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Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Alfred Washington Drinkard, Jr., Diary, Ms1996-019, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Alfred Washington Drinkard, Jr. Diary was donated to Special Collections and University Archives in 1996.

Processing Information

The processing and description of the Alfred Washington Drinkard, Jr. Diary commenced and was completed in October, 2023.

Biographical / Historical

Alfred Washington Drinkard, Jr., son of Charles M. and Mary Ann Martin Drinkard, was born in Appomattox, Virginia, on January 10, 1883. He was named for paternal uncle Alfred Washington Drinkard, who served on the faculty of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (VAMC, today Virginia Tech) from 1893 to 1921. The younger Drinkard earned a B.S. in horticulture at VAMC in 1906, and an M S. in 1908, while working as a records clerk for the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station. Upon obtaining his master's degree in 1908, Drinkard was hired as assistant horticulturalist at the station. In 1912, he obtained a Ph.D. from Cornell University and was promoted to associate horticulturalist, and in 1916, was named station director. He continued to serve as director until 1946, then as assistant director until his retirement in 1948. Alfred W. Drinkard, Jr. died in North Carolina on April 12, 1962, and was buried in Charles Milton Drinkard Family Cemetery, Appomattox County, Virginia.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of a single diary maintained by Alfred Washington Drinkard, Jr., assistant director of the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, 1946-1948 (and previously director, 1916-1946). Dated 1947, the diary bears advertising of Arcadian Nitrate of Soda and was likely distributed as a business promotion. In lengthy, semi-illegible entries of brief sentences, Drinkard chronicles the day's minutiae, including notes on the weather, appointments, news of family and acquaintances, personal activities, business of the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, and events on campus and in Blacksburg, Virginia. Two typical entries: "May 28: clear & warmer. To office at 7:25 a.m. Nelson Price Dr. Wingard has hay fever. Dr. Young. Mr. B. O. Reynolds, Examiner from office of Experiment Stations, will be here on May 28 to June 7 for the annual examination of the work of this Experiment Station. Prepared forms requesting Departments to prepare their programs of work for fiscal year 1947-1948. Dr. Wingard. Dr. [DeLury?] says he is going back to Canada on July 1. I went with Kincaid & Mr. Reynolds to Whitethorne Farm and we returned at 5 p. m. A group of men from T. V. A. Forestry Dept. came by to see Dr. Young. I hear that Mr. R. Hutcheson returned to the campus today; but he will not work for a long time." "September 26: Clear trace of frost. Warm at [illegible]. Partly cloudy at 8 a.m. Fog. To office at 7:30 a. m. Rode down with Nelson Price. Mrs. Green is ill. Dean Price re alumni meeting tonight; I will be out of town. The question is World War Memorial II. Fog at 9:00 a. m. Duncan will decide with Dr. Young whether Biology may borrow lab table. Dr. Young came in this a. m. Approved labor payroll for September. Dr. at 1:35 p. m. by bus and go to Appomattox. Lula & Joe took supper at Hattie's. Saw Mary Ann. I do not like the proposed memorial and many others do not like it. Alumni meet at 8 p.m. I guess it is about memorial. I am not contributing to it. I will be out of town."

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Blacksburg (Va.)
• Diaries
• Faculty and staff
• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
• Montgomery County (Va.)
• University History
• Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (1896-1944)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute (1944-1970)

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Alfred Washington Drinkard, Jr., Diary by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).