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

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Edward J. Bums Charles E. Butler Seymour Byer Frank M Cagliostro 19

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A. Philip Beloff Ralph B. Bennett Wilbur E. Benson Arland N. Berry Morton L. Buclcberg Paul W. Burk, Jn Marian E, Burke Alfred Burkert, Jr, 18 James R. Brown Morris Brown Ernest M Brown son Charles W. Bruce

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The University has always had the support and cooperation of United States Presidents. Monroe was its loyal friend; John Quincy Adams donated over $7,000; Andrew Jackson aided in issuing a Federal grant in 1832; Abraham Lincoln made use of the col- lege buildings as a government hospital during the Civil War; Ulysses S. Grant served on the Board of Trustees while Robert E, Lee was an honorary mem- ber of the college literary society. So the list stretches up through the thirty -three government heads with virtually each chief executive in some way connected with the University, In our own day, President Harry White Sidewalls, S. Truman, as thousands of other fathers have done, sent his daughter over to the school at 21st and G. During the years of expansion, a separate Law and Medical school were opened and in 1873 the institu- tion was ready to graduate from the title of Columbian College to Columbian University. With this change, Columbian University, appropriately enough, moved away from College Hill to the center of the city, 15th and II Streets, Northwest, Another innovation — women students were admit- ted to the University. They were careful to obey the many rules prescribed for them, and decorously took their seats at least one desk apart from their mascu- line colleagues. They formed a society known as the “Original Thirteen determining to excel in conduct and scholastic achievement, for their record would decide the future admittance of women. Apparently the Original Thirteen succeeded, for forty per cent of the students today are women. It was not until 1904 that Columbian University became The George Washington University. Eight years later — moving day again. This time to its present location. This was the section Washington had origin- ally visualized as the schools site. This G Street area was first the colonial town of Hamburg. General Braddock had landed here during the French and Indian War. Later it became an exclusive Capital residential section. Remnants of homes of that era are still standing, in particular, the Woodhull House. For a number of years this was the home of General Woodhull, who took a personal interest in University progress. General Grant had an office across the street and Henry Adams, the historian, lived at 20th and G. Hamburg Town was to see many changes in its lay- out. In 1924 and 1925 two new Georgian- American buildings were erected — Stockton and Corcoran Hall, Several of the original residences were converted into University buildings while many of the outmoded structures were razed and replaced by modern class- rooms, In rapid succession followed a womens resi- dence hall; Eisner Auditorium, Washington’s finest and best equipped theater; Lisner Library, of more than 170,000 volumes; the Hall of Government; the 400-bed hospital, which boasts the newest and most extensive medical services; and the recently completed Student Union. Still the University grows with the construction of James Monroe Hall underway. Nine, ten, eleven — eleven presidents have guided the University since that first installation, when Dr. William Staughton took over. One hundred and six years later a Westerner came from his positions at the Universities of California and Arizona to become GAV.’s twelfth president. President Clove! Heck Marvin held that liberal arts are rightly the base of all education and immediately set in force a plan to provide a cultural background for students in all col- leges of the University. A number of national scholar- ship societies were chartered at George Washington, including Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi. Entrance requirements were raised, the number of faculty mem- bers enlarged and scholastic requirements for both students and faculty increased. Adapting to the World War II emergency, classes were set up for military personnel and research in nuclear physics was sponsored. The famous Bazooka was developed at a University field laboratory. With V-J day, veterans streamed back into college, G.W. provided for admission of every eligible veteran and conducted classes from 7 A,M, to II P,M, This year arrangements have been made to readmit students in the status they held when called into the armed forces. Extension courses have long been an important feature of the curriculum, -Recently they have gained new prominence by the formation of a separate divi- sion of adult education. Federal workers executive appointees, diplomats and Civil Service employees regularly pack night classes. Washington would indeed be proud to know that George Washington University had supplied the Federal Government with more men and women than any other institution. Assuredly then The George Washington University has risen and expanded to fulfill and. in truth, to exceed Washington’s sincerest aspirations for “a liberal and eompleat system of education” — a University in the Nation ' s Capital. 20