Built in 1958 for $50,000, the building was originally named the Plot Seed Laboratory and served the agronomy research program of the Agricultural Experiment Station (NDAC Catalog 1960-1962, p. 19). The name was changed in 1965 to Waldron Laboratory in honor of Clare Bailey (C. B.) and Lawrence Root (L. R.) Waldron, brothers who were long time faculty members.
Clare Bailey Waldron was born on December 6, 1863 in Ravena, Ohio. His parents soon moved the family to Michigan where he attended high school in Ionia and graduated from the Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) in 1887. After his graduation, Waldron remained at the school working as an instructor in botany and doing graduate work. He remained at the school until 1889 when he went to Duluth, Minnesota to work as an engineer. Waldron soon left Duluth for Fargo, North Dakota.
In 1890, at twenty-seven years of age, Waldron arrived in Fargo to assume his duties as professor of botany and horticulture as well as researcher at the newly founded North Dakota Agricultural College. When he arrived in Fargo, he was greeted by scenes that were more like the frontier--especially when he saw the Native Americans "braves in fulldress regalia sitting by the station"-- than a newly founded metropolitan area (Reid 25).
Undeterred by what he saw, Waldron began his work immediately. He collected 100 specimens of plant life as a means of securing federal funds for the College and Experiment Station. The specimens served as the foundation for the present herbarium. Waldron then focused on landscaping the new campus. He deserved much of the credit for the numerous trees, shrubs and flowers planted on campus. Waldron also strived to bring trees to the surrounding area but had problems due to the lack of greenhouses on campus and the necessary equipment for experimentation.
In 1915, Waldron became Dean of the School of Agriculture and continued in this position until 1924 when he resigned in order to return to teaching. He retired in 1940 after fifty years of service to the North Dakota Agricultural College.
Waldron's accomplishments and services were not limited to the AC. He helped to organize the Fargo Park Board in 1910 and continuously served on the board until 1945. It is through his efforts that Fargo purchased land for city parks and landscaped them with trees and shrubs. Waldron also helped to landscape and beautify the grounds at Kindred Public School, Minot State Teachers College (now Minot State University), and the Industrial and Normal Institute at Ellendale (Reid 34). He provided the cities of Jamestown, Lisbon, New Rockford, Abercombrie and Edgeley with aid in planning and landscaping their public parks.
In 1945, Waldron left the Fargo area and moved Fort Lauderdale, Florida to live with his son Max. Waldron died in 1947 after a bout with pneumonia.
L. R. Waldron was born October 20, 1875 near Ionia, Michigan in Ronald Township to David S. and Louisa (Root) Waldron. There he grew up and in 1896 matriculated at the North Dakota Agricultural College in Fargo where his brother C. B. Waldron was on the faculty. Upon graduation in 1899 he taught at the College for several years. In 1901 he continued his education at the University of Michigan where he received an M.A. degree in 1902. Waldron returned to the North Dakota Agricultural College where he became assistant botanist. In 1905 Waldron was appointed superintendent of the newly created Dickinson Experiment Station. He was successful in firmly establishing this new substation and did extensive research on grasses, alfalfa, and dry-land farming. In 1916 Waldron was transferred to the main Experiment Station on the NDAC campus and became a plant breeder, a position he held his entire career. In 1928 he received his PhD degree from Cornell University.
Dr. Waldron is best known for his development of Ceres, Rival and Mida strains of wheat as part of his program to combat rust, drought, and climatic conditions. He was also a prolific writer, publishing both popular and scientific articles in a wide variety of publications. In 1933 he was accorded the high honor of election to the Linnean Society of London. In addition he was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society of Naturalists, American Genetic Association, Sigma Xi, and the Minnesota Horticultural Society.
In 1952 Dr. Waldron retired from his full-time status on the Experiment Station staff. He received many honors through out his career, the last being in 1954 only months before his death on August 22, 1954 in Fargo. He is buried at Highland Cemetery in Jamestown.
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University Archives, 701-231-8914 Published by the University Archives, NDSU Last Updated: 8/27/04 |