Published Articles of Phillip Adam Minges

Notes for Phillip Adam Minges:
From Battle Creek Newspaper.

"Reporting for duty at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, is a native of Battle Creek Township, who is switching from a similar position as professor of vegetable crops at the University of California. He is Dr. P. A. Minges, son of Mrs. Laura Minges and the late Frank Minges. He took time out to visit the old home on Minges Road before continuing his journey to Ithaca. Philip Adams Minges was born on his parents' farm, 156 Minges Road, January 10, 1913. He shared the Minges household with two sisters, Rachael M. who is now Mrs. K. A. DeLonge of Cranford, N.J. and Frances E. who is Mrs. George G. Delmerico, now in Germany where Mr. Delmerico is an Army major.

Phil started his education in the old DuBois school, which is now residential property, but from the fourth grade through high school he attended Lakeview. He was graduated there in 1930. He played basketball as a center, and he ran the mile on the track team under Coach George Perry. He was an honor student, along with Doris Allen, Ruth Dreher, Don Burgess and Delzel Daniels. He was active in such things as painting scenery and stage-managing high school plays, but he eschewed acting.

From Lakeview, Phil went to Michigan State, majoring in horticulture. He was graduated in 1934 with a bachelor of science degree. He won a Phi Kappa Phi key and he belonged to the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. When he joined the R.O.T.C. cavalry unit, he was given the worst acting horse available owing to his practical farm experience. When it came to graduation, Phil ranked first in his class. Whatever his outside activities he studied hard. In fact, he had a sign that he used to hang on his door: "Keep out. I'm busy". He made Alpha Zeta, honorary fraternity. Life was not all study, however, for he took time to learn to dance.

After graduating from State, he spent nine months at the Wayne County training school at Northville, where he ran the creamery and served as gardener. The school dealt with feeble-minded children and Mr. Minges has never forgotten his experience. Winning a Fellowship at Iowa State University, Mr. Menges went to Ames and began working for his master degree, which he won in 1937. He specialized in strawberry cultivation at Ames and spent three years in that work at Montrose. In 1938, a year after he won his masters degree, he went to the field station at Muscatine, on the Mississippi and worked on his doctorate.

On May 1, 1938, Mr. Minges was married to Miss. Ardys Evelyn Mason. The ceremony was performed in the Methodist church at Ames and Floyd Monaweck, Jr. went out from Battle Creek to be best man. The family now includes Kendall Lauren, 14, and Phyllis, 11. Kendall was born at Ames , but Phyllis is a Californian.

In 1941 Mr. Minges was given his Ph D. He was already in Davis, California, one of the seven branches of the University of California at Berkeley. His first year there was devoted to teaching and research in vegetable crops. In 1941 he created the position of extension specialist in vegetables. The university now has three such positions. During his years at Davis, Mr. Minges traveled all over California, teaching and helping to train farm advisors (county agents they are called in Michigan). He likes to mention that California ranks first in vegetable production, with Florida, Texas, Arizona and New York trailing.

While at Davis, Mr. Minges received the call to Cornell and in August he resigned. He was on his vacation when he came to Battle Creek to see his mother. He also visited Michigan State University and attended the National Horticultural meetings. In fact, he read a paper on "Boron and Potassium in Relationships in Celery Nutrition." In California lecturing was part of his job. He also appeared on radio programs in Los Angeles, Fresno, and San Francisco. At Davis, both Mr. and Mrs. Minges played important roles in community life. Phil was a trustee in the elementary education and high school sections of the public schools. Mrs. Menges was a member of the board of trustees of the Community church which had a Presbyterian base, but affiliations with other denominations. Mr. Minges served as superintendent of the church school of the Community church for five years and was a member of the church sessions for six years. He was a director of the Chamber of Commerce for two years. He was a member of the Davis Faculty Club and Mrs. Minges was a Girl Scout leader. Prior to their leaving Davis they were given a series of parties, winding up with a luncheon at Lake Tahoe, on their way out of the state. At some of the parties the guests numbered over a hundred. In addition to this there were telegrams and letters from dozens of people.

While Phil Minges has won his several degrees, Mrs. Minges had to be content with two years in home economics at Iowa State. Previously she had graduated from Ames High School (1933). At Cornell Dr. Minges may do some teaching, but his real job will be extension work. Dr. Minges has been widely known in his field and he has had visitors at Davis from Europe, the Middle East, and other lands. One Turk stayed with him a month. One Englishman, John Dobson, called Laura Minges by telephone, when in this area to tell her he had spent a week with her son. Dr. Minges' interest do not all run to horticulture. He is a camera fan, operating a 36-milimeter camera and making Kodochrome slides. On his sabbatical leave, from September, 1952, to March, 1953, he visited a number of university and college campuses and made photographic records of each visit. Dr. Minges is deeply interested in the National Society of Horticultural Science and he was glad to have an opportunity to meet with it at Michigan State. Over 400 horticultural experts were present. While at the Minges road residence of his mother, Dr. Minges was able to see some of his old friends, but his visit was too brief to let him get around as much as he wished he could. So he'll be coming back.