Judy Jackson - 1964 Hopkins County Dairy Festival Queen

 

In '64 It Was Talent, Talent,
and More Talent

by: Bobby McDonald

 

"The Dairy Festival organization decided to add talent to the qualifications for the queen, in 1964," remembers Judy Jackson Deaton. "It was a percentage of the score and was added to your judge's interview and ticket sales, to determine the winner. We had our judge's interview and talent competition on Tuesday night and then the coronation and naming of the queen was two nights later. A note I found in my memorabilia reflects that I scored 976 points, from a possible 1000. The breakdown was ticket sales 500 pts., beauty 300 pts., and talent 200 pts. "

"You bet I remember the night of the talent competition, on May 5, 1964," continued Judy. "I did a dance routine to 'Steam Heat,' and wore a top hat, a bright pink top, and black tights!"

"And, I'll never, ever forget one of my questions in the interview portion of the competition. We drew questions from a hat and one of my questions, asked by Master of Ceremonies, Weber Fouts was, ' If you were eating in a restaurant and the waiter spilled a glass of tea in your lap, what would you do?' and really I had no idea what I would do, but I must have said something right," acknowledges Deaton. "I can't remember what the other question I drew for that segment of the competition was, but that one has 'stuck' with me, all these years! If I was asked the same question today, I really don't know what I'd say either!"

 

Queen Judy Jackson......three Dairy Festival candidates in
the 1964 contest were named "Judy!"

 

Judy Jackson also bears another distinction among former Dairy Festival Queens in that she graduated high school in 1965, married Larry Don Deaton, and they were in the Hopkins County Dairy business. "I know all about the dairy industry in almost all of its phases," admits Deaton. "My father had a dairy farm as I grew up and then when Larry Don and I married, we went in the dairy business ourselves, so I'm quite familiar with how hard dairy farmers must work and know all about feeding calves, milking cows, making the milk check 'stretch,' and the ups and downs of the industry! I enjoyed the times that we were in the dairy business, when the herds here in the county were smaller, the industry was profitable, and most of the families in the area were involved with the industry in some way. It was a great way to rear your family!"

And, speaking of her family, Judy and Larry Don have two children, Debbie Deaton Tucker, and David Deaton. And, Debbie and her husband, Terry, have their two grandchildren, Olivia, age7, and Reece age 3 1/2, who live in Abilene. Judy currently works for Grocery Supply Company, where she has been employed for almost 17 years in the credit department. Ironically, the company was originally Jackson Brothers, purchased from her dad, Fred Jackson, before he went into the dairy business. Larry Don is employed by Pilgrim's Industries.

"I was proud to represent the dairy farmers of Hopkins County and the industry that made all of our livings, when I was named Queen in 1964," expresses Deaton. "I really enjoyed participating in the Northeast Texas Dairy Show, as many of those showing were my friends and lived on dairy farms, just as I did!"

"I also enjoyed going to all of the neighboring communities and representing Hopkins County, as well as making friends with their queens and contestants," added Deaton. "I remember particularly going to the Gilmer Yamboree and staying with a girl there that was a real delight and she and I went all over Gilmer, before I appeared in the pageant! We had loads of fun!"

 

Judy Jackson, as she appeared on the Queen's float hand constructed by her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Fred Jackson, with
help from friends, in the 1965 Dairy Festival Parade.

 

"The Dairy Festival experience taught me immense self-confidence and allowed me to develop skills of meeting new people," expressed Judy Deaton. "I won't say that I was extremely shy, before the competition, as I had participated in the Blue Blazes Drill Team, as one of the original members, but going to other communities, having to introduce yourself, and tell others about Hopkins County, developed a sense of responsibility and pride in my hometown."

"I can remember my mother designing and making all of my costumes and evening wear for the pageant, talent and coronation," expressed Deaton. "She sewed for days on all of those outfits besides helping with my float! She must have really wanted me to be the Dairy Festival Queen!"

Contestants for the 1964 crown, their talents and their sponsors included: Sarah Clark doing an interpretive reading, sponsored by the Hopkins County Home Demonstration Council; Judy Gray dancing and sponsored by the Junior Waverly Club; Wilma Graves modeling fashions and sponsored by the B&PW Club; Jackson dancing and sponsored by the Dial Study Club; Ann Kindel performing a "seeking talent" skit and sponsored by the Lions Club; Vicki McKay performing instrumental music and sponsored by the Standard Club; Gail Miller doing impersonations and sponsored by the Waverly Club; Betzie Myre doing a piano and voice routine sponsored by the Kiwanis Club; Olivia Pinion with a voice and dance presentation and sponsored by the Sulphur Springs Garden Club; and Judy Rawson presenting a fashion designing and modeling demonstration (she used her seven year old cousin, Julie Hager, as one of her models, and who would have known Julie would later compete in the 1975 contest and be a member of the board.) and sponsored by the Mother's Culture Club." (Some termed the contest as the "Judy Competition," with three of the candidates named Judy!)

 

The 1964  Dairy Festival theme was "Dairying International" and Judy Jackson rode this float depicting the
country of Japan.

 

Hopkins County Agent, Paul Herschler, served as the Chairman of the Dairy Festival Board in 1964, with Mrs. Lena Mae Rogers serving as pageant coordinator. Other members of the board included" Mrs. Clarke Keys, serving as secretary, Mrs. Mike Pribble serving as treasurer, Johnny Long, Mrs. Bill Elliott, Dale Campbell, Mrs. Charles Gilreath, Mrs. B.F. Ashcroft, Mrs. R.C. Cates, Rex Wilemon, Mrs. Lesby Ray, Mrs. Paul Hershler, Huel Hammond, Hoyt Gideon, Billy Connor, Cody Greer, Carl Brice, Bill Taylor, Mrs. Pete Long, Mrs. Clyde Mayes, Mrs. Alvis Pickett, Jim Shockey, Buel Berry, Billy Wayne Harry, Weber Fouts, Mrs. Verdon Graves, and Mrs. R. Mun Watkins.

The talent portion of the 1964 Dairy Festival was hosted in the Junior High Auditorium, in back of the Connally Street location, and the Queen's Coronation was conducted in the Rodeo Arena, in Buford Park. "I can remember sitting on nail kegs that were sprayed silver, once we left our floats and were presented on stage," expressed Deaton. "We each rode our float into the arena and were helped onto the stage!"

Escorts were: James Sheffield, Phil Kenley, Danny Rawson, Joe Brown, Phillip Cockran, Roger Allen, Mike Jackson, Curtis Clemmons, Paul Trull, and Floyd Moss.

Ushers and usherettes included: David Downs, Marynell Anderson, Stewart Hawthorne, Sarah Clements, Lonnie Browning, Kay Williams, Tommy Darling, Pat Bearden, Doyle McKenzie, and Modena Flippin.

 

This Mother's Culture Club float entered in the 1964 parade featured the country of "Ireland" and was ridden by
contestant Judy Rawson. The float that  won second place featured Rawson pouring milk into a pot of gold. The
float was the first one that had ever been done without using a flat-bed trailer, featured hay dyed green and glued
to the frame and thousands of white napkins. The leprechauns on the float include: Tony Hager, Mike McCool,
David Watson, Kent Johnson, and Jeff Johnson.

Note the Connally Street location, the Mission Theater, and Mrs. Lena Mae Rogers sitting
in the door of her Juvenilla Children's Shop with a "bird's eye" view of all that was happening!

 

Meanwhile, across Hopkins County a variety of activities were shaping life. Dairyman Homer Browning, of the Pickton area, was milking a typical herd of  50 Jersey cows, but "stood out" as he was digging and producing Coastal Bermuda Grass sprigs to sell to other local farmers, and was producing between 15,000 and 20,000 square bales of hay to feed his herd and sell to others. His son, Lonnie was also involved in the operation with his 4-H and FFA projects where he had chosen Guernsey cattle.

The week prior to Dairy Festival Week, a tragic automobile accident at the corner of South Broadway and the South Service Road had taken the life of Sulphur Springs businessman, Lee Walker, and 20 year old Mike Gideon. The Miller Grove School board had elected Harvey Ethridge as their president and Sulphur Springs had just hired Mr. Tom Linam as superintendent of schools. They were welcoming him and his family to Sulphur Springs with a reception.

Mrs. R. Mun Watkins was chairman of the local American Cancer Society and touting the efforts of the organization in providing comforts for local victims, in preparation for their annual drive. Two persons from Sulphur Springs had been taken to Dallas for "polygraph tests" in connection with a murder of a woman on Beckham Street, but no arrests had been made. And, water services to an area along Mitchell and Como Streets had been suspended for half of one day when a fire hydrant had been "snapped off" by a car traveling on College Street.

Of course, President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated in Dallas, the previous November, shocking Hopkins County and the nation. Texan Lyndon B. Johnson was president of the United States and making his bid for his first elected term as president. Politics were "heated" in Hopkins County where voters went to the polls on May 3rd, 1964, in support of the Democratic Primary. Results found a "run-off" election slated for June 6th when Incumbent Sheriff Paul R. Jones would be facing former City Police Chief Delphia Leewright. And, a young attorney, John Perry, had upset longtime County Attorney Artie Stevens, for that office. Hopkins County voters had overwhelmingly supported native son, Joe N. Chapman, for State Representative.

City National Bank was advertising a rate of 4% paid on Savings accounts and actress Patricia Neal had been tapped for an Academy Award for her role in "Hud," while Sidney Poitier was named Best Actor for his role in "Lillies of the Field." The local Brookshires Store was promoting beef with their"Guess the Weight of Our Calf"  Contest, where patrons submitted a weight guess in hopes of winning a $50.00 gift certificate for beef.

The Piggly Wiggly Store had announced plans to construct a new building on Main Street and were advertising Northern toilet tissue for 7 cents a roll, in assorted colors! Other "bargins" included: a six bottle carton of RC Cola for only 19 cents, with deposit; a one pound carton of "Lamar Fresh" cottage cheese for only 19 cents; a five pound bag of flour for 39 cents; ten pounds of potatoes for 29 cents; and bacon at 39 cents a pound. Round steak was listed as priced at 69 cents a pound.

Mickey Eddins was selling insurance and could be reached at 5-3809, as the local Southland Insurance Agent. Sears was promoting their "Lady Kenmore" washing machine, and Marshall's was having a "Sidewalk Bazaar Sale" with Italian leather sandals for only $3.99. The Collegiate Shoppe was promoting an "Out the Door" Sale where dresses, skirts, and blouses were priced at $1.00, $2.00, and $3.00. The Bouterie had children's shoes for $1.00 and $1.99 and The Banks Company had two new, nylon tires for $16.00.

The Jim Master's Western Store was celebrating their 20th Anniversary and had a 12,000 btu Window Air Conditioner Unit for only $239.95. Wester Furniture, located just off the square, had a 23 inch Zenith Color T.V. for only $199.95, in a mahogany cabinet.

And, for all of those girls getting ready for the Dairy Festival, they could go to the Quicky Food Store on Gilmer Street and shop on their new "drug aisle," where a Lilt "Push Button" permanent was only $1.09, OJ's Beauty Lotion was 59 cents, "Aqua-Net" hairspray was 69 cents a can, and ladies "seamless" nylon hose were 33 cents a pair. Quicky also featured their meat market in their ad with picnic hams at $1.59, rump and arm roasts at 49 cents a pound, and club steaks at 49 cents a pound. Men's Vitalis hair tonic was only 39 cents and Brylcream was 29 cents a tube, while Prell shampoo was 59 cents a bottle.

Penny's was advertising from their location on the square of having "Universal" Ladies Hair Dryers (you remember the ones with the cap and the hoses) for only $13.88 each.

The Downtown businesses had announced the monthly "Good Neighbor" Luncheon that would be held at the First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall where the fee for the meal would only be $1.00 and they encouraged everyone to atttend.

Northeast Texas Farmer's Coop was advertising a 22'' cut, push mower for only $49.95 and motor oil for 19 cents a quart. A.B. Ardis Motors was promoting the sale of their "top of the line," Comet Caliente, two-door , red, hardtop, with a Cyclone Super 289 V-8 engine, radio, heater, whitewall tires, vinyl trim, wheel covers, and seat belts, for only $2,384.95.

Charles Brim and Jackie Grant had won the Regional Boy's Doubles Tennis Match and were headed for the State Semi-Finals in Austin.  The SSHS Marching Band had received First Division Ratings in the Regional Band Competition and the Sulphur Springs FFA Dairy Judging Team of Richard Watson, Gary Odom, and Ray Grimes, had won the Area VI Contest and were headed with advisor Sterling Beckham to the State Contest in College Station.

Local winners in the Junior Dairy Show included: J.B. McQueen, Grand Champion Jersey Cow, Jerry Brandenburg, Grand Champion Dairy Bull, and Rickey Jetton, a youthful 4-H member from the Arbala club, won Grand Champion with his Ayrshire Cow. Senior Show winners included Koon Jersey Farm and Tucker Holstein Farm. Records reflect that Miss Jackson was "out bright and early, where sunny skies persisted" at the Northeast Texas Dairy Show, as she passed out ribbons and awards. The Milk Give-Away on Interstate-30 had been cancelled because of threatening rainfall. Entries for the 1964 Dairy Show reflected 250 animals in the Junior Show and 125 head in the Open Show. Dr. I.W. Rupel, head of the Dairy Science Department at Texas A&M University was the official judge.

 

Judy Jackson, as she made her "queenly" appearance at the Northeast Texas Dairy Show, the following morning, after being
crowned 1964 Hopkins County Dairy Festival Queen. She's shown viewing some of the commercial booths of local businesses.

 

Theme for the 1964 Hopkins County Dairy Festival was "Dairying International" and 1963 Queen Mary Ann Prim crowned Judy Jackson before a large crowd, on Thursday night, of Dairy Festival Week. Float Winner in the Dairy Festival Parade was the Standard Club's entry, that was ridden by Miss Vicki McKay and featured the country of Canada, where the float was a sled with dairy products, complete with its own dogs pulling the sleigh. Sim Barclay was also featured on the float.

"I remember my float featured Japan and it was complete with its own pink cherry blossoms and featured me wearing a kimono," expressed Deaton. "It had hours of work, where we stuffed napkins and paper roses!"

Judy Jackson's Beauty Queen experience didn't end with her winning the Dairy Festival Queen Crown, as a couple of weeks later, she was named Beauty Queen of the Local Company D Battalion, and went on to compete with others from Greenville, Terrell, Bonham, and Tyler. She was presented a spray of roses by First Lieutenant Kenneth Wilson, Company D Commander.

"It has been a long time since 1964," reflects Deaton. "However, I have the fondest memories of my experience representing Hopkins County and the dairy industry, as their queen. It was a time of community pride, quality life in Sulphur Springs and the surrounding county, and dairy farming was 'king.'. I look pridefully toward the 50th anniversary celebration and representing this era of the Hopkins County Dairy Festival's wonderful history!"

 

Judy Jackson Deaton, 1964 Hopkins County Dairy Festival Queen, reflects
on her year as Queen, in her lovely garden on Merrell Drive.

Deaton pauses to reflect on her family's role in the Hopkins County dairy industry and First Baptist Church
of Sulphur Springs, as she helps maintain the Jackson Gardens at the church, in memory of them. Judy
and her sister, Ruth Mary Hall, are caretakers of the Jackson Gardens at First Baptist Church.

 

___