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burrowes

This week, I wrote an article for the Collegian about the ‘Harvest Songs’ murals painted by John T. Biggers that are located in the Burrowes Building.

As the Burrowes Building has been on my mind in the past few days, I naturally turned to Burrowes when thinking about who I wanted to write about in this week’s blog post.

I see the “Burrowes” name often around campus. All of my classes are in West campus, by the library, so I often walk by the Burrowes Building. The Collegian’s building is on Burrowes Street. Naturally, I’ve asked myself a few times, “Who is Burrowes?”

To answer that question, Burrowes, as with many of the men we have discussed, was one of Penn State’s presidents. (Yes — we have discussed only male figures, no women! Despite my most earnest attempts, I have not yet found one common building, street, or dorm named after a woman at Penn State! Don’t worry, I will try my hardest to find a woman for the next post.)

Thomas Henry Burrowes was born on November 16, 1805 to an Irish family in Pennsylvania. Burrowes spent much of his childhood in Ireland, as his family moved back there when he was young. Burrowes moved back to America to receive further education. He attended Yale University for one year. However, he was never graduated from college.

Despite not completing college, Burrowes had a successful career, both before and during his time at Penn State. Before his time at Penn State, Burrowes’ career was filled with several accomplishments. He was the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and a member of Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives. He also served as the superintendent at several schools across Pennsylvania.

When Burrowes arrived at Penn State, he had no experience in working with higher education. At 63 years old, Burrowes became the fourth president of Penn State in 1868. 

Penn State’s third president, John Fraser, didn’t make Burrowes’ first day on the job easy. The university was struggling immensely when Burrowes arrived. In fact, there were only twenty (yes, you read that right, twenty) students enrolled when Burrowes took over. Now, twenty is considered a small size for one of your classes!

While many of the people we’ve talked about pushed academic diversity at Penn State, Burrowes could perhaps be considered to push for the opposite. He believed that, because Penn State was a land-grant school, its primary focus was to be agricultural. Therefore, under Burrowes’ leadership, Penn State became even more agricultural than it had been under Fraser’s leadership.

Before they said “We are Penn State,” did they say “We are Farmers”?? Cause it was an agricultural school?? I’m sorry. It’s late and I’m tired.

Image via Top Utah Career

During his presidency, enrollment increased to a total of 59 students (wow so many!). Public relations also improved under Burrowes’ presidency. He drew in more people to visit the campus, and alumni reunions began under his presidency.

However, Penn State still struggled financially under Burrowes’ leadership.

Burrowes was well-liked at Penn State. One of his peers said of him, “President Burrowes took charge of affairs with his customary confidence, enthusiasm, and vigor, infusing new life and hope into what had seemed to some to be a hopeless cause.”

Burrowes was apparently very close with many of the students, often accompanying them on hiking, camping, and fishing trips.

Rare image of the camping trips.

Image via Spongebob Wikia

Unfortunately, this student bonding would lead to Burrowes’ demise. He caught a cold on one of the trips, and never recovered, dying while still in office on February 25, 1871.

Next time you pass by the Burrowes Building, or stroll down Burrowes Street, remember the man who represents our university’s agricultural history.

Thomas Henry Burrowes

Image via Wikipedia