Most people reading the blogs do not have the time to go on the University of Pennsylvania's website for a full history of the school. Luckily, here's a short but concise blog post on the history. Pennsylvania is very rich in the history of this country itself, making it all the more impressive to visit.
The University of Pennsylvania was founded in Philadelphia in 1740 by an evangelist, George Whitefield, who wanted to build a charity school. It became America’s first university.
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| Ben on the Bench sculpture at Penn |
The new building was never really finished and was left untouched up until 1749, when Benjamin Franklin published a very famous essay about education in Philadelphia. This essay led to opening the doors of the building of what then was the Academy and Charitable School in the Province of Pennsylvania.
At first, the focus of this school was different from the others. Franklin wanted the students to learn about business, government, and public service. At the time, these were radical ideas so many disapproved.
In 1757, the first class at Penn graduated. Eight years later, the first medical school was also established there.
About 150 years the later, the way students were being educated changed with the times. Instead of being a teaching institution, it became more of a research institution. Because the student population had grown, the institution relocated its campus to West Philadelphia.
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