Professor Harold E. Kidder

Harold Edward Kidder, referred to as “Bill” or “Doc,” was born to Albert and Grace Kidder in Crowley, Co., on March 12, 1922. He was the youngest of nine children: Celesta, Charles, Clarence, Dee, Elton, Louise, Ramona, and Roy. These eight older siblings gave him the nickname “Bill” that he went by his entire life. He was raised on various family dairy/livestock enterprises in Crowley County and Custer County, CO., and his earliest education came in the one-room Canda Schoolhouse in rural Westcliffe, CO., which still stands today.

By all accounts, Bill was a friendly, bright, and industrious youngster with a quick wit, a knack for storytelling, and a natural talent for the then-popular game of marbles. He subsequently moved with some of his family to California where he graduated from John H. Francis Polytechnic High School in Los Angeles in 1941.

Bill attended the University of Southern California for a year before enlisting in the Seabees in the US Navyand serving as construction petty officer. He spent the war years in the Philippines and was honorably discharged in 1946. After the war, Bill enrolled in Colorado A & M, now Colorado State University. He graduated with High Honors and a BS in animal science. Although he had a strong life-long interest in history, he saw that science held the future, and he did graduate work at the University of Wisconsin in Madison with Dr. Lester E. Casida. After only one year of study, he received an MS in genetics in 1951. Three years later, he received a PhD in physiology of reproduction with a minor in dairy science. He acknowledged the able assistance of contemporary graduate students, W.G. Black, L. C. Ulberg, and J.N. Wiltbank, who also had notable careers in animal science.

While a PhD graduate student, he was an instructor in the Department of Genetics. Although his graduate research resulted in classical papers, he wanted to be a teacher. He began his illustrious academic career as an assistant professor in animal husbandry at West Virginia University in 1954. He rapidly became an associate professor (1957) and full professor (1960). When Bill retired in 1988, hewas awarded the rank of professor emeritus.

When he arrived in West Virginia, Bill promoted the use of artificial insemination in dairy cattle. He was dedicated to the improvement of the livestock industry in West Virginia and often gave talks and demonstrations for county agents and promotions to agricultural groups in the state using short courses, livestock judging events from county fairs to state shows (He was a nationally approved Charolaiscattle judge.), purebred association meetings, and performance demonstrations. These efforts were voluntary and not funded by extension or the college. He stated, “During this time, there was less of a line between teaching-research faculty and extension faculty. If you had skills that were useful to the animal science clientele, you were expected to use them. I introduced [to West Virginia farmers] the concept of performance testing and the necessity of an individual animal paying its way in the beef industry.”

With Ben Wamsley, State Extension Livestock Specialist, and Dr. Marvin R. McClung, professor of animal breeding, he started the first bull performance test in West Virginia at the Wardensville Experimental Farm. The university herd improved from 400 lbs at weaning in 1962, its initial year on performance test, to 536lbs at 205 days in 1972. He demonstrated crossbreeding to have heifers produce first calves at two instead of three years of age and to produce bigger, leaner, and faster growing calves. In 1980, George Halterman, the top Angus breeder in WV, said, “You have done more than anyone in the state to turn the cattle industry around and make it more profitable.” Because of his direction, the West Virginia University herd received a Beef Industry Commitment of Performance award. He was presented an award for “Bringing Honor and Recognition to the State of West Virginia”by Commissioner of Agriculture, Gus R. Douglas, at the 1987 West Virginia National Agricultural Day Celebration and the award for Outstanding Contributions to West Virginia Agriculture by the West Virginia chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta. Bill was inducted into the West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Hall of Fame in 1988.

Bill Kidder was one of the most respected members of the faculty at West Virginia University and was president of the West Virginia University Faculty Senate in1983 to1984. Fred Schaus, Director of Athletics at West Virginia University, acknowledged after Bill’s three-year tenure on the West Virginia University Athletic Council, including a year as chair, “I have never met an individual that is more sensitive to the needs and the desires of others whether they be students at West Virginia University or his colleagues on our faculty.” He was the faculty representative to the Higher Education Study Commission established by the West Virginia Legislature to explore improving the college-going rate, methods to achieve adequate funding for higher education, and the appropriate system of governance for higher education. Reflecting upon his tenure on the Advisory Council (1985-1986), Dr. Suzanne Snyder, professor at Fairmont State, faculty regent, and chair of the Advisory Council of Faculty to the West Virginia Board of Regents stated,

Dr. Kidder’s commitment to excellence in teaching, his continuing concern for academic, moral and social growth of students and his intense support for principles of social justice have earned the respect of professional colleagues state-wide….I have not known anyone in education who exhibits a greater concern for the academic growth of students or greater joy in their accomplishments. I believe that student welfare has been the guidepost of his career.

Dr. Kidder contributed more to the agricultural education of youth in West Virginia than any one other individual did. He was awarded honorary membership in 1985 in the West Virginia University chapter of the Golden Key National Honor Society in recognition of his “very special contributions as a teacher and advisor” demonstrating his concern for the quality of West Virginia’s educational environment. His students became agricultural extension agents, veterinarians, educators in vocational agriculture, doctors, lawyers, dentists, pharmacists, ministers, college professors, as well as farmers, workers in agricultural related industries, and homemakers. As he said, “My most significant contribution through education is the quality of teaching, formal advising and informal guidance provided to thousands of students.” His informal guidance extended beyond the animal science students and the College of Agriculture and Forestry.

He developed the course in physiology of reproduction using his published notes as text and taught students rectal palpation of the reproductive tract of cows and artificialinsemination. He was the livestock judging coach for 34 years and horse judging coach for 17 years. He always stressed learning first and winning second. After many of the Saturday workouts at the farm, Doc would have students over for lunch at his house. Doc taught livestock evaluation, beef production (20 years), advanced beef production, meats, principles of animal science, advanced animal production, animal breeding, freshman orientation for the college and division, and dairy cattle judging.

He was the first recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award in the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics in 1964 (selection made by students), and he received subsequent recognition by the college in 1974, 1977 and 1986. He was recognized by the Standard Oil of Indiana for Outstanding Teaching in 1970-1971 (one of three), and by the University faculty for the West Virginia University Outstanding Teacher Award in 1971 and 1974 (one of the three faculty members recognized). In 1986, the inaugural year of the annual recognition program,he was recognized as one of the six most outstanding teachers at the university with the West Virginia University Foundation Inc. Endowment Award. He received the Ralston-Purina Award as the Nation’s Outstanding Teacher in Animal Science in 1986 from the American Society of Animal Science. He was awarded the Outstanding Senior Faculty award by West Virginia chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the national agricultural honorary, in 1977.

Bill also had served as the president of the International Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Coaches Association and of the West Virginia University chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta in 1974 to 1975. He was charter member of Farm House Fraternity at Colorado A&M and began a chapter at West Virginia University (now defunct). He was a member of Mountain, Phi Kappa Phi (charter member West Virginia University 1975), Alpha Zeta, Sigma XI, Gamma Alpha, American Society of Animal Science, and the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities. The Pennsylvania legislature issued a proclamation recognizingDr. Kidder’s service to the numerous students from Pennsylvania who had attended West Virginia University.

Doc Kidder had a genuine love and respect for young people. His doors at home and at his office were always open to students. He served as confidant, surrogate parent, counselor, and taskmaster. He fostered the open door policy and concern for advising that became a trademark of the Division of Animal and Veterinary Sciences during his tenure on the faculty. He was the student’s advocate to administration and strived to help them reach their potential serving as adviser to as many as 300 students a semester. At least 98 members of the livestock teams earned doctorates, half of the members of the horse teams earned graduate degrees, and numerous students earned PhDs in reproduction and other fields. That was in keeping with his philosophy of demanding and expecting top performance tempered by respect and understanding for students. Because of his perception of the viewpoint of students and his concern for their interests, he was elected or appointed to numerous committees dealing with student affairs. His judgment of students was highly valued. He helped re-design the West Virginia University Honors Program to be more inclusive than just the arts and sciences and promoted the program within the College of Agriculture and Forestry. He was adviser to Helvetia, West Virginia University sophomore honorary, for 15 years; to the College of Agriculture and Forestry Council, presidents of student clubs, for 20 years; and to the Block and Bridle Club in the Division of Animal and Veterinary Sciences for 23 years.

Doc’s goal was “to change people’s thinking.” He was dedicated to education, particularly of West Virginia’s young people. His ability to motivate students was the cornerstone of his influence. Students were frequent visitors to his home for food, relaxation, and a generally uplifting of the spirit. A life-long bachelor, Doc opened his home to board young men whose families could not otherwise afford college housing for their sons, and over the decades those students became like family to Doc. There were plenty of household chores for the students to do to pay their “rent,” but Doc was a masterful cook, and there was always plenty of good food and lively conversation around the over-sized kitchen table – large enough to accommodate a houseful of hungry young men. Many students’ first exposure to different cultures, the arts, and humanities came through him. Doc himself was a lifelong student of the arts and was always encouraging students to go with him to plays, art exhibits, and cultural events. He also wanted young people to see beyond their hometown and beyond West Virginia, and he used judging trips to show them “the outside world.” He often took students with him on summer trips to visit family in Colorado so they could experience first-hand farming and ranching activities in a culturally different area of the country. Doc said that the purpose of a college education was to be able to use the library. He taught students to have a life-long inquisitive nature, to undertake challenges, and to seek answers using the scientific principles engrained in him.

While coach of the livestock judging team, he obtained scholarships for judging team members who were representing West Virginia University. Those scholarships are tuition waivers for four students on the livestock and dairy cattle judging teams. Because he had a deep and abiding faith in the success and contribution of youth to society, he established two uses fromhis personal fund for students studying in the Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences; the Kidder Memorial Trust provides funds for post-baccalaureate studies and support for the judging teams. After the memorial service recognizing his contributions to West Virginia University,the Kidder Freshman Scholarship was established from donations in his honor to annually make an award to an in-coming freshman. As a fitting continuation of his legacy, his office in the Agricultural Sciences Building at West Virginia University was renovated into the Kidder Conference and Seminar Room. Faculty and students in the division and college use the room heavily.

Dr. H.E. Kidder died on October 29, 1989, and he is buried beside his mother, Grace, surrounded by several siblings and other extended family members, in the Rosita Cemetery near Westcliffe, CO. At his request, his gravestone is inscribed, “No man ever had finer sons,” referring to the nearly 100 young men he opened his home to over the years.

Publications:

  1. Kidder, HE, GR Barrett, and LE Casida. 1952. A study of ovulations in six families of Holstein-Friesians. J Dairy Sci 35:436-444.

The incidence of multiple ovulations in the Emmons Blaine, Jr.herd of experimental Holstein cows was found to be 13.10 percent, while the incidence of twinning was 1.92 per cent, a highlysignificant difference. The incidence of multiple ovulationswas not significantly influenced by reproductive period, family,or length of time after parturition. There was a significantmonthly variation in frequency of multiple ovulation in thefirst reproductive period and the monthly variation in the secondperiod approached significance, being high in May and low inSeptember in both cases. A highly significant tendency for multipleovulations to follow in sequence was found. Significantly higherfertility was noted when cows were bred at an estrus from whichonly a single corpus luteum was formed as compared to an estrusfrom which two or more corpora lutea were formed. The incidence of "quiet" ovulations (44.3 per cent) was significantlyhigher during the first 60 days after parturition than duringthe period 61 to 308 days post-partum. During this latter periodtheir incidence was still sufficiently high (11.0 per cent)to constitute an important problem to the breeder. Of the ovulations 56.5 per cent were from the right ovary. Studiesof family and parity failed to show any significant deviationsfrom this ratio. No apparent tendency was found for cows tohave a systematic sequence of ovulations from one ovary or theother.

  1. Kidder, HE, WC Black, LC Ulberg, and LE Casida. 1952. Comparative fertilization rates of bulls with high and low non-return rates. Second Intern CongrPhysiol and Path of Animal Reprod and AI pp183-187.
  2. Ulberg LC, WG Black, HE Kidder, LE McDonald, LE Casida, and SH McNutt. 1952. The use of antibiotics in the treatment of low fertility cows. J Am Vet Med Assoc Dec;121(909):436-40.
  3. Baehner, RL, WG Black, LC Ulberg, and HE Kidder. 1953. Inflammatory response of the bovine endometrium Am J Vet Res.
  4. Black WG, LC Ulberg, HE Kidder, J Simon, SH McNutt, and LE Casida. 1953. Inflammatory response of the bovine endometrium. Am J Vet Res Apr;14(51):179-83.
  5. Black, WG, J Simon, HE Kidder, and JN Wiltbank. 1954. Bactericidal activity of the uterus in the rabbit and the cow. Am J Vet Res Apr;15(55):247-51.
  6. Kidder, HE. 1954. Studies on Fertilization Failure and Embryonic Death: Effects of the Male and Preovulatory Environment of Ova. Dissertation University of Wisconsin—Madison.
  7. Kidder, HE, WG Black, JN Wiltbank, LC Ulberg, and LE Casida.1954. Fertilization rates and embryonic death rates in cows bred to bulls of different levels of fertility.J Dairy Sci37:691-697.

Variation in nonreturn rates of different bulls used in artificialinsemination is not clearly understood. Theoretically, it mustbe due to variation in fertilization failure or in embryonicdeath or in both, but there seems to be little information onthe relative importance of these two factors. The variationof sperm motility, in both raw and processed semen, of the bullsthat are in active use in artificial insemination centers istoo little and the known association between motility and fertilityis too low for predicting whether fertilization failure is amajor factor. Variation in nonreturn rate due to genital infectionsof the bull with consequent embryonic death is a possibility,but the incidence of recognized infections is too low to beadequate as an explanation. The possibility of other bull factorsaffecting embryonic death has been suspected but not proven. The object of this study was to determine the relative importancefor fertilization failure and embryonic death in the variationof the fertility of bulls in use in artificial inseminationcenters.

  1. Kidder, HE, LE Casida, and RH Grummer. 1955. Some effects of estrogen injections on the estrual cycle of gilts. J AnimSci 14:470-474.

An experiment has been conducted on 10 gilts which were givenintramuscular injections of 3 mg. of diethylstilbestrol in cornoil on either the 6th, 11th, or 16th day of the estrual cycle.Injections on the 11th day were observed to lengthen the estrualcycle significantly, (apparently due to luteinization of follicles),while injections on the 16th day were variable in effect butmost frequently caused a significant shortening of the cycle. Injections given on the 6th day of the cycle had no apparenteffect. The average lengths of the completed cycles were 19.78,25.60, and 17.75 days for those in which the injection was madeon the 6th, 11th or 16th day, respectively. The correspondingrecovery cycles were 19.00, 19.67 and 19.86 days.

  1. Hawk, HW, JN Wiltbank, HE Kidder, and LE Casida. 1955. Embryonic mortality between 16 and 34 days post-breeding in cows of low fertility. J Dairy Sci38:673-676.

A study was made to determine the percentage of repeat-breedercows with normal embryos at 16 elapsed days of gestation andthe embryonic death rate between 16 and 34 elapsed days. Apparentlynormal embryos were recovered from the uteri of 29 (58%) of50 repeat-breeder cows slaughtered 16 days after the first dayof heat; 50 repeat-breeder cows at 34 days had 14 normal embryos(28%). The estimate of embryonic death from 16 to 34 days was51.7%.