Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Pugsley, Charles W.
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Charles William Pugsley was named president of South Dakota State in 1923 after holding the position of assistant secretary of the United States Department Agriculture under Henry C. Wallace during the Harding administration. He received his education from the University of Nebraska, where he eventually became head of the agronomy and farm management department. He reorganized the administration into a system of deans with separate administration for financial affairs. During his term, the nursing program was established, as was the Civil Aeronautics program. In addition, enrollment went from 698 to 1,376. Several buildings were constructed including the Coughlin Campanile, the Coolidge Sylvan Theatre, and the Lincoln Memorial Library, which was dedicated in 1927 by President Calvin Coolidge. Pugsley also broke ground for the first student union, which eventually was named after him. Upon his retirement in 1940, Pugsley became president emeritus.