Provided photo: Caruth’s photography
Students at St. John’s Episcopal School near White Rock Lake had the opportunity to enjoy a month-long photography exhibition that aimed to give them a peek at the world through day-to-day life captured in exotic settings.
This opportunity is offered each spring by Dallas philanthropist W. W. “Bill” Caruth, III.
For those who don’t know, Caruth is a descendant of the pioneer family that established its homestead in the Dallas area in 1848. The Caruths owned 30,000 acres of land in Dallas, which over time has evolved into some of Dallas’ most well-known properties.
For this event Caruth is both photographer and guide. For Caruth, traveling — which he does often with his wife, Minnie — is about acquiring knowledge. A true historian and perpetual student, he says he enjoys learning about the different ways people experience life, and he often seeks local experts to guide his visits and help him experience the country behind the tourist attractions.
In April he visited St. John’s campus to share his passion for history, travel, and art with its students. In this year’s exhibition, the eighth annual, called “Texas Roundup,” Caruth captured the bygone trade of the cowboy, the rugged landscape of West Texas, and the pioneering spirit of a historical ranch.
Provided photo: Caruth’s photograph
Bill and Minnie Caruth
The exhibit took students a little closer to home, to explore a way of life once common, now rare, on the Texas ranch, Kokernot 06 Ranch. The historic cattle ranch, which dates back to the formation of the Republic of Texas, according to Caruth, is located in the Davis Mountains. A working ranch that continues to work cattle in the traditional way (on horseback), the 06 provided a perfect backdrop for Caruth’s documentation of roundups, which it holds twice a year in the mountains and high plains pastures.
Next up, Bill and Minnie plan to visit the United Kingdom in September. Following a visit to Scotland, they will venture to Portsmouth, England as personal guests of a highly-ranked retired Royal Navy officer and director of the Mary Rose Museum.
For those interested in seeing next year’s exhibit, St. John’s Episcopal School hopes to open the closing reception to community members at the end of the school’s photography exhibition.
