OverviewThe Writers' League of Texas awards
a few scholarships to aspiring journalists and writers annually. The awards
are issued annually by the League's Bess Whitehead Scott scholarship committee,
which was named for one of the state's pioneering women journalists. Scott, who
lived to be 107, wrote a book late in life about her career in newspaper reporting,
teaching and advertising. Upcoming Deadlines
Deadlines for the Bess
Whitehead Scott Journalism Scholarship and the Scott
Scribes Scholarship for Older Adults is in February
each year. See the 2008
BWS Scholarship recipients.
For
more information about the scholarships, contact Elaine Davenport
at 512.264.9210 or WrtAudShop@aol.com. About
Bess Whitehead Scott "Write!" was the advice of Bess Whitehead
Scott to aspiring writers. "Just don't waste time. Don't read too many articles
about writing. The main thing is to write. No matter whether you do it well or
not - WRITE. Give some time every day of the world, if it's not but thirty minutes,
to use your mind for whatever you're working on. ALWAYS be working on something." Bess
Whitehead Scott received numerous awards during her life and was recognized for
her accomplishments by several organizations. She was named in 1994 to the Texas
Women's Hall of Fame for her pioneering spirit as a journalist and writer. Recognized
in 1992 as a Distinguished Alumna of Baylor University 80 years after her graduation,
she also was honored in 1992 as an Outstanding Alumna from the University of Mary
Hardin-Baylor, which she attended the first three years of college.
Her career started in 1915. Having no background in
newspaper work, she landed a job at The Houston
Post as the first woman news reporter in Houston.
Her career at the Post spanned 25 years, but
her accomplishments extended beyond news reporting.
One of her many accomplishments was encouraging a young
student, Felton West, to enter the newspaper business
in the 1940s. He worked for The Houston Post
for 53 years. West died in 2005 after serving many years
on the scholarship committee.
She taught journalism at Milby High School in Houston,
wrote two journalism textbooks, traveled to Hollywood
where she wrote screenplays for two-reel silent movies,
and ran an advertising firm during World War II. Texas
A & M University Press published her autobiography
You Meet Such Interesting People in 1989 when
Bess was 99 years old.
In 1990 when Scott reached 100,
the Writers' League of Texas honored her with a celebration. At that time a scholarship
was established in her name. The Bess Whitehead Scott Journalism Scholarship is
awarded annually to an upper level journalism major. A second scholarship for
writers age 40 and older was established in 2000. Scott died December 27,
1997, at the age of 107. She leaves behind a legacy of excellence and diligence
in the field of journalism as a model for students today. | 
