Communicating the value of chemistry: Evan Pugh, Penn State, and public confidence at the time of the land grant

Yarmey, Kristen A.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127870 Copy

Description

Title

Communicating the value of chemistry: Evan Pugh, Penn State, and public confidence at the time of the land grant

Author(s)

Yarmey, Kristen A.

Issue Date

2013-09-15

Keyword(s)

• History
• Chemistry
• Pugh penn state univ.

Abstract

In 1863, Pennsylvania's General Assembly passed legislation naming the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania (later the Pennsylvania State University) as the sole beneficiary of the state's Morrill Land Grant, a designation which was desperately needed to fund the College's growing success and to fulfill the broad visions of its president, agricultural chemist Evan Pugh. However, other institutions in the state quickly contested the designation, seeking their own share of the grant despite their more traditional, classical curricula. Combined with the untimely death of Evan Pugh in 1864, this uncertainty and delay over land grant funding hobbled the College and particularly its scientific course of education for years to come. Framed within the evolving context of 19th century chem. education, this case study of Evan Pugh and the fight for Pennsylvania's land grant designation demonstrates the difficulties chem. educators faced in bringing their science to a broader audience of students.

Publisher

Division of the History of Chemistry

ISSN

1053-4385

Type of Resource

text

Genre of Resource

article

Language

eng

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127870

DOI

https://doi.org/10.70359/bhc2013v038p086

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2013 Division of the History of Chemistry

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