With any new endeavor of magnitude and promise, there’s always tightness, a case of jitters. Will it go well? Is the program really worthwhile? Will these talented young people respond and think its worth their time and money?

    It was enough to cause heart problems, which seemed to coincide with the first meeting in College Station. Two days prior to the opening session, Dr. Pope went in the hospital for a Cath Scan! The results were reassuring, but the tension was there.

    However, at the end of session I, November 2-5, 1987, from the evaluations of speakers and program content, it was apparent that TALL was on target. A few of the comments of Class I participants are worthy of recording. Incidentally, they mirror to a striking degree those voiced in later classes.

    “The program exceeded expectations . . . I learned more in two and a half days than in many semester long classes . . . Coming into this week, TALL was a big question mark – now I honestly could not have imagined a better meeting . . . Meeting other participants was a big plus . . . It gives me a good feeling to be able to say that I am in agriculture . . . All segments of the program had a great impact on me personally . . . Meeting and listening to speakers was a highlight of the session . . . Boy, did I underestimate how very super it was going to be.”