News
Caroline Johnston: A Catholic Longhorn Since 1946
Wed Mar 5, 2008
Adventurous, generous, and a UT sports fanatic are just a few ways to describe Caroline Johnston, a 1950 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin.
As a UT student, Caroline Johnston was involved with the Newman Club, which was housed at St. Austin’s Parish. At that time, the land where the current UCC now sits was called the Newman Annex and served as a boarding house for young men…until Caroline was invited to live there. Unbeknownst to her, the invitation came with an ulterior motive of finding a live-in cook and housekeeper. When she refused to cook for them, the boys threw her into Littlefield Fountain across the street. Her strong will and deep-rooted belief in what was right would continue to define her actions long after her days as a UT student.
Upon graduation, Caroline returned to Corpus Christi with her husband, Dr. William Johnston, to raise a family. Her time there was as eventful and defiant as her time in Austin. During the sixties, Caroline’s eyes were opened to the injustices in her own city. The major Catholic hospital in Corpus Christi would not admit African Americans. Motivated by her faith and the powerful writings of local journalist Anne Dodson, she became involved with the group Catholics Speak Up. Together this group devised a plan that would shed light on this terrible discrimination. Word of the group’s actions caught the attention of Dorothy Day, the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement. On the date the plan was to be executed, Ms. Day herself came to be part of the action. Because of their plan and the media attention, the hospital changed their regulations and began to admit African American patients.
In the late eighties, Caroline had the opportunity to meet and march with Cesar Chavez. Chavez came to the University Catholic Center to give a speech in hopes of encouraging the community to boycott California grapes. Rooted in the appeal for social justice, Chavez struck a chord with the community, and together they marched on Austin area HEB stores to protest the working conditions of migrant laborers. Due to these protests, HEB agreed to remove from shelves grapes farmed with unjust practices.
Caroline’s advocacy work stretches beyond the political realm and into her faith life. In 2002, Caroline was part of the founding group of Paulist Associates in Austin. The Paulist Associates are the lay ministry of the Paulist Fathers who study and follow the writings of Father Isaac Hecker, who founded the religious order in 1858. Under the fearless leadership of Fr. Bob Scott, the Austin chapter continues to grow and has members ranging in age from 20 to 90.
In 1998, Caroline retired from UT after 18 years in the International Office. With an open heart and boundless energy, she then took a full-time position teaching English as a Second Language to visually impaired and blind adults at the Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center under the Texas Commission for the Blind. Her work has created many friendships for Caroline, and most around the UCC know her and her friends, affectionately called “The White Cane Gang,” as a staple at the 8 pm Mass.
When she is not at work or at the UCC, Caroline can be found with her other great love, UT athletics. With season passes to men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and football, her social calendar is always full.
Caroline’s five children, nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren recently gathered with many dear friends to celebrate her 80th birthday. While Caroline has many fond memories of her college years at the UCC, she has remained a member of its community because of the joy it brings her every time she walks in the door. As a proud UT alum, a former UT staff member, and a member of the UCC faith community for decades, Caroline Johnston is the epitome of what it means to be a Catholic Longhorn!
Caroline Johnston: Part Two
The Algeria Years
Upon her husband’s graduation from UT with a Doctorate in Education Administration, the opportunity for an African adventure presented itself. Dr. William Johnston accepted the Headmaster position at the International School in Bethioua, Algeria, and with that, Caroline and her youngest child packed their bags and moved to Africa. When they arrived, they found out that there was more to do than just teach; the building that was to serve as the school was not finished. So they grabbed shovels and began to help construct the building. The conditions at the school were harsh with no air conditioning, questionable water, and inconsistent electricity. Despite the less than ideal situation, Caroline speaks fondly of both the people and experiences in Algeria.
Due to the primitive nature of the school, there was consistently high staff turnover. This allowed Caroline to serve as the school’s librarian, math teacher, and finally their English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher all in three years. The adventures were not only limited to her experiences on the school grounds. During one of the weekend trips that the group commonly took to Morocco, her passport had been stamped with a definitive visa. This oversight went unnoticed until the group attempted to re-enter the country. Caroline’s youngest child and husband passed back through the Algerian border with ease, but when her time came, she was stopped. Her definitive visa banned her from re-entering the country. With little money and no idea how she was to get home, Caroline was left stranded in Morocco. In her small hotel room, she wrote a goodbye letter to her family and prepared for the worst. On the second day, a car arrived to take her to the border and without knowing exactly how or why, she was returned to the steps of the International School and instructed to go and teach her night class. The nightmare ended as quickly and incomprehensibly as it had started.
Another experience that was equally as inexplicable took place on the school grounds. A school official burst into her classroom one day and demanded that she go immediately to the hospital. Upon her arrival, she was told that a man was in dire need of a blood transfusion, and she was the only match on the entire campus. So Caroline rolled up her sleeve and stuck out her arm. The first arm, despite all efforts, was unable to donate, so she offered the other arm. After the completion of the transfusion, she was informed that she had saved this man’s life. Weeks later, the man’s family invited her to their home and offered a party in her honor to thank her for her selfless act. Despite the complete language barrier, the sentiment of thanks rang loud and clear.
