The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-07-27
J. Fl. Shepherd

- 49, A41@PpNlA
], H. Shepperd, dean os agriculture
in the North Dakota Agricultural COL
lege and agriculturist and vice director
or the experiment station, was born
and reared on farm at Charlton. Ia.
and is graduate of the iowa State
Agricultural college. He also holds the
degree, master of science in agricur-
ture from the University of Wisconsin
Where he was resident student for
nearly twelve months. Besides this.
ne did nearly year of college work
in the University of Minnesota and one
in Drake university. Upon finishing
his work at the Wisconsin university.
where he made a special study of ami
NAL husbandry and dairying he Joined
the editorial staff of The Orange Judd
Farmer and for some months worked
under the veteran editor Orange Judd.
Orange Judd laid great stress upon
the fact that he had served as a young
man on the editorial staff of Horace
Greeley, insisting that young men thus
associated with masters absorb the
style Of writing and much of the phil
osophy of their superiors
Dean Shepperd took charge of the
agricultural department at the North
Dakota Agricultural college in 1893 and
has remained continuously at the head
OF that work in the institution since,
In 1893 he had one assistant At
that time there were three college
course and four winter short course
agricultural students and few courses
OF work offered. Last year, 1909-1O,
there were thirty eight college course
students in agriculture, eighty-three
farm husbandry course students and
over four hundred winter short course
students in agriculture.
Twenty-eight men have graduated
from the college course in agriculture
under Dean Shepperd and forty-nina
from the recently organized farm hus-
bandry course. OF the aIumnae of the
institution over one-fourth are agricul-
tural course men and exclusive of wo-
men graduates over one third are from
the agricultural line of study.
OF the twenty-eight agricultural
graduates all but seven are either agri-
q cultural teachers or investigators in
public institutions.
OF the other seven all but two are
farming. OF the remaining two, one
8 is editor In chief of a leading agricui-
tural journal and the other has gone
into general business enterprise.
That the work has expanded under
Mr.. SHEPHERDS supervision can be real
ICED in part by enumerating the agri-
cultural activities Of the college at the
present time:
The resident men who spend their
time on agriculture, now number nine
persons. Twelve men are engaged in
agricultural investigation on the sub
stations which are under the vice direc-
tors charge. Three men spend their
time on the twenty demonstra-
tionS farms which are now in operation
at as many points in the state The
farmers institutes have a superintend-
emf who devotes his time to agriculture.
publishes an annual of from three to
-FOUR hundred pages and employees two
to three assistants during the six
months season when institutes are
held.
The farmers institute work was
started since Dean Shepherd came to
the state and he has had more respon.
sibility for their plans and policy than
any other individual. When the insti-
tute work was young he was active. In
carrying the burden as a speaker and
since the institute board was organized.
ne mas been its president.
Last year, the farmers institute
speakers met .63,S07 people in their
audiences or one person out of ten Of
the states population.
The school childrens corn and pota-
to contest enlisted 5000 children and
Is preparing the coming generation for
the farm.
Dean Shepperd is indeed farmer as
ne is held responsible for the demon
stration farms, the sub-station farms
ana the college farm, besides which,
ne owns and operates a farm of his
own at Harwood, N. d. This means
that he is farming at thirty-one differ
ent places under practically, as many
different sets of conditions and 1T GER
tainly Is quite an undertaking in addi-
ton to looking after the details of agri-
cultural work at the college. Mr.. Shep-
perd says-in reference to this respon.
sibiliry: Il have good men helping me
mostly boys who have grown up with
me-and they look after most of the
details of the work"
The answering of inquiries for in
formation on specific farm questions
and personal interviews are features
of the work accomplished for agricul-
ture at the college. "A large number cf
articles and answers to questions are
sent out to the press of the state In the
course of a year. The fact is, the agri-
cultural editor supplies matter to a
majority OF the press of the state.
Mr.. Shepperd came to North Dakota
In 1893, a young man first starting
his active life work and his develop
ment has been co-existant with that
OF the state.
During the last years the details of
the executive work has grown to such
proportions that President Worst has
given over large responsibility for the
conduct Of the activities of the expert
ment station to Vice Director Shepperd.
The two men have been closely assoc
ciated in their work for fifteen years
and as result are able to work to-
gether In an effective way.
The strides which agriculture has
made In the college and state certainly
give ample testimony to the effective
ness and success Of Dean SHEPHERDS
efforts.