From Woody's Couch

Freeman Howlett, 1950

This summer, the University plans to build a garden on the roof of Howlett Hall, a demonstration project for green roof design. The building’s namesake, Freeman Howlett, would have loved the idea since he spent his life finding new ways to grow plants.

Howlett, who earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from Cornell University, first joined the staff at Ohio State in 1929, conducting research at the Agricultural Experiment Station. There, he taught classes at the University’s Fruit School, an outreach project for farmers from all over the state to learn new ways to better grow crops. One such class: “Further Studies on the Water Relations of Fruit Trees.”

During his 46 year career at OSU, Howlett studied plant nutrition and growing fruits and vegetables in greenhouses, and pollination. He spoke nationally and  internationally at conferences for the organizations he was a member of, including the International Society of Horticulture, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Royal Horticultural Society in England. Howlett was also the first ever to receive the Presidential Citation of the American Society for Horticultural Science in 1963.

Howlett Hall, 1976

He also taught gardening courses throughout his career at Ohio State, even when he served as chairman of the Department of Horticulture from 1947 to 1969. He was named professor emeritus after his retirement July 1, 1970, and he died November 18, 1970, in Wooster, at the age of 70. In February, 1971 the University Trustees voted to name a building in his honor.

During his three decades as an apple breeder, he released several varieties of apples, including the Franklin (1938), the Melrose (1944), the Holiday (1964) and the Holly, which was released on the date of his retirement in June 1970. Cherry in color, it tasted like a cross between a Delicious and a Jonathan apple.