Oregon State University - Beaver Yearbook (Corvallis, OR)

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Rev. w. A. Finley. A M.. President 1S65 1871 vision of the Oregon were he seen by taken from an law. alive the act lature, October 27. That the people of to the situation may following paragraph passed by the Legis-1868: ‘ Whereas, it appears that unless an Agricultural College is provided by law at this session of the Legislature, the grant by Congress will Ik- lost; therefore. this act shall take effect from the date of its passage.” Willamette University and Corvallis College had both been prominently mentioned in connection with the land grant patronage for an agricultural college ; and it was generally believed by Father Waller and other friends of the university that the Agricultural College ocated at Salem. Rut C. B. who represented Renton the Legislature at that time, inserted “Corvallis” instead of “Salem in the bill, and the Agricultural College was located at Corvallis. Thus at the last moment the bill became an act. and the act was law. Just how it happened has been a marvel to many a political dreamer since that Legislature. Joaquin Miller, who was writing poetry on the Long Tom in those days, tried to express it in the couplet: would be Bellinger, County in ‘The tctcr-board of life goes up: The teter-board of life goes down. An array of thirty-one trustees and fifteen officers of the l oard dominated the institution in 1869-1870, while there were only two professors and twenty-eight students in the college department. The college students were classified as follows: Four seniors, ten juniors and fourteen freshmen. Existing conditions did not justify the luxury »f a sophomore class that year. The Preparatory Department, which consisted of lot students, was taught by J. D. McFarland and W. E. Privctt. Mrs. S. E. Finley was in charge of the primary pupils, forty in number, and Jacob Brenner was the director of music. Bachelor of Science. Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts were the regular degrees conferred by the college. Co-education was fully recognized. Young ladies were admitted to all the college classes, and were entitled to the same honors and diplomas as young men. Tuition varied from ten to fifteen dollars per term, and special concessions were made to clergymen. That the management of the school sustained the relation of pater fa mi lias to the students may he inferred from the fact that the parent of each minor in the male department was expected to name some member of the faculty as guardian of his son while attending college, with whom funds might be deposited, and to whom the students should be accountable for their proper use. The funds for the young ladies were deposited with “the keeper of the boarding house. It was stated in the catalogue that most of our difficulties arise from the improper use of money injudiciously entrusted to pupils. Then followed the injunction. “All persons arc forbidden to trust a minor without the consent of his or her guardian.” The pupil was not allowed to lx ard at a place not approved by the faculty, nor to change from one boarding house to another without permission. Young ladies were required to board at the Young Ladies' Boarding Mouse unless they had near relatives who could receive them and were willing to assume the entire responsibility of their government. Young men might rent rooms and board themselves, but there was no such provision for the young ladies. The public duties of each school day were opened with appropriate religious exercises. Attendance upon these exercises and also services at some place of worship on the Sabbath, was required of all pupils. All pupils over 14

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Cfje £ . a. C. Historic anb Jxemmiscrni By Prokrssor John B. Horxkr W hen Corvallis was hut a village, tin frame building later called Corvallis College was projected as a private undertaking. For several years the edifice—noble for that early time—served as a public school building and meeting house. All grades from the Primary to the Academic Department were accommodated. It was the public school of the place, yet it was dependent in a large measure upon subscription for support. Therefore, while the school served a public purpose, it was in its inception and maintenance a private institution. Furthermore, it was dominated by promoters who were ambitious that it might aspire to become a parochial institution of high grade. To this end the property was sold as early as 1865 to Rev. O. Fischer, agent of the conference, as a college for the Southern Methodist Church. Forthwith Rev. V. A. Finley. A. M., was chosen president, with Professor Armstrong as assistant. The two composed the faculty. This was the beginning. The popularity of the new college was at once established, and a widely distributed patronage was drawn from Oregon. California. Washington and Idaho. In the fall term of 1867, Rev. Joseph Emery, A. M.t was elected professor of mathematics to succeed Professor Armstrong. Because of the want of preparatory schools throughout the West, but few students could i e admitted to the college department; hence the demand for a preparatory school to serve as an academy in connection with the institution. Accordingly in I SOS W. W. Moreland was elected principal of the preparatory department. This was six years after Abraham Lincoln had approved the act of Congress providing for agricultural and mechanical schools in the various states, and the time had well-nigh expired in which the states might accept the pro- corvai.i.is coi.i.ege Where Scientific Agriculture was first taught in Oregon 13

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fourteen years of age were required to sign six college laws, two of which will he interesting. Law III prohibited students front playing at cards or billiards. Law V, which drew a very clear civil engineer’s line between co-education and roo-cducation. is given verbatim: Young ladies boat ding in the village or vicinity who are under the care of the faculty will not be permitted to receive the visits of young gentlemen, without the written consent of their parents, under such restrictions as the faculty may require. The Agricultural course of two years was one of the best in the nation at that time; yet it reminds one of a course of pharmacy with no pharmacy in it. or a course in medicine which is thoroughly innocent of materia medica. It was a good, strong course in science and mathematics, and it made good, useful, scholarly men and women competent to stand 1 efore kings. It served its purpose well in its day: ami the mathematics and sciences, like so many letters of the alphabet, have since spelled out in full the courses introduced later in agriculture, agronomy, agrostology, horticulture, forestry, olericulture and what not. Below is given a fac simile of this course, which is important chiefly because it was the first formal announcement of scientific instruction in agriculture in Oregon. Agriculture COURSE or ITUD7. First Year.—First Term.—Chemical Physics and Inorganic Chemistry, Structural and Physiological Botany. First five books of Davies’ Legendre. Second 7 rm.—Organic Chemistry. How Crops Grow. English Language. Third Tt.nn.—Qualitative Analysis. Detection of tlie alkalies, alkaline-earths, earths, etc. Systematic Botany; Excursions and Collections. English Language. Second Year.—First Term.—Qualitative Analysis cu..tinned. Detection and Separation of the Elements. Chain Surveying and Mensuration. Geometrical Drawing. General Principiesof Zoology, (or German). Second 'Term.—General Principles of Geology. Vegetable Economy; How Plants Feed. Topographical Drawing. Animal Physiology, (or German). 'Third Term.—Gcolngv of Oregon. Vegetable Economy. Entomology, (or German). President Finley continued in office till 1871. Professor Joseph Emery having declined the office. Benjamin L. Arnold. A. M., Ph. I)., was selected President. Doctor Arnold was a philosopher who could easily have gained first rank in any position of school work. In chemistry, language, mathematics. or metaphysics, he was equally at home. 11 is diligence in preparation. his ability to impart and his high conception of human possibilities made President Arnold eminent among teachers as an inspiration to his students. His marked personality differed from that of every other man. There was something in his countenance that baffled the artist, and the kindly-light of his eye was too rich for the painter t« commit t«» canvas. Doctor Arnold’s students everywhere speak with pride of the moments he mingled with them. About this time Professor B. J. Hawthorne was elected to the chair of language. On the 17th day of April. 1871. the Board of Trustees purchased from George Roberts and Elizabeth Jane Roberts 34.85 acres of land for a college farm, which has since been transformed into the campus. Professor Hawthorne also took charge of the Department of Agriculture, agriculture as a study being added at this time to the department. Hence Professor Hawthorne was the first teacher of Agriculture in the college. He formulated a very practical course and undertook experimentation. One of the permanent evidences of Ins work is the present conduit which drains the campus. This is one of the first hits of experimentation in drainage done in a scientific way in Oregon. 15