Penn State University - La Vie Yearbook (University Park, PA)

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Henry Prentiss Armsby Ph.D., LL.D. BY tVIlJiIAM FlthA It Pennsylvania State College, probably the most striking has been the growth of the School of Agriculture with its afhliated Agricultural Experiment Station and Institute of Animal Nutrition. In such growths. the thrifty spreading branches and rich fruit bespeak a stout trunk and an earlier formed healthy root system. While others have most efficiently contributed to the present rapid development of this important school. it ,is largely to the labors. foresight and influence of Dr. Armsby that its preparation for the growth of these later years is due. Henry Prentiss Armsby was born. September 21st, 1853, at Northbridge. Massa- chusetts. His parents were Lewis and Mary A. Prentiss Armsby. Early in his hoy- hood, his parents moved to Milbury. Massachusetts, and in the high school of that little town his preparation for c011ege was obtained. In 1868, at the age of fifteen, he en- tered the Worcester Po1ytechnic School, which was first opened to students in that year. From this institution he was graduated with the degree of BS, at the age of eighteen. and returned the following year as an instructor in chemistry. He then entered Sheffield Scientific School, Yale. to extend his training, and, in 1874, received from that institu- tion the degree of Ph.B. The years immediately following were spent in teachingein the high school of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1874-5, and as an assistant in chemistry at Rutgers, 1875-6. In 1877, the recently established agricultural experiment station of Connecticut was removed from Middletown to New Haven, and under the directorship of Dr. S. W. Johnson. the most masterly writer on agricultural chemistry America has thus far pro- duced. became the scene of the most important agricultural work of that day. From 1877 to 1881, Mr. Armsby acted as chemist to the new station, and these four years bear witness not only to his industry, but also to his full possession of those qualities of scientific insight and lucid. logical exposition which have justly given him eminence in the field he has chosen for his main work. In 1880, when he was twenty-seven years of age, appeared the first edition of his uManual of Cattle Feeding , based upon the Ger- man work of Wolff, which has ever since been the leading scientific work of reference upon this subject in the English language. Just prior to this. in 1879, he completed the course for his doctorate and received from Yale the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. On October 15th. 1878. he married Miss Mary A. Harding. of Milbury. whose cultured taste has made her an inHuential factor in our community life. :- MONC the many interesting features in the recent rapid development of The 7