Umphrey Lee is a big, good-natured man who manages to resemble neither preacher, scholar, historian nor college president. The fact that he is all of these things—and a man of tact and horse sense, too—goes a long way to explain the rise of Southern Methodist University. Last week, already the biggest private university in the Southwest and still sprouting, S.M.U. proudly dedicated its newest shining wonder: a $3,500,000 school of theology, consisting of seven pink brick, Georgian-style buildings spread on 16 acres of the S.M.U. campus.
As usual, President Lee disclaimed credit. This time the credit went to Joe J. Perkins, multimillionaire merchant and oilman of Wichita Falls, and his wife Lois. The Perkinses had put up $2,500,000 toward the new theology school and, better yet, had handed the school a thoughtful endowment: 50 going oil wells in east Texas.
Domes & Dormers. S.M.U. has trebled in enrollment (to 7,250) and assets (to $24 million) since Umphrey Lee took over in 1939. In those days the 133-acre S.M.U. campus, just north of Dallas, had twelve buildings. Now it sparkles with the gold domes, white dormers and tall steeples of 28. Umphrey Lee (who explains the Umphrey by saying, "Some of my ancestors just couldn't spell") thinks that he raised maybe $6,000 toward all this.
There is truth and good sense in Lee's attitude. Building schools is a passion with Texans,* and nearly every college in the state has construction either under way or blueprinted. As Umphrey puts it: "There is an atmosphere of achievement and a healthy attitude toward giving. People do not ask, 'Can it be done?' They know it can. All they want to know is whether it is desirable."
Lee admires Texas and Texans all right, but the admiration is mutual. At 57, he symbolizes the practical, constructive faith of the state and the Southwest in general. Indiana-born, he moved to Texas in time to be one of the first students S.M.U. had. He took an M.A. in history there in 1916, then went to Columbia and Union Theological Seminary for more study. Eventually, out of all this came an analytical study of Methodist John Wesley—The Lord's Horseman, Lee called him. Out of it came also a desire to get back to Texas. His first jobs back home were pastorates in several small Texas towns; later came the pastorate of the big Highland Park Methodist Church in Dallas, Finally the presidency of S.M.U.
Thought & Belief. Nowadays, pretty close to being the recognized No. 1 citizen of Dallas, Umphrey Lee is a busy man. He belongs to such potent organizations as the Citizens' Council, the organization of businessmen without whom nothing can be done in Dallas, and the ultra-select Thirteen Club, a group of 13 who get together periodically to hash over world and local problems. Nonsmoking, nondrinking, Lee has no advice to thrust on those who do. He likes to tell of one friend who drinks deeply and then often calls Lee up to tell him what's wrong with S.M.U. Football is another thing that President Lee takes in stride. It does not worry him overmuch that S.M.U. consistently has one of the best football teams in the U.S. Texas likes good football, and so does Umphrey Lee.