University Presidents >> John B. Shepperd

RG 3.8 - John B. Shepperd (Acting President, September 1929-March 1930, President, March 1930 – March 1937)

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John B. Shepperd, College of Agriculture, Food Systems & Natural Resources

Portrait of John B. Shepperd

John B. Shepperd was born on a farm in Lucas County, Iowa on January 12, 1869.  He was a graduate of Iowa Agricultural College and received a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Science from Iowa State College in 1891.  He did his graduate work in dairy at the University of Wisconsin and received a Masters of Science in Agriculture in 1893.  He was assistant editor of the Orange Judd Farmer, a weekly journal published in Chicago, for one year. He married Adele Frances Taylor on July 3, 1895.

Shepperd was appointed Professor of Agriculture at North Dakota Agricultural College [NDAC] and Agriculturalist of the North Dakota Experiment Station in 1893. In addition to conducting research at the Experiment Station, he taught mathematics.  In 1905 he was made Dean of the School of Agriculture and Vice Director of the Experiment Station. From 1906-1915 he was Dean of the School of Agriculture and Professor of Agriculture. In 1914 he was also Chairman of the Livestock Department. From 1915 to 1929 Shepperd was head of the Department of Animal Husbandry.  In 1929 Shepperd was made Acting President of NDAC, and the position was made permanent in March of 1930.  This was a tumultuous time on campus.  The crash of 1929 resulted in reduced staff, salaries, and operating budgets.  Because of differences between Shepperd and the Board of Administration, Shepperd resigned in 1937, and was made president emeritus in July of that year.  Shortly after its opening in 1952, the Livestock Pavilion was renamed Shepperd Arena in honor of J. H. Shepperd.

John B. Shepperd giving a speech, 1930

Shepperd was president of the Fargo Kiwanis Club for several years.  He also had many interests regarding livestock.  In 1910 he participated in the New Salem Breeding Circuit.  In 1927 and 1929 he was Grand Champion of the International Livestock Exposition.  From 1906 to 1938 he was the supervisor of the Collegiate Livestock Judging Contest at the International Livestock Exposition.  His portrait was hung in the Chicago Saddle and Sirloin Club in 1921. He died on January 22, 1939.

The records consist of a biographical file, his appointment as acting president (1929), correspondence (1929-1937), reports (1931-1936), correspondence courses and adult education (1930, 1935-1936), and the 1934 NDAC constitution.

John B. Shepperd – biographical material

Appointment as Acting President – September 1929

Correspondence, general, 1929-1932

Correspondence, general; general documents, 1935-1937.

Report by President Shepperd to the Alumni regarding salaries, enrollment, expenses, etc., 1936;

report by President Shepperd regarding enrollment comparison, 1932; correspondence, general, 1931-1936.

Correspondence regarding support for night school correspondence courses and adult education, 1930.

Annual report of the Supervised Correspondence Study project by T. W. Thordason, Director of the NDAC Correspondence Study Center, 1935-1936.

Correspondence, statements, and general documents regarding College Extension Classes, 1930, 1935.

Correspondence, general documents and reports regarding library affairs, 1930-1936.

General documents regarding library financial affairs, blueprints,1929-1932.

Correspondence regarding high school correspondence courses, 1935.

Report-“History and Educational Objectives, 1910-1920”-by Walton C. John, Assistant Specialist in Higher Education, Bureau of Education, 1924.

Constitution of NDAC – 1934