College of Veterinary Medicine Records, 1923-1976

Veterinary Science courses were taught at Oregon State Agricultural College as early as 1892. In 1910, the Department of Veterinary Science was established within the School of Agriculture. In 1914, a veterinarian, Dr. Bennet T. Simms, was employed and the department name was changed to Veterinary Medicine.

In 1952 the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory was built; it was enlarged in 1961. The Veterinary Isolation Facility was constructed on campus in 1973 to provide an environment for effective research into the complex and costly diseases that affect Oregon's domestic animals and wildlife. In 1975 the School of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University was established by the State Legislature. Magruder Hall, named for the state representative that was responsible for securing the funding for the construction of the building, opened in 1980, and in the fall of 1981, the Veterinary Teaching Hospital opened. The School was changed to a college in 1983 when most other schools at OSU were designated as colleges.

Department heads of Veterinary Medicine over the years, in addition to Dr. Simms (who stayed until 1938), have included: James Niven Shaw from 1938-1955; and Ernest Milton Dickinson 1955-1970. The first dean of the School in 1975 was Dr. E. E. Wedman, followed by Loren Koller from 1985-1995. Norman Hutton served as interim dean in 1995 and 1996 until Robert C. Wilson was named dean in June of 1996. He served as dean until his retirement in June, 1999. The present dean, named in 1999, is L. J. Koong.