Franklin Edward Denholm was born on November 29, 1923, to John J. and Laura Anna (Mathias) Denholm on his family’s homestead in Scotland Township, Day County, South Dakota. He worked as a farmer, operated an interstate trucking business, and became a well-known auctioneer after completing his public school education. He married Mildred T. Niehaus on June 12, 1950, in Webster, South Dakota. From 1950 to 1952, he served as Day County Sheriff and was a delegate to the South Dakota State Democratic Conventions during the same period.
Denholm earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from South Dakota State College in 1956, with additional coursework in economics, history, and speech. While at SDSU, he won first place in Men’s Oratory at the South Dakota Intercollegiate Forensics competition and national honors at Redlands University in California. He was active in several student organizations, including Delta Sigma Alpha, Toastmasters, the Ag Econ Club, and International Relations, and served as president of the Blue Key National Honor Society. In his final year, he was named to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.
He began graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, which were interrupted by his appointment as a Special Agent in the FBI by Director J. Edgar Hoover. He served in the Bureau from 1956 to 1961 in Washington, D.C.
Denholm received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Dakota and was admitted to the South Dakota Bar in 1962. He practiced law in Brookings as corporate counsel for the cities of Brookings, Volga, and White from 1962 to 1971. He was authorized to practice before the U.S. District Court (Southern Division), U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the District of Columbia courts, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the U.S. Tax Court. From 1962 to 1966, he taught economics, law, and political science at South Dakota State University and was a delegate to the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
Denholm was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the 92nd and 93rd Congresses, serving from 1971 to 1975. Among the legislation he supported and saw enacted were the Rural Telephone Act of 1971, the Rural Development Act of 1972, and the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. The Senate version of his so-called “Denholm Bill” reinstated the Rural Electrification Act in 1973 after its enforcement had lapsed under the Nixon administration.
Following an unsuccessful re-election campaign in 1974, Denholm returned to his legal practice in Brookings. He remained active in civic and professional organizations, including Phi Kappa Delta, the American Bar Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the South Dakota Peace Officers Association, the Izaak Walton League, and St. Thomas More Catholic Parish. He also served as president of the Kiwanis Club and as a trustee of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Denholm was recognized in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Government, Personalities of the West and Midwest, and Men of Achievement.
He died on April 7, 2016, in Brookings, South Dakota.
Delta Kappa Gamma is an international honorary society of professional women educators, founded in 1929. The organization promotes the professional and personal growth of women in education and supports excellence in teaching and leadership. Its objectives include fostering fellowship among women educators, advancing their professional interests, recognizing distinguished service, supporting educational initiatives and legislation, awarding scholarships and fellowships, and informing members on current educational and societal issues
Henry DeLong was born December 9, 1905, in Spink County, South Dakota. He graduated from Redfield High School in 1924. DeLong earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from South Dakota State University in 1928 and a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural engineering in 1938. He completed a Master of Science degree in agricultural engineering at the University of Minnesota in 1941. DeLong married Mary M. Louise Franks on July 28, 1933, in Fulton, South Dakota.
DeLong’s professional career was almost entirely associated with South Dakota State University. He began as a student research assistant and advanced through the faculty ranks, retiring as professor emeritus in 1973. His responsibilities included teaching, research, and departmental administration. DeLong served as head of the department from 1946 to 1956. He was among the first agricultural engineers recognized at the Fifth Annual Distinguished Engineers Banquet at South Dakota State University. DeLong gained international recognition for his classification of rammed earth, a construction method originally developed for affordable poultry housing. He credited this work to his collaboration with R. L. Patty and Patty’s research on pisé de terre, the French term for rammed earth.
Professor Henry DeLong died on November 22, 1988, at Brookings Hospital.
Senator Tom Daschle is one of the longest serving Senate Democratic Leaders in United States history and the only individual to serve two separate terms as both Majority and Minority Leader. As Democratic Leader, he co-managed the impeachment trial of President William Jefferson Clinton, the second presidential impeachment trial in the nation’s history. He also directed the Senate’s response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and to the anthrax attack on his office on October 15, 2001.
Daschle was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1978, winning by fewer than 200 votes. He was reelected three times before winning election to the U.S. Senate in 1986. He served three Senate terms before his defeat in 2004. Viewed as a populist Democrat, he helped his party remain competitive in a predominantly Republican state. Daschle rose quickly in congressional leadership, becoming Senate Democratic Leader in 1994 and serving in that role until 2004, making him the second longest serving leader in party history. During his congressional career, he served on numerous committees, including the Senate Finance Committee, the Democratic Policy Committee, the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, the Veterans and Indian Affairs Committees, and the Finance and Ethics Committee.
Family Background
Thomas Andrew Daschle was born December 9, 1947, in Aberdeen, South Dakota, the eldest of four sons of Sebastian C. and Elizabeth Meier Daschle. He attended public and parochial schools in Aberdeen and was active in Scouting. At Aberdeen Central High School, he played basketball, served as student council president, and was elected senior class president. His interest in politics grew through participation in American Legion Boys State, and he was influenced by Senator George McGovern, who spoke at his high school graduation.
Daschle became the first member of his family to graduate from college, earning a political science degree from South Dakota State University in 1969. While in college, he participated in Air Force ROTC and the Political Science Club and ran unsuccessfully for sophomore class president in 1965.
He is married to Linda Hall Daschle and has three children: Kelly, Nathan, and Lindsay.
Linda Hall Daschle was born on May 15, 1955. She was the 1976 Miss Kansas, and married Congressman Thomas Andrew Daschle on April 21, 1984.
Daschle began her career in the aviation industry as a certified weather observer and worked her way up to the position of director of federal affairs for the Air Transport Association. She was the first woman to direct the Civil Aeronautics Board Office of Congressional, Community and Consumer Affairs in Washington, D.C. and in December of 1987 was also the first woman to be named vice president of federal affairs for the American Association of Airport Executives. President Clinton nominated Daschle in 1994 to be Deputy Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration. Her responsibilities included helping administer the FAA’s nearly nine-billion-dollar budget and assessing the FAA’s multibillion-dollar Advanced Automation System. She was only the second woman to have held the post.
Linda Daschle served as chair of the Oglala-Lakota College Foundation and also held committee positions on Women Against Violence, Families for the Homeless, Congressional Spouses Speaker’s Bureau, and the Aero Club of Washington.
Daktronics, Inc. was founded on December 9, 1968, with an initial investment of $200,000 by South Dakota State University electrical engineering professors Dr. Aelred Kurtenbach and Dr. Duane Sander. The company was established to provide employment opportunities for SDSU graduates, reducing the need for outmigration in search of permanent work. Originally focused on biomedical instrumentation, Daktronics pivoted in 1970 after securing a contract to build an electronic voting system for the Utah Legislature—technology later adopted by over 40 state legislatures and the United Nations.
This early success led to the development of Daktronics’ first scoreboard product in 1971: the three-sided “Matside” wrestling scoreboard. The innovation evolved into the company’s “All Sport” line, now used widely across the United States and internationally. Leveraging solid-state circuitry, Daktronics expanded into time-temperature and animated message displays for banks, schools, civic centers, and commercial venues. These systems ultimately merged into custom scoring and information systems for arenas and stadiums.
Daktronics pioneered several technological advancements, including the “Glow Cube” reflective light system and the “Starburst” incandescent color technology capable of displaying up to 16.7 million colors. The company also integrated LED display systems to enhance visual performance.
By 2006, Daktronics employed 1,400 full-time and 700 part-time staff, posted $329 million in revenue, and netted $21 million in earnings. It had grown into a global leader in electronic scoreboards, display systems, marketing services, and digital signage for sports, commercial, and transportation applications. High-profile projects included installations for multiple Olympic Games (1980–2002), Times Square, and major retail clients such as Walgreens and CVS.
Daktronics went public in 1994 and by 2006 was one of only four South Dakota-based public companies with over $300 million in annual sales. That year, the company expanded operations by opening a 100,000-square-foot plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. More than half of its workforce were SDSU students or alumni, underscoring the company's continued connection to its academic origins.
Founder Al Kurtenbach reflected, “We established our culture in those early days. We became very customer-oriented… We have a lot of great war stories about what our people do to make sure things work well for our customer when the big moment comes.
Dakota Rural Action (DRA) is a grassroots, nonprofit organization founded in 1987 in South Dakota. Its mission is to build leadership and promote social, environmental, and economic justice by organizing rural citizens around issues that directly affect their communities.
DRA supports sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, responsible energy development, and local control of natural resources. Over the years, the organization has been active in campaigns against corporate farming, uranium mining, and the Keystone XL pipeline. It advocates for local food systems, family farms, clean water, renewable energy, and public participation in policy decisions.
The organization operates through a network of local chapters across South Dakota and emphasizes member-led decision-making. Through education, lobbying, and community organizing, Dakota Rural Action empowers individuals to engage in the democratic process and influence policies that shape the future of rural life in the state.
The Dakota Farmer was established in 1881, eight years before North and South Dakota achieved statehood. It was first published in Alexandria, in what is now Hanson County, South Dakota, by founder James Baynes. Within its first year, Baynes sold the publication to Augustine Davis, who relocated operations to Huron, South Dakota. In 1883, Davis sold a half-interest to William Bushnell, who became sole proprietor by 1885.
Under Bushnell’s leadership as editor and manager, The Dakota Farmer gained early prominence. The publication relocated to Aberdeen in 1893 and became a vocal supporter of agricultural development in the region. It advocated for improved livestock, crop quality, and the advancement of local farm organizations. Bushnell’s influence extended beyond publishing—he was active in public affairs and later served as state statistician for South Dakota.
Over the following century, The Dakota Farmer continued to evolve with its readership, providing trusted agricultural news and guidance through changing economic and environmental conditions. In 1979, the magazine was acquired by Webb Publishing, which viewed it as a natural complement to its flagship title, The Farmer.
Today, The Dakota Farmer is part of Farm Progress Companies, a leading publisher of agricultural media. Farm Progress oversees 18 state-specific farm magazines and operates eight major farm shows across the country, including the nationally recognized Farm Progress Show.
The Dakota Agricultural College Board of Regents was established in 1881 by the Dakota Territory to oversee the founding and governance of a land-grant college in Brookings, later known as South Dakota State University. During the territorial period, the Governor of Dakota Territory served on multiple institutional boards, including that of the agricultural college, actively shaping educational policy between 1883 and 1889.
The board appointed George W. Lilley as the college’s first president in 1884, under whose leadership the first permanent buildings were erected and academic programs were initiated. In 1885, James Plummer Day, a Civil War veteran and legislator, was appointed to the college's Board of Trustees and remained involved through the transition to statehood.
Following South Dakota’s admission to the Union in 1889, the newly formed South Dakota Board of Regents assumed oversight of all state higher education institutions, including Dakota Agricultural College. Day and other early trustees continued their service under the restructured governance model. This early board laid the foundational policies for curriculum, facilities, land use, and administrative structure that would shape the development of the institution for decades to come.
The South Dakota State University Dairy Club has a rich tradition of fostering student engagement, education, and professional development within the dairy industry. Established several decades ago, the club was founded to unite students interested in dairying, regardless of their major, and to provide hands-on learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
Over the years, the Dairy Club has grown into a vibrant student organization that supports both academic and social aspects of dairy science education. It has consistently offered activities such as monthly meetings featuring guest speakers from the dairy industry, farm tours, and community service projects.
A significant part of the club’s legacy is its commitment to competitive excellence. The Dairy Club has organized and participated in regional and national contests, including cattle judging and dairy product evaluation, helping students sharpen their skills and build professional networks.
One of the hallmark events has been the club’s involvement in the Midwest Regional Dairy Challenge, a prestigious competition held at SDSU that draws students from multiple universities to evaluate dairy operations and present improvement recommendations.
Fundraising efforts such as the annual Holiday Cheese Box Sale have also played a vital role in supporting student scholarships, club activities, and travel to industry events like the World Dairy Expo.
In addition to collegiate activities, the club has historically extended its impact to youth education through the Jackrabbit Dairy Camp, where young people learned about dairy farming, cheese making, and livestock handling. Although the camp is currently on hiatus, plans for its return demonstrate the club’s ongoing commitment to community outreach.
Guided by dedicated faculty advisors and student leaders, the Dairy Club continues to evolve, maintaining its mission to provide valuable educational experiences and to prepare the next generation of dairy professionals.
Caryl Crozier was born on August 1, 1938 to Raymond Lyle Kinkner and Elvera Violet (Erickson) Kinkner and raised on the prairies of Southeastern South Dakota, where her grandparents and parents operated farms near Beresford, SD, surviving the Depression. She attended a one-room country school through 8th grade, graduated from Beresford High School, and earned a BS in Home Economics from South Dakota State University.
Caryl and her husband, Ed Crozier, have two daughters, Michelle Kegler and Cherise Barnes, and three grandchildren, Rachel, Claire, and Nathan Barnes. Her career has included roles as an Extension Home Economist, a Home Economics and adult education teacher, and a long-term care administrator for 13 years. She also owned and designed for her pattern business.
The couple has lived in Wisconsin, North Dakota, Illinois, and for over 40 years in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area. Caryl enjoys gardening, boating, and fishing. She has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Central America, and much of Europe, often for genealogy research for the seven family history books she and Ed have written.
Efforts to unionize faculty at South Dakota State University and across South Dakota occurred throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Early attempts by the American Association of University Professors and the South Dakota Higher Education Faculty Association were ultimately unsuccessful but contributed to the establishment of the Council of Higher Education (COHE).
In 1978, the South Dakota Board of Regents officially recognized COHE as the exclusive representative of the collective bargaining unit for higher education faculty. COHE is authorized to negotiate matters related to rates of pay, wages, hours of employment, grievance procedures, and other terms and conditions of employment.
The bargaining unit represented by COHE includes full-time and regular part-time instructional and research faculty at public colleges and universities, the Agricultural Experiment Station, Cooperative Extension Service, Auxiliary Services, the South Dakota School for the Visually Handicapped, and the South Dakota School for the Deaf. Supervisory personnel are excluded from the unit.
Excluded from the bargaining unit are faculty at the Medical School, Law School, and Institute of Atmospheric Sciences; as well as deans, directors, department chairpersons and heads, principals, superintendents, program managers, supervisory and managerial staff, emeritus faculty, teaching and research assistants, clinical faculty, county agents, county home economists, and ROTC personnel.
Lonita Joyce Gustad was born on May 19, 1928, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, South Dakota, and grew up on a farm near Volin with her parents and younger sister. She began keeping a diary in 1945 at the age of 17, inspired by the historic events surrounding the end of World War II. Gustad graduated from Yankton High School in 1946 and attended South Dakota State College, earning a pharmacy degree in 1950. She was one of eight women in a graduating class of sixty-four pharmacy students, with a minor in chemistry.
Following graduation, she worked at Woodward Pharmacy in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and later in Sioux City, Iowa, where she resided for many years. In 1951, she married Thomas Edward Corothers, whom she met during college. They had one son, John, born in 1952, who died in a motorcycle accident in 1972. Thomas Corothers passed away in 1998. Lonita Corothers maintained a lifelong practice of journaling and writing, ultimately donating her extensive personal and literary papers to South Dakota State University.
Elizabeth Cook-Lynn was born in 1930 in Fort Thompson, South Dakota, on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation. An enrolled member of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, she currently resides near Rapid City, South Dakota. Cook-Lynn earned a B.A. in English and Journalism from South Dakota State College (now South Dakota State University) in 1952 and completed an M.Ed. in Psychology and Counseling at the University of South Dakota in 1971. She also pursued doctoral studies at the University of Nebraska in the late 1970s.
Her professional career began in secondary education, teaching in South Dakota and New Mexico, before transitioning to higher education. From 1971 to 1990, she taught English and Native American Studies at Eastern Washington University, where she was instrumental in founding Wicazo Sa Review: A Journal of Native American Studies alongside Beatrice Medicine, Roger Buffalohead, and William Willard. She later served as a visiting professor at the University of California, Davis, and remains active as a speaker and mentor, co-organizing the Oak Lake Writers’ Retreat for Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota writers in South Dakota.
Following her retirement from academia, Cook-Lynn became a full-time writer. Her work spans multiple genres—including fiction, poetry, and nonfiction—centered on Native American experiences, sovereignty, and identity. Her first publications, Then Badger Said This and Seek the House of Relatives, appeared in 1983, followed by The Power of Horses and Other Stories (1990), and the novel From the River’s Edge (1991), which evolved into Aurelia: A Crow Creek Trilogy (1999). Notable nonfiction works include Why I Can’t Read Wallace Stegner and Other Essays: A Tribal Voice (1996), The Politics of Hallowed Ground: Wounded Knee and the Struggle for Indian Sovereignty (1998, with Mario Gonzalez), and the poetry collection I Remember the Fallen Trees (1998).
Cook-Lynn’s writing has been featured in major anthologies such as Harper’s Anthology of 20th Century Native American Poetry and Reinventing the Enemy’s Language: Contemporary Native Women’s Writing of North America. Her scholarship, book reviews, and editorials have contributed significantly to Native American literary and political discourse.
In recognition of her work, Cook-Lynn has received numerous honors, including a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship (1978), the Oyate Igluwitaya Award from South Dakota State University’s Native American Club (1995), and the Mountain Plains Library Association’s Literary Contribution Award (2002). Her essay collection Why I Can’t Read Wallace Stegner was also cited by the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights. Cook-Lynn is widely recognized for her leadership in advancing Native rights and scholarship through literature and education.
Elizabeth Cook-Lynn died on July 5, 2023 at Monument Hospital in Rapid City.