HUNTSVILLE, TX---Former Sam Houston State University alumnus and agricultural professor Thomas Joseph “T.J.” Honeycutt, Class of ’48 and ’49, has been honored with an endowed scholarship established in his memory.
In addition, SHSU’s Agriculture Teacher Education Classroom in the Thomason Building will be named for Honeycutt, who also served as head teacher trainer.
Graham resident Glynn Gilliam, SHSU Class of ’56 and ’57, completed the agreement for the gift when he attended the Centennial Celebration of SHSU’s Department of Agricultural and Industrial Science in September. He said it was Honeycutt’s influence as a professor and life-long mentor that caused him and his wife, Martha, to establish the scholarship and provide funding for a classroom to be named in Honeycutt’s memory.
“Through the years, I grew to have great respect for him – not only as a friend, but probably as a mentor – and that contributed to my growth in the business world,” Gilliam said.
According to Gilliam, Honeycutt’s influence began when Gilliam entered SHSU as a freshman. Although he did not become acquainted with Honeycutt until several years later, Gilliam said he looked up to Honeycutt, who was then in his senior year and the president of Sam’s Collegiate Chapter of FFA.
Honeycutt began his career as a school teacher the next year. About the same time Gilliam served for two years in the Air Force in the Korean conflict before returning to SHSU to complete his degree. They were reunited when Gilliam was assigned for student teaching in the Marlin School District where Honeycutt was the agricultural teacher.
“By the time I got to Marlin, it was in the fall of 1955, and T.J. Honeycutt had already established a good reputation as one of the outstanding vocational ag teachers in the Vocational Educators Association,” Gilliam said.
“He was an excellent supervisor,” Gilliam continued. “Once we reviewed the lesson plans, etc., he got out of the way – satisfied that he knew we knew what we were doing.”
Although the men’s careers went in independent directions in different towns, Gilliam said they remained friends.
“When I went into the commercial banking business, it was in Marlin, and there was my friend Mr. T. J. Honeycutt,” Gilliam said. “We renewed our acquaintance and became close friends.”
Gilliam’s commercial banking career continued in Marlin, Eastland, Ranger and finally, Graham, and Honeycutt eventually left the public school’s classroom for the university, joining the Bearkat faculty in 1964, where he taught until his retirement in 1985.
Both men earned multiple degrees from SHSU. Honeycutt earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education. Gilliam earned a bachelor of science degree in agricultural education and a master of education degree.
Honeycutt was honored as an outstanding educator throughout his career by professional organizations that included: Texas Vocational Association, State and National FFA, and the Young Farmers of Texas Association.
In addition to Honeycutt’s extensive activities with the university and agriculture industry, he served 20 years on the Board of Directors of the Agriculture Workers Mutual Auto Insurance Company, in numerous community leadership roles and was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Huntsville until his death in 2008.
His wife, Hazel, still resides and is active in Huntsville and regularly joins retired SHSU agricultural faculty and staff for Monday morning coffee on campus.