COLLEGE FARM BOYS REUNION
SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Huntsville, TX
August 11-12, 2006
Old Main |
The first College Farm Boys Reunion was held August 11th and 12th, 2006 at Sam Houston State University. Events began with a social on Friday evening at The Sam Houston State Hotel on campus. Saturday there was golf for golfers and a tour for non-golfers. The tour included a trip to the Gibbs Ranch and the on campus agriculture facilities, as well as a visit to the old Country Campus. Approximately 150 former college farm boys and guests attended a banquet held at the Walker County Fair Grounds that evening. Everyone in attendance had a great time. The program was filled with crazy CFB stories about things that happened on the college farms during their time at Sam Houston State. |
 Farm managers from the 1940’s to 1984 were honored. They included: John Spivey, John Snelgrove, and Ray Warren. A plaque was presented to Sue Folk, daughter of Mr. Spivey, in his memory. Special designed jackets were given to Mr.Snelgrove and Mr. Warren. Kay Snelgrove-Peck, John Snelgrove’s daughter, was made an honorary college farm boy member.We want to have another reunion soon to include CFB’s from 1984 to present. If you know any of those individuals, please send us an email, call, or write. The email, telephone and address for the CFB’s is on this web site (just click on contact us). We have about 50 names at present. Some have addresses, etc.
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PROGRAM |
|
Invocation |
Ben Bullard |
Dinner |
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Opening Remarks |
Dale Barbee |
In the Beginning |
Don Knotts |
Introduction of Guests |
Eddie Smith |
Speaker |
Dr. Bobby Lane, Chair Department of Agricultural Sciences, SHSU |
World Class Golf Results |
Arvel Rotan |
CFB's Remembered |
Bill Miller |
Farm Manager Honorees |
James Barbee |
Honorary Member |
Harvey Kahlden |
Door Prizes |
James Kapalski |
Closing Remarks |
Lloyd Wirt |
Since the reunion in August, John Snelgrove passed away. We are pleased he was able to come to the reunion. He said the reunion was a fine party. Kay said John was so proud of his jacket that he did not want to take it off. CFB’s that worked at the farms under John will always remember him. |
Honorees
John Spivey was a native of Graham. After qualifying to teach vocational agriculture from Texas A & M, he taught vocational agriculture in the Sherman Public School System and served as manger of the Sherman Chamber of Commerce. He moved to Huntsville in 1937 to assume the duties of dairy farm manager at Sam Houston State Teachers College. Later he became an associate professor and taught in the Agriculture Department. Mr. Spivey was an ardent supporter of The Huntsville Chamber of Commerce’s dairying program for Walker County. He served for many years on the board of directors of the Walker County Fair Association. He took a personal interest in every young man who worked under him at the college dairy. In 1961 the Spivey House, a dorm for single men, was named in his honor. Mr. Spivey gave untiringly of his time to the FFA, 4H, and the Boy Scouts of America. In recognition of his devoted service to the young people of Texas and through his work at Sam Houston, we posthumously honor John R. Spivey, Dairy Farm Manager, 1937-1954. |
| John Spivey |
| John J. Snelgrove |
John Snelgrove was reared in Kildare and graduated from Kildare High School in 1939. He entered Sam Houston State Teacher’s College in 1939, but was called to service in the U.S. Army in 1940. John was captured by the German soldiers and held as a prisoner of war for 19 months. After his release from the Army, he returned to college and completed a B.A. in 1947 and M.A. in 1950. In 1947 he became the assistant farm manager at country campus and manager of all farm operations in 1954. He served as an assistant professor and taught Plant Science, Forestry, and Farm Shop. John was the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award in 1982. In 1995 he received the Soil and Water Conservation Award as Resident Conservation Rancher. After 37 years at Sam Houston Sate, John retired in 1984. |
Ray Warren grew up in the Riverside community north of Huntsville. He attended the Riverside Public School through the tenth grade. He transferred to Huntsville and graduated High School in 1943. He served in the Army from 1943 to 1945. He returned from the army and attended school financed by the Veteran’s Administration. Later, he worked for the Saint Louis Cardinal Baseball Organization. In 1956, after the Cardinals moved their training camp from Country Campus, he was named ranch foreman at the Country Campus Ranch. He was one of the founding fathers of the Country Campus Baptist Church that was attended by many farm boys. He says that the most enjoyable part of his job at Country Campus was putting up with College Farm Boys. Ray retired after 35 years of service at Sam Houston State University in 1991. He currently resides on his farm in Riverside. |
| Ray Warren |