Roy Bedichek Biography

Roy Bedichek

Bedichek was born in his grandfather's log cabin in Illinois. His family moved to Texas as homesteaders in 1885. After attending rural schools, Bedichek received a BA (1903) and an MA (1926) from the University of Texas. He worked as a reporter for the Fort Worth Star, taught high school in Houston and San Angelo, and was city editor of the San Antonio Express. In 1917, Bedichek joined the University Interscholastic League (UIL), an organization established by the University of Texas to promote athletics and academics in the state's high schools. As director (1922–1948), Bedichek visited schools across Texas. In rural areas accommodations were often nonexistent, so Bedichek took to camping out. He became interested in wildlife, especially birds, and wrote Adventures with a Texas Naturalist (1947). Later books included Karánkaway Country (1950), and Educational Competition: The Story of the University Interscholastic League of Texas (1956), each of which won the Carr P. Collins Award for the best Texas book of the year. A fourth book, The Sense of Smell (1960), was published posthumously..