Hardesty, Walton D. (Pete), 1986 October 23

File — Box: 2, Folder: 5

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Dr. Walton D. "Pete" Hardesty talks about his transition from working at Camp Gary to becoming a psychology professor at Southwest Texas State Teachers college. Along with detailing his teaching career and his popular courses in human sexuality, he shares his thoughts on the changes the university has seen in its student body and its attitudes, the campus layout, its role in regulating students' lives, and its reputation from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Interviewed by Kristi Faulkner

Dates

1986 October 23

Creator

From the Collection: Southwest Texas State University. Department of History (Organization)
From the Collection: Brown, Ronald C., 1945- (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restriction.

Biographical note

Dr. Walton D. "Pete" Hardesty (1921–2002) was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, but moved around the state quite a bit during the 1920s and 1930s due to his father's work in the oil business. He graduated from Longview High School in 1940 and enrolled in Texas A&M University; however, he soon enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he fought in a number of Pacific Theater campaigns. After the war's end, Hardesty returned to A&M and graduated with a business degree. He later earned his doctorate in education and psychology from the University of Houston in 1964.

In 1965, Hardesty became a director of the Gary Job Corps Center. Two years later, in 1967, he joined the psychology faculty at Southwest Texas State College; he was awarded Outstanding Teacher awards in 1974 and 1975. He cared deeply about the environment, pioneering the case for using sterile Asian carp to clean up certain weeds in local lakes. Most notably, he worked with fellow faculty member David Whitenburg to save the endangered Texas Madrone tree. He received a highway beautification award in recognition of this work from Lady Bird Johnson in 1978.