Charles Frederick Allen

A native of Norridgewock, Allen was a career theologian who was named the first permanent president of the Maine State College. Enrollment increased from 18 students when he took office to 102 when he left. Allen is credited with building a strong administrative foundation and establishing a high-quality curriculum for the new school’s engineering and agricultural programs. He also supported legislation that made the college coeducational. In addition to his administrative duties, Allen instructed students in matters of “intellectual and moral science, English literature, rural law, etc.,” according to a church publication. Allen graduated from Bowdoin College in 1839 and later earned divinity degrees from both Bowdoin College and Wesleyan University. He left the Maine State College in 1878 to return to the ministry. He died in 1899 at the age of 83.