Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/535

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OREGON STATE COLLEGE

The beginning of Oregon State Agricultural College dates back to 1856, when a small frame schoolhouse was built at Fifth and Madison Streets in Corvallis. In 1858 this school became known as Corvallis College. It passed into the hands of the Southern Metho- dist Church in 1865 and, three years later, was adopted as the state's agricultural college, receiving the interest on funds from the sale of 90,000 acres of Government land provided for in the Federal Land- Grant Act of 1862. The first class was graduated from the college in 1870, when there were two professors, four seniors, ten juniors and fourteen freshmen but when there were thirty-one trustees and fifteen officers of the board, for, although it had public subsidy, it was still under private management. During the presidency of Dr. B. L. Arnold, in 1885, the state took over complete control of it. Under the successive administrations of Dr. Arnold, President John M. Bloss, President H. B. Miller, President Thomas M. Gatch, President W. J. Kerr and President George W. Peavy it has grown into the great institution of today. The medley given here is from The O. A. C. Song Book, pub- lished by the Alumni Association in 1924 and containing 20 songs, of which it is the oldest. It was arranged by H. L. Beard, a member of the class of 1899. O. A. C. Medley "Who Am I, Sir?" Who am I, sir? An O. A. C. man am I, An O. A. C. man, sir, and will be till I die, Kiyi! We're up to snuff, and never bluff, We're in for ev'ry fuss, There isn't a bunch of college men Can beat us in a muss. So fill your lungs with lusty air and shout it to the sky We'll fight for dear old O. A. C, for an O. A. C. man am I. "O-A-C" O.A.C., O.A.C. Zip, Boom, Zip, Boom, Zip Boom, Bee! O. A., O. A., O. A. C! O. A. C, O. A. C, Smash 'em! Bust 'em! That's our custom, O. A. C! ,