Keel, John Lewis

Born in 1908, John Lewis Keel spent his early childhood in Indian Gap, Texas. After graduating as a four-letter man from Goldthwaite High School, Keel continued his education at the University of Texas, majoring in physical education and minoring in history. Keel occupied the summers of his undergraduate years as a counselor at Camp Stewart for Boys.

Upon graduating from the University of Texas in 1930, Keel accepted the position of physical education teacher at Austin High School. During the spring of 1931, Keel started working with the Austin High School track team. In the eighteen years Keel coached the team, the Austin High Maroons won district championship fourteen times and state championship twice. Keel married Helen Darwin Kuhn in May of 1935.

For three years during World War II, Keel's tenure as track coach was interrupted. Keel continued to be involved with athletics, however, as he served as a physical education instructor for the United States Army Air Forces cadets and officers at Corsicana Field, 301st Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment, and at the Officer Training School, Miami Beach, Florida.

In 1948, Keel permanently left his post as track coach and started a second career as Austin Independent School District's coordinator of physical, safety, and outdoor education. The coordinator appointment allowed Keel to promote his view that physical education enables a child to grow socially and emotionally, as well as physically. In 1949, as part of his role as coordinator, Keel initiated, and was subsequently appointed superintendent of the Austin Public Schools camping program. From 1949 to 1956, the camping education program brought sixth-grade boys and girls to Friday Mountain Camp for five-days of nature study, hiking and other activities. Keel authored The Handbook on Camping Education in 1953 as a guide for teachers instructing their sixth grade students at the camp.

Keel's other responsibilities as coordinator of physical, health, safety, and outdoor education included directing Austin schools' civil defense program supervising driving education. During his years as coordinator, Keel periodically attended the University of Texas at Austin as a graduate student in education administration.

Keel served in the coordinator post until his death in July of 1970.

From the guide to the John Lewis Keel Papers AR. W. 010., 1925-1970, (Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, )