Alpheus S. Packard Sr. (1798–1884) was an important figure among early faculty at the College, where he taught for over four decades. Beginning his employment at Bowdoin in 1819, Professor Packard was originally a tutor of languages, geometry, and logic. In 1824, he became the Professor of Languages and Classical Literature, replacing Samuel P. Newman. Packard continued to teach classical language and literature for the next forty years until 1865.

During this time, he taught students such as writers Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)—both Class of 1825—and future Maine governor and Bowdoin president Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, Class of 1852. In 1865, Packard went on to serve the college in a number of other capacities including librarian (1869–1881) and acting president (1883–1884).