1937 Titus County Fair
Titus County Fair and Dairy Show stockholders chose the 1937 directors in early January by mail-in ballot. W. A. Ford, George Lilienstern, Floyd Thomas, D. R. Ralph, A. J. Copellar, Gus Presley, J. A. Petty, G. W. Cross, Miss Susie Brabham, Sam Williams, P. O. Wilhite, W. R. Whitaker, Claud McDonald, A. L. Crossland, and Ben Patrick were elected.
Titus County Fair Association President DeWitt Huckabee spoke to the women of the Titus County Council on June 19 and said "Cooperation of the people of Titus County has been the reason for the splendid success of the Titus County Fair and Dairy Show."
He gave an interesting and instructive talk on the Titus County Fair and Dairy Show's organization and development. He said at present there are four buildings on the fair ground with less than $2,000 (about $29,600 in 2007 dollars) indebtedness. He said that no other fair association in Texas had made better progress.
Mr. Huckabee asked the council's support to help make the 1937 fair the best in its history. He also said that plans were being made for room to keep all livestock on the grounds during the fair, including dairy and beef cattle, and horses and mules.
Council Chairman Raymond Brown appointed a committee with Mrs. Fred Mercer chairman and Mmes. V. F. Cody and Mae Albright to check on the completion of the women's building.
Titus County Fair Association directors met on July 20 and voted to build a new livestock building at the fair grounds. The new 96 x 100 foot building was able to hold at least two hundred head of cattle, horses or mules. It was to be open on all sides with a galvanized iron roof and no floor. The new structure was estimated to cost $1,500 (about $22,000 in 2007 dollars).
The new livestock building would allow exhibitors to keep their animals on display throughout the entire fair without having to move them like before and make their care much easier.
The directors also set the fair's dates for September 13 to 18. Admission was kept the same as last year; adults 25c and 10c for children.
It was reported that even though Roy Gray sold his interests to Paul Williams, Big State Shows would provide the carnival for the fair and the exhibition contract would be fulfilled.
The premium list was considerably larger than last year's with additional exhibits included and total cash prizes being offered approaching a thousand dollars.
Cash prizes for the departments were Women's work $17.50 ($250.00), Livestock $337.00 ($4,900), General farm crops $45.75 ($675.00), F. F. A. exhibits $51.25 ($760.00), 4-H Club exhibits $40.00 ($600.00), and Poultry $70.00 ($1035.00). Farm exhibit prizes would be awarded as follows: Community exhibits-First place, $20 ($300.00); second place, $12.50 ($185.00); other entries, $5 ($75.00). Individual exhibit cash prices would be First place, $10 ($150); second place, $8 ($120.00); other entries, $5 ($75.00). Prize values in 2007 dollars are shown in parenthesis above.
With other prizes contemplated, if the new building was finished in time total prizes would approach $1,000. A committee of D. R. Ralph, A. L. Grassland and Miss Susie Braham were appointed to arrange for ribbons to be awarded in connection with cash prizes. J. A. Petty was given charge of carnival arrangements, and Sam Williams would supervise local concessions.
On July 29, the executive committee selected Theron Jones as the fair's general manager, and he began his duties that afternoon. Mr. Jones was put in charge of all fair details and had already been contacting local merchants about some proposed attractions.
The executive committee had made all plans for the coming fair, and Mr. Jones was under their direct supervision. Mr. Jones was to direct all arrangements for exhibits, concessions, prizes and other fair details, and was also placed in charge of financial arrangements and was to pay the prizes at the fair's close.
The poultry house was moved from its old location and the new livestock building's foundation was started in the same spot on August 9. Work was rushed to complete the building by the coming fair. The poultry building would now be located south of the two livestock buildings.
The old livestock building would only be used for horses and mules in the future, while the new building would house dairy and beef cattle.
Titus County Fair manager Jones announced on August 10th that a public wedding would again be one of fair's features. As in the past, local businesses would donate presents to the couple who agreed to be married at the fair, and the marriage would be conducted with the usual ceremony that had prevailed in the past.
He said that couples must apply by August 24th so all arrangements could be made for presents and the elaborate ceremony, but the names would be kept absolutely secret until they appeared for the ceremony.
In a committee meeting on Friday, August 27, Mrs. Bernice Wallace was employed to advertise the fair.
Construction of the new livestock building was completed Saturday, August 29, and it was ready to use in the upcoming fair. The building was lighted and the floor was covered with shavings. It had four wide compartments to accommodate hundreds of animals. It was said to be the largest of any county fair in the State.
Goodwill tours to neighboring towns to promote the fair began on Wednesday night, September 1. A nine car caravan traveled through Winfield, Mt. Vernon and Talco. The Mt. Pleasant High School Band played several numbers at each stop and circulars were distributed to the crowds. Sam Williams invited people in each town to attend the fair.
The second tour was Friday night, September 3. An estimated group of twenty cars left Mt. Pleasant at 6:30 and paraded through Green Hill, the Humble Camp near Talco, Talco and Johntown. Programs similar to those in the first tour were given at each place, and the caravan returned to Mt. Pleasant about 9:30.
There was a mix-up in the schedule on September 9, and the third caravan went to Cookville, Omaha and Naples, although advance advertisements said that trip would be made on the 10th. Even so, there was a good attendance and the caravan was well-received in the towns visited.
Therefore, on the 10th the final tour went to Cason, Daingerfield and Hughes Springs where they were not expected.
The Titus County Fairgrounds hummed with activity Monday afternoon, September 13, in preparation for the eleventh annual fair's opening of the next day. Many exhibits were already set up in the Women's building.
Tuesday
The fair opened as planned on Tuesday, September 14, 1937. All agricultural building exhibit space was full by opening time.
Over 100 head of horses and mules were in and around the livestock building before the fair opened, showing the interest in raising livestock over the county.
The dairy building was being filled, but there was still some vacant space. Since it was the first time that dairy cattle entered for prizes had to stay for the full length of the fair, many owners were not willing to bring them.
Every department of the fair showed a marked improvement over past years. The Women's Building had more displays than ever before.
Home Demonstration Agents Miss Genevieve Falgin of Delta County, Miss Rebecca Murray of Cass County, Miss Kathryn Kelley of Wood County, and Mrs. Ollyne Jeffries of Bowie County judged the food entries.
They awarded the following Home Demonstration Clubs prizes:
Special Vegetable Exhibit - Green Hill, first place, Coopers' Chapel, second place, Argo, third.
Special Fruit Exhibit - Concord, first place, Ripley, second, Mt. Sylvia, third.
Special Pickle Exhibit-Coopers' Chapel, first place, Green Hill, second, Argo, third.
Special Jelly and Preserve Exhibit - Ripley, first place; Mt. Sylvia, second; Argo, third.
Candlewich Spread - Coopers' Chapel, first place; Green Hill, second, Argo, third.
Quilts-East Side, first place, Concord, second, Ripley, third.
Opening night featured four free events beginning at 8 o'clock in front of the grandstand. They were under the direction of Art LaMan, who was connected with RKO's Kansas City booking office.
The National Little Miss Hollywood contest featured girls between the ages of two and five competing for the title of Miss Hollywood and Miss Mt. Pleasant. The winner was awarded a beautiful engraved silver loving cup.
The second feature was Major Bozo's Amateurs. Singers, dancers, musicians and other entertainers were invited to participate in the contest which was handled by a talent scout representing several Kansas City booking agencies. The winner was eligible to enter a state contest at a later date. Several guest artists took part in the program.
Hollywood Beauty Shop conducted a hair show demonstrating modern hair styles for little girls.
The fair's first auto show was held and leading models were displayed in front of the grandstand. An auto show was one of the highlights at the recent Hunt County Fair.
Wednesday
Judging in various departments of the livestock division was in progress Wednesday morning.
Almost a hundred fine dairy and beef cattle were displayed in the new livestock building, together with a few horses that could not be accommodated with the horses and mules in the old building.
Horses and mules attracted big crowds because some raisers worked to create a bigger demand for farm work stock.
An even hundred chickens were counted in the poultry house and some were unusually fine birds.
There were about the same number of community and farm exhibits as the year before, but they much better. Chapel Hill, Concord, Green Hill, Monticello, O1d Union, Winfield, and Wilkinson communities had entries. Blackstone Farm, C. A. Dalton, J. E. Goates, Rufus Payne's Sunnyslope Farm, Scott Farm, and A. L. Young had individual and farm entries.
The Department of Agriculture had an educational display furnished by the local Soil Conservation Service.
Wednesday, September 15 was Talco Day. Talco schools were turned out for the day so students could attend the fair. Since they wouldn't participate in the regular school children's day, they were admitted free.
Amateur artists from Talco presented a free hour-long show before the grandstand Wednesday night as part of Talco Day. Every performer either lived or worked in northern Titus County. The grandstand was almost filled to capacity and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the show.
The program started promptly at 8 p.m. with a short address by Frank Dannelly, editor of the Talco News and the show's sponsor. After his talk, the microphone was turned over to Talco Chamber of Commerce Secretary M. D. Taylor, who acted as master of ceremonies.
The program presented was as follows:
Piano solo-Eddie Duchin.
Special arrangement of "Chinatown"-Mrs. Mary Loflin.
Song-"My Cabin of Dreams"- J. W. Baucum.
Reading-Bobbye Joyce McFerrin.
Song-"Mighty Lak a Rose"- Anita Rhinehart
Musical Reading-Mrs. Sam Palmer
Black-Face Monologue-Bill Trammel, former star with Al G. Fields and Honey Boy Evans Minstrels.
Three-S Trio-Composed of R. A. Stinson and Harry and Earl Spruill. Vocal and guitar accompaniment.
Tap Dance-Katherine Gardner.
Piano solo-"The Doll Dance" -Mrs. Lillian Cross.
Piano solo-"Chinese Laundry-man"-Rebecca Morgan.
Piano solo-"Spanish Dance" - Hardy Bolin.
Song and Bazooka solo-Rebecca Morgan, with Mrs. Lillian Cross at the piano.
After the Talco program, a tightrope act and a trained horse and dog performance were staged at ten o'clock.
Thursday
Thursday night featured the public wedding in front of the grandstand at eight o'clock. A large crowd that almost filled the grandstand was on hand to witness Martha Hammonds marry Howard Newman. Miss Hammonds was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hammonds of the Gladewater community, and Howard Newman was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Pleas Newman of the Midway community.
The bride and groom and their attendants gathered for rehearsals at the home of Mr. and Mrs. O. C. Lilienstern before the ceremony. They went directly to the fair grounds from there and arrived just a few minutes before the wedding was to take place.
Before the wedding party entered, the program of nuptial music included a vocal solo, "I Love You Truly," by Mrs. Coy Coker, accompanied by Paul Cohn on the violin and Miss Estelle Irvin at the piano. Miss Ervin played Lohengrin's wedding march for the processional and Mendelsshon's for the recessional.
Rev. Geo. C. Moore, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church performed the ceremony before an altar banked with ferns and palms, illuminated with white tapers burning in pedestal candelabras.
The bride was given in marriage by Morris Rolston. She was dressed in a white crepe frock with white accessories. Her veil was held in place with white rose buds and she carried an arm bouquet fashioned of white rose buds, showered with white satin ribbon.
Miss Cornelia Ford was maid of honor and Mrs. Hugh Cross the matron of honor. Bride's maids were Miss Virginia Jane Wilhite, Miss Lallah Walker, Miss Mildred Baxter, and Miss Dorothy Toups.
Hugh Cross was best man. John Ellis, Jack Walker, Dave McDonald Jr., and Claude McDonald, Jr. were the groomsmen.
Little Miss Jimmie Ann Crow and Joanette Dipple were flower girls and Sonny Beall was the ring bearer.
Friday
Mt. Pleasant High School Vocational Agriculture teacher Aubrey Crossland took twenty-four of his students to Fair Park between 10 a.m. and noon on Friday and dug a pit for a trench silo to hold one ton of sorghum.
Mr. Crossland said the Vocational Agriculture boys would fill the silo with sorghum donated by Thomas Caldwell, Jr. between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Saturday as a demonstration project and for experimental purposes.
He invited every farmer in Titus County and anyone else who was interested to be present when the silo was filled so they could see the advantages of that method of feed storage. The sorghum was to remain in the silo pit until the 1938 Titus County Fair and Dairy Show's opening day, when it would be taken out and used to feed exhibited animals.
A big band contest directed by Paul Cohn was staged on Friday night with several area bands entering.
Local merchants staged a style show under the direction of Mrs. Claude McDonald and featuring the latest fall styles in suits, sportswear, dresses, evening gowns and winter coats. Participating merchants were Mrs. O. M. Fuquay's Ladies' Ready-to-Wear and Millinery Shop, La Mode Dress Shoppe, George Lilienstern Department Store, Page Fashion Shop, 3 Beall Brothers, and Edna Jones Dress Shoppe.
Saturday
Closing night receipts for the Titus County Fair were much larger than any previous night in the fair's history, exceeding the largest night of the 1936 fair by $372.35 (approximately $5,500 in 2007 dollars).
It was estimated at least eight thousand people attended that evening, by far the largest crowd assembled for any single event since the fair was organized.
Although expenses were somewhat higher than usual, it was expected that receipts from all sources were sufficient to let the association pay off a considerable part of its debt for the land and buildings.
