Fwrsf.org
Title
Fort Worth Regional Science Fair
Description
The North Texas Region is the center of a highly industrialized area, which has attracted a concentration of research laboratories supported by the petroleum industry, aerospace industry, electronic technology companies, pharmaceutical corporations, producers of electric energy and a multitude of other industries which require technical and research personnel.
The Fort Worth Regional Science Fair was initiated in 1951-52. Seven North Texas counties were invited to participate in the Fair: Denton, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties. The first Fair was conducted in one of the exhibit halls of the Will Rogers Memorial Center as a small part of the Fort Worth Civitan Club Handicraft Show. It was sponsored by The Fort Worth Press (now defunct newspaper). Its editor, Walter Humphrey (deceased, 1971), spearheaded the Fair and served as an honorary advisory member of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Humphrey initially contacted his good friend Dr. Willis G. Hewatt, Chairman of the Biology Department of Texas Christian University, to direct and operate the Fair. The Fair was operated at Will Rogers Memorial Center until 1956.
Dr. Hewatt approached Convair (now Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Fort Worth) for technical and manpower volunteer support which led to the involvement of the Institute of Aeronautical Science (IAS) Technical Association Committee, and subsequent support from the Fort Worth Public School system and other industry.
Languages
English
