Ohio University

Ohio University

Ohio University is one of the oldest universities in the United States. The school was founded in 1804 and opened a few years later in 1808. Starting off small with one building, three students, and one professor, the university has become the large school it is. Ohio University gave a degree to John Newton Templeton, the third African American to receive a college diploma in the United States in 1828. The campus started on the college green, where the three oldest building can be found. Upon entering the college green you can pass through the “college gate”. When you enter through the gate you will see the words “SO ENTER THAT DAILY THOU MAYEST GROW IN KNOWLEDGE WISDOM AND LOVE”. On the other side, when you exit you see the inscription “SO DEPART THAT DAILY THOU MAYEST BETTER SERVE THY FELLOWMEN THY COUNTRY AND THY GOD”.

            School colors are a very important to recognizing different schools and make it easy to show school pride. Now, Ohio University’s colors are forest green and white. However, this was not always the case. Before 1896 the universities colors were blue and white. This all changed when Ohio’s football coach, Samuel McMillen, made the suggestion to switch the schools colors. His idea passed and was used in the fall of 1896 for the football team’s uniforms. Along with colors the university can also be identified with its mascot, the bobcat. The mascot was picked in 1925 through a contest which asked the students to pick an animal nickname. The winner was Hal H. Rowland, his prize was ten dollars.

            Ohio University has a rich history dating back to almost the founding of Ohio. The school is also known for its excellence in science research and its communication college. However, in recent years the school was voted the number one party school in the nation by the Princeton Review, which, in my personal opinion, does not tell the whole truth about the university.  In my opinion, Ohio University is no more of a party school than Ohio State University. This current news overshadows the history and the excellence of the school and proposes a potential threat. Administration fears that Ohio University’s new reputation will cause the value a diploma received from the school to decrease. As an Ohio University student, who loves the school, this is upsetting and I hope that other students feel the same.

The history was found at http://www.ohio.edu/students/handbook/history/index.cfm, to find out more please visit the link.