Why is the "The" In OSU? (Oregon, Madison: schools, universities)

[edsg25]

Forgive me if this question has been answered here before; this is the first time I've been on the Ohio forum.

Why does Ohio State University have the "The" in front of its name?

Here's how I understand it, but I don't know if I'm right or wrong:

in most states, the oldest public university, usually called Univ of ____, became the flagship university. most of these schools were designed for the liberal arts and professional schools and came into existence before the Morril Act set up land-grant institutions, geared towards agriculture and science. A good percent of land-grant schools were known as ____ State University. Many land-grant schools became (in time) the second flagships in their states....like Purdue and MSU. Others, like UIUC, became the single flagship in their state. and in some states, like Wisconsin, the existing flagship was granted flagship status and no new university was built (UW-Madison being that older university that received the land-grant status) and remained a one flagship state.

Ohio differed from other midwestern states, as the first one settled, in having a series of high profile public universities with great reputations....Ohio and Miami....long before the Morrill Act set up land grants. Neither Ohio or Miami were able to garner flagship status. When OSU opened after the Civil War, its central location in the state capital gave it an opportunity to gain the position of flagship that would not have been available to other land-grant schools where flagships already existed (in my own state of Illinois, Illinois State proceeded Illinois, but ISU was a teachers' college and didn't have the status of Ohio or Miami, so Illinois was the natural flagship; similar in California where an other San Jose State was also a teachers college and Cal when it was created became the flagship institution).

From what I have ascertained, it would seem that OSU was able to exercise a lot of clout to get the t in tOSU and to get the role of flagship. It felt it really needed the "the" since it could not, for obvious reasons call itself University of Ohio. (Penn State was in a similiar position in naming since the private University of Pennsylvania already existed; there never was a question of Penn State's flagship status as Penn is a private university, but the word "the" was used to make it sound like what it was.)

Am I right about this....or way off base and just spouting BS?

As an aside, as a fellow midwesterner, I'd have to say that the quality of the non-flagship status public universities...again Ohio and Miami in particular....exceeds anything in the region and perhaps in the nation with the possible exception of Virginia where UVa is the flagship, but W&M, with a less broad curriculum, remains an academic heavy weight.

Nationally out of the non-flagship public universities, I'd say schools like W&M, Miami, and Ohio are at the top of the list.

[Peregrine]

I think you are reading to much into it. I don't think the THE constitutes anything other then: That's what OSU trademarked as its name.

I could be wrong.

[Peregrine]

From OSU's FAQ:

Why are we called "THE" Ohio State University"?

In 1986, a new University logo was introduced in the hopes of moving away from the "OSU" symbol, which had been used since 1977. The change from simply "OSU" was said to "reflect the national stature of the institution." University officials wanted the institution to be known as "The Ohio State University," again, since OSU could also mean Oregon State and Oklahoma State University.

However, the "The" was actually part of the state legislation when the university was renamed in 1878. The following excerpt is from the Board of Trustee minutes:

"...the educational institution heretofore known as the 'Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College,' shall be known and designated hereafter as 'The Ohio State University.'"

Those who wanted the name change thought the original name was too narrow in scope, and that it was inadequate for the institution that was the only beneficiary of the land grant act. President Edward Orton was insistent that a new name would separate the institution from other colleges in Ohio.

Legend also has it that "The" was used to show the other colleges which institution was supposed to be the leader in the state - both in size and in financial support from the legislature.

FAQs - Ohio State University Libraries

[Ohioan58]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

Legend also has it that "The" was used to show the other colleges which institution was supposed to be the leader in the state - both in size and in financial support from the legislature.

FAQs - Ohio State University Libraries

So the original poster was on the right track.

[UNT_Eagle]

It just sounds arrogant to me, IMO.

[fuzzymystic]

Maybe it sounds arrogant because they don't say the Ohio State University, more like THEE Ohio State University. Like the One And Only-TA DA! I was surprised to learn that it's the biggest university in the United States.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by fuzzymystic

Maybe it sounds arrogant because they don't say the Ohio State University, more like THEE Ohio State University. Like the One And Only-TA DA! I was surprised to learn that it's the biggest university in the United States.

Well, last I checked, there's not another Ohio State University anywhere in the country.

[Dumbdowndemocrats]

The Ohio State University hospital and staff are the greatest !!!!

Thank you for all the great care and compassion you have lovingly gave to family and friends.

Can't wait for the Urban Meyer era to begin and the tailgate partying,food of football season the campus is like a city that easily doubles the population of my hometown.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

Well, last I checked, there's not another Ohio State University anywhere in the country.

There is more than one Ohio state university, though.

[Ohioan58]

Originally Posted by fuzzymystic

Maybe it sounds arrogant because they don't say the Ohio State University, more like THEE Ohio State University. Like the One And Only-TA DA! I was surprised to learn that it's the biggest university in the United States.

Probably was the prototype for Tank McNamara's "Enormous State University."