UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM

Interview #1251
SCHULER, RON

SCHULER, RON (1940-)
Undergraduate & Graduate student; Professor, Biological Systems Engineering Department (CALS); General Manager, Wisconsin Technology Farm Days
At UW: 1958-1963, 1965-1972, 1984-Present (2012)

Interviewed: 	2012 (3 sessions)
Interviewer: 	Troy Reeves
Index by: 	Troy Reeves
Length: 	2  hours, 59 minutes

Abstract: In his three summer 2012 interviews with Troy Reeves, Ron Schuler offered an overview his life, focusing on his time at UW (and UW-Madison). Schuler discussed the following time periods: 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s and the following topics: Valders, WI; dairy farming; UW-Madison Agricultural Engineering; U.S. Army; Cold War; UW-Madison College of Agriculture; UW-Madison Agriculture Engineering Program; UW-Platteville; Farm Technology Days. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the UW-Madison Oral History Program.

Key Words: Valders, WI; dairy farming; UW-Madison Agricultural Engineering; U.S. Army; Cold War; UW-Madison College of Agriculture; UW-Madison Agriculture Engineering Program; UW-Platteville; Farm Technology Days 

First Interview Session (July 27, 2012): Digital File

Time	Keywords
00:00:00	Start of Interview/Interviewer’s Introduction

00:00:52	Question: Where is Valders, WI? Answer: Ron Schuler (RS) located Valders, WI and talked about his family’s experience dairy farming there. Schuler worked for his parents farm, which included milk cows and pigs. RS’ parents moved off the farm into a house on land they owned, right off U.S. Highway 151. RS’ brother took over the farm. Schuler talked about his mother who stayed at home and worked the farm, along with her husband and kids. 

00:03:45	Question: Dairy farming in the 1940s & 1950s? Answer: RS described shoveling the manure from the dairy and hog barns on the family farm. RS noted his dad looked to new technology whenever he could, which helped. When asked by the narrator about milking dairy cows, RS talked about being tied to the dairy cows, because they needed to be milked twice a day. RS’ parents travelled on occasion, but the family stayed around town primarily. RS told of one time, during high school, where he won a contest and travelled to Chicago, his first trip out of state.

00:06:27	Question: In high school, was RS academically or socially inclined? Answer: RS saw himself as more academic than social. He spoke of his focus on math and agriculture. This led RS to discuss his five-year program at UW in Agriculture and Engineering. When asked about when college entered his mind, RS recalled an anecdote about going to a college fair because his girlfriend attended it. At that fair he became more interested in Agricultural Engineering. Then, a counselor at his high school helped push him to applying at UW in Madison. He also briefly spoke about the other school he considered (Platteville). He gave a few reasons why Madison stood out as his top choice, including a visit to Madison as a part of Future Farmers of America (FFA).

00:10:49	Question: How did RS afford college? Answer: His mother and father helped greatly. He explained how his work on the farm helped him with not only spending money but eventually money to go to college. When asked about adjusting to Madison, RS spoke mainly of an easy adjustment. He had his own bedroom, joined the agricultural fraternity, and eventually moved into the fraternity house. His fraternity brothers came from similar backgrounds to RS, so he felt that helped with his adjustment in Madison. When asked he joined Alpha Gamma Rho. When asked he located both of his Madison abodes, only one presently (2012) stood. RS noted here that he has stayed involved in the fraternity, through its foundation. The foundation helped raise funds to remodel the frat’s current home. 

00:14:54 	Question: More on RS’ UW time? Answer: RS described his five-year program, which earned him two bachelor’s degrees. This program gave him little flexibility, in terms of elective classes, especially considering the campus’ ROTC commitment for all adult males. When asked, RS talked about his two-year commitment, which RS stretched out by joining the advanced corps which added two more years to his commitment. In the advance corps, they paid him roughly $27/month. When asked about continuing with ROTC, RS said he stuck with it because it fit him. 

00:17:39	Question: Specific undergraduate classes? Answer: RS listed, generally, the classes that dealt with hands-on learning, including farm machinery and buildings. He also noted the math and engineering classes he took; the ag engineering classes were held in the same building where RS currently (2012) has an office. When asked about professors, he spoke about his undergraduate advisor (Marshall Finner), who RS still met with in 2012. He only took one course from him (ag machinery lab). RS also mentioned another professor, Duffy who smoked or chewed a cigar during class.

00:21:07	Question: Did RS’ father’s interest in technology led to RS’ interest? Answer: He thought so. He also recalled being able to run machines at a young age; he earned his drivers’ license at 14, because of his father’s farm. RS also drove early, because his mother never drove. When asked about his parents’ interest in education, RS told an anecdote about his older brother, who never took college classes, even though his parents’ nudge him towards it. RS’ younger brother attended UW and joined the same fraternity. RS, when asked, said he got along well with his younger brother. 

00:24:27	Question: RS’ fellow classmates or fraternity brothers? Answer: Since RS knew his fraternity brothers better, he spoke more about them. He told brief anecdotes about Alan Koepke and Bill Waterstreet, who both found success in different vocations. When asked about extracurricular activities, RS attended every home football game, participated in intramural sports, and joined the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. RS has held his membership in ASAE to this day. When asked about places to get food and/or drink, he listed the following: Memorial Union, Hasty Tasty, Badger Tavern, and the Kollege Klub. For the last three, RS noted that he and others referred to them by their acronyms (HT, BT, KK). 

00:28:38	Question: Graduation ceremony(ies)? Answer: RS went to the January 1963 ceremony, but his family did not attend. They came to the larger ceremony in June 1963. RS, because of his ROTC experience, went into the military after graduation for a two-year commitment. He offered a brief overview of how he ended up back at UW for graduate school. He mentioned Professor Bruhn as a major reason why he returned to Madison. This led RS to tell an anecdote about meeting a 70-year-old man who took a class from RS, while RS served as a graduate assistant. When asked about his “less than stellar” undergraduate grades, RS attributed his not-so-perfect grades to a couple of things. First, he had taken math since high school, so by college he felt burnt out on that subject. Also, he tried to enjoy his college experience as much as possible, so on occasion studying took second to some other activity. 

00:32:43	Question: RS’ two years in the Army? Answer: RS started his Army time at Fort Lewis, TX. He was stationed there when President Kennedy was killed. He then went to Battle Creek, MI, where he spent the bulk of his time. He worked as part of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command), keeping eyes on planes in that part of North America. RS had accessed to some real interesting technology, including the ability to take over a plane’s controls from the ground. Based on follow-up question, RS talked more about the “cutting edge” technology he used while stationed in Michigan. 

00:37:43	Question: Vietnam? Answer: RS knew very little about Vietnam, although some of his colleagues left Michigan to Philippines to assist with airplane activities at an Army base there as “Forward Observers.” When asked about going overseas, RS dated a girl at that time that lived in the Midwest, so he asked to be stationed in the Midwest. RS noted he matured while in the military. When asked about additional thoughts about the Army, RS talked about his living arrangements, particularly later in his time there. He and others rented a house on a lake, which led him to spend time on the lake, boating or waterskiing. His job gave him time off, which he used to play on Gull Lake. RS briefly explained Gull Lake’s location and notoriety. 

00:42:26	Question: When did RS decide on graduate school? Answer: In the summer of 1965, RS met with Professor Bruhn, who encouraged him to matriculate at UW. RS talked about how he knew Bruhn and how Bruhn wanted a student to come in that fall to replace a graduating student. When asked if he considered continuing in the military, RS said he gave it some thought. He joined the active reserves; he commuted to Fond du Lac for awhile. Eventually, he and others started a unit in Madison, because they found plenty of other reserves in the area that wanted to stay close to Madison. 

00:44:50	Question: When did the Madison reserve unit start? Answer: Sometime in 1967. This question led RS to talk about Vietnam, including why the reserves appealed to young men. Unlike the current wars, people could lessen their chances of going to Vietnam by joining the reserves or National Guard. When asked, RS explained why he felt little anxiety about going to Vietnam; his unit’s role probably precluded it. 

00:47:43	Question: More on graduate school? Answer: RS rented an apartment with some of his fraternity brothers, near Orchard and Dayton. When asked about the differences between undergraduate and graduate school, RS started with fewer classes in graduate school. He served as a research assistant, although he worked on the research primarily in the summer.

00:50:18	Question: Professor Bruhn’s research? Answer: It became RS’ work too. The mechanical harvesting of cherries. RS figured he served as the last graduate student on the project; he earned both his master’s and Ph.D on the topic. RS offered an overview of this work. His master’s degree focused on the quality of cherries after they pitted and canned them. He graded the cherries’ quality during the winter when he opened up the cans and studied the cherries. They also charted the force required to remove the pit or to pierce the skin. 

00:53:36	Question: Final thoughts? Answer: RS enjoyed the research in Sturgeon Bay during the summer. He mentioned other professors who conducted research there, including a food science professor (Joe von Elbe) who served later on RS’ thesis & dissertation committees. When asked about the social aspects of a Sturgeon Bay summer, RS talked about trying different restaurants and bumping into relatives. 

00:56:26	End of First Interview Session

Second Interview Session (August 7, 2012): Digital File

Time	Keywords
00:00:00	Start of Interview/Interviewer’s Introduction

00:00:45	Question: Teaching at UW (while in graduate school), likes and dislikes? Answer: Ron Schuler (RS) taught a course towards the end of graduate school. The course included a syllabus, but RS adapted a bit to fit his style. He liked the experience overall; he noted that he did some teaching while in the Army which helped him. He felt teaching in graduate school made him more interested in it and teaching students roughly his age. He thought they respected him. 

00:05:30	Question: UW students in 1960s, when RS came back as graduate student? Answer: While he noted this “put students in boxes,” RS said most students, because he dealt with college of ag students mostly, looked like him. He did see kids, who he labeled then as “beatniks.” And most came from rural Wisconsin. RS did “hang out” much on East Campus, although in 1969-1970 some protests made their way to the ROTC buildings (both Army & Navy), which meant they went through the ag campus.  

00:09:25	Question: Questions about 1960s/1970 student protest, such as Dow Riot, Vietnam Conflict, 1970 TAA Strike? Answer: For the most part, RS attended none of the protests, including the 1967 Dow Riot. When asked about the Vietnam War, he said he supported it. He reminded the interviewer he served in the Army Reserves longer than he needed. He disagreed with those who did not support the war, but he chose not to verbalize it. 

00:13:09	Question: From pre-interview, tear gas incident? Answer: RS reminded the interviewer that some protests went passed the ag campus to the ROTC buildings. RS then spoke of those events, akin to a “mob type” atmosphere that made it to the ag campus one afternoon. He thought they marched from Union to the ROTC building. Looking out the window, a cohort of his saw a women suffering from exposure to tear gas. The cohort opened the window to tell the woman to come around into the building; RS slammed the door down and told him not to let the tear gas and those protesters in their building. He told his cohort, who came from Nigeria, that he (RS) had been gassed in the Army, so he did not want that in the building.

00:15:26	Question: More thoughts about 1969-1970 on campus? Answer: RS heard about the bombs on and off campus in late 1969/early 1970, before Sterling Hall, mainly through the newspaper. He recalled that after the April/May 1970 protests they gave no final exams. He spoke briefly about the Sterling Hall Bombing, focusing on the bombers not knowing the location. He also talked about where he lived during this time period (on Magnolia Lane off South Park Street, north of the Beltline) and how some faculty taught Vietnam in their class whether they connected it to their curriculum or not.  

00:20:03	Question: 1st job, post-doctorate? Answer: RS wanted a big school with an agriculture engineering program. He would like to stay at UW, but they rarely hired their own recent Ph.Ds. RS earned one of the first Ph.Ds in agricultural engineering. He talked here about how he and his cohorts created their own curriculum in ag engineering, which RS called “rigorous.” He then described the schools where he applied, including Oregon State and North Dakota State. NDSt offered him a 12 month contract, so that along with its closer proximity to Wisconsin made it the choice, although RS called the decision, “difficult.” The interviewer then asked a follow-up question about RS’ ag engineering curriculum at UW-Madison. RS spoke of the curriculum, the length of time involved to get the degree, and the makeup of each student’s committee.  

00:25:32	Question: Left Madison in 1970? Answer: RS left two weeks before the Sterling Hall Bombing. RS got married in graduate school, so they left together. When asked about his wife, he said they met in January 1966 the old agriculture library, which resided in Ag Hall. He then said he heard about the Sterling Hall Bombing soon after the event but offered no specific memories about his thoughts in its aftermath.   

00:27:56	Question: Experience at North Dakota State? Answer: RS taught 5 courses his first year at NDSt. They operated on the quarter system, which made for a heavy teaching load. He talked about what classes he inherited and what classes he created while at NDSt, including how he created more courses during his time there. When asked to compare UW to NDSt, he called them comparable in appearance and attitude. He advised a student group there, which he led on one trip a year to the Twin Cities or Nebraska to meet with agriculture companies and see farms. He offered an anecdote about the smaller size of the NDSt campus; he got in a minor accident while on campus, and his students skipped his class, because they heard about it and figured he would cancel it. He concluded with some of his work with student groups while at NDSt.

00:34:22	Question: From North Dakota State to University of Minnesota? Answer: RS wanted a bigger, more prestige university. Although, he noted that NDSt graduated more Agriculture Engineering students. When he went to interview, he liked the people he met (the dep’t chair graduate from UW), and the contract reduced his teaching load and increased his research. When asked about tenure, NDSt gave him tenure around the same time he left. He did not come to U of MN with tenure; they gave him two years to get it, which he did. When asked about the transition from Fargo to The Cities, RS talked about living a few miles from campus and his wife teaching and getting additional education there. He also noted here that he and his wife adopted two African American children in Minot, ND.  

00:40:37	Question: Research at ND State and U of MN? Answer: At Fargo (NDSt) RS worked on sunflowers, particularly how some drying machines caused fires. The sunflower fuzz would fall into the intake mechanism and catch fire. RS explained how they fixed that issue. He also worked on grain harvesting losses in ND. At U of MN, he worked on conservation tillage, particular how farmers would leave crop residue on the surface to decrease erosion. RS discussed briefly other options for tillage. While at U of MN, he taught machinery and instrumentation classes; he also started some extension work. These opportunities helped him prepared for his jobs in WI.

00:44:35	Question: From U of MN to UW-Platteville? Answer: RS went to Platteville to became department chair of two programs (ag engineering and mechanization), and at the time there were more ag engineering majors at Platteville than Madison. Platteville’s program, however, was not accredited, which RS wanted to change. The Platteville job also allowed him to interact with the engineering school, including the dean. As with the U of MN job, he was given two years to get tenure. When asked about his personal transition, he called it challenging. His wife needed to do research for her Ph.D., plus their kids started grade school at Platteville, with few other students of color. Also, the Platteville administration did not make getting his program accredited a high priority.  

00:48:48	Question: While at Platteville, when did he start looking for other opportunities? Answer: His contract at Platteville was 9 months, with 1 month as department chair, and 1 month for extension. He used the extension contract to made connections with folks at UW-Madison. He invited UW-Madison faculty to Platteville to lecture. These things helped him get a foot in the door at Madison. He talked more about his extension position at Platteville with dealt with equipment and farm safety. When asked his final thoughts about Platteville, he touched on a heavy teaching load and on the student body less adept at learning the rigorous engineering work. Even without accreditation RS’ students still got jobs.  

00:52:23	Question: Job at UW-Madison? Answer: RS did not remember when he heard about the job here, but he knew he wanted tenure before he came to Madison. So he accepted position, contingent on earning tenure. So, the committee approved his tenure application in January 1984. Right after that the Vice Chancellor at Platteville called him and told him to take the job at Madison, which RS just did. He wanted to do extension in his home state. His position was 75% extension, 25% research. When asked how the move to Madison professionally & personally, RS thought professionally it went well. He liked getting out in the community and meeting or reconnecting with people. Personally, his wife earned her Ph.D and worked on campus, and his kids seemed to take to Madison schools better. Although, RS wanted the interviewer to do that racism still existed in Madison schools; he said his kids excelled academically after they graduated from Madison schools.  

00:59:11	Question: Final thoughts? Answer: RS commented on his “trip” between 1970 and 1984. He said he never planned on moving multiple times, so he, and his family, adjusted on the go. He noted he moved more than most of his cohorts. He lived by this idea: Do the best you can where you are, but keep your eyes open for opportunities elsewhere.

01:00:42	End of First Interview Session

Third Interview Session (August 24, 2012): Digital File

Time	Keywords
00:00:00	Start of Interview/Interviewer’s Introduction

00:00:30	Question: Background of the pictures and the small engine books? Answer: Ron Schuler (RS) talked about the small engine books, which he and others designed for secondary education students to learn about small engines. Even though he and others created these books years ago, one can access them still on the web. RS noted the 4-H youth also reviewed the material before they published it. The pictures taken for Schuler’s files included his daughter and granddaughter.

00:02:50	Question: Teaching at UW-Madison? Answer: RS noted he taught little during his career at UW-Madison; he filled in on occasion. He felt fine with this minimal teaching role, because he enjoyed the extension work. He reminded the interviewer of the extension/research make up of his job. When asked about initial projects at UW-Madison, he said that he joined a consortium project while at UW-Platteville with UW-Madison on soil compaction. So, he continued that work and added some work on tillage. When asked, RS talked more about soil compaction, specifically his research in it. He offered the difference between deep and surface compaction and how compaction influenced (or did not influence) crop yield. One of the studies took place on his brother’s farm. 

00:07:12	Question: Did RS publish on these efforts? Answer: Yes, although not on some aspects of it, such as how compaction affected weeds in the soil. When asked about more compaction studies, he did two projects in Hancock, WI, on deep compaction and potatoes plants and harvest. And one at the West Madison Extension Plant. He published on all of this research and presented papers; he noted that most of the research led to small, co-authored articles in, primarily, Transactions. RS and the interviewer chatted briefly about RS’ teaching, particularly in the Short Course; he filled in there, when needed, akin to his other teaching while at UW-Madison.

00:10:34	Question: Farm Technology Days? Answer: His work in Farm Technology Days (FTD) started right away; they tied it into the job description. RS furnished some brief anecdotes about his involvement in FTD before 1984, including a brief history of the event. In 1984 RS led the FTD’s field demonstration; they had this position to keep continuity from year to year. When asked specific about field demonstrations, he said in 1984 there were two shows: summer and fall. He laid out the specifics of each show. Summer was usually alfalfa; fall was corn. 

00:14:54	Question: Silage versus tillage? Answer: RS offered overview on both silage and tillage. Silage dealt with cutting up corn plants and storing them over the winter. Tillage dealt with breaking up the soil post-harvest to help with next year’s planting. The interviewer then asked about fall shows; RS said they discontinued them a few years ago. He explained the various reasons why they have produced only a summer show during the last few years. He gave an overview of the summer show, including its educational aspects. 

00:18:39	Question: Early Technology Days (mid/late 1980s) for RS? Answer: RS served as communication conduit between county and commercial entities. He offered reasons why this communication was important. RS focused on getting folks to perform demonstration, to be safe, and to follow the established process. They set aside 250 acres for demonstration, but they spread out the demos over the course of 3 days. RS explained why they did not rush them through in one day. He concluded this section on balancing the commercial entities desire to go fast and the consumer’s need to see the demonstration.

00:22:13	Question: What did RS learn those first few years? Answer: RS spent those first years getting to know people, particularly those commercial folks who really helped it run smoothly. Each year he would get to know the county’s leadership, the farm’s owners, and the volunteers. RS served as an assistant in 1984. In 1985 he led and the 1984 leader served as RS’ assistant. In 1986 he led the demonstrations. He kept assistants for awhile, but he went to leaning on the volunteers to assist him. When asked who chose the site, RS talked about a board of directors, who set guidelines and chose the county. The county then created a committee to run the show in the county and to decide who will serve as the host farm or farms. Before serving as GM (in 2007), he went on site visits to possible host farms.

00:26:38	[No question.] One issue, parking, arose this year (2012), although RS noted the prevalence of parking as an issue throughout his time at FTD. He offered an overview of how they can alleviate parking issues and the reason people complained about parking this year. When the interviewer asked, RS stated that 2013 would be his last year. He said that his age has become the primary reason to stop working on FTD. When asked about the stress involved, RS described the stress of working with a new county each year. Specifically, the county leadership will pitch a “new” idea, which RS then has to tell them no, because FTD has tried it already. 

00:31:17 	Question: Difference between field demonstration and general managing? Answer: Before 2007 RS worked in the field. As the general manager, RS will hear about almost, if not, all the complaints. RS offered a couple of anecdotes about complaints he responded to. As general manager he had dealt with at least a dozen committees; as field demo head, he worked with only one. He finished here talking about reminding each county about the guidelines several times, once when they first get the nod to host then the year of their event then in the weeks before the event.

00:34:02 	Question: Memories of being in field demonstration? Answer: RS said he recalled the negative memories the most, i.e. “getting chewed out.” On a couple of those occasions, he did receive apologies later. In another case he not only got an apology, but the person’s action might have led to his firing. RS spoke of three other anecdotes, including an exhibitor from England trying to drive his machine too fast; a metal sleeve placed over an ear of cone, presumably done to try to damage a machine; and a tie rod breaking on a wagon, causing the driver to put a big furrow in a field until RS could stop him. RS also mentioned here about the continuity of exhibitors that has lessened over time; the same people no longer present for their companies each year.

00:39:48	Question:  Strong Memories as General Manager? Answer: RS answered first by mentioning the thousands of volunteers that make each year’s event happen. Then, he spoke about getting to know the local farmers at each year’s event, noting that some host farmers come and talk to him in the years after they have hosted. He furnished an insight into next year’s (2013) event; the host farmers have served on some of the committees, too, which was unusual but refreshing. At this point he recalled that one of the things the county committees (and board of directors) have done when deciding on the host farm has been a check of their finances.

00:43:22	Question: Pamphlet for Technology Days? Answer: The pamphlet started before RS started at FTD; the state has taken care of the design. They have printed the pamphlet for next year’s event in time for that year’s FTD to allow folks to have an advance look. When asked about his input into the pamphlet process, RS said he had “quite a bit,” including serving as the final arbiter on issues. He spoke here about working with the county and host family regarding the pictures for the pamphlet; RS wanted pictures of the host farm’s owners (and family) to be prominent featured.  

00:47:08	Question: History of the toy given out at Technology Days? Answer: RS said the county has selected a toy every year; they make 1,000. Sometimes, the toy has relevance to the county or the host farm. He talked about the toy for the 50th anniversary show and toy for the 2012 show; both toys had links to the county. The tractor that they based the 2012 toy on has an historical marker on campus in front of the ag engineering building. [The oral history file for Schuler or the Farm Technology Days folder at the archives should have a few examples of the pamphlets.]

00:50:40	Question: Other example of RS’ research? Answer: RS focused his thoughts in this section on various aspects of his research in precision agriculture. He explained what that meant and gave several examples (from primarily the 1990s and 2000s) of his work in that field. One example included getting pictures of entire field from above at different wavelengths. As with his other research, he published small pieces on all of this work, sometimes with a consortium of folks from other states.

00:55:57	[No question.] RS talked more about his research here, focusing on moisture variability in a field. This led to RS creating a moisture sensor that could measure it while a machine tilled it. He also spoke here about variable rate application, planting more or less seeds (and fertilizer) with a field, depending on the difference in soil within the field itself. Again, he published on this research too.

00:58:19	Question: Final thoughts? Answer: He wanted to note that he enjoyed his career and the people he met and worked with/for. He will miss it but he has begun to look forward to retirement. He concluded with an idea that has started to collect the history of the program (including an exhibit), but he will try to do more history collecting during retirement.

End of Oral History #1251