Ireland-Kahl Scholarship at Kansas State

The Ireland-Kahl Scholarship was established at Kansas State in 1957 by substantial donations from Lucile Ireland Hultquist, Boulder, Colorado, and Louise Ireland Frey, Cedaredge, Colorado.

In her original letter of inquiry, Lucile explained that "My father, Harry Ireland, '07, and my mother, Myrtle Kahl Ireland of the same class, brought us up on tales of their college days. In spite of the fact that we are graduates of another school, we cherish Kansas State as our parents' alma mater."

The Ireland-Kahl Scholarship is…

…an endowed fund to perpetuate the memory of two loyal K-Staters on the campus they loved. Good campus citizens while in college, good citizens of the world ever after, with an undying faith in American youth and in higher education, it is fitting that this scholarship be announced on the occasion of the fifty-year reunion of their fellow members of the Class of 1907.

…available to any student of Kansas State College who has successfully completed two full academic years and who expects to earn a degree from Kansas State.

…not limited to any one particular school or department.

The Scholarship Committee is requested to choose a worthy and qualified person who best meets the requirements of need, academic proficiency, and promise of future usefulness as a citizen of the world.

Letters "From" the Irelands

After three happy years in the Colorado Springs home they purchased upon retirement, "with a lovely view of Pike’s Peak from the west windows and a big garden," Myrtle Kahl Ireland died in October 1946. Harry Ireland passed away December 5, 1956.

Their two devoted daughters, knowing how they would have enjoyed participating in the fifty year reunion of the Class of 1907, have made available these messages “from” them, written by Louise Ireland Frey as she feels they would have written.

To Scholarship Winners - "from" Harry

When I was in college here, two of us young fellows worked one year in the barns to pay our way. We slept in the loft and got up at 4:00 each morning to milk the dairy cows (by hand, in those days). Before we went out to start the the milking, we would put a pan of wheat-grains and water on the little stove to steam--and that, with fresh milk, was our breakfast every day.

Myrtle worked at book-binding, etc., in the college printing press. (She was also one of the "milkmaids" whose pictures were taken with prize-winning cows in 1909 for the college records--and a mighty sweet milkmaid she was, too, with her shiny, covered milk-pail, white dress, and big white hat.)

We both knew what it was to be short of money in those days. So this is a gift from us to you. Take it and welcome, and "God bless it to your needs, and you to His service. "

To the KSU Class of 1907 - "from" Myrtle

Harry and I were born in eastern Kansas and met at college, where we both belonged to Alpha Beta. K-Staters were “Kansas Aggies” then.

After graduation I worked on at the college. Harry went to the Philippines as an Agricultural Inspector. He almost lost his life there when he tried to take a short-cut over the mountain chain in the long, narrow island of Cebu. Lost in the jungle, he would have died of starvation and exhaustion had he not found an unopened tin container of Grape Nuts! He never did find how they came to be there in the middle of the jungle. His work included teaching the Filipinos to vaccinate their livestock. Hog cholera was raging at the time.

We were married in 1911, after he got back. For quite a while we had a hard time making ends meet. We lived in Ohio a year, then took a $600 a year job in Idaho with the Bureau of Plant Industry. Two years later Harry became Agriculturist for Reclamation Projects at $1800. It was an exhausting job which took him out every day examining and vaccinating hogs and cattle, attending livestock sales, or checking on crops.

In 1918 Harry took a job as foreman of a cattle ranch. To me it seemed a step down for a college man. The house we were to have wasn’t finished so we had to spend that winter in a granary with our two little girls. Eleven years after graduation, and living in a barn! That Christmas we explained to the girls that we could not afford both a Christmas tree and gifts to fill their stockings. We gave them a choice and they chose to hang their stockings—but Harry got a tree branch. I made cranberry and popcorn strings, so they had a tree, too.

In 1920 we went to Montrose, Colorado, where Harry was County Agricultural Extension Agent. We loved Colorado. Every two or three years we were able to save enough to take trips to Yellowstone, Mesa Verde, or other beauty spots.

In 1930 we went back to Idaho when Harry was offered a position in the Indian Service as Agricultural Extension Agent at $3300 in the Blackfoot region. Our neighbors were largely Mormons, fine people who welcomed us and made us feel at home. Harry’s work with the Indians was not much different from what he was used to: the Indians cooperated well except for a few of the older ones who clung to their ways, seeming to resent the white man's ideas. Harry was transferred to the Sacaton Reservation in Arizona, near Phoenix, in 1936. We loved Arizona so much, missed the snow but enjoyed the mild winters and desert flowers.

When Harry retired in '43, we bought a nice house in Colorado Springs with a lovely view of Pike's Peak from the west windows and a big garden. Often folks ran in to see us, either neighbors of friends from other places who had come to Colorado on vacations. "Tomi" Atsushi Miyawak, one of our '07 classmates at KSC and now Dr. Miyawaki, Professor of Agriculture in the Imperial University of Japan, was one of our visitors. We were so glad to see him and talk of the old days at Manhattan.

We had 35 wonderful years together, saw our daughters happily married and experienced the joy of fine grandchildren. It was a good life.

We hope the studies and the work of those who win these scholarships go well. We almost feel that we know those who are students at KSC, as we were, and are glad we can help a little financially.

With best wishes,