University of Alabama - Corolla Yearbook (Tuscaloosa, AL)

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0 ■ K r ' ' f W ' - N m , • tl f rsi ' -- 1 rij m HH HPtt R M ilkr M Bi ' ' ' ' - :M ■ ' M CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL a0;« J It is a notable fact also that the second chapter in the South of Phi Beta Kappa Society, which, as Lord Balfour has recently said is the world ' s leading scholastic society, was founded at the University of Alabama in 1851. The institution made a great contribution to the enrichment of the lives of the people and made it without one penny of cost to the state. In 1864 the University was reduced to ashes by Federal troops and under the awful conditions of reconstruction it was impossible to rebuild and operate the University. Little was done to- ward rehabilitation. During the eighties a beautiful quadrangle of buildings and several laboratories were erected with funds derived from a grant of 46,080 acres of public lands by Congress as com- pensation for the destruction wrought by the Federal troops. The state had some years before loaned the University 70,000 to assist in the rebuilding of its plant. During the past twenty years the University has had a mar- velous growth. The scope of its work has been broadened so as to meet the multitudinous demands of modern society upon a state university; the teaching staff has been enlarged and the stu- dent body has increased from a few hundred persons to more than 4,000 in the regular session, 3,500 in the extension school and approximately 2,000 in the summer school. The physical plant has been greatly expanded and improved. The progress of the University has resulted largely from the fact that it has integrated itself with the life of the people of the state. At the turn of the century a new conception of the function of a university should not only give academic training, but should also help the people in the solution of the problems of a worka- day life and should train its young men and women to that end. The conviction grew that the University of Alabama must be an active agency in the upbuilding of the state and in the enrichment of the lives of the people; that is, it must be a university of the masses to which they could look for training and guidance. ■ = vS

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' i flK By Dr. Albb Juhw THE ROUND HOUSE HE University of Alabama is almost as old as the state of Alabama. Just three days after the state was ad- mitted to the Union the Legislature passed an act providing for the incorporation of a seminary of learning to be known as the University of Alabama. The state constitution made it a duty of the Legislature to establish a State Uni- versity for the promotion of the arts, literature and sciences out of the proceeds derived from 46,080 acres of land donated to the state by the United States Government for the foundation of a seminary of learning. For ten years, while funds were being col- lected, the University existed only on paper. It was located at Tus- caloosa, and on April 2, 1831, Dr. Alva Woods and his little staff of three professors and one tutor opened its doors to the young men of the state. Fifty-two students enrolled the first day, and the enrollment for the two reached ninety-four. Under the presidency of Dr. Manly, who succeeded Woods in 1837, the University was firmly established. But in the early forties it fell upon evil days owing to the failure of the state bank. The state had unfortunately invested the funds derived from the sale of University lands in the state bank, and when this institution failed the youthful University was left in distress. With the meager means at hand Dr. Manly and his successor, Dr. Landon C. Garland, kept the University in operation down to 1860. Dr. Manly managed to surround himself with an able if small corps of instructors. Among them were Dr. Frederick A. P. Barnard, Dr. Landon C. Garland, and Professor Michael Tuomey were especially notable. Dr. Barnard was one of the foremost educators in America. The student body was small, usually numbering less than 100 and never more than 140 stu- dents. But scholastic standards were high. A splendid library was accumulated and the professional chairs were sufficiently at- tractive to draw reputable scholars from the North. sail

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