Established as a department in 1893, the study of Botany was a part of Oberlin College's curriculum since its founding. Department chairs Herbert L. Jones (1897-98) and Frederick O. Grover (1898-1933) encouraged the scientific pedagogy of the 20th century, focusing on plant functions, identification, and classification, and hence produced graduates who were well prepared for post graduate study and professional placement. However, due to financial, spatial, and staffing limitations, the departments of Botany and Zoology were merged into a Department of Biology in 1961. Closely associated with Botany instruction was the establishment and development of the College Herbarium. Founded in 1872, the collection grew to contain over 200,000 specimens of local, national, and international plant life. In 1964, the collection was sold to the University of Miami.
From the description of Records, 1846-1988 1878-1960. (Oberlin College Library). WorldCat record id: 34300137
