Frederick Watts and the Founding of Penn State

Frederick Watts was a lawyer and railroad company president who was passionate about agricultural improvement and improving the economic, social, and political standing of Pennsylvania's farmers. He founded the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society and secured the charter for the Farmers High School of Pennsylvania, which became Penn State. Watts nearly brought the institution to closure through ruinous presidential appointments, but his influence in the agricultural modernization movement and his impact on land-grant education made him a leader in the history of agricultural and higher education.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2021
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

Frederick Watts, a prominent figure in the 19th century, achieved distinction as a lawyer and a railroad company president, but his true passion lay in agricultural improvement and the elevation of Pennsylvania's farmers' economic, social, and political status. After being elected as the founding president of The Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society in 1851, Watts utilized his position to advocate tirelessly for the establishment of an agricultural college that would employ scientific principles to enhance farming practices. His efforts resulted in securing the charter for the Farmers High School of Pennsylvania, which later evolved into the renowned Pennsylvania State University.

This biography delves into Watts's pivotal role in founding and guiding Penn State during its formative years. Watts skillfully oversaw the school's establishment, construction, and financing, culminating in its inaugural student enrollment in 1859. He appointed the esteemed Evan Pugh as the founding president, and together, they swiftly transformed the institution into the first successful agricultural college in America. However, despite Watts's remarkable achievements in launching the institution, his presidential appointments, which led to a deviation from the land-grant focus on agriculture and engineering, nearly brought Penn State to its knees.

Watts's influence in the agricultural modernization movement and his profound impact on land-grant education in the United States, both during his tenure at Penn State and later as the US commissioner of agriculture, solidified his position as a trailblazer in the history of agricultural and higher education. Roger L. Williams' captivating biography of Watts restores his legacy, offering a balanced assessment of his successes and shortcomings.

Weight: 520g
Dimension: 162 x 238 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271089898