Boyd Crumrine Patterson

Who was Boyd Crumrine Patterson?

Boyd Crumrine Patterson was the 9th president of Washington & Jefferson College.

Patterson was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania on April 23, 1902 and graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in 1923, completing his studies in three years. He was a member of the well-known Crumrine family of Washington County and a third-generation W&J graduate. His father, John P. Patterson, was a member of W&J's class of 1885; his grandfather, Boyd Crumrine, a noted local historian, was in Jefferson College's class of 1860. He was also a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity.

After graduation Patterson attended Johns Hopkins University, earning a Master's and Doctoral degree in mathematics. He returned to Washington & Jefferson College as a member of the faculty from 1926 to 1927 before taking a mathematics professorship at Hamilton College. In 1943, he became the chair of the mathematics department at Hamilton.

In 1950, Patterson returned to W&J to assume its presidency. In that position, he oversaw curriculum revisions, updated admissions standards, and generally enhanced Washington and Jefferson's reputation. All told, 17 buildings were constructed during Patterson's tenure, including the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity House, the Wilbur F. Henry Memorial Physical Education Center, 10 Greek housing units in the center of campus, the U. Grant Miller Library, the Student Center, the Commons, and two new dormitories. The athletic fields also were improved. In 1952, the college's two war surplus barracks, Washington Hall and Jefferson Hall, were dismantled. During his presidency, the college's endowment expanded from $2.3 million to nearly $11 million