rural
areas there are usually several counties in a
district. They have jurisdiction over both
civil and criminal cases, except in some popu-
lous areas where the jurisdiction has been
divided between civil and criminal District
Courts. There is one judge to a district, but
Judges may be transferred to relieve crowded
dockets. They are elected to 4-year terms.
There has been little evidence of corruption
in the conduct of the Texas judiciary, but it
has been subject to criticism for its delays,
cumbersome procedure and tendency to mis-
trials and reversals in higher courts on ac-
count of technicalities. In recent years there
has been an effort for court reform headed
by the Texas Civil Judicial Council. (See
p. 355.)
A statement of the Texas state system of
finances will be found on pp. 385-394. A list
of all state administrative offices, boards.
commissions and legislative and judicial bod-
les will be found on pages immediately fol-
lowing this article.Texas State Officials, Boards and Commissions
List below shows date of creation of office, whether elective or appointive, length of
term, salary or other remuneration, number of members if a board or commission, name of
official, or officials in instances of boards and commissions. Dates in parentheses indicate
termination of term of office. Names of towns in parentheses indicate home of official whose
residence is officially in Austin. In some Instances the dates of expiration are prior to issu-
ance of this volume; in such instances a holdover term is indicated, no new appointment
having been made at time of publication of the Texas Almanac.Accident Board. Industrial.-See "Industrial Ac-
cident Board."
Accountancy. State Board of Public.-(1915) ;
apptv.; 2-yr., expenses paid trom fees collected
by board; five members: Chairman, J. A. Phillips.
Houston (9-4-49) ; Leo i 0 Lewis. San Antonimo
19-4-50); A. H. Freemon. Wichita Falls (9-4-50):;
C. A. Freeze. San Angelo (9-4-49); secretary. O.
H. Masehek. Beaumont (9-4-49). Headquarters,
702 Steck Bldg.. Austin.
Adjutant General.-U(1836 by Republic of Texas;
1905 present office established); apptv.; 2-yr.;
54.200: Keane L Berry, Austin (2-1-51).
Administrative Judicial Districts of Texas, Pre-
siding Judges of.-(Serve during elected term):
No. 1, W. L. (Jack) Thornton, Dallas; No. 2.
Max M. Rogers, Huntsville; No 3. A P. Mays,
Corsicana; No. 4, W. W. McCrory, San Antonio;:
No. 5, L. Broeter, Alee; No. 6. Ballard Coldwell.
El Paso; No 7, O. L. Parish, Ballinger; No 8.
George L. Davenport, Eastland: No. 9. Luther
Grabble, Wellington
Ad Valorem Tax Rate, Board to Calculate the.-
(1901), Ex oflicio, three members: Gov. Allan
Shivers: State Comptroller Robert S. Calvert;
State Treasurer Jesse James
Advisory Hospital Council.-(See "Hospital
Council. Advisory "P
Aeronautics Commission. Texas.-(19451; apptv. ;
6-yr.: Chairman, Henry Ayres, Paris (9-4-51); Al
Buchanan, San Antonio (9-4-49); Virgil L. Musick.
San Angelo (9-4-53): Director, A. W. Meadows,
Municipal Airport. Austin (nonmember).
Agricultural and Mechanical College, Board of
Directors of.-(1875); apptv.; 6-year.; expenses;
nine members: President. George Rollie White,
Brady (1-10-55); A. E. Cudlipp, Lufkmin (1-10-55);
John W. Newton, Beaumont (1-10-51); E. W
Harrison, South Bend (1-10-55): Rufus R.
Peeples, Tehuacana (1-10-53); Roy C. Potts,Belton (1-10-51): Tyree L. Bell. Dallas (1-10-53);
Carl C. Krueger. San Antonio (1-10*53); Henry
Reese III, Gonzales (1-10-51); secretary, E. L.
Angell, College Station.
Agriculture, Commissioner of.-See "Commis-
sioner of Agriculture."
Anatomical Board of the State of Texas.-
(1907); ex officio; indefinite term; expenses;
members: Prolessor of anatomy and the professor
of surger) of each of the medical schools in the
state Officers are as follows: President, Dr. John
V. Goode. Southwestern Medical College, Dallas:
secretary-treasurer, Dr. Raymond F. Blount, Uni-
versity of Texas School of Medicine. Galveston.
Architectural Examiners, Texas Board of.-
(1931); appty.: 6-yr ; $10 a day and expenses:
three members: Chairman, John Thomas Rather
Jr., Houston (7-26-49); secretary, Thomas D.
Broad, Dallas (7-26-51); Bartlett Cocke, San An-
tonio (7-26-53).
Attorney General. State.-(1836 by original Con-
stitution of Republic of Texas; 1876 by present
Constitution); elective; 2-yr.; $10,000: Price Dan-
iel, Austin (Liberty) (1-1-51).
Attorney, State Prosecuting.-Apptv.; Ernest
S. Goens. Austin (Tyler) (9-1-49).
Auditor, State.-(1929); apptvy. by legislative
audit committee; 2-yr.; maximum salary of $7,500
provided for in law transferring appointment
from Governor to Legislature: C. H. Cavness.
Austin (San Antonio) (2-15-51).
Auditor for Prison System, State Board to
Select.-(1927); ex officio; term min other office;
three members: Atty. Gen. Price Daniel, State
Comptroller Robert S. Calvert and State Treasurer
Jesse James.
Automatic Tax Board.-See "Ad Valorem Tax
Rate. Board to Calculate."
Banking Board, State.-(1909); ex officio; 2-
yr.; three members: Atty. Gen. Pricee Daniel,
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Texas Almanac, 1949-1950, book, 1949; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117167/m1/356/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.