Alyse Hallene Morton, ninth president of Xi State, loves to travel, keeps her traveling clothes packed in a special bag, and will travel at a moment's notice. She has been heard to say, "I'm not interested in clothes; I buy what is necessary and save money for traveling."

Alyse was born December 24, 1912, at Fountain City, Tennessee, an area originally called Inskip, Tennessee. Her father, George Wager Morton, and her mother, Birdie Mae Myers Morton, were pioneer teachers, who made a notable contribution to the advancement of education in Tennessee. At the time of his retirement, Mr. Morton had taught for fifty-four years in the public schools of East Tennessee.

Learning early to adapt to new environment, Alyse obtained her education in a succession of schools in Tennessee. She attended Powell Elementary School, Knox County; Rutledge Elementary School, Grainger County; Inskip School, Knox County; Lyston School, Union County; Hancock High School, Sneedville; and Mooresburg High School, Mooresburg. After her graduation from high school, she attended the University of Tennessee, where she was awarded the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1933 and the Master of Science degree in 1934. She also spent the summers of 1937, 1938, and 1945 in post-graduate study at Columbia University.

In 1934 Miss Morton began her professional career in Brownlow Elementary School in Knoxville. After one year she accepted a position in
the West View Elementary School, where she remained for two years. Since September, 1937, she has taught algebra in the Christenberry Junior High School in Knoxville.

In addition to serving as president of Xi State, Miss Morton has served as treasurer and president of Zeta Chapter, a member of the National necrology committee, State program chairman, State vice-president, assistant editor of Xi State News, chairman of the International constitution administrative board. She organized Alpha Theta Chapter in Claiborne, Campbell, and Union counties, April 16, 1955; Alpha Kappa Chapter in McMinn, Meigs, and Rhea counties, April 30, 1955; and Alpha Mu Chapter in Knox County, April 23, 1956.

Miss Morton has also served as president of the Knoxville Branch of the American Association of University Women and recording secretary of the Knoxville Teachers League. She holds membership in numerous other professional, civic, and cultural organizations, such as the East Tennessee Historical Society and the Tennessee Mathematics Teachers' Association. She is a faithful member of the First Methodist Church of Knoxville. From 1950 to 1954 she served as district secretary of Wesleyan Service Guilds of Methodist churches in the Knoxville district. Miss Morton is a person of many and varied interests. Aside from traveling extensively in the United States, she has toured Western Europe, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, and Nassau. She collects silver, china, linens, and costume jewelry. Especially interesting is her ring collection, numbering more than half a hundred pieces. Intrigued by genealogy, she is said to have "dust on her fingers" from pedigrees, which she has found in the archives of Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and Washington D.C.

In addition to the responsible offices and committee assignments she has had, Miss Morton has been the recipient of numerous honors. Among these is her listing in Who's Who of American Women.

Miss Morton's biographer said of her, "She is quick of wit, vivacious, and charming. She possesses integrity. Things move forward and upward when she is in command, yet she never fails to give credit to other people or to encourage their efforts. Alyse Morton is an inspiration to her pupils, her colleagues, and her friends."

Source: Light from Many Candles: A History of Pioneer Women in Education in Tennessee, by Lucille Rogers. Published by Xi State, Delta Kappa Gamma.McQuiddy Printing Company, Nashville, 1960. Transcribed for this site by Char.