An antique roll-top desk from Washington State University has been donated to the WCHS artifacts collection. The gift was made by Dr. Everett L. Martin, professor emeritus at WSU, who used it for over 50 years.
The wooden desk stood in Martin’s office in Clark Hall for the majority of his tenure at WSU, where he taught Meat Science from 1970 to 2006. When WSU sent the desk to its Surplus Sales Department earlier this year, Martin purchased it and donated it to WCHS. He and his former graduate student, John Unruh (who recently retired as dean of Agriculture at California State University Chico) delivered it personally it to its new home in the Pullman Depot Heritage Center, a property of the Whitman County Historical Society.
left: PDHC chairman Linda Hackbarth with Dr. Martin.
Martin was instrumental in the establishment and operation of the Meats Lab at WSU, which was the first in the nation in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He won a number of major teaching and advising awards during his career. In 2002, he successfully led the fight to save the former livestock judging barn at WSU (now Ensminger Pavilion) and played an important role in securing the $250,000 donation from Audrey Ensminger in memory of her husband, Dr. M.E. Ensminger. Martin was also the last person to teach livestock judging in the building. In the 1990s, he served on the WCHS Board of Directors. He collects antique John Deere tractors and implements.
The donation of the desk is an excellent example of increasing cooperation and interaction between WSU and the Pullman Depot Heritage Center. It can be seen on display in the Freight Room at the Depot, which is located east of intersection of Grand Avenue and Whitman Street, during its regular hours (1:00 to 4:00 PM) every Saturday.
right: Dr. Martin with his grand-daughter Mackenzie Martin in his office (Rm. 133 Clark Hall) in 2019.
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