New York University School of Commerce - Commerce Violet Yearbook (New York, NY)

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nate or seriously impair essential activities. Hence, the University was able to conserve fundamental values and is in a position to move forward again without loss of stride when conditions improve. It is significant that the General Assembly of Illinois not only appropriated the amount requested by the University for 1933-35, but the State Senate adopted a resolution commending the University for its voluntary economies, expressing confidence in its Board of Trustees, and urging generous financial support in the future so that the voluntary reductions made by it will not result in lasting injury to the Univer- sity. In the minds of many this resolution is the most promising declaration with regard to higher education made by any legislative assembly in the United States. The General Assembly of Illinois also adopted a resolution of appreciation of Doctor Chase's services to the State of Illinois in administering its University in such a commendable manner. AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY By PHILIP O. BADGER, Arrirlanl fo the Cfbfznceflor By the resignation last year of our beloved Chancellor, Dr. Elmer Ellsworth Brown, who had guided the amazing progress of New York University for a period of twenty- two years, the Council of the University was faced with the exceedingly difiicult problem of selecting a new chancellor to become the eighth chief administrative ofhcer in the University's century of service to education. In the main the problem of selection was difiicult because of the unique character of New York University and because of the important position the University had come to occupy in the field of higher education in this country. The University's tremendous growth during Chancellor Brown's administration, the magnitude of its financial problem viewed from the standpoint of the lack of adequate endowment, its many ramifications and contacts with the complex life of the great city and state whose name it bears, as well as many other factors, called for the selection of a man of extremely broad vision, wide experience and indomitable courage. The University Council's choice of Dr. Harry Wloodburn Chase to fill our chan- cellorship met with instant acclamation and approval. It was recognized that he brought to our University the very qualities need- , , ed in this great post. He had had years of broad experience and success set against a happy background of New England birth and education, further enriched by training and experience gathered in the South and Mid-West in universities distinguished for their high educational standards and public service. As our University enters upon the second century of its activities faced with the problems of education made doubly difiicult by the present economic crisis, we are fortunate indeed in having as our leader, Harry Woodburn Chase. N. Y. U, CONVOCATION 15

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AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS By A. JANATA, Arrirtafzl lo the Preridefzt Dr. Harry Woodburn Chase became President of the University of Illinois on july 5, 1930, after twenty years of service on the faculty of the University of North Carolina, the last ten as its President. He left the University of Illinois on July 11, 1933, to become Chancellor of New York University. Although his service at the University of Illinois was brief, it came during one of the most difiicult periods in the University's history, second in the present century only to the difficult conditions of the World War and the reconstruction period following. Like other institutions the University of Illinois suffered many losses during the war years, but by 1930 it was again in a very sound financial condition and had not only recovered lost ground but had made significant progress beyond its previous high stand- ing. Wlien President Chase came to the University of Illinois, it had not begun to feel the effects of the financial depression and during one normal year he made some of his' most notable contributions. ' The early months of his administration saw the completion of a plan, conceived several years ago, to create a new major division of the University, the College of Fine and Applied Arts, in which are now combined the work in Art and Design, Music, Architecture, and Landscape Architecture. During his second year the work in physical education for men and women, in hygiene, and in athletic coaching were combined into a new School of Physical Education. In his first year President Chase had a survey made of the University's educational and administrative organization, with the result that the administration of its educational divisions was reorganized, with more authority placed in the hands of the college facul- ties. Believing in the importance of making students responsible for many of their own affairs, Doctor Chase included in his program changes in policies relating to student affairs, which gave the students more responsibility A for student welfare and activities. Late in 1931 it became evident that the State of Illinois would not realize all of its anticipated revenues and would either have to borrow funds or curtail expenditures or both. Under the leader- ship of President Chase the University of Illinois immediately began to retrench in its operating expenditures, and as a result of its economies the institution left over 31,400,000 or twenty per cent of its appropriation for operations for 1931-33 un- expended, a capital appropriation of a like amount was also allowed to lapse. Thus the total savings were increased to thirty per cent. The University continued to cooperate with the state administra- tion by preparing a budget for 1933-35 which rep- resented even greater reductions. It was able to HONORFD BY LEGISLATURE make these reductions in ways which do not elimi- 14

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HISTORY OF NEW YORK UNIVERSITY 1830-On October 13 some of the leading citizens in New York City elected the first Council of the University of the City of New York. 1850-Albert Gallatin, who served as Secretary of the Treasury under President jef- ferson, was elected on October 18 chairman of the first Council. 1831-Mr. Gallatin was elected the first president of the University's'Council on jan- uary 31, and Rev. James M. Mathews was elected the first Chancellor. 1831-A charter was granted to the University by the State Legislature on April 18. 1832-In October actual instruction began in the University College in Clinton Hall at the corner of Beekman and Nassau Streets. 1835-The first chair of Art instruction to be established in an American college or university was occupied at New York University by Samuel F. B. Morse, inven- tor of the telegraph and one of the foremost painters of his day. 1835-University College moved into its new home on Washington Square. 1835-The Law School was founded. 1839-Chancellor Mathews resigned his post on February 11. 1839--On March 18 Theodore Frelinghuysen was elected to the chancellorship. 1841-The University Medical College was founded. 1850-Chancellor Frelinghuysen resigned his post on April 12. 1853-On january 5 Dr. Isaac Ferris was elected the new chancellor. 1854-A School of Civil Engineering and Architecture was formed. 1866-The New York College of Dentistry was established. 1866-The Medical School, situated at Fourteenth Street and Irving Place, was destroyed by a great fire. 1870-Chancellor Ferris resigned his post on july 18. 1870-On September 12 the faculty of the University voted that the Council should be informed that Rev. Howard Crosby was their unanimous choice for the chan- cellorship. Dr. Crosby was the first alumnus of the University to become its executive head. ' 1876-After a heated discussion by the members of the Council, women students were admitted in the School. 1881-Chancellor Crosby resigned his position on june 18. 1881--On October 24 Rev. john Hall was unanimously elected chancellor. 1886-The Graduate School was founded. For some years before it was recognized, a certain amount of unorganized post-raduate work had been carried on. 1890-The School of Pedagogy, later changed to the School of Education, was estab- lished. 1891-Chancellor Hall resigned his position on june 1. On the same day Henry M. MacCracken accepted the position of chancellor. 16 '