I had him for general chem and loved every minute of it. He made lectures fun and exciting. I don’t know when he stopped teaching, but he had an impact on me.
Almost 30 years later, I don’t remember a lot of my professors’ names, but I do remember him and sitting in the HEB and listening to his lectures.
I also took a class by him and I met him on occasion. A very fine man and scholar, with innumerable contributions to the U Chemistry Department: both remarkable and prestigious.
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Just told Mrs. CCU. She remembers Dr Ragsdale pretty well. She’d already taken here GenChem prior to starting at the U, but mentioned that with his death comes an end of an era at the U. She knew him better than i did. She got her Bachelor’s in Chemistry. I just had 1 Gen Chem from him. His class was tough, but really fair. Even if I did hate it at the time.
I remember coming across him one time in Holladay. He was walking home from the bus stop. I was on a training ride. I stopped to chat with him. He was quite genial one on one. Still recall that memory fondly. His class I remember less fondly, but it was a fair class.
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I also had him for General Chem circa 40 years ago. Yes, good professor and could keep the attention of a rather large classroom of us wannabe scientists and engineers without getting too cute.
I think it was Ragsdale who one morning poked fun at one Mike Lookinland (aka Bobby Brady) for strolling into class late wearing a large bandage over his ear – result of a ski accident.
I had ROR late 70’s. My old Datsun truck needed seats.Instead of replacing, my Mother was re-covering them for me, and the passenger seat was missing.
I saw Dr. Ragsdale walking, stopped, rolled down my window and offered him a ride, looked across the cab only to realize there was no seat. I was grateful he politely declined.
I regret not taking my daughters to see the Farraday lecture. It’s still televised around Christmas on KUED
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The Farraday lectures are amazing. Yet another remarkable and unique accolade of the U of U
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Never had a class from him, had Dr Furtrell for gen chem, but I do remember him around the building.
I took Gen Chem 2 from him and hated every single minute of his class. He had just written a textbook and it was horrible. He was pompous and arrogant to the point that I remember him screaming at a student to leave his office when she questioned his response to a grade.
He was a great scientific mind and an awesome tennis player but 20 years ago he was not a good teacher and should have retired then.
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One excellent perspective of today is the ability to read and review instructors, which also benefits the institution. I agree his was very much the hard-nosed, preverbial “weed-out” class.
I hated that text book. I know what one you mean.