Alumnus leaves legacy
By Elissa Rager, Katy, Texas
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In the Oklahoma State University Animal Science Building stands a bronze bull statue representing generations of livestock judgers. Behind the statue hangs a series of pictures of historic judging teams that left marks in the history books, and now, one member is leaving a legacy for judgers to come.
Raymond Glasscock, originally from Luther, Okla., was a member of the 1926 livestock judging team, coached by Al Darlow , that won the national title at the Chicago International Livestock Exposition. The success of this team, as well as the 1925 and 1928 teams, ensured the traveling bronze statue of a bull would have a permanent home at the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College.
Glasscock and his wife, Jane, have given a $288,000 endowment for the livestock judging team to the OSU Foundation. The interest from the donation was first used for the 2005-06 livestock judging team.
According to the OSU Foundation, an endowment is an amount of money given to the university with a stipulation the funds are invested to earn annual interest, rather than spent immediately. A portion of the annual earnings is used for development or support of OSU programs. The rest of the earnings are reallocated back into the fund's principal to ensure the endowment continues to grow and yield more interest for future support.
One such supporter of the animal science department is Robert Totusek, a retired OSU animal science department head and livestock judging coach. He said he respects what the Glasscocks have done.
"It was very easy to discern that he held a high regard for the livestock judging program, which is now very obvious after his endowment," Totusek said.
According to the OSU Foundation and OSU animal science professor and scholarship coordinator Steve Damron, the Glasscocks' funds for the livestock judging team are allocated for workout and contest expenses, which helps defray out-of-pocket costs for the coach and team members.
"This is a tremendous benefit to the livestock judging team, especially with costs on the rise," said Mark Johnson, associate professor and livestock judging team coach.
Milford Jenkins, former OSU Foundation senior director of development, worked with Don Wagner, animal science department head, and the Glasscocks to create the endowment in the early 1990s.
The endowment was originally set up to provide $100,000, and those involved were thrilled by the Glasscocks' final decision to donate more than twice that amount. This is the largest endowment given for a specific judging team.
When Wagner and his colleagues would visit the Glasscocks, Raymond Glasscock always asked about any news in the department, how the livestock team was doing and about the bronze bull.
In the university's early years, a long-standing rivalry existed between the agricultural students and the engineering students, which often led to the temporary disappearance of the bronze bull statue.
Wagner and Damron said the bull was stolen several times because of the rivalry. Once it was even found buried in the Edmon Low Library lawn after missing for "quite some time." In one occurrence, the statue disappeared for several years before an anonymous tip led to its discovery in a creek bed in eastern Oklahoma.
Today, the bull is a permanent fixture in the Animal Science Building, which was constructed in 1982. Jack and Bryan Stout, who earned Bachelor of Science degrees in 1955 and 1984, respectively, built a podium for the bull using bricks from the old Animal Husbandry Building.
Raymond Glasscock was a 1927 OAMC graduate, receiving a bachelor's in animal science livestock operations. He later received a master's from West Virginia University in 1929 and a doctoral degree in biochemistry and animal dietary from the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1941.
According to OSU Archives, Raymond Glasscock was a member of the Aggie Society for three years and a member of Block and Bridle for two. In his senior year, Glasscock was in Alpha Zeta, a national agricultural honor fraternity, where he served as treasurer. He lived in the agricultural experiment station on campus while attending OAMC, according to the 1924-1927 student directory.
After graduation from OAMC, he was manager for W.G. Skelly Hereford Ranch in Tulsa, Okla., and worked for Wilson & Co. Inc. in Kansas City as a salesman from 1933 to 1938. He taught at West Virginia University, the University of Florida, the University of Missouri, North Carolina State College and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Jane Glasscock attended the University of Missouri and graduated with a journalism degree in 1930. She was the editor for the Oklahoma Rancher Magazine. The Glasscocks were married for 66 years before he died in 2000 and she died in 2003.
Thanks to the Glasscocks' support, the OSU livestock judging team will continue to reap the benefits of their generosity for years to come.
OSU has won the national livestock judging team title 15 times, including its most recent win in 2005. By earning 4,776 points, the team set a team total record, receiving more points than any other team in the 106-year history of the national championship contest.
"Livestock judging is a tremendously valuable experience for any student to go out for," Totusek said.
The livestock judging team participates in shows from Denver to Louisville, Ky., and from San Antonio to Austin, Minn. They attend 11 contests and visit more than 75 purebred and feeding operations throughout the year to help them prepare. The national championship contest is held in Louisville, Ky., at the North American International Livestock Exposition every November.
"The endowment is greatly appreciated by the team, as it will greatly reduce our costs and aid in our quest for a national championship," said Alex Tolbert, animal science senior and 2006 livestock judging team member.
As students pass the bronze bull statue, they are reminded and can appreciate the legacy the Glasscocks left.
"The Glasscocks wanted to leave a legacy to benefit things they enjoyed most in their lives," Wagner said.
To make OSU donations, call the OSU Foundation at 800-662-4678.
