Old Time Erie: Penn State University

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Penn State Behrend Glenhill Estate Aerial Photo

The Glenhill Farm, now Penn State Behrend, circa 1948. Photo courtesy of Dr. Barbara Chambers.

Mary Behrend donated the Glenhill Farm off of Station Road for use as the campus of the new Pennsylvania State College Behrend Center in 1948. Her husband, Ernest Behrend, a co-founder of Hammermill Paper Company, passed away on this estate in 1940, leaving her a widow. Mr. Behrend was buried nearby in Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery.

The black rectangle near the center of the photograph is the heated pool. You can also see the Glenhill Farmhouse and the Carriage House. It's amazing how much property Behrend now owns in Harborcreek Township. Check out a Google Earth view of Behrend to see how this sliver fits into the big picture. The campus is bordered by I-90, Route 290 (the Eastside Bayfront Connector) and Route 430.

Enjoy more facts and photos of Erie, PA at: Old Time Erie

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Penn State University costs in 1955 and Behrend info

Pages from a 1955 brochure "Introducing Penn State"

If the price of a college education doesn't give you sticker shot yet, just look back at this 1955 brochure from Penn State University in State College, PA. The minimum cost per semester at that time was $461 for male PA residents, and $462.50 for female PA residents. And there were some pretty strict rules to follow: "All freshmen are required to live in University residence halls and take their meals in University dining halls. All undergraduate women are required to live on campus at all times. After the first year, men students are privileged to live in fraternity houses or rooming houses not on campus."

Penn State had six centers that offered undergraduate courses: Altoona, DuBois, Behrend (Erie), Hazleton, Ogontz (Philadelphia) and Pottsville.

Penn State also offered associate degrees in Drafting and Design Technology and in Electrical Technology at: Allentown, Altoona, DuBois, Erie, Hazleton, York, McKeesport, Ogontz, Pottsville, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.