In and About the Library

Jenny Lind Porter Scott

Dr. Jenny Lind Porter Scott was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 3^rd, 1927 to Drue J. and Josephine Trammell Porter. Dr. Porter was an author, educator, Texas Women's Hall of Fame honoree and a Texas Poet Laureate. She was a fifth generation Texan and earned her B.A. and M.A. from Texas Christian University, a Ph.D. in Philosophy from The University of Texas at Austin, an honorary doctorate from the University of Free Asia (1970), and a Distinguished Diploma of Honor from Pepperdine University (1979). Dr. Porter was a Professor of English at West Texas State University from 1959-1961. Dr. Porter published numerous poems and books, which earned her prestigious awards from the Poetry Society of America (1970), and the Texas Institute of Letters (2000). Dr. Porter also earned the title of Poet Laureate of Texas (1964 and 1965), and induction into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame (1985). Her works include: El Sol Colorado: Together with his friends, six men as individual and brilliant as he (The saga of John O. Meusebach in early Texas) and Three Dramatic Monologues: Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt. Dr. Porter and her husband, Lawrence E. Scott, founded the Texas Poets' Corner and the Jenny Lind Porter Collections in the ​Cornette Library at West Texas A&M University. She established a creative writing program at Huston-Tillotson University, and was named a Piper Professor (top ten outstanding college professors of Texas) by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation in 1976. She and her husband were also patrons of the O. Henry Museum, helping the institution acquire and publish an unknown O. Henry children's story. Dr. Porter was the niece of O. Henry, a popular author of South and Central Texas short stories. Dr. Porter is preceded in death by her beloved husband Lawrence Scott. She is survived by her two stepchildren, Barbara Scott Goudy and John Lawrence Scott, his wife, Jan, and seven grandchildren: Johnnie Scott, Kevin Scott, Daniel Scott, Christopher Scott, Kayla Patterson, Bill Frederick, and Yvonne Hersh. Other survivors are nieces Carol Coulson, Cynthia Wright, and Candice Curry, and her sister-in-law Earnesteen Porter. Dr. Porter was known for her gentle yet fiercely independent resolve. She took great pride in her academic studies and literary achievements. She poured her heart and soul into her role as professor to more than 10,000 students over her the course of her career. One of her favorite passions was telling stories about Texas, including the siege of the Alamo and it many historical heroes. She also loved animals of all kinds, especially her cat and poodle. Her faith remained strong throughout her lifetime, as she was well-versed in the teachings of the Bible. She is remembered for being an exceptional person, open-minded and full of vivacious optimism.