Frances Gruenewald Alles, the only child of Arthur and Edith Gruenewald, grew up in the small community of Castleberry on the outskirts of Fort Worth, where she graduated from North Side High School. Her father was the shop foreman of the Yellow Cab Co. of Fort Worth, and her mother was a stay-at-home mom until World War II erupted. Like many other women, she found a job at Consolidated Aircraft as a cutting specification specialist. "Her job was to figure how much material it would take to make a specific part of the airplane," Alles states.

Alles' first interaction with the University dates back to high school. "I had attended the youth assembly that was held at Southwestern. I was thoroughly impressed with the campus and decided that I would like to attend college there," she recalls. During her time at the University, Alles participated in the work-study program. She worked numerous jobs and was the receptionist for the women's dormitory. "I made 30 cents an hour toward my tuition, and I thought Southwestern was invented for me," comments Alles. Unsurprisingly, World War II brought changes to the campus community. Alles recalls during the War that no cars were allowed on campus. "We were pretty much stuck at the University and in Georgetown, which had one movie house and a drug store, so we had to make our own fun." In fact, Alles had six pet chickens in her dorm room until the housemother discovered them. She remembers when the girls were moved out of Kirkendall Hall and into Mood Hall in order to make room for the Navy and Marine V-5 boys. Alles lived with three other girls in one room and they all shared one closet. "Believe it or not," she says, "we are still friends and recently got together for a weekend visit." In Alles day, women at the University focused on more than academic endeavors. "Ruth Ferguson, the dean of girls, worked at making us gracious and lovely. We had to wear a formal dress to dinner every Wednesday, and we had a formal Maypole Dance each year," she recalls. She earned a degree in physical education in 1948, after only three years at SU, and immediately left for Tularosa, NM, to teach health and physical education. "I had students who lived on the Mescalero Apache Reservation and the students from town. It was a great experience," she says.

Alles received her master's degree from North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas) in 1968, while teaching full time and raising three sons. During that time, her husband, Bob, was an air traffic controller and worked odd hours. "It took a lot of cooperation from us all to manage those years," she says. For 31 years, Alles worked for Fort Worth ISD and held a number of different titles. As principal of Arlington Heights High School, she was the first female principal in the history of Fort Worth ISD.

After retiring, Alles started taking art lessons. She continues to take lessons, mostly to keep learning, but admits it doubles as social time with friends. She has even won awards in several art shows. Alles and her husband also enjoy traveling together. "We have a motor home and spend a lot of our time seeing the country and visiting family. Ken and Freda Dunn Blackford, both '48, are our travel companions on a lot of our trips," she states. "We have six grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. They live in several parts of the country--New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Colorado--so we don't get see them often enough."

When asked about the University today, Alles says, "My hope for Southwestern is that it will remain a small liberal arts school, so that the faculty has time to know their students and interact with them on a personal basis. I hope the students realize how fortunate they are to be able to attend a school that offers activities that provide not only knowledge but also build pride and character."