Benjamin Lee Arnold (October 29, 1839 - January 30, 1892) was an American

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

and the second president of

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate degree programs and a variety of graduate and doctor ...

. Benjamin Lee Arnold grew up in

Mecklenburg County, Virginia Mecklenburg County is a county (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 30,319. Its county seat is Boydton, Virginia, Boydton. His ...

. He received his B.S. from Randolph Macon College and taught in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. After graduating from Randolph-Macon College, he joined up with the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

and served under General Robert E. Lee, he was discharged three months later because of a physical problem. After recovering, he started his career as a teacher.OSU Archives - President's Gallery - B.L. Arnold
. Retrieved on September 5th, 2007. Before coming to Oregon State University, he taught at several schools including West Tennessee College (now

Union University Union University is a private Baptist university in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown and Hendersonville. The university is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). It was estab ...

) in

Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

and Virginia. In the summer of 1872, he was appointed as the president of Oregon State University by the bishops of the

Methodist Episcopal Church, South The Methodist Episcopal Church, South (MEC, S; also Methodist Episcopal Church South) was the American Methodist denomination resulting from the 19th-century split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC). Disagreement ...

, and came to

Corvallis, Oregon Corvallis ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Benton County, Oregon, Benton County in central western Oregon, United States. It is the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton Co ...

, in September of the same year. As a

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

veteran, arrived at the college "prepared to take charge of neglected military tactics as soon as arms arrived," and is credited with starting

Oregon State University Army ROTC Oregon State University Army ROTC is an ROTC Battalion assigned to Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. Its mission is to train Cadets in basic military leadership and commission them as 2nd Lieutenants upon the completion of a bachelor' ...

. He served in that capacity until his death on January 30, 1892. He died on January 30, 1892, during his incumbency as a president there.

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The Professors in Pickett's Charge
Oregon State University faculty Presidents of Oregon State University 1892 deaths People of Oregon in the American Civil War Randolph–Macon College alumni 1839 births Confederate States Army personnel Southern Methodists 19th-century Methodists Union University {{Oregon-bio-stub