Turning Back the Clock–and Ahead

The year was 1919

Prohibition was the law. Women were about to get the right to vote. Woodrow Wilson was President. And a young pitcher of some note was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees—his name was Babe Ruth.

Farmingdale graduates that year were reading about the formation of the League of Nations, debating the signing of the Treaty of Versailles and, perhaps, fumbling with a new-fangled invention called the rotary telephone.

Back then, Hicks Hall (the Horticulture Building) and Cutler Hall (the Agronomy Building) were the centerpieces of the campus. But Knapp Hall was about to open as the new dining hall and the Pickle Packers Association held its annual meeting at the Director’s Cottage. Yes, things were really happening at the New York State Institute of Applied Agriculture on Long Island.

In fact, the first commencement ceremony was taking place.

“We have a rich and fascinating history,” says President Nader. “So 100 years later, it’s time for us to celebrate where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.”

It’s no wonder we are celebrating our Centennial Commencement in May. From 15 graduates in 1919 to over 1,000 this spring, Farmingdale has continued to grow in enrollment, importance, stature—and even names. The NYSSALI (New York State School of Agriculture on Long Island) graduates of 1919 couldn’t have envisioned the campus of today: classrooms equipped with computers, the sprawling Campus Center, a unique solar carport, synthetic turf athletic fields—and an identity that has evolved over time to become Farmingdale State College.

Please Join Us

April 14
Ram Run 5K

April 23
Fountain Fest
Earth Day Fair

May 21
Centennial Commencement

What It Cost in 1919

Ford Model T
$300

Gas
.25/Gal

Coffee
.45/lb.

Gallon of Milk
28¢

Bread
.12/lb.

Home
$1,298

Household Income
$1,500