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The
new library was opened and dedicated this fall. Its completion
signifies a wholeness that has previously eluded the ag college
campus, as it has always been in a temporary state of waiting for
needed buildings or resources of its own. Many local people have
been contributing toward its development for many years.
Name
three great U of I influences in Logan County. If you say the
Fighting Illini, University of Illinois Farm Extension Services,
agriculture education and development, you are not only talking
about the interests of many Logan County residents but also the
combined passion of one particular man, Frederic B. Hoppin. Hoppin
not only contributed financially but also gave many years of
dedication and involvement as an alum.
A
1941 U of I ag grad, the late Fred Hoppin served as Logan County’s
University of Illinois farm adviser and Extension agent from 1949 to
1956. Following that time he moved into the real estate business as
his primary occupation until his retirement. His ties with
agriculture and U of I remained strong.
"Fred
was a loyal Illini. Even when in real estate his main interest was
in agriculture," says Ruth, his wife, who is a steadfast and true
Illini alum also.
He
and two partners, Roy Hatch and Red John Pace, were area forerunners
in breeding by means of artificial insemination. He held leadership
positions in both cattle and pork industries, starting dairy herd
and swine herd associations.
Some
of Hoppin’s most outstanding contributions were as a supporter of
U of I. With the growing ag campus needs in the 1970s, Hoppin was
asked by the president of the alumni association to head up the new
building program, "Food for Century III." He had the job
of influencing legislators to assist in matching funds with the
alumni association for $88 million in new and updated agricultural
buildings on the campus. The project took 15 years and included the
relocation of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
He
received the honorary "I" from the athletic association.
Ruth Hoppin fondly recalls that before there were televised games,
football games were filmed. The films were brought over after the
games and local fans, known as the Quarterback Club, would gather
together to watch them.
Hoppin
had many other U of I awards and distinctions, but the Exceptional
Service Award that was bestowed on him in 1984 by the Agricultural
Alumni Association summed up the values of his contributions, as the
award was created just for him.
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It
took 15 years to raise the funding for the new building project. In
January of 1998 the state of Illinois signed a grant matching the
alumni funds. However, Hoppin did not get to participate in the fall
groundbreaking, as he passed away in August of 1998. The alumni room
in the new facility has been dedicated in honor of Frederic B.
Hoppin and Ruth H. Hoppin.
Hoppin
was one of many local supporters. Other Logan County residents and
close neighbors noted for their generous contributions to the
library are as follows:
The
Ralph and Ada Allen family
The
Isaac Funk family
George
and Ruth Brauer
William
M. and Starr L. Hull
Russell
L. and Mary W. Jeckel
Rod
Stoll
Donald
D. and Martha C. Zimmerman
Delmar
B. and Martha Z. Zumwalt
A
little history
In
1862 Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Bill, which authorized the
creation of land grant universities. The signing of this bill
brought the University of Illinois, first called the Illinois
Industrial University, into being.
While
this is the third library location, it is the first time a building
intended for use as the library has been built. The first library
was established when the courtyard of the Agriculture Hall was
roofed over in 1912. Though it was to be only temporary, the library
was moved in 1924 to its most recent location, Mumford Hall.
Long
overdue, the new library consolidates a lot of collections and
valuable holdings that have been scattered in different locations on
campus. Students, researchers and teachers will no longer have to go
running around searching numerous locations for periodicals and
literature that relate to the agricultural field. It now provides
the agricultural community with highly valued, field-specific
informational resources all in one location. Not only is educational
and research information now centrally located, but it also hosts
related offices and provides meeting places.
The
ACES Library, Information and Alumni Center has been nicknamed the
"jewel" of the agricultural campus. The title is bestowed
because the beautiful, hexagonal building takes the shape of a gem,
particularly from an aerial perspective. To a person looking down on
its slightly sloped and angled roof sections with a small flat
center, it appears jewel-faceted.
[Jan
Youngquist]
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Mitchell
and Noland were instrumental in creating the Illinois AgriFIRST
program last spring. The program provides grants and technical
assistance for value-added agriculture projects within the state.
"This program was created to enhance our state’s agriculture
industry and provide farm families with new opportunities to add
value to their commodities and increase farm income," said
Mitchell.
According
to Mitchell, a $3 million appropriation has been included in the
2002 state budget for the program. Illinois AgriFIRST grants may
provide:
•
Up to 75 percent of the cost for technical assistance to develop a
project to enhance the value of agricultural products or to expand
agribusiness in Illinois, up to a total of $25,000.
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•
Up to 50 percent of the cost of undertaking feasibility studies,
competitive assessments, and consulting or productivity services
that the Department of Agriculture determines may result in the
enhancement of value-added agriculture products.
"Coming
from farm families, Senator Noland and I are concerned about
agriculture and the fact that commodity prices are at an all-time
low. The Illinois AgriFIRST program was long overdue, and it’s our
hope area farmers will come to learn more and take advantage of the
new program," Mitchell concluded.
[News
release]
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Following
is information shared by Extension educators in the horticulture
program to help you in the process of selection through care.
Selection
•
Buy Christmas trees early in the season.
•
Consider purchasing Christmas trees from a choose-and-cut farm.
•
The sooner you can get the tree home to a constant source of water,
the fresher it will stay.
•
Fresh trees should have pliable needles, a fresh evergreen aroma and
firm needle retention.
Transportation
•
Protect the tree on the drive home. Wind rushing through the tree
can cause it to lose valuable moisture.
•
Cover trees tied on top of the car or in an open trunk.
Preparation
•
If you won't be putting the tree in its stand right away, store it
in a place out of the wind and freezing temperatures. Make a fresh
cut on the butt by removing 1" of the trunk and place in fresh
water.
•
Remove 1 inch of the stump when bringing the tree indoors.
•
Immediately place the tree into a stand that holds at least one-half
gallon of water.
Location
•
Avoid standing the tree in front of large windows that expose it to
sun and heat.
•
Avoid placing near furnace register vents and fireplaces. This
exposes the tree to heat that leads to rapid moisture loss.
Watering
•
Keep the water level above the base of the cut at all times. Check
water level daily.
•
A fresh tree will use one-half to two gallons of water the first day
it’s brought inside.
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•
A fresh tree may soak up a quart or more of water per day.
•
If the cut base dries out, the sap will harden and the tree will not
take up any more water.
•
Water additives such as aspirin, sugar or flame retardant are not
necessary.
Safety
If
you have made a fresh cut on the base and the tree no longer takes
up water, it has lost moisture below a critical level and will never
regain its freshness. Remove this tree from the house. A tree in
this condition will burn.
Horticulture
websites
Horticulture
is everyone’s agriculture. To help you keep up on some of the
current information, here are several links to University of
Illinois websites:
The
Solutions Series is designed to provide information on topics in
foods and nutrition, consumer and family economics, as well as
horticulture. Sources of information include the University of
Illinois, United States Department of Agriculture and other land
grant universities.
http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~robsond/
solutions/solutions.html
For
a copy of the Home, Yard & Garden Pest Newsletter, click on http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/cespubs/hyg/
The
Hort Corner has lots of good information: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/hort/index.html
Kids
Link has horticulture information for children: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/kids/index.html
[John
Fulton]
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