[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 21, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H4808-H4810]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF FARMHOUSE FRATERNITY, INC.
Miss McMORRIS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree
to the resolution (H. Res. 207) recognizing the 100th anniversary of
FarmHouse Fraternity, Inc.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 207
Whereas FarmHouse Fraternity, Inc. was founded on April 15,
1905, by 7 students from the College of Agriculture at the
University of Missouri-Columbia;
Whereas FarmHouse Fraternity, Inc. is widely known and
respected on college campuses throughout the United States
and Canada as a fraternity that encourages values-based
leadership, has a strong academic focus, and is dedicated to
service;
Whereas FarmHouse Fraternity, Inc. focuses on building the
whole man--intellectually, spiritually, socially, morally,
and physically;
Whereas more than 24,000 men have been members of FarmHouse
Fraternity, Inc., including governors, congressmen, top
scientists, innovators in agriculture, university presidents,
Nobel Prize winners, Pulitzer Prize winners, doctors,
lawyers, and Hall of Fame athletes;
Whereas FarmHouse Fraternity, Inc. members volunteer
countless hours of service each year to help improve the
communities they serve; and
Whereas hundreds of FarmHouse Fraternity, Inc. alumni and
student members will gather in Columbia, Missouri, from April
14 to April 17, 2005, for the celebration of the
[[Page H4809]]
100th anniversary of the fraternity: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the
100th anniversary of FarmHouse Fraternity, Inc. and commends
the fraternity and its members for a century of service.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Washington (Miss McMorris) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Washington (Miss McMorris).
General Leave
Miss McMORRIS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks on the resolution currently under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Miss McMORRIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 207 offered by my
colleague, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Hulshof).
House Resolution 207 honors the FarmHouse Fraternity on the occasion
of its 100th anniversary. The FarmHouse Fraternity was founded on April
15, 1905, by seven men from the College of Agriculture at the
University of Missouri, Columbia, who acknowledged a need for
recognition of a small, specialized group in the area of higher
education.
Originally formed as an agricultural club, the FarmHouse Fraternity
has become widely known and respected on college campuses throughout
the United States and Canada as a fraternity that encourages value-
based leadership, has strong academic focus, and is dedicated to
service.
FarmHouse promotes the moral and intellectual welfare of its members
and encourages social growth; loyalty among its members to their
country, their community, their university, and their fraternity; and
the well-rounded personality of members.
The FarmHouse Fraternity helps transform the young men of today into
the leaders of tomorrow's world. More than 24,000 men have been members
of the FarmHouse Fraternity, including Governors, Congressmen, top
scientists, innovators in agriculture, university presidents, Noble
Peace Prize winners, Pulitzer Prize winner, doctors, lawyers, and Hall
of Fame athletes.
In addition, members of the FarmHouse Fraternity volunteer countless
hours of service each year to help improve the communities they serve.
Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize and honor the FarmHouse
Fraternity for the celebration of its 100th anniversary and commend the
fraternity and its members for a century of service and achievement. I
urge my colleagues to help support House Resolution 207.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, I stand in support of House Resolution 207, which
recognizes the 100th anniversary of FarmHouse Fraternity, Incorporated.
The organization was first founded by seven students from the College
of Agriculture at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Currently,
FarmHouse Fraternity has 24,000 members; and it continues to increase
its membership on college campuses throughout the United States and
Canada, notwithstanding the fact that today there are fewer farm
families and fewer young men with the traditional agricultural
background.
Farming issues today are much more complex than a century ago. In
addition to concerns about the impact of drought and disease on crop
production, farmers today must concern themselves with agricultural
trade policies, competition from major foreign producers and exporters
and agroterrorism.
While farming issues may have changed, the fraternity's objectives
have remained constant. Today, just as in 1905, the fraternity still
aims to promote good fellowship, encourage studiousness, and build
character and integrity amongst its members.
I congratulate each of the members of FarmHouse Fraternity on their
100th anniversary and wish them continued success in the future.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Miss McMORRIS. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume
to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Hulshof).
Mr. HULSHOF. Madam Speaker, I rise and ask my colleagues in the House
to support this resolution. In addition to the kind words that already
have been mentioned, FarmHouse had a unique, but a humble, beginning in
my home town of Columbia, Missouri.
Like many social organizations at the University of Missouri campus,
there were few students back in 1905 to draw from for its members. Its
purpose, its objective back then was really not clearly defined or
understood. And so it attracted little attention. It was not the result
of any sort of a crisis among ag students, but was rather the result of
a need for recognition of a small and subordinate and specialized group
in the area of higher education.
The University of Missouri College of Agriculture was established
back in 1870 as part of the land grant system. A lot of my colleagues
here still to this day defend mightily the land grant system. It was a
small division of the ag school back in 1905 within the University of
Missouri. There were less than 100 students. It was not really held in
the same high regard or high esteem as the school of law or the school
of medicine, and most of those students were all farm-reared boys.
But a rather close relationship developed among this group of 35, a
lot of them attended the same class, everyone knew each other, and
there developed among them this sense of camaraderie. So as an
outgrowth of this fellowship and the friendships that were formed,
there were three men, D. Howard Doane, Henry P. Rusk and Earl Rusk, who
conceived this idea of forming an agricultural club in order to
perpetuate this congenial association.
In fact, as history has it, at least as we tell it, they began to
have this discussion on a Sunday afternoon at a YMCA Bible meeting. So
it was desirable that they were going to make this group, and they
proposed to rent a house and live together, and this was in the spring
of 1905.
And from the diary of Mr. Doane comes the following record: ``At the
close of my freshman year, there was organized a club of farmers,
principally from the freshman class, to run a clubhouse to be known as
the FarmHouse. When school opened in September, only seven of the group
returned.''
I mentioned Mr. Doane and the two brothers Rusk, and the others that
joined them were Robert F. Howard, Claude B. Hutchison, Henry H.
Krusekopf, and Melvin E. Sherwin.
Back now to Mr. Doane's diary: ``They took the house on their hands
and turned it into a regular rooming and boarding house. Those seven
fellows were the best bunch that ever got together. During the whole
year they managed the house without one single disagreeable incident.''
I am tempted to go into a parenthetical aside regarding this body,
but I will choose not to do that. And then finally from Mr. Doane's
diary: ``Many a night this dear old bunch assembled with gravest doubts
assailing them and wondering if it was all worth while.''
Well, Mr. Doane, in the humble opinion of this FarmHouse alum, it was
indeed worthwhile. Thirty chapters across the country, including
Canada, with a list of notable alumni, including just a smattering of
those: former Kansas Governor, John Carlin; George Beadle, who received
a Noble Prize in medicine and genetics back in 1958; Pulitzer Prize
winner Ezra George Thiem; and Hall of Fame athletes Ed Widseth from
Minnesota and legendary Missouri Coach Don Faurot; 49 past national FFA
officers; one former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture; and entertainers
Leroy Van Dyke, Michael Martin Murphey, and Pat Green.
More than 24,000 men have become members of FarmHouse Fraternity. And
while the others do not necessarily hold a title, each has made his own
mark within the community and the family in which they live, putting
into action the FarmHouse motto: ``Builder of Men.''
[[Page H4810]]
I was honored to be invited to speak to an event back in Columbia,
Missouri, over 530 participants, back in April of this year. And I
would ask that this body, that the House of Representatives today
recognize the 100th anniversary of FarmHouse Fraternity and commend the
fraternity and its members for a century of service.
Miss McMORRIS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Washington (Miss McMorris) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 207.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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