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

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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 '

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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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1892- Plans to merge the University with Columbia University were discussed. jacob H. Schiff announced his intention of contributing generously to the endowment which would arise from such a union. 1894--The University College moved from Washington Square to the University Heights. 1894-The Council ordered that the athletic field on the new Heights Campus should be known as Ohio Field. 1896-The Regents of the State of New York approved on july 8 the changing of the name of the University of the City of New York to that of New York Uni- versity. 1898-The University Medical School merged with the Bellevue Hospital Medical College. 1899-The School of Civil Engineering and Architecture was enlarged into the School of Applied Science. 1899-The New York-American Veterinary College was accepted as a school of the University by the Council on September 7. This action resulted from the amal- gamation of the New York College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American Veterinary College. 1900-The School of Commerce was founded through the efforts of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. 1900-The Hall of Fame for Great Americans was made possible through a gift of 1906 35350,000 by Mrs. Finley Shepard. -Mrs. Russell Sage made a gift of almost J5300,000 to the University. The money was used to purchase additional land on the Heights Campus and the property of the Trinity School, which had been used as the Wall Street Division of the School of Commerce. 1910-Chancellor MacCracken resigned his post on September 3. 1911-Dr. Elmer Ellsworth Brown was elected the seventh chancellor of the University on April 24. Dr. Brown was at that time the United States Commissioner of Education. 1913-The proposal of Chancellor Brown to make the Collegiate Division of the School the Washington Square College was approved by the Council. 1920-The School of Applied Science had its name changed to the College of Engi- neering. 1921-Dr. Norris A. Brisco became the first dean of the School of Retailing, the first school of this type in the country. 1923-The Department of Fine Arts was reorganized through the efforts of General Charles H. Sherrill, a member of the University Council, who secured the finan- cial support of the Altman Foundation. 1925-The New York College of Dentistry merged with New York University. 1925 --The Daniel Guggenheim School of Aeronautics was founded. 17