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

Page 24 text:

1 ' 1 g m m ■A , - ■ ,; ■ H, ,- Y : ' ll E ??; m £n -v % a’r, ? Si B li ' 3£ History of George Washington University N this most promising year of (921 George Washing- ton University has the sat- isfaction of celebrating its centennial, and seeing the gratifying re- sults of one hundred years of self-sacrifice and preseverance. Many of its dearest hopes have been realized, during the past years of its existence, and, what is best, it has succeeded in making it possible for students from all parts of the world to benefit by both the advantages of our Na- tional Capital and an excellent institution of learning. Originally the University was under the name of Columbian College, and in com- mon with Harvard, Yale, and Princeton owes its beginning to the zeal of a Chris- tian denomination. Rev, Luther Rice, a Rev, William Staughton returned missionary from India, conceived First Pr Ment of Columbian College the idea of founding a college in the city of Washington for the education of Bap- tist ministers, I he other schools he proposed in connection with it were to be entirely un- sectarian in their discipline, and national in their aims. So a literary association was formed for the purpose of buying land adjoining the city, with the understanding that it should be held for an educational establishment, under the direction of the general convention. They paid $7,000 for the land, and among the contributors are found the names of John Quincy Adams, Wm. H. Crawford, and John C. Calhoun (members at that time of President Monroe’s cabinet), together with thirty-two members of Congress and many leading citizens of Washington, In February, 1821, during the Presidency of James Monroe, a charter was pro- cured from Congress, erecting The Columbian College in the District of Columbia for the sole and exclusive purpose of educating youth in the English, learned and foreign languages, the liberal arts, sciences and literature, with full power to confer all degrees usually granted and conferred in colleges, At the first meeting of the constituent Board of Trustees the charter was formally accepted and Rev. O. B, Brown was elected Presi- 20

Page 23 text:

■X ] 19 5WU2I l ■- 0 M v£- a% ' t, The Board of Trustees v::; : i u JOHN T. DOYLE GEORGE FLEMING MOORE : 5ft GILBERT HOVEY GROSVENOR z . .1 - HARRY CASSELL DAVIS THEODORE W. NOYES m JOHN BARTON PAYNE HENRY CLEVELAND PERKINS :6 MAXWELL VAN ZANDT WOODHULL p £ LOUIS HERTLE V--V-V ARCHIBALD HOPKINS , ' i. ' ? THOMAS SNELL HOPKINS WILLIAM BRUCE KING .7 MARTIN AUGUSTINE KNAPP CHARLES CARROLL GLOVER. Jr. ERNEST LAWTON THURSTON CHARLES I. CORBY Ws • • • ' JOHN JOY EDSON v. WILLIAM JAMES FLATHER w. v N . JOHN B. LARNER ' -r ' X r ABRAM LISNER ’M HENRY BROWN FLOYD MACFARLAND WALTER RUPERT TUCKERMAN WILLIAM S. WASHBURN •:-. )■ HENRY WHITE z i t EDWARD H. EVERETT HARRY WARDMAN -y v . 4 .- ja-s V •£v ’•Vi yy v : St’ C; 1 V l% v v fV, V ■ %V r. ‘ • ' ;V- P : § V ' 19

Page 25 text:

mt M W m m y Mfc ' H MtSfy m IP •.vf .- ' ife,- 1p Mf- ’ v v $ I t® f§- . ' ■ ' •i ' - ' v. W. $)k ffe P i 9 s,ui.y 21 dent of the Board, and it was resolved that the college should be divided into two departments, the Classical and the Theological. Dr. Staugh- ton, a native of England and an eminent pul- pit orator, was elected President of the insti- tution. The original site of the institution was gen- erally known as College Hill, which extended west of what is now Fourteenth Street, and north of Florida Avenue. The college opened with thirty-nine students in 1821, whereas the first commencement was on December 15, 1824. Its first graduates with the degree of A. B. were Alexander Ewell and Albert Fairfax, of Vir- ginia, and James D. Knowles, of Rhode Island. The commencement was graced by the presence of President Monroe, Secretary of War John C. Calhoun, Speaker of House of Representatives Henry Clay, and the distinguished French visitor Marquis de LaFayette. During the early period conditions of living were very different from those at pres- ent, for in I 824 it is stated, in a pamphlet issued by the college, that tuition, board, fuel and light, bed and bedding, room rent, steward s salary, servants, shoe blacking, etc., would not ordinarily exceed $200.00 a year — and that $10 would, in the opinion of the trustees, be quite as much as ought, in any case, be allowed a student for pocket money. For a number of years the regulations of the college provided that — “No student is allowed to attend the theatre or any such place or to visit any barroom or similar estab- lishment or to visit any hotel but for special and adequate reasons.” The first five Presidents of the University were Doctors of Divinity of the Bap- tist Church, William Staughton (1821-1827), Stephen Chapin (1828-1841), Joel S. Bacon ( I 843-1 854), Joseph G. Binney (1855-1858), George W. Samson (1859-1871). The next three Presi- dents were also Baptists, although not ministers. Dr. James C. Welling served from 1871 to 1894, Dr. Beniah L. Whitman from 1895 to 1900, and Dr. Charles W. Needham from 1902 to 1910. It may be of interest to note that Chapin Street above Florida Avenue is named in honor of our second President. There has never been a time in the history of the University when it has been sufficiently supported financially. J •s. Old Athletic Field and Club House in Van Ness Park First Medical Building 21 fi tJtjT-, ' m - g iv 1 V -V.v . • 5 ,