Interview with Wesley P. Garrigus, July 21, 1981

Interview Summary

Wesley P. Garrigus's father was Chairman of Animal Husbandry at the University of Connecticut, which was the same position that Garrigus held at the University of Kentucky. Garrigus received his B.S. degree from the University of Connecticut and his Master's and Doctorate degrees from the University of Illinois. He talks about other family members involved in the livestock industry. Garrigus was a research assistant at University of Illinois and later became the Associate State Agronomist for the Soil Conservation Service. He recalls he met Dr. E. S. Good at a meeting in Chicago, Illinois, and Dr. Good asked him to come to UK. He talks about Good, a microbiologist trained at Michigan State, who developed a serum which immunized mares against a bacterial type of abortion. This serum was used worldwide and helped save the horse industry in central Kentucky. Good also researched brucellosis in swine and cattle.

Garrigus talks at length about Dean Thomas Poe Cooper, and remembers his disagreements with Cooper regarding staff, including C. Oran Little and Charles Barnhart. He discusses the early history of the land grant system and knowledge about the Experiment Station across the states. He talks about support for the College of Agriculture within UK, and recalls the differences in personality and management style between President Frank L. McVey and Dean Cooper. Garrigus was appointed Chairman of the Animal Industries Group in the College of Agriculture in 1954, and describes the reorganization of this department. He talks about Dean Frank Welch and his political acumen, especially in building support for the university throughout the state.

Garrigus discusses the influence of outside agricultural groups, including tobacco interests and the fescue producers, which discouraged some faculty prospects from coming to UK, and hurt the farmers. He describes the problems caused by fescue foot in livestock. He talks about President John T. Oswald's administration. Garrigus discusses the graduate programs and complications of hiring faculty today versus twenty or thirty years ago. He describes the relationship between the College of Agriculture and the horse industry in central Kentucky. He talks about role of women and Black farmers and how this has changed. He mentions the use of radio broadcasts in the 1940s by the Extension Office to disseminate information to farmers.

Interview Keyword

College administrators--Rating of College facilities. College presidents College teaching. Horse industry--Kentucky Minorities in higher education Universities and colleges--Administration. Universities and colleges--Faculty. Universities and colleges--Public relations Universities and colleges--Research Women in higher education.

Interview LC Subject

Agricultural education Garrigus, Wesley P., 1909- Garrigus, Wesley P., 1909- --Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.