Celebrating National Women’s History Month Frances Key

March is National Women’s History Month, and we’ve asked the community to tell us about influential women in Olney. This week, we are celebrating Frances Key.

You can never tell the depth of a teacher’s influ ence on his or her students. Frances James Key influenced the lives of thousands of students through piano and organ instruction at Key Studio located in Olney. The Keys had more than 67 years of teaching experience. Her daughter Carol Glover continues to carry the torch of influence with the students she teaches throughout the community.

Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, southeast of Tulsa, Frances and her family moved to a farm north of Graham, and her relatives reside throughout Graham and Olney. She graduated from Graham High School and was only 8-years-old when she started mu sic lessons that continued until she went to college at Texas Women’s University. She eventually went to Julliard Conservatory for Music. Af terward, she started a piano studio in Graham.

Frances met her husband, Edwin, in Graham and quickly realized they shared a passion for music. The couple married in 1950 and moved to Olney. Edwin and Frances received numerous accolades throughout their teaching years. They were chosen as Music Teachers National Associa tion Foundation Fellows representing Texas. Also, they were be stowed the Pioneer of the Year Award by the Olney Chamber of Commerce for their years of service to the community. Edwin and Frances were members of the Wichita Falls Music Teachers Association for 65 years and both awarded “Pre-Collegiate Teacher of the Year” by the Texas Music Teachers Association in different years.

As a member of the Amity Club for more than 50 years, Frances participated in community events while building lasting relationships with various ladies in Olney. The Amity Club recently purchased a memorial brick to honor her memory. The brick is on display at the Olney Hamilton Hospital Memorial Garden.

In addition to teaching students at the Key Studio, Frances taught in Olney Public Schools for 12 years, and she re called the great things some of her students have accomplished from across the United States. In a previous interview, Frances said she had students who had become teachers, and some of them live throughout the U.S., with some as far away as California and New York.

Frances’ brother-in-law Clifton Key and his wife JoAnn reside in Olney. Her daughter, Carol, is in Olney and teaches the students in the community. She has granddaughters Sarah Glover Kidd of Graham and Kate Glover Everts of Austin and great-grandsons.

We pause to honor Mrs. Frances Key, whose life has influenced our community for decades.