Barnyard Innovator: N.B. Finley visits Four States Fair

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

83-year-old N.B. Finley, center, enjoys petting a miniature horses, just one of the many "touchable" animals at the Four States Fair's barnyard. Finley's presence at this year's fair was memorable for many who remember his involvement with the barnyard decades ago. -- Staff photo by Montgomery

October 23, 2003 -- The magic of children and baby animals playing together is something to see.

For many children, they never get to play or pet a baby animal; but thanks to a agriculture teacher's dream, children attending the Four States Fair in Texarkana have the opportunity to get head-to-head, hand-to-hair, and most importantly, have fun at the N.B. Finley Barnyard.

N.B. Finley, now 83-years-old, was a young, just-beginning ag teacher at Texas High in the 1960s when the ideal was formed to have a petting barnyard for the kids at the fair.

"People at the fair didn't have anything like this is the '60s and didn't really know anything about it. They really needed something like this for the kids." Finley explained.

In 1961, the first petting barnyard began underneath a tent at the fairgrounds.

"We only had baby calves and chickens, but the kids got to pet them," Finley said. "It was fun to watch and it was all for the kids."

Each year during the fair, the Texas High FFA students are there to help - from watching over the baby animals to encouraging a reluctant kid with his first experience of petting a calf.

Even after Finley retired from teaching, other ag teachers stepped to the plate and continued the barnyard feature at the fair.

In 1985, the fair moved from Texarkana, Texas, to Texarkana, Ark., but the move didn't affect the barnyard. People continue coming and bringing their children for the unique experience.

Until 1987, the barnyard animals and visitors gathered underneath at tent, then Texas High ag teacher L.A. Wright, along with some former ag students, built the barn which continues to provide shelter and a gathering site.

"Everything needed for the barn was donated," Wright cited.

For 30 years, Finley was a standout at the Four States Fair barnyard, but at this year's event he shared, "I just couldn't stay up until 1 (a.m.) and then get up at 6 (a.m.)."

So, for about 10 years, Finley stayed away from the fair. During this time, the barnyard went through some changes. One major change was among the animals. The little pigs, chicks, bunnies, and calves were replaced with more exotic animals in the bardyard (SUCH AS...).

"It was not what I had envisioned," Finley said. "Don't get me wrong. I am friends with the people who had the barnyard. But, I wanted kids to have the hands-on experience. They couldn't pet anything that was here. They didn't have the little kids in mind."

And for some kids, who had grown up with the barnyard, the change was hard. One individual stated "he just couldn't go into the barn. It just wasn't the same."

With the fair board's hopes of getting back to agriculture, the barnyard concept that many had grown up with, was revised.

This year, Wright, now the Atlanta I.S.D. ag teacher, and his son Adam, manage the fair's barnyard. Each night of the 10-day fair, Atlanta FFA students helped in the barnyard, and once again squeals could be heard - not only from the baby pigs, but from children enjoying petting, feeding, and holding the animals.

And, for four nights of the fair, Finley sat close by to enjoy the laughter and fellowship with fair-goers. Many people would stop and ask, "Mr. Finley, is that you? How are you? Do you remember me? Well, I was in your class."

To watch a child's face light up with awe is what one man's vision has become, one again.

"It's been wonderful to watch," Finley concluded.