The College’s most revered scientist of his day believed Wabash could be Indiana’s engineering school.
by Maggie Taylor
Wabash could have become Purdue.
And if one of the College’s most revered scientists had had his way, it would have.
Everything Wabash and Purdue are known for today would have been completely different.
Instead of graduating liberally educated young men for a whole spectrum of careers, Wabash might have produced thousands of farmers and engineers.
Wally Wabash could have been the Little Boilermaker!
And it could have happened.
In 1853 Wabash created a course on civil engineering to satisfy the requests of the community and its growing interest in machinery and technology. Sciences Department Professor John Lyle Campbell—who would gain national prominence for his work in physics, astronomy, and engineering—taught the class. When Congress passed the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act in 1862 to expand the study of agriculture and the mechanic arts, Campbell saw a prime opportunity to obtain a land donation for Wabash. Such a move would also have changed the College’s focus from liberal arts to agriculture and engineering.
In 1869—and before Campbell could effectively act on his plans—John Purdue donated land to Tippecanoe County and the agriculture and engineering college in Indiana was founded there.
Imagine the streets of small-town Crawfordsville overflowing with 40,000 students trying to get to class on time. Or these same students in Hollett Stadium yelling “Boiler up” after a touchdown.
It may seem far-fetched. It may not have had much of a chance of really happening. But John Lyle Campbell didn’t seem to think so!