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

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9141 L mammm 11231 William a. IBuckbuut, 59$, 23.15:. Enembzr 26th. 1846 Dutmhrr 311, 1912 a Eiograpbttal sketch Hy Exwm W. Rt'xxus 1'11i choicest fruits of university and college are the kind of ehxtrzteters they form, tlte type of men they send nut. Nu nthet' ztint will hear the searching light of truth. Public service is nohle. commercial and industrial success is laudable, information and scholarship zu'e praiseworthy. but the forming of character Christian manhood. alone. will perpetuate an institution. Front such 21 vztntztge point. the life and l:thors of Dr. W'illiztm X. Knekhuut nsstnne peculiar interest and import. A Christian gentleman. :1 painstaking scholar. :1n etlieient teacher. :1 faithful friend. such are the sentiments thztt Cl'OH'd the heart fur expression. us we contemplate the lung yeum of service to the college and to the eonnntntity. When Dr. llttekhout enrolled :15 :t sttnlent in the :Xiniettlturnl College at Pennsyl- vania in February, 1866. the 1.:11111-Gr11nt Institutions and the kintl of trainingr for wltieh they Stand were lmtlt in their infancy Our college shares with those Of Michigan and Maryland. the honor of being...r :1 pioneer in the new intlnstriztl training. As early :15 1853, the foundations were lilltl liy the Agricultural Snciety of Pennsylvania. and 21 char- ter wzts granted by the Cnnnnunweztltlt in 1855. Owingr to the intelligent :tntl energetic labors of Dr. Evan Pugh. the lirst President. knmvletlge ml the new experiment wz1s heralded outside of the State. The ClHTCSDUlltlt'tlcc 111 Dr. Pugh still preserved shows that many inquiries were received antl much interest awakened in the new institution 11'0111 Maine to Culifurnin. Thus it cattle that young llttekhnnt. anxious :thtwe :111 things for :1 knowledge of Nature. her forms 11ml laws. feeling snntethinq of the impetus which these institutions were to give to the education of nnr n:nimL eume frnnt :1 neigltlmring State tn this College. which was 10 he the scene 01. his life wm'l;. Dr. Buekhout wzts horn :1t Oswego. New Ym'k, December 26111. 1846. His father Wits :1 successful halter Illltl furrier. :1ntl :1rtlently desired that his sun pursue :1 lmsiness training :1ntl eureert His tastes and purposes. however. srmght other expressinn. Of :1 studious dispmitiun. he curly sltnwetl :1 hent toward nature 11ml science. rather th:1n commerce and trade. After :1 preliminary cnttrse 111 trainingr in his home city. he entered :15 :nt atlxunced student. the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania. He graduated in 1808. receivingr the degree of llztehelot' 11f Science in Agriculture. His record at college is an index 01 his whole life. One rezttls with interest in the Catalogue 11f 1867 tin which the grades are printed for the last timel. that on :1 scale of 10 Dr. Hnekhuut rztnked 0,6 in sehulurship; 10 in conduct; 10 in industry. The two years itttntetlizttely following grzttlttzttinn were spent in practical wnrk. and in gaining heztlth :md vigor fur :1 period 01 grzulnnte xitully :1t Harvard Li'nivet'sity. lle slutlietl with Professor Asa Gray in order to ntnre thm'onghly prepare himself for :1 eureer of teaching. in 1871. he wats :1ppnintetl instrnemr in the Natural Scienceau illltl 7