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Dick Penner

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Allen Richard "Dick" Penner (born 1936 in Chicago , Illinois ) is an American retired professor of English, who, while in college in 1955, co-composed, with Wade Lee Moore, "Ooby Dooby", which was recorded and released by Wade Moore and Rod Barkley. The song was later given away and became a rockabilly hit for Roy Orbison . Penner also had been a singer, guitar player, and recording artist.

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122-447: In 1956, Penner switched from country music to rock and roll. That same year, he and Wade Moore (born November 15, 1934, in Amarillo, Texas ) formed a duo and recorded for Sun Records . The duo was known as "Wade & Dick—The College Kids". Wade & Dick recorded three songs (with guitarist Don Gililland ), "Wild Woman", "Don't Need Your Lovin'", and "Bop Bop Baby", which was included on

244-446: A National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (NSF I/UCRC). It is primarily funded by industry members (which as of 2012 consist of 16 corporations) and universities (which as of 2012 consist of 5). The focus is developing computing models for the future—models that go beyond applications with preordained fixed capabilities—models capable of services that are dynamically created, verified, and validated in

366-748: A medical school in Fort Worth. In 1981, the university spun off its new medical school as its own independent institution under the UNT Board of Regents . In 2009, the University of North Texas at Dallas became its own independent institution. That same year, the Texas legislature approved the creation of University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law , opening in 2014 in Downtown Dallas as part of UNT Dallas . UNT and its three sister institutions are governed by

488-466: A skatepark west of the city. Amarillo's largest parks are Medical Park, Thompson Memorial Park, and Memorial Park, near Amarillo College's Washington Street Campus. From 1978 to 2002, the Junior League of Amarillo and the city of Amarillo's Parks and Recreation Department co-sponsored Funfest, a family entertainment festival, benefiting the city parks and the league's Community Chest Trust Fund. Funfest

610-542: A Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) by the U.S. Department of Education. UNT is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". It is designated an Emerging Research University (ERU) by the State of Texas. UNT is one of the four Texas universities supported by the Texas University Fund (TUF), which began with an initial funding of $ 3.9 billion and receives an annual allocation of $ 100 million as

732-587: A NetGain WarP 9 electric engine. As of 2016 , the Mean Green Machine has been re-equipped with a modified Model A engine after complications with the electric engine. McConnell Tower, the clock tower atop the Hurley Administration Building at the center of campus, is bathed in green light for victories. The clock is depicted on the official class ring with two different times on its faces: 1:00 (for

854-418: A Roy Orbison session was set at Sam Phillips' Sun Studio , 706 Union Avenue, Memphis and "Ooby Dooby" was released yet again on Sun 242. By June 1956, the single had climbed to number 59 on Billboard ' s Hot 100 and soon thereafter, sold over 250,000 copies. In 1986, Orbison recorded another version of the song and this version was featured in the movie Star Trek: First Contact as the favorite song on

976-561: A city sales tax, and it provides aggressive incentive packages to existing and prospective employers. In the mid-to-late 1990s, the AEDC gained notoriety by sending mock checks to businesses across the country, placing full-page advertisements in The Wall Street Journal , and paying an annual $ 1 million subsidy to American Airlines to retain jet service. The AEDC is largely responsible for bringing Bell Helicopter Textron's development of

1098-413: A collision course with Amarillo. The tornado, shortly after 8 pm, ripped through Amarillo's most densely populated areas, demolishing almost half of the city, causing catastrophic damage and loss of life. In 1951, the army air base was reactivated as Amarillo Air Force Base and expanded to accommodate a Strategic Air Command B-52 Stratofortress wing. The arrival of servicemen and their families ended

1220-465: A curfew bell from 1892 to 1928. The Talons, a spirit and service organization formed in 1960, acquired it in the 1964, mounted it on a wagon, and began the tradition of running it around the football field to rally fans. It was retired to the University Union in 1982 after it developed a crack. A similar 1,600 lb (730 kg) Spirit Bell is currently in use at games. A different organization by

1342-537: A department, Journalism eventually became part of the College of Arts and Sciences. The Graduate Division of Journalism began in the fall of 1970 under the direction of Reginald Conway Westmorland. In 1999, twelve years after the death of Frank W. Mayborn , its graduate program was renamed the Frank W. Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism. On September 1, 2009, the entire program was elevated as its own collegiate unit and named

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1464-701: A horse statue and a local artist paints on it. Two of the Amarillo area's higher education institutions have at least one museum in their campuses. The Amarillo Art Center [1] , opened in 1972, is a building complex with the Amarillo Museum of Art (AMoA) and concert hall located on the Washington Street Campus of Amarillo College. Located on the campus of West Texas A&M University, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum claims to be

1586-403: A median household income of $ 52,941 and per capita income at $ 28,274. An estimated 15.4% of the population lived at or below the poverty line . In 2020, there were 78,706 occupied households, out of which 26,945 were married couples living together, 4,327 had a female householder with no spouse present, and 1,858 were male householder, no spouse present. The age distribution of the city in 2020

1708-647: A permanent endowment with the goal of elevating these universities to the ranks of the nation's top institutions. The university's athletics teams are the North Texas Mean Green . Its sixteen intercollegiate athletic teams compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I . North Texas is a member of the American Athletic Conference . UNT's official school colors are Green and White and its mascot

1830-400: A psychology clinic and a speech and hearing clinic), and eight student services (of which seven are labs). UNT has been offering Bachelor of Science degrees for 107 years, Master of Science degrees (in biology, mathematics, chemistry, and economics) for 89 years, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in several scientific disciplines—including chemistry, biology, and physics—for 60 years. UNT is

1952-694: A sponsoring institution member (Ph.D.-granting) of Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), a consortium of 105 major research universities that leverage scientific research through partnerships with national laboratories, government agencies, and private industry. It has been a member of the consortium since 1954. The College of Business is host to five academic departments: (i) Accounting, (ii) Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Law, (iii) Information Technology and Decision Sciences, (iv) Marketing, Logistics, and Operations Management (v) Management. It offers seven undergraduate programs, fourteen M.B.A. and master of science programs, and six Ph.D. programs. In Fall 2011,

2074-402: A university sponsored fight song competition organized by Floyd Graham . He taught summers at North Texas from 1939 to 1942. The song, "Fight, North Texas," has endured for eighty-five years and the lyrics have changed minimally to reflect the name changes of the university. While serving as an associate professor at the University of Wyoming from 1946 to 1950, Stroup rewrote the lyrics for

2196-467: Is Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway , the state park is the home of the official Texas State Bison Herd, who were captured and taken care of by cattle rancher Charles Goodnight. Local millionaire Stanley Marsh 3 funded many public art projects in the city including the Cadillac Ranch , located west of Amarillo on Interstate 40 , a monument of painted Cadillac automobiles that were dug into

2318-603: Is 26:1 and 29.5 percent of its classes consist of fewer than 20 students. The most popular degrees for 2022 graduates are multi/interdisciplinary studies, psychology, general studies, biological sciences, exercise science , marketing, criminal justice, accounting, education, and finance. As of 2024, UNT has a student graduation rate of 60%, compared to the national median 4-year university student graduation rate of 58%. The fourteen colleges and schools of UNT: The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences houses 22 academic departments and programs and five public services (including

2440-723: Is Amarillo's only local museum to exclusively feature local history. Other notable museums in the area are the Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum and the English Field Air & Space Museum . The Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum features a collection of Native American artifacts and provides dance performances. The English Field Air & Space Museum, which had been operated by the Texas Aviation Historical Society featuring aircraft and space exhibits, in 2007 closed its doors and lost many of its aircraft. The museum

2562-605: Is an Eagle named Scrappy. The University of North Texas's main campus is situated in Denton , a town with a population of approximately 170,000, in the northern part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex , the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The university is part of the University of North Texas System and has expanded over the last forty-nine years. In 1975, the university acquired and subsequently developed

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2684-399: Is in its twentieth year as founding host of the annual Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. TAMS is a two-year residential early college entrance program that has, since 1987, served exceptionally qualified Texas students who otherwise would be attending high school as juniors and seniors. It was the first of its kind in the nation and, as of 2012 , the only in the state and one of five in

2806-567: Is located a 5-hour plus drive in Denton, TX despite there being a UU congregation in Amarillo it does not host a CUUPs chapter. Amarillo is considered the regional economic center for the Texas Panhandle, as well as Eastern New Mexico and the Oklahoma Panhandle. The meat packing industry is a major employer in Amarillo; about one-quarter of the United States' beef supply is processed in

2928-522: Is located in Denton, Texas , within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex . The main campus spans 963 acres, encompassing the academic district north of I-35E, the Eagle Point athletic district south of I-35E, and Discovery Park. UNT also has a branch campus, UNT at Frisco, which covers 100 acres in the Dallas suburb of Frisco . The University of North Texas is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and

3050-613: Is located near the middle of the Texas Panhandle . It does not share similar weather characteristics with south and east Texas . It is situated in the grasslands of the Texas Panhandle, and is surrounded by dense prairie. Amarillo is infamous for its unpredictable weather patterns, with massive temperature changes on a daily basis, raging winds, devastating hailstorms and "northers", long periods of drought, late frosts, spring tornadoes, dust-storms, and floods. Though urbanization, agricultural farming, and construction have taken place over

3172-441: Is no stranger to devastating tornadoes. Tornadoes have occurred in and around the city in 1968, 1970, 1982, 1986, 2001, 2007, and most recently in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The strongest tornado to ever hit Amarillo was a deadly F4 tornado that struck the city in the night time hours of May 15, 1949. Amarillo suffered a direct hit, causing catastrophic damage and loss of life in Amarillo's most densely populated areas. The tornado devastated

3294-421: Is now rebuilding its aircraft collection as Texas Air & Space Museum and is located on American Drive on the south side of the airport. Most of Amarillo's population growth and commercial development are occurring in the southern and northwestern parts of the city. Similar to many towns in the Texas Panhandle, the city's downtown has suffered economic deterioration throughout the years. To help revitalize it,

3416-484: Is organized in seven departments: Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology; Behavior Analysis; Criminal Justice; Emergency Management and Disaster Science (UNT purports that it was the first American university to offer such a program, having done so in 1983 ); Public Administration; Rehabilitation and Health Services; and Social Work. UNT and Texas Women's University began a joint Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) program in 2017. The College of Visual Arts and Design has

3538-591: Is situated in the Llano Estacado region. The availability of the railroad and freight service provided by the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad contributed to the city's growth as a cattle-marketing center in the late 19th century. Amarillo was once the self-proclaimed " Helium Capital of the World" for having one of the country's most productive helium fields. The city is also known as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" (as

3660-608: Is stored in the Bush Dome Reservoir at the Cliffside facility. Following the lead of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad established services to and from Amarillo. Each of these three carriers maintained substantial freight and passenger depots and repair facilities in the city through most of the 20th century and were major employers within

3782-841: Is the Canadian River , which divides the Western High Plains ecological region. The southern divide of the Western High Plains is the Llano Estacado or Staked Plains geographical region. The river is dammed to form Lake Meredith , a major source of drinking water in the Texas Panhandle region. The city is situated near the Panhandle Field, in a productive gas and oil area, covering 200,000 acres (81,000 ha) in Hartley , Potter, Moore , Hutchinson , Carson, Gray , Wheeler , and Collingsworth Counties. The Potter County portion had

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3904-448: Is to challenge exceptional students at higher levels and to promote leadership. The college is an autonomous collegiate unit on equal footing with the other collegiate units. Academically, it offers no degrees; but its courses are integrated with the baccalaureate programs of the other ten constituent colleges and the journalism school. Graduates are awarded a special medallion. Curricular journalism at North Texas dates back to 1945. As

4026-400: The 2000 U.S. census . In 2020, there were 76,778 households with an average of 2.57 people per household. Of the households, 60.8% lived in owner-occupied housing units and the median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $ 140,030. The median homeowner costs with a mortgage were $ 1,272 and without a mortgage $ 479. Amarillo had a median gross rent of $ 876 from 2016 to 2020. Amarillo had

4148-470: The Amarillo Botanical Gardens has gardens, indoor exhibits, and a library for visitation throughout the year. The Texas Pharmacy Museum claims to be the only Texas museum specialized in the research, collection, preservation, and exhibition of the history of pharmacy, is also located in the city's hospital district. Founded in 2013, by businessman Tom Warren, The Amarillo Historical Museum

4270-675: The American Quarter Horse breed. The organization is headquartered in Amarillo and has a museum. There is also an American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame exhibited in the museum. In addition, the AQHA and Center City of Amarillo co-sponsors the project, "Hoof Prints of the American Quarter Horse" which consist of horse statues located in front of several Amarillo businesses, such as the downtown Amarillo National building, Nationwide Insurance, and Edward Jones. An area business would purchase

4392-796: The Dory Funk wrestling family, former UFC Champions Heath Herring and Evan Tanner , astronaut Rick Husband , professional golfer Ryan Palmer, rockabilly pioneer Buddy Knox , actress Carolyn Jones , actress and dancer Cyd Charisse , actor and poet Harry Northup , State Senator Max Sherman , Republican state chairman Tom Mechler , politicians Beau Boulter and John Marvin Jones , businessman T. Boone Pickens, Jr. , singer-songwriter JD Souther , gambler Thomas " Amarillo Slim " Preston, soldier and interior decorator Clyde Kenneth Harris , and music artist and composer Terry Stafford ("Amarillo by Morning"; "Suspicion"). Singer Lacey Brown of Amarillo advanced to

4514-584: The National Association of Schools of Music . It has been among the largest music institutions of higher learning in North America since the 1940s. The music library , founded in 1941, has one of the largest music collections in the United States, with over 300,000 volumes of books, periodicals, scores, and approximately 900,000 sound recordings. North Texas was first in the world to offer a degree in jazz studies. U.S. News & World Report ranked

4636-565: The National Register of Historic Places reflect the economic growth from around 1900 to the start of World War II. Polk Street contains many of the city's historic downtown buildings and homes. The large historic homes on this street were built close to downtown, and homes were located on the west side of the street as a symbol of status because they would be greeted with the sunrise every morning. The city of Amarillo's Parks and Recreation Department operates over 50 municipal parks, including

4758-555: The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1924. As of 2020, the university was home to 37 research centers and institutes. UNT reached a record enrollment of 46,940 in the fall of 2023. It is the largest university in Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and third largest public university in the state of Texas. For the 2022 academic year, the university awarded 12,352 degrees. UNT awarded 315 Ph.D. degrees in fiscal year 2022. As of 2024, student-faculty ratio at UNT

4880-535: The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board included UNT as one of eight Emerging Research Institutions in its accountability system. In 2020, UNT achieved designation from the Department of Education as a Title III & Title V Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) and as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). In 2023, the state of Texas established the Texas University Fund (TUF) with

5002-523: The U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County . It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the most populous city in the Texas panhandle . A portion of the city extends into Randall County . The estimated population of Amarillo was 200,393 as of April 1, 2020, comprising nearly half of the population of the panhandle. The Amarillo metropolitan area had an estimated population of 308,297 as of 2020. The city of Amarillo, originally named Oneida,

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5124-455: The University of Colorado at Boulder . He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in English from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1965, whereupon, he became an instructor of English at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville . First marriage Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( / ˌ æ m ə ˈ r ɪ l oʊ / AM -ə- RIL -oh ; Spanish for " yellow ") is a city in

5246-499: The University of North Texas System , a system established in 1980 by the board of regents and legislatively recognized in 2003 by the 78th Texas Legislature . In 2004, UNT opened UNT Discovery Park – 300 acres (1.2 km ) – in north Denton, with technology incubator facilities dedicated to science and engineering. In 2011, the College of Visual Arts and Design launched the Design Research Center in downtown Dallas in

5368-459: The University of North Texas System , which includes additional universities in Dallas and Fort Worth . Established in 1890, UNT is one of the largest universities in the United States. As of Fall 2023, UNT reached a record enrollment with 46,940 students, making it the largest university in Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the third largest university in Texas , following Texas A&M and UT Austin. The University of North Texas' main campus

5490-553: The Working Ranch Cowboys Association is held every November in the Amarillo Civic Center . The Amarillo Livestock Auction on Bull Road holds a free-to-the-public cattle auction on Tuesdays. Now located on Interstate 40, The Big Texan Steak Ranch is famous by offering visitors a free 72  ounce (2 kg) beef steak if it (and its accompanying dinner) is eaten in under an hour. Globe-News Center for

5612-513: The county seat election and was established in Potter County. Availability of the railroad and freight service after the county seat election made the town a fast-growing cattle -marketing center. The settlement originally was called Oneida; it later changed its name to Amarillo, which probably derived from yellow wildflowers that were plentiful during the spring and summer or the nearby Amarillo Lake and Amarillo Creek , named in turn for

5734-606: The cowboy and Texas culture. During the third week of September, the Tri-State Fair & Rodeo brings participants mostly from Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas to Amarillo since 1921. On the Tri-State Exposition grounds, the Amarillo National Center is a special events center for events ranging from national equestrian competitions to motor sports and rodeos . The World Championship Ranch Rodeo sponsored by

5856-574: The "College of Visual Arts and Design." Art classes began at UNT in 1894, four years after its founding. Master's degrees were initiated in the 1930s and the first Master of Science degree in art was awarded in 1937. Since 1972, the college has served as curator and custodian of the Texas Fashion Collection that was started by Stanley Marcus in 1938. The Honors College offers academic enrichments, including honors seminars and exclusive classes for high-achieving undergraduates. Its objective

5978-401: The 10th largest enrollment of any art and design school accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design , and the second largest of any that awards doctorates. The college name changes reflect the curricular expansion of programs. In 1992, what then had been the "Department of Art" within the College of Arts and Sciences, became "School of Visual Arts;" and in 2007, it became

6100-461: The 1902–1903 school year. The university also uses black as a tertiary color, but it is not a "school color". UNT's mascot, the American eagle , was adopted on February 1, 1922, as a result of a student-faculty council debate and ensuing student election. The eagle has had two nicknames, beginning with "Scrappy" in 1950. The green and white human costumed eagle character, launched in 1963, carried

6222-489: The 2010–2011 school year, the college certified over 1,147 teachers, the second largest number in the state by a university. In 1979, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved renaming the "School of Education" to the "College of Education." At that time, the college was the largest in Texas and the Southwest, the largest doctoral program in the state, and the twenty-fifth largest producer of teacher certificates in

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6344-680: The 77.83%, 74.53% identify as Christian. Baptists made up 40.2% of the Christian population and Catholics were 13.3% of the local population. Methodists and Pentecostals were the next largest Christian groups, followed by Presbyterians , Mormons , Episcopalians or Anglicans , and Lutherans . Approximately 8.1% of the population were of another Christian faith. In 2021, about 0.1% of Amarillo's residents identified with Judaism and 2.1% were Muslim. An estimated 1.1% followed an Eastern religion such as Buddhism or Hinduism . The closest Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagan meeting officially advertised

6466-529: The Absurd. By Dick Penner & Wade Moore By Dick Penner In 1954, Penner had enrolled at the University of North Texas where he met Wade Moore. They composed "Ooby Dooby" in February 1955. Penner and Wade had taken a six-pack of beer onto the flat roof of their Lambda Chi fraternity house and wrote "Ooby Dooby" in a matter of minutes. Wade Moore later recorded a version of "Ooby Dooby" with Rod Barkley. After

6588-534: The Amarillo Chamber of Commerce announced a new initiative to help local businesses rebound from the pandemic. Its tourism industry also rebounded. Amarillo has a number of natural attractions near the city. The Palo Duro Canyon State Park is the United States' second largest canyon system, after the Grand Canyon and is located south of Amarillo. The canyon is a prominent mountain biking destination and hosts

6710-557: The Amarillo National Bank Plaza One building houses the headquarters of Amarillo National Bank , the city's largest financial institution. The Santa Fe Building , completed in 1930, was the regional offices of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, but was vacant for several years until Potter County bought the building for $ 426,000 in 1995 to gain new office spaces. Amarillo's historic homes and buildings listed on

6832-688: The Amarillo's public schools, Amarillo College, Canyon Area Library, Lovett Memorial Library in Pampa, Texas , and Hutchinson County Library in Borger, Texas . The Amarillo Public Library's main branch is located in downtown and operates four neighborhood branches. Wonderland Amusement Park is located in northern Amarillo at Thompson Park, named for Ernest Thompson. The park also houses the Amarillo zoo and offers picnicking . Amarillo residents are known as Amarilloans . Notable Amarilloans include actress Ann Doran (1911–2000), old-style journalist Bascom N. Timmons ,

6954-663: The Collaboration and Learning Commons, a place to study in groups, create multi-media projects, and record presentations. The Discovery Park Library supports the College of Engineering and the College of Information, Library Science, and Technologies. It covers multiple areas of engineering, library and information science, and learning technology. Established in 1977, IELI is the largest intensive English program (IEP) in North Texas , serving international students who wish to learn academic English in preparation for university studies in

7076-780: The Design District. UNT has a satellite campus in Frisco, Texas . In 2018, UNT opened Inspire Park. UNT teaches nearly 2,000 students in Collin County each semester at Hall Park, Inspire Park and the Collin Higher Education Center in McKinney. In 2020, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved UNT building a branch campus to provide upper-level and graduate courses on 100 acres donated by

7198-545: The Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism. Eight Pulitzer Prizes have been won by five of its alumni, among whom are Bill Moyers and Howard Swindle . Other notable alumni include Samir Husni and Cragg Hines . Since 1969, the news-editorial sequence has been accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications; and since 1986, the entire program has been accredited. The school

7320-540: The Graduate School from 1954 to 1982. Toulouse, before retiring as professor emeritus , had served other roles at the university, including provost and vice president of academic affairs from 1982 to 1985. UNT Libraries are made up of four public service points and two remote storage facilities. Willis Library is the main library on campus, housing the business, economics, education, humanities and social sciences collections along with microforms and special areas such as

7442-519: The Mainstage and the Adventure Space, are located west of Amarillo's downtown. The Pioneer Amphitheater , located in nearby Palo Duro Canyon, is the setting for the outdoor musical drama Texas, which plays nightly during the summer. The musical depicts a story about the history of Texas Panhandle settlers throughout the years. In 2002, the producers changed its name to Texas Legacies after retiring

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7564-714: The Music Library, Government Documents, the Digital Library Division, Archives, and the Rare Book and Texana collections. The Media Library in Chilton Hall houses a large collection of audiovisual materials, including films, audiobooks, and video games (see Game Design , above). Video recording equipment and gaming consoles are available for checkout. The Sycamore Library houses the government documents, law, political science, geography and business collections. It also houses

7686-476: The North Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas . Penner earned a Bachelor of Arts in English (1958) and a master's degree in English (1967) from the University of North Texas . In 1957, while working on his undergraduate degree, Penner was inducted into Blue Key, a national honor fraternity. After earning his master's degree, Penner taught English at North Texas. In the fall of 1961, Penner began teaching English at

7808-647: The Performing Arts , opened in 2006, houses the Amarillo Opera, Amarillo Symphony, and Lone Star Ballet concerts. The facility, located just across the Amarillo Civic Center, features a 1,300-seat auditorium. The Globe-News Center was built in hope by city officials and others that it will revitalize the downtown area. The nonprofit community theater group, Amarillo Little Theatre, has its season run from September to May. The theater group's two facilities,

7930-401: The United States. Its prior name, "School of Education," dates back to 1946, when the teachers college outgrew itself and reorganized as six schools and colleges. The College of Engineering was founded in 2003, and is host to three research centers, one of which being the Net-Centric Software and Systems Center (launched February 24, 2009), a research consortium hosted by UNT and organized as

8052-530: The United States. IELI is a constituent of UNT International Affairs, an interdisciplinary unit and exponent of globalization in higher education that provides leadership and support of international teaching, research, and study-abroad initiatives. As of July 2015 , IELI has been located in Marquis Hall on the UNT Denton campus. All freshmen are required to live on campus to satisfy a residency requirement. 15.5% of students, or 5,620, live in on-campus residence halls. In addition, 37.3%, or 13,494, live within

8174-461: The University of North Texas (1987). In 1919, Julia Smith (1905–1989), while a music student, and Charles Kirby Langford (1903–1931), then a third-year letterman on the football team and an outstanding overall athlete, composed "Glory to the Green and White" which was adopted as the school's alma mater in 1922. Smith wrote the music and Langford wrote the lyrics. The Spirit Bell—a 2,000 lb (910 kg) bell brought from Michigan in 1891—was

8296-406: The V-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft and the future site of Marine One assembly in Amarillo. From 2020 to 2021, Amarillo experienced its greatest amount of economic development in 30 years. Amazon , Asset Protection Unit, and Texas Tech University Vet School were named some major organizations contributing to the city and metropolitan area's economic growth. Through the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas ,

8418-464: The album Walk the Line , the soundtrack of the eponymous film biography of Johnny Cash . Penner recorded four on his own (with guitarist "Gypsy" Bob Izer). All four songs exhibited a hard, youthful edge that was targeted towards the then new teen market. Penner's four singles — (i) "Move Baby Move", (ii) "Fine Little Baby", Sun 615a , and (iii) "Cindy Lou" and (iv) "Honey Love" Sun 282 consisted of both rockabilly and ballads. The songs did not rise to

8540-432: The annual 50-mile Palo Duro Canyon Trail Run. Palo Duro has a distinct hoodoo that resembles a lighthouse. Another natural landmark near the city, the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument is located 30 miles (48 km) north of Amarillo. It is once known as the site for prehistoric inhabitants to obtain flint in order to make tools and weapons. About 100 miles (160 km) southeast of Amarillo in Briscoe County

8662-419: The area. The city is also the location of headquarters for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association. Petroleum extraction is also a major industry. The helium industry has decreased in significance since the federal government privatized local operations in the late 1990s. Bell Helicopter Textron opened a helicopter assembly plant near the city's international airport in 1999. The city's largest employer in 2005

8784-540: The campus of the University of North Texas. The social Greek community is made-up of four councils that oversee 42 fraternities and sororities. Four percent of undergraduate students of both genders are members of social fraternities and sororities. Fraternities and sororities at North Texas offer students an opportunity to engage in community service, build strong friendships, and develop leadership skills. North Texas adopted green and white as its official colors during

8906-479: The campus. Talon alumni have restored it three times, the most recent being in the fall of 2007, adding a custom limber for transport and equipment. The Mean Green Machine, a green and black 1931 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan, is driven by the Talons Motorpool Committee at football games and special events. It was donated by alumnus Rex Cauble in 1974. In 2012, a team of engineering students installed

9028-480: The chorus to " Ragtime Cowboy Joe ," which was adopted in 1961 as the university's fight song. After serving as head of the Physical Education Department at Southern Arkansas University from 1950 to 1959, Stroup became Professor of Physical Education at Northern Illinois University . While there, Stroup rewrote the lyrics to the chorus of Alonzo Neil Annas' (1882–1966) NIU "Loyalty Song" (1942), which

9150-590: The city and most of the county as a whole lie in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a. Amarillo is characterized by a winter season featuring large diurnal temperature variation , great day-to-day variability, possible sudden and/or severe Arctic air outbreaks (in Texas, called "blue northers"), possible blizzards and hot summers with generally low humidity. The average annual precipitation is 20.4 inches or 520 millimeters. Much of Amarillo's precipitation falls during heavy convective showers and thunderstorms during

9272-748: The city of Denton while 4,021, or 11.1% live outside of the city of Denton but within Denton County and 36.1% or 13,043 students live outside of Denton County. There are 14 residence halls on the Denton campus. UNT also offers the Residents Engaged in Academic Living (REAL) Communities program. The REAL communities offer students the ability to live with other residents in their major, and allow them to interact with each other and participate in programs that are geared toward their major or discipline. On August 22, 2011, sixty-year-old Maple Street Hall became

9394-623: The city of Frisco. In 1976, the Carnegie Foundation designated North Texas as a "Class 1 Doctorate-Granting Institution." Four decades later, in February 2016, Carnegie elevated North Texas to its top category – Doctorate-Granting Institutions with "highest research activity." In 1992, UNT was elected to full membership in the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities . an integrated liberal arts curriculum similar to those usually found only in small, private colleges. And, in 2011,

9516-454: The city takes its name from the Spanish word for yellow), "Yellow City" for its name, and "Rotor City, USA" for its V-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft assembly plant. Amarillo operates one of the largest meat-packing areas in the United States. Pantex , the only nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility in the country, is also a major employer. The location of this facility also gave rise to

9638-449: The city with corn , wheat , and cotton as the primary crops. Other crops in the area include sorghum , silage , hay , and soybeans . The Texas Panhandle, particularly in Hereford, Texas , serves as a fast-growing milk producing area as several multimillion-dollar state of the art dairies were built in the early 2000s. The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) is funded by

9760-613: The city's depression. Between 1950 and 1960, Amarillo's population grew from 74,443 to 137,969. However, the closure of Amarillo Air Force Base on December 31, 1968, contributed to a decrease in population to 127,010 by 1970. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Amarillo's population as 6.1% Hispanic and 88.5% non-Hispanic white. In the 1980s, ASARCO , Iowa Beef Processors (present day Tyson Foods ), Owens-Corning , and Weyerhaeuser built plants at Amarillo. The Eastridge neighborhood houses many immigrants from countries such as Vietnam , Laos , and Burma . Many of them found employment at

9882-501: The college moved into a new state-of-the-art Gold LEED certified $ 70 million facility named the Business Leadership Building . The college is accredited in both business and accounting by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business —accreditation for the former stretches back sixty-three years (1961) and the latter, thirty-seven years (1987). In 2018, 5,093 students were enrolled as business majors at

10004-460: The community. Amarillo was hit by the Dust Bowl and entered an economic depression . U.S. Routes 60, 87, 287, and 66 intersected at Amarillo, making it a major tourist stop with numerous motels, restaurants, and curio shops. World War II led the establishment of Amarillo Army Air Field in east Amarillo and the nearby Pantex Army Ordnance Plant, which produced bombs and ammunition. After the end of

10126-620: The early 1900s. Discovery of natural gas in 1918 and oil three years later brought oil and gas companies to the Amarillo area. The United States government bought the Cliffside Gas Field with high helium content in 1927 and the Federal Bureau of Mines began operating the Amarillo Helium plant two years later. The plant was the sole producer of commercial helium in the world for a number of years. The U.S. National Helium Reserve

10248-421: The east to move Amarillo after arguing that Berry's site was on low ground and would flood during rainstorms. Sanborn also offered to trade lots in the new location to businesses in the original city's site and help with the expense of moving to new buildings. His incentives gradually won over people, who moved their businesses to Polk Street in the new commercial district. Heavy rains almost flooded Berry's part of

10370-652: The field and on the fly . The College of Information was created in October 2008 by consolidating two existing academic units: Learning Technologies (formerly within the College of Education) and the School of Library and Information Sciences. The School of Library and Information Services was created in 1970 as an outgrowth of its former structure as the Department of Library Services. The college sponsors three research centers, one being The Texas Center for Digital Knowledge. The College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism houses

10492-410: The first all-vegan ("Mean Greens") college cafeteria in the country. The given 14 residence hall at the University of North Texas are : Bruce Hall, Clark Hall, Crumley Hall, Joe Greene Hall, Honors Hall, Kerr Hall, Legends Hall, Maple Hall, Mozart Square, Rawlins Hall, Santa Fe Square, Traditions Hall, Victory Hall, West Hall. The Pohl Recreation Center is the student recreation center located on

10614-541: The ground head first. Marsh also participated in an ongoing art project called the Dynamite Museum, which consists of thousands of mock traffic signs . These signs, bearing messages such as "Road does not end" or displaying a random picture, are scattered throughout the city of Amarillo. Besides these works, one can find close to the city the final earthwork of Robert Smithson (and another commission by Marsh), Amarillo Ramp . The city has events and attractions honoring

10736-497: The ground, or accumulates in playa lakes . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 90.3 square miles (234 km ), with 89.9 sq mi (233 km ) of it land and 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km ) of it (0.50%) covered by water. The Amarillo metropolitan area covers four counties: Armstrong , Carson , Potter, and Randall. About 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Amarillo

10858-467: The jazz studies program as the best in the country every year from 1994, when it began ranking graduate jazz programs, to 1997, when it retired the category. The One O'Clock Lab Band has been nominated for 7 Grammy Awards . Previously called the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (PACS) and before that the College of Community Service, the college adopted its current name in Fall 2017. The college

10980-570: The jukebox of Zefram Cochrane ( James Cromwell ); played by Cochrane while meeting with the Vulcans who landed on Earth after detecting his first warp flight, the song is the first element of human culture shared with an alien race. The song has been covered by several other artists, including Creedence Clearwater Revival , on their album Cosmo's Factory . Wade & Dick – The College Kids Dick Penner "Recordings of "Ooby Dooby" Penner graduated from Sunset High School (1954) in

11102-518: The largest historical museum in Texas. Don Harrington Discovery Center , located in the city's hospital district, is an interactive science center and space theater with over 60 hands-on exhibits. Outside of the building is a steel structure called the Helium Monument which has time capsules and designates Amarillo the "Helium Capital of the World". Near the proximity of the Discovery Center,

11224-414: The largest merchandising program in the nation and one of the largest hospitality and tourism management programs. The college offers bachelor's degrees with majors in digital retailing, home furnishings merchandising, hospitality management, event design & experience management, and merchandising, and master's degrees in hospitality management, international sustainable tourism and merchandising. It has

11346-459: The last century in and around Amarillo, the native grasslands that dominate this region have remained largely untouched. Amarillo sits closer in proximity to the Oklahoma , New Mexico and Colorado state capitals than it does to Austin . The region's surface is relatively flat and has little soil drainage. Due to the lack of developed drainage, much of the rainfall either evaporates, infiltrates into

11468-545: The late spring and summer months. According to 'Cities Ranked and Rated' (Bert Sperling and Peter Sander), Amarillo averages 48 days per year during which thunder and lightning is reported. This is above the national average. These storms can be severe: Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle are situated in the western portion of " Tornado Alley " and are prone to severe weather events, occurring primarily between April and July. Severe thunderstorms can produce damaging straight-line winds, large hail, tornadoes, and flash flooding. Amarillo

11590-496: The median figure is near 10 inches or 25 centimeters. Amarillo is also recorded as the windiest city in the U.S. by the Weather Channel. According to the 2020 United States census , there were 200,393 people, 76,778 households, and 50,005 families residing in the city, an increase of 5.1% since the 2010 United States census. At the 2010 U.S. census , there were 190,695 people residing in Amarillo, an increase of 9.8% since

11712-472: The name "Scrappy" until 1974—during the throes of the Vietnam War —when students adopted the name "Eppy" because it sounded less warlike. Since then, the name has switched back from Eppy to Scrappy; and for the last twenty-nine years, the name "Scrappy" has endured. The name "Mean Green," now in its fifty-eighth year, was adopted by fans and media in 1966 for a North Texas football defensive squad that finished

11834-494: The name "Talons" was founded in 1926 as the first social fraternity at North Texas. On Homecoming Fridays, the Talons light a bonfire built from wooden pallets , typically in a 40-by-40-by-25-foot-height structure. The tradition has endured since the 1930s. "Boomer" is a cannon fired by the Talons at football games since the 1970s. It is a 7/8th scale M1841 6 pound, smooth bore muzzleloader , resting on hand-crafted solid oak from

11956-440: The nation's first bachelor's in digital retailing and master's in international sustainable tourism. The college was formerly known as the School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management. The College of Music is a comprehensive institution of international rank. Its heritage dates back one hundred and thirty-four years, when North Texas was founded. The college has the largest enrollment of any music institution accredited by

12078-506: The nation's largest natural gas reserve. Approximately 25 miles (40 km) south of Amarillo is the canyon system, Palo Duro Canyon . The tallest peak is reported to be 2,500 feet (760 m) underground in northeastern Potter County under the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument . Like most of the Texas Panhandle, Amarillo has a temperate semi-arid climate ( Köppen climate classification BSk ). Both

12200-434: The nation. The Toulouse Graduate School, founded seventy-eight years ago, is the academic custodian and administrator of all graduate programs offered by nine colleges and one school. It maintains records, administers admissions, and serves various roles in recruiting. It was renamed in 1990 in honor of Robert Bartell Toulouse, EdD (1918–2017), who joined in 1948 as a professor in the College of Education, then served dean of

12322-452: The nearby Iowa Beef Processors plant. The following decade, Amarillo's city limits encompassed 60 square miles (155 km ) in Potter and Randall Counties. Interstate 27 highway connecting Lubbock to Amarillo was built mostly during the 1980s. In May 1982, a strong F3 tornado struck Amarillo's western suburbs, devastating parts of Dawn, and Bushland. No fatalities were reported. Amarillo

12444-404: The nickname "Bomb City". During April 1887, J. I. Berry established a site for a town after he chose a well-watered section along the right-of-way of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad, which had begun building across the Texas Panhandle. Berry and Colorado City, Texas , merchants wanted to make their new town site the region's main trading center. On August 30, 1887, Berry's town site won

12566-522: The novelty of the national use of its nickname, and its association with Joe Greene's surname and university's official school color. By 1968, "Mean Green" was branded on the backs of shirts, buttons, bumper stickers, and the cover of the North Texas football brochure. Francis Edwin Stroup, EdD (1909–2010), emerged in 1939—ten years after graduating from North Texas—as the winning composer (lyrics and music) of

12688-475: The organization Center City of Amarillo was formed to establish partnerships with groups who have a large presence in the city. Since its conception in the 1990s, Center City has sponsored public art projects and started block parties in the downtown area. The 31-story FirstBank Southwest Tower was opened in Amarillo's downtown in 1971. Completed in the same year as the FirstBank Southwest Tower,

12810-558: The popularity of "Ooby Dooby"; which reached a formidable level on the national charts in Orbison's hands and, eventually, became regarded as a classic of the genre. Moore was in business following his college graduation. After receiving his M.A. from North Texas State , Penner earned a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado . He was a professor of English at the University of Tennessee for 32 years until his retirement in 1990. Penner authored three academic books, his favorite being Fiction of

12932-470: The poverty line, including 20% of those under age 18, 14.1% ages 18 – 64, and 12.2% of those age 65 or over. Part of the Bible Belt , Christianity is the predominant religion in Amarillo and its metropolitan area. There are more than 200 churches in the area as of 2013. According to Sperling's BestPlaces in 2021, 77.83% of the population identified as religious, primarily adhering to Christianity. Out of

13054-537: The previous script that was used for 37 years for a more historically accurate one, but attendance declined over the next four seasons, so it was decided to revert to the original Paul Green script in 2006. The Amarillo Public Library is affiliated with the Harrington Library Consortium. The consortium consist of public, college, and school libraries located in the Texas Panhandle that share resources and cooperate with one another. Other members include

13176-525: The purpose of expanding and supporting research initiatives at four Texas universities, including the University of North Texas, with the goal of elevating them to the ranks of the nation's top universities. The Texas University Fund began with an initial funding of $ 3.9 billion and receives an annual allocation of $ 100 million as a permanent endowment. UNT offers 114 bachelor's, 97 master's, and 39 doctorate degree programs as of 2024. These are organized into 14 colleges and schools. UNT has been accredited by

13298-563: The recording of "Ooby Dooby" Rod Barkley quit the music business and moved back to his hometown of Gruver, Texas. Roy Orbison, then a student at North Texas and friend, became aware of the song and, sometime late in 1955, recorded a demo of it, together with " Hey, Miss Fannie ", with his band, the Wink Westerners, at the Jim Beck Studio in Dallas, and sent it to Columbia Records . Columbia

13420-563: The season second in the nation against the rush . That season, Joe Greene , then a sophomore at North Texas, played left defensive tackle on the football team and competed in track and field ( shot put ). The nickname "Mean Joe Greene" caught-on during his first year with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969 when Pittsburgh fans wrongly assumed that "Mean Green" was derived from a nickname Joe Greene had inherited while at North Texas. The North Texas athletic department, media, and fans loved

13542-877: The south and east sides of the city, killing 7 people, and injuring more than 80 others. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 38.6 °F (3.7 °C) in January to 79.6 °F (26.4 °C) in July. Sunny weather prevails year-round, with nearly 3300 hours of bright sunshine annually. The National Weather Service in Amarillo forecasts and provides climatic data for the city. Extreme temperatures range from −16 °F (−26.7 °C) on February 12, 1899 to 111 °F (43.9 °C) on June 26, 2011, but lows do not typically dip to 0 °F or −17.8 °C in most years, while highs above 100 °F or 37.8 °C are seen on 4.7 days on average. On average, there are 5.9 days of lows at or below 10 °F or −12.2 °C, 8.8 days where

13664-460: The temperature fails to rise above freezing, and 61 days of 90 °F (32.2 °C)+ highs. Unlike in the Rio Grande Valley or eastern portions of Texas, days where the low does not fall below 70 °F or 21.1 °C are relatively rare, due to the aridity and elevation. Blizzards occur occasionally, but snowfall is typically light, averaging nearly 18 inches or 46 centimeters seasonally and

13786-496: The top 24 in season 8 on the hit show American Idol . She returned to the show again in season 9 and advanced to the top 12 but was eliminated from the program on March 17, 2010. Former residents Evander "Ziggy" Hood and Montrel Meander are in the National Football League. The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of

13908-449: The town in 1889, prompting more people to move to Sanborn's location. This eventually led to another county seat election making Sanborn's town the new county seat in 1893. By the late 1890s, Amarillo had emerged as one of the world's busiest cattle-shipping points, and its population grew significantly. The city became a grain elevator , milling, and feed-manufacturing center after an increase in production of wheat and small grains during

14030-582: The undergraduate level. The College of Education is a legacy of the university's founding as a teachers college one hundred and thirty-four years ago. The college is organized as four departments and one center: (i) Counseling and Higher Education, (ii) Educational Psychology, (iii) Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation, (iv) Teacher Education and Administration, and (v) The Kristin Farmer Autism Center. The college offers 12 bachelor's degrees, 19 master's degrees and 15 doctoral concentrations. As of

14152-504: The war, both of the facilities were closed. The Pantex Plant was reopened in 1950 and produced nuclear weapons throughout the Cold War . In 1949, a deadly F4 tornado devastated much of Amarillo, shortly after nightfall on May 15, tearing through the south and east sides of the city, killing seven people, and injuring more than 80 others. The tornado touched down southwest of Amarillo, near the town of Hereford, then tracked its way northward, on

14274-470: The yellow soil along their banks and shores ( Amarillo is the Spanish word for the color yellow). Early residents originally pronounced the city's name more similar to the Spanish pronunciation / ˌ ɑː m ə ˈ r iː j oʊ / ah-mə- REE -yoh , which was later displaced by the current pronunciation. On June 19, 1888, Henry B. Sanborn , who is given credit as the "Father of Amarillo", and his business partner Joseph F. Glidden began buying land to

14396-480: Was Tyson Foods, with 3,700 employees. The Amarillo Independent School District was next with 3,659 employees followed by Pantex, Baptist St. Anthony's Health Care System, City of Amarillo, Northwest Texas Healthcare System, Amarillo College , Wal-mart, and United Supermarkets . Other major employers include Bell Helicopter Textron, Owens-Corning, Amarillo National Bank and ASARCO . Approximately 14 million acres (57,000 km ) of agricultural land surrounds

14518-443: Was as follows: 7.6% of the population was under the age of 5, 26.8% was under the age of 18, 73.2% 18 and older, 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.1 years. The median income for a household in the city was $ 52,941, and the median income for a family was $ 64,632. Married-couple families had a median income of $ 80,819, and non-family households had a median income of $ 31,663. About 15.4% of families were below

14640-484: Was held in Thompson Memorial Park during Memorial Day weekend. University of North Texas The University of North Texas ( UNT ) is a public research university in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex . UNT's main campus is in Denton, Texas , and it also has a satellite campus in Frisco, Texas . It offers 114 bachelor's, 97 master's, and 39 doctoral degree programs. UNT is the flagship member of

14762-469: Was informally adopted in 1961 and officially 1963 as the "Huskie Fight Song." Stroup also composed songs for Drake University and the University of Chicago . A collegiate academician who played piano mostly by ear and neither majored nor worked in music, Stroup lived to be 101, a number exceeding the songs he composed by one digit. Stroup was inducted in the Halls of Fame of Northern Illinois University and

14884-642: Was not interested in Orbison, but pitched the song to Sid King and the Five Strings , a band from Denton, Texas , who recorded it on March 5, 1956, in Dallas. A second recording of "Ooby Dooby" by Orbison took place at the Norman Petty studios in Clovis, New Mexico , and according to the authorised biography of Roy Orbison, this recording was Orbison's first record, released on Je-Wel 101 in March 1956. On March 20, 1956,

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