The Story of My Life - Page 15
(by Loma (Groom) Harrison)

In the fourteen years that I was Music Director at Frank Phillips College, the Choir and the Plainsmen performed hundreds of programs for Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions Club, Churches, High School Assemblies and Senior Banquets , and practically all Social and Service Organizations in the entire Panhandle area.

All the talented, dedicated young people of the Music Department of Frank Phillips College, 1949-1963, with the loyal support of the College Administration and Staff, helped to introduce to the people of the Panhandle and the State of Texas, its newest, fine Educational Institution, Frank Phillips College, Our deepest appreciation to them. They helped lay the foundation for the College.

The first accompanist for the F.P.C. Choir, M.A. "TEX" GROFF, composed the music and wrote the lyrics of the FRANK PHILLIPS COLLEGE ALMA MATER and the FIGHT SONG which are still the adopted official College Songs.

All of the above was important to me, but the joy and chief concern of my life was to be a good mother to my precious daughter, Jeanie. First of all, to let her know how deeply she was loved, and to give her the chance to grow up to be well and strong, with complete confidence in herself, and to have a happy heart. I wanted her to have faith in God to guide her life and to give her the strength needed when she was faced with insurmountable problems. I worked doubly hard so there would be money to develop her God-given talents, (music and dance lessons, etc.) and to have pretty clothes so she could associate with the friends she chose, and a chance to do fun things.

I wanted her to have a nice home to entertain her friends. Out of our modest income, I purchased an educational insurance policy, so that she would be assured of a College Degree. I wanted her to marry the right person and have a loving, happy home, with children.

Thank God, He bountifully answered my prayers. I had the health and the opportunity to earn a good living, and with God's help, to help her to be prepared to make the most out of her life. My dream for Jeanie has always been that her life would make a difference. She is still fulfilling that dream.

On February 1, 1960, Jeanie and Charles Miller from Panhandle, were married at the first Baptist Church of Borger. They lived in College Station while he finished his Degree from Texas A.& M. College, and then they moved to the Los Angeles area in California, where he was employed in nuclear research with North American Aviation. (See scrap and Album labeled Jeanie and Charles Miller, and Cynthia (Miller) Walker and Jeff and Sue (McKarney) Miller, and their children.

Since Jeanie and Charles were living in California, I decided to teach in California so that I could be near them and watch my first grandchild, Cynthia Lynne, grow up. I did some ground work about getting a job teaching in the public schools in California, and at Easter time in 1961, I went to the Los Angeles area and got three jobs in three days: Music Consultant in Camarillo Public Schools, English Teacher in Fullerton, and sixth grade teacher in San Gabriel On the plane back to Borger, I decided I did not want to take any of the jobs and started looking for another subject to teach. I finally chose Librarianship in Secondary School.

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