'Humble farm boy' joins FFA Hall of Fame

Fier taught

vocational

agriculture

in New Ulm

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A long-time District 88 vocational agricultural instructor who described himself as a "humble farm boy" as a University of Minnesota freshman agriculture student 67 years ago, will be inducted into the Minnesota Future Farmers of America Hall of Fame Monday at his alma mater.

Eighty-four-year-old Ed Fier had a 34 1/2-year educational career before cancer forced him to retire at age 61. Most of his left jaw was surgically removed. He also underwent radiation treatments.

The FFA program had just 25 students when he began teaching in New Ulm. It grew to about 125 students when he retired.

Fier's memory is still sharp as a tack. He recalled the prerequisites to getting a teaching job at New Ulm High School in 1947.

"Superintendent J. M. Hermann said I had to be German and Catholic, which I was," Fier said. "The school board had two Germans, two Catholics, two Lutherans and a couple other people."

Born on a farm in Lincoln County in extreme western Minnesota in 1919, Fier attended a rural school before graduating from Minneota High School in 1937.

At the U of M, Fier joined the agriculture fraternities Alpha Gamma Rho and Alpha Zeta Honorary. He worked on a project that helped eradicate black stem wheat rust.

World War II interrupted his senior year. Fier enlisted as a First Class Petty Officer Storekeeper and worked with Navy recruiting before boarding a ship that sailed from San Bruno, Calif. to Okinawa near the end of the war.

The troop transport zig-zagged its way across the Pacific for two months. It was anchored off Okinawa when the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, virtually ending the war.

Fier graduated from the U of M and taught vocational agriculture for 21 1/2 years before becoming the Vocational Education Administrator for seven years. Starting in 1975, he managed the Hanska Vocational Training Center for New Ulm, St.James and Madelia public schools.

At the training center, junior and senior high students built houses and two-seat airplanes; repaired cars and trucks, small engines; worked printing trades; studied child care, practical nursing and home economics.

Fier's career highlights include:

* New Ulm Jaycees Outstanding Man of the Year in 1953.

* His NUHS Dairy Judging Team of Jim Albrecht, Ernest Sauer, Charles Hesse and Ken Stueber won the National FFA Championship in 1953.

* President of Minnesota Vocational-Ag instructors in 1955 and 1960.

* Honorary American Farmer Degree at the National FFA Convention in 1960.

* President of the New Ulm Lions Club in 1965. The club received the Melvin Jones Award for outstanding growth between 1965 and 1966.

* His student, Tom Stueber, was the 1970 State Star Farmer.

* Three of his students received State FFA Degrees: Luverne Schugel, Dale Sauer and Scott Stuckey.

* Fifteen of his students earned American Farmer Degrees.

* Named 1980 Outstanding Vocational Administrator.

* Earned the 1982 New Ulm Hub Club Service to Agriculture Award.

* Brown County Fair Board member for 40 years.

* New Ulm Chamber of Commerce member for more than 50 years.

* Area Knights of Columbus comptroller for 25 years.

* Won the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award in 1994.

Other area people joining Fier in the Hall of Fame Monday include Thomas Appel, James Crawford and Dean Harder of Mountain Lake and Donald Houghton of Olivia.