History of Oregon State University
Encyclopedia
The history of Oregon State University
in Corvallis, Oregon
, United States
, began in the era of the Oregon Territory
. At first a private school, the college later became a state supported agricultural institution, and is now Oregon
’s flagship university for science. Nineteen presidents have led the school over the years while the school has been transformed from a single building to a campus of 577 acres (2.3 km²) and approximately 20,000 students in 2007.
In 1856, a school building was constructed in the Willamette Valley
at Corvallis. The structure would serve as home to a private academy until 1858. Named Corvallis Academy, this was the area's first community school for primary and preparatory education. The local chapter of the Freemasons played an important role in developing the concept to eventually establish a state college in the city and initiated the construction of the early campus with the original donation of land.
In 1858, what would become Oregon State University began as Corvallis College as it was formally incorporated by members of the Freemasons. At that time the school did not offer college level courses. Years later the school’s ownership was transferred to the Methodist Episcopal Church
. In 1865, William A. Finley
was named as the school’s first president. The school as began offering a bachelors degree that year.
designated Corvallis College as the "Agricultural College of the State of Oregon" This act allowed the school to be the recipient of Land Grant
fund income derived from the sale of 90,000 acres (364 km²) in southeast Oregon. As part of this designation, the college was required to comply with the requirements set forth in the First Morrill Act
. The name was changed to Corvallis State Agricultural College and was then authorized to grant the Bachelor of Arts
, Bachelor of Science
, and Master of Arts
degrees. The first graduating class was in 1870, granting Bachelor of Arts
degrees.
In 1873, the school became the first West Coast school to offer a course in agriculture. The two-year program had been approved by the Oregon Legislative Assembly
. Oregon Agricultural College became a completely state run school in 1885. In 1889, the original building of Corvallis College was torn down. In 1890 the college became known as Oregon Agricultural College (OAC). Orange was adopted as the school color, with black as the background. The Olmsted Brothers
developed the first Campus Master Plan in 1909, emphasizing trees and an architectural harmony showcasing basic classical forms in brick. The current campus stays mostly integrated to this original plan, laid on a grid of wide, tree-lined streets with the well-spaced buildings highlighted by open lawns and tall, clustered trees.
The Division of College Extension was organized in 1911 with Ralph Dorn Hetzel as director and, in 1912, the first off-campus faculty were placed in Marion and Wallowa counties. In 1914, the Cooperative Extension Service in Agriculture and Home Economics was established. The Army
ROTC became active in 1917, replacing the original Cadet Corps formed by students studying Military Science
. OAC began a horticultural products processing program in 1919, the first of its kind in the United States. A new brine method which led to the modern maraschino cherry
was developed by the program in 1925 by Prof. Ernest H. Wiegand
. Accreditation was granted in 1924 by the Northwest Association of Higher and Secondary Schools.
In 1927, the school’s name was changed to Oregon State Agricultural College. The Oregon Unification Bill passed by the Legislative Assembly in 1929 placed the school under the auspices of newly formed Oregon State Board of Higher Education
. By 1934, Mary J. L. McDonald made donations that allowed for the purchase of the land that comprises the McDonald Forest owned by the school, which also includes Peavy Arboritum. Doctoral education was first provided in 1935 with the conferral of four Doctor of Philosophy
degrees, three in Agriculture and one in Science. This year also saw the creation of the first summer session, starting a system of year-round operation for the college.
A growing diversity in degree programs offered led to another name change in 1937, when the college became Oregon State College.
Naval
ROTC, and the program of Naval Sciences, were added to the existing Army
ROTC program in 1946. The Air Force
ROTC program was included in 1949, making Oregon State one of only 33 universities in the country to offer officer training for all branches of the United States Armed Forces
.
Although OSU's focus was solidly on agriculture, engineering and other vocational subjects, the novelist Bernard Malamud
spent the 1940s and 1950s teaching English Composition there. His experiences as a professor were the basis for his novel
A New Life
. He was also awarded the 1967 Pulitzer Prize
for his novel
The Fixer
, named after a store in downtown Corvallis.
Linus Pauling
, Class of 1922, became Oregon State's first Nobel Laureate alumnus in 1954 when he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
for his work elucidating the nature of the atomic bonds. In 1962, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
for his campaign against nuclear weapons testing. He joined Marie Curie as the only person to win two different Nobels. Curie's physics prize was shared with her husband, Pierre Curie
. Both of Pauling's prizes were unshared. The university's current title, Oregon State University, was adopted on March 6, 1961 by a legislative act signed into law by Governor Mark Hatfield
. A new library, the William Jasper Kerr Library, opened in 1963. That building was expanded twice, and after the latest expansion nearly doubled the size that ended in 1999, the library was renamed as The Valley Library
.
(OUS), the president has reported to the OUS chancellor.
List of presidents:
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
in Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, began in the era of the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
. At first a private school, the college later became a state supported agricultural institution, and is now Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
’s flagship university for science. Nineteen presidents have led the school over the years while the school has been transformed from a single building to a campus of 577 acres (2.3 km²) and approximately 20,000 students in 2007.
Corvallis College
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
at Corvallis. The structure would serve as home to a private academy until 1858. Named Corvallis Academy, this was the area's first community school for primary and preparatory education. The local chapter of the Freemasons played an important role in developing the concept to eventually establish a state college in the city and initiated the construction of the early campus with the original donation of land.
In 1858, what would become Oregon State University began as Corvallis College as it was formally incorporated by members of the Freemasons. At that time the school did not offer college level courses. Years later the school’s ownership was transferred to the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
. In 1865, William A. Finley
William A. Finley
William Asa Finley was an American academic and the first president of Corvallis College, known today as Oregon State University....
was named as the school’s first president. The school as began offering a bachelors degree that year.
State school
Corvallis College was incorporated by the church in 1868, and the state of Oregon designated the school as the Oregon Agricultural College. On August 22, 1868, the official articles of incorporation were filed and October 27, 1868, is known as OSU Charter Day, the day that the Oregon Legislative AssemblyOregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
designated Corvallis College as the "Agricultural College of the State of Oregon" This act allowed the school to be the recipient of Land Grant
Land-grant university
Land-grant universities are institutions of higher education in the United States designated by each state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890....
fund income derived from the sale of 90,000 acres (364 km²) in southeast Oregon. As part of this designation, the college was required to comply with the requirements set forth in the First Morrill Act
Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act
The Morrill Land-Grant Acts are United States statutes that allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges, including the Morrill Act of 1862 and the Morrill Act of 1890 -Passage of original bill:...
. The name was changed to Corvallis State Agricultural College and was then authorized to grant the Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
, and Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degrees. The first graduating class was in 1870, granting Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degrees.
In 1873, the school became the first West Coast school to offer a course in agriculture. The two-year program had been approved by the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
. Oregon Agricultural College became a completely state run school in 1885. In 1889, the original building of Corvallis College was torn down. In 1890 the college became known as Oregon Agricultural College (OAC). Orange was adopted as the school color, with black as the background. The Olmsted Brothers
Olmsted Brothers
The Olmsted Brothers company was an influential landscape design firm in the United States, formed in 1898 by stepbrothers John Charles Olmsted and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. .-History:...
developed the first Campus Master Plan in 1909, emphasizing trees and an architectural harmony showcasing basic classical forms in brick. The current campus stays mostly integrated to this original plan, laid on a grid of wide, tree-lined streets with the well-spaced buildings highlighted by open lawns and tall, clustered trees.
The Division of College Extension was organized in 1911 with Ralph Dorn Hetzel as director and, in 1912, the first off-campus faculty were placed in Marion and Wallowa counties. In 1914, the Cooperative Extension Service in Agriculture and Home Economics was established. The Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
ROTC became active in 1917, replacing the original Cadet Corps formed by students studying Military Science
Military science
Military science is the process of translating national defence policy to produce military capability by employing military scientists, including theorists, researchers, experimental scientists, applied scientists, designers, engineers, test technicians, and military personnel responsible for...
. OAC began a horticultural products processing program in 1919, the first of its kind in the United States. A new brine method which led to the modern maraschino cherry
Maraschino cherry
A maraschino cherry is a preserved, sweetened cherry, typically made from light-colored sweet cherries such as the Royal Ann, Rainier, or Gold varieties...
was developed by the program in 1925 by Prof. Ernest H. Wiegand
Ernest H. Wiegand
Ernest H. Wiegand was a professor of horticulture at Oregon State University who, in 1925 during prohibition, developed a brine method that led to the modern maraschino cherry. He won the Nicholas Appert Award in 1960. The food sciences building on the university's Corvallis, Oregon campus,...
. Accreditation was granted in 1924 by the Northwest Association of Higher and Secondary Schools.
In 1927, the school’s name was changed to Oregon State Agricultural College. The Oregon Unification Bill passed by the Legislative Assembly in 1929 placed the school under the auspices of newly formed Oregon State Board of Higher Education
Oregon State Board of Higher Education
The Oregon State Board of Higher Education is the statutory governing board for the Oregon University System. The board is composed of eleven members appointed by the Governor of Oregon and confirmed by the Oregon State Senate...
. By 1934, Mary J. L. McDonald made donations that allowed for the purchase of the land that comprises the McDonald Forest owned by the school, which also includes Peavy Arboritum. Doctoral education was first provided in 1935 with the conferral of four Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degrees, three in Agriculture and one in Science. This year also saw the creation of the first summer session, starting a system of year-round operation for the college.
Oregon State
Naval
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
ROTC, and the program of Naval Sciences, were added to the existing Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
ROTC program in 1946. The Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
ROTC program was included in 1949, making Oregon State one of only 33 universities in the country to offer officer training for all branches of the United States Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
.
Although OSU's focus was solidly on agriculture, engineering and other vocational subjects, the novelist Bernard Malamud
Bernard Malamud
Bernard Malamud was an author of novels and short stories. Along with Saul Bellow and Philip Roth, he was one of the great American Jewish authors of the 20th century. His baseball novel, The Natural, was adapted into a 1984 film starring Robert Redford...
spent the 1940s and 1950s teaching English Composition there. His experiences as a professor were the basis for his novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
A New Life
A New Life (novel)
A New Life is a semi-autobiographical campus novel by Bernard Malamud first published in 1961.-External links:*Jonathan Yardley: , The Washington Post ....
. He was also awarded the 1967 Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for his novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
The Fixer
The Fixer (Malamud novel)
The Fixer is a 1966 novel by Bernard Malamud inspired by the true story of Menahem Mendel Beilis, an unjustly imprisoned Jew in Tsarist Russia. The notorious "Beilis trial" of 1913 caused an international uproar that forced Russia to back down in the face of world indignation. The Beilis case is...
, named after a store in downtown Corvallis.
Linus Pauling
Linus Pauling
Linus Carl Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He was one of the most influential chemists in history and ranks among the most important scientists of the 20th century...
, Class of 1922, became Oregon State's first Nobel Laureate alumnus in 1954 when he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
for his work elucidating the nature of the atomic bonds. In 1962, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
for his campaign against nuclear weapons testing. He joined Marie Curie as the only person to win two different Nobels. Curie's physics prize was shared with her husband, Pierre Curie
Pierre Curie
Pierre Curie was a French physicist, a pioneer in crystallography, magnetism, piezoelectricity and radioactivity, and Nobel laureate. He was the son of Dr. Eugène Curie and Sophie-Claire Depouilly Curie ...
. Both of Pauling's prizes were unshared. The university's current title, Oregon State University, was adopted on March 6, 1961 by a legislative act signed into law by Governor Mark Hatfield
Mark Hatfield
Mark Odom Hatfield was an American politician and educator from the state of Oregon. A Republican, he served for 30 years as a United States Senator from Oregon, and also as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee...
. A new library, the William Jasper Kerr Library, opened in 1963. That building was expanded twice, and after the latest expansion nearly doubled the size that ended in 1999, the library was renamed as The Valley Library
The Valley Library
The Valley Library is the primary library of Oregon State University and is located at the school's main campus in Corvallis in the U.S. state of Oregon. Established in 1887, the school built its first library building in 1918, what is now Kidder Hall. The current building opened in 1963 as the...
.
School presidents
The position of President was created in 1865. From 1868 to 1929 the president reported to the institution's own Board of Trustees/Regents. Since the creation of the Oregon University SystemOregon University System
The Oregon University System consists of seven public, four-year universities in the State of Oregon administered by the Chancellor of the OUS, who is appointed by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education...
(OUS), the president has reported to the OUS chancellor.
List of presidents:
- William A. FinleyWilliam A. FinleyWilliam Asa Finley was an American academic and the first president of Corvallis College, known today as Oregon State University....
(1865–1872) - Joseph EmeryJoseph EmeryJoseph Emery was an American academic and an acting president of Corvallis College, known today as Oregon State University.-Corvallis College:...
(1872, acting) - Benjamin L. Arnold (1872–1892)
- John D. LetcherJohn D. LetcherJohn Davidson Letcher was an American academic and an acting president of Oregon State University. He served as the acting president for 4 months in 1892, upon the death of the second president Benjamin Lee Arnold....
(1892, acting) - John M. BlossJohn M. BlossJohn McKnight Bloss served as President of Oregon Agricultural College from 1892 until 1896....
(1892–1896) - H. B. Miller (1896–1897)
- Thomas M. Gatch (1897–1907)
- William Jasper KerrWilliam Jasper KerrWilliam Jasper Kerr served as the president of Oregon State University for 25 years, 1907–1932. In 1932 he became the first chancellor of the Oregon State System of Higher Education, serving until 1935. He also served as the president of Brigham Young College from 1894–1900 and of Utah State...
(1907–1932) - George Wilcox Peavy (1932–1934, acting) (1934–1940)
- Frank Llewellyn Ballard (1940–1941)
- Francois Archibald Gilfillan (1941–1942, acting)
- August Leroy Strand (1942–1961)
- James Herbert Jensen (1961–1969)
- Roy Alton Young (1969–1970, acting)
- Robert William MacVicar (1970–1984)
- John V. Byrne (1984–1995)
- Paul G. Risser (1996–2002)
- Timothy P. WhiteTimothy P. WhiteTimothy P. White is the eighth chancellor of the University of California, Riverside. He was appointed in May 2008 and he started work in mid-July 2008...
(2003, acting) - Edward John RayEdward John RayDr. Edward John Ray is an American economist who became the 13th president of Oregon State University on July 31, 2003. Prior to joining Oregon State, Ray was executive vice president and provost of Ohio State University for the previous six years...
(2003–present)