Hutchison, C. B. (Claude Burton), b. 1885-

Biography

Claude B. Hutchison (1885-1980) was the Dean of Agriculture and Vice President of the University of California. He was active throughout his career as a Professor of Agronomy and Plant Breeding and also as Director of the International Education Board in Europe. Born in Livingston County near Chillicothe, Missouri, Hutchison attended college at the University of Missouri in 1904, graduating in 1908 with a Bachelors of Science in Agriculture. As a student at University of Missouri Hutchison became one of the founding members of the FarmHouse organization in 1905. Originally formed as a club by students who studied agriculture and wished to live and work together, FarmHouse later developed into a national association. After graduating Hutchison continued at Missouri, initially as an Instructor and Assistant Professor of Agronomy from 1908 to 1913, and then as Professor of Farm Crops from 1913 to 1916. Hutchison took a position in 1916 as Professor of Plant Breeding at Cornell University where he taught until 1922.

Hutchison joined the University of California in 1922 as Director of the Northern Branch of the College of Agriculture at Davis, formerly the University Farm. He oversaw the development and improvement of the academic courses and facilities. Hutchison left Davis in 1924 to work in Europe with the International Education Board (IEB) as the Assistant Director. The IEB, part of the Rockefeller Foundation, both studied and promoted agriculture and forestry education in Europe. Hutchison held the position of Assistant Director from 1924 to 1926 and Director from 1926 to 1928.

Returning to the University of California Hutchison became the first Director of the newly established Giannini Foundation from 1928 to 1931. He became the Dean of the College of Agriculture in 1930, a position he held until 1952. During the years of 1945 to 1952 Hutchison served as the Vice President of the University of California.

In 1946 Hutchison led the China-United States Joint Agricultural Mission to China, to assess and develop Chinese agricultural and forestry programs. The joint delegation spent four months traveling the country studying agricultural conditions and writing the report. Hutchison was elected to the board of trustees of the China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture in 1947 and served as their Vice Chair in 1955.

Hutchison retired from the University of California in 1952 and became the Dean of Agriculture at the University of Nevada from 1952 to 1954. Beginning in 1955 Hutchison spent eight years, two terms, as Mayor of Berkeley. During his second term Hutchison helped form the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), in 1960. The first council of local governments in California, the ABAG elected Hutchison its initial president in 1961. Retiring from public office in 1963 Hutchison was awarded the Wheeler Medal, the City of Berkeley's highest civic award. Claude B. Hutchison died in 1980.

From the guide to the Claude B. Hutchison Papers, 1905-1975, (University of California, Davis. General Library. Department of Special Collections.)