THE NITTANY CUB
Volume XIV—No. 3
Open House October 28
Visitors to the Behrend Campus view the main entrance to the
Otto Behrend Science Building.
DR. OTTO FREDERICK BEHREND
INDUSTRIALIST, HUMANITARIAN
Dr. Otto Frederick Behrend was
born in Coeslin, a town in eastern
Germany, October 17, 1872.
With the nearest school thirty
miles away, the young Otto and
his six brothers and sisters re
ceived their early schooling from
a private tutor.
Years bef o re Mr. Moritz
Behrend, father of Dr. Behrend,
had built three mills on the
Wipper River in Pomerania. The
largest of these was known as the
"Hammermuchle" because it was
on the site of an old trip hammer
forge.
Dr. Behrend entered the Uni
versity of Berlin in 1890, receiving
his Ph.D. in chemistry in 1896,
after which he spent two years
in his father's mills gaining prac
tical experience to add to his
thorough technical training.
When, in 1898, Dr. Behrend
joined with his brother, Ernst,
to found a paper mill in Erie,
Pennsylvania, they chose th e
name of the parent mill, angliciz
ing the spelling to Hanunermill
Paper Company.
BEHREND CAMPUS—The Pennsylvania State University Sunday, October 28, 1962
At Hammermill these tw o
young executives pioneered in
the large-scale manufacture of
high quality writing, business,
and advertising papers made
solely from chemically refined
wood cellulose. This was an in
novation, all such papers pre
viously having been made en
tirely or principally from rag
fibers.
Dr. Behrend instituted labora
tory control of production and
scientific testing of both pulp and
paper. He served as treasurer of
the company until his retirement
in 1953, and as a director until
1955.
Otto Behrend, as he was af
fectionately known, became an
ardent sportsman and nature
lover, a great humanitarian, and
a hard worker. One of Erie's
leading and most beloved citizens,
he died on May 20, 1957, at the
age of 84.
Through the Otto F. Behrend
Science Building live on the good
deeds of this man who had so
Otto F. Behrend Science Building
Open To Public View, 2-5 P. M.
Recognizing the need for additional opportunities in higher edu
cation to young people of the Erie area, in 1959 the Behrend Campus
began a long range development program, pointed at eventual growth
to 1,000 students by 1970. Because two-thirds of the students corn
mute from their homes, it was important to provide more adequate
parking facilities. Completed in 1959 was a new roadway and parking
tot for 100 automobiles north of Erie Hall. 1960 saw the completion
of a modern sewage disposal plant..
The Otto F. Behrend Science
Building. completed in the sum
mer of 1962 and now in use, adds
to this Campus the first major
academic building, which makes
possible expanded student enroll
ment. The architects for this
building were Brennan & Brennan.
Enrollment Now
Largest in History
Currently, the Behrend Compus
- as enrolled in Undergraduate
programs 349 students, working
toward Baccalaureate Degrees in
each of the ten Colleges of the
University. Campus enrollments
have shown a steady and healthy
increase from the establishment
of the Behrend Campus in 1948.
In addition to the students at
tending classes during the day,
there are 318 persons enrolled in
evening programs through the
University's Continuing Educa
tion Services.
Students may enroll in the first
two years of any one of the ten
Colleges of the University, which
are: Agriculture, Business Ad
ministration, Chem is tr y and
Physics, Education. Engineering
& Architecture, Home Economics,
Liberal Arts, Arts & Architecture,
Mineral Industries, Physical Edu
cation and Athletics.
The addition of the Otto F.
Behrend Science Building will
permit enrollment to increase to
500 students.
much love and compassion for
his fellow beings. This building
was made possible through a
generous bequest to the Behrend
Campus by Dr. Otto F. Behrend,
brother of Ernst R. Behrend,
after whom this Campus was
named.
Erie: general contractor: H. Platt
Company, Erie: the total floor
area is 35,999 square feet: there
are eight classrooms and one
language laboratory; faculty of
fice space for 19 faculty members:
chemistry, electrical engineering,
physics, biological science labor
atories; two drafting laboratories:
lecture room seating 140 students.
Other contractors who worked
in this modern up-to-date educa
tional plant include: plumbing:
Clougherty Hilbert Co.: heating
and ventilating: Lakes Engineer
ing Company: electrical: Harbor
Electric Comp a n y: laboratory
equipment: G. T. Moran. Inc.
Four Term System
Proves Successful
Previous to 1961, The Pennsyl
vania State University and its
various campuses had been oper
ating on a semester plan as do the
majority of colleges and universi
ties across the nation. Under the
academic semester program the
student is normally enrolled in
college from September through
May. During this period of time,
the student attends classes for
fifteen weeks, the final, or six
teenth week, being set aside for
final examinations. Most institu
tions under this program conduct
a summer school, principally for
the purpose of allowing under
graduate students to make up
courses they may have missed or
failed and to offer programs of
instruction to teachers and oth
ers who could go to college only
during the summer. The summer
program, therefore, had no direct
tie-in with the regular undergrad
uate academic program. As a re
sult of the pressures created from
a greater demand for higher 'edu
cation in terms of more under-
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