University of Virginia Library

Natural History and Agriculture:

Samuel Miller of Lynchburg gave to the University
in trust one hundred thousand dollars for the
establishment of a department of scientific and
practical agriculture. In September, 1869, on the
nomination of the Miller Board of Trustees, John
W. Mallet was elected professor of analytical and
agricultural chemistry and Leopold J. Boeck professor
of mechanics and engineering as applied to
agriculture, and the department was put into
effect. In the following July was established the
School of Natural History and Experimental and
Practical Agriculture (1870)—John R. Page, professor,
1872-79. The school was then rearranged,
and became Zoology, Agricultural Botany and Agriculture
(1879)—John R. Page, professor until
1887, when another readjustment was effected,
under the title of the School of Biology and Agriculture
(1887)—Albert H. Tuttle, professor since
1888.

Natural History and Geology (1879)—William
M. Fontaine, professor since 1879. In this year W.
W. Corcoran of Washington, a generous friend of
the University, gave $50,000 to endow a school of
this character, and Geology—heretofore attached
to the School of Natural Philosophy—and Natural
History, and a part of the department of Agriculture
were combined in one school.