GASSER DEATH SADDENS ALASKANS
By Mary Halm ,
George Gasser, eminent agri
culturist who can easily be
called the father of Alaska
farming, died last Friday at St.
Joseph's Hospital. Funeral serv
ices for him are at 1 p.m. today
at the Fairbanks Memorial
Chapel.
Barn in Ohio in 1875, Gasser was
one of seven children. After the
family had settled in Kansas and
moved on to Missouri, he worked to
put his brothers and sisters through
college before enrolling, at the age
of 27 at Kansas State College where
he majored in agronomy and
science.
Gasser was recommended to the
Department of Agriculture to fill a
vacancy at their Sitka Experiment
Station and came to Alaska in 1907.
He was later sent to Rampart
where he managed the Experimental
farm. While there he developed
Trapmar barley, a hulless barley
and demonstrated that grains, for
ages and vegetables could be grown
in Alaska.
Married in Rampart
While in Rampart, Gasser married
Beatrice, the sister of a gold miner.
In 1921, the Gassers moved to
College, where he took charge of
the Experimental Farm. He later j
became professor of agriculture and
dean of men. In 1955, he was hon
ored by the University wdth an
honorary doctor of science degree.
During his years he also served
as first assistant director of the
Agriculture Extension Service and
director of the Matanuska and Col
lege Experiment Stations. He
worked at testing varieties of fruits
and vegetables suitable to Alaska
and crossed the Golloway with Hol
stein in an effort to find a dairy
animal tailored to Alaska’s climate.
He also worked to stress the im
portance of record keeping to farm
ers and developed a variety of
wheat that resisted lodging and
shattering and produced 36 bushels
to an acre without irrigation.
Named In llis Honor
The crossed Diamon (Swedish)
and Khogot (Siberian) variety was
named in his honor in 1955.
In May. 1945, Governor Ernest
Gruening made arrangements with
the University to allow Dr. Gasser
to become Alaska's first Commis
sioner of Agriculture.
He was instrumental in making
homesteading possible for service
men and others and set up an in
formation service to aid people com
\eiv Empress
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LA PARSIENNE
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CLARK GABLE
and
BURT LANCASTER
Sunday
AWAY ALL BOATS
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OLE REX
FATHER OF ALASKA AGRICULTURE — The people of Alaska
this week mourn the death of George Gasser, an Alaskan agricul
tural pioneer. Gasser came to Alaska to begin his life work in 1907.
(See story and editorial this Issue.)
ing to Alaska. During World War
II, Gasser had actively urged Alas
kans to grow their own gardens to
conserve Stateside supplies.
Elected to Legislature
At the age of 76, Dr. Gasser re
tired as Commissioner of Agricul
ture. He was then elected to the
territorial legislature.
After retirement Gasser expanded
his fields of service. He was presi
dent of the Humane Society and
president of the Tanana Valley Fair
Board from the year he helped
found it in 1924, to 1952. During the
past 10 years he continued to assist
with the fair in an advisory capacity
and as a judge.
On June 12, 1958, Gasser was
honored by a “This Is Your Life”
program planned by his fellow Ro
tarians “for his long-time exempli
fication of the Rotary motto ‘Serv
ice Above Self.’ ”
He is survived by his widow
Beatrice and a nephew, Laurence
T. Hilling, who resides in the Gasser
home on College Road. A grand
niece, Sharon Ann, also survives
the deceased.
PIONEER
BIRTHDAYS
Three farmer Fairbanks residents
who are guests at the Alaska Pio
neers’ Home in Sitka have Febru
ary birthdays.
They are: Emil Pozza. Feb. 13,
1S71; Theodore Rehn. Feb. 14. 1881;
and Tony Grigoles. Feb. 26. 1895.
Byron Johnston of Anchorage who
was born 1, 1889, and Ole Ljgren
of Ketchikan, who was born 1, ’885,
also have February birthdays com
ing soon. Other Ketchikans with
birthdays include Magnus Halling
stad, 2, 1896; and Nels A. Oman. 28,
1889.
Other Alaskans who wfere born in
February are Antone Nelson, 5,
1874, Juneau: Gustof Lundin, 21,
1886. Juneau; Jessie Howard. 5, 1868,
Ophir; Oscar Danielson. 9. 1879. Peli
can; Nels Nore, 17, 1889, Wrangell;
William Johnson. 18. 1888, Seward;
and Alex Woche. 24, 1888, Afognak.
The Pioneer Women of Alaska
have these birthdays published
monthly so that the general public
might send cards, letters, or small
gifts to brighten lives that other
wise might be drab.
Judy Tweiten Out
To Attend School
Judy Tweiten, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Oscar Tweiten of Fair
banks, departed via jet for Seattle
Thursday. Judy, who has been at
tending the University of Alaska,
will enroll for the next semester at
Pacific Lutheran College in Tacoma.
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Soroptimists Set
Sweetheart Ball
At Traveler’s Inn
Decorated with the traditional St.
Valentine's Day hearts and red and
white color scheme, the annual
Sweetheart Valentine Charity Ball
will begin at 9 p.m., February 10 at
the Traveler’s Inn Banquet Room.
The annual semi-formal affair is
sponsored by the Fairbanks Sorop
timist Club to raise funds for a
worthy local project, according to
Mrs. Joe Shull, dance chairman.
The ball is invitational.
In past years such projects as
buying an audiometer for the Alas
ka Crippled Children and adding to
the St. Joseph’s Hospital Building
Fund have been undertaken by the
club. This year the Hillcrest Home
for Boys will benefit from the ball.
A live dance band furnished
through Harry Quest will provide
music. Among special entertain
ment acts is the Kiwanis Barbershop
Quartette and Jill Boggen, who will
dance.
Those who received invitations
may secure additional tickets for
friends by calling Mrs. Lydia Fohn
Hansen, GL 2-3372.
Tickets are $3 per person and $5
per couple. “We urge all who re
ceived invitations to attend this
worthy function,” Mrs. Schull stated.
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FEDERAL
ELECTRIC CORP.
is recruiting
experienced
DRAVO
MECHANICS
For 1 8 Month Contract On
DEWLINE
To qualify, in the case of
limited formal training,
graduation from acredited
trade or technical school,
in which courses covering
theory, repair, operation
and maintenance of heat
ing and ventilation sys
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ed, may be substituted for
high school graduation.
Previous job experience of
4 years in heating and
ventilation service and at
least 6 months job experi
ence with DRAVO systems
is mandatory.
All qualified applicants
will receive consideration
for employment without
regard to race, creed, col
or, or national origin.
Successful applicants must
pass a Technical and Psy
chological test and be in
top physical condition.
Applicants are requested
to apply through the Al
aska State Employment
Service, 310 First Ave.
Please do not apply direct
ly to Federal Electric Corp.
Federal Electric
Corp.
Service Division of
INTERNATIONAL
TELEPHONE AND
TELEGRAPH CORP.
BOX 487
Fairbanks, Alaska