Glenn Drowns-Excerpt from the​ SPPA Breeders Directory 2005-2006

I struggled to find information for this piece. I am a history buff and felt we needed to document our beginnings to better chart our growth. When I first took over the job of Secretary-Treasurer I was regularly receiving mail wanting to know about this “new” organization. In some ways we are “new” as we had a nearly ten year period in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when little, if anything was taking place with the SPPA. I must confess that I became discouraged and dropped out for a year in the late 1980’s when I didn’t receive any directories or newsletters. I am sure that there are many individuals out there who hold a grudge and will never rejoin us because of this inactive period. Sad, but true, our organization declined at the same time as the rapid drop in numbers of rare poultry.

I remember as a high school and college student living in Idaho in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s I dreamed of the day when I would be able to have a permanent location to establish preservation flocks of some rare breeds. I scanned the Breeders Directories and took note of people I would contact once I was established. I didn’t feel that time was critical on many of the items that interested me, in fact, many of the rare turkeys that I wanted were available commercially. I moved to Iowa in 1984 and was without poultry for 4 years while I searched for my own farm. I closed on the farm where I now live a week before Christmas, 1988. I spent my Christmas vacation (I am a teacher) unpacking and working on my dilapidated barn to be ready for spring and poultry. I dug out all my old notes and started writing letters and making calls. Time after time I heard the same old story: either someone had died and relatives either killed or sold the birds, or the individuals had lost interest and disposed their flocks. I became more and more convinced that the SPPA should not die and that we needed to do something before it was too late for the genetic diversity of poultry. The following is information that I gleaned from the bulletins that I received from 1976 through 1986, which is the last bulletin (I think) published prior to my becoming Secretary-Treasurer. The first account came from the back of the 1973 Directory, the first ever printed and commonly called the yellow book by those who were involved.

Much credit is due Neil Jones for the origin of the SPPA in the Spring of 1967. His awareness of the serious situation of rare breeds caused him to write an article that appeared in the Poultry Press. He stressed that some breeds were either on the verge of extinction or urgently in need of dedicated attention by breeders to exhibit and improve the breeds. This ultimately led to the creation of the SPPA. Unfortunately, Neil was doing most of the work without the aid of an organization to coordinate responsibilities. In July, 1967 Poultry Press Loyl Stromberg further emphasized the critical situation, emphasizing the sad plight of too few dedicated breeders specializing in a breed for ultimate improvement. The article received considerable publicity and helped increase awareness of these needs.

Without an organization to back him, Neil Jones finally resigned in the spring of 1971, thereby likely ending the SPPA. In the Fall of 1971, Loyl Stromberg announced a meeting to save the SPPA, to be convened at the famous Apache Plaza Show in Minneapolis in October. At the meeting, sufficient interest in continuing the organization led to the election of officers to meet outlined objectives. Those who attended the reorganization meeting were: Herman Curtis, Juneau, WI; R.E. Lineness, Burnsville MN; Thane Earl, Whitewater, WI; Marvin Guenther, Mt. Holly, PA; Mr. and Mrs. Arden Miller, Norwalk, IA; Charles Frederich, Verdigree, NE; Richard Fox, Montour, IA; Myron Beulow, Blooming Prairie, MN; Robert Vaugh, Red Cloud, MN; Duane Urch, Owatonna, MN; Mr. and Mrs. Burton Scripture, Geneva, MN; Mr. and Mrs. Dale Branderhorst, Blooming Prairie, MN; Dr. L.S. Norden, St. Paul, MN; Robert Delancey, York, PA; Bob McLean, Oranaco, MN; and Loyl Stromberg, Fort Dodge IA.

The following individuals have served as president of the organization: Thane Earle 1971-1978, Marion Nash 1978, Duane Urch 1979-1986, Russell Bodwell 1987-1988?, Duane Urch 1989?-1996, Craig Russell 1996-2021, David Swaim 2021-present.