COWBOY CHRONICLES
Plowshares and Pruning Hooks How OAMC Prepared for World War I
T
he Great War in Europe started in August 1914, and for the next two and a half years, public opinion in Oklahoma and the rest of the country varied widely. Some wanted to rush in to aid the French and British forces. Others supported the Germans and Austrians and many wished to avoid the conflict entirely. As the United States slowly increased its support for the Allies, Oklahoma’s land-grant college in Stillwater began preparations, no matter which course of action was taken. The state was still in its first decade and Oklahoma A&M College wasn’t much older, but both were ready to serve in whatever capacity needed. The first generation of students at OAMC had learned about practical collaborations between agriculture and engineering: the perfect blend of landgrant disciplines to increase food and natural resources production.
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STORY DAVID C. PETERS | PHOTOS OSU ARCHIVES
