The first Field Day was held at Penn in June of 1891 where various track and field events took place. Meets were held for several years on Penn's campus. Penn participated in its first intercollegiate meet in 1897 at Simpson College. Participation…
Penn Academy started as Friend's High School on November 5th, 1872. John W. Woody was the first principal with Mary Chawner Woody and Anna Gove as additional teachers. When Penn College opened on September 24, 1873, the high school continued as the…
Tennis began at Penn College in 1887. It started taking off in the 1890's when tennis clubs were formed, and two tennis courts were built on campus. Around the year 1900, Penn really began gaining recognition in tennis, with championships being won,…
The first Commencement was in 1875 with Linda Ninde Dorland graduating. Commencement typically lasted all day starting with the Baccalaureate, and ending either with the President or a professor hosting the Commencement Dinner. In later years, it…
C. L Barnhouse Conservatory. C. L. "Chuck" Barnhouse came to Southeast Iowa in the 1880's, where he took leadership positions in bands in Mt. Pleasant and Burlington. Barnhouse’s first publication was “The Battle of Shiloh in 1886. He permanently…
The first football team at Penn was formed in 1892, with James R. Howard serving as captain. The first full season of football was in the year 1896. Penn's first undefeated football team was in 1904 (7-0), and Penn's first Iowa Conference…
