Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Forestry students at 1969 Lumberjack Day. Photo courtesy of the East Texas Research Center, forestry scrapbook
Story by Alyssa Faykus '19
Knothole
Volume IX | Number 1 | September 2025
Editor's Note: For the fall 2025 edition of Sawdust, the editorial team wanted to commemorate the legacy of the Sylvans by compiling a brief history of the organization, celebrating its winning legacy, and sharing memories from the Lumberjacks who made it happen.
Before GroupMe or Facebook groups, the Sylvans and forestry students relied on a publication called The Knothole for the goings-on of the college. Within these pages, students shared club news, notes from faculty members and how to sign up for the long-standing tradition of Lumberjack Day.
Entries in this student-run publication included book reviews, where recent graduates found employment, “tea parties” information at the Sylvans cabin and expected silliness. College kids never really change, do they?
This publication hit its stride in the late '60s and early '70s. Within the pages of these meeting notes, stories of forestry students can be remembered some 50-odd years later. Times have changed, yet a lot has remained the same. Concerns over the wide fluctuations in timber prices is still a theme that modern foresters are debating.
Excitement around a new forestry building being built is also on the minds of today's students, just like it was in 1970 when the original building was erected.
These pages hold stories about campus squirrels, mishaps at Sylvans practices, hopes and dreams for victory at Conclaves, and welcomes for new forestry faculty members.
From conception to Conclave
The Department of Forestry was organized at SFA in 1946 under the direction of W.R. Owens. The Sylvans Social Forestry Club was officially recognized on campus with the adoption of its constitution Dec. 17, 1946. Most, if not all, of the initial students in forestry in the early days of this program were involved in the Sylvans.
The Sylvans name likely was chosen to avoid confusion; the campus' primary men's social club at the time was called The Foresters. The primary function of the Sylvans at its establishment was to provide a forum for professional development for the students.
The Sylvans created the tradition of an annual Forestry Field Day that was a major event at SFA. The field day was replaced with Lumberjack Day, which is now held annually during Homecoming week to demonstrate Lumberjack sports, such as crosscut sawing.
In 1958, the Association of Southern Forestry Clubs was organized by the University of Georgia in Athens. The first ASFC Conclave was hosted by UGA, and representatives from SFA attended and participated. The Sylvans thus became one of the founding members of the ASFC. The annual Conclave eventually became the primary focus of the Sylvans.
Each year, the Sylvans host a runoff day to select the participants for the annual Conclave. They have built a strong reputation among the participating schools as a club to be reckoned with.
From The Knothole,
Nov. 29, 1973
"Do wide fluctuations in timber prices reflect short-term factors? Do new timber supply-demand relations involve permanent higher levels of timber process? Are we exporting our wood products too much?
It is a known fact that we can expect substantial increases in timber demands in the years ahead, but only limited increases in available lumber supplies. Projections indicate a substantial price increase in order to balance timber demands with prospective supplies.
Journal of Forestry, 1973"
A winning legacy
The Sylvans have placed first or second in 36 of the 38 Conclaves from 1985 to 2025, and have won 10 of the past 11. Conclave was not held in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Texas A&M University hosted Conclave in 1986 and 2002. SFA placed first both times. The Sylvans remain one of the strongest organizations at SFA.
The Sylvan's most recent victory was at the 66th annual ASFC Conclave marked the Sylvans' 19th overall Conclave title and extended their winning streak to seven consecutive Conclaves — tying with the University of Arkansas at Monticello's historic run from 1987 to 1993 as the longest ever.
Not only did the Sylvans take home the hardware, but SFA students Holly Parkin, senior from Needville, and Maddie Sweeten, senior from Midlothian, set a new Conclave record, completing their cut in an astonishing 4.69 seconds — the fastest time recorded since the event's inception in 1979. These outstanding Lumberjacks set a world record with this feat — no faster cut on an 8-by-8-inch yellow poplar has ever been recorded in the women's division of any timber sports competition worldwide.
From The Knothole,
Dec. 11, 1970
"When an overfed squirrel somehow wedged itself in a hole of a tall pine tree outside Gibbs Hall, several pleas went out to hasten its rescue. In the weeks preceding this event, foresters had been observed in the very tops of trees, fearlessly trimming them. But alas! When one small squirrel needed a crusader, not a forester could be found. Finally, help arrived in the name of the Fire Department. It was a very embarrassing situation – for the squirrel."
To show the scope of the team's winningness, throughout the multiple events in the 2025 competition, the Sylvans demonstrated their dominance against 13 other universities, securing the following first-place finishes:
- Women's Crosscut: Holly Parkin and Maddie Sweeten, 4.69 seconds — new Conclave record
- Archery: Jacob Barrett, 140 points — including a perfect 54 points from 20 yards
- Men's Log Chop: Trent Kline, 49.8 seconds — finishing nearly one minute ahead of second place
- Chain Throw: Paige Sumner and Katie Grenier, 76.86 seconds — 16 seconds ahead of second place
- Pole Climb: Weston Williams, 6.81 seconds — three seconds ahead of second place
- Men's Bowsaw: Trent Kline, 15.645 seconds — edging out Virginia Tech by 0.2 seconds
- Jack & Jill Crosscut: Holly Parkin and Trent Kline, 7.08 seconds, which would have earned third place in the men's division
- Knife Throw: Jacob Barrett, 7 points
Other events that are typical fair for Conclave include tree identification, axe throwing, tree-diameter estimation, wildlife identification, log rolling and more.
The SFA Sylvans need support to attend Conclave each year. Donations cover club costs including registration, travel, maintenance and equipment.
Counting the memories
The Knothole wasn't the only student publication widely shared among Sylvans. The Texas Tally was a yearbook published by the Sylvans from 1958-71, and in 1974, 1984 and 1985. It covered most of the activities that occurred that year in forestry, including reports on all the Sylvans activities, such as Conclave.
Modern students swapped yearbooks and scrapbooks with digital counterparts, such as Instagram (@sfa_sylvans) or websites like sylvanstimbersports.com. No matter the medium, Sylvans have been generous in sharing recollections of "happy mem'ries" with Lumberjacks, past and present.
This brief history of the Sylvans was prepared by Dr. Mike Fountain, professor emeritus and Sylvans Club advisor from 1981 to 2011, and updated by Dr. Jeremy Stovall, professor of forestry and current club advisor. Fountain retired in 2010 and passed away May 4, 2024.
The Sylvans are forever grateful to his decades of dedication to the club and the winning and collegial culture he fostered.
From The Knothole,
Sept. 11, 1970
"As we 'old timers' returned to the campus a couple of weeks ago, many new things met our eyes, especially in the forestry area. No longer present were the office building and U.S. Forest Service building – instead, the beginning of an attractive lawn filled that new area. The 'White House' has been replaced by (Oh, joy!) a parking lot.
In the midst of the forestry area, we beheld a true thing of beauty – a dream come true: Our new Forestry Building: spacious and lovely – and well worth waiting for!!"