Ag Land

Paul M. Dunn: Adair and north of the hospital tract was originally good farm land. The block of 6,200 acres included 2,200 acres of agricultural land along Soap Creek, rounding the end of McDonald Forest and up Soap Creek, and had been farmed by the former owners. The two classes of land, agricultural and forest, had to go as one parcel, which created a little opposition from the School of Agriculture, because at first they didn't want anything to do with it.

Royal Jackson / Jennifer Lee: Who was the Dean of Agriculture then?

Paul M. Dunn: Dean William Schoenfeld, and Professor Earl Price was his assistant. Professor P. M. Brandt was in dairy husbandry. The farm land had been used for dairy and other agricultural uses. It took quite a bit of negotiating on my part to get them to the point of view that there was value in the tract. They thought it would be a headache, but after some time it was agreed that if it could be acquired, the School of Forestry would take the forest land and the School of Agriculture would take the agricultural land. There were several buildings on the area that had been purchased by the government and were being used and lived in. The upshot was that we finally got approval of the tract and I negotiated a letter of agreement with the School of Agriculture, covering the two parcels and the terms of their use. We gave Agriculture the buildings. They agreed to the arrangement, and now I think they are reasonably happy that they got the property. We received the wire from Senator Cordon in May 1947. It is in the book. After further negotiations, I think it was in 1948, we finally got the deed, because I had to get President Strand and the State Board of Higher Education to approve acceptance of the tract. It took about a year. The agreement stated that for 25 years prior to the final granting of full ownership by the government, an annual report had to be provided to the agency in charge located in San Francisco. That has been complied with for 25 years from 1948 through 1973. Now it is the property of the University by way of the State through the State Board of Higher Education and the two Schools [Forestry and Agriculture].

Royal Jackson / Jennifer Lee: Let me clarify one thing at this point. The portion that the School of Agriculture manages; does that belong to the School of Forestry or does it belong to Agriculture?

Paul M. Dunn: Actually both areas belong to the State of Oregon and the University with administrative management in each School. The School of Forestry had little to do