In February of 1922, eleven Aggie Moms, led by Mrs. Ada Peoples, left from Dallas, Texas and caravanned over 200 miles in their Model T cars down dusty roads to the Texas Agricultural & Mechanical College. At the speed of 25 mph, it took them most of the day in winter conditions to reach their destination on the Quad in College Station. With no modern day conveniences like Bucee’s, Interstate 45 or Highway 6, this was no easy task!
The original purpose of their trip was to visit Mrs. Peoples’ son, Harold Peoples, a freshman in the Corps of Cadets. While visiting with other cadets and inspecting the dorm rooms, Mrs. Peoples had a strong determination to improve the students' academic and living situations, concerned that there was “no entertainment, no culture and a lack of a woman’s influence.” To her disappointment, after presenting her ideas to the college administration, they were laughed off the campus and sent home to North Texas.
Soon after their 400 round mile trip, being a persistent, wise woman that knew the way to a man’s heart, Mrs. Peoples and the other ten Corps moms organized a second trip to College Station with a “spread” of fried chicken, sandwiches, cakes, pies and cookies. This time, they were so well received that they were invited to stay and their organized “Picnic on the Grounds” became an annual campus wide event. Recognizing the size and benefit of this support, Mrs. Peoples organized and became the president of the first Aggie Moms Club, the Dallas Aggie Moms.
Decades later, the Aggie Moms celebrate their 100th anniversary as the largest university parental organization in the country. Today, the Aggie Moms Club has grown to over 7,000 mothers, represented by 110 clubs in Texas and across the country, who volunteer their time and resources to raise over $1,000,000 a year in support of student scholarships and organizations on campus. A majority of the almost 73,000 Aggies currently enrolled at Texas A&M benefit from the encouragement and financial support of the Aggie Moms. In return, the Aggie Moms benefit from the comradery and lifelong friendships on their own personal journeys in “rising 'em right” in Aggieland that can’t be found anywhere else.
Mrs. Peoples, affectionately known as “the Mother Of Them All”, died in 1972 at the age of 92. To this day, her courage, generosity and passion continue to build a community among the Aggie Moms and give Aggies a better college experience at Texas A&M University!
Story By: Jane Metz