Page 70 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2022 - Online Magazine
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Ewart Phillips
Readers Are Leaders
by Debora Phillips
the kids to go to bed, I’d be really and enrolled at Baylor University.
quiet and still so they wouldn’t While there, he met Lillie Nell
notice me under the table, and I Ballard at church, where they sang
could keep reading!”. One of his in the choir together. He loved
most cherished possessions is that thumping her earrings to see
old kerosene lamp. them twirl. After those first few
thumps, they had their first date
Ewart has many fond memories on Valentine’s Day and married
of himself and his older brother. in 1950. Ewart earned a bachelor’s
Their constant mischievousness degree from Baylor University,
and pranks kept their dad and including majors in Spanish and
siblings entertained, while their Education, minors in Religion
mother was always worried they and English, and his first foreign
would break something. By age language (French). He was the
12, Ewart and his brother worked first college graduate in his family
at a dairy and farmed their own and went on to receive master’s
fields, while helping their father. degrees in Spanish and Education.
Ewart has always loved learning. Ewart taught both primary and
After skipping a few grades, secondary grades in Quemado,
he graduated with his brother, Hondo, Round Rock, and
t 94, Ewart Phillips has making them the first two in Midland, Texas. He worked
had a full life of teaching, their family to earn high school toward his doctorate at the
Amilitary and community diplomas. While he spent the next University of Texas and taught
service, mixed with travel, two years as a farmer, his brother Spanish at Arlington State Junior
hobbies, and lots of laughter. joined the Army. When his College, Southwest Texas State
Active and alert, he loves to talk brother came home on leave, he (now Texas State), and Howard
about his many experiences along told Ewart that he had better join Payne University. While at HPC,
the way. Often, he has a word the Navy because “if they want he taught Spanish, French and
pun, number game, or joke to you to walk on something, they sometimes English, and was the
share, along with his positive pave it first, unlike the Army!” Chair of the Foreign Language
outlook. Ewart dreamed of getting further Department, as well as the English
education, which the Navy would Department and Humanities
Ewart was born to Bracy and provide, so he enlisted. His first
Cappie Phillips in 1927 and stop was at Electronic Technician Division at times.
grew up in northern Florida and school, then Throughout his
southern Georgia. He was the to Advanced teaching career, he
second son of five children. His Electronics school, served in the Naval
parents went to business college after which he Reserves during the
to become typewriters, “when stayed as an school year, and on
it was the name of the machine instructor in active duty for the
as well as the artist who used Treasure Island, Navy every summer.
it.” His father was a typewriter California. He is one of only
repairman and farmer. Ewart a few professors
recalls many evenings with his The Navy taught across the nation who
parents sitting by kerosene lamp Ewart something have balanced this
light, reading cowboy novels important—that combination of Naval
to each other, while he lay on he loved to teach! Reserves and active
the floor underneath the table After his first few Navy duty.
between them, listening to their years of service,
story while reading his own. He Ewart joined the Ewart was promoted
added, “When it was time for Naval Reserves from enlisted to
70 Lubbock Senior Link
