A Club Is Born: 1924-1927

In September 1924, Tom Renfro and his former roommate Howell Cobb moved to Austin
to enroll in the University of Texas Law School. Both were recent graduates of
Howard Payne College in Brownwood, and Renfro had been elected to represent his
district for the 1925 state legislative session. Like scores of freshmen before them,
they lived in old B-Hall for their first semester. Later, they moved to a private
residence in North Austin. Although adequate, the living arrangements were far from
ideal, and Renfro began to develop a new idea. He described this vision to Cobb in
the following words:

We'll establish a club on this campus composed of men whom we
believe to be honorable and with whom we would like to associate as friends while in
school and after we leave campus.

Cobb was receptive to this idea, and the two began recruiting friends to be in
their club. In a short time, they found six students who they thought would be appropriate
for their club. As for living arrangements, they found a location above a dry cleaning
shop located just south of the law school. The eight members began to call themselves
the Tejas and referred to each other as braves, with the intention of emulating the
friendliness of the East Texas Indians. Throughout the spring and summer, they continued
to recruit new braves. By the end of September, there was a total of nineteen Tejas
braves. Many were fellow law students, but there were also representatives from other
colleges.

On September 27, 1925, the braves held their first official meeting at the Stephen
F. Austin Hotel. Renfro was elected president, an office he would keep for the first
two years. The following year the club was asked to join the Interfraternity Council.
At the time, many of the braves were also members of other social fraternities (unlike today).
The club chose to remain independent from the Greek system, and has remained so ever since.

As the club expanded, it soon outgrew its home above the dry cleaners. By 1927,
the Club had moved to a new place of residence on 1907 Nueces. It was an unfurnished
house; therefore, Eldon Hancock, the business manager at the time, found a collection of
used and inexpensive furniture from several second-hand stores. In addition, Dyt Johnson
donated an old Victrola phonograph player, and an old piano was obtained.

In 1928, the club moved for a third time to a house on 307 West 26th Street. (This is
currently the location of the U.T. Communications Building.) This would be the home of the
Tejas Club for the next eighteen years.