James Kennedy Patterson
Encyclopedia
James Kennedy Patterson was an academic
who served as the first president of the University of Kentucky
. His family immigranted from Scotland
to Indiana
in 1842 when he was nine years old. He pursued what meager educational opportunities were available in his new home, and eventually attended Hanover College
, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1856 and a Master of Arts
degree in 1859. He briefly taught at Stewart College in Clarksville, Tennessee
, but left the area when the Civil War
forced the college to suspend operations. He became the principal at Transylvania Academy (part of what is now Transylvania University
) in Lexington, Kentucky
in 1861. When Transylvania was merged with Kentucky University and the newly formed Kentucky Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1865, Patterson became a professor at the new institution, and was eventually given charge of the constituent Agricultural and Mechanical College.
Financial difficulties and denominational differences effected the separation of the Agricultural and Mechanical College from Kentucky University in 1878, and Patterson became the president of the independent Agricultural and Mechanical College. He lobbied the Kentucky General Assembly
to pass a property tax
to benefit the college in 1880, and successfully defended the tax against repeal in 1882 and against attacks on its constitutionality before the Kentucky Court of Appeals
. Patterson continued to expand the resources and the curriculum of the college, and in 1908, he oversaw its transition to university
status. At that time, the university was known as "State University: Lexington, Kentucky"; today it is the University of Kentucky. Patterson continued as president until his retirement in 1910.
During his career, Patterson was afforded many academic laurels. He was appointed as a delegate to the International Congress of Geographical Sciences in 1869 and to the British Association for the Advancement of Science
in 1890. He was chosen as a fellow of the Royal Historical Society
and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
, and received numerous honorary degrees from various institutions of higher learning. Patterson died August 15, 1922. Patterson Hall, a dormitory
at the University of Kentucky originally built for women but now coed, and the Patterson Office Tower, the university's administration building, are both named in his honor.
parish of Glasgow, Scotland on March 26, 1833. He was the eldest of five sons born to Andrew and Janet (Kennedy) Patterson, who were both from Presbyterian
families associated with the Covenanter
movement. All five brothers pursued careers as academics. Despite being the eldest, Patterson would outlive three of his brothers.
Patterson received an elementary education in Scotland. In 1842, when he was nine years old, Patterson's family immigrated to the United States
, settling in Bartholomew County, Indiana
near the city of Madison
. There were no school facilities in the area at the time, but Patterson continued his education by studying books from the private libraries of citizens in the area. In 1849, he was able to complete his elementary education at a school operated by Robert French in Madison. For a year, he taught in the common schools of Indiana before matriculating to Hanover College
in May 1851. While there, he was associated with the Beta Theta Pi
fraternity. Concurrent with his studies, he taught school in Henry County, Kentucky
from 1853 to 1855. Patterson earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1856, graduating at the top of his class. In 1859, he earned a Master of Arts
degree at Hanover.
After graduation, Patterson became the principal of the Presbyterian Academy at Greenville, Kentucky
, which was supervised by former U.S. Congressman
Edward Rumsey
. He remained in this position for three years. While in Greenville, he married Lucelia W. Wing, Congressman Rumsey's sister-in-law, on December 29, 1859. The couple had two children. Son William Alexander Patterson was born April 12, 1868. Daughter Jeanie Rumsey Patterson was born February 10, 1870 and died August 9 of the same year.
where Patterson had been elected principal of the Preparatory Department at Stewart College in 1859. After a year, he became a professor of Greek
and Latin at the school. At the outbreak of the Civil War
, Stewart College suspended operations. Through the recommendation of a friend, Patterson was elected principal of Transylvania Academy in Lexington, Kentucky
in 1861. Although it was part of Transylvania College (now Transylvania University
), the academy functioned as a high school during the war.
In 1865, the Kentucky General Assembly
merged the college with Kentucky University in Harrodsburg
and the newly chartered Kentucky Agricultural and Mechanical College. Following the merger, Patterson was appointed as a professor of Latin and Civil History and was given the chair of the department of History and Metaphysics
. In 1869, he was given charge of the constituent Agricultural and Mechanical College. Governor
Preston Leslie
appointed him a delegate to the International Congress of Geographical Sciences which convened in Paris, France later that year.
Patterson continued to study languages during his time as principal of the Agricultural and Mechanical College. Already familiar with Greek, Latin, and Hebrew
, he developed a good knowledge of Sanskrit
, Gothic
, Anglo-Saxon, German
, and French
. Between 1871 and 1874, he was a frequent contributor of editorial content to local publications and newspapers, including a series of articles on tariff
s and foreign policy which appeared in the Louisville Courier-Journal. In 1875, his alma mater
, Hanover College, presented him with an honorary
Doctor of Philosophy
degree. During his later academic career, Patterson devoted more time to the study of history, metaphysics, and political science
. In 1880, he was elected a fellow of both the British Royal Historical Society
and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
. In 1896, Lafayette College
conferred upon him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
in the amount of one-half cent per one hundred dollars of taxable property to generate revenues for the college. The tax was approved in 1880. Opponents of the tax, led by the state's private denominational schools, attempted to get it repealed during the 1882 legislative session, but Patterson appeared before the legislature to defend it, and the General Assembly retained it. The tax was then challenged as unconstitutional by its opponents, but Patterson again successfully defended it before the Kentucky Court of Appeals
.
Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner
appointed Patterson a delegate to the British Association for the Advancement of Science
in 1890. He was granted a year's leave from his duties as president, and set sail for Europe
with his wife and son in June. The family visited England
, Scotland
, Belgium
, France
, Italy
, Austria
, Germany
, and Switzerland
before returning home in August 1891. On June 3, 1895, Patterson's son died during an appendectomy; and in his honor, Patterson built and endowed a library on campus. In his will
, he also left an endowment for the college's School of Diplomacy in his son's name.
Even after the approval of the property tax, the college's funds remained inadequate to allow it to operate and expand. As president, Patterson gained a reputation as unduly frugal, particularly with regard to faculty salaries and facilities expansion. He personally lobbied the federal congress
to pass the Hatch Act of 1887
, which allowed land-grant colleges
to receive federal land grants to construct agricultural experiment stations, and the Morrill Act of 1890
, which provided for further endowment of land-grant colleges by the federal government. In 1900, he secured funding from the General Assembly for the construction of a gym
nasium and a hall for female students, and in 1904, the General Assembly increased its annual contribution to the college's endowment by $15,000. When all other fundraising methods had been exhausted, Patterson resorted to securing a personal loan to cover the college's operating expenses.
In 1903, Patterson served as the president of the Association of Agricultural Colleges. As he continued to expand the curriculum of the college, he drew criticism from some of the state's citizens for moving the institution away from its roots as an agricultural and mechanical college and more toward becoming a liberal arts
institution. In 1908, the General Assembly officially recognized the institution's transition to a university, and upon Patterson's recommendation, its name was changed to State University: Lexington, Kentucky. Today, it is known as the University of Kentucky
.
Patterson continued as president for two years after the college was reclassified as a university; he retired in 1910. In his four decades as president, the institution grew from a single building – a private residence converted for academic use – to a 52 acre (0.21043672 km²; 0.0812500718391329 sq mi) campus consisting of 17 buildings and a 250 acre (1 km²; 0.390625345380447 sq mi) farm. The institution's income had also risen from $9,900 annually when Patterson became president to $150,000 annually by the time of his retirement. As part of the terms of his retirement, he was allowed to continue attending board and faculty meetings, represent the University on the state and national level, and reside in the campus house built for the president. He was also allowed to serve as an advisor to the incoming president.
Numerous honors were conferred on Patterson after his retirement. In 1910, the University of Vermont
awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. He was elected to the National Geographic Society
, the American Historical Association
, and the American Academy of Political and Social Science
. He was also a trustee for the American Civic Alliance. In 1911, he was invited to deliver the commencement address at Clemson Agricultural College (now Clemson University
) and an address on "The Bible
as a Factor in Modern Civilization" at his alma mater, Hanover College.
Patterson died August 15, 1922 and was buried in Lexington Cemetery. The women's dormitory constructed during his tenure, as well as the administration building and a local roadway, were named in his honor. In 1934, a statue of Patterson was erected near the university administration building.
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
who served as the first president of the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
. His family immigranted from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
in 1842 when he was nine years old. He pursued what meager educational opportunities were available in his new home, and eventually attended Hanover College
Hanover College
Hanover College is a private liberal arts college, located in Hanover, Indiana, near the banks of the Ohio River. The college is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . The college was founded in 1827 by the Rev. John Finley Crowe, making it the oldest private college in Indiana. The Hanover...
, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1856 and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in 1859. He briefly taught at Stewart College in Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
, but left the area when the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
forced the college to suspend operations. He became the principal at Transylvania Academy (part of what is now Transylvania University
Transylvania University
Transylvania University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college in Lexington, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with the Christian Church . The school was founded in 1780. It offers 38 majors, and pre-professional degrees in engineering and accounting...
) in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
in 1861. When Transylvania was merged with Kentucky University and the newly formed Kentucky Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1865, Patterson became a professor at the new institution, and was eventually given charge of the constituent Agricultural and Mechanical College.
Financial difficulties and denominational differences effected the separation of the Agricultural and Mechanical College from Kentucky University in 1878, and Patterson became the president of the independent Agricultural and Mechanical College. He lobbied the Kentucky General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
to pass a property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
to benefit the college in 1880, and successfully defended the tax against repeal in 1882 and against attacks on its constitutionality before the Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
. Patterson continued to expand the resources and the curriculum of the college, and in 1908, he oversaw its transition to university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
status. At that time, the university was known as "State University: Lexington, Kentucky"; today it is the University of Kentucky. Patterson continued as president until his retirement in 1910.
During his career, Patterson was afforded many academic laurels. He was appointed as a delegate to the International Congress of Geographical Sciences in 1869 and to the British Association for the Advancement of Science
British Association for the Advancement of Science
frame|right|"The BA" logoThe British Association for the Advancement of Science or the British Science Association, formerly known as the BA, is a learned society with the object of promoting science, directing general attention to scientific matters, and facilitating interaction between...
in 1890. He was chosen as a fellow of the Royal Historical Society
Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868. The premier society in the United Kingdom which promotes and defends the scholarly study of the past, it is based at University College London...
and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body in Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh...
, and received numerous honorary degrees from various institutions of higher learning. Patterson died August 15, 1922. Patterson Hall, a dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
at the University of Kentucky originally built for women but now coed, and the Patterson Office Tower, the university's administration building, are both named in his honor.
Early life and family
James Kennedy Patterson was born in the GorbalsGorbals
The Gorbals is an area on the south bank of the River Clyde in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. By the late 19th century, it had become over-populated and adversely affected by local industrialisation. Many people lived here because their jobs provided this home and they could not afford their own...
parish of Glasgow, Scotland on March 26, 1833. He was the eldest of five sons born to Andrew and Janet (Kennedy) Patterson, who were both from Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
families associated with the Covenanter
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
movement. All five brothers pursued careers as academics. Despite being the eldest, Patterson would outlive three of his brothers.
Patterson received an elementary education in Scotland. In 1842, when he was nine years old, Patterson's family immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, settling in Bartholomew County, Indiana
Bartholomew County, Indiana
Bartholomew County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana, and determined by the U.S. Census Bureau to include the mean center of U.S. population in 1900. As of 2010, the population was 76,794...
near the city of Madison
Madison, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,004 people, 5,092 households, and 3,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,402.9 people per square mile . There were 5,597 housing units at an average density of 654.1 per square mile...
. There were no school facilities in the area at the time, but Patterson continued his education by studying books from the private libraries of citizens in the area. In 1849, he was able to complete his elementary education at a school operated by Robert French in Madison. For a year, he taught in the common schools of Indiana before matriculating to Hanover College
Hanover College
Hanover College is a private liberal arts college, located in Hanover, Indiana, near the banks of the Ohio River. The college is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . The college was founded in 1827 by the Rev. John Finley Crowe, making it the oldest private college in Indiana. The Hanover...
in May 1851. While there, he was associated with the Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
fraternity. Concurrent with his studies, he taught school in Henry County, Kentucky
Henry County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,060 people, 5,844 households, and 4,330 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 6,381 housing units at an average density of...
from 1853 to 1855. Patterson earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1856, graduating at the top of his class. In 1859, he earned a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree at Hanover.
After graduation, Patterson became the principal of the Presbyterian Academy at Greenville, Kentucky
Greenville, Kentucky
Greenville is a city in and the county seat of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, United States. It is named for Revolutionary War General Nathan Greene...
, which was supervised by former U.S. Congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Edward Rumsey
Edward Rumsey
Edward Rumsey was a United States Representative from Kentucky.Rumsey was born to Dr. Edward Rumsey in Botetourt County, Virginia. When the younger Rumsey was still a child, Dr. Rumsey moved the family to Christian County, Kentucky. Studying under Daniel Barry, he completed preparatory studies in...
. He remained in this position for three years. While in Greenville, he married Lucelia W. Wing, Congressman Rumsey's sister-in-law, on December 29, 1859. The couple had two children. Son William Alexander Patterson was born April 12, 1868. Daughter Jeanie Rumsey Patterson was born February 10, 1870 and died August 9 of the same year.
Academic career
After their marriage, Patterson and his wife moved to Clarksville, TennesseeClarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
where Patterson had been elected principal of the Preparatory Department at Stewart College in 1859. After a year, he became a professor of Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Latin at the school. At the outbreak of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Stewart College suspended operations. Through the recommendation of a friend, Patterson was elected principal of Transylvania Academy in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
in 1861. Although it was part of Transylvania College (now Transylvania University
Transylvania University
Transylvania University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college in Lexington, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with the Christian Church . The school was founded in 1780. It offers 38 majors, and pre-professional degrees in engineering and accounting...
), the academy functioned as a high school during the war.
In 1865, the Kentucky General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
merged the college with Kentucky University in Harrodsburg
Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Harrodsburg is a city in and the county seat of Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 8,014 at the 2000 census. It is the oldest city in Kentucky.-History:...
and the newly chartered Kentucky Agricultural and Mechanical College. Following the merger, Patterson was appointed as a professor of Latin and Civil History and was given the chair of the department of History and Metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
. In 1869, he was given charge of the constituent Agricultural and Mechanical College. Governor
Governor of Kentucky
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
Preston Leslie
Preston Leslie
Preston Hopkins Leslie was the 26th Governor of Kentucky from 1871 to 1875 and territorial governor of Montana from 1887 to 1889. He ascended to the office of governor by three different means. First, he succeeded Kentucky governor John W. Stevenson upon the latter's resignation to accept a seat...
appointed him a delegate to the International Congress of Geographical Sciences which convened in Paris, France later that year.
Patterson continued to study languages during his time as principal of the Agricultural and Mechanical College. Already familiar with Greek, Latin, and Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, he developed a good knowledge of Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, Gothic
Gothic language
Gothic is an extinct Germanic language that was spoken by the Goths. It is known primarily from the Codex Argenteus, a 6th-century copy of a 4th-century Bible translation, and is the only East Germanic language with a sizable Text corpus...
, Anglo-Saxon, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. Between 1871 and 1874, he was a frequent contributor of editorial content to local publications and newspapers, including a series of articles on tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
s and foreign policy which appeared in the Louisville Courier-Journal. In 1875, his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Hanover College, presented him with an honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree. During his later academic career, Patterson devoted more time to the study of history, metaphysics, and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. In 1880, he was elected a fellow of both the British Royal Historical Society
Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868. The premier society in the United Kingdom which promotes and defends the scholarly study of the past, it is based at University College London...
and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body in Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh...
. In 1896, Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
conferred upon him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
University of Kentucky
In 1878, denominational differences and financial difficulties led to the separation of the Agricultural and Mechanical College from Kentucky University. Upon separation, Patterson became the president of the independent college. Among his first tasks as president was attempting to improve the financial condition of the institution. To that end, he successfully lobbied the legislature to enact a property taxProperty tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
in the amount of one-half cent per one hundred dollars of taxable property to generate revenues for the college. The tax was approved in 1880. Opponents of the tax, led by the state's private denominational schools, attempted to get it repealed during the 1882 legislative session, but Patterson appeared before the legislature to defend it, and the General Assembly retained it. The tax was then challenged as unconstitutional by its opponents, but Patterson again successfully defended it before the Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
.
Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner
Simon Bolivar Buckner
Simon Bolivar Buckner fought in the United States Army in the Mexican–American War and in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He later served as the 30th Governor of Kentucky....
appointed Patterson a delegate to the British Association for the Advancement of Science
British Association for the Advancement of Science
frame|right|"The BA" logoThe British Association for the Advancement of Science or the British Science Association, formerly known as the BA, is a learned society with the object of promoting science, directing general attention to scientific matters, and facilitating interaction between...
in 1890. He was granted a year's leave from his duties as president, and set sail for Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with his wife and son in June. The family visited England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
before returning home in August 1891. On June 3, 1895, Patterson's son died during an appendectomy; and in his honor, Patterson built and endowed a library on campus. In his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, he also left an endowment for the college's School of Diplomacy in his son's name.
Even after the approval of the property tax, the college's funds remained inadequate to allow it to operate and expand. As president, Patterson gained a reputation as unduly frugal, particularly with regard to faculty salaries and facilities expansion. He personally lobbied the federal congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
to pass the Hatch Act of 1887
Hatch Act of 1887
The Hatch Act of 1887 gave federal funds, initially of $15,000 each, to state land-grant colleges in order to create a series of agricultural experiment stations, as well as pass along new information, especially in the areas of soil minerals and plant growth...
, which allowed land-grant colleges
Land-grant university
Land-grant universities are institutions of higher education in the United States designated by each state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890....
to receive federal land grants to construct agricultural experiment stations, and the Morrill Act of 1890
Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act
The Morrill Land-Grant Acts are United States statutes that allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges, including the Morrill Act of 1862 and the Morrill Act of 1890 -Passage of original bill:...
, which provided for further endowment of land-grant colleges by the federal government. In 1900, he secured funding from the General Assembly for the construction of a gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium and a hall for female students, and in 1904, the General Assembly increased its annual contribution to the college's endowment by $15,000. When all other fundraising methods had been exhausted, Patterson resorted to securing a personal loan to cover the college's operating expenses.
In 1903, Patterson served as the president of the Association of Agricultural Colleges. As he continued to expand the curriculum of the college, he drew criticism from some of the state's citizens for moving the institution away from its roots as an agricultural and mechanical college and more toward becoming a liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
institution. In 1908, the General Assembly officially recognized the institution's transition to a university, and upon Patterson's recommendation, its name was changed to State University: Lexington, Kentucky. Today, it is known as the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
.
Patterson continued as president for two years after the college was reclassified as a university; he retired in 1910. In his four decades as president, the institution grew from a single building – a private residence converted for academic use – to a 52 acre (0.21043672 km²; 0.0812500718391329 sq mi) campus consisting of 17 buildings and a 250 acre (1 km²; 0.390625345380447 sq mi) farm. The institution's income had also risen from $9,900 annually when Patterson became president to $150,000 annually by the time of his retirement. As part of the terms of his retirement, he was allowed to continue attending board and faculty meetings, represent the University on the state and national level, and reside in the campus house built for the president. He was also allowed to serve as an advisor to the incoming president.
Later life and death
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. He was elected to the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
, the American Historical Association
American Historical Association
The American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and professors of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...
, and the American Academy of Political and Social Science
American Academy of Political and Social Science
The American Academy of Political and Social Science was founded in 1889 to promote progress in the social sciences. Sparked by Professor Edmund J. James and drawing from members of the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore College, and Bryn Mawr College, the Academy sought to...
. He was also a trustee for the American Civic Alliance. In 1911, he was invited to deliver the commencement address at Clemson Agricultural College (now Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
) and an address on "The Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
as a Factor in Modern Civilization" at his alma mater, Hanover College.
Patterson died August 15, 1922 and was buried in Lexington Cemetery. The women's dormitory constructed during his tenure, as well as the administration building and a local roadway, were named in his honor. In 1934, a statue of Patterson was erected near the university administration building.