Alexander Mack Aikin Jr. (October 9, 1905 – October 24, 1981) was an American politician who served in the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abou ...

and the

Texas Senate The Texas Senate ( es, Senado de Texas) is the upper house of the Texas State Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing single-member districts across the U.S. state of Texas, with populations of approximately 806,000 per co ...

as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1932, and after serving two terms was elected to the Senate in 1937. In total, he served for 46 years in the two chambers of the

Texas Legislature The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a powerful a ...

, making him the longest-tenured legislator in the history of Texas at the time of his retirement in January 1979. Aikin earned a reputation as a staunch supporter of education, and was given the

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...

"the father of modern Texas education". He served on the Senate Finance Committee from 1937 to 1979; he was also the chair of the committee from 1967 until 1979. In 1943, Aikin also served as president ''pro tempore'' of the Senate and, in the absence of

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Coke R. Stevenson Coke Robert Stevenson (March 20, 1888 – June 28, 1975) was an American politician who served as the 35th governor of Texas from 1941 to 1947. He was the first Texan politician to hold its three highest offices (Speaker of the Texas Hous ...

and the

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

, as

acting governor An acting governor is a person who acts in the role of governor. In Commonwealth jurisdictions where the governor is a vice-regal position, the role of "acting governor" may be filled by a lieutenant governor (as in most Australian states) or an ...

for 14 days. The A. M. and Welma Aikin Regional Archives and the A. M. Aikin Symposium at

Paris Junior College Paris Junior College (PJC) is a public community college with three campuses in Texas: Paris, Greenville, and Sulphur Springs. The college was founded in 1924 as a campus of Paris Independent School District. Nearly 5,000 students are enrolled ...

(PJC), as well as two chairs at the

University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...

, have been named in his honor.

Early life

Alexander Mack Aikin Jr. was born on October 9, 1905, in Aikin Grove,

Red River County, Texas Red River County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 11,587. Its county seat is Clarksville. The county was created in 1835 and organized in 1837. It is named for the Red River, which forms its n ...

. His family moved to Lamar County in 1907, and Aikin attended grade school in

Milton Milton may refer to: Names * Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname) ** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet * Milton (given name) ** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free ...

and high school in

Deport Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. The term ''expulsion'' is often used as a synonym for deportation, though expulsion is more often used in the context of international law, while deportation ...

. He then attended

(PJC) in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

and

Cumberland University Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee. It was founded in 1842. The campus's current historic buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896. History 1842-1861 The university was founded by the Cumberland ...

Lebanon, Tennessee Lebanon is the county seat of Wilson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 38,431 at the 2020 census. Lebanon is located in Middle Tennessee, approximately east of downtown Nashville. Lebanon is part of the Nashville Metropoli ...

, the latter of which he graduated from with a

Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of ...

degree in 1932.

Political career

A member of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

, Aikin's political career began in 1932 with his election to the

. In 1937, after serving two terms in the House of Representatives, he was elected to the

. From 1948 onwards, he did not face an opponent in any election that he contested. In total, he served for 46 years in the two chambers of the

, making him the longest-tenured legislator in the history of Texas at the time of his retirement in January 1979. During his entire political career, he missed only two and a half days that the legislature was in session. Aikin earned a reputation as a staunch supporter of education, and according to Daisy Harvill "he supported every major educational bill passed by the legislature" and was given the

"the father of modern Texas education". Among his most significant legislative achievements were his sponsorship of the 1933 bill that established the Teacher Retirement System, which became a

constitutional amendment A constitutional amendment is a modification of the constitution of a polity, organization or other type of entity. Amendments are often interwoven into the relevant sections of an existing constitution, directly altering the text. Conversely, t ...

in 1937; his cosponsoring of the 1949 Gilmer-Aikin Laws (with Representative Claud Gilmer of

Rocksprings Rocksprings is a town in Edwards County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 1,182, down from 1,285 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Edwards County. The town received its name from natural sprin ...

), which established a centralized, statewide education system along with the Minimum Foundation school program that guaranteed funding levels for public schools and minimum teachers' salaries procured by the state; and his sponsorship of a 1956 amendment to set $100 a month as the minimum retirement compensation for teachers in an effort to attract better talent to the profession. Aikin was also an advocate for all-weather farm roads, largely because of the increased accessibility that they provided to schools, as well as the

M. D. Anderson Hospital The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (colloquially MD Anderson Cancer Center) is a comprehensive cancer center in Houston, Texas. It is the largest cancer center in the U.S. and one of the original three comprehensive cancer centers ...

, the principal

cancer treatment Cancer can be treated by surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy (including immunotherapy such as monoclonal antibody therapy) and synthetic lethality, most commonly as a series of separate treatments (e.g. ...

center in Texas. Aikin served on the Senate Finance Committee, which is charged with handling state

budget A budget is a calculation play, usually but not always financial, for a defined period, often one year or a month. A budget may include anticipated sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities including time, costs and expenses, environme ...

and tax bills, from his election to the Texas Senate in 1937 to his retirement in 1979; he was also the chair of the committee from 1967 until 1979. In 1943, he served as president ''pro tempore'' of the Senate and, in the absence of

and the

, as

for 14 days. During his brief tenure as acting governor, Aikin briefly declared

martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...

Beaumont Beaumont may refer to: Places Canada * Beaumont, Alberta * Beaumont, Quebec England * Beaumont, Cumbria * Beaumont, Essex **Beaumont Cut, a canal closed in the 1930s * Beaumont Street, Oxford France (communes) * Beaumont, Ardèche * ...

due to a

race riot This is a list of ethnic riots by country, and includes riots based on ethnic, sectarian, xenophobic, and racial conflict. Some of these riots can also be classified as pogroms. Africa Americas United States Nativist period: 1700s� ...

; he did so at the request of local officials and with the approval of Governor Stevenson. Aikin became dean of the Senate in 1963, and dean emeritus upon his retirement in 1979.

Personal life

Outside of his political career, Aikin worked as the

senior partner A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position, traditionally indicating co-ownership of a partnership in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits as "equity partners". T ...

in both the

law firm A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients (individuals or corporations) about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to ...

Aikin & Townsend and Aikin's Men's Wear

haberdasher In British English, a haberdasher is a business or person who sells small articles for sewing, dressmaking and knitting, such as buttons, ribbons, and zippers; in the United States, the term refers instead to a retailer who sells men's clot ...

y, both in Paris. In 1929, he married Welma Morphew, a landscape beautification advocate and future PJC

regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state ''pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy, ...

with whom he had one son. Aikin died on October 24, 1981, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Paris, at the age of 76; he had been hospitalized since September 6. His funeral was held at First United Methodist Church in Paris on October 26, where he was eulogized by United States Senator

Jack English Hightower Jack English Hightower (September 6, 1926 – August 3, 2013) was a former Democratic U.S. representative from Texas's 13th congressional district. Early life Born in Memphis, the seat of Hall County in West Texas, Hightower was a United States ...

Vernon Vernon may refer to: Places Australia *Vernon County, New South Wales Canada *Vernon, British Columbia, a city *Vernon, Ontario France * Vernon, Ardèche *Vernon, Eure United States * Vernon, Alabama * Vernon, Arizona * Vernon, California * ...

and former State Senator A. R. "Babe" Schwartz of

Galveston Galveston ( ) is a coastal resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a population of 47,743 in 2010, is the county seat of surrounding Gal ...

. He was also memorialized on October 29 with a brief service in the Texas Senate in which he was eulogized by Lieutenant Governor

William P. Hobby Jr. William Pettus Hobby Jr. (born January 19, 1932) is an American Democratic politician who served a record eighteen years as the 37th Lieutenant Governor of Texas. He held that office from January 16, 1973, to January 15, 1991, for an unpreceden ...

and once again by State Senator Schwartz.

Legacy

Aikin was honored with the proclamation of "A. M. Aikin Day" in 1973, during which his portrait was hung in the Texas Senate chamber, "a rare honor for a lawmaker who was still serving". Aikin was further honored with the establishment of the A. M. and Welma Aikin Regional Archives at PJC's Mike Rheudasil Learning Center in 1978. It serves as a repository for his

personal papers An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or ...

in addition to showcasing a gallery exhibit and a replica of his Texas Senate office, as well as a

reading room Reading room may refer to: * Reference library * British Museum Reading Room * Christian Science Reading Room image:5054_christian-science-reading-room-e.jpg, 400px, A typical storefront Christian Science Reading Room on the main street of a subu ...

for researchers. The Aikin Regional Archives additionally contains

local Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States * Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administrat ...

and

regional history Historical regions (or historical areas) are geographical regions which at some point in time had a culture, cultural, ethnic group, ethnic, linguistics, linguistic or politics, political basis, regardless of latterday borders. They are used as de ...

collections, including

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced ...

map A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes. Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Althoug ...

newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sport ...

photograph A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now creat ...

s, and other documents, as well as local government records from

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also r ...

, Fannin, Lamar, and Red River counties due to its status as a regional depository for the

Texas State Library and Archives Commission The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) refers to the agency in the state of Texas that assists the people of Texas to effectively use information, archival resources, public records and library materials to improve their lives, th ...

. In 1979, the A. M. Aikin Symposium was established at PJC as a two-day seminar for high school students addressing "fiscal responsibility in government". Furthermore, the A. M. Aikin Regents Chair in Junior and Community College Education and the A. M. Aikin Regents Chair in Education Leadership were established in 1985 at the

. The total endowment of the two chairs was $1 million; former PJC president Louis B. Williams led the fundraising effort for the endowment, while the total gift of $500,000 was matched with funds from the

Permanent University Fund The Permanent University Fund (PUF) is a sovereign wealth fund created by the State of Texas to fund public higher education within the state. A portion of the returns from the PUF are annually directed towards the Available University Fund (AU ...

to establish the memorial chairs.

References

External links

*
A.M. Aikin, Jr. Papers
at

Texas A&M University–Commerce Texas A&M University–Commerce is a public university in Commerce, Texas. With an enrollment of over 12,000 students as of fall 2017, the university is the third-largest institution in the Texas A&M University System. Founded in 1889, the inst ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aikin, Jr., A. M. 1905 births 1981 deaths People from Red River County, Texas People from Paris, Texas Cumberland University alumni Paris Junior College alumni Texas lawyers Haberdashers Democratic Party members of the Texas House of Representatives Democratic Party Texas state senators Presidents pro tempore of the Texas Senate 20th-century American legislators 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century Texas politicians