History

The concept of our campus-wide Arboretum dates back to the founding of Delaware Valley College as the National Farm School in 1896. The school's founder, Joseph Krauskopf, included an arboretum in the original plans for the school. However, it was not until 1966 that the Arboretum, under the stewardship of Horticulturist David Benner, was recognized and named.

The Arboretum is named in honor of Henry Schmieder, a faculty member of the college from 1921 to 1964. He was a gifted teacher and a Renaissance man who taught an amazing variety of subjects in liberal arts, science and agriculture. His brilliance as a teacher and his depth of knowledge embodies the spirit that is Delaware Valley College. He was described by Joshua Feldstein, President Emeritus of the College and a student and colleague of Henry Schmieder as "a man with an intensely inquiring mind; a man who never ceased to be a student of the life he found everywhere about him."

At the time of his death, Henry Schmieder was cataloging the Arboretum collection and had plans for its expansion to make the campus a living resource for students, the community and the horticulture industry.