Edward Patrick Hogan was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the eldest of five children of Edward W. Hogan and Dorothy Fehrenbach Hogan. He attended St. Gabriel the Archangel Grade School and graduated from Bishop Du Bourg High School. He earned a B.S. in 1961, an M.A. in 1962, and a Ph.D. in 1969, all from Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Dr. Hogan joined the faculty of South Dakota State University in 1967 as a member of the Geography Department, where he was responsible for developing South Dakota’s only geography program. Over the course of his career at SDSU, he held several leadership positions, including Head of the Department of Geography from 1973 to 1991, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1977 to 1983, and Coordinator of Student Academic Affairs within the same college from 1983 to 1991. From 1991 to 1999, he served as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs. In December 1999, he was appointed Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Information Technology Officer. He also served as Coordinator of Faculty Development and Articulation, and Director of Summer Term.
Dr. Hogan received numerous honors throughout his career, including the Distinguished Teaching Award from the National Council for Geographic Education and the Distinguished Service Award from the Defense Mapping Agency. He was listed in multiple biographical directories such as Who’s Who in the Midwest, Who’s Who in the World, and International Who’s Who. He was also featured in Leaders in American Geography, a publication profiling seventy-nine individuals who have had a major influence on geographic education in the United States. In 1991, Governor George S. Mickelson named him the State Geographer of South Dakota.
Dr. Hogan is married to Joan Ford Hogan. They have five children: Bridget, Edward Jr., Timothy, Erin, and Molly.
"Ben Frank Hofer was born on August 16, 1926, in Milford Township, Beadle County, South Dakota, to Josua and Anna Hofer. He married Elsie Waldner in 1946, and together they farmed grain and livestock in Spink County, South Dakota, raising three children: Lowell, Darla, and Rachel. Following Elsie’s death in 2000, Ben married Agnes Glanzer Waldner in 2002.
In 1961, Hofer was named Outstanding Young Farmer by the Redfield Jaycees. He was actively involved in local agricultural and civic affairs, serving on the Spink County Pest and Weed Board, the Union Township Board, and as chairman of the Yale Board of Directors for the Farmers Elevator Cooperative. He also held a position on the South Dakota Weed and Pest Commission.
In 1995, Ben and Elsie moved to Huron, South Dakota, after their daughter Darla and her husband, Harold Loewen, took over the family farm. In Huron, Ben joined the Huron Area Chamber of Commerce and served on its Agriculture Committee and Consumer Awareness Committee. He ran as the Republican candidate for the South Dakota State Senate in District 21 in 1996 but was defeated by Democrat Charlie Flowers.
Hofer was a dedicated member of the Bethel Mennonite Brethren Church in rural Yale, South Dakota, and served on various church boards, including the Mennonite Aid Property Board, the Central District Conference Board of Trustees, and the Board of Youth and Evangelism. He passed away on May 2, 2018."
The Library had its beginning in the fall of 1885 when two rooms on the second floor of the Old Central building were assigned as reading rooms. The Library at that time contained approximately 500 reference books. In the early years, the Library was frequently moved from floor to floor in Old Central and back and forth from Old Central to South building. Essentially, it seems to have consisted of two rooms: a reading room and a book room. The office of Librarian was established in 1886 with the appointment of a Mr. Lewis, an arithmetic teacher. He soon left and was succeeded by Nancy L. Van Doren, Preceptress and English grammar and composition teacher. She continued as Librarian until 1889. These succeeding appointments seem to have been largely nominal, with much of the work being done by students. In 1898, Librarian Robert F. Kerr returned to the position he held seven years earlier, and served until he became secretary to Governor H. Elrod in 1904.
The Library grew slowly. The original collection was mainly donated materials. The first book was purchased in 1886. It was a United States government document: The Report of the Secretary of the Interior for 1877. The college catalog for 1887-88 reported that the college library contained over 2,000 volumes. Ten years later, the Library consisted of about 5,000 volumes and as many pamphlets. By 1925, the figure was 35,000 bound volumes and 8,000 pamphlets.
In 1927, the Library moved into its new building, the Lincoln Memorial Library. It was the first building in the state to be financed from funds received from a tax on cigarettes and the first land-grant college library dedicated to President Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln Memorial Library consisted of a large reading room designed to seat 250, a periodical room to accommodate 64, eight classrooms, fourteen seminar rooms, and sufficient unused floor space in the large stack room to accommodate the museum.
A growing institution always needs more space and so the Departments of History, English and Education also moved into the new Library. In 1942, when the Army took over many of the buildings on campus, the Library had to make room in whole or part, for the offices of Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology and Foreign languages. The end of World War II brought an influx of students. The Library collection began to grow rapidly, tripling in size to about 100,000 volumes in the 20 years after occupying the new facility.
The establishment of a doctoral program in 1954-55 had great significance for the Library. To supplement such studies, Library appropriations were greatly expanded, as was the staff. By the late 1950's, the Lincoln Memorial Library was visibly inadequate. Books were overflowing the shelves, service areas and offices intruded upon the study areas and students found that the crowded and noisy conditions interfered with their studies. One-by-one, the faculty offices found new homes, classrooms were converted to house additional books and storage areas for books were added in East Men's Hall and Hansen Hall. After years of study, a new library was built. Hilton M. Briggs Library was finished in 1977.
arol Hepper, born in 1953 and raised in McLaughlin, South Dakota, earned a B.S. in 1975 from South Dakota State University. She gained national recognition with her inclusion in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s 1983 exhibition New Perspectives in American Art and relocated to New York City in 1985. Her work has been exhibited at numerous institutions, including the Orlando Art Museum, Worcester Art Museum, Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, The Phillips Collection, the Walter Art Center, and the Art Gallery of Western Australia. Her artwork is held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Detroit Institute of Arts, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Dannheisser Foundation, among others. Hepper has also served as a visiting lecturer at Brandeis University, Princeton University, the Maryland Institute College of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, and the School of Visual Arts
John P. Hendrickson was born on February 17, 1923, in Valley City, North Dakota, to Rev. Alfred and Karen (Skorpen) Hendrickson. He graduated from Bismarck High School in 1940 and served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946 in the United States and Europe. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1947, a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Minnesota in 1949, and a doctorate in political science from the University of Iowa in 1952. In 1951, he married Arlene “Susie” Brogla in Iowa City, Iowa. Before joining South Dakota State University in 1954, Hendrickson taught at the University of Iowa and the College of Wooster in Ohio. He also pursued post-doctoral study at the University of Nebraska and the University of Manitoba, where his work contributed to the development of courses on Canadian politics and government at South Dakota State University.
Dr. Hendrickson had a long and distinguished career at South Dakota State University, serving as professor of political science from 1954 to 1988 and as head of the political science department from 1967 to 1988. He worked with the South Dakota Constitutional Revision Commission (1969–1975), the Local Government Study Commission, and the State Supreme Court Blue Ribbon Committee. In 1967, he was chosen to confer an Honorary Doctor of Science degree on Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Two years later, he was selected as Outstanding Teacher of the Year by SDSU students, faculty, and alumni. The South Dakota Supreme Court recognized him in 1986 for his service on the Blue Ribbon Citizen Committee. In 1988, he received the SDSU Alumni Association’s non-alumnus award for service to South Dakota and was named Professor Emeritus. He also received the Liberty Bell Award from the Brookings County Bar Association in 1989. Dr. Hendrickson was profiled in South Dakota 99, a collection highlighting 99 influential people from the state’s first 99 years.
After retiring from SDSU, Dr. Hendrickson remained active in public life. He authored the Home Rule Charter for Brookings in 1996 and served on the Argus Leader Editorial Board. He was also a member of Golden K and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
Reed “Rocky” G. Hart, Jr. was born on August 4, 1926, in Pipestone, Minnesota, to Reed Sr. and Marie (Johannsen) Hart. He grew up in Pipestone and graduated from high school in 1944. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army and served until the end of World War II. In 1947, he enrolled at the University of Minnesota, where he played on the freshman football team. He was later recalled to service during the Korean War and eventually returned to complete his B.S. degree in 1955.
Hart spent much of his professional life working on government contracts around the world, including assignments in Greenland, Guantanamo Bay (Cuba), Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), as well as living in Washington, D.C.; San Diego, California; and New Orleans, Louisiana.
While stationed in Kwajalein and later in Saudi Arabia, Hart founded jogging clubs that organized races, events, and awards. A 1975 scrapbook notes, “October 8 [1975] Kwajalein loses Rocky Hart… Rocky has been a Kwaj resident for 8½ years and during that time organized the [jogging] club in 1968 and in the last five years has organized jogs, special events for the club and he even makes all the awards and trophies himself at the Special Services Hobby Shop.”
After retiring, Hart returned to Pipestone and later moved to Egan, Minnesota. In retirement, he founded the All-Star Jogging League, which served runners in southwestern Minnesota and southeastern South Dakota. At its height, the club had nearly 150 members.
Reed Hart passed away on July 14, 2014, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Neva Marie Whaley Harding was born on June 5, 1872, in Rock Island County, Illinois, to Josiah and Susan Whaley. In 1880, the family relocated to De Smet, South Dakota, where Neva completed her education at De Smet High School in 1889. She then embarked on a teaching career in Kingsbury County before pursuing higher education at South Dakota Agricultural College, now South Dakota State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Domestic Economy in 1897.
On July 6, 1898, Neva married Albert S. Harding, and they settled in Brookings, South Dakota, where Albert served as a professor in the history department at South Dakota State College. The couple adopted a son, Robert Eugene Harding, in 1909.
Throughout her life, Neva played an active role in the educational and cultural life of the community. She was instrumental in founding the Brookings Women's Club, serving as its inaugural president in 1900, and remained an active member throughout her life. Neva also contributed to St. Paul's Episcopal Church and Guild.
In her later years, Neva developed a passion for painting, creating numerous artworks that reflected the beauty of her surroundings. She also chronicled her life experiences in an autobiography titled "I Recall Pioneer Days in South Dakota," offering insights into the region's pioneer era.
Governor Richard Kneip honored Neva's remarkable life by proclaiming June 5, 1974, as "Neva Harding Day," recognizing her enduring influence and legacy. Neva passed away on January 5, 1978, in Brookings, South Dakota, at the remarkable age of 105.
Albert Spencer Harding was born on November 30, 1867, in Janesville, Wisconsin. In 1883, he relocated with his family to Spink County in Dakota Territory. He entered Dakota Agricultural College in 1889, earned a B.A. in agriculture in 1892, and later received an M.A. from the University of Nebraska. In 1897, Harding returned to Brookings to begin his long career as a faculty member at South Dakota State University.
From 1897 to 1943, Harding taught history, political science, sociology, and economics at SDSU. Over the course of his 54-year teaching career, he led 600 different courses and instructed 11,798 students. He was appointed head of the History and Political Science Department in 1931, a role he held until retirement.
Harding married Neva Marie Whaley of De Smet, South Dakota, in 1897 or 1898. The couple had one adopted son, Robert. Neva lived to the age of 105 and died in Brookings in 1978.
In addition to his academic work, Harding was active in the Brookings Kiwanis Club, the Methodist Church, and the Forum. His longstanding dedication to SDSU is commemorated in multiple ways. Harding Hall, constructed in 1952 on the university campus, was named in his honor. The Harding Distinguished Lecture Series, established in 1963, continues to bring notable lecturers to SDSU.
Albert S. Harding passed away in Brookings, South Dakota, on December 2, 1952.
Niels Ebbesen Hansen, a pioneering horticulturist and plant breeder, dedicated his career to advancing agricultural practices through the development and introduction of hardy plant varieties suited to the Great Plains. The N.E. Hansen Papers document his work with the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and his broader influence on horticultural science. The collection includes articles, bulletins, circulars, field notes, plant specimens, manuscripts, correspondence, photographs, and travel documentation, reflecting both his scientific achievements and international plant exploration. Contributions by Helen Hansen Loen supplement the collection with biographical research and contextual materials that highlight Hansen’s personal and professional legacy. The collection serves as a resource for the study of early plant-breeding practices, agricultural experimentation, and international scientific exchange during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Born in Bradley, South Dakota, on March 28, 1917, Barbara Bates Gunderson was one of six children of newspaper editor Carmon L. Bates and Helen E. (Lyman) Bates. The family resided in Onida and later Redfield, South Dakota, where Carmon owned the Journal Observer Co. until his death in 1942. Helen later married Charles Whiting Gardner in 1954 and passed away in 1978.
Barbara worked her way through Yankton College, taking on roles in kitchens, retail, and local newspapers. After earning her degree, she became the Continuity Director for WNAX radio in Yankton and occasionally performed on-air as “Ma Brown” on the Flying Arrow Ranch Show. She later worked as chief copywriter for R.J. Potters Advertising Agency in Kansas City, Missouri. On October 25, 1941, she married Robert W. “Bob” Gunderson in Jackson, Missouri, just before his deployment to Europe during World War II. The couple later settled in Rapid City, South Dakota, in 1947, where Robert opened a law practice and Barbara continued freelance writing.
Barbara’s political involvement began in 1952 as Vice-Chair of the Pennington County Citizens for Eisenhower and later as South Dakota State Vice Chair. She went on to serve as a Republican National Committeewoman and, in 1954, as national Co-Chair of the Citizens for Eisenhower Congressional Committee.
In August 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed her as one of the first women to serve on the U.S. Civil Service Commission. As Vice Chair, she oversaw federal personnel policies and founded the Federal Woman’s Award Program—Washington, D.C.'s first major recognition of women in government. Her tenure included nationwide travel, public addresses, and participation in forums such as a UCLA symposium on women. After leaving the commission in 1961, she continued consulting on equal opportunity issues and held appointments under President Lyndon Johnson, including vice-chair of the President's Advisory on Personnel and public member of the U.S. Information Agency Retirement Board.
In 1974, Gunderson ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate from South Dakota. She also wrote a column for the Rapid City Journal during the late 1960s and early 1970s and published two romance novels under pseudonyms: Love’s Bold Embrace (1979, as Brynn Gilbert) and Seasoned to Taste (1981, as Benna Gray).
Active in civic life, Gunderson served on the board that unified Rapid City’s hospitals and oversaw the development of Rapid City Regional Hospital. She was President of the Rapid City Library Board during the construction of the new facility, and also led the local AAUW chapter and Women’s Fellowship at First Congregational Church. Her community contributions earned her an Honor’s Day award from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and a “Woman of Worth” award from AAUW. She also served on the YMCA Building Committee and boards for Pennsylvania Medical College and Yankton College.
In 1994, she was the only woman featured in the A&E television program The Contentious Years of the Presidency, a biographical documentary on Eisenhower hosted by John Chancellor.
Barbara Bates Gunderson died on July 29, 2007, at age 90 in Rapid City. Her husband Robert had passed away in 1994.
Charles F. "Fritz" Gritzner was born June 6, 1936 in Fremont, Michigan. He graduated from Mesa, Arizona, High School in 1954. He received in Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from Arizona State University in 1958. He received his graduate degrees in geography and cultural anthropology at Louisiana State University. He began college teaching at East Carolina University in 1960, and has taught at Louisiana State University, the University of Montana, Oregon College of Education, and the University of Houston prior to joining the South Dakota State University faculty in 1980. Gritzner taught many undergraduate and graduate courses in geography at South Dakota State University. He has served as thesis or research paper advisor to many successful Master's degree recipients. Throughout his career he has pursued many interests in geographic education. He has conducted several hundred workshops, short courses and institute for in-service educators. He also served as coordinator of the South Dakota Geographic Alliance and the State Geographic Bee. Additionally, he has served as the Geography Consultant, author, and editor for the Core Knowledge Foundation and as Consulting Editor and Frequent author for the Chelsea House Publishers book series on Modern World Nations. Gritzner's research interests include a variety of themes in folk and popular culture and geographic education. He has authored or co-authored several books, and many of his works have appeared as chapters in edited volumes, as well as many refereed publications appearing in numerous professional journals. He also was contributing editor to the "Panorama" feature in the Journal of Geography. Gritzner has served as both Executive Director (1977-1980) and President (1986) of the National Council for Geographic Education, in 1997, he received their highest honor, the George J. Miller Award for Distinguished Service. He also is a recipient of the National Council for Geographic Education Distinguished Teaching Achievement Award and the Council's Distinguished Mentor Award for his work with students at the graduate level. Gritzner also received the 2004 Distinguished Teaching Honors Award from the Association of American Geographers. At South Dakota State University, Gritzner has received both the University and F.O. Butler awards for Excellence in Teaching, and in 1993 he became the South Dakota State University's sixth faculty member to be recognized as a Distinguished Professor by the South Dakota Board of Regents.
The manuscript In the Blizzard recounts events from a blizzard in South Dakota in March 1882 and was written by Louis Grewing (1843–1908). His son, Frederick Grewing (1867–1937), copied the document, though the original's whereabouts are unknown. Notes suggest Frederick intended to publish the story, with the earliest known publication appearing in 1949, twelve years after his death. Carlene Aro, a descendant of Louis Grewing, later provided a copy of the manuscript to Carl R. Sunde, a Professor of German at South Dakota State University, for translation from handwritten old German script into English. A small grant from SDSU’s research support fund aided the translation and related research.