Edwin Jackson Kyle was born in Kyle, Tex., 22 July 1876, the son of Fergus Kyle and Annie E. Moore Kyle . E. J. Kyle graduated in 1899 with a B. S. in agriculture from Texas A & M College (later Texas A & M University ), and, in 1902 he received an M. S. in agriculture from Cornell University .
Upon graduation from Cornell University in June 1902, E. J. Kyle returned to Texas A & M College as an instructor in Horticulture . In 1905 Kyle was promoted to Head of the Department and made full professor. Then, in 1911, when Texas A & M College created the School of Agriculture E. J. Kyle was appointed Dean of the School of Agriculture .
During this time, Kyle also served as President of the Texas A & M College Athletic Association, resigning in 1911 when he made Dean of the School of Agriculture. Kyle was then called back to the post of President of the Athletic Association, after Bruce LaRoche retired on account of unrest among the former students. Kyle did not retire again from serving with the Athletic Association until 1934, was called back briefly to use his diplomatic skills again, and finally left the post for good in 1943, after the Aggies became National Champions , winning three successive bowl games. Due to Kyle 's accomplishments leading the Academic Association, Kyle Field was named after him.
Not only was E. J. Kyle accomplished as a leader of the Texas A & M College Athletic Association, but, in his own field of Agriculture, founded and was the head of the Farmer's Short Course for several years. Smith-Hughes Day at Texas A & M College was also supported by Kyle, and he was successful in getting legislature through to increase the amount of land owned by A & M College . As an educator, E. J. Kyle was the senior author of a text book for public schools, and he also co-wrote a book on pecan cultures with H. P. Stukey titled Pecan-growing ( New York : Macmillan,1925).
After retiring from Texas A & M College, E. J. Kyle was elected Dean Emeritus . Although Kyle had retired, President Roosevelt appointed him as ambassador to Guatemala . This area of the world was not new to E. J. Kyle because he had been there before with his activities in Inter-American Education . E. J. Kyle was the only man in the history of the United States trained in technical agriculture and education to be appointed an Ambassador . E. J. Kyle was so successful in Guatemala that upon leaving he received that country's highest decoration The Order of the Quetzal .
Along with the rest of E. J. Kyle 's honors are that he was in Who's Who, Who's Who for American Authors, Who's Who for American Men of Science, Who's Who in Latin America, Biographical Encyclopedia of the World, Leaders in Education, Who's Who in American Education, Who's Who in the South and Southwest, International Who's Who, and Who's Who in Federal Administration .
On 21 Dec. 1904, Kyle had married Alice Myers and they had one daughter. After many years of service to Texas A & M College, E. J. Kyle died 26 December 1963.
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Bibliography
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KYLE, EDWIN JACKSON.
The Handbook of Texas Online. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/KK/fky4.htmlhttp://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/KK/fky4.html [Accessed Mon Aug 25 14:53:28 US/Central 2003]
From the guide to the Inventory of the E. J. Kyle Papers TAMU MSS 00078., 1902-1957., (Cushing Memorial Library)
Educator, horticulturist, diplomat.
Edwin Jackson Kyle graduated from Cornell University in 1901.
From the description of Edwin Jackson Kyle papers, 1934-1955. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 63934302
