Volume: .25 cu. ft.
Inclusive Dates: 1946-2005
Bulk Dates:  1966-1976

Copyright: This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code).

Provenance: Donated by Paul Schmitz in January, 2005.

Historical /Biographical Sketch: Paul Schmitz was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He earned a degree in Education with a major in English and Economics from the University of North Texas and taught briefly at South Oak Cliff High School. Schmitz went to work in the USDA Southwest Regional office in 1965, working with the National School Lunch Program. In 1966, Schmitz and others from the Southwest Regional Office helped the St. Augustine Episcopal Mission School in West Dallas, one of the poorer parts of the city, set up a lunch program using a new special assistance program from the USDA. A special report on the program was compiled and presented to then Vice President Hubert Humphrey. The next year the Southwest Regional office assisted in food distribution when Hurricane Beulah hit the coast of Texas. Schmitz was on the first planeload of food sent to the disaster area.

In the late 1970s, the USDA decided to turn over administration of Child Nutrition Programs in private schools to the state agencies. In 1978-79, Schmitz took on the task of persuading alternative state agencies to assume responsibility for the administration of the Child Nutrition Programs in private schools and day care centers. By 1982, the Southwest Region was the first region to have shifted private schools to alternative state agencies. While there were only five states in the region at that time, there were 11 different state agencies running the Child Nutrition Programs. In 1985, the Texas Department of Human Services initiated the creation of the Special Nutrition Program Regional Task Force to provide support for the alternative state agencies. Schmitz retired in December of 2004, after 42 years in Federal service. His last position was Section Chief for Program Development. Schmitz passed away in April of 2005. To honor Paul Schmitz’s four decades of service to the USDA and the Child Nutrition Programs, the Southwest Regional Task Force set up a scholarship, in Schmitz’s name, to the University of Mississippi through the Institute of Child Nutrition. See Paul Schmitz Oral History Interview.

Scope and Content: The collection consists of photographs and negatives, newspaper clippings, photocopied materials, all collected by Paul Schmitz during his career. Much of the material concerns St. Augustine Episcopal Mission School in West Dallas, Texas. Schmitz also donated his handwritten notes used during his oral history interview for the Child Nutrition Archives at the Institute of Child Nutrition.

Inventory:

Box 1 of 1:

B1.F1: Notes used by Schmitz during his January 2005 oral history interview. 2005.
B1.F2: 15 8×10 B&W Photographs of St. Augustine Episcopal Mission School program. West Dallas, Texas. 1966.
B1.F3: St. Augustine Episcopal Mission School program. West Dallas, Texas. Negatives. 1966.
B1.F4: Newspaper article on St. Augustine Episcopal Mission School program. The Dallas Express. February 5, 1966.
B1.F5: Photograph of President Harry Truman signing the National School Lunch Act. (copy) June 4, 1946.
B1.F6: 32 8×10 B&W Photographs of Hurricane Beulah food distribution. 1967.
B1.F7: MTA newsletter, April 16, 1976.
B1.F8: “And This Is Good” Copies of photographs and articles about the St. Augustine Episcopal Mission School program. February, 1966.