University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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Page 26 6a Quant! of 'amz' ,ar ' qw An early view of North College, which was completed in 1866. Back in the days when an lndian tepce sat at the far end of lylassachusctts street the first group of city fathers met to determine what name they should give their vigorous new settlement on the south bank of the Kansas River. Since the first citizens were true lWassaehusetts Yankees, the names New Boston and Fremont were heavy favorites, however, since Amos A. Lawrence said that he would give generously tof ward founding a university if the town were named for him, the education-minded New Englanders quickly took advantage of the opportunity. The town was named for Lawrence and he fulfilled his promise with a ten thousand dollar check. The endorsement carried the stipulation, however, that only a 'lfree state collegei' should be established and that it should be dedicated to perpetuate the memory of those who so bravely struggled to prevent Kansas from becoming a slave statcfi The first foundations were laid in 1859 by the Presbyterians of the city. Their finances were not sufficient and the Baptists, Congregationalists, and Episcopalians took their turns at raising money, but none were successful enough to complete the building, and the citizens of Lawrence began to look elsewhere for aid in financing their Ufree state collegefl In 1863 the legislature of Kansas located the state university at Lawrence. Blocked by a slow-moving state government and the famous Quantrillis Raid of 1863, the people of Lawrence did not see their dream fulfilled until North College was completed in 1866, and the first students began to arrive. This group of transplanted New Englanders indeed felt proud, for none of the twenty thousand dollars invested in the first building was furnished by the state. The first class at the University contained only forty students, none of which was enrolled in a co! legiate department. No high schools were organized at the time, and the Universitys eastern faculty found itself in a college building, teaching preparatory students. A professor in this struggling frontier school had to be very patient, for, on many occasions, eco- nomic neccssities, such as harvesting the crops and fighting off the Red Legs from Missouri, took prece- dence over scholastic matters. Professors David fl. Robinson and Frank H. Snow, members of the Hfrec state colleges, first faculty, labored loyally through its hazardous cradle-days help- ing to establish the university on a broad and strong foundation. Such men as these contributed to the out- standing quality of the faculty and from the first the new university was recognized as a dominant academic institution. Exemplifying this statement is the fact 'M ,Q syiu, law-4' ,. .. ,- uf' 1+ if

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Zfrdaewrifq that the first chapters of Phi Beta Kappa, national honorary scholastic society, and Sigma Xi, national scientific research society. to be founded west of the Alleghenies were located at KU. in 1890. Following the examples of Oberlin College, the University of Utah and the University of lowa, the new Kansas school admitted women as well as men. becoming the third state cofeducational college in America. Kansas University was the first state university in the plains states Cfrom the Missouri River to the Rocky Mountainsf, although there were other Kansas Col' leges. The man who was directly responsible for the transf formation of the University from an academy into a real college was General lohn Fraser, first faculty president. Clcneral Fraser had led the 140th Pennsylf vania Volunteers during the Civil Wzlr. 11is arrival at the University started a new era, teachers were added, enrollment increased, and the number of courses was expanded. Chancellor Fraser immediately began to campaign for more classroom facilities. 1n 1871 con- struction of University llall Qnow known as Fraser Page 27 HallD began. 1n 1872, shortly after Fraser Ilall was in use, Chancellor Fraser made these remarks about the new building in his dedication address: 'lNow, by the grace of Cod. we have a building nearly completed that has not its peer in the whole land. This building was not erected by the prineely aid of a nobleman or millionaire, but it is the work of our people, the toiling thousands of our blood bought Kansasfl As the century turned and the years passed, each new decade found the University enlarging its physi- cal plan which was slowly covering the whole of hit. Oread. During the years between 1900 and 1910 the campus was increased from 77 to 169 acres. Robinson gymnasium, Creen hall, lXlarvin hall, the mechanical laboratory, llaworth hall, and the first wing of the Administration Building were constructed. The sum' mer session was inaugurated by the university in 1903. Six years later the School of Education and the extension department were founded. New courses were added in the professional schools as the facilities increased. To meet the demands of a growing school the faculty was enlarged from 77 to 186 persons. The The latest aerial View of our campus. .g -.wm