df1980

It Snowed the Week of Dairy
Festival in 1980

by: Bobby McDonald

In a move prompted by conflicting school activities in May, the Hopkins County Dairy Festival Board acommodated the candidates by moving the 1980 competition to the second week in April, and on the Sunday before the "kick-off" on Monday, Hopkins County received a record-breaking cold front and snow. It was the first time that Hopkins County had received a snow on the 14th of April, since 1932. Temperatures "dipped" to a low of 31 degrees, breaking decades old records and about noon on Sunday huge, white snowflakes began falling amidst the rain, that dropped as much as three inches on some of the local dairy farms. "I remember it well," expressed one local man. "I was in the dairy business and we went by Herschel's Drive-In to eat lunch, after church, and suddenly we looked out their big plate glass windows and big snowflakes were falling. The snow didn't stick but we had mud problems at the dairy from about three inches of rainfall!"

"The reason we moved the Dairy Festival Week to April, in 1980, was that we had several conflicts with regional and state golf tournaments, drill team performances, and other school activities, and the girls asked could we move the contest to April, so they could participate in all of the events," remembered Lynda Hager, longtime member of the Hopkins County Dairy Festival Board.

This was Karen McCool's "Oklahoma" float in the 1980 Dairy Festival Parade.

The year 1980 found a gallon of milk in Hopkins County priced at $1.89 and Kraft 12 oz. single slices of cheese were priced at $1.39 a package. Quicky Foods featured bread at 43 cents a loaf, Ruffles (have ridges) potato chips at 79 cents for a large bag, and Pork and Beans, 4 cans for $1.00. Eggs were only 39 cents a dozen and a six-pack of 32 oz cokes could be purchased for $1.29 plus the deposit on your bottles.

Jill Pearson and Suzy Burney were the top Lady Cats golfers and David Perry was the top Wildcat golfer. Lewis Helm had been elected chairman of the Sulphur Springs City Council and Montgomery Wards was featuring four glass-belted radial tires for only $109.00. Elliott Office Supply was advertising their Smith-Cornona Electric Typewriter for only $106.97 and the Duke and Ayres Store, located on the north side of the downtown square, was hosting a big "Spring Sale."

This was Lydia Wallace's "Showboat" float in the 1980 parade, sponsored by
Mother's Culture Club.

Ronny Stewart had two loads of springing Holstein heifers at his lot on Highway-11 and was conducting "on-farm" dairy dispersal sales. The Franklin County Livestock Commission Company was encouraging county dairy farmers to "cross county lines" and attend their featured Dairy Sale, on Tuesdays. Of course, there was the Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission Dairy Sale featured each Thursday and the Jones Livestock Dairy Sale, every Friday, right here in Sulphur Springs, all had a good supply of fresh and springing dairy cattle.

And, if you had a "magic moment" you wanted to capture on film, all you had to do was go to Skillern's Drug and purchase a "Polaroid One-Step" camera, for only $27.95. A twin-pack of film could be purchased for $10.88, and 10 Sylvania flash bulbs were priced at $1.29. You were ready to take pictures!!!!

This was the "Annie Got Your Gun" float ridden by Terry Moore.

Joe Dan Avinger and Mack White had announced that they were combining their Insurance businesses into Avinger-White-McCorkle Insurance, and would be offering superior service. Pratt's Federated, located on the east side of the downtown square, featured Men's Suits for only $100.00, that were regularly priced at $125 -150.00. Ties were $4.50 - 6.50, and dress shirts were priced from $9.44 - 10.99.

1980 Officers of the Sulphur Springs FFA Chapert are shown here, with the National FFA Secretary, who
visited their chapter. Officers include: first row, Missy Harmon, Jimmy Don Allen, Randy Neal, National Secretary,
Dale Thompson, and Mitchell Darr. Back row, Terry Woodard, Billy Bob Stewart, Shawn Sartin, Milton Ragan, and
Kevin Lumsden.

Dougan's Florist was advertising their corsages, bud vases, and fresh "cut" flowers, from their location on Gilmer Street, while Dan Edge had announced the purchase of Watts and Edge Motors. Havoline motor oil was priced at 69 cents a quart and a C.B. Radio could be purchased at the Western Store for only $49.97.

The Jessie Lee Shaw murder trial in Mt. Vernon had been delayed and was being followed closely in Hopkins County, especially by those in the Como area of Hopkins County. And, Mrs. Patsy Johnson had been chosen as president of the Sulphur Springs ISD School Board.

This was the "Music Man" float ridden by Kim Hazlewood.

Ironically, "Grease" was the featured movie at the Hi-Vue Drive-In, along with "Thank God It's Friday." The Mission Theater was showing "Tom Horn," staring Steve McQueen, and "The Jerk" staring Steve Martin, and "American Gigolo." The top movie of 1980 was "Nine to Five," staring Dolly Parton, and grossing over $103 million dollars, nationally. Other top billing movies that year included: "Superman II," "Stir Crazy," "Urban Cowboy," "Airplane," "Any Which Way You Can," "The Blue Lagoon," and "Ordinary People."

These were the award winners at the SSHS FFA Banquet in 1980.

If you had a night to stay at home and watch TV, the number one show was "Dallas." "60 Minutes," was at the number two spot. And, "The Dukes of Hazzard," was the number three show in popularity......."Just a couple of good ol' boys, never meanin' no harm, beats all you've ever saw, been in trouble with the law, since they day they were born. Straight'nin' the curves, flat'nin' the hills. Someday the mountain might get 'em, but the law never will!"

Other popular T.V. shows in 1980 included: "The Love Boat," "Private Benjamin," Magnum P.I.," "Fantasy Island," "Alice," "House Calls," "The Jeffersons," and "Too Close For Comfort."

This cake shows "Moonique" the symbol adopted by the Hopkins County Dairy Festival Board.

"Call Me," by Blondie was the top song on the charts, in May of 1980, at we entered a new decade of music and Hopkins County living. "Another Brick in the Wall," by Pink Floyd, "Magic," by Olivia Newton-John, "Rock With You," by Michael Jackson, and "Do That To Me One More Time," by Captain and Tennille, were other chart toppers. Queen made popular, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," and Billy Joel made the charts with "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me." One of the most beautiful and classic songs of 1980, was Bette Midler's "The Rose," that was also popular on the Country and Western Chart by Conway Twitty. Rupert Holmes was featured singing "The Pina Colada Song,"and Smokey Robinson was singing "Cruisin'," as his best song. "Workin' My Way Back to You," by the Spinners, provided easy listening, while Air Supply made popular "Lost in Love," and Elton John crooned "Little Jeanie."

1979 Dairy Festival Queen, Bonni Booker, and M.C. Dale Smith, appear with the eleven young ladies
vying for the crown ow Hopkins County Dairy Festival, in 1980.

Eleven young ladies chose to enter the Dairy Festival Queen's Contest in 1980. They included: Karen McCool, represeting the Jr. Waverly Club and sponsored by Hopkins County Abstract Company; Connie Baucom, representing the Waverly Club, and sponsored by Texas Power and Light Company; Suzy Burney, representing the Tanti Club, and sponsored by Rockwell International; the B&PW Club representative, Mary Pilcher, sponsored by Pratt Packing Company; Hopkins County Farm Bureau's representative, Janet Gibby, sponsored by Jones Livestock and Dairy Auction; the Jim Master's Western Store sponsored, Lori Brim, representing the Kiwanis Club; Beta Sigma Phi representative, Laura Wilemon, sponsored by General Telephone Company; Kim Hazlewood, representing the Dike and Sulphur Bluff Communities, and sponsored by Farmers Co-op; Terry Moore, representing the Standard Club and sponsored by Sulphur Springs Livestock and Dairy Auction; Lydia Wallace, the representative of the Mothers Culture Club, and sponsored by North Texas Production Credit Association; and the Dial Study Club representative, Gail Penn, sponsored by Southland Specialty Foods.

With frigid temperatures in Hopkins County, Dairy Festival Week began with a Dairy Farmers Reception, hosted at the Sulphur Springs State Bank Community Room, honoring retired Hopkins County Dairy Farmers and their families. Among those honored were: Judge Grover Sellers, Bill Lemon, Joe Bain, Sr., Bert Anderson, John Baker Irons, T.O. Kight, Dan Harness, Jack DuPriest, and F.A. McKeever, all pioneer Hopkins County dairy farmers.

Sulphur Springs FFA member, Richard Dannheim, shows his Gurnsey heifer, as
Roger Arnold serves as the official judge.

Mr. Bert Anderson recalled for the audience at the reception that his first Grade-A dairy barn, cost a total of $1,800.00 and predicted that the "modern" barns they were building in 1980 would cost approximately $65,000.00. Meanwhile, County Agent Ron Woolley remarked that the dairy farmers were suffering, as the county paused to celebrate the industry, as the "cold spell" had produced a "mire" of mud on most farms and cattle were down in production due to using energy to "move around and attempt to stay warm!" Woolley also indicated that local fruit trees and tomato plants in the local gardens has been damaged by the late freeze over the weekend.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Mt. Vernons, they were imortalizing longtime Coach M.A. "Catfish" Smith, for his longtime tenure in the city's athletic department. Among those speaking at his "roast," of course, was former player, "Dandy Don" Meredith, who had returned to his hometown for the event. And, here in Sulphur Springs, Wendell Sapaugh, resigned his position as City Manager, and "turned the reins over" to Travis Owens. The Chamber of Commerce, Rural-Urban Banquet, boasting as one of the Chambers most successful and long running programs, hosted its 37th annual event, in Yantis. Speaker for the event was Yantis native and former State FFA President, Marcus Hill.

This was the Dial Study Club float depicting "Sound of Music" ridden by
Gail Penn.

And, I guess with snow on Sunday before Dairy Festival Week, it was only fitting and proper, that the Hopkins County Dairy Festival Committee would feature their 1st Annual Home-Made Ice Cream "Freeze Off." This event was scheduled for Saturday, April 19th, in the Hopkins County Civic Center. And, in 1980, "Moonique" the official logo of the Hopkins County Dairy Festival made her appearance as the new symbol of the festival. She had been used in previous years, but was "officially" adopted as the Dairy Festival symbol, that year.

Other activities planned for Dairy Festival Week, which adopted the theme of "Rhythm In Dairyland," included a carnival, a square dance in the civic center, the Talent and Beauty Show, the Coronation Pageant, and the annual Dairy Festival Parade. Tickets for both the Talent and Beauty Show and the Pageant had increased in price to $3.00 each.

Janet Gibby rode this "Fiddler on the Roof" float that was built by Farm Bureau
and won the Sweepstakes Award.

David DuPriest served as President of the 1980 Hopkins County Dairy Festival, with Charles Dawson serving as vice-president. Mrs. Jim Chapman served as secretary of the Board and Mrs. B.F. Ashcroft was the treasurer. Mrs. F.G. Rogers was the pageant coordinator and Mrs. Lynda Hager was the Talent and Beauty Coordinator. Other board members included: Mrs. Virginia Henderson, Mrs. Joe Longino, Mrs. Pete Long, Mrs. Rickie Berry, Mrs. Malcom Bailey, Mrs. Dick Enloe, Mrs. Bill O'Brian, Mrs. Bill Tuck, Brodie Koon, and Richard Herschler.

These were the "Broadway Stars" appearing on-stage at the 1980 Hopkins County Dairy Festival.

For the Talent and Beauty Show and the Pageant a group of youngsters appeared as "Broadway Stars." They included: Myndi Helm, Ty Stevens, Nicole Stewart, Robert Smith, Rori Hall, Chad Rawson, Bridget Price, David DeWitt, Laura Morris, Cory Nichols, Liz Dawson, Kyle Tate, Michelle Berry, Cory Burgin, Sarah Gee, Ben Enlow, Amy Allison, Trey Chapman, Lisa Wyatt, Ryan McKenzie, Michelle Holloway, Richard Gammill, Brandy Enlow, John Holloway, and Karol Ann Kelty. As was mentioned earlier in another "capsule" of the Dairy Festival, this was they year the "stars" became Trey Chapman and Ryan McKenzie, as they "swapped licks" on the stage of the Dairy Festival Pageant, when one wanted the prize the other one got!

Suzy Burney rode this "South Pacific" float representing the Tanti Club.

On Tuesday of Dairy Festival Week, a panel of judges viewed the store windows adopted by individual dairy farms. The dairy farm families created beautiful displays of awards, pictures, and memorabilia from their individual farms, in the store front windows on the downtown square.

During Dairy Festival week, on Tuesday afternoon, the Hopkins County Tax Office, caught fire and burned. Heavy smoke damage was reported by Tax Assessor-Collector Jeff Taylor, but no tax records were destroyed. Following the fire, the office was being moved to the Sterling Building on the downtown square.

Laura Wilemon rode this "Camelot" float that was built by Beta Sigma Phi.

The Talent and Beauty Show featured Mr. Dale Smith, minister at Shannon Oaks Church of Christ, as the Master of Ceremonies for the second year. David DuPriest welcomed the guests and specialty music was presented by local talent, Ace Hamner, who was a former member of the Texas A&M University Boys Choir. Dairy Festival Candidates provided their talent routines in a lengthy show, with eleven candidates, and pioneer dairy farmers were recognized between the talent acts. 1979 Queen Bonni Booker made her appearance and helped with the introduction of the children.

Lori Brem rode this "Cabaret" float representing the Kiwanis Club.

The square dance, featured on Friday night, April 16th, was termed a success. And, then it was a busy day on Saturday, April 17th for the Queen's candidates, as the annual Dairy Festival Parade began with the colorful floats. The floats were fashioned after Broadway Musicals, including: "Oklahoma," "The King and I," "South Pacific," "Hello Dolly," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Cabaret," "The Music Man," "Camelot," "Annie Get Your Gun," "Showboat," and the classic "Sound of Music."

Connie Baucom rode this "The King and I" float representing the Waverly Club.

The First Annual Ice Cream Freeze-Off, featured in the Hopkins County Civic Center, found Donna Wilhite, having the best freezer of cream. Runner-up position was awarded to Barbara Dorner of Sulphur Bluff, and third place was won by Mrs. Mary Alice Koon, of Brashear. Judges for the event included: Queen Bonni Booker, Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Tittle, and Mr. & Mrs. Bill Jack Allen.

Following a day at the parade, Dairy Festival Candidates were "whisked off" to the Judge's Dinner, prior to the Pageant, featured in the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center. The Judge's Dinner was hosted in the home of Mr. & Mrs. Don Poe. The Dairy Festival Queen candidates were each presented with an old coin charm, by the Borad of Directors, as a momento of their participation in the Dairy Festival, the coins were dated from 1893 to 1907.

Mary Pilcher rode this "Hello Dolly" float representing the B&PW Club.

Saturday night's pageant featured Sulphur Springs native, Steve Whitworth, as the Master of Ceremonies. Steve was the Plant Controller of Rockwell International in Kearney, Nebraska. Special entertainment for the pageant was provided by another Hopkins County and Sulphur Springs native, Cal Brim, who was a Music Education major at the University of Texas at Arlington, he brought along fellow student, Kate Haggerty, of Denver, Colorado, to accompany him in his vocals.

The Sulphur Springs Young Farmers built this Milking Parlor at the
Hopkins County Regional Civic Center, in 1980, so that Dairy Shows and
Sales could be hosted at the facility.

Visiting duchesses for the 1980 Pageant included: Miss Yantis, Miss Winnsboro, Miss Gilmer Yamboree, Miss Mineola, Miss Rains County, Miss Quitman, and Miss Sulphur Springs, Debbie Osborn. The Sulphur Springs High School Stage Band, under the direction of Rex Wilemon, also provided musical entertainment, as well as the appearance of the local Ardis Dancers.

When the votes were tallied and the envelopes presented, it was 17 year old , Lydia Wallace, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. M.E. Wallace, and representing the Mothers Culture Club, who was crowned the 1980 Dairy Festival Queen. She had presented a vocal number "Come In From the Rain," for her talent segment of the contest. Mary Pilcher, was named first runner-up, and Miss Laura Wilemon was named second runner-up. Miss Janet Gibby, representing the Hopkins County Farm Bureau, was named Miss Congeniality by her peers.

Lydia Wallace was crowned 1980 Hopkins County
Dairy Festival Queen.

One of the highlights of the Dairy Festival Pageant was a film, produced by James Jones, Billy Sam Elliott, and Rod Henderson depicting the typical day in the life of a dairy farm family. The Wade and Jan Bartley family of Dike were used in the film to show what dairy farming was all about.

Announced as float winners at the Saturday night pageant, was the Hopkins County Farm Bureau float, ridden by Janet Gibby, receiving the "Sweepstakes Award," and depicting "Fiddler on the Roof." Karen McCool's "Oklahoma" float, constructed by the Junior Waverly Club, was chosen "Most Original." And, the "Sound of Music" float, ridden by Gail Penn and representing the Dial Study Club, was chosen "Most Beautiful." Finally, the Mother's Culture Club float, ridden by Lydia Wallace, depicting "Showboat," was chosen for the winner in the "Theme" category.

Following the announcement of the new queen, all the young ladies, parents, and those attending the pageant were treated with a Queen's Reception, in the exhibit hall of the Civic Center. The reception was hosted by the Sulphur Springs Young Homemakers. Each dish contained some kind of real dairy products.

These Hopkins County Youth showed at the 1980 Northeast Texas Dairy Show, in the Holstein Division.

"Winning the Hopkins County Dairy Festival Queen in 1980, was a life changing experience for me," exclaims Lydia Wallace Walden. "For any teenage girl, asked to be in the competition, it will be the best decision that you'll ever make as a teenager.....the experience, the collaboration with other people, both adults and other young ladies,....and not to mention the memories you'll make......will last a lifetime!"

"I can remember singing a Captain and Tennille song, Come in From the Rain (Captain and Tennille were a popular duo then) and wearing a southern belle, red polka dot, swiss dress, trimmed in white lace, and carrying a ruffled parasol, for my talent presentation," reflects Lydia. "This was the second year that the Dairy Festival had been performed on the stage, in the newly constructed Civic Center, and there still weren't any stage curtains, so the Dairy Festival Board improvised with sheets of plastic from Winzen Research and used many, many plants in the stage decor. I asked a friend, Jim Thompson, who was working at KSST then, to record 'falling rain' to be played as I presented my song, and to record 'thunder and lightning' for the ending. Then, I had Lanell Stanley and two high school band member friends, Jimmie Finney and Sherry Brinlee (Gerard) to record the background music for the song. I 'floated' out on stage to sing and at the end of the song arrived back beneath a gazebo, just before the thunder and lightning crashed!"

"I remember the group of young ladies competing for the 1980 crown as having a wide variety of talent," remembers Walden. "Mary Pilcher, presented a magic act, where she pulled a live bird out of a hat at the end, Laura Wilemon, played a saxaphone number, and Gail Penn was the 'Music Box Dancer' atop a giant replica of a piano, that she popped out of, as well as others who did song and dance numbers!"

"Participating in Dairy Festival gave me the confidence that I needed to perform in front of a large group of people, and the ability to go up to people that I did not know and start a conversation," allows Walden. "Even though I still experience 'stage fright' before a musical presentation, I continue to practice my techniques that my mentor, Martha Scott, shared with me years ago, when I appeard as 'Lucy,' in the first High School musical produced at SSHS. And, as far as talking to people, my parents always told me that I had a 'gift of gab,' and the Dairy Festival experience brought that out!"

This was "Elsie's Borden Train" that appeared in the 1980 Dairy Festival Parade.

"My favorite memories of the participating in Dairy Festival involve two of my best friends from high school, Mary Pilcher and Laura Wilemon. We were all in band together and so excited when we had been asked to participate in Dairy Festival. None of us expected to win, so we made a pack together, that we were going to make the best of the whole festival and have lots of fun," reminisces Lydia Wallace Walden. "During rehearsals for the coronation, Mrs. Lena Mae Rogers was showing everyone where to go on stage, if your name was called as queen or a runner-up. Well, we didn't think we were going to win, so we weren't paying attention. Imagine our surprise and horror, at being called as the three winners. We had no idea what we were suppose to do, because we didn't pay attention during rehearsal. If it hadn't been for our friends, who were in the stage band, and seated below the stage, coaxing us, as we walked, we'd never made it through the ending of coronation! We all still laugh about the episode and it taught all of us to pay attention to directions!"

"And, I must insert how much grace that Mrs. Lena Mae Rogers taught all of us," exclaims Lydia. "She taught us the exact way to 'curtsy,' gracefully and how to present ourselves as young ladies. That built confidence and was valuable experience for representing Hopkins County in other pageants around Northeast Texas. I also remember Bill Taylor, Bruce Fielden, Mrs. B.F. Ashcroft, Lynda Hager, and Regina Martin, accompanying me as a chaperone to the many out-of-town events, during my reign!"

"As queen some of my favorite memories included all of the pageants and places that I got to attend, and represent Hopkins County," reflects Lydia. "The Gilmer Yamboree, like so many others, was definitely a unique experience. I remember them mailing a pencil sketch of a 'Madam Butterfly' costume to my home, that my Mom had to make. We had to go to Tyler and purchase the special material and notions, then my Mother spent hours cutting out the pattern on newspapers, until she got one that would work, once she pinned it to my body!"

"I really enjoyed the 'East Texas Queen's Day' at the State Fair of Texas," states Lydia. "We were treated like royalty, all over the fair grounds and met many other young ladies from all across the state!"

Lydia Wallace is shown with her parents, M.E. Wallace and
the late Elsie Wallace, after winning the 1980 Dairy Festival Crown.

"There were many, many events to attend all across East Texas, and my parents or my uncle and aunt, Clyde and Gloria Brewer, from Pickton, attended with me," reflects Lydia. "Of course there weren't cell phones back in 1980, so my aunt and uncle accompanied me to the State Fair, because my Dad didn't want me driving to Dallas alone!"

Lydia Wallace graduated from Sulphur Springs High School, in May of 1981, on a Thursday night and began college the next Monday morning. By taking "overloads" of course material and CLEPTing out of several courses, she was able to complete her college work in 2 3/4 years. While in college she met Eric Walden of Commerce, and they were married, while she was attending college.

With a B.S. degree in elementary education, Lydia began a teaching career that continues today. She's taught kindergarten, first grade, fourth and fifth grade, Gifted/Talented courses, ESL, and what she calls her "first love," art and music. She has taught in the Mt. Vernon, Sulphur Springs, Rowlett, and Como-Pickton School Districts. She has also served as an elementary and junior high school principal at Como-Pickton CISD. She currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Federal/Special Programs for Como-Pickton.

Lydia notes that her greatest accomplishment in life has been the successful rearing of her and Eric's four children, Eric Walden II and his wife Danna, of Chandler, Texas; Jordan Walend and new wife, Katie, of Walfe City, Texas; Micah Walden, a junior at Harding University, in Searcy, Arkansas; and Chesley Walden, a sophomore at PJC, planning to transfer in January to Harding University.

"It has not been easy supporting four children, close in age, through college," exclaims Lydia. "At times, we've had three of them in class at the same time, but we're working on getting everyone graduated and my children are truly the joy of my life. And, 'real light of my life' is my grandson, Eric Walden III. He can get away with things the kids know better than to even attempt!"

Lydia and Eric now life in Commerce and she commutes daily to Como-Pickton CISD, where she also is a representative and ambassador for the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce and fulfills other leadership positions, that she credits Dairy Festival preparing her for, years ago.

Meanwhile, as Lydia wore the Dairy Festival Queen crown, the Hopkins County Commissioner's Court was contemplating building a new jail and oil had been discovered in the Northwestern portion of Hopkins County. The St. James Roman Catholic Parish in Sulphur Springs was celebrating its centennial and the city of Sulphur Springs was having "water woes."

Ron Wooley, County Agent, stated that the local dairy industry added $100 million to the local economy in 1980, in milk production, cattle and calf sales. There were 477 Grade-A dairy farms in the county and over 48,000 dairy cows, twice as many cows as people. However, inflation that was raging about the nation, threatened to affect the local dairy industry, as well, with dairy inputs of feed, forage, equipment, and other basic needs, expected to "squeeze" the profit margin somewhat in the comming year!

Lydia Wallace Walden, today, is married and the mother of
four adult children, and has a career as the Assistant Superintendent
at Como-Pickton CISD. She also volunteers as a Hopkins County
Chamber of Commerce Ambassador.

"It was great to represent Hopkins County and Sulphur Springs as their official Dairy Festival Queen," related Lydia Wallace Walden. "I'm extremely excited about the 50th Anniversary celebration in June 2009, and look forward to visiting with other queens and representing my era of the Dairy Festival history, during this extraordinary event!"