Brief History of OSU Extension

Let me give you a brief history of why OSU Extension has a presence in our county. If you have ever visited Ohio State University main campus or watched buckeye football on TV, you may have seen two white buildings located next to the football stadium. In these are student housing and business offices. One is the Lincoln Tower, named after Abraham Lincoln. The other is the Morrill Tower name after Justin Morrill.

During the mid 1800’s, the nation was experiencing an economic time similar to the one we have currently been experiencing. To promote economic recovery, Morrill persuaded Lincoln to pass an act that would grant tracts of land in each state on which states could build universities. This was the 1860 land grant system. For example, there’s an OSU in Ohio, Rutgers in New Jersey, and Cornell in New York. In the 1890’s the land grant act was used to build 17 Historically black colleges and Universities in states where Blacks were excluded from the original land grant university.

In the early 1900’s another act was passes. This stated that land grant universities would be the university for all the citizens of a state, not just the students who attend classes on campus. This was the beginning of the Land-Grant departments of Extension in which the university faculty and staff members were placed into counties to educate residents with research-based information.

At first Extension educators focused on topics related to agriculture. But as social sciences grew, extension began to focus on topics related to home economics. Today, home economics is known as the Family and Consumer Sciences. Topics focus on relationship skills, health and nutrition, and financial management. Economic development is another added area that has been developed to help communities grow through businesses development and retention. The last program area 4-H Youth Development was actually developed here in the state of Ohio. Many people recognize the presence of 4-H in their county, but may not associate it with the land grant university.

Extension is wonderful resource in your county. Through Extension we have been able to adapt to our changing clientele to help build your community with better businesses, stronger gardens, and by developing the future leaders of our community. The Extension of the University reaches to our county and we hope to continue our tradition of improve families here in Van Wert County. Our staff in Van Wert County is a team of individual areas waiting to serve those with questions.