University of Pittsburgh - Owl Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

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This year marks the 190th anniversary of the University of Pittsburgh. On February 28, 1787, two months after Pennsylvania ratified the United States Constitution, the Pittsburgh Academy was chartered and housed in a small log cabin (pictured above) at Third and Cherry Streets, in present downtown Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Academy gained the distinction of being the first school of higher learning west of the Alleghenies offering the Learned Languages, English, and Mathematics.” Thirty-two years later on February 18, 1819 the Pittsburgh Academy moved, received a new charter, and became the Western University of Pennsylvania. Robert Bruce became the first principal (a title later changed to chancellor in 1872). The Pittsburgh Fire of 1845 leveled this one building, Third and Cherry Street campus, so the University planted new roots on Duquesnc Way, also downtown. After this location burned in 1849, the campus was moved to Diamond and Ross Streets and later to North Avenue on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Under Chancellor Samuel McCormick the University found its present home in Oakland where the cornerstone for the first University building. The School of Mines, was laid on October 2, 1908 (the same day the cornerstone was laid in the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial). Earlier that same year on July 11, the name of this institution had been changed to its current title, the University of Pittsburgh. On September 27, 1926 ground was broken for this the tallest school building in the world and the dream of Chancellor John Bowman— the 42 story Cathedral of Learning. The Oakland Campus today is comprised of 50 buildings situated on 125-acrcs of land. Pitt has come a long way since its 1787 log cabin origin.

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 Polwme 7% The Table of Contents The Year ............9 The Branch Campuses ..65 The Sports .........75 The Creeks.........173 The Organizations .249 The Hall of Fame ..317 The Class of 1977 .325 S The Senior Directory .. 371 --------- The -------- University of Pittsburgh Yearbook

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 As the University of Pittsburgh celebrated its 190th anniversary on February 18th of this year, Wesley Wentz Posvar marked his 10th year as Chancellor of the University, June 1, 1977. Pitt was just becoming state-related back then so tuition for Pennsylvania residents fell from $1,400 to $450 per year. However 1976-1977's tuition has since climbed to S1,266 per year. Pitt’s enrollment has doubled since 1967 to 19,425 undergraduates during 1976-1977 and the expenditures budget has expanded to about $179,800,000—now-making the University the largest employer in the City of Pittsburgh. Since Dr. Posvar’s arrival, Pitt has added new research centers in the areas of Ethnic Heritage, International Studies, Arms Control, International Securities, and Urban Research, in addition to the School of Health Related Professions. The Department of Life Sciences was also founded with the consolidation of the Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Microbiology Departments. New departments as black studies, environmental engineering, history and philosophy of science, crystallography, medical technology and health records administration have also occurred under the auspices of Dr. Posvar. Such changes at Pitt verify Dr. Posvar’s own summation—“We’ve been through growth and rapid change through financial stringency and austerity.” Pitt shall continue to grow and thrive as Wesley and Mildred Posvar (shown above) enter their second decade as Pitt’s first couple.