History of Oregon State University facts for kids

Benton Hall around 1889

The history of Oregon State University started a long time ago in Corvallis, Oregon. It began as a private school. Later, it became a state-supported college focused on agriculture. Many leaders have guided the school over the years. It grew from one building to a large campus. In 2015, it covered about 577 acres (2.34 km²) and had around 30,000 students.

Corvallis College: The Early Years

Corvallis College in 1876

In 1856, a school building was built in Corvallis. This building was first used for a private school until 1858. It was called Corvallis Academy. This was the first community school in the area. It taught younger students and prepared them for college. A group called the Freemasons helped a lot. They wanted to create a state college in the city. They even donated land to start building the campus.

In 1858, what we now know as Oregon State University began. It was formally named Corvallis College by the Freemasons. At first, it did not offer college-level classes. Years later, the school was given to the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1865, William A. Finley became the school's first president. That same year, the school started offering a bachelor's degree.

Becoming a State School

In 1868, the church officially made Corvallis College a state school. The state of Oregon named it the State Agricultural College (SAC). In 1873, this school became the first on the West Coast to offer a course in agriculture. This two-year program was approved by the state's lawmakers. By 1885, the State Agricultural College was fully run by the state. The original Corvallis College building was taken down in 1889. In 1888, the college started being called Oregon Agricultural College (OAC). This name became official in 1907.

Three women in a dorm room at Waldo Hall around 1905

By 1934, generous gifts from Mary J. L. McDonald helped the school buy land. This land is now known as the McDonald Forest. It also includes Peavy Arboretum, which is a special tree garden.

Oregon State University Today

Weatherford Hall, built in 1928. It's named after James K. Weatherford, a long-time leader of the university's Board of Regents.

The school offered more and more different types of degrees. Because of this, its name changed again in 1937. It became Oregon State College.

In 1946, the school added Naval ROTC programs. This joined the existing Army ROTC program. ROTC helps students train to become officers in the military. In 1949, the Air Force ROTC program was also added. This made Oregon State one of only 33 universities in the country. It offered officer training for all parts of the United States Armed Forces.

Even though OSU focused on farming, engineering, and business, liberal arts were always important. For example, a famous writer named Bernard Malamud taught English there. He taught in the 1940s and 50s. His experiences at OSU inspired his novel A New Life. He also won a big award, the 1967 Pulitzer Prize, for his novel The Fixer.

Linus Pauling, who graduated in 1922, was a very important person. In 1954, he became Oregon State's first Nobel Prize winner. He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on how atoms connect. In 1962, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. This was for his efforts against testing nuclear weapons. He is one of only two people to win two different Nobel Prizes by themselves. The school's current name, Oregon State University, was chosen on March 6, 1961. This was done by a law signed by Governor Mark Hatfield. A new library, the William Jasper Kerr Library, opened in 1963. This building was made bigger twice. After the last expansion in 1999, it was renamed The Valley Library.

School Presidents

The role of President was created in 1865. From 1868 to 1929, the president reported to the school's own leaders. Since the Oregon University System (OUS) was created, the president reports to the OUS chancellor.

Here is a list of the school's presidents:

See also

• Oregon State Beavers