Geography Events Research Articles

Geography Departments in the Pacific Northwest

Geography Departments in the Pacific Northwest E d w a r d T. P rice Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 This overview of academic geography in the Pacific Northwest summarizes and interprets a series of histories of individual geography departments published in this Yearbook in the period 1990-1994.1 Chronological Sketch ofGeography in the Northwest M ost OF THE NORTHWEST INSTITUTIONS with roots in the 19th century offered courses in geography early in their existence. These courses were given in a variety of departments by people with very diverse preparation— few, if any, with their primary training in geography. Data on early courses and instructors are so spotty that generalizations and comparisons about them are hazardous. Likely, more of these courses were offered as teacher preparation than for any other purpose. Western Oregon claims the oldest roots of all the campuses in this study, its predecessor, Christian-oriented Monmouth University, having been founded in 1856. Very likely, then, it had the first geog­ raphy course. The odd logic of the time and milieu, it is suggested, focused on the teleologically “perfect” terrestrial sphere, approached, 158 PRICE: Geography Departments in the Pacific Northwest 159 however, through a deductive mathematical analysis. A geology course on physical features of the earth given at the University of Oregon in its first year, 1876, seems to have paralleled first-year courses in physical geography, but nearly two decades went by be­ fore “geography” tentatively appeared in its title. Geography courses were offered at Oregon State at least as early as 1882. Geography at Eastern Washington was clearly established by 1890, but it probably goes back to the founding of the Benjamin B. Cheney Academy eight years earlier. Geology courses at the University of Washington dealt with geography content by 1890, and were labeled as “physiogra­ phy” by 1895. (See Table 1 for dates of “first” geography events.) Geography instruction dated from the foundings of several newer institutions— Central Washington (1891), University of British Co­ lum bia (1915), Southern O regon (1926), and Sim on Fraser (1965)— and was not more than a year or two behind the beginnings at Western Washington (1899), Alaska (1922), and Portland State (1946). Lower-division geography courses were introduced at the University of Victoria’s predecessor college in 1947, 12 years be­ fore it became a 4-year institution. Geography instructors during the 19th century came from many disciplines, geology and history probably most prominent among them. In the early 20th century, professional geographers were still scarce in the Northwest, but there is evidence that more instructors were specializing in geography than earlier. The Universities of Co­ lumbia and Chicago appear more frequently than others in the pedigrees of these instructors, which may have been mostly in edu­ cational geography. Geography as a subject for teachers may have reached its clearest focus in the Normal School period of the present Western Oregon State College. A faculty member appointed to teach geography is identified as early as 1894, and catalogs of that day showed aware­ ness of national efforts to make geography more systematic. Three faculty members whose service averaged 25 years were appointed Table 1. Years of “First” Geography Events on Northwest Campuses 160 APCG YEARBOOK • VOLUME 58 • 1996 Institution I II III Event IV V VI VII VIII Oregon State 1882 1946 1949 1952 1967 19527 1966 1970 1970 University of Oregon 18761 '2 1944 by 1935 by 1935 1960 19295 1957 1982 1982 Portland State 1948 1953 1959 1969 1959 1985 1985 Southern Oregon 19262 1958 — — — 1974 1985 1985 Western Oregon by 1872 1934 1923? 1965 — 1923-47 19601913 — U. of Washington 1890 1927 1895 1928 1928 1928s 1935 1932 1932 Central Washington 18912 1938 1947 — — 1962 1988 1990 Eastern Washington 18823 1929 1946 — — 1955 1921 1986 Western Washington 1899 1952 1952 1965 — 1959 1974 1974 Montana State 1922 1950 19474 1979 1970s — 19476 1983 1983 University of Montana 1956 1956 1957 1958 — 1956 1957 1957 University of Idaho 1917 1951 1955 1968 1988 1933?5 1969 by 1974 — University of Alaska 1923 1970 1957? — — 1967 — — U. of British Columbia 19152 1946 1941 1947 1962 19225 1959 1964 1986 Victoria 1947...