By Whitney Baxter
The Ag 450 Farm and class look different today than when they were established in the 1940s. Dale Weber (’52 farm operation, ’70 MS animal science, ’74 PhD) is capturing memories from those early days into the present through a new display.
Weber took Ag 450 in 1952, when class was held in the basement of the farm manager’s house at the Ag 450 farm, rather than on campus.
“In those days, a majority of students in the class planned to go back to the farm and viewed it as a way to learn new things to use when they returned home,” Weber says.
After graduating, he spent a few years teaching and farming before returning to Ames.
While Weber was pursuing his master’s and doctoral degrees, former CALS Associate Dean Louis M. Thompson asked him to serve as the Ag 450 instructor.
“I didn’t hesitate when he asked because I liked how, at the farm, students could apply what they learned in their classes,” Weber says.
Students learn a lot of life lessons through Ag 450, according to Weber. He recalls the year the old grower barn caught fire, claiming some pigs’ lives. It was a somber sight as he and students stood there helplessly.
“That became a real teaching moment,” Weber says. “That’s just life; things happen and don’t always go as the textbook says.”
Showcasing the farm’s unique story
Soon, a mural will be installed in the second-floor hallway of Curtiss Hall, home of the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies, which administers Ag 450. Weber provided funding for the display.
“I had such a positive experience taking and teaching the class that I wanted to give back to the university in a way that would be memorable,” Weber says.
The mural will tell how Ag 450 was conceptualized by the late William Murray, former head of Iowa State’s Department of Economics and Sociology, and detail progress made over the years.
“The Ag 450 Farm is a point of pride for the department. Dr. Weber's gift allows us to showcase the history and importance of the farm where it is visible to prospective and current students,” says Mike Retallick, professor and chair of the department.
Weber hopes former students will remember their many Ag 450 experiences when they see the display and it will help current students appreciate the farm’s contributions to their education.
“It’s a great way to honor William Murray and all the other instructors who came after him,” he says.