Formed on Jan. 21, 1851, the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society was an organization dedicated to scientific agriculture. The organization advanced the idea of a school in which scientific methods of agriculture could be studied. That idea became a reality with the creation of the Farmers' High School—better known today as The Pennsylvania State University.
The Philadelphia Society for the Promotion of Agriculture, which had been in existence for almost a century, was a pivotal force behind the formation of the new group. Frederick O. Watts—a member of the Philadelphia Society and a long time proponent of scientific methods of agriculture—was named president of the state society. Watts also favored the formation of a school where scientific methods of agriculture could be studied and the formation of this school was one of his principle objectives. Watts would later become the first president of the Farmers' High School Board of Trustees.
In March 1853, a special convention was held in Harrisburg—at Watts' recommendation—to adopt a course of action with regard to the proposed state agricultural school. The proposal outlined certain objectives: geographical location—it should have convenient access to agricultural markets but not be near a large town; manual labor as a student requirement; and course curriculum, which was to include some classical studies. The proposal won quick approval and eventually led to the formation of the Farmers' High School.