Abner V. McCall*

Abner McCall was born in Perrin, Texas, in 1915 and was only three when his father died. His mother farmed to provide for her four children, but when her health failed, the children were placed in a Masonic home and school.

Young McCall graduated as valedictorian from the school and won a scholarship to Baylor University. Graduating from Baylor Law School at the top of his class, he took the Texas State Bar examination and scored the highest marks ever attained at that time. He and a classmate began a law practice with $200 in borrowed capital. When their business failed, McCall accepted an offer to teach law at Baylor.

During World War II, McCall was a special agent for the FBI. Eventually, he returned to his law practice and to a teaching position at Baylor. He was appointed dean of the law school in 1948 and became president in 1961.

Throughout his career, McCall participated in local, state, and national politics.