Two Cornell Veterans, The Potters, To Retire
The Ithaca Journal, Jun 29, 1972, p. 13.
'Martin I. Potter, manager of the Cornell University orchard, retires at the end of June after 38 years of service. His wife, Mary, a veteran secretary of 35 vears, is retiring at the same time.
Both belong to the Department of Pomology at the State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell. Their combined service totals 73 years. Martin's father, Irving. was also the orchard manager before Martin and served for 26 years until his retirement in 1943.
One thing Martin said he has loved most since his boyhood is fishing. Instead he picked fruit all his life.
"I'll get caught up on my fishing." Martin declared. Mary nodded approvingly during a joint interview. 'However, I got my share of fish right along." Martin smiled.
Martin's story goes back to his boyhood days. Since his father was in charge of the orchard management, Martin went to work there as a boy, carrying water for fruit crops. It was a five-cent an hour job.
"I hated that job, because, you know, any young boy would rather go fishing." Martin recalled.
He said he remembers that the orchard was established in 1910 and young trees were planted the same year Martin was born in Seneca Castle near Geneva. When he was two years old, his family moved to Ithaca.
In 1933, when the country was hit by a depression. Martin lost a job as a mason. He found a two-week temporary job in the orchard. It led to a life-long career for him.
During the next 10 years, he assisted in a research project involving the studies of fruit tree photosynthesis under the direction of the late Prof. Arthur J. Heinicke, who was then head of the pomology department.
When Martin's father retired in 1943, Martin took over as orchard superintendent. The 90-acre orchard has five regular full-time employees, and the number of temporary workers during busy harvest periods swells to 65 annually.
Mrs. Potter, meanwhile, got acquainted with the orchard quite early, too. As a girl, she picked fruit for more than a dozen years to earn spending money. As a part-time worker. she later worked in the sales room until 1937, when she was employed as a full-time laboratory technician. In 1942, she became a stenographer and later secretary in the department.
The Potters plan to stay at their present home at 902 Dryden Rd.'
Note: Seneca Castle is now known as Castleton.