The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Vol. 157, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 11, 1999 Page: 3 of 8
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The tragic tale of hen #126
By Chris Guthrie
Guest Writer
'''
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The First Tarleton International Egg-laying
Contest began on November 1,1926 and ran for
357 days (until October 23,1927).
The idea of the contest originated with Neal
Gearreald, director of Tarleton's School of
Agriculture, and W.C. Homeyer, professor of
poultry husbandry at the school.
They argued that poultry producers needed
official records of the egg-laying capacity of their
chickens in order to "command a reasonable
price for their breeding stock."
Dean J. Thomas Davis, head of Tarleton at the
time, agreed with them and authorized the con-
test as another
way to serve the
needs of local
agricultural pro-
ducers and
thereby enhance
the reputation of
the school.
Entry into the
contest was
open to any
poultry breeder
"throughout the
world," although most of the 1926 competitors
were from Texas.
Each entrant was required to sent thirteen
standard bred pullets "reared from eggs pro-
duced on the owner's premises."
Ten of these pullets composed a "pen" (the
other three served as alternates to replace birds
that died during the course of the contest).
Tarleton provided a chicken house and yard for
each entrant.
Department of Agriculture faculty and stu-
dents cared for the chickens and administered
the contest. Points were awarded to each pen
based on the total number of eggs its ten hens
laid each month.
At the end of the contest, awards were given
to the five highest producing pens, the highest
producing pen for each breed, the ten highest
individual egg layers, and the highest individual
egg layer for each breed.
Monthly and final results were also reported
to the individual contestants, the American
Poultry Association and American Record of
PerformEirice Council.
The first Tarleton contest was an unqualified
success and established a reputation for high egg
production that would last until the 1950s.
Of all the contests held in the country during
1926-27, the Tarleton event had the highest aver-
age egg production for all breeds (206.74) and
placed well in many individual breed categories.
In fact, of the 17,860 hens entered in contests
across the United States, Tarleton had the thir-
teenth highest individual producer (Hen #595, a
single comb White Leghorn which laid 312 eggs
during the duration of the event).
This inaugural success quickly established the
Tarleton Egg Laying Contest as one of the best in
the country.
In the years that followed, the Tarleton event
attracted an ever-growing number of entrants
(seventy-two from ten states by 1945) and set a
variety of
national egg
production
records.
The col-
lege also gar-
nered a great
deal of publici-
ty from the
event.
In 1936,
for example,
Hen # 126 (a
White Leghorn owned by Erath Egg Farm) was
well on her way to breaking the national record
for individual egg production, laying 312 eggs in
a little over ten months.
However, with two months still to go in the
contest she choked on a piece of corn and died.
J. P. Ellis and W.S Goodlett, the two Tarleton stu-
dents who had cared for her pen, conducted for-
mal funeral services for the fallen record-con-
tender and buried her in a special plot on the
poultry farm.
The tragedy attracted much attention in the
local press and even prompted a request from
Time Magazine for a photograph of the deceased
chicken.
Egg laying contests continued at Tarleton until
the early 1950s. They were so successful that
Tarleton became the only official contest location
in the entire Southwest and also the holder of the
national record of individual egg production (343
eggs by a single-comb White Leghorn in 1940-
41).
However, one can only wonder what greater
heights Tarleton's reputation might of reached if
the brilliant egg-laying career of Hen #126 had
not been tragically cut short in 1936.
•"fl
Registration Deadline: February 25,1999 @ 3:00p.m.
Entry Fee: $40.00 per team + $5.00 ASA dues
Play Begins: March 1st
bivisions: Men, Women, Greek, Co-Rec
Awards'- Intramural Champion T-shirts!
Team Managers must attend the mandatory
Team Managers' Meeting on Thursday,
Feb 25th at 4:00p.m. in the P.E. Annex. Failure to
attend this meeting will result in the forfeiture
of your team's first game!
Sign up for Intramural Softball Now!!!
Enter our Vance Terrell
Softball Tournament!
Deadline: Feb 25th 3:00 p.m.
Tournament Date: Feb. 27th-28th
Entry Fee: $30.00 per team
For information please call 968-9904,
9911, 9912 or visit our Homepage at:
http://www.tarlelon.edu/~recsports
Automotive/mechanical classes offered
By Steve Gast
StaffWriter
There is now a class for people who feel con-
fusion or despair when their car has a problem.
Jonathan Hutson, Tarleton Community Oriented
Policing Facilitator, is enthusiastic ^bout the
response to the new Automotive School for the
Mechanically Challenged, about 100 people have
responded.
The Tarleton Police Department is offering this
free class under the instruction of Officer Cris
DeLeon.
Hutson began by soliciting ideas for programs
that would encourage positive interaction
between the police and students. The auto class
is one of the programs like the self defense class
and volunteer patrol that is funded with federal
money. The money is provided through the
Community Oriented Policing program, of which
T.C.O.P. is the Tarleton branch. This allows the
classes to be offered at no cost to interested peo-
ple.
The first class is scheduled for Feb. 23 at 4:30
p.m. in room 177 of the Business Building. The
class is expected to last about an hour and a half
and will include classroom and "hands on" ses-
sions. The class is open to everyone, student or
not, and further questions can be directed to
Hutson at 968-9776. Hutson believes that "every
officer gets his authori'y from the people he
serves."
Officer Cris DeLeon came up with the idea
for the class and is running it on his own time.
DeLeon said his main motivation is "safety for
students." He also desires to save parents money
by teaching students how to care for their cars,
and relieve student stress by preparing them for
possible automotive problems.
1.) This politician was the son of an eminent Harlem minister who
pastored the largest Black congregation in America. First elected to
the House of Representatives in 1944, he offset his reputation for
absenteeism by pushing civil rights and other legislation favorable to
Blacks through Congress.
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.
2.) In 1967, Carl Stokes became the first Black mayor of a major
American city. Name the city....
Cleveland, Ohio
3.) This self-proclaimed "Pilgrim of God" was the first woman orator
to speak out against slavery. Having set upon a personal journey for
truth and freedom, she became one of the most popular speakers for
Black and women's rights. She coined the popular rallying cry for
women's rights "Ain't I a woman."
Sojourner Truth
Summer Employment: ymca christian children's
camp representatives will be on your campus on February
12, 1999 for the Camp Job Fair in the Student Center
Ballroom. We will be interviewing and accepting applica-
tions for a variety of camp staff positions. YMCA Camp
Cullen is a children's camp located on beautiful Lake
Livingston in Trinity. Texas. Applicants need experience
with children and have a love of the outdoors. Come by
and visit us at our table in the Student Center.
TEJRS
GOLF
COURSE
TSU Special
$8.00
Student Green Fee
M-F
965-3904
Hiuy, 281
N. Tejas Lane
Norman Eddleman's
USED FURNITURE
s> 610 South East Loop
965-5317
For Rent-2 & 3 remodled
pnobils in country. $325
to $425. Call Joyce at
Ford Realty Co.
968-4113.
Need $ for your Club or
Organization?
-AVON FUNDRAISER-
Call 7-9 p.m.
@ 965-2123.
SounO
2900 W. Washington Bosque River Center
*** 968-5096
CASSETTES « COMPACT DISCS • POSTERS • SHEET MUSIC
KARAOKE TAPES • LAVA LAMPS • T-SHIRTS
sN* vx. $2 OFF
N O, Not valid on Sale
CP ^ Priced Items, Used
with this coupon CD's or Singles
HHppvHHp? JHHHj
I Not Valid (with "J
■ any othor _ ^
1 far O
Laundered Jeans
Coupon MUST Accompany
Jeans Incoming Order
(men a or ladies')
W-WO Starch
White Jeans Reg. Price
5"
llS Subject to
change with-
out notico
Exp. 5-12-89
30% OFF pjeces'of Dry
Cleaning
No Limit-W/Coupon Oniy-Not.:*>£•
Valid W Any 0tb«.0tferfeO|to*,
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Mu^Aiopfnpany Inching
i-i::. wHi^: i b
3 or more pair of
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W-WO Starch
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Home
Cookin
every week!
MONDAY
$1 lunch buffet
noon-12:40
with a student-
led Bible study
WEDNEDfiY
FREE LUNCH
noon-12:40
Great food
with a great
message!
Both lunches are
served at the baptist
Student Center
located across from
Hunewell dorm.
For more informa-
tion cad the BSM at
96541 ?9.
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The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Vol. 157, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 11, 1999, newspaper, February 11, 1999; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth141944/m1/3/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Tarleton State University.