George Washington University - Cherry Tree Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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G. W. U. The 19 13 Cherry Tree G. W. U. THE UNIVERSITY EORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY has an historic past which would a be the pride of any institution, and its study is the privilege and the duty of every student An urban university rarely has the conditions favorable to the growth of academic traditions These generally cluster around some particular building or spot on the campus, and are commemorated by observances for which the privacy of the campus gives free opportunity for development. The college located in the city, and especially in the heart of the city, must be prepared to surrender much of its custom and tradition, from the very necessities of its situation. I he freedom of a campus in the business section of a city is out of the question. The concrete expressions of college spirit and undergraduate animation are apt to fall afoul of the Metropolitan Police. So George Washington has from its situation lost much of its student life, and much of l he tradition and custom that serves to commemorate the history of an institution. I he idea of a national university at the National Capita! dates from the beginning of our country’s history, George Washington in his will set aside a large sum of money for the founding of such an institution, and pictured his dream of the new city on the Potomac as a center of a broad, national culture. Thomas Jefferson, who drew up the firsl plan for the educational system of the District of Columbia, outlined three branches or stages of public education: the primary school, the academy, and a university. Con- gress doubted its authority under the Constitution to establish such a university, and took no action at the time. To this day the bequest has not been fulfilled. I he beginning of the present George Washington University can be traced back to the year 1819, when Luther Rice, a Baptist minister, impressed by the splendid oppor- tunities afforded to a college in the National Capital, set about energetically soliciting subscriptions from all classes of people all over the United States for the foundation of a college. By the aid of President Monroe a charter was secured from Congress in 1821 for the establishment of I he Columbian College in the District of Columbia ’ for the ‘’sole and exclusive purpose of educating youth in the English, learned, and foreign lan- guages, the liberal arts, sciences, and literature,” and with power to confer all degrees usually conferred by institutions of collegiate rank. The broad principles on which our University was founded are sufficiently indicated by a provision in our original charter to the effect that ' persons of all religious denominations shall he capable of being elected trustees, nor shall any person, either as president, professor, tutor, or pupil, be refused admittance into said college or denied any of the privileges, immunities, or advantages thereof, for or on account of his sentiments in matters of religion. 16

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Editordn-Chief Alvin McCreary Brown B us iness M an ager Duncan Campbell Smith Assistant Editors Myrtle Virginia King Earl Munro Jeffrey Editor of Organizations Ralph Hospital Sorority Editor Gertrude Veronica Browne Editor of Knocks Donald Langley Dutton Art Editor William T. Conboye Art Editor Francis Hue K. Reynolds Athletic Editor Howard Wilkinson Hodgkins Hatchet Editor Harold Keats 15

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jG. W. U. The 1913 Cherry Tree G. W. U. A tract of land on what is now known as Columbia Heights was purchased with the money raised by Luther Rice through subscriptions, and a college building was com- pleted in 1822. Among the noted Americans and Britons who contributed to the fund were John Qumcy Adams, William F, Crawford, John C. Calhoun, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Bishop of Durham, Lord Ashburton, Sir James Mackintosh, as well as a number of members of Congress and other distinguished people, The formal opening of the College took place on January 9, 1822, with the Rev, William Staughton as president, and thirty-nine students in attendance. Only the theo- logical and classical departments were opened at this time. Within the next five years, however, the law, medical, philosophical, and preparatoiy departments were opened in rapid succession. The first commencement took place on December 15, 1824, when three men were graduated, before President Monroe, General Lafayette, the Secre- taries of State, War, and Navy, and leading members of both houses of Congress. The College showed a steady increase in the number of its students, and as early as 1824 had on its rolls 150 students, representing twenty -one out of the twenty-four States. This number has increased w r ithin the past few years to a maximum in the neighborhood of 1,500 students, representing every State and Territory in the Union, as well as a dozen or more foreign countries. Columbian College owed its life and prosperity to the continued and unremitting efforts of Luther Rice, who before his death in 1 836 secured for it nearly one hundred and fifty thousand dollars by subscriptions from practically every State in the Union. Later, John Withers, of Virginia, contributing from time to time, gave a total of nearl y seventy thousand dollars. Congress, during the first administration of President Jackson, appropriated lots worth twenty-five thousand dollars to Columbian and a like amount to Georgetown. This was the only money that the institution has ever received from the Government, As was the case in so many institutions, particularly in the South, the Civil War practically suspended classes in Columbian College, A large proportion of the students. Southern Baptists, went to fight in the armies of the Confederacy, and many fought in the armies of the Union. The College buildings were used by the Government for hos- pital purposes. When the war was over a few students drifted back to take up their studies, and Columbian College resumed its task of educating the youth of the District. In this period of its fortunes Columbian College owed a deep debt of gratitude to the benefactions of Mr. W, W, Corcoran, who contributed liberally to the work of the institution. By act of Congress the name of the College was changed in 1873 to the Columbian University, and the Board of Trustees was made self-perpetuating. Begin- ning with 1879 the transformation of the institution from a suburban college to a city university began. The Trustees came to the conclusion that Columbian must be removed to the center of the city in order to hold the students, and the piecemeal sale of the College Hill property was commenced. Mr, Corcoran offered the University the lot on 17