1981 Abram W. Epp

I am pleased and honored to have been invited to comment on the life and career of Abram W. Epp on the occasion of his selection as one of the honorees of 1981 by the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement. In doing so, I am repaying in small part a debt of gratitude which I owe to Abe on several counts. First, he was very instrumental in the process which resulted in my coming to Nebraska. Second, he smoothed the path and helped me through the early stages of becoming established as a new staff member at the University of Nebraska. Third, I have benefited in innumerable ways through my association with him through the years as a friend and colleague.

Abram W. Epp was born on February 4, 1907, in Gage County, Nebraska. Both of his parents came to Nebraska from Germany; his father, Henry, in 1882, and his mother, Anna, in 1888. He grew up on a general farm near Beatrice, Nebraska, where he participated in all of the usual activities of a family farm of the early part of the century. Milking cows by hand was one of the more important of these activities. My experience in milking cows by hand suggests that it was at this time that Dr. Epp's one known expression of profanity – BY GORY – was developed.

After attending rural schools, he went on to Beatrice High School, from which he graduated in 1926. In high school, he took a normal teaching curriculum in addition to regular high school subjects, qualifying him for teaching at the country-school level upon graduation. Thus, at the mature age of 19 he began a four-year career of teaching country school in Gage County. His teaching was interrupted in 1928 while he attended the University of Nebraska for one year. Returning to the University in 1931, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Vocational Agriculture in 1933. He then taught vocational agriculture at Anselmo, Nebraska, at Wauneta, and at Hastings.

While at Wauneta, he developed an unusually close relationship with the high school principal, Miss Harrison. In fact, the relationship became so close that they decided to make it permanent. Incidentally, her first name was Edith. They were married on June 27, 1934. They have two children, Donald James and Patricia Jean, as well as four grandchildren.

Following up on his growing interest in farm management, Dr. Epp earned a Master's Degree in Agricultural Economics in 1937 at the University of Nebraska. At that time, the teaching-research staff of the Department of Agricultural Economics included four people.

Dr. Epp's long-run goal was college teaching, so in 1940 he decided to go to the University of Minnesota to begin work for his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics. He completed his coursework in twelve months. It was here that Abe and I become "unconsciously" acquainted. A few years ago, Abe gave me an outline of a presentation which I had made in a class of Agricultural Economics in the spring of 1940! Obviously, he and I had attended the same class in the spring quarter, without having been really aware of this fact until almost forty years later.

The fall of 1941 found Abe at Ft. Collins, Colorado, on staff of Colorado State University, as an assistant professor of farm management. He spent two years at Colorado State and then returned to the University of Nebraska as an Assistant Professor in 1943. Following the painful course of doing a Ph.D. thesis in his spare time, he completed the requirements for the Ph.D. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1950. His Ph.D. thesis was "A Study of the Effects of Soil Conservation Practices on Farm Management in Southeastern Nebraska."

Aside from our brief, and unknowing, contact with each other in 1940, my first acquaintance with Abe came in the summer of 1950. He was given the responsibility by the Department Chairman to take the lead in filling a vacancy in farm management in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Nebraska. Thus, one Saturday morning in the summer I found myself in Lincoln being interviewed by Abe for this vacant position. As a matter of economy, another graduate student from Iowa State had ridden along with me to Lincoln to interview for the same job, so we went through the process together. Ultimately, I had a telephone call from Abe offering me the job at Nebraska; subsequently, Abe's was a persuasive voice on the telephone from Nebraska gently nudging me to come to a decision. Later, when I came to Nebraska, Abe became my counselor and adviser, helping me find housing, introducing me on campus, helping me start a research program, and generally facilitating the process of my adaptation to the life of a junior staff member at the University of Nebraska.

Abe's career at the University of Nebraska was centered around teaching and research in farm management. I have vivid memories of our travelling together in northeastern Nebraska in the early Fifties on a farm survey – my first research project. I also recall a few vigorous discussions which we had concerning research methodology in the design of that study.

He participated in a number of irrigation studies with Ted Thorfinnson, of our USDA staff. In 1960 he initiated ranch management research in the Sandhills, a project which he continued until he retired in 1977. He served as a charter member of NC-4, North Central Farm Management Research Committee. He taught graduate and undergraduate courses in farm management and farm accounting. Of course, during his 34-year career on the staff of Agricultural Economics, Abe advanced through the ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor.

For a period of 20 years, Abe served as freshman adviser for Agricultural Economics, an assignment which brought him in contact with literally hundreds of beginning freshman students at the University of Nebraska. He served as Chairman of the Departmental Graduate Committee for more than ten years. He had other assignments. In 1960-61, he served as Acting Director of the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. Nineteen fifty-six found him in Washington on a special assignment with the United States Bureau of the Census. For many years he supervised an FFA farm management contest in which hundreds of Nebraska high school students participated.

Professionally, Dr. Epp has been a member of the American Agricultural Economics Association and the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. He was also a member of Alpha Zeta and Gamma Sigma Delta, honorary agricultural fraternities.

During his career, the community has benefited in many ways from the efforts of Dr. Epp. He was an active member of first Presbyterian Church of Lincoln, serving on all of its boards at one time or another. He served as President of the local Kiwanis International; president of the Cornhusker Council, Boy Scouts of America; branch president of the YMCA; and as a member of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. In recognition of his efforts, he was awarded the Silver Beaver Award by the Cornhusker Council of Boy Scouts in 1963. In 1971, he was given the Gamma Sigma Delta Award of Merit. The Nebraska Agribusiness Club honored him for public service to agriculture in 1975. The Nebraska Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers awarded him the Distinguished Service Award in 1976.

One of Abe's longest periods of service was that as Secretary-Treasurer of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement. He held this responsibility from 1952 until 1979, a period of 27 years, the longest period in that office held by anyone since the beginning of the organization in 1916. He was specially recognized for this serve by the Nebraska Hall in 1980.

Throughout his professional career, Dr. Epp has maintained an intense interest in farm management, and the factors affecting the success of farm managers. He has been in every corner of the state in one kind of activity or another relating to farm management research and informal extension. He has managed the Epp family farms since 1939. Through all of these years, Abe has ever been a conscientious teacher with an unflagging interest in the progress of his students. He served on innumerable college committees and was always ready to help in tasks that needed doing. He represents our link with history in the story of the development of agricultural economics at the University of Nebraska. In fact, he has recently completed a first draft history of the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska. I was personally delighted when I learned that Dr. Epp had been selected as the honoree for 1981 by the Hall. I know that you will all join with me in offering him congratulations on this high honor.

I am sorry that Edith Epp could not be with us this evening to participate in this happy occasion. As you are well aware, the Secretary-Treasurership of the Hall was a joint venture in which Edith participated along with Abe. Even though she is not here, I know that she shares with us our pride in this recognition.


Special recognition for
Dr. Abram W. Epp,
Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement Talk
given by
Elvin F. Frolik
September 19, 1980

When I was asked to say a few words in connection with the special recognition being given to Dr. Abram W. Epp this evening, I was more than happy to accept. Dr. Epp is richly deserving of the honor being bestowed upon him by the Hall. His contributions to Nebraska Agriculture are legion – his long, faithful and excellent services to the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement are deserving of the highest honor that we can give him.

In its entire history the Nebraska Hall has had only four secretary-treasurers. And actually the most recent and current secretary, Dale Anderson, is a rookie in terms of length of service – just one year (I hasten to add, however, that Dale was red-shirted for a few years as assistant to Abe and thus is already a seasoned and capable player). The first three secretary-treasurers served for a total of 63 years – A.E. Sheldon from the inception of the organization in 1916 until 1927 or 11 years; H.C. Filley from 1927 until 1952 or 25 years; and Abe Epp from 1952 until 1979 or 27 years. That makes Abe the champion in total years of service in the office.

One of the really good things about electing Abe Secretary-Treasurer was that we gained the services of his good wife Edith at the same time. That has really been an Abe and Edith joint-effort. Both are so very capable and have conscientiously and most effectively carried out the duties of the office, yes, the duties and much more.

Besides the customary responsibilities of a secretary-treasurer, and under the direction of the Board, Abe and Edith were always given the responsibility of lining up the banquet, setting the date, organizing the program, selling the tickets for the dinner, and making necessary arrangements with the honorees. Usually they would make a trip to the honorees' homes in advance of the banquet, advise with them on who should make the presentations and work out other details.

It was during Abe's early tenure as Secretary-Treasurer that the Nebraska Hall initiated the custom of holding an annual recognition banquet – that was in 1954. The activity has been held annually ever since. I am sure we all agree that it is a most pleasant and noteworthy event.

Knowing Abe, I can assure you without checking with Dale Anderson that the records of the Secretary-Treasurer were turned over to him by Abe in excellent order. Too, being members of the same Department in the IANR, I know that Dale feels free to consult with Abe anytime he needs some background information.

And that brings me to my last point. There just cannot be any other member of our organization who has had as much personal experience working with the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement as Abe Epp. Why don't we take advantage of this rich background and prevail upon him to continue his contributions through writing up a history of the Hall? We don't presently have an office of "historian" but if we did, Abe would be the logical candidate for the position.

In closing, I know that I speak for all of our members in expressing our sincere gratitude to the Epps for their many years of unselfish, faithful and outstanding service to the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement.  


ABRAM W. EPP

Abe Epp was born into a farm family in Gage County and has spent most of his life in agricultural pursuits in Nebraska. A 1933 graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Agriculture, he went on to complete an M. A. at Nebraska and a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. Along the way, Abe taught country school for four years near Beatrice and High school vocational agriculture for six years in Anselmo, Wauneta and Hastings. He was on the staff for two years at Colorado State University, at Fort Collins, and consulted briefly for the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Abe was a member of the UN-l Agricultural Economics faculty for 34 years. He is regarded affectionately by hundreds of his former advisees and students in farm and ranch management classes. He served for a time as Acting Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station.

Abe's agricultural interests and activities go well beyond his teaching career. He has managed the family farms in Clay and Lancaster Counties since 1939. He was Secretary-Treasurer of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement for 27 years. Abe has held many leadership positions in church and service organizations including Boy Scouts, Kiwanis International, YMCA and the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. He has received numerous awards for public service. He is a person of great integrity, a gentleman as well as a scholar. Professor Abram Epp has made significant contributions in many dimensions to the welfare of the people of rural Nebraska.