Skip to main content
Wilson College of Textiles 
Textiles History

John F. “Jack” Bogdan

Professor Emeritus NC State Textiles

John F. “Jack” Bogdan     Born 1912 – Died February 15, 2003
Years of Service at NCSU Textiles 1945­ – 1977

John F. Bogdan, a native of Nashua, New Hampshire, was educated at the Lowell Technical Institute, Brown University, Rhode Island State College and Boston University. He developed a national recognition for his work in the blending of fibers to produce superior yarns. By the age of 33, he was head of the yarn manufacturing division of the Manville­Jenckes Corporation of Manville, Rhode Island. (1)

Dean Malcolm E. Campbell convinced him to move south in 1945 and join the School of Textiles as Applied Research Technologist and Professor of Textiles. A project funded by the US Department of Agriculture and authorized by the Research and Marketing Act of 1946 was one of the first major federally­funded projects to reach the School of Textiles during Dean Campbell’s tenure. This project was under the direction of Professor Bogdan who worked closely with Professor Clarence M. Asbill, Jr., Research Professor of Machine Design. Together, the two were able to develop a technique for counting the number of cotton neps in a given sample of cotton. First a template was developed and then an actual machine called a Nepotometer was manufactured. Both men gained wide acclamation. Several articles followed. (1,2,6,7)

Bogdan with Dean Malcolm Campbell and Nepotometer

Clarence M. Asbill, Jr. and Bogdan with samples

In 1949, he joined with Professor W.E. Shinn and received a research grant from the Southern Regional Research Laboratory, New Orleans. (1,2)

Jack Bogdan Beside a Card Running Synthetic Fiber Textile Forum Cover  October 1952

During summer break, Bogdan traveled to Western Europe and visited Western Germany and Belgium as part of a team of men to determine how the industry had bounced back after the war and to determine the extent US cotton could penetrate the market (4, 5)

In 1968, Bogdan was named to the Albert G. Myers Professorship in Textile Technology. Albert (Doctor Ab) Myers was an 88­year old NC banker and textile executive who entered textiles in the early 1930s when he was appointed receiver for several bankrupt textile firms. (12)  In 1970, he was named to head the Textile Technology Department.

Bogdan Named Department Head of Textile Technology
School of Textiles News

Jack married Anne Y. Bogdan who died March 10, 2012 in Raleigh. There were no children.

Patents:

  1. Bogdan, John F., and Clarence M. Asbill, Jr., US Patent 2698,538, “Nep Potential Meter”, Filed Dec 29, 1953.  Issued: Jan 4, 1955

References:

  1. Bogdan, J.F., and W.E. Shinn, “New Research in the School of Textiles,” Textile Forum, Spring 1949.
  2. Loveless, Howard L., “Developments in Nep Control,” Textile Forum, Fall 1949, pages 11, 12, 30.
  3. Bogdan, J.F., Two­for­One Principle Applied to Twisting, Textile Forum, April 1950, page 29, 30.
  4. Bogdan, J. F., “J. F. Bogdan Surveys Europe: Part One: Germany,” Textile Forum, December 1951, p13­4.
  5. Bogdan, J.F., “Report on Belgian Textile Industry,” Textile Forum, February 1952, p17
  6. McNamara, Thomas P., “Survey Reveals Nep Control Practices in Industry,” Textile Forum, February
  7. 1953, page 19. “School of Textiles Research Coordinators Reports on Results of Nep Reduction Program,” Textile Forum, April 1953, pages 29,32,40.
  8. Bogdan, J.F., “The Nepotometer,” Textile Forum, February 1954, pages 10­13.
  9. Bogdan, J.F., “Improve Your Carding,” Textile Forum, October 1954, pages 15­18, 24.
  10. Bogdan, J.F., “Not Theory…Facts. Say Goodby (sic) to 3% of your carding waste,” Textile Forum, February 1955, pages 18­21, 26­7, 36.
  11. Bogdan, J.F., “Prediction of Carded Cotton Yarn Skein Strength,” Textile Forum, October 1956, pages 3­ 34 Tables of data.
  12. “Bogdan Named to Myers Professorship,” School of Textiles News, October 1968, page 2.