University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

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Of the University of Arkansas T HAT a ‘‘Greater University of Arkansas” is not an upstart idea, and that the project has been well thought out and vision- ized, may be indicated in statements issued from the office of the president for years past. In 1926, after the legislature had ap¬ propriated $650,000 for the construction of new buildings, the president wrote: “With a foresight which has often been lacking in the management of universities, the Trustees first employed a competent firm of architects to make a group plan of the campus, projecting buildings that would ultimately be sufficient jor a University of eight thousand students. 1 o some this may seem like looking unneces¬ sarily far into the future, but we who have an abiding faith in the future of Arkansas do n ot think so.” ti .On the same subject in 1927 he states: With the adoption of a building plan and the completion of the first two units of this plan in the spring of 1927, the University enters upon a new period in its history. An over-ambitious program, however, should not lead us into distributing our efforts over so wide a field as to injure the quality of the educational work in those portions of the field m which the state finds the greatest need for service from the University. For a state university, which is the outgrowth of the President John Clinton Futrall Tho greatest Immediate problem that the University of Arkansas has before It Is the securing of an adequate physical plant. If the day ever existed when a good school consisted of close associ¬ ation between a student and a great man, that day has gone forever. The things that are done In libraries and laboratories are the life of the modern university. Lacking these, an institution, though It may have great men and great scholars In Its faculty, la unable to train students properly to meet the complex situations of life ns It exists today. The General Assembly of the state of Arkansas in 1927 formally adopted the plan for a University building program which had been worked out In the preceding year. Two of these buildings have already been constructed and equipped. May we not hope that a great state, inhabited b7 a great people, will not allow many more years to pass before several other almilar structures arise on the campus? President of the University hopes and desires of the people of the state, owes it to its constituency to look first to the needs of its own people. It should, therefore, be our aim to im¬ prove the institution that we have, strength¬ ening here, modifying there, until we have an institution which, while not one of the largest, will be conceded to be equal to the best in the quality of its output.” Concerning the president and his work for a greater University of Arkansas, the editor of the 1921 Razorback wrote: “Presi¬ dent John Clinton Futrall for eight years has devoted himself without reserve to the making of a Greater University. No man has a broader vision or a higher ideal for the future of the institution. He has laid the broad foundations for the Arkansas of tomorrow; he has attracted to the institution men of national standing and recognized ability; and he has made it not only a vital factor in the life of the state but he has brought it into national prominence. He has worked for building up the University, struggling with financial embarrassments and often with the most bitter opposition.” Page 27

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m Rj A 2 © IRp B ‘A € IKJ 3 0 Ae State of Arkansas T HE present physical plant of the Uni¬ versity of Arkansas is one of the poorest physical plants of any state university. On the other hand the faculty ranks among the best in the nation. As regards the faculty, such high standards are not equaled by any of the southern state universities, many of which are more fortunate in their physical plants. It is the hope of the present members of the Board of Trustees that the next session of the legislature will provide the much- needed appropriations. In the recent session of the legislature there was the first interest shown in many years on the part of that assembly. Probably the most significant feature of this mani¬ festation was the firm stand of the present executive of the state, Governor Parnell. He not only promised his support, but lived up to his promises and worked for a greater University and education in general. In the person of Governor Harvey Par¬ nell, the University has not only a friend but a supporter and one that will mean much to the building of Arkansas educationally. Governor Harvey Parnell TRUSTEES’ STATEMENT OF THE NEEDS OF THE UNI¬ VERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR THE NEXT EIGHT OR TEN YEARS OVER AND ABOVE THE FUNDS THAT WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE PRESENT MILEAGE TAX. I. CAPITAL OUTLAY. (a) New Buildings. A Library Building. A Chemistry Building. Four buildings for Biology, Geology and Physics, Women’s Activities, Educa¬ tion, Political Science, etc. Total for six new buildings SI ,800,000.00 (b) Equipment and Improvements. Books and periodicals. $250,000.00 Scientific apparatus and equipment. 350,000.00 Engineering equipment. 125,000.00 Agricultural equipment. 125.000.00 Campus improvement (heat¬ ing plant, etc.). 150,000.00 State or Arkansas Executive Chamber Little Rock March 1,1929. As Governor of my native State, It has been my ambition first to relieve the burden of taxes where they hove hereto¬ fore fallen moat heavily; second, to place within the reach ol ' every bare-foot boy nnd Total for equipment and improve¬ ments. SI,000,000.00 II. ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE PER YEAR. Summer School. $15,000.00 to $25,000.00 Operation of Plant. 15,000.00 to 75 ,000.00 Publications. 5,000.00 to 15,000.00 General Extension. 25,000.00 to 60,000.00 Graduate School. 10.000.00 to 50,000 00 Salaries and personal serv¬ ices. 50,000.00 to 300,000.00 Additional apparatus, books and equipment in later years of the decade .... 105,000.00 Miscellaneous. 10,000.00 to 50,000.00 Total additional maintenance. $130,000.00 to S680.000.00 The additional maintenance should increase gradually over the period. It would be needed to take care of additional number of students and of new activities in which the University should engage for the benefit of the people of the state. girl In this state a common-school education; and third, to make the University of Arkansas, together with the other educational Institu¬ tions of the State, an Institution of learning, of which we may not only be Justly proud, but one which will take first rank among the educational institutions of our country. l : r.Arthur B.Caldwell, the Knxorback of 1929, Fayetteville, Arknnsos Governor of Arkansas. 2az

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m W E DO not give a doctor’s degree, because we’re not prepared to do the work,” I told a distinguished scholar and administrator from a large state university, who visited at the University of Arkansas some months ago. “That notion,” he replied, “is something new. It affords me much pleasure to come into acquaintance with your institution. I hope you will pardon my presumption if I speak my mind on the subject.” I assured him that I was glad to hear him commend the policy of the Graduate Faculty; and that I should be pleased to have his further opinion as to our proper method of de¬ velopment. “Then briefly. You are right in thinking that a graduate school cannot be created out of hand. It must be a building upon a significant undergraduate life, and not something imposed from above. You can therefore give sound graduate work only in so far as you can give sound graduate training. The superstructure can be no sounder than its foundation.” I told my guest that we were only too conscious of our limitations in many of our departments of study, and that consequently through lack of library, or equipment, or of qualified staff, we were offering no graduate courses in a considerable number of our departments. I said, however, that, with all humility, I felt sure that some of our departments were prepared to offer work for the master’s degree, and do it well. “Of that,” he replied, “I have no doubt. Even so, you have a period of transition. You have adjustments to make in your teaching force; to release time and energy from accustomed duties for the initiation of new interests, new habits of thought, new problems arising from the presence of graduate students. It all amounts to this—for I must cut this preachment short and not transform a social call into a classroom lecture—the way to a greater graduate school is to proceed slowly but soundly.” For this page in the Razorback, which I understand is consecrated by the slogan, “A Greater University,” I have thought of nothing better than my illustrious visitor’s remarks. Dean John Clark Jordan Page 28