John T. Barret Photograph Collection, 1922-1924 (bulk 1924) (VAC340)

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/1853/21232

Biography of John T. Barret

John Thomas Barret (09 October 1903-20 December 1979), of Fort Smith, Arkansas, entered Georgia Tech in the fall of 1922. Originally slated to be a member of the class of 1926, Barret dropped out of school for a while. After returning to Tech, he graduated in 1929 with a degree in civil engineering.

While a student at Tech, Barret was on the honor roll and won the freshman oratorical medal. Barret also was a member of the track and cross country teams. In 1924, as a sophomore, Barret ran in and won the Cross Country Run, better known as the Cake Race.

The 1924 Cake Race had approximately 600 men competing for 132 cakes baked and decorated by faculty wives and sponsors. Barret won this race, setting a new time record of 18 minutes, 44 seconds. He was well ahead of the other runners--approximately 50 yards in front of his nearest competitor. As the winner Barret got his pick of cakes, although it was suggested to him to choose the cake made by the race sponsor Miss Mary Lamar Knight. Barret also received a gold medal and a varsity "T."

In 1939, Barret married Salome Meister. Barret served in the Army during World War II and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel. He is buried, alongside his wife, in the Fort Smith (Arkansas) National Cemetery.

Description

The John T. Barret Photograph Collection contains three images of Barret's freshman dorm room and eight images of the 1924 Cake Race. All but three of the photographs are copy photos, and all are black and white. On the back of each of the eight copy photographs there are detailed notes written by Barret. The notes include information not only about the images, but also about Barret's state of mind, his roommates, and friends, including Walt Mitchell, Randolph Allen, Mary Lamar Knight, and Martha Morrow.

Finding Aid

A detailed inventory of the John T. Barret Collection can be found at http://www.library.gatech.edu/archives/finding-aids/display/xsl/VAC340.

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Display of cakes made by faculty wives and sponsors

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 1924-03-08) Barret, John T.
John T. Barret in cake race, near the finish, on Grant Field

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 1924-03-08) Barret, John T.
Start of cake race, on Grant Field

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 1924-03-08) Barret, John T.
John T. Barret after cake race, in street clothes and with his cake

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 1924-03-08) Barret, John T.

Georgia Tech Freshman Cross Country Run, March 8, 1924. Picture of John T, Barret, sophomore, Class of 1926, winner of the race at 18 minutes, 44 I seconds. Shown here with his cake and after shower and resumption of his usual student attire. He stands at the Southeast corner of Shack No, 1, his regular domicile during last half of his sophomore year. He is wearing W.W.I G.I. shoes and parts of his R.O.T.C. uniform. Cake by Miss Mary Lamar Knight which she personally presented him as sponsor of the race. It is sad that in those early times the winner did not receive a kiss from the sponsor, as well as her cake, which became customary twenty years or so later. Note the neglected appearance of his GI shoes. At Tech Barret considered shining his everyday shoes a waste of time and an "interference" with his studies. Later while in the Army during WWII he was issued 2 pair of GI shoes. Because of early difficulties with Saturday morning inspections he adopted the policy of reserving one particular pair as his "inspection" shoes which he would wear only at inspections and parades. These he kept in a high state of polish, even polishing them at times when they really didn't need it. The other pair were always worn as everyday shoes and he maintained them as time permitted by cleaning and polishing them practically every day. There came a time of almost continuous rain for a full week. It was impossible to keep shoes in decent condition, even if you wore them on alternate days, making honest efforts each day to clean and polish the pair not being worn. At Saturday's Inspection there were few decent looking shoes. The Inspecting Officer looked over Pfc. Barret real good, then remarked: "Those shoes have the appearance of those of a real soldier."
John T. Barret with Mary Lamar Knight, sponsor of race, with his cake prize

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 1924-03-08) Barret, John T.

GEORGIA TECH FRESHMAN CROSS COUNTRY RUN; Grant Field, Saturday Afternoon, March 8, 1924. Won by John T. Barret, sophomore, Class of 1926. (He later dropped out of school and did not graduate until June, 1929.) Here we see the hero in all his glory, receiving at the hands of Miss Mary Lamar Knight, 104 Ginwood Place, Atlanta, Phone Hemlock 563 5-W, sponsor of the race, the winner's cake which Miss Knight prepared herself with her own white hands. Miss Knight, member of the Atlanta Junior League and Debutnat's Club, was far above this Yo-Ho from Crawford County, Arkansas, and was terrified when his Inspector 'Little Six" Carpenter, a member of Koseme, advised him later in the day that, not only must he address to Miss Knight a note of gratitude and appreciation for the delicious cake, but he must politely request a date of her. After a three day emotional struggle with his timidity around girls, Barret called Miss Knight for a date which she graciously granted to his great surprise. He rode her on the Ponce de Leon streetcar from her home to the Howard Theater and back, - something over two miles each way, - and after the show he provided her with light refreshments at a neighborhood drugstore. Throughout this social occasion Miss Knight was uniformly cordial, friendly, understanding and sympathetic. Feeling himself intruding into the true Royalty of Atlanta society, Barret did not ask Miss Knight for a second date, though she urged him to do so when he left her at her door. He even neglected to make any effort to kiss her goodnight. One of the Atlanta papers published a picture of our hero and Miss Knight in a group with Miss Catherine Cannady and Miss Corday Rice, also of the Atlanta Junior League and Debutant's Club.
John T. Barret in cake race, approaching the finish line on Grant Field

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 1924-03-08) Barret, John T.

Georgia Tech Freshman Cross Country, March 8th, 1924. A side-rear picture of John T. Barret, sophomore, Class of 1926, as he approached the finish line. The finish line was actually a sort of cattle chute that served to keep in line those finishing, in the order they came in. Members of the Koseme Society in charge of the race entered position number on the cards attached to the garments, whatever they were, worn by each runner. This was done to expedite selection of cakes by runners in the order they came in. Barret is wearing an underwear of shirt and trunks. Upon arrival at the Tech campus all his underwear consisted of B. V. D. 's, so when he started training as a freshman in January 1923, he had to go downtown and buy this special 2-piece suit of underwear a considerable expense for a freshman living in the shacks whose monthly allowance was $5.00 plus the required $18.75 for board, room and laundry. He wore this 2-piece suit of underwear from January, 1923, through the period of the Birmingham Road Race in the winter of 1923, and in the spring of 1924 until he was included in the varsity track team during April, when he was issued a regular Track Team uniform. President T. S. Blackman of the Koseme Society escorted Barret to the cakes layed out in the West Stands, and privately suggested he select a cake considerably decorated with icing. This was the cake prepared by Miss Mary Lamar Knight, sponsor of the race. For the benefit of press photographers, Miss Knight posed, presenting Barret with the cake. She was accompanied by Miss Catherine Cannady and Ms. Corday Rice.
John T. Barret in cake race, approaching the finish line on Grant Field

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 1924-03-08) Barret, John T.

GEORGIA TECH FRESHMAN CROSS COUNTRY RUN; Held Saturday Afternoon March 8, 1924 At Grant Field; Course - from Grant Field to the Lucky Street Waterworks and Return. Estimated distance 3-1/2 Miles. A picture of the winner, John T. Barret, sophomore of the class of 1926, from Fort Smith, Arkansas. Time 18 minutes, 44 seconds lowering previous record of 18 minutes, 55 seconds set in 1922 by Horace Moore, class of 1923. Second Hertwell P. Barton, class of 1925, third Ben B. Peacock, class of 1927. If Hertwell Barton hadn't pushed Barret, who was in the lead, all the way from the intersection of Fowler and 10th Street to the finish, Barret wouldn't have won this race. As it was Barret was 4/5ths dead by the time he reached the cattle chute where "Little Six" Carpenter waited to ease his collapsing body to the ground. Coming down the track from the fence gate to the chute Barret could see nothing but the heavy gold sweater with the big white "T", the football varsity letter worn by Six Carpenter. Undoubtedly greater and more thrilling races have been won on Grant Field, but the winner of none had exhausted all but the last erg, - you know, its in Physics, - of his energy, as Barret certainly felt he had done. Eighteen years later during W. W. II , a drill sergeant double-timed Barret's Cadre School platoon some two miles. This was punishment for a lousy drill. To Barret it was fun.
John T. Barret in cake race, near the finish, on Grant Field

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 1924-03-08) Barret, John T.

Georgia Tech Freshman Cross Country, March 8, 1924. Picture of the winner John T. Barret, sophomore, Class of 1926 (later he dropped out of school and did not graduate from Tech until June, 1929.) This is an angle shot of Barret just before entering the cattle chute at which he was first to arrive, followed by Hertwell P. Barton, second, and Ben B. Peacock, third. Barret isn't really conscious. All he knows is he had to win this race no matter what. He had to win a varsity letter because his roommate last year was Walter M. Mitchell, Senior Inspector of Shack No. 1, and Walt had no less than five varsity letters. So Barret felt he had to get at least one letter so Walt wouldn't be ashamed of his former freshman roommate. However a more personal inspiration was his high school girlfriend Martha morrow, who attended Goucher College, at the time, and with whom he corresponded regularly. Her sweet and lovely face with it's beautiful auburn hair, was ever before his eyes all during the race. Here also he had to win for HER, that he might receive the smile of her congratulations; that she might think well of him and remember him even in that crowd of Yankee snakes and lounge lizards in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D. C.
Interior view of Shack #1, Room #3, with table, books, and drafting boards

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 1922) Barret, John T.

The study table in Room 3, Shack No. 1, Barrett's trunk is under it. The table was the best and largest table in either shack. Someone built or otherwise procured it in previous years. It wasn't in our room when school opened in the fall of 1922. However, Mitch had known about it, having seen and admired it the previous year. Having arrived on campus early in the fall on account of early football practice, and knowing where this table was located in one of the dormitories, as soon as he arrived he instructed a couple of wouldbe Freshmen to assist him in moving it into our room 3, Shack No. 1, in exchange for the dinky 2-1/2 X 3-1/2 foot table common to all shack rooms. Drafting boards on the table were being used by Barret and Allen at time this picture was taken.
Interior view of Shack #1, Room #3, with wardrobe, wash basin, stove, and chairs

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 1922) Barret, John T.

Another picture of the lefthand corner of Room 3, Shack No. 1, as you enter from the hall. It is somewhat clearer and shows better detail. The chairs were for study and bull sessions late at night after study. The third man had to sit on Walt's bunk, or pull Barret's trunk from under the study table and sit on it. That was generally Barret. These bull sessions were not real bull sessions at all. Walt Mitchell was a distinguished athlete, president of his senior class, member of practically every honor society on the campus and head of his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. He had much information, advice and counsel to convey to us and we profited by it. However, Walt was not too often with us. He was frequently at his fraternity house at night, or courting Ethel Nhile (?) (spelling) whom he married along about 1926-27. It took him that long to save up enough to get married with a reasonable prospect of providing Ethel with necessary food, clothing, and some decent furniture.

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