Temple University - Templar Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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e seven iityot ctuter Wng terke then Tern- ii,can efive rmers icross eland MS, at A Centmnial Edition after spital toio M - !je of versi- mpus line, ■eoff irtof ersity eople, ntsto niver- ' e,but lussell ndent, . :turet, [ )eople (fell is words ktiold one of ,,He The first Temple classroom on Park Avenue. Introduction 3

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History of Temple Ru88ell H. Conwell, 1843-1925 hen Russell H. Conwell started teaching the foundations of Latin to seven young Philadelphians 100 years ago, he never envisioned a university of Temple ' s current size. Dr. Conwell, an internationally known lecturer and author, founded what he called Temple College to help a young man who could not afford to attend school. Four years later, after he enlisted the services of other teachers and rented rooms and then buildings, Conwell secured a college charter for what had turned into 590 students. It was that year, 1888, that Russell H. Conwell took office as the first president of Temple College. Finally, in 1907, Tem- ple was recognized as a university. One hundred and thirty thousand graduates later, Temple now has 30,000 students. In the 200 professional, graduate, and post-doctoral pro- grams, there are 10,500 students. Undergraduates, over 19,500 of them, can major in one of the 110 programs in the fourteen schools on the five campuses. The 1,600 member faculty ranges from theater performers and noted writers to research scientists. They spread wisdom across the globe from Italy to Japan, Ghana to China, England, Ireland and Greece. North Philadelphia serves as home of Tem- ple ' s two foundation campuses. Main and Health Sciences Campus. Main Campus, at Montgomery Avenue and Broad Street, takes up 76 acres of the city. It houses such b uild- ings from Temple ' s history as the Baptist Temple, and Conwell and Carnell Halls. Health Sciences Campus came about after Conwell established the Samaritan Hospital in 1892. The campus, at Broad and Ontario Streets, is the home of the Schools of Medi- cine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, the College of Allied Health Professions, Temple Universi- ty Hospital and the research building. The Tyler School of Art is a 14-acre campus just north of Philadelphia ' s city line. Ambler ' s 187-acres of countryside are off Route 309 in Ambler, Pa. In the heart of Center City is TUCC-Temple University Center City. Students trek downtown to take night classes at TUCC. Temple is a people ' s college. Conwell ' s idea of offering a quality education that was affordable is still a strong part of the school. The Temple people, from Conwell to present President Peter J. Liacouras, from the students to the alumni, from faculty to staff — are what Temple Univer- sity is all about. Afterall, they could have gone anywhere, but they chose Temple. It is impossible now to foresee all the forms of useful- ness which the college will necessarily take on as it adapts to the needs of the people. Having no iron-clad, ready-made system of curriculum laid out for the future years, it must evolve a true system as it applies itself vigorously to the idea of supporting the best education for the greatest number, and the thorough training of each individual. Dr. Russell H. Conwell March, 1895 2 Introduction Every university has a founder. Temple ' s was Russell H. Conwell. Conwell was a newspaper correspondent, lawyer, lieutenant-colonel in the Union Army, lecturer, clergyman, and finally, university founder and president. He was perhaps best known for his lecture, Acres of Dia- monds, which he delivered over 6,151 times. Dr. Conwell travelled across the country and abroad to sermonize about digging in one ' s own backyard for the things that people want. One Conwell biographer said: But the biggest and best thing about Russell H. Conwell is not his famous Acres of Diamonds nor any of his words or works. It is Russell H. Conwell, the boy, who took hold of a mighty and discouraging outlook, and made it one of the most valuable human estates in the world today. He himself is more inspiring than anything he has ever said or done, despite all he has said, and all he has done. i

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History of traditions « cres of Diamonds is partly reprinted below. It ■ - is the story of the Ali Hafed, who devoted his life in search of diamonds. Not long after his death, fabu- lous diamonds, acres of them, were found on his own land. Russell Conwell returned to America when he heard the story. The young men and women who enrolled in Temple College were Conwell ' s diamonds Temple has expanded to acres of them. . Dr. Con- well ' s lecture, Acres of Diamonds, was first given at a reunion of some of his old Civil War col- leagues. Before he died in 1925, he delivered it to over 91,000 people from England to China, from royalty to countryfolk. A young Conwell, on assignment for a newspaper, learned the story of Ali Hafed from a Turkish guide while enroute from Bagdad to Ninevah. The legend, which Conwell later turned into his famous sermon, is about Hafed, a Persian farmer. Hafed deserted his own land to chase after a mythical diamond mine. He had been quite contented until he learned of the beauty and value of diamonds, then he resolved that he would not be happy until he had a diamond mine of his own. He wandered to Palestine, and then to Europe, until, reduced to rags and wretchedness, he threw himself into the bay at Barcelona, Spain. And so, said the guide to Con- well, after searching far and wide for many years, Ali Hafed, reduced to pover- ty, disappointed and disillu- sioned, died far from home. The statue of Johnny Ring was erected alongside Mitten Hall in the garden off Watts Walk. r m r,. 4 Introduction