Page 10 - Windows Fall Newsletter 2015

Baird Family’s Exhibit Sumner Academic Heritage Room

Keeping the Mrs Baird’s Bread story in the neighborhood

You’ve undoubtedly driven past Mrs Baird’s Bakeries on I-35W and
smelled the fresh bread baking. But did you know that fresh bread is the
most universally loved smell on the planet?

If that isn’t enough to pique your interest, then maybe the long-standing
Fort Worth history of the Baird family will.

On November 6, the Mary Couts Burnett Library opened its Baird
Family exhibit as a tribute to the family and a historical look at a
Texas institution. The exhibit, open through the end of the year (you’re
welcome to visit anytime), includes family photos, bakery advertisements,
marketing initiatives through the years, baking advancements the Baird’s
introduced and more.

Originally from Tennessee, the Baird family moved to Fort Worth in 1901 and
sold popcorn from little red carts. William Baird, a restaurateur by trade, soon
gave his popcorn cart business to
his oldest son and returned to his
restaurant roots.

Ninnie L. Baird began baking bread, cakes and pies for her family and their
neighbors. Her reputation as a fabulous baker quickly spread, and in 1908, with
her husband’s health failing, the bakery was launched from the family home to
help support her family.

The rest, as they say, is history that you can learn about at the TCU Library.
On October 22, 2015, the academic heritage room in the Library was dedicated as the Sumner Academic Heritage Room to
acknowledge the contributions of Dr. George and Sue Sumner. Faculty and distinguished guests gathered for the dedication and
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e ribbon cutting.

The Tradition of Giving Books The Sumner Academic Heritage Room is named in recognition of the generosity of Dr. George and Sue Sumner and their steadfast
support of the Mary Couts Burnett Library. Dr. Sumner is a past president of the Friends of the TCU Library and received an
MBA from TCU in 1973. A graduate of the TCU College of Education, Mrs. Sumner is a member of the class of 1956. The Sumner
Heritage Room honors TCU’s academic heritage.
During the dedication of the renovated Mary Couts Burnett Library, the University, the Library and the architectural firms of
Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford and Cannon Design followed the tradition of giving books to honor those who had made the work Dr. June Koelker, Dean of the Library, said the room showcases TCU’s academic excellence. TCU’s Phi Beta Kappa Charter and
possible. Knowing of their interest in the history of Texas the University purchased a copy of the rare Laws of the Republic of Texas, the University Mace are displayed here. TCU faculty portraits for those honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence are
Passed at the First Session of the Third Congress, in One Volume, published at Houston in 1839 to honor Dr. and Mrs. George Sumner also dipslayed in this room. The gift by George and Sue Sumner that made this room possible is a fitting tribute to them and TCU!
whose gift made the Sumner Academic Heritage Room possible.

Learning of the important role played in the life of Chancellor Victor Boschini by the John Knowles novel, A Separate Peace, the
library donated an inscribed first edition copy of the book to honor the Chancellor’s efforts on behalf of the Library. In addition,
to honor the dedication of Dr. Nowell Donovan to the creation of the new Library, Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford and Cannon Design
donated a first edition copy of John Buchan’s novel The Thirty-Nine Steps after learning that Buchan was one of Dr. Donovan’s
favorite authors. All three books have been added to Special Collections.

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