Letter dated 25 September 1972 from Matthias Stelly to Lorenzo A. Richards

Letter dated 30 September 1972 from Lorenzo A. Richards to Harry Hamilton regarding the latter's approaching retirement; accompanied by a bibliography of Hamilton's works and a Letter dated 25 September 1972 from Matthias Stelly, Executive Vice President of the American Society of Agronomy, noting the approaching retirement of Harry Hamilton and seeking letters from his friends for a compilation to be presented at a banquet30 September 1972 Dr. Harry Hamilton American Society of Agronomy 6?7 South Segoe Road Madison, Wisconsin 53711 Dear Harry; It comes as a surprize to learn that a young man like you is thinking of retirement. It has been four and a half years since I took the step and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Back over the years I remember your presentations of Society business at annual meetings. They were given with brevity and humor, both of which were appreciated by your audiences. I also remember with appreciation the pleasant ride with you and Velma in 1965 from the Board of Directors meeting at Madison to O'Hare. lou dropped me near ray airline where I joined Mrs. Richards and took off for England to attend the marriage of our son to an English girl. It turned out O.K. No problems with King George III. • Mrs. Richards joins me in congratulations to you and Velma on your fine family and best wishes for happy times ahead. Sincerely, Lorenzo A. Richards Biographical items - Harry L. Hamilton Born - July 10, 1907, Talladega, Alabama Education - B. A., Talladega College, 1928 M. A. (Chemistry), University of Wisconsin, 1935 Ph.D. (Soil Science) " !i , 1948 Employment - Teacher (Science), Lincoln Academy, Kings Mountain, N.C., and Avery Institute, Charleston, S.C., 1929-1939; (Chemistry) Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, Miss., 1939-1942, and Talladega College, 1948-1950. Chemist - Badger Ordnance Works, Baraboo, Wis., Celon Co., Forest Products Laboratory, and Bjorksten Research Laboratory, Madison, Wis., 1942-1957. Duties - ASA - Managing Editor - Agronomy Journal and Agronomy News, 1958-1972; Crop Science, 1961-1972; Journal of Agronomic Education, 1970-1972; 5 monographs; about 5 special pub­lications; and 5 books.* Community activities - President, National Association for Colored People, Madison West Rotary Club, and Dane County Mental Health Association; Moderator, First Congregational Church; Member, others. Family - Married Velma F. Bell, 1934 (now Division Chairman, Madison Area Technical College) Children: Harry Jr. (Assoc. Prof., State Univ. N. Y., Albany) Patricia (wife of Asst. Prof., Ohio Univ., Athens) Muriel (Project Director, National Urban League, New York, N. Y.) * Harry Hamilton served as Managing Editor on the following Monographs, Special Publications and Books: Monographs Special Publications Oats and Oat Improvement Food for Peace Soil Nitrogen Maximum Crop Yields Wheat and Wheat Improvement Current Concepts for Agronomic Education Turfgrass Science Aerospace Science and Agricultural Development Alfalfa Science and Technology Drought Injury and Resistance in Crops Books Plant Environment and Efficient Water Use Soil Surveys and Land Use Planning Mutants of Maize Soil Water Soils Lab Book, Second Edition AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRONOMY HEADQUARTERS: 677 SOUTH SEGOE ROAD TELEPHONE 608-274-1212 MADISON, WISCONSIN 53711 MATTHIAS STELLY EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT September 25, 1972 Dear Friend: I am writing to you relative to a personal matter that needs attention immediately. I realize that my approach is a very poor and improper one, that is, to be asking for a favor and at the same time asking to rush it is indeed a poor beginning for any type of correspondence. And besides, the fault is all mine for having waited this long. It is not my nature to hide behind excuses but perhaps I do have a reason in that our schedule at the Headquarters Office has been unusually busy. Harry Hamilton, a long-time member of the Headquarters Office staff and Managing Editor of the Agronomy Journal, Crop Science, several monographs and books, the Agronomy News, and a few special publications, has reached the age of retirement. He will be recognized at the banquet at the 1972 annual meetings and deserves a vote of thanks from us who have known him well and worked with him more closely. The consensus was that a compilation of letters from friends, associates, and coworkers in the associated societies bound together for presentation to him would be a wonderful token of our appreciation of his years of ef­forts. We hope that you will share this viewpoint and are willing to write a letter, even if a brief one, for this purpose. Enclosed is biographical material which I have obtained in order that you may become bet­ter acquainted with some of the specific facts about Harry's life. Perhaps these will be helpful to you in your anticipated cooperation to make successful this effort to honor Harry. The letter should be neatly typed on a 21.6 x 27.9 cm (8.5 x 11 inch) high quality paper, perhaps your office stationery. Address the letter to Harry, please, and do not fold it but forward it to me marked "Personal". Please place it between two hard card­board covers in order that it will withstand the rigor of our present day mail service and arrive in satisfactory condition for binding. Your prompt attention will add mater­ially to my appreciation of your efforts. The letter should arrive here no later than October 7 to allow time for binding. Since I have the pleasure and responsibility for the preparation of this bound volume of testimonies of Harry's contributions, your cooperation will be a personal favor to me and undoubtedly a memorable gift to Harry. Sincerely yours 'i A Matthias Stelly Executive Vice President P.S. Should you find yourself in a position of not knowing Harry well enough to participate, I certainly will understand. In that case, pleas simply state your regrets in order that I might know that my letter has reached vou. MS: rr 64th Annual Meeting • October 29-November 3, 1972 • Miami Beach, Florida "SERVING MAN IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT