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

Page 27 text:

Clinton Futrall n.kan4a4i ' (Pne lcJent iHa4 Sen-aed! Hi4 Institution oConc en. H ' kan «s4ni Otken. (Pnex j Sn. Am.ai .c.a John Clinton Futrall, the distinguished and scholarly looking president of the University of Arkansas, started to college at the age of 15, and he has been in college every since. No other state university president in Am¬ erica, who is now in office, has served his insti¬ tution as long as Presi¬ dent Futrall, why is now in his 26th year as presiding officer of the University of Ar¬ kansas. Born in Jackson, Tennessee, 66 years So, but spending most of his youth in Mari¬ anna, Arkan.sas, Presi¬ dent Futrall began his eaieer at the Univer¬ sity of Arkansas. Af¬ ter spending two years at this University, he ceived the degrees of Bachelor and Master or Arts from the Uni¬ versity of Virginia in 1894. Elected profes¬ sor of Latin at Ar¬ ansas before he was ®ven old enough to Vote, he has been con¬ nected with this insti¬ tution every since. In the 45 years that e has been with the leav ' ’ President Futral has taken only one a st d absence. Two vacations were ' spent as of i!! John Hopkins and at the University versit ' 1899-1900 he studied at the Uni- Bonn and Halle in Germany, and trav- LL D . 0 and Italy. In 1920 he received the 1926 h from Tulane University, and in versit granted the same degree at the Uni- or-sity of New Mexico. rail is p ' i? very often that President Fut- kfe does f upon to interfere in student affairs, arnooth President’s main duty is to has time t troubles. Con.sequently, he always o consider all problems and questions JOHN CLINTON FUTRALL Scholarly President of the University of Arkansas brought to him, either by individual students or student groups, and to make just and unbiased settlements. It is not only necessary that a university president should devote much of his time to think¬ ing about ways of developing his school and of expanding its activities, but it is just as important that he find ways to put his ideas into effect. The extent to which President Futrall has succeeded in this may be clearly seen by a quick examination of the growth of the University since he became its president 26 years ago. The school has shown outstanding growth in curriculum, enroll- ment, staff and equip¬ ment. When Dr. Futrall became the president of Arkansas Univer¬ sity in 1913, the Uni¬ versity had an enroll¬ ment of about 600 stu¬ dents, and one dean. Today nine new build¬ ings, a 11 completed within the last 11 years, a $32,000 stadi¬ um, six deans, a facul¬ ty of 150 members, and an enrollment which nears the 2,500 mark, all give evidence of Dr. Futrall’s pro¬ gressive administra¬ tion. The president’s al¬ ways rapid speech be¬ comes even more hur¬ ried and earnest when he speaks of the Uni¬ versity’s future growth. The University of Arkansas will become larger and larger in the years to come,” he says. “It will have more students, more faculty mem¬ bers, more buildings, more books, and other edu¬ cational equipment.” Although he used to be very fond of hunting and fishing, in late years President Futrall has found little time for these sports. When asked concerning any pet peeves he might harbor, the president replied that naturally the head of a university has many things to irritate him, but he must learn not to become annoyed at trifles. “So,” he smiles, “I have no particular ‘pet peeves’.” ( 23 )

Page 26 text:

A ycnac L Student Mcib. acjue Sdea 0| Wkat n°n.u4t££4 oCook JZlke On Wkat n k£i Do Sn. H eetinc By Wilda Whitescarver No new buildings, no president, no courses of study, no faculty, no University of Arkansas . . . Indeed, that would be the situation if there were no University Board of Trustees. If he does ever give a thought to this group of 12 men who are completely responsible for the continuance of his place of learning, the typi¬ cal University student probably pictures the trus¬ tees as congenial, trusty sort of fellows, who ever so often meet with the president and talk over a few things, and do their best in the fall to get down to Fayetteville for a football game or two. But when he does some serious thinking about it, this same student realizes that the board of trustees, little seen or heard, is deserving of much more thanks for its behind the scenes work than the average student ever gives. Although required by law to hold only one meeting each year, the University of Arkansas trustees average about four meetings. This year however, due to extra meetings called for the purpose of de- ciding on new build- ings, and in order to deal with the Medical School situation, the trustees have more than doubled their av¬ erage number of meet¬ ings. The governor of the state, Carl E. Bailey, and the State Commissioner of Education, Tom Al¬ ford, are ex-officio members of the board of trustees. The other members are appointed by the governor, and confirmed by the Senate. One member is chosen from each congressional dis¬ trict, and is appointed to serve for a term of six years. According to a bill passed by the legisla¬ ture in January, which authorized the governor to increase the number of trustees from 9 to 12, the remaining three members are to be chosen from among the alumni of the University. Meetings of the board are held sometimes in Fayetteville, but more often in Little Rock, which is more centrally located, and more convenient for the majority of the members. One meeting this year was even held out of state. Since Gov- The University ernor Bailey happened to be on business in Mem¬ phis at the time of an emergency, the board met in that city. At a meeting in August, the board secured the approval of a $750,000 WPA project for the building of four new buildings, which will be ready for occupation next fall. These new build¬ ings will be a student union, a home economics building, a general office and classroom building, and a home management house. The board hopes to obtain an additional grant for the purpose of constructing a new women ' s dormitory. The board was also successful in obtaining the American Medical Association ' s reinstatement of the University Medical School to its ' ‘A stand¬ ing at a meeting early in December. Six lawyers, a newspaperman, a doctor, a financier, and a plantation owner, together with Governor Bailey and Tom Alford, State Commis¬ sioner of Education, make up the present mem¬ bership of the board of trustees. LOUIS McUANIEL, a former membe r of the State Civil Service Commission, is from Forrest City. HAL DOUGLAS, of Fayetteville, is business manager of the Northwest Arkansas Times. He was president of the University student body in 1931. Another former president of the University Associated Students, is J. W. DICKEY, now city attorney of Pine Bluff, who was student presi¬ dent in 1934. Mr. Dickey was business manager of the Razorback in 1932. WILL STEEL of Texarkana graduated from Hendrix college and the Vanderbilt Law School. He practices law at Texarkana. A graduate of the University of Arkansas Medical School, Dr. F. A. CORN is a physician at Lonoke. RAYMOND REBSAMEN, Little Rock auto¬ mobile dealer and financier, attended the Univer¬ sity of Arkansas about 20 years ago. HARRY PONDER, a lawyer at Walnut Ridge, is a graduate of Arkansas college at Batesville. A former student of the University of Ar¬ kansas, BROOKS SHULTS of Fulton owns and operates a plantation on Red river. HENRY S. YOCUM, also an alumnus of the University of Arkansas, is an El Dorado attorney. BELOIT TAYLOR graduated from the Uni¬ versity of Arkansas, and is now a lawyer at Lit¬ tle Rock. T. C. CARLSON of Fayetteville, University business manager, is secretary and auditor of the Board of Trustees. He is a graduate of the Uni¬ versity of Minnesota. ( 22 )

Page 28 text:

Of The State Opened anuani 22,1872, HA ltk n oak (Putnam ( ateii ilt4 Head; oun. (Pn.o|e4L4oTi4 By Alice Peninger Back in 1862, while the boys in gray and the boys in blue were still thumbing their noses at each other across the Mason-Dixon line, President Lincoln signed the Morrill Act donating public land for the establishment of state universities. Two years later, the Arkansas legislature under Gov¬ ernor Murphy accepted the provisions of the na¬ tional act, but congress refused to recognize Re¬ publican Murphy’s administration. It was not until March 27, 1871, that reconstruction govern¬ ment in the state was able to secure approval for the act. With a board of trustees whose first names were forbiddingly puritanical—Elishas and Abra¬ hams and Gustaves—and a catalogue which ad¬ monished students to “walk in the paths of rec¬ titude,” the University was opened at Fayetteville on January 22, 1872. Noah Putnam Gates was president. The first entrance requirements were unlike those of our present day, requiring less than one year of high school work. In the beginning of the institution there were only four instructors and the main part of the curriculum was Latin, Greek, and Mathematics. CCotklritj HA a-ii (PneAculked The clothes worn by the University Eds and Co-Eds of the early days were prescribed by the school authorities. The catalogue of 1880 describ¬ ed the military uniform as, “A neat suit of gray jeans with brass buttons and black trimmings to be worn by all males.” For Spring and Autumn, “females,” were in¬ structed to wear “gray dresses, white aprons, and blue gingham sunbonnets”; for Winter, “black dresses, white aprons, scarlet Zephyr hoods, and black wraps”; in all seasons, “Sailor hats for Sab¬ bath wear.” Such fabrics as silks and satins were not to be tolerated and every girl was advised to equip herself with a “comfortable waterproof, a pair of arctic shoes, and an umbrella.” With the faculty and trustees frowning up¬ on association of the young ladies and the young men, social life of the period would necessarily seem to be somewhat limited. There was no Shulertown, no athletic field, no depot, no thea¬ ter, no movies, no cafe, no restaurants and only one or two places where one could take his girl for a soda—just plain soda water with lemon syrup. Moreover, there was a regulation forbidding the sale of “Ardent Spirits” within three miles of the Arkan.sas Industrial University, ninety-six rules for student conduct, in addition to compul¬ sory prayer meeting and church attendance! Yet, as in any age, even Victorian youth ser¬ ious in its high, celluloid collars and voluminous skirts, found plenty of ways of having a good time. Frequently, dramatic organizations pre¬ sented such heart-rending dramas as “The Lady of Lyons” and “The Two Orphans.” Driving parties, usually downtown, picnics, and winter skating out¬ ings on White river were most thrilling recreation. Almost as soon as the University was estab¬ lished, clubs and Literary societies became a vital part of its organization. From the dignified De- mostheans and Pericleans of the ’80s, the club¬ bing idea rapidly gained popularity, until at the turn of the century, every interest group imag¬ inable was represented in an organization. Sl jkln. (Romeos Among them., were the “Rooster, Pudding and Pie Devourers,” “Mandolin Club,” “Sighing Ro¬ meos,” “The Cunning Clan of Cutters,” and “Fed¬ eration of Fudge Fiends. A more serious poli¬ tical group called “Independent Organization of Reformers” was probably the brain-child of New Dealian forebears. In the absence of fraternity houses, students lived in private homes which they nicknamed “ranches.” Hours were strict, and residents care¬ fully supervised. Student activity tickets more than likely had their beginning in the former “University Chap¬ el Ticket” and the “Bath House Ticket,” the lat¬ ter being good for twenty baths without towels or soap. During the pioneering days of the school, courses were offered in engineering, agriculture, and teacher training, as well as in the liberal arts. The Board was required to establish other colleges when there was sufficient demand. The agricultural experiment station was started in 1887. However, it was not until 32 years after it opened that the University really had more than one college. ( 24 )