Finding a campus job to help pay for your education is pretty common among Baylor students, but Neill Coker Morris had perhaps the most uncommon campus job of all — milking the cows on the university dairy farm!
Morris’ story starts with Professor T.H. Claypool.
Imagine running an entire university department on your own. Well, that is exactly what Professor T. H. Claypool did at Baylor University as the sole faculty member of the Department of Agriculture. As if Claypool didn’t already have enough on his plate, he also supervised the university-owned dairy farm and served as the resident supervisor of various student dorms.
During his years at Baylor, Claypool befriended the Morris family. The father, Robert M. Morris, was also a dairy farmer. As several of his sons had attended Baylor, the two dairy farmers and their families became fast friends.
When it came time for the youngest, Neill Coker Morris, to attend Baylor, he and the Claypools devised a deal. In 1922, Neill, alongside his mother, arrived at Baylor and moved into a home on the dairy farm where they lived for free in exchange for their work.
Morris received 15 cents an hour for his service. At first, he was only responsible for making deliveries, but eventually, he started milking the cows. The milk they produced was primarily used to supply the Baylor dining halls.
Morris remained in the position for two years. Shortly after, the farm was abandoned as it became less expensive for Baylor to buy commercial products.
But while his work on the farm may have come to an end, Morris’ work at Baylor was nowhere near finished. He went on to work the campus grounds, then at the physical plant before eventually qualifying as a boiler fireman.
Morris graduated in 1927. He joined the Baylor staff as assistant director of the physical plant, eventually becoming the director, and retired in 1974. But even after his retirement, he maintained an office on campus and held the title of “advisor to plant operations.”
