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Description: A member of the class of 1907, Wilkins composed the school fight song, "Hail to Old OAC."

Description: Harvey L. McAlister was known as "Pap Hayseed" during his student years at Oregon Agricultural College (OAC). McAlister came from Lexington, Oregon (in Morrow County) to OAC in 1893. As a freshman, he played center on the first OAC football team. McAlister attended OAC from 1893 to 1897 and earned a BS in Agriculture. After service in the Spanish-American War, he returned to Lexington where he farmed until his retirement in 1947, when he moved to the Veterans Home in Napa, California. McAlister died in California in 1955.

Description: Percival Nash was the son of local entrepreneur and OAC Board of Regents member Wallis Nash.

Description: Helen Julia Cowgill was born 1 December 1881 in Springfield, Illinois. Cowgill came to Oregon in 1890 and graduated in 1913 from Oregon Agricultural College with a BS degree in Domestic Science and Art. After teaching Domestic Science and Art at Harney County (Oregon) High School at Burns for one year, she began her career at OAC in 1914 as Assistant State 4-H Club Leader with the Extension Service. In 1916, she earned a second BS degree in Home Economics from OAC. In charge of the girls' 4-H work, Cowgill wrote many of the 4-H Circulars used by girls in their 4-H Projects. She became known as the "Mother of Oregon 4-H." Cowgill took a year's leave of absence to complete her Masters Degree, which she received from the University of Washington in 1931. She was a member of Phi Kappa Chi and the Epsilon Sigma Phi, serving as treasurer of the latter organization in 1943. Cowgill retired from Oregon State College in 1947 and was awarded emeritus status. In 1954 Cowgill was selected as a "Woman of Achievement" by Theta Sigma Phi, and the 1957 4-H Summer School publication 4-H Absolutely was dedicated to her. Cowgill died in Corvallis on 15 May 1959. In 1965 a tree and bench on the university campus were dedicated to her memory.

Description: William Evans Lawrence was born April 15, 1883 in Randolph County, Indiana. He earned a B.S. from Earlham College (Indiana) in 1904 and did graduate work at the University of Chicago. Prior to coming to Oregon Agricultural College in 1910 as a botany instructor, he taught at Michigan State College in 1906 and Oklahoma A&M from 1907-1909. Lawrence was an associate professor of plant ecology at the time of his death. He was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and held membership in the Botanical and Ecological Societies of America, the American Association of University Professors, and the Sigma Xi honor society.

Description: John Eliphalet Smith was born on January 24, 1878 near McCoy in Polk County, Oregon. In 1902 Smith received his B.S. from OAC. His first wife was Julia McCullock of Salem, Oregon, who passed away in May 1930. He married a second time to Willetta Moor of Eugene, Oregon on August 30, 1932. Smith taught at OSC during the post-war period. He was one of the founders of the Benton County Pioneer Historical Society, and wrote a book and many articles on various historical subjects. Smith was also a Professor of Geology at many universities including the University of North Carolina (1912-1917) and Iowa State College (1917-1937).

Description: Nathan Fasten was born in Austria on December 4, 1887. He grew up in New York City, and graduated from the College of the City of New York in 1910 with a bachelor of science in chemical biology. Fasten studied at the University of Wisconsin as a graduate student from 1911 to 1914, earning a Ph.D. in 1914. Fasten came to Oregon Agricultural College in 1920 as an associate professor of zoology and physiology. The next year he was promoted to professor and department head; he served in that capacity until his resignation from Oregon State College in 1944. He later worked as Chief Scientist for the Washington State Water Pollution Commission in Seattle. Fasten authored many journal articles and books. He was a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Fasten died in Seattle on September 19, 1953.

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