Agronomy and Plant Genetics 1888-2000 - Department of Agronomy ...

Chapter 9
Acknowledgments
Compiling the information for this book took
considerable effort on the part of a group of emeritus professors who initiated
the process in the mid-1980s. I especially want to recognize the
leadership and persistence of Laddie Elling, the initiative of Robert
Robinson and the work of Orvin Burnside, Gordon Marten, Jim Sentz,
Roy Thompson and Walt Wedin. I also wish to thank those of the department’s
current faculty who provided historical accounts of their areas. Kent
Crookston, department head through the period when gathering information
for and writing this book became a serious endeavor, was generous in
his support and encouragement.
Some areas of work and periods of time probably are not covered as
much as would have been optimal due to lack of records or people to provide
an account from collective memory. Early studies of sugarbeets, tobacco,
wild rice and other crops are known but not discussed, and other agronomic
functions of the early years may unintentionally have been passed
over in compiling this account.
Every effort was made to verify the facts, such as names, dates and
events, included herein, but the flavor of the individual chapters is that of
the authors. Gratitude is due to Lynne Medgaarden for the time she spent
in double-checking the accuracy of the graduate student and thesis listings
with the departmental student records.
A special note of appreciation goes to the many people who served in
staff roles in the department throughout these 100-plus years. Some are
named, others are not mentioned specifically; nevertheless, all have contributed
in unique and substantial ways to the work that made this departmental
history.