Biography
Dr. George L. Pratt served North Dakota State University for thirty-six years. A native of Grandin, North Dakota, Pratt graduated from NDSU in 1950 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering. He received his masters in 1951 from Kansas State University and a doctor of philosophy in 1967 from Oklahoma State University, both in Agricultural Engineering.

Pratt joined the NDSU faculty in 1953 and was promoted to Professor of Agricultural Engineering in 1967. He taught classes in agricultural building design for livestock and crop storage, and also served as an academic advisor. He was appointed chairman of the NDSU Agricultural Engineering Department in December 1976.

George Pratt was very active in his field. He served as chairman of the following organizations: Agricultural Experiment Station 13-State Agricultural Engineering Department Heads Committee, 1983; North Central Region of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1980; Experiment Station Midwest Plan Service, 1976; International Conference on Plant and Vegetable Oils as Fuels, 1982; National Agriculture Engineering Department Heads Committee, 1983; Agricultural Structures Standards Committee, 1977; The International Symposium on Livestock Waste, 1975; The American Society of Agricultural Engineers, The Beef Housing Committee and The Student Branches Committee.

Pratt was also active in numerous organizations on campus. He took part in the following: Quarter Century Club chair, 1983-1984; Sigma Xi National Scientific Research Society chair, 1981; Phi Kappa Phi National Scholastic Society president, 1977; member of Campus Attractions Board, 1976-1977; presiding officer of Faculty Senate, 1975-1976. He has served on several campus committees and acted as annual marshal for faculty at commencement ceremonies.

George Pratt was an influential figure in the field of Agricultural Engineering. He helped develop a structures and environment handbook, used extensively by other universities. His contribution to the handbook focused on farm structures design. He has been sole or co-author of over 50 technical papers on the subjects of livestock feeds and feeding processes, livestock structures, and waste disposal. In 1975, Pratt traveled to the Soviet Union as a member of a three man United States Department of Agriculture sponsored team. This team toured state farms, engineering offices, and research laboratories as part of an animal waste management exchange program. Pratt developed an engineering professionalism seminar for the College of Engineering and Agriculture in 1984 and coordinated it each year. He has researched the areas of animal waste management, feed yard runoff, and disposal of sugar beet processing wastes and published his findings.

He has received several awards for his work including Metal Building Manufacturers Association Award in 1978 and The American Society of Agricultural Engineers Engineer of the Year Award for 1986. George Pratt retired in 1989.

Scope and Contents
The records of George L. Pratt consist of documents he collected and saved from the various organizations with which he was involved in from the late 1940s to the late 1980s. The majority of the information is from his time as an NDSU faculty member. This information consists mainly of correspondence, agendas and minutes of meetings, programs and bulletins from meetings and conventions, and project proposals. In addition, one folder contains papers and assignments from his days as a student at NDSU.

Box Listing

Box/Folder Folder Name
1/A Finding Aid and Biography
1/1 Mandan Project Organizations, 1982.
1/2 Institute for Teacher Education Organizations, 1978-1979.
1/3 Hoople Alcohol Organizations, 1978.
1/4 Future Farmers of America Organizations, 1966.
1/5 Fargo Wholesale Implement Association Organizations, 1960-1961.
1/6 Fargo Engineers Club Organizations, 1946-1978.
1/7 Detroit Lakes Solar Tri-College Organizations, 1979.
1/8 Control Data Corporation Organizations, 1980.
1/9 Concord Manufacturing Company Organizations, 1980.
1/10 Central Solar Energy Research Corporation Organizations, 1976-1979.
1/11 Midwest Regional Solar Energy Planning Venture booklet, 1977.
1/12 North Dakota State Solar Office Final Report booklet, 1978.
1/13 American Soil Conservation Society Organizations, 1970.
1/14 American Association of University Professors Organizations, 1984.
1/15 Agricultural Coalition Organizations, 1982-1985.
1/16 Agricultural Research Service Organizations, 1947-1984.
1/17 Agricultural Products Utilization Committee Organizations, 1982-1983.
1/18 Grass and Beef Committees Research Organizations, 1972-1977.
1/19 Agricultural Experiment Station Organizations, 1949-1981.
1/20 North Dakota Implement Dealers Association Organizations, 1938-1986.
1/21 North Dakota Higher Education Association
National Education Association Organizations, 1965-1981.
1/22 North Dakota Agricultural Association Organizations, 1977-1984.
1/23 Missouri River Diversion Project Organizations, no date found.
1/24 Sigma Xi Organizations, 1969-1989.
1/25 Phi Kappa Phi Organizations, 1975-1986.
1/26 North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute, 1971-1979.
1/27 Northern Crops Institute Organizations, 1981-1982.
1/28 North Dakota Academy of Science Organizations, 1937-1988.
1/29 Agricultural Economics 401 class file, 1947-1949.