Henry P. Rusk
{{Short description|American academic and agronomist (1884–1954)}}
{{Infobox academic
| birth_name = Henry Perly Rusk
| birth_date = July 18, 1884
| name = Henry P. Rusk
| birth_place = Champaign County, Illinois, US
| death_date = {{death date and age|1954|1|9|1884|7|18}}
| death_place = Urbana, Illinois, US
| burial_place = Mount Hope Cemetery, Champaign, Illinois
| education = Valparaiso University, BS, 1904
University of Minnesota, BS, 1908 and MS, 1911
| discipline = Agriculture
| sub_discipline = Cattle husbandry
| workplaces = University of Illinois, 1910-1952
| titles = Dean, Chairman, Professor
| known_for = Founder of FarmHouse fraternity
}}
Henry Perly Rusk (July 18, 1884 – January 9, 1954) was an American academic, administrator, and agronomist. He was the dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Illinois. He was a founder of FarmHouse fraternity and served as its national president.
Early life
Rusk was born on July 18, 1884, on a farm in Champaign County, Illinois in 1884.{{Cite news |date=1954-01-11 |title=Rusk, Retired Ag Dean, Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-decatur-daily-review-rusk-retired-a/142975072/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |work=The Decatur Daily Review |location=Decatur, Illinois |pages=21 |via=Newspapers.com}}Neumann, Alvin L. "Henry Perly Rusk, 1884-1954: A Brief Biograph
Rusk attended Valparaiso University, graduating with a B.S. in agriculture in 1904.{{Cite web |last= |date=2019-08-14 |title=Henry Perly Rusk {{!}} 1946 |url=https://www.saddleandsirloinportraitfoundation.org/post/henry-perly-rusk-1946 |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=SaddleandSirloin |language=en}} He then attended the University of Missouri, where he received a B.S. in agriculture in 1908 and an M.S. in agriculture in 1911. While an undergraduate at Missouri, he was a founding member of FarmHouse fraternity in 1905.
Career
Rusk taught and supervised cattle feeding research at the University of Missouri in 1908.{{Cite news |date=1954-01-10 |title=Henry Rusk, University Dean, Dead |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-chronicle-henry-rusk-universi/142977113/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |work=The Daily Chronicle |location=De Kalb, Illinois |pages=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1910, he joined the faculty of University of Illinois, working in beef cattle research. One of his duties was organizing the annual Illinois Cattle Feeders Day. He became professor with the University of Illinois in the Department of Animal Husbandry in 1914.{{Cite web |title=Henry P. Rusk Papers, 1910-19, 1923-53 {{!}} University of Illinois Archives |url=https://archon.library.illinois.edu/archives/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=5097 |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=University of Illinois Archives Holdings Database |language=en}} He was head of the Department of Animal Sciences from 1922 to 1939 and also served as dean of the College of Agriculture for thirteen years, starting in 1939 until his retirement. After being a faculty member at Illinois for 43 years, he became a dean emeritus on September 1, 1952.
Rusk was the chairman of the agricultural task force of the Hoover Commission in 1948. This led to his working on the reorganization of federal lending policies. He was an advocate for government control of agriculture and was a frequent public speaker on this subject.{{Cite news |date=1954-01-11 |title=Henry P Rusk, 69, Agricultural Expert, Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-star-henry-p-rusk-69-agricultu/142977578/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |work=Evening Star |location=Washington, D.C. |pages=19 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Rusk was president of the American Society of Animal Science from 1925 to 1926. He was a member of the Association of Land Grant Colleges and Universities.{{Cite news |date=1954-02-24 |title=Rusk Eulogize by Rotarians at Meeting |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-rusk-eulogize-by-rotari/142976302/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |work=The Daily Illini |location=Urbana, Illinois |pages=5 |via=Newspapers.com}} He was the secretary of the Illinois Cattle Feeders' Association.{{Cite news |date=1913-07-16 |title=Cattle Feeders Elect Officers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-champaign-daily-gazette-cattle-feede/142977708/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |work=The Champaign Daily Gazette |pages=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} He was also a cattle judge, known for officiatig the American Royal and North American International Livestock Expo. He also had leadership roles with the Farm Foundation, the Illinois State Fair, and the National Research Council.
Awards and honors
Rusk was a member of several professional fraternities and honor societies, including Alpha Zeta, Gamma Sigma Delta, and Sigma Xi.In 1946, the Saddle and Sirloin Club commissioned a portrait of Rusk by Othmar J. Hoffler to be displayed in its Chicago clubhouse; this portrait collection is for inductees in The Livestock Industry Hall of Fame.{{Cite news |date=1946-12-02 |title=Dean Henry P. Rusk Honored at Dinner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/freeport-journal-standard-dean-henry-p/142978040/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |work=Freeport Journal-Standard |location=Freeport, Illinois |pages=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.saddleandsirloinportraitfoundation.org/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=SaddleandSirloin |language=en}} The American Farm Bureau Federation gave Rusk its gold medal in 1947 for distinguished service.
Rusk received an honorary doctorate from the University of Missouri in June 1950.{{Cite news |date=1950-06-09 |title=Awarded Honorary Degrees at MU Commencement Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/jefferson-city-post-tribune-awarded-hono/142977851/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |work=Jefferson City Post-Tribune |pages=2 |via=Jefferson City, Missouri}} He also received honorary degrees from the Illinois Wesleyan University and Purdue University. The University of Illinois chapter of Sigma Delta Chi gave Rusk its annual Brown Derby Award for outstanding service to the university in 1952.{{Cite news |date=1954-03-11 |title=Rider Will Discuss Local TV Plans at SDX Meeting |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-rider-will-discuss-loca/142976084/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |work=The Daily Illini |location=Urbana, Illinois |pages=2 |via=Newspapers.com}} In February 1954, the Champaign Rotary made a presentation honoring Rusk.
Personal life
Rusk married Edith E. Hartley in 1914. They had two daughters, Elizabeth and Martha.
He served as the national president of FarmHouse. He was also a member of Alpha Gamma Rho collegiate agricultural fraternity. He was a member of the Rotary International in Nebraska and the Methodist Church.
On January 9, 1954, Rusk died in the Carle Memorial Hospital in Urbana, Illinois at the age of 69. He had been in poor health for several years. His funeral was held in Smith Music Hall at the University of Illinois, with nearly 1,000 people in attendance.{{Cite news |date=1954-01-13 |title=Funeral Services Held for Rusk; Nearly 1,000 Pay Final Tribute |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-funeral-services-held-f/142976923/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |work=The Daily Illini |location=Urbana, Illinois · |pages=8 |via=Newspapers.com}} He was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Champaign, Illinois, adjacent to the University of Illinois campus.{{Cite web |last=Becque |first=Fran |date=2017-07-18 |title=In Mount Hope Cemetery, So Many GLO Connections |url=https://www.franbecque.com/mount-hope-cemetery-many-glo-connections/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=Fraternity History & More |language=en-US}}
References
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Category:University of Illinois faculty
Category:University of Missouri alumni
Category:Valparaiso University alumni
Category:University of Missouri faculty
Category:People from Champaign County, Illinois
Category:People from Valparaiso, Indiana