Rev. and Mrs. William A. Finley. William A. Finley was the first president of Corvallis College from 1865-1872. Finley was a Methodist minister who helped alter the reputation of Corvallis College from a "pioneer high school" to a higher education institution.
William W. Moreland was head of the Primary department and a professor of Natural Sciences at Corvallis College. In 1868, Moreland, a legislative clerk, and Senator C. B. Bellinger made Corvallis College Oregon's land-grant institution. Under the Morrill Act of 1862, Corvallis College would be granted 90,000 acres of land.
Left to Right: E. E. Grimm, Prof. of Ag; Mrs. Ida Callahan, Assist. in Prep; B. L. Arnold, President; B. J. Hawthorn, Professor of Languages, Dr. Joseph Emery, Prof. of Math and Natural Sciences; W. W. Briston. Benjamin L. Arnold served as the President of Oregon Agricultural College from 1872-1892. Arnold constructed a curriculum structure, dividing studies into two departments, Literary and Scientific. Each department contained specific corresponding schools.
Bristow served on the college faculty from 1882 to 1894. He was principal of the preparatory department and also taught classes in bookkeeping and beekeeping.
Joseph Emery was a professor from 1867-1885 at Corvallis College. He taught mathematics, physics, geology, and physiology. He helped to raise the funds to purchase the original lands for the OSU campus. In 1885 Emery left Corvallis and became an agent for the U.S. Indian Agency at Klamath [Falls]. He died January 18, 1924 at Salinas, California.
Margaret Comstock Snell became the first professor of Household Economy and Hygiene in 1889. Snell was known as the "Apostle of fresh air", for her love of walks and open windows, and taught courses in sewing, cooking, entertaining, and conversation. Snell expanded the Home Economics department and retired in 1908.