Born in Portland, Oregon, in August of 1887, Samuel H. Graf entered the Oregon Agricultural College in 1903 to study engineering. He received five engineering degrees from the college - B.S., Electrical Engineering (1907); E.E., Electrical Engineering (1908); B.S., Mechanical Engineering (1908); M.E., Mechanical Engineering (1909); and M.S., Electrical Engineering (1909). Between 1909 and 1954 Graf held several faculty positions in engineering at Oregon State. From 1909-1912 he was an instructor in mechanical engineering; from 1912-1920 he was the head of experimental engineering; head of the Department of Mechanics and Materials (1920-1934) and of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (1934-1954); director of engineering research (1928-1944); and director of the Engineering Experiment Station (1944-1954).
The Practice House, first established at Withycombe House in 1916, was used for instruction in Home Economics. The curriculum included "Practice Housekeeping" and work with "Practice Babies" - local infants used to teach the basics of caring for a baby.
This building was constructed in 1892 to accommodate the offices of the Agricultural Experiment Station. The station's chemistry lab was in the basement. Since 1973 it has served as the Women's Center.
For many years, freshman boys at Oregon State were required, per campus tradition, to wear "rook lids" - also known as "freshman beanies" - on certain days of the week. At the conclusion of the school year, freshmen students often burned their beanies at a ceremony called "The Burning of the Green."
