1968 Dairy Festival Queen Morna Harry
"Rain Moved Queen Coronation
Inside in 1968, at Last Minute"
by: Bobby McDonald
"It started raining on Wednesday and didn't 'move-out' until Friday, during Dairy Festival Week in 1968," remembers Queen Morna Harry Moss. "It worked with us for the Thursday afternoon parade, but the closer it got to coronation time, the rodeo arena was covered in mud, it was still raining, and the Dairy Festival Board worked like troopers to move all the decorations to the inside of the Sulphur Springs Junior High School Gymnasium, at the last minute!"
Dairy Festival Week of 1968 was held May 7th -11th and that was the week that Ozark Fried Chicken, located at 1057 Gilmer Street was celebrating their One-Year Anniversary. Their advertisement stated "Come See Miss Alma For Fine Fried Chicken," and you could get a 21 piece barrel for $4.45 or a 15 piece bucket for only $3.25, with free mashed potatoes, cole slaw, and gravy! What a deal!
Morna Harry was crowned Dairy Festival Queen for 1968,
by retiring queen, Stephanie Longino.
And, the Travis School Sixth-Grade had completed an end-of-year school program that they had done in their English class. Members of the cast included: George Burgin, Linda Merritt, Janet Easley, Denise Goldsmith, Anita Wiler, Jackie Bain, Gary Donald, Karol Kennedy, Martin Wilton, Mark Younger, Cary House, and Theresa Powell.
A surprised Morna Harry is named Dairy Festival Queen 1968.
The North Hopkins FFA had won second place in the State FFA Dairy Products Contest. Team members were Larry Ferrell, Mark Weir, and Tommy Long.
1968 Dairy Festival Queen Morna Harry, escorted by her father,
Billy Wayne Harry, in the 1969 Festival.
1968 Dairy Festival Queen Morna Harry, on the Queen's float in the 1969 Festival.
Mother's Day was being celebrated the Sunday following Dairy Festival and several advertisements "caught our eye." Jim Master's Western Store was offering an Electric Can Opener, complete with a knife sharpener, for only $8.97 or a Toaster Oven for just $9.97. And, one of the best deals in town was Eden's Restaurant who invited everyone to "Dine Out on Mother's Day....Treat Both Mom and the Family," where they were offering their delicious buffet Sunday dinner for $1.50!
This "Lawrence of Arabia" float constructed by Mother's Culture Club and ridden by Lee Ann McGahee, won first
place honors in the 1968 parade. Lee Ann was contacted by phone and expressed that Mark McClendon was "Lawrence"
and she thought that Charles Light was one of her "slaves" walking beside the float. And, of course, that's good ol' Hopkins
county hay, that covers the pulling device and feeds the elephant.
Mr. Norris Starkey had been announced as the new Superintendent for Sulphur Springs ISD, replacing Tom Linam and Mother's Day Flowers could be purchased at Krogers, with Hydrangeas for only $2.69 and Mums for $1.79.
Krogers also offered whole fryers for 25 cents a pound; a six-pack of Pepsi Cola for 25 cents; cooked ham for 39 cents a pound; and a dozen of large eggs was only 37 cents. Top round steak was 99 cents a pound, with bacon at only 59 cents a pound.
Center are stage designers Margarite Elliott and Lena Mae Rogers and they are flanked
by "Harem Girls," left Kim Baxter and Julie Hager, who completed the Arabian Night's theme.
Another shot of Kim and Julie, as they made their way in the Dairy Festival Parade. Who
would have ever guessed that they would be queen and runner-up in the 1975 Dairy Festival Pageant?
Gibson's Discount Center, located on Gilmer Street, was advertising their hamburger and hot dog buns for only 19 cents a package and a 12 oz. package of wieners could be purchased for 39 cents. They also featured their "Big Bee" fishing reels for $2.97 and their "Zippo" rods for $1.97, for the local angler.
Entertainment for the pageant included this group from East Texas State
University and David Stinson as a vocalist. Clark Keyes was the Master
of Ceremonies for the pageant.
Gun control was being hotly debated among the citizens of Texas, as the Federal Government was contemplating some measure of controlling the purchases of firearms. Nationally, Robert Kennedy was making progress toward the Democratic Nomination for President. However, Hopkins County favored Governor George Wallace, in the Democratic Primary.
Noel Blackburne rode this "Ali Baba & the 40 Thieves" float, sponsored
by the Waverly Club.
In the local elections in May of '68, Hopkins County voters favored Preston Smith over Ralph Yarborough in the Governor's race and had a "heated" contest brewing in the local Sheriff's race. Incumbent Delphia Leewright, former Deputy Frankie Mote, and Former Sheriff Paul Ray (Popeye) Jones were all in a race that had voters going to the polls. Jones out polled Leewright in the primary but the two were forced into a run-off. Jones defeated Leewright by a narrow margin to serve his third term as Hopkins County Sheriff.
Queen Morna and her court.
The number of candidates vying for the title was down in 1968, when only five young ladies competed for the title. They included: Noel Blackburne, sponsored by the Waverly Club; Morna Harry, sponsored by the Jr. Waverly Club; Sandra Skelton, sponsored by the Rotary Club; Lee Ann McGahee, sponsored by the Mother's Culture Club; and Susan Payne, sponsored by Dial Study Club.
The theme for the 1968 Dairy Festival Pageant and Parade was "Arabian Nights" and featured floats as follows:
Lee Ann McGahee on "Lawrence of Arabia," Sandra Skelton on "Aladdin & Princess," Susan Payne on "Fisherman and the Bottle," Morna Harry on "Sinbad the Sailor," and Noel Blackburne on "Ali Baba & the 40 Thieves."
We visited with Lee Ann McGahee Sparks, who rode the winning float, "Lawrence of Arabia," representing the Mother's Culture Club. "I can remember Mark McClendon being 'Lawrence of Arabia' on my float and the 'slaves' that were walking beside it were the members of the Wildcat Football and Basketball Teams," remembers Lee Ann. "It was also one of my classmates, Cliff Hines, who is now deceased, that helped to create and design the huge elephant for the float. It was made of chicken wire and paper mache and Houston Connally rode inside the elephant and pulled ropes to make the eyes and trunk move, as it traveled down the street!"
"Building floats back then required many hours, at night, in a car dealership or barn, stuffing napkins, painting, and creating characters from wire. I treasure what a wonderful time it was to be a part of Dairy Festival, 40 years ago, and remember Sammy Brewer, Ann Connally, and others who helped make it all possible for me," expressed Lee Ann. "Being in Dairy Festival in 1968 was a fairy tale for girls in Hopkins County!"
Queen Morna Harry presents a trophy to Hopkins County Dairyman,
Cecil Tucker, after he won Grand Champion Holstein Female honors
at the Northeast Texas Dairy Show.
The Northeast Texas Dairy Show was "in full swing," following a record number of entries in the 1967 show. Registered Holstein Breeder Cecil Tucker was serving as president of the Northeast Texas Livestock and Dairy Association, with David Powell serving as vice-president and Geral Kennedy serving as secretary-treasurer. The Dairy Show opened on Friday, May 10th, and found Kurt Johnson, a thirteen year-old boy from the Shooks Chapel Community, winning Grand Champion Jersey Female, in the Junior Show. Judge for the show was Dr. C.L. Norton, Head of the Dairy Science Department at Kansas State University, in Manhattan, Kansas.
Rainy weather and intense thunderstorms in Hopkins County and across the area had "cut" the number of entries to the annual Northeast Texas Dairy Show, but the competition was sited as being "outstanding." Kurt Johnson's father, A.P. Johnson, captured the Grand Champion Jersey Female in the Open Jersey Show and also showed the Reserve Champion Jersey Bull. Others exhibiting Jersey animals included: Brody, Randy, and Jana Koon, Russell Johnson, Neal Anderson, Curtis Voorheese, Bobby Bain, J.B. McQueen, Lee Glenn, Dewey Massey, Ricky Joe Voorheese, T.D. Harness, and Reggie Durch.
Paul and Richard Watson presented Richard Massey with a Holstein Heifer through the Rotary Heifer Exchange Program, during the Friday morning judging of the Dairy Show. Massey would raise the heifer and return her first heifer calf back to someone else.
It's been decided that this was a picture of the Sulphur Springs FFA Chapter Herd, at the 1968 Dairy Show.
The headlines read "Holstein Cattle Hold Domination in Dairy Show," as for the second year in a row, the Holstein entries surpassed the Jersey entries. Cecil Tucker won the Grand Champion Bull honors in the Holstein Show and then won Grand Champion Female of the Open Holstein Show. Ricky Jetton won Grand Champion Holstein Female in the Junior Show and Wayne Hinton, Jr. won the Junior Champion Female of the Junior Show. Other local exhibitors included: Paul & Richard Watson, Leard Johnson, Gaylon Odom, Neal Anderson, Johnny Chester, Donald Moore, Ronnie Lee, Lee Glenn, Ronald Dicken, Cliff Neal, Troy Ledbetter, Ernie Weaver, Blake Dicken, Jeff Dicken, David Burns, David Sewell, Jan Dicken, James Jackson, Larry Neal, Gary Doss, Reggie Durch, and Kenneth Brumley.
Morna Harry rode this float, sponsored by the Jr. Waverly Club and
representing the theme "Sinbad the Sailor."
In the Other Breeds Division of the Dairy Show, Sheila Bearden won Grand Champion Female in the Junior Show with her Ayrshire Cow and her father, E.L. Bearden, Jr., won the Grand Champion Bull honors. Other local exhibitors in this division of the show included: Dwight and Rodney Alexander, Bryant Fisher, and Cathy Elliott.
Jim Edwards of Cushing, Oklahoma, a fieldman for the National Holstein Association was an "interested" observer at the Dairy Show and presented some of the Holstein awards.
Gene Orwosky, President of the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Board, had shown the board plans for a new building to be constructed on Houston Street.
This was the Dial Study Club entry in the parade and was built to the
theme "Fisherman and the Bottle," and was ridden by Susan Payne.
Starting May 4th, the New Car Dealers in Sulphur Springs had announced that they would all be closing on Saturdays at noon. They included: Glenn Buick, Bevis Pontiac-Olds-Cadillac, Gober-Merrell Chevrolet, Price Ford Sales, Maddox Motor Company, A.B. Ardis Motors, and Myers Dodge.
"Heavy thunderstorms were sweeping the region," as 1967 Dairy Festival Queen, Stephanie Longino, crowned Miss Morna Harry, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Billy W. Harry, the new queen. Susan Payne was named first runner-up in the contest. Payne received the talent award, while Sandy Skelton was named the beauty winner in the contest. Morna Harry sold the most Dairy Festival tickets.
"I can remember presenting a dramatic presentation from 'Our Town,' for my talent part of the Dairy Festival contest," states Morna Harry Moss. "In the scene, a young girl came back from heaven and realized that her life on earth contained beauty, goodness, and happiness. My costume was my nightgown and I worried about the spotlights shinning through, so I wore a pair of long johns underneath it!"
Entitled "Happiness is being named Dairy Festival Queen," this photo was the
cover of "The Dallas Time Herald Sunday Magazine," featuring Harry on
June 30, 1968.
When reflecting on her year as 1968 Dairy Festival Queen, Morna expresses, "The joy and excitement during this time still brings back smiles and exciting memories. I attended the Miss Dogwood Festival in Quitman, the Peach Pageant in Pittsburg, Autumn Trails in Winnsboro, and the Gilmer Yamboree, as the representative of Hopkins County."
"Following high school graduation, I attended Stephen F. Austin University, and the Gilmer Yamboree Queen, Mary Jo Proctor, and I roomed together in college," remembers Moss. "I returned home in 1970 and married Steve Moss, in May of 1970."
Morna Harry Moss graduated from East Texas State University and began working for the Department of Human Resources. Later, she returned to school and obtained her teaching certificate and has taught school at North Hopkins, Campbell, Tyler, and Lindale. "I have recently retired from teaching and spend as much time as I can with my four grandchildren and operating an online business," expresses Morna. "Steve is a homebuilder in Tyler and Lindale and we make our home in Lindale."
"A day or two before the pageant in 1968, My dad, Billy Harry, came to me and asked what I was going to do, if someone asked me how to milk a cow," remembers Morna. "I can remember asking Junior Hinton, one of my dairy friends, to show me how to milk a cow. He took me to the dairy barn and showed me cows with the milkers on and said, 'see these cows are being milked,' but I told him that I needed to know how to hand milk a cow. He gave me a cat's milk bowl and told me to try and hit the bowl. And, I did!"
Steve and Morna are the parents of twin daughters, Kelsey and Kamilla. Kelsey is married to Greg Strawn and has two children, Brycen and Sealey. Kamilla is married to Ty Musser and has twin daughters McKoy and Kambry. "I would encourage any young lady in Hopkins County to enter the Dairy Festival," expresses Moss. "It is a wonderful experience and one that prepares you for all walks of life!"
"I guess one of the highlights of my reign as Dairy Festival Queen was when my dad brought home "The Dallas Times Herald Sunday Magazine," and my picture was on the front cover with my Dairy Festival Queen Crown," remembers Moss. "I was shocked and was so proud to be representing Hopkins County!"
1968 Dairy Festival Queen, Morna Harry Moss, is surrounded by her four grandchildren,
that she spends "every moment she can with!"
"Both my parents and grandparents were from Hopkins County. My maternal grandparents were Lee and Ellen Walker and my paternal grandparents were Roy and Josie Harry," states Moss. "My mother has opperated Lee's Hallmark for many years and continues today. My dad is in the nursing home in Sulphur Springs, but was actively involved in the oil business and owned Billy Harry Brangus for a number of years!"
1968 was the year of the Hemisfair in San Antonio and Billy Walker was the winner of the Hopkins County Ag Worker's Scholarship for $300.00. May commencement exercises found 164 senior receiving diplomas at SSHS, as Mike Fox and Danny Bonner had won the State Debating Championship for SSHS. The Dairy Industry was in a "Golden Era" with the price of milk at a profitable level and feed costs and other inputs at a moderate level. Many young people graduating from high school went immediately into the dairy business and the industry was expanding in Northeast Texas.
Other noteable happenings in Hopkins County in 1968 included the "gift of choice" for Mother's Day at Haynesworth Jewelry was the "Mother's Ring," with birthstones for each of her children. The Collegiate Shoppe was advertising their "Latin and Lace" Sleepware by Vanity Fair and Craver's was imploring you to purchase your mom a portable dishwasher, for only $99.00, with a free year's supply of Cascade washing detergent.
Bealls Department store was featuring ladies purses for just $2.77 and "fishnet" hose for only 98 cents a pair. Shorts sets were priced at $8.00 and little girl's "Crop-Top" sets were only $1.77. Sudden Beauty hair spray was a mere 57 cents and the Goodwill Store was opening in Hopkins County. Prell Shampoo was 61 cents a bottle and Carother's Brothers was advertising their "year-round, weighted wool and silk Sharkskin blended suits for only $49.00. Moss Furniture was featuring "the perfect Father's Day gift," a recliner, for $49.95. A Kodak Instamatic Camera could be purchased for only $12.88.
Yes, 1968 was a year that many in Hopkins County today would refer to as "The Good Ol' Days." "And, I want to thank Hopkins County and the Hopkins County Dairy Festival Board for allowing me the opportunity to represent them as the 1968 Dairy Festival Queen," expressed Morna Harry Moss. "God blessed me with the opportunity and I look forward to returning 'home' to Hopkins County in 2009 and being a part of the 50th Anniversary!"
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