Thread by @kevinforsyth

#OTD 167 years ago the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the pioneer land-grant institution that grew to become Michigan State University, was founded. Here is a thread regarding the seeds of knowledge sown by the Michigan Agricultural College. #MSUHistory 🧵

Michigan Governor Fred Warner, in his speech at the 1907 Semi-Centennial celebration of the Michigan Agricultural College, said: "You come then today, my friends, to the pioneer agricultural college of the United States, an institution which has blazed the way..."

"...and set the pace for all similar enterprises that have since been established to aid in the great work of educating the masses of our people, elevating the standard of American citizenship, and developing our great country." kevinforsyth.net/ELMI/semicente…

That's a big boast. Was it true? How many MAC graduates ended up at other land-grant institutions, often to initiate those schools' agricultural studies? I decided to find out, and was surprised by just how many I found. #MSUHistory

It's no hyperbole to say that MAC grads scattered far and wide and carried their learning to the nation and the world. I found MAC alumni received appointments at the land-grant colleges or experiment stations of 49 out of 50 states. (Only Hawaii @uhmanoa eludes my search.)

MAC was less influential among Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but of the 19 HBCU land-grant schools that were mandated by the second Morrill Act (1890), so far I have found 6 that appointed MAC graduates to faculty positions.

MAC graduates helped to build agricultural colleges (and agricultural departments in existing colleges) around the world — in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Japan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, and no doubt others. That's not all...

The following is a *partial* roster of Michigan Agricultural College graduates who were first in their field at other land-grant institutions, or were honored with namesake buildings, chairs, etc. (This is where the thread gets completely out of hand. It will take a while.)

Albert Nelson Prentiss ('61 — i.e. MAC class of 1861, the first year of graduates from MAC) taught botany and horticulture at MAC and earned a masters degree before heading to Cornell in 1868 to become their 1st Professor of Botany, Horticulture, and Arboriculture. @Cornell

Charles Christian Georgeson ('78) is known as the "father of agriculture in Alaska" since he was the 1st Director of the Experiment Station there. The station was founded many years before the college @uafairbanks, 1898 and 1917 respectively.

(Because basically they needed the Experiment Station first to determine whether agriculture could even be attempted, and taught, and researched, in Alaska.)

Frank Arthur Gulley ('80, M.S. 1883): After stints at Mississippi State and Texas A&M, he became the 1st Professor of Agriculture, 1st Director of the Experiment Station, and 1st Acting President at the University of Arizona. @msstate @TAMU @uarizona

Liberty Hyde Bailey ('82, M.S. 1886) designed the 1st horticulture lab in the U.S. kevinforsyth.net/ELMI/hort-lab.… He then moved to @Cornell where he was professor (1888–1913) and the 1st Dean of the newly reorganized New York State College of Agriculture (1903–13).

Among the many places that bear Bailey's name are the Hortorium and the largest auditorium @Cornell, a residence hall @MSULiveOn, and a former elementary school in East Lansing. kevinforsyth.net/ELMI/bailey.htm

Mary J. C. Merrill ('81, M.S. 1886) was the 2nd woman to graduate, 1st to earn a masters degree, and the 1st woman on staff at MAC. She was MAC's 1st full-time Librarian, a 5-year tenure that today is forgotten and overshadowed by that of Linda Landon (41 years). @msulibraries

James Troop ('78, M.S. 1882): was Professor of Horticulture and Entomology at Purdue 1889–1920, where a Distinguished Professorship is named for him. @LifeAtPurdue

@LifeAtPurdue Charles Edward Ferris ('90): Starting at the University of Tennessee as an instructor of drawing in 1892, he was their 1st Dean of Engineering (1907–1940). He had a 50-year tenure @UTKnoxville and their Engineering Building (built 1930) is named for him.

Charles Edwin Bessey ('69, M.S. 1872): After several years (and roles, including acting president) @IowaStateU, he went to Nebraska to teach botany and horticulture (and act as Chancellor on 2 occasions). The Zoology and Botany building @UNLincoln is named for him.

(Bessey Hall at MSU is named for Charles' son Ernst, who was taught by his father at Nebraska, earned his Ph.D. at the Unversity of Halle in Germany, then taught at LSU before succeeding William Beal as head of the Botany Department at MAC/MSC, 1910–1944.)

Edward Mason Shelton ('71) was the 1st Principal of the Queensland Agricultural College in Australia. A residence hall was built and named for him in 1936; it's still standing but was renamed in 1992. @UQ_News

Kenyon Leech Butterfield ('91, M.S. 1902) taught rural sociology, but his true calling was being a champion for Ag Extension as a 3-time college President: @universityofri (1903–06), @UMassAmherst (1906–24), and MAC/MSC (1924–28). All 3 have residence halls named for him.

Eugene Davenport ('78, M.S. 1884) went to Brazil in 1891 to become the 1st President of Escola Agricola de São Paulo. He returned to the U.S. to be Dean of Agriculture and Director of the Experiment Station @UofIllinois. UIUC's "Old" Agriculture Hall is named for him.

Frederick Blackmar Mumford ('91) and Herbert Windsor Mumford ('91) were born 3 years apart, but they might as well have been twins. Frederick was @Mizzou, Herbert @UofIllinois. Each became Dean of Ag and Director of the Experiment Station at their respective schools. And…

…Mizzou and Illinois both have a "Mumford Hall of Agriculture." (Yes, UIUC has two Halls of Agriculture, and both are named for MAC grads. The "Old" one is named for Eugene Davenport. The "New" one is named for Herbert Mumford.)

Perry Greeley Holden ('89, M.S. 1895): 1st Professor of Agronomy at Illinois, the 1st position of its kind in the United States. Later he was Vice-Dean of Ag at Iowa State, and then Director of IState's Ag Extension Service — again, the 1st in the U.S. @UofIllinois @IowaStateU

Charles Lee Ingersoll ('74): 1st Professor of Agriculture and Horticulture at Purdue. Later he became President and Director of the Experiment Station at Colorado State, which has a residence hall named for him. @LifeAtPurdue @ColoradoStateU

Clare Bailey Waldron ('87): 1st Professor of Botany at North Dakota State. Held a variety of subsequent posts including Dean of Agriculture 1915–1924. NDState's Plot Seed Laboratory is named for him and his younger brother Lawrence Root Waldron, whom Clare taught at NDAC. @NDSU

Gideon Edward Smith ('16) was the 1st African-American athlete at MAC. He held academic and athletic appointments @WVStateU, @VSU_1882, and @UMESNews (all land-grant HBCUs), then as head football coach @_HamptonU he built an impressive 97–46–12 record over 20 seasons.

Some others, without photos...

John Swift ('68) was the 1st Professor of Botany, Horticulture, and Landscape Gardening at the University of Maine. @UMaine

Edward Ralph Lake ('85, M.S. 1888) was the 1st Professor of Botany, Forestry, and Horticulture at Washington State. @WSUPullman

Omar Orlando Churchill ('03) has a residence hall named for him @NDSU, where he was Professor of Agronomy. Later he taught @okstate as well.

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