DR. HENRY W. INDYK— HONORING A FOUNDING FATHER
By Suz Trusty
As we enter 2018 and approach the January 5, 2018, closing date for applications for Te Lawn Institute’s Dr. Henry W. Indyk Scholarship, it’s fitting to look back on the remarkable career of the man for whom it was named. Te scholarship was established by Te Lawn Institute (TLI) Board of Trustees in 2006, following Dr. Indyk’s death on September 4, 2005, as a way to honor a founding father of Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) and to help to mitigate the rising costs of college and post- graduate education.
As one of those privileged to know and work with Dr. Indyk in numerous ways over the years, I can share that this honor would have brought his signature affirmation, “Fantastic!” and touched his heart. Te man who could not tolerate the word “dirt” used instead of “soil,” or less than 100 percent dedication and enthusiasm for any endeavor, loved encouraging students most of all. Hopefully, this article, gleaned from multiple sources, will provide insight on the importance of continuing his legacy.
Dr. Indyk was featured in an article titled “Te Turfcon Team,” that appeared in the December 1993 issue of SportsTurf magazine. Te article, by Bob Tracinski, provided the following background on Dr. Indyk:
“As a boy walking barefoot on the differing grounds of his family's farm, Henry W. Indyk wondered why some soils felt soft and soothing, while others felt hard and grating; why on the same day some were hot, and some were cold. His curiosity led him to a bachelor's degree in plant science, with a major in soils, at Rutgers College of Agriculture in 1950 and master's and Ph.D. degrees in agronomy with emphasis on soils from Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Indyk then advanced into a five-year stint in agronomic research in the University of Delaware's Department of Agronomy. From there he returned to Rutgers University, spending one year as an extension specialist in pasture management. He later moved into the turfgrass field, succeeding Dr. Richard Skogley, the university's first extension specialist in turf. At that point, there was only one person in turf research at Rutgers.
Indyk's responsibilities for nearly 31 years as extension specialist reached to all areas of turfgrass management - home lawns, industrial, commercial, schools, public grounds, golf and sports. Troughout this time, he delved into the study and deeper understanding of soils, the growing medium of any crop-always intrigued by "what made them tick."
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Dr. Henry W. Indyk, Rutgers University, was named ASPA’s first Honor- ary Member in 1973. Dr. Indyk served as ASPA Executive Director from 1969 to 1973.
Initially, the top turf programs in the United States belonged to Rutgers University, the University of Rhode Island, Penn State University, and Cornell. Although these schools and their turfgrass specialists were pioneering a young field, there was little general interest in turfgrasses.
At that time, Dr. Indyk was just beginning to realize how important his soils background would become in the field. As his work progressed, it became apparent to him that one of the biggest limitations in turfgrass development and maintenance was a lack of understanding about soils.” Tracinski also reported, “With the wide-ranging scope of an extension specialist position, it's essential to maximize time to best meet the needs of all served.”
One avenue Dr. Indyk used to accomplish that was developing working relationships with members of the turfgrass industry.
Additional details on Dr. Indyk’s career were reported in “Te Henry W. Indyk Legacy,” written by the late New Jersey Turfgrass Association (NJTA) Executive Director Dick Caton, and Rutgers faculty members Dr. James Murphy and Dr. Bruce Clarke, following Dr. Indyk’s
TPI Turf News January/February 2018
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