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Page 18 text:
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THE JAY HAWKER (Drawing by Andy Darling t It was in August of 1854 that Charles Robinson and his friends pulled their wagons to a halt on a grass-covered eastern Kansas hill. That flight, sitting around the eanipfire so the legend goes they determined i i things. In the valley helow they would build their town. And on that very hill they would build a college. by FRIEDA COWLES IK EARLY three-quarters of a century has passed || since the doors of Old North College first swung open on September 12, 1866, inviting Kansas youth to enter and receive the wealth that is a university education. For several years prior to this, however, pre- liminary work was done. As early as 1856, Amos A. Lawrence, in whose honor the city of Law- rence was named, requested Charles Robinson to spend some money for him in laying the foundation of a school building on the north point of Mount Oread. In those days of unrest, the state was not yet ready to erect a university. Each in turn, the Presbyterian, the Congrega- tional, and the Episcopal church attempted to establish a school of higher education in Law- rence. A preparatory school was conducted in the basement of the Unitarian church for about three months in 1859, but closed for lack of patronage. Ultimately, the work that the churches accomplished was transferred to the state when a single vote in the state legislature in 1863 HIGHLIGHTS
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Page 19 text:
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OCTOBER 1939 17 located the University of Kansas at Lawrence. According to its charter, the University was to consist of two branches a male and a female branch. The latter was to be taught exclusively by women and entirely separate from the male branch. Thus it was attempted to prevent ac- quaintanceships that might grow into flirtations. Filled with youthful enthusiasm for their new task, two of the first faculty members, Profes- sors D. H. Robinson and Francis H. Snow came to Lawrence early in September, 1866. After meeting their colleague, Prof. Elial J. Rice, they sought out Chancellor R. W. Oliver, question- ing him concerning the preparations they should make for the opening of the University. He advised them to hire some guns and horses and go back into the hills to hunt prairie chickens. Unable to see the relation between prairie chickens and entrance examinations, they con- sulted Acting President Elial J. Rice. He was engaged in writing a poem which he hoped to be invited to read at the formal dedication of the University the day before school opened. The poem seemed a unique production to the young professors, but unfortunately the dedica- tion program was already complete and the poem went unread. The natal day of the University dawned clear and cool. The faculty went early to Old North College to await the students. Carpenters noisily put finishing touches on the stairs. One by one, young men and women straggled in some walked, those who lived farther away rode on ponies. In all, some fifty-five persons enrolled and were found to be ready for instruction on the high school level. This lack of training was a blow to the enthu- siasm of the young professors. Now they realized that hunting prairie chickens was just as bene- ficial to the opening of the school as the prepara- tion of useless examination questions that could not be used for years. So the University adapted its service to fit the need of the hour and became a preparatory school. Work went on smoothly until spring when, to THE ROLL OF CHANCELLORS Rev. R. W. Oliver 1865-1867 Gen. John Fraser 1868-1874 James Marvin 1874-1882 Rev. J. A. Lippincott 1882-1889 Frank H. Snow 1890-1900 W. C. Spangler 1900-1902 Frank Strong 1902-1920 Ernest H. Lindley 1920-1939 Deane W. Malott 1939- Skeletons, Mock Funerals, and Spring Fever Mingle in the Record With Ruilding Programs the consternation of the instructors, one by one the students disappeared until more than half were gone. Investigation revealed that spring farm work was claiming many scholars while others had contracted spring fever. Personal appeals to students by the faculty resulted in the triumphant closing of the first school year with twenty-two students. Near the close of 1867, Chancellor Oliver resigned his position. His duties had .been to act as financial agent of the University and to pre- side at meetings of the regents and executive committee. He had nothing to do with instruc- tion. Forceful and energetic, Gen. John Fraser followed him in office on June 16, 1868. Gen- eral Fraser taught philosophy as well as attended to administrative duties. At one time during these early years of the University, the only hope for a graduating class for several years to come, lay with four young sophomore women. One of these dropped out to marry, a second was suspected of the same plan in mind, a third was moving to another state and the fourth, unwilling to carry on alone, was con- templating teaching school. Greatly concerned, one of the professors called in the fourth young (Continued on Page 67) OF THREE-FOURTHS OF I
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