University of Chicago - Cap and Gown Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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In May, 1889, at the national anniversaries of the Baptist denomination in Boston, the Education Society formally determined on am effort to establish am insti- tution of higher learning in Chicago. On this action being taken. Mr. Gates pree sented a communication from Mr. Rockefeller, subscribing $600,090 toward an endow- ment fund, conditioned on the pledging of $400,000 by other good and responsible parties, on or before June 1, 1890, so much of this latter sum as should be required to he used for the purchase of a site and the erection of buildings. On June 5, 1889. a meeting was held in the Grand Pacific Hotel to inaugurate the movement in Chicago and the west for founding the new institution. Seventy men were in attendance. A college committee of thirty-six was appointed. This committee appointed me financial secretary, to eetiperate with Mr. Gates in seeking the $400,000 called for by Mr. Rockefeller's subscription. The work was begun at once and prose- cuted with diligence through the year. The subscriptions secured aggregated more than $550,000. Mr. Field gave a block and a half of land and sold us as much more for $132,500, these three blocks. extending from Fiftyvsixth Street along the east line of Ellis Avenue to the Midway Plaisanee, constituting the original campus. The original Board of Trustees was approved by the Board of the American Bap- tist Education Society, and the names of the trustees were made a part 01 the articles of incorporation. The incorporatm's were John D. Rockefeller, E. Nelson Blake, Marshall Field, F. E. Hinckley, Fred T. Gates, and Thomas W. Goodspeed. The first meetings of the Board of Trustees ttwo sessionst were held Julyr 9, 1890. The first meeting after the legal steps of incorporation had been taken was held on September 18,1890. At. this meeting, E. Nelson Blake was elected President of the Board. Dr. Wm. R. Harper was elected President of the University, and a letter was read from Mr. Rockefeller contributing $1,000;000 to the new University, as follows: $800,000 as an endowment for nen-pl-ofessional graduate instruction and fellowships; $190,000 as an endowment fer theological instruction in the Divinity School of the Universityethe Baptist Union Theological Seminary to become the Divinity School; $100,000 for buildings for the Divinity Scheoi. Dr. Harper accepted the presidency on February 16. 1891, and entered on his term of service July 1, 1891. On June 30, 1891, the gift from the Ogden Estate, which promises to aggregate $600,000, was made and became the foundation of the Ogden tGraduatet School of Science. Ground was broken for the first buildings-Cobb Hull and the divinity dormitor- ieswon November 26, 1891. On January 26, 1892, Dr. Harry Pratt Judson was appointed Professor and Dean of the Undergraduate Departments. In February of the same year, Mr. Rockefeller gave another million dollars. In the spring of the same year, a subscription of $1,000,000 was raised in Chi- cago in ninety days, betiveen April 10 and July 10. regarded at the time as :1 won- derful piece of work. At the annual meeting in June, 1892, Mr. Martin A. Ryerson was elected President of the Board of Trustees and has been continued in that office ever since. On the first day of October, 1392, the doors Were opened to students and the work of instruction and the real life of the Urmmrsitz,r began, the number of students the first year being 698. This, in bare outline, is the story of the beginnings of thinks in the University of Chicago. THOMAS W. GOODSPEED. 13

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THE UNIVERSITY SING As a feature of the Homecoming Celebration in June, 1911, there was established the University Sing, which, from its repetition this year, may be regarded as a custom which, in time, will ripen into a. valuable tradition. The idea of an open air song festival has persisted in the University since its founding; and it is well recognized that around such institutions as the uSteps singing at Princeton and the Yard singing at Harvard gather the choicest memories of college life. In the early days 01' Chicago, the Senior Sing met this need, but the gradually diminishing attendance indicated that it lacked some element necessary for perma- nence. The University Sing, however, supplies strong motives for the presence of a large share of the undergraduate hody and a goodly representation of the alumni. The natural rivalry between different organizations in numerical representation is certain to produce a large attendance as long: as these organizations recognize their obligation to themselves and to the University, to bring out all available active and alumni mem- bers. The use of fraternity songs often insures the more melodious and accurate singing than is usual in untrained choruses. For many it is also far more pleasant to lounge on the grass through a warm Spring evening and listen to the songsters than to be forced to beat one's own undis- ciplined vocal chords in long continued exercise. It might be well to intersperse three or four widely known University songs among the more specialized fraternity or club songs. It might also be desirable to give some recognition to the Senior class, as a body, on this mcasion. A custom, such as that established at Princeton, where each member is toasted, would occupy so much time as to require an evening devoted entirely to this. But if, on the call to the Senior class, its members came marching from the different groups into the center of the hollow and there joined hands and sang, either their class song or some song established by custom as a Senior 50115:, a very effective addition might be made to the Senior's mem- ories of the last Springs: on the campus. The establishment of the University Sing was an inspiration and its successful continuance is assured from the realization by undergraduates and alumni that here is not a made-to-order tradition which will need artificial stimulation. but a genuine insti- tution, which has a reason for being, and a right to a long life because of its service to the University. DONALD R. RICHHERG. 15