John Tarleton's Land Patent

About a month ago, the library's archives received some documents from the President's Vault pertaining to the history of Tarleton State University.

This is the 1861 patent for some of the land that became part of Tarleton's estate, the sale of which helped create John Tarleton Agricultural College .  This describes a 1605-acre parcel in Erath and Palo Pinto Counties (click on all images to view them larger):

The certificate describes the boundaries of the "Nine and 060.000/1000.000 labors of land, situated and described as follows:  In Palo Pinto County, on the waters of Buck and Sunday Creeks.  Tributaries of the Brazos River, about 18 ½ miles S. 19° E. from the Town of Palo Pinto.  Known as Survey No. 36."  Actually, though, most of the land is in Erath County.

A labor was a Spanish land unit measuring 177.1 acres, so 9.06 labors is equal to 1604.526 acres.

Here is a map of the land it refers to - it's the part outlined in purple.  There are two parcels in Survey #36, 1407 acres (designated G. W. Treighen A-758 on the map) in Erath County, and a smaller 198-acre parcel (designated G. W. Treighen A-1937 on the map) in Palo Pinto County.  This map was created using the Land/Lease Mapping Viewer of the Texas General Land Office.

Glued to the bottom-right edge of the certificate pictured above is a Certificate of Record, showing that the information on the patent certificate "was duly and correctly recorded...., on the 9th day of May 1877...., in [Deed] Record Book H Page 415" of Erath County.

The land grant process in Texas (both as a Republic and in early statehood) involved three basic steps.

First, individuals received a land certificate for a specified amount of land if certain qualifications were met.  Texas created a variety of programs with different qualifications for land.  Land grant certificates were not issued for a specific tract of land. After a certificate was issued, it was the responsibility of the certificate holder to find vacant public land, obtain a survey, and apply for the patent.

A grantee (the person who was originally awarded the land certificate) could transfer (assign) the land certificate to another individual (called the assignee), by sale or gift. As a result, many people who received land certificates did not actually settle on the tract of land which bears their name, as those tracts were named for the original grantee.

Next, the grantee or the assignee would locate available land from the public domain. It did not have to be in the same county where the certificate was issued.  Using the certificate, a grantee or assignee could have the desired land surveyed. The field notes were sent to the Texas General Land Office and filed.

Finally, after fulfilling any conditions of the particular land grant program, such as making improvements to the land, and paying any required fees, the individual could then apply for a patent from the Texas General Land Office.  Once that patent was issued, this person was referred to as the patentee.

So George W. Treighen was the original grantee, but the certificate was apparently "transferred by said Treighen to C. S. Brown May 1st 1845, by him transferred to Jno. D. Brown January 3rd 1854, by him transferred to said Tarleton March 24, 1859."  John Tarleton was the final assignee, who found available land, had it surveyed, and then did what he needed to do by September 20, 1861, to get the land patent.

October is American Archives Month!

In recognition of American Archives Month, here are just a couple of the interesting items in the Dick Smith Library's archives.

The two pages pictured below (click on the images to make them larger) are from the Flora Clarke scrapbook, 1924-1926.  It was created by Flora Marguerite Clarke Kinney (1907-1987) when she attended John Tarleton Agricultural College from 1924 to 1926. The book contains photographs of Clarke, her friends, and her family that show her activities while at Tarleton. Notes from Clarke’s friends are written directly on many pages. Other notes, especially from male admirers, are glued to the pages. Memorabilia include a yell book, programs for events, newspaper clippings, souvenirs from parties and banquets, greeting cards from friends and family, calling cards from friends, and lyrics of songs, and a poem Clarke wrote about the college.
















Although we have both the front and back covers, most of the pages of the scrapbook were torn from the binding string, so archival staff untied the scrapbook. The covers and the pages are stored in original order. Small preservation measures were taken to secure items coming loose from pages.  Note that some of the items in the scrapbook, like the umbrella and pumpkin, are three-dimensional.  Loose items from the front and the back of the scrapbook were gathered into two folders and are stored in an archival box with the scrapbook.

Pictured below are two pages from the Leonard De Bennett scrapbook, 1923-1925 (click on the image to make it larger).  This collection is the personal scrapbook of Leonard Bennett (1903-1967) showing his time as a student at John Tarleton Agricultural College from 1923 to 1925.  The collection consists of ten unbound scrapbook leaves of various sizes containing photographs and newspaper clippings, twelve loose photographs, one loose clipping from the Southwestern Sportsman magazine, and an April 8, 1925 J-TAC. The photographs are of basketball teams, football games, cadets on the drill field, students, and campus scenes.

The Flora Clarke and Leonard Bennett scrapbooks reflect the experiences of male and female college students in the 1923-1926 era at John Tarleton Agricultural College, then a small, rural two-year Texas school.  Both scrapbooks were donated to the archives by relatives of these former students.  Both scrapbooks are quite fragile, so we hope to obtain a grant to have them digitized and made more easily accessible.

Above: Flora Clarke (left) and Leonard Bennett (right) from the 1926 and 1924 Grassburrs respectively.

Homecoming 2018: Back to Our Roots - Sources on Tarleton History

Homecoming 2018 is this week, October 14-20.  Some of the Homecoming traditions, like the Silver Bugle Hunt and Beat the Drum, are tied into Tarleton's history.  Here are some sources to learn more about that history.

Books

John Tarleton and his legacy: the history of Tarleton State University, 1899-1999, by Christopher E. Guthrie, 1999.
--Call number LD5271 .T35 G88 1999 - in Special Collections, and in General Stacks when not on reserve.

The John Tarleton College story: the golden days of purple & white, by C. Richard King, 1998.
--Call number LD5271 .T33 K55 1998 - in Special Collections, and in General Stacks when not on reserve.

The history of John Tarleton College, by J. Rice Finley, 1933.
--Call number LD5271 .T35 A22 1933 - in Special Collections.

JOHN TARLETON : A MEMORIAL TO THE FOUNDER OF TARLETON COLLEGE.
--Call number LD5271 .T35 T3 - in Special Collections, and in General Stacks when not on reserve.

Tarleton State University: the traditions remain  by executive editor Stephen D. Giddens  and writer Catherine Mayhew, 2007.
--Call number LD5271 .T33 T37 2007 - in Special Collections.

The birth of Tarleton's spirit: the "heartbeat" of our traditions, 1899-1999, by Sharon McNeill Matherne, 1998.
--Call number LD5271 .T33 M38 1998 - in Special Collections.

The development of John Tarleton College, by Preston Breckenridge Grissom, 1933.
--Call number LD5271 .T35 A22 1933A  - in Special Collections.

Oscar P's alphabet adventure, written by Kathleen Davis, illustrated by Tiffanie Forbus, 2013.
--Call Number EDUC LD5271 .T33 D38 2013, in the Curriculum Collection on the lower level - a children's book about Tarleton traditions.

Grassburr yearbooks
Call number LD5271.T35G7.
-- Limited Collection houses the most complete set. In-house use only.
-- Curriculum Collection (lower level) yearbooks can be checked out.
-- Also available online - see the next section.


Online Resources

Grassburr yearbooks are in the Portal to Texas History.

J-TAC student newspapers are also in the Portal to Texas History.

Alumni J-TACs have recently been added to the Portal to Texas History.

HistoryPin tour (which is the basis for the Original 40 Acres Tour event during Homecoming weekend) is an interactive Google Maps based tour of the Stephenville campus created by the Library's Special Collections and Archives staff, with additional photographs, links, and source material.

Cross Timbers Historical Images Project (also linked here), spearheaded by Dick Smith Library staff, offers historical images and narrative descriptions of Tarleton and surrounding communities. Sources are cited to facilitate further research.

• Use Search features.
• Browse collections.
  -- Click "Collections" link.
  -- Choose desired collection.
  -- Browse narratives.

Tarleton History posts on Library Online Lounge blog are about Tarleton's history: events, people, and campus life.

Tarleton History & Traditions Pinterest board is curated by Tarleton Libraries staff, and links ot many of the Tarleton History posts on the library's blog.

Purple Book explains Tarleton traditions, legends, and landmarks.

Tarleton Traditions offers links to campus organizations information, the Purple Book, etc.

Tarleton's Historical Timeline is an interactive photographic exploration of Tarleton's history.

Lotta Moody: Inspiration for Moody Hall

Lotta Moody in the 1923 Grassburr

Moody Hall, a former girls' dormitory on the east side of campus built in 1936, was recently renovated to become offices for part of the university Information Technology Services department.  They moved in last month, and one staff member wanted to know more about the woman for whom the building was named.

Lotta Irene Hensarling Moody (1895-1980) is first mentioned (and pictured) in Tarleton materials on page 23 in the 1923 Grassburr yearbook (published that spring), as matron (dorm mother for Wilkerson Hall, aka “The Dump”).

Her husband, William Emmett (W. E.) Moody (1893-1980), is on the very next page – he is listed as “storekeeper.”  He was with Tarleton as early as May 1921, based on a reference to him playing on the faculty baseball team in the May 4, 1921 J-Tac student newspaper.

from the 15 October 1932 J-Tac, p. 4

In the 1922 yearbook, W. E. is listed as the “booker and accountant.”  A Miss Annie Cameron is listed as matron that year, so it appears Mrs. Moody took over the job the following year.

According to an article in the J-Tac of January 18, 1936 (when her resignation was announced), she later graduated from the Cosmopolitan School of Music and Dramatic Arts in Chicago.

Mrs. Moody was a very popular dorm matron.  A search for "Mrs. Moody" in the online J-Tacs produced 155 issues with references to her using that term.  Besides the example shown to the left, other articles referred to her hosting teas and dances, making fudge and other candy, and providing marshmallows for campfires.Lotta is last pictured in the yearbook in 1936 (see below).  The newest girl’s dormitory, finished in the summer of that year, was named in her honor.

By the time of the 1940 U. S. Census, Lotta and Emmett (as W. E. was also called) were living in Piedmont, Grimes County, Texas.  He was a farmer and she was not employed.  They had no children.  They died in 1980 within 15 days of each other, and are both buried in Erwin Cemetery in Navasota, Grimes County, Texas.

Lotta Moody in the 1936 Grassburr

Tarleton Thursdays: From Our Day at the State Capitol, March 21, 2017

Senate Resolution 426, issued at Tarleton State University Day at the State Capitol on March 21, 2017, in honor of Tarleton's centennial as a member of the Texas A&M University System (click on the image to enlarge it).  This proclamation will be added to the University Archives.

Throwback Thursday-Dean Cox's 1918 Annual Report

In November of 1918 Dean Cox presented his first annual report to the A&M System. In his report you can hear Cox's pride in the progress Tarleton has made in a years time from being a private local college to a member of a state system.The previous year John Tarleton College was in dire financial straits and Dean Cox knew the only way the college could survive was to join a State system. At the time time the college was having trouble paying their faculty and in fact had little faculty at all. 

Cox notes that by an act of the 35th Legislature the institution was made a branch of A&M College and the State took control of the property September 1,1917. Cox continues that a "good faculty was secured, some advertising was done and the institution was opened for students Sept. 18th." In the first year 261 students enrolled. "Of these 174 were enrolled in the literary department and 87 in the Music." Summer enrollment was125 making a total for the year of 386 students. Students from Stephenville numbered 110, with 122 from other parts of Erath County. Students from counties adjoining Erath County made up 35 per cent of the remaining students.Of the 386 students 137 were working in Home Economics and 83 in the School of Agriculture. The enrollment for 1918 increased by 50 per cent to 273 students. Clearly John Tarleton Agricultural College was growing.

Dean Cox goes on to note challenges of changing from a local institution to a State institution and branch of the Agricultural and mechanical College of Texas. He notes that more than 200 students were turned away due to lack of means or lacking the required educational requirements. However, the school is crowded as it is needing more class rooms, offices, and laboratory space. Cox wanted to make sure that the courses taught at Tarleton were academically equal to those at the parent institution. He also felt the role of the junior agricultural college in Texas was to bridge the gap between the rural high school and the junior year of a standard college. Cox additionally felt the junior college should strive to serve those in the neighboring community first. 

Looking forward to the future Cox states that steps have been taken to establish affiliations with the rural high schools of Erath County and Tarleton. He believes this would be beneficial to the schools and Tarleton. He hopes that a program can be developed that would allow these students to enter Tarleton without examination. he closes the report by stating that the $75,000 raised by the citizens of Stephenville for a student loan fund will be very helpful and that due to severe drought the farm was not an asset.

So as we celebrate our Centennial of joining the A&M System read Dean Cox's report below and think of what the future held  and holds for Tarleton.

 

Tarleton Thursday: Historypin Tour of Campus

Just in time for Homecoming 2016, the Dick Smith Library is introducing a Historypin tour of the main campus in Stephenville!

What is Historypin?  It's a nonprofit organization with "a free website where anyone can upload and create collections of historical photos, videos and sounds."  You can also create a "tour," which is what we have done with some of the photographs from the University Photo Collection.

The Special Services and Archives Department of the Dick Smith Library (Coordinator Amanda Pape, Collections Archivist Gary Spurr, and former staff member Crystal Stanley) chose 18 photographs from this collection and uploaded them to Historypin.  In the process, you can actually "pin" the image on a Google Map.  If the location has a "Street View" available, there's a really neat "Dear Photograph"-like then-and-now feature you can activate.

Below is one example.  The very first John Tarleton College building was located at the northwest corner of what is now N. McIlhaney Street and W. Tarleton Street / Military Drive.  Below is a screen capture from our tour on Historypin, showing a 1900 photograph of the building superimposed over its approximate site.

Note the slider bar at the top of the photograph?  If you slide the red dot all the way over to the left, you get a more contemporary view of the same site (in this case, where the Hunewell Bandstand is now located):

Below is an outline of the "stops" on the Tarleton State University Campus History Tour.  The six spots with an orange figure in the upper right corner are along the campus perimeter and thus had Google Map Street Views available where we could use this feature.

Even better for the research and history geeks in our library department, there is lots of space to include a detailed history of each site, including links to other resources, such as the Cross Timber Historic Images Project photographs and narratives, and relevant pages and articles from the collection of Grassburr yearbooks and J-TAC student newspapers online at the Portal to Texas History.  The Grassburrs and J-TACs often provide descriptions and other details written in the same years the photographs were taken, resulting in more accuracy.

We invite all alumni, students, and current and previous faculty and staff to take the tour!  Let us know in the comments (here on the blog or on the Historypin site) what you think, and if you have any stories (or photos) to add! 

Tarleton Thursdays: Edna Wolfe's Academic Record

A couple months ago, we received some items belonging to 1925-26 Tarleton student Edna Myrtle Wolfe Blue (1906-2001, picture at right is from the 1926 Grassburr).  They were donated by her grandson Shawn Blue.  Shawn asked if there were any academic records available for his grandmother, and the Registar's office was able to locate them.  Shawn gave us permission to post the images in our library blog, saying, "Don't blank out the grades. She owned everything she ever did good or bad. A very transparent and honest person. She would challenge everybody who sees the post to do better than she did in her coursework."

The first page of the record gives basic information about Edna (and her father), and indicates the credits she earned in high school in Hico, Texas.  According to the April 15, 1925, Bulletin of the John Tarleton Agricultural College, page 36, a student needed 15 units of credits to be admitted to the Junior class.  Edna had 13, including the required two units in English and three in mathematics (two in algebra and one in plane geometery), so she was admitted to the Sophomore class--or at least, that's how it looks from this first page of her record.

However, apparently because Edna already had the required additional English credit to be placed in the Junior class, it appears from the second page of her record that she was allowed to take courses as a Junior. 

Below is an enlargement of the lower half of the page above (click on the photos to enlarge them further).  Note that Sp. 301 and Sp. 302 courses taken in the first and second semesters of the 1925-26 session have "H. S." written after them, and not any number for credits awarded.  My guess is that Edna took these courses to acquire the two additional credits she needed for Junior status.  These courses are described in the April 15, 1925, Bulletin (page 113) as "Beginners' Spanish for Juniors...Grammar; easy readings; simple themes; conversation.  Part of class work will be conducted in Spanish."

Finally, here is a further enlargement of Edna's first semester at Tarleton:

Besides the previously mentioned Spanish class, here are descriptions of the other courses she took, from the April 15, 1925, Bulletin:

Clo. 311 is the first semester of Clothing and Textiles (p. 98), which "embraces the same principles as that of clothing 301...but is designed especially to meet the needs of students who are high school graduates but who have done no credit work in clothing.  Clothing 301 (p. 97) "consists of principles of sewing and garment making, with a study of the history, production, manufacture, properties, and use of the textile fibers, with the hygiene and care of clothing.  The principles of dress design are studied and applied to problems."

Ed. 309 is the first semester of Methods of Teaching the Elementary School Subjects (p. 87), which "is required for the Elementary [teaching] Certificate.  Concrete demonstrations of the standard methods of teaching the elementary school subjects.  The laws of psychology, as applied to classroom instruction will be illustrated by the presentation of subject matter, lectures, readings, observations, and reports.  The organization of the subject matter in the lesson to show the more important from the lesser value.  Writing model lessons.  The proper methods of drill. The relation of the teacher to the pupils, principal, superintendent, parents, and the community."

E .301 is [English] Composition (p. 88).  "The aim of this course is to promote clearness and correctness of expression through practice in the simpler forms of composition.  Suitable types of literature will be studied."

Fo. 311 is Principles of Cooking and Nutrition (p. 99).  "This course embraces the study of foods as covered by 301...but is designed especially to meet the needs of those students who are graduates of a high school and have done no credit work in foods."  Food 301 (p. 98) covers "the fundamental principles and processes of cooking....It takes up food composition and nutritive values together with practice in food cookery.  In the latter part of the course instructions will be given in menu making and the problem of feeding the family."

Des. 301 is Design (p. 99). "This is a course in design for Home Economics students.  Line, dark and light, and color are taught.  Some of the processes are wool and silk embroidery, enamel work, sealing wax, tying and dyeing, stenciling, block printing, etc."

Mus. 311 is Music Appreciation (p. 94).  "This course is designed to meet the need of the Home Economics Department and all students who are seeking the cultural influence of music.  It will include lectures, theoretical study, round table discussions, outside preparation, parallel reading, and the art of listening and analysis.  Victrola records, recitals, and radio programs will be a strong feature of this course.... It is...a required subject in the Home Economics Department."

P.T. 301 is Physical Training [for women] (p. 117).  "This course consists of free-standing exercises, calisthenics, wands, Indian club and dumb-bell exercises (first series), and gymnastic games."

The five courses marked with an X enabled Edna to obtain a four-year elementary certificate, according to the section on page 29 of the April 15, 1925, Bulletin:

On the completion at Tarleton of five college courses of junior or senior rank a student may secure a four-year elementary certificate of the first class, provided one of these courses is in the department of English and one in the department of education, if...[it]...bears on elementary education.  This certificate is good for grades one to seven, inclusive, in any of the schools in the State.

Edna came back to Tarleton in the summers of 1928, 1929, and 1930, and took ten additional courses to earn her four-year high school teaching certificate.  According to page 34 of the February 15, 1928, Bulletin, 

...on the completion of ten college courses of junior or senior rank a student may secure a four-year high school certificate of the first class, provided one of these courses is in the department of  English and two are in the department of education, if one of the courses in education bears on high school subjects.  This certificate is good for any of the grades and for any of the high school subjects in any of the schools of the State.

Edna's record also indicates that transcripts were sent to NTSTC (North Texas State Teachers College, now the University of North Texas) in June 1942, and to the County Superintendent [of schools] in Hamilton, Texas, in October 1943.

Tarleton Thursday: Edna Wolfe's 1925 "Purple Book"

        On February 8, 2016, Shawn Blue of Waco kindly donated his grandmother's 1926 Grassburr, a leather book strap with a "Tarleton" buckle, and a 1925 "Purple Book." It was very fitting that he donated these precious items during Library Lovers Month. In last week's Tarleton Thursday blog post, Amanda discussed Edna Wolfe's (1906-2001) academic record, as it was an interest of her grandson. Today, we are going to take a look at the 55-page September 1, 1925 "Purple Book."

The"Purple Book" was established in 1917 as a student handbook and was in publication for 25 years. The book let students know what was expected of them while they were on Tarleton's campus: boys and girls dormitory regulations; academic regulations; and rules concerning discipline. 
 

Edna lived in the only girls dorm on campus called "The Dump." She and her roommates were called the "Dumplings" (JTAC 1925 Vol. 6, No. 4). Girls Dormitory Regulations were so important that in the back of Edna's "Purple Book" were two loose pages from another "Purple Book." These were the two pages on Girls Dormitory Regulations with a handwritten note at the top "To have and to hold." 


Of particular interest are the library regulations. Library rules/regulations can be found on page 13 through page 14. You'll notice that the first point made (44. a.) is that "the Library shall be open in accordance with a schedule approved by the Dean." In 1925, the library was "open from 7:40 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. every week day except Saturday, when it closes at 3:00 p.m. It was closed on Sundays and holidays" (1924-25 John Tarleton Agricultural College Catalogue, p. 23). I'd say being open until 2:00 a.m. is a huge difference from then to now. 

Another interesting rule is 44. e. In 1925, students could only check out "one book of fiction and one other book" for a two week period. Today, students can checkout 20 items at a time, most for 28 days. You'll notice that there is a "five cents per day fine for all books kept over time." Today, it's a mere ten cents per day fine for all items kept over time. To put that into perspective, five cents then would be the equivalent of 68 cents today. You could also purchase a bottle of Coca-Cola for five cents in 1925, as opposed to a $1 a can today.

At that time, the library was located in two rooms of the Administration Building and there was only one librarian. Today, we have a three floor building all to ourselves on the Stephenville campus, plus Texan Hall at the Fort Worth campus, and a total of 14 librarians. One of the most important rules then still applies today: YOU MUST PAY ALL FINES PROMPTLY IF YOU WISH TO MAINTAIN GOOD STANDING IN THE COLLEGE. 
  

The Dump

Collections Archivist Gary Spurr received a package from a woman whose mother attended Tarleton in the twenties. In the package, there was a small Tarleton pennant, a leather covered graduation invitation, Yell Book, handbill to a Cherniavsky concert, and many more interesting things from her mother's year at Tarleton (1924-1925). In the letter, the woman states that her mother lived in "the dump". The question is....WHAT WAS "THE DUMP"? Upon further investigation using the JTAC Newspaper, Grassburr archive, and the Cross Timbers Historical Images Project, we discovered that the Dump was actually the Mary Corn-Wilkerson girls dormitory.

"The dump" was built in 1910 after Mary Corn-Wilkerson responded to a call of need for a women's dormitory and deeded 370 acres of land to the university. She asked that the real estate be sold and the money used to build the first women's dorm. It was a two story high red brick building with all the "modern conveniences" of the time. Over the years, several annexes were added. Sadly, in 1955 "the dump" was demolished and 8 years late Hunewell was constructed in its place (Guthrie, 1999).

Donated items in package.

Letter accompanying donated items.

Photo taken from 1920 Grassburr

References:
 Guthrie, C. E. (1999). John Tarleton and his legacy : the history of Tarleton State University, 1899-1999. Acton, MA : Tapestry Press, [1999].

Note:  Guthrie's book is available in the Dick Smith Library on the 3rd floor in the General Stacks. It can be found with the following call number: LD5271 .T35 G88 1999.

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

Texan Transition Week is just around the corner, and campus departments are preparing to greet the Class of 2017 by making plans for an activities-filled week and developing strategies to ensure the new students' time at Tarleton is rewarding -- academically, professionally, and personally.

Welcoming students to campus is a long-standing Tarleton tradition that has evolved over time. For example, when the 1963 Freshman Class arrived on campus, they received registration help, took campus tours, attended a general assembly and departmental presentations, and participated in social events like swimming at the college pool and a dance.

Curious about what previous students experienced at Tarleton? No problem. You can learn much about Tarleton's past by reading The J-TAC articles (1919-2009) online at UNT's Portal to Texas History.

Here's how:

-- Click this direct link to the J-TAC (1919-2009) collection at the portal.

   -- Or, click "J-TAC Newspaper Archive" on the library's database page.
-- Use the "Advanced Search" feature to search for topics, choose specific time periods, or set other search limits.

   -- Or, browse for articles by year and issue.

If you have questions, give us a call 254-968-9249 or contact us with our Ask a Librarian service. Enjoy!

Tarleton Thursdays: University Photo Collection

The history of Tarleton can be told in many ways, and one of those is through photographs. The archives recently received 2.5 linear feet of of photographs. While two and a half feet may not sound like much, believe me, that is a lot of prints and negatives. The images range from the early days of Tarleton to the present. Some of the photographs are of familiar subjects or events, while others will take some time to figure out. Some of the subjects include faculty, staff, various campus organizations, the farm, buildings, events, and aerial views of the campus. In looking at the aerial views one can see how the campus has grown over the years. Some of the early aerial photos have very few buildings and the streets are not always like they are today. Thankfully the smokestack is visible in most of the aerial photos.

Featured above is a photo of the newly completed Trogdon House in 1923. It was originally designed by Dean J. Thomas Davis as his family home and Davis oversaw the construction of the house. Judging by the lack of grass in the yard, this is probably one of the first images of the completed home. Notice the large amount of open space behind the house with other houses in the background. Later the Dick Smith Library will be built behind the house.Other images of Tarleton can be found by searching the Cross Timber Historic Images database from the library's webpage. For more information about the University photo collections, contact archivist Gary Spurr at [email protected].

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

It’s Graduation Time!

In my blog posts on May 13, 2010, and September 13, 2012, I wrote about the 1962-63 school year being a significant one in Tarleton’s history.  The May 26, 1963 graduates were in the first class to receive degrees in over fifty years!

The 1903 class pictured above was the first John Tarleton graduating class.  The last graduating class for John Tarleton College was in 1908  -  until Tarleton became a four year institution in 1959 and conferred the first degrees in May 1963.

The first graduates in 1903 were (left to right) William M. Bowman,  Monnett Chambers, Walter Powell, William Bryant Williams, and Pearle Mulloy front and center.  Mr. Bowman and Mr. Williams attended the 1963 graduation ceremonies as shown above.  Also attending the 1963 ceremony was long time educator and retired Tarleton faculty member Charles Hale, who is standing in the photo above behind Mr. Bowman and Mr. Williams.  My November 19, 2009 blog was about Charlie Hale.

The 1963 Tarleton graduation was held in front of the library.  Degrees were awarded to 29 men and women.  In addition, 27 certificates of completion were awarded for two year special and pre-professional programs.  The first degree was awarded to Pete Stanford as shown in the photo above.

“Tonight’s ceremony was a culmination of the dream of a West Texas pioneer, John Tarleton!  The school that started in 1899 with a single building has developed into a college with some 25 buildings, with a more than 96 acres campus, and 725 acres of farm land for agricultural research.  In the last 5 years, 5 of the buildings were completed or begun  – the library, student health center, a men and a women’s dorm, and the groundbreaking for a new student center was held March 12, 1963."

Among the 1963 graduates was honor graduate Leveta Hord, history major from Stephenville, who also at one time worked in the library, and Rodney Davis, the first Tarleton ROTC student to enter the army upon graduation, and who for a time later worked in Tarleton’s Financial Aid department.

Tarleton’s Community of Inquiring Minds

have

Come a Long Way!!

Congratulations upon Completing Finals!

Have a Wonderful Summer!!

Cross Timbers Historic Images Project.

Dallas Morning News, May 26, 1963.

Grassburr, 1963.

JTAC, May 14, 1963.