Oregon State University History

In the fall of 2010, Oregon State University had over 22,000 students registered for classes; the largest enrollment the university has ever seen. The University is heading for a mark of 30,000 by the year 2025 (Johnson, 2009). The university looks forward to a bright future with hopes of being one of the top tier Land Grant institutions. However, Oregon State has not always been the large Division 1 School it is today. Its famous mascot Benny Beaver and its colors of orange and black were not always staples of OSU. This short paper will investigate the origins of Oregon State University during the 19th century, rapidly review its growth during the 20th century, and touch upon its claims to fame and notable alumni.

Oregon State University

was not always known as such. Its has been known as Corvallis College, Agriculture College of Oregon, State Agriculture College, Corvallis Agricultural College, Oregon Agriculture College, Oregon State College, and eventually Oregon State University (Beach, Nielsen, and Landis. 2008). Early settlers to Corvallis, then known as Marysville, established a primary and preparatory educational institution knows as Corvallis Academy in 1856 (Beach et al., 2008). In 1858, six citizens of the city now known as Corvallis during its time incorporated Corvallis Academy into Corvallis College. It did not offer any form of college curriculum and instead focused as a primary and preparatory school (Beach et al., 2008). Originally meeting in a Baptist church, a building, costing approximately $5000 was erected to house the College (Beach et al., 2008). Due to financial hardships Corvallis College was sold to a board of trustees all of whom were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Beach et al., 2008). In 1865, a collegiate department was added to Corvallis College that offered a higher education curriculum. Two years later the college enrolled its first four students (Beach et al., 2008).
1868 is considered to be the official chartering year of Corvallis College as it reincorporated as a degree granting institution for higher learning (Beach et al., 2008).

The Morril Act established Land Grants that helped finance the monetary funds and land to establish the school as the Agricultural College of Oregon. In 1870, the first Bachelors were awarded to two men and a woman known as Alice Biddle, J.K.P. Currin, and Robert M. Veatch (Beach et al., 2008). The 1870’s and 1880’s, marked a time of growing faculty and staff for the institution. A new administration building, that still stands today, was established known as Benton Hall where many classes took place. This marked the move of the campus to the northern part of Corvallis (Beach et al., 2008) where it sits today.

The 1890’s established many of the athletics and extracurricular activities for the institution as well as the name Oregon Agricultural College. The institution was notable for being one of three Land Grant institutions to offer science classes to women (Beach et al., 2008). The color orange was established as the official color in 1893 replacing the original color of blue (Beach et al., 2008. Students referred to themselves as “Aggies “or “Orangemen” and established an unofficial mascot known as Jimmie the Coyote. The year also saw the establishment of the first football program (Beach et al.,

2008).
The turn of century brought the first student association and first student body president, as well as the first sustained Fraternity. The first reference to Beavers also appears in 1910 (Beach et al., 2008). Population and faculty also steadily rose as the years progressed. It was during the early half of the 20th Century that many of the notable buildings on campus began their construction including the Women’s Building and the Memorial Union. It was also at this time the brick look that the University is now famous for, was established by planner John Charles Olmsted who designed 23 buildings (Beach et al., 2008)
1932 saw the name of the institution change again to Oregon State College. Through the 1930’s and 1940’s more programs were added to the curriculum and student populations continued to grow. In the 1950s, several dormitories and co-ops began construction (Beach et al., 2008). In 1952, Benny the Beaver, the current mascot, made his first costumed debut (Beach et al., 2008). As the 60’s progressed the institution changed its name from Oregon State College to Oregon State University and opened three more dormitories (Beach et al., 2008).
As the University progressed into the new millennium it became recognized as a top research institution and become on of only two universities to be designated Land, Sea, Space, and Sun Grant institutions. Students continue to enroll at high numbers and each year grant large number of degrees every spring.
The storied history of Oregon State University has produced some distinguished alumni as well as other notable distinctions.

Linus Pauling is arguably the most famous alumnus of Oregon State, having been the only person awarded two unshared Nobel Prizes (Beach et al,, 2008). Dick Fosbery was also a student at Oregon State University and is famous for the way he revolutionized the high jump with the Fosbery Flop. (Beach et al., 2008) The founders of CH2M Hill were also graduates of Oregon State University and established the world’s largest environmental engineering firm. (Beach et al., 2008) Oregon State University is also unique in that it is the only university in the country to feature four distinct Cultural Centers (Asian/Pacific Cultural Center, Lonnie B. Harris Black Culture Center, Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez and the Native American Longhouse) that are completely student run. They also feature a Pride Center for LGBTQ students, a Women’s Center, and a Student Sustainability Center dedicated to green and reusable energy. Parts of the campus are designated as a Historical District, making it one the few campuses in the nation to have such a distinction. In recent years the football team has grown to immense popularity, making it to continuous bowl games the last several seasons. However, Oregon State has been successful in the past as well. Terry Baker was the only Heisman winner for Oregon State and the first recipient of the award west of the Mississippi (Beach

et al., 2008). While football is currently the most popular sport at the university the men’s basketball team carries a history of past success as well. Gary Payton was arguably the best basketball player to wear an Oregon State jersey. Payton was named Pac-10 player of the year (Beach et al., 2008) and is the only point guard in NBA history to be named Defensive Player of the Year. Payton along with AC Green and Brent Berry carried a tradition of great basketball during the 1980’s (Beach et al., 2008).
Oregon State will continue to grow and become large and more notable as the years progress. President Ed Ray outlined a vision in his State of the University in 2010 that proposed a future in which Oregon State University that would be a top tier institution and the top Land Grant Institution by the year 2025. (Johnson, 2009) It’s clear from the institution’s history that this vision is not an impossible one for the University to achieve. The future for Oregon State looks very much to be a bright and successful one.