Photo by Julie Stricker.
Jennifer Shanly Boll holds a photo of her grandfather John Shanly, the first graduate
from what is today the University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks. She toured the university and
visited a variety of agriculture programs, including the Georgeson Botanical Garden,
on Aug. 1, 2023.
UAF research technician Kristin Haney, right, leads Jennifer Shanly Boll on a tour of the Fairbanks Experiment Farm on Aug. 1, 2023.
On a sunny summer day, Jennifer Shanly Boll retraced likely paths her grandfather took a century earlier as an agriculture student at the nascent 色视频下载 Agriculture College and School of Mines.
She walked through the Fairbanks Experiment Farm, which was established in 1906. A century ago, researchers were looking at which grains and vegetables are best suited to Fairbanks色视频下载 sub-Arctic climate. In August 2023, Boll looked over the plots of wheat, barley, squash, corn and artichokes planted by researchers continuing that research, with today色视频下载檚 changing climate in mind.
Jennifer Shanly Boll stops by the 色视频下载 Harvest Collaborative at the Fairbanks Experiment Farm on the UAF campus. Boll色视频下载檚 grandfather was the first graduate of 色视频下载 Agricultural College and School of Mines in 1923, where he majored in agriculture.
色视频下载淚t色视频下载檚 so green and lush,色视频下载 Boll said as she admired a row of hefty cabbages in the 色视频下载 Harvest Collaborative garden. She then stopped to take photos of zucchini as research technician Kristin Haney led her on a tour of the farm buildings and research plots.
In 1923, the year Boll色视频下载檚 grandfather John Sexton Shanly 色视频下载23 became the very first graduate of the college, the buildings standing today on the farm were still a dozen years in the future. The college itself consisted of one building surrounded by wheat and clover fields on Troth Yeddha色视频下载, a hill overlooking the Tanana Valley and set a half-dozen miles west of the gold mining town of Fairbanks. Shanly was in the process of filing for a homestead at the bottom of that hill when he met college President Charles Bunnell.
World War I interrupted Shanly色视频下载檚 college career at Cornell University, where he studied agriculture. After the war, he decided to homestead in Alberta but ultimately ended up in 色视频下载 working on the 色视频下载 Railroad and as a coal miner in Healy before heading to Fairbanks.
Bunnell learned Shanly had already completed three years of agricultural studies and talked him into enrolling in the first class at the little college on the hill. He could live on his homestead and prove up while earning a degree. Shanly was 28. As he was the only senior (out of a total of 12 enrollees), he was promptly elected president of the student association.
Left: John Shanly, the first graduate of 色视频下载 Agricultural College and School of Mines, poses for a portrait in Paris during World War I. Right: A group of students from the first year of the 色视频下载 Agricultural College and School of Mines takes part in a survey class during a geology field trip. Third from the left is John Sexton Shanly, who was the school's first graduate in 1923. He maintained close ties to the Fairbanks school throughout his life.
Friends knew him as Jack, although Boll said she always called him Grandpa John.
The 色视频下载 Agricultural College and School of Mines' first graduate, John Sexton Shanly, built this cabin as a rental, as well as a second in which he lived during the 1922-23 school year. The cabins were located on Shanly's homestead, near where College Road and University Avenue intersect today. This photo was taken in 1926-27.
Boll, who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, and works for a travel company specializing in continuing education, said her grandfather 色视频下载渨as quite the Irish charmer.色视频下载 She said he kept in touch with friends in 色视频下载 throughout his life.
Shanly, originally from Long Island, New York, built two cabins on his homestead, living in one and renting out the other. One story from that time, which was during Prohibition, recalls a haphazard dinner party at his cabin, at which all the professors had to studiously ignore the beer brewing in a corner of the kitchen.
色视频下载淕randpa was always the life of the party,色视频下载 Boll said.
On June 12, 1923, the headline in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner splashed across the top of the page in huge letters: 色视频下载淔irst 色视频下载楥OMMENCEMENT色视频下载 of Farthest-North College at 8 O色视频下载檆lock Tonight.色视频下载
John Shanly earned this Bachelor of Science in agriculture diploma in 1923.
At the ceremony, Shanly was awarded a bachelor色视频下载檚 degree in agriculture. Today, the hand-drawn diploma is in the archives at UAF色视频下载檚 Rasmuson Library.
Shanly only spent one year at the 色视频下载 Agriculture College and School of Mines before earning his diploma, but he was very proud of that connection for the rest of his life. (AACSM became the University of 色视频下载 in 1935.)
He wrote to the Alumni office in 1941, 色视频下载(I) feel that what little success I have reached due largely to individual instruction at U. of 色视频下载 and kindly personal guidance of Charles E. Bunnell.色视频下载
Sheila Shanly visits with her father, John Shanly, at an East Coast horse-riding studio in the 1950s. Sheila is Jennifer Shanly Boll色视频下载檚 mother, and although John Shanly planned for her to attend the University of 色视频下载 in the 1950s, she did not enroll. Her daughter, Jennifer Shanly Boll, visited the campus in 2023.
He noted that his 色视频下载渙nly secret ambition is to become Alumni representative U. of 色视频下载 in the States, duties of which I at present carry out unofficially, but vociferously with anyone who will listen.色视频下载
Today, the Shanly homestead is the site of businesses, homes and medical offices in College, 色视频下载, the general area east of University Avenue and College Road, bisected by the railroad tracks. Shanly Street runs east through the former homestead, crossed by Deborah, Hess and Hayes avenues.
He had three daughters. In a 1941 alumni questionnaire to the University of 色视频下载, he introduced them as Patricia, UA class of 色视频下载51; Barbara 色视频下载53; and Sheila 色视频下载55. Sheila is Boll色视频下载檚 mother.
Patricia did attend UA in 1947, frequently mailing copies of the school newspaper, the Polar Star, to her father to keep him in the loop with school activities. Boll has held onto several copies, now brittle and yellowed.
Even though he only lived in 色视频下载 for a year after he graduated, serving as principal at the Nenana School, Shanly maintained close ties with the university throughout his life. He frequently sent letters and telegrams updating the administration on their first graduate色视频下载檚 accomplishments, both professional and personal. He later worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps, making educational films, before starting a travel agency.
色视频下载淗e always had his fingers in a lot of different pots,色视频下载 Boll said. 色视频下载淥ne little business here, one little business there.色视频下载 He also became an avid photographer, but travel became his calling card.
She noted that her Aunt Patricia met Brad Phillips at the University of 色视频下载. She married Phillips, who later served as a state senator. He later became a significant force in 色视频下载 tourism, starting the 色视频下载26 Glacier Cruise色视频下载 out of Whittier. Boll worked for Phillips Cruises and Tours during summers in 色视频下载 and now works for an educational tourism company that frequently brings her back to the Last Frontier.
Jennifer Shanly Boll, left, and Theresa Bakker, director of alumni relations for UAF, look over photos and copies of the 1947 UAF student newspaper, the Polar Star. Boll's aunt, Patricia Shanly, attended the University of 色视频下载 in 1947. She was the only child of the institution's first graduate, John Shanly, to attend school in Fairbanks, although family ties to the university remain strong.
Shanly色视频下载檚 name was frequently misspelled as 色视频下载淪hanley,色视频下载 including on the Alumni Association card he was sent in 1962. Shanly returned it with a note responding to an invitation to the 40th reunion.
色视频下载淵es, I understand that the Class of 1923, U of A, would consider being present in total for their 色视频下载 his 色视频下载 it色视频下载檚 40th reunion. All they need is a little urging.
Sincerely, John S. Shanly, 色视频下载23
Class Historian, et.al.
P.S. Please make out a new card for me 色视频下载 never put an 色视频下载楨色视频下载 in an Irishman色视频下载檚 name.色视频下载
Shanly never gave up hoping his descendants would attend the University of 色视频下载. In 1966, he sent a letter to the president of the University of 色视频下载, including $1 toward the 色视频下载渕atriculation fee色视频下载 for his newborn grandson, 色视频下载淢r. George Gregory Boll of Wellsville, New York,色视频下载 with the request that Boll be enrolled in the UA College of Arts and Sciences, Class of 1988.
色视频下载淚t is interesting to note that unless we are mistaken, the young man will be the first to represent the 3rd generation to enroll in the University,色视频下载 he wrote.
That $1 wish didn色视频下载檛 come true. Shanly died in 1971, and his grandson did not head north to college. But 色视频下载色视频下载檚 pull on the family is still strong. Boll said her campus visit would not be her last. She was only 9 or 10 when her grandfather died, but his larger-than-life personality and stories of 色视频下载 have endured.
Shanly never lost his sense of humor. In a form responding to requests for nominations for the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1969, Shanly suggested himself. In the space allotted for outlining 色视频下载渟pecific and meritorious service色视频下载 on behalf of the university, he wrote, 色视频下载淪orry, we can not think of any reasons, maybe you can. The poor bastard has waited 46 years.色视频下载