Phillip Edmond “Phil” Plumart was born May 5, 1927, in Westville, Illinois, to John and Elsie (DeBarba) Plumart. Raised in a family of Belgian coal mining heritage, he completed his early education in Illinois before entering military service. Plumart served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1947. Following his discharge, he pursued higher education in agriculture, earning a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Illinois in 1950 and a Master of Science in Poultry Science from Kansas State College in 1952. He later completed additional postgraduate coursework at Purdue University and the University of Minnesota.
On August 4, 1956, he married Darlene Rieck of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They had three children: Perry, Larry, and Rene. Plumart joined the faculty of South Dakota State University in 1961 as an Assistant Professor in Animal Science. He served in that capacity until 1974 and was appointed Associate Professor and Extension Poultry Specialist in 1975. He continued in that role until his retirement in 1989, when he was designated Professor Emeritus.
During his twenty-eight years at SDSU, Plumart taught poultry management courses, advised animal science students, and provided Extension programming in poultry production and agricultural computing. He was involved in poultry judging programs and developed automated systems to manage South Dakota Future Farmers of America rules and regulations. He also created a computer program used to record and track 4-H entries at the South Dakota State Fair. In recognition of his work, he received multiple Teacher of the Year honors, the SDSU Outstanding Service Award in 1986, the Distinguished Service Award from the South Dakota Future Farmers of America in 1983, the Poultryman of the Year award, and the Gip Nolan Award for Outstanding Community Service.
Plumart was active in civic affairs in Brookings, South Dakota. He served for thirteen years on the Brookings City Planning Commission and later as a Brookings City Commissioner, where he oversaw financial matters related to the Swiftel Center and the expansion of the Brookings Public Library. Phillip Edmond Plumart died November 27, 2014, in Brookings, South Dakota.
James Pollock (born 1943, South Dakota) is an American artist based in Pierre, South Dakota, known for his work that blends abstract and concrete styles. His artistic range spans from the bold, geometric influences of the Bauhaus to interpretations reminiscent of ancient cave paintings and traditional landscape art. Pollock is an active member of the South Dakota Plein Air Artists movement.
Raised in Pollock, South Dakota, he was named after his great-grandfather and developed an early interest in art, which he pursued academically, earning a degree in art from South Dakota State University in 1965. After being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1966, Pollock served in the Vietnam Combat Artists Program, where his work became part of the U.S. Army Art Collection. His Vietnam War-era art has been widely exhibited, including at the Indianapolis Art Center and the National Constitution Center.
Following his military service, Pollock worked as a graphic artist and illustrator in South Dakota, contributing to various state publications and projects. His art has been featured in several notable exhibitions, both nationally and internationally. In 1980, he was named Artist of the Year by the South Dakota Cowboy and Western Heritage Hall of Fame. Pollock also designed the first issue gold and silver bullion pieces for the State of South Dakota in 1987 and has continued to create and exhibit art throughout his career. He is a founding member of Artists of the Black Hills, established in 2005.
In August 2018, Pollock was named the Harvey Dunn Award winner at a Plein Air painting competition in De Smet, South Dakota. Eighty-three artists from six states competed for the honor. Harvey Dunn, born on a homestead farm near De Smet, was a successful illustrator, teacher, and was selected by the American Expeditionary Forces as an official artist during WWI. The Harvey Dunn Society acknowledges his legacy through this annual award.[28]
In October 2018, Pollock, in collaboration with poet Steve Boint, published a book of art and poetry entitled Sketchbook 91-1-1.
Bert John Popowski was born on February 15, 1904, in Grafton, North Dakota, where he spent his childhood and completed his elementary and high school education. He attended South Dakota State College in Brookings, graduating in 1926 with a Bachelor of Science degree in printing. In 1930, he married Harriet Seymour of Aberdeen, South Dakota, and they had two sons, John Seymour and Jerome Bert.
Throughout his life, Popowski lived in various parts of the United States and held a range of positions, including high school principal and associate editor for Look magazine. From 1951 until his death in 1982, he worked as a freelance writer, author, and contributing editor for numerous outdoor and sporting publications. Over a prolific career spanning fifty years, he authored more than 2,300 articles. His first feature story appeared in Outdoor Life in 1931. He later served as a contributing editor for The American Rifleman, where he wrote the “Dope Bag” column, and contributed regular columns to other magazines, including “Hunting” for The Outdoorsman, “Guns and Ammunition” for Hunting & Fishing, and “The Shot Tower” for Guns and Hunting.
Popowski gained national recognition for his book Hunting Pronghorn Antelope, along with several other major works, some of which were translated into Spanish and Japanese. An accomplished photographer, he often illustrated his own articles and books. In his early years, he became known as an expert varmint hunter, and his writings helped popularize this form of hunting. In 1932, he built a log cabin near the Narrows on French Creek in Custer State Park, where he weathered the Great Depression and devoted himself to writing. In 1949, he won the National Crow Shooting Championship, using crow calls of his own design to defeat 51 competitors. His lifelong interests extended beyond hunting to natural history and wildlife management.
In 1979, Popowski donated his books, manuscripts, and photographs to South Dakota State University. He was honored the same year at the Outdoor Writers Association of America convention in Rapid City, where the State of South Dakota recognized him as the “Dean of South Dakota Outdoor Writers.” In his later years, he faced health challenges, including cancer and a stroke, and passed away on February 14, 1982. His legacy endures as a prolific writer, photographer, and advocate for wildlife and outdoor pursuits.
William H. Powers was born in northwest Ohio. He earned his B.A. from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1891, and later received an M.A. from Harvard University in 1899. After several years teaching at Huron College in Huron, South Dakota, Powers was appointed librarian at South Dakota State College in 1905, a position he held until 1931.
In addition to his work at the college, Powers was a charter member of the South Dakota Academy of Science and the Forum. He served on the South Dakota State Library Commission and was a member of the Brookings Public Library Board of Trustees. He played a key role in securing a Carnegie Library for Brookings and was also active in the Boy Scouts from an early date.
Powers died in 1936.
The Prairie Repertory Theatre was founded by students and faculty in 1971 after the relocation of the Oldham Opera House. The Prairie Repertory Theatre was created through collaboration by the Prairie Historical Society and South Dakota State University in order to present a joint summer theater season. The Prairie Repertory Theatre has worked to encourage theatrical talents in the community and continue the historic tradition bringing theater to the communities in South Dakota.
The Prairie Repertory Theater presents four plays a summer for a duration of six weeks a play at SDSU in Brookings and at Prairie Village near Madison, SD and recently celebrated their 50th year of theater productions.
The Prairie Striders Running Club was founded in Brookings, South Dakota, in 1969 by community members Jay Dirksen, Russ Strande, Howard Sauer, Lyle Derscheid, Keith Morrill, Bruce Berger, Lornie Bartling, Bob Bartling, Harvey Mills, Scott Underwood, Don Solsvig, and Jim Egeberg.
A non-profit organization affiliated with the Amateur Athletic Union, the club aims to unite running enthusiasts and promote the sport throughout South Dakota. It hosts various local races, including 5K, 8K, the Jackrabbit 15, and the Longest Day Marathon.
The club also publishes a newsletter and offers running resources to its members. These include coverage of club events, state high school meets, regional collegiate races, and national competitions involving members and their families, along with record-breaking performances and historical insights from the world of competitive running.
Gladys Pyle (1890–1989) was a South Dakota politician and the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate without prior appointment. She was also the first female Republican senator, the first female senator from South Dakota, and the first to serve without marrying.
A graduate of Huron College (1911), Pyle taught high school from 1912 to 1918 before entering politics. She became the first woman elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives (1923–1927), later serving as Secretary of State (1927–1931). In 1930, she ran for governor but lost after multiple recounts. She also served on the State Securities Commission (1931–1933) and worked in life insurance.
Pyle and her family were active in the women's suffrage movement, frequently hosting meetings at their home. In 1938, she was elected to the U.S. Senate to complete Peter Norbeck’s term, serving briefly from November 9, 1938, to January 3, 1939.
In 1981, Jeanette Kinyon and Jean Walz began researching Pyle’s life for a biography, gathering materials from interviews, manuscripts, letters, and news reports. This collection represents a selection of their research.