Mae Ellen Turner was born November 30,1901 in Copperas Cove, Texas.  She was one of 12 children born to Mr. And Mrs. J.E. Turner.

Mae began her teaching career in 1919 in a two room school building in Crosswell in Coryell county.  She was the principal and teacher for grades 5th through 8th.  She taught for 6 months out of the year with a salary of $50 per month.  Mae stated in her memoirs that “if the weather was good I’d walk 1 ½ miles to school, and if the weather was bad, I’d ride a mule.”  As the years went by the school terms were longer and her pay increased to $90 a month.  She stayed with that school for 9 years.

In 1928 she moved to Lampasas County and taught at Clear Creek School for four years.  She taught 1st through 4th grade and had approximately 30-36 students in her class. 

Mae married, started a family and quit teaching for several years so that she could concentrate on raising her family. When she resumed her career she received her official teacher certificate with a degree in education from Daniel Baker College in Brownwood ,Texas in 1942.

In 1941 she began teaching in Copperas Cove.  At that time there was a Superintendent and six teachers.  Mae taught 7th and 8th grade students.  Every teacher at that time had to teach two grades.  Mae stated that “the pupil load began to double because the city of Copperas Cove began getting water from Belton Lake and there was now ample supply of water available.”  She also spent several years as an elementary principal in addition to her teaching duties. [This was an honorary position as she was not compensated for her principal’s position].  Mae taught in Copperas Cove for the next thirty years, and retired in 1971.

During a dedication to the school on May 12,1975 Mae Turner Stevens was present.  She stated that,  “ 43 years spent in the classroom held memories of happiness.  I loved the children.”

Her son, Drew Stevens stated his mother had four loves: church, family, school and people.  Mrs. Stevens passed away in 1982.  She left a legacy of beliefs and values that Mae Stevens  continues to uphold at her namesake campus.