Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?

"History of TTPs is Told by One of Original Members!"

"Club was organized in 1924 to foster college spirit." After losing a football game it was determined that there was a need for an organization to instill more school spirit. Spurgeon Jones was one of the first "Ten Tarleton Peppers." (J-TAC, August 13, 1932)

According to Spurgeon Jones, the first meeting was in the wee hours of the morning just before dawn, following the loss of the football game. "It is our aim to further every ideal for which Tarleton stands. Just before the next game, banners bearing inscriptions as "Fight, Tarleton, Fight," "Beat Grubbs," etc., appeared about the campus during the night, and...Tarleton won the game!"

"For the remainder of the year the club functioned without a faculty adviser but with the approval of the administration. In 1925 the club elected its officers and Mr. Westcourt as faculty adviser." The first members, shown above, were Hugh Killin (president), Leonard Behrns, Abbie Joe Downing, Jim Durham, Jake Hamon, Irvin Hollinger, Spurgeon Jones, Wayne Rider, Root Story, and Joe Worthy. They pledged to keep their identities unknown so that any good the club should do would be credited to the student body and athletic teams. No freshmen were eligible for the limited membership of ten, and only those approved by the administration were admitted. No dates were set for meetings, but they should occur after midnight.

A few years later the sister organization, Ten Tarleton Sisters (TTS), emerged. Members shown above were Merle Blackstock (president), Lucile Kyle, Eunice Florence, Dora Toepperwein, Erline Winfield, Nevelyn Williamson, and four unknowns. The TTP and TTS, the oldest organizations on campus, evolved into what is now the Purple Poo.

Several publications state that the TTP began in 1921, and the TTS began in 1923. Because the members were kept secret, those years could be correct. The first photo of the TTP to appear, shown above, was in the 1925 Grassburr, and corresponds to the August 13, 1932 J-TAC article by original member Jones. The first TTS photo shown above appeared in the 1928 Grassburr.

The October "A Co-Ed's Diary" section of the 1925 Grassburr states "that old Tarleton spirit is once more reigning in full sway over the campus. The student body awoke this morning to find staring them in the face, huge signs with "On Ye Tarleton" and "Fight, Plowboys, Fight" on them. On every tree there are nailed small placards with inspiring words printed on them. I never have known such an intense feeling to exist in this school before. Everyone seems wrought up to the highest pitch. I already have a premonition that Tarleton will have the State Title in Football this year."

Well, that did come to pass, maybe not in the Fall of 1924, but the January 14, 1926 J-TAC states that Tarleton was awarded the 1925 Junior College Championship Football trophy!

"On Ye Tarleton Spirit"