Temple University Ambler: A Historical Overview of Programs and Campus

Temple University Ambler, a suburban campus of Temple University located 30 minutes outside Philadelphia in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, boasts a unique history and a strong focus on environmental programs. Spanning 187 acres (0.76 km2), the campus includes a Landscape Arboretum and two residence halls, fostering a vibrant community with 30 student organizations. Students have the opportunity to begin more than 100 bachelor's degree programs and access courses across Temple's network, including international campuses.

The Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women: Founding and Early Years

The seeds of what would become Temple University Ambler were sown in 1905. Jane Bowne Haines, a Bryn Mawr College graduate, inspired by her visits to gardening colleges in England and Germany, envisioned a similar institution in the United States. In 1910, Haines discovered the 71-acre McAlonan farm in Ambler and, with the support of friends and fellow Bryn Mawr graduates, purchased the property. In 1911, she established the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women, the first of its kind in the United States.

Haines articulated her vision in a speech in 1910, emphasizing practical training in horticulture for women who loved country life. She highlighted the importance of a "trained hand with the trained mind" for mastery and success. Classes commenced on February 11, 1911, with Mary D. Collins as principal and Miss E.D. Varley as the sole instructor. Initially, five students enrolled, with three completing the two-year program.

A Hands-On, Learning-by-Doing Philosophy

Haines instilled a "hands-on, learning-by-doing" philosophy, evident in the early students' education. They participated in all aspects of the school, including finishing carpentry work in the first greenhouses in 1912. The three graduates waited until 1915 for official commencement ceremonies, marking the beginning of a legacy that would impact thousands of students.

Jenny Rose Carey, former Director of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, noted the enduring impact of this history, stating that the Landscape Architecture program, Horticulture program, and Community and Regional Planning programs at Temple would not exist without the founding of the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women. She emphasized that practical learning has always been intertwined with academic study on campus.

Social Reform and the Role of Women

The Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women and the Woman's National Farm and Garden Association emerged during a period of significant social change when women began organizing into groups. Carey explained that this was before women had the right to vote, and they sought to make a difference in their communities by joining forces.

Haines, a social reformer, believed that horticulture and agriculture were socially acceptable professions for educated women, providing them with a better future. Garden clubs engaged in civic beautification and conservation, addressing environmental concerns decades before they became mainstream.

Transition and Growth: From Horticulture School to Temple University Ambler

Mary Anne Fry, a graduate of the Class of 1958, experienced the transition of the institution firsthand. She began her studies at the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women and graduated with a degree from "Ambler Junior College," which soon became the "Ambler Campus of Temple University."

Fry recalled the campus as a working farm with Jersey cows, hogs, chickens, sheep, and horses. Students tended to orchards and field crops alongside horticulture students, emphasizing hands-on experience. She valued the opportunity to learn by doing, working in the gardens, fields, and barns.

Louise Carter Bush-Brown: A Pivotal Figure

Louise Carter Bush-Brown, a graduate of the second class in 1915, played a crucial role in the school's development, directing it from 1924 to 1952. She recalled arriving at Ambler in 1914, when there were only 14 students and limited buildings. The original farmhouse, now Haines House, served as a classroom, and the school uniform included a full khaki skirt.

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Bush-Brown noted the breaking ground for a new building, now the Administration Building, which provided a classroom, sitting room, and dormitory space. Elizabeth Leighton Lee, a landscape architect, served as Director of the School of Horticulture from 1915 to 1924.

Enrollment increased during World War I with special training courses in food production. The public's perception of women in horticulture shifted, and the school gained recognition as a "proper finishing school."

A Student's Perspective

A recollection by Louise Carter Bush-Brown on the day Miss Edna Gunnell arrived at the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women: When we returned in the autumn for our second year (1915) we learned that Miss Edna Gunnell, an English woman, had been appointed Head of the Floriculture Department. Miss Gunnell arrived a week after the term had started and I recall so clearly the day she came. I happened to be near the office at the time and was asked to take her over to her room in the new Academic Building. That evening after she had retired we were intrigued to see a pair of shoes outside her door, where-upon we hastily called a student conference. What should we do? Should we just leave them there or should we polish them? At last someone suggested that we polish one of them and leave the other unpolished in order to get her used to it gradually. This, we decided, was a good solution. The shoes were never put out again. Miss Gunnell had the distinction at that time of being the only woman graduate of the famous training school at Kew Gardens, near London, and I shall always feel that it was one of my greatest privileges to have had that wonderful year under her direction. The breadth of her horticulture knowledge, her marvelous techniques, and her determination to keep standards high made her an inspiring teacher. She was satisfied with nothing short of perfection and to this day I am proud of the way I can rake a piece of ground for a flower garden or in preparation for the sowing of grass seed.

Expansion and New Programs

Under Bush-Brown's direction, the Pennsylvania Horticulture School for Women flourished. She established degree-bearing programs with the Cambridge School of Landscape and Landscape Architecture and Smith College Graduate School. The school also attracted students from diverse backgrounds, including Japan, Australia, and West Germany.

In 1926, James Bush-Brown, Louise's husband and a faculty member, designed the Formal Gardens, with input from landscape architect Beatrix Farrand and the Olmsted Brothers. Students maintained the grounds and perennial beds, which remain a central feature of the campus.

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In 1929, a new campus dormitory with a capacity for 50 students was built on the site of Dixon Hall. New greenhouses were constructed in the 1930s. Bush-Brown and her husband co-authored "America's Garden Book" in 1939, a best-selling gardening book. They also published "The Farmer's Digest," sharing faculty and student research with the public.

Daily Life at the Horticulture School

Lillian Krelove, a graduate of the class of 1941, described the daily routine at the horticulture school. Tuition was $495 a semester at the time. Students followed a strict schedule, with a bell signaling the start of the day. They worked in the kitchen, attended Botany classes in the greenhouse, and studied Floriculture.

Krelove recalled working with Rhoda Specht and Dr. Ruth Patrick to clean up the Schuylkill River. Students majored in Horticulture, Landscape Design, or Farm Management. During World War II, enrollment increased as women learned to preserve fruits and vegetables. May Day festivities became elaborate celebrations.

Temple University Ambler Today: Programs and Campus Features

Today, Temple University Ambler is a vibrant campus offering a range of undergraduate programs. It is home to Ambler College, which features environmental programs such as community and regional planning, horticulture, and landscape architecture.

Academic Programs and Opportunities

Temple University Ambler provides access to over 100 bachelor's degree programs, with students able to take courses at any of Temple's campuses, including international locations. Select courses with an environmental focus are offered at the Ambler campus.

The campus is also home to the Temple University Infant Lab, directed by Professors Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Nora Newcombe.

Campus Life and Resources

The Ambler campus spans 187 acres and includes the Landscape Arboretum and two residence halls. There are 30 student organizations on campus, fostering a strong sense of community.

The Ambler Arboretum of Temple University serves as an educational resource for students, faculty, and visitors, offering degree programs in horticulture and landscape architecture, as well as non-credit programs in floral design. The Arboretum hosts community events and summer camps focused on horticulture.

The campus also provides resources such as academic advising and career services.

Preserving Campus History

The Hilda Justice Artifacts Collection, housed in the original library, showcases the campus's history through yearbooks, photos, tools, and memorabilia. The book "A Century of Cultivation 1911 to 2011 â 100 Years from the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women to Temple University Ambler," written by Jenny Rose Carey and Mary Anne Blair Fry, provides a comprehensive view of the campus's first 100 years.

A Legacy of Sustainability and Community Engagement

Temple University Ambler's history is rooted in a commitment to sustainability, environmental education, and community engagement. From its origins as the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women to its current status as a campus of Temple University, Ambler has maintained a focus on practical learning, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility.

The campus's core values of student-centered learning, respect for the environment, and community engagement guide education for all students. Temple University Ambler offers a unique blend of a small, suburban campus feel with access to the resources of a large, global research university.

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