University Presidents >> John H Worst

RG 3.3– John H. Worst (President, 1895-1916)

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Portrait of John H Worst

John Worst was born in a log cabin in Ohio on December 23, 1850.  He alternated attending college with teaching in district schools and received an honorary LL.D. degree from Ashland College.  He homesteaded in Emmons County, Dakota Territory in 1883.  There, he was elected county superintendent of schools for six years.  In 1889 he was elected and served two terms as state senator.  Worst became lieutenant governor of North Dakota in 1894 and presided over that year's senate session.

 In 1895 Worst was appointed president of NDAC.  Although Worst was not the first president of NDAC, he is regarded as the "Father of NDAC."  A considerable amount of progress was made during Worst's administration.  The number of students steadily increased, and the staff increased threefold.  Worst was successful in obtaining money from Andrew Carnegie in 1905 for the building of a campus library.  Ten new buildings were constructed on campus, as well as gardens and trees.  Political reasons are cited for Worst's retirement from NDAC in March of 1916.  He was made president emeritus on April 5, 1919 by the Board of Regents. During his tenure as President's he proposed that a memorial grove be planted for all NDAC students who served during the Spanish-American War in 1898. Although the exact date of the planting is not now, a stone marking the grove was placed in 1937.

President Worst in his office at Old Main

After leaving NDAC, Worst was editor for the New Rockford Daily State Center for one year.  From 1919 to 1923 he served as State Commissioner of Immigration and thereafter went into retirement.  He was active in politics, as a Republican, and he was editor of the Fairfield County Republican, in Ohio, for two years.  He served as president of the Tri-State Grain and Stock Grower's Association, in Fargo, for sixteen years.  He was a 33rd degree Mason and was also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Elks.  Worst passed away on September 25, 1945 in San Marino, California.

The papers of  John Worst include annual reports to the Bureau of Education; correspondence during and after his time in office; biographical material; reports and speeches given in relation to agriculture; minutes of meetings; and general pamphlets, brochures, and news clippings (1895-1932).

John H. Worst – biographical information

Annual reports to the Department of Interior, Bureau of Education; correspondence regarding the reports, 1895-1915.

Correspondence - general (some dates after presidency), 1901-1932.

Correspondence with President Worst, Professor Parrot, and Coach Magoffin of NDAC; and President McVey, President Merrifield, Dean Bruce, and Professor Stewart of UND, 1902-1910.

Report on Committee on Museum – Shepperd, Willard, Bolley – between 1904-1910

Correspondence - President John H. Worst (et al) and Andrew Carnegie (et al) and the donation of funds and the building of the college library - 1904-1912. (copies)

Correspondence regarding applicants and references for positions at NDAC, 1907-1910.

Tri-State Grain and Stock Growers Association-publicity and business ads, 1908; agenda, 1910; annual address by President Worst, 1914.

Correspondence with George L. Tibert, NDAC Building Superintendent, regarding building maintenance, proposals, and completion, 1908-1910.

YMCA-correspondence, general documents, 1908-1909; minutes of the International Committee State Convention, 1909.

Correspondence with Mr. Brewer of The Fargo Forum regarding President Worst's denial of a negative attitude toward the governor, and Worst's defense of the governor's actions concerning NDAC, 1909.

Correspondence with the Honorable W. J. Price regarding state budgetary funding for NDAC, 1909.

Reports and correspondence regarding the Experiment Station, 1909-1910.(12)

Correspondence regarding night watchman and pamphlet regarding watchman's watch system; report from Tibert regarding the wreckage of the old Chemical Laboratory, 1910.

Correspondence to President Worst and individual entries to an essay contest on how a woman could make money by working on a farm to pay off a mortgage, 1910.

News clipping from the Minneapolis Journal - “Worst Speaks to Young Farmers”-December 21, 1910.(21)

Correspondence from President Worst; Professor Shepperd; Albert Gulman; George Hollister of the Northern Trust Company; general documents, 1910-1911.

Printed commencement address (The Emancipation of Agriculture) by President Worst - June, 1911

International Dry Farming Congress-president's annual address - The Importance of the Dry-Farm Movement and Means for Supporting It - October, 1911; Correspondence and news clippings dealing with the dry farm movement - 1911-1912

Correspondence regarding the position of Director of the Experiment Station, 1912.

Correspondence and biography of President Worst for 1919 North Dakota Blue Book, 1919.