DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, some men leave a mark on one place, maybe two if they're ambitious. Bradford Knapp — born in 1870, died in 1938 — left his mark on an entire nation's way of feeding itself, and then just kept going.
That's the kind of restless, consequential life that gets a marker out here on the South Plains, and friend, he earned it. Knapp served as the first director of the U.S. Cooperative Extension Service.
The *first* — which means before him, that office didn't exist, and after him, the whole country had a framework for taking agricultural knowledge straight to the people working the land. Then came World War One, and the Agriculture Department needed somebody to help plan and carry out overseas food production. They turned to Bradford Knapp.
Not a general, not a diplomat — an agricultural educator. Because when the world is at war and people are hungry, the person you need is the one who understands how food gets grown. After all that, you might expect a man to slow down.
Bradford Knapp apparently did not get that message. He went on to serve as Dean of Agriculture at the University of Arkansas, from 1920 to 1923. Then president of the university now known as Oklahoma State, from 1923 to 1928.
Then president of Auburn, from 1928 to 1932. And then — then he came to Texas Tech, serving as president from 1932 until 1938. Four institutions.
One lifetime. And every single one of them better for it.
What the marker says
(1870-1938) Known for his leadership in the field of agricultural education, Bradford Knapp served as first director of the U.S. Cooperative Extension Service and helped plan and carry out World War I overseas food production for the Agriculture Department. He later served as Dean of Agriculture at the University of Arkansas (1920-23), and as the president of the universities now known as Oklahoma State (1923-28), Auburn (1928-32), and Texas Tech (1932-38). Recorded - 1984