University of Minnesota - Gopher Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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The Greenhouses. The Growth of the Campus. It is not necessary to describe again the gilt ol ' I ' raiiUlin Steele to tlie Uni- versity. March 3d, 1854, the Rea;ents decided to |)iirchase a lot ot land owned by Messrs. George and Taylor and thereon locate the new university. Thiit lot com- prised twenty-seven acres of the present Campus. It reached from the bank ol the river to University aveinic, but imlbrtunately extended along University ave- nue less than twelve rods. The price paid for this was $0,000. On the inaugtiration of |)lans for building in the early 70 ' s, it was seen tluit a grejiter frontage was essential. (Governor Pills- bury jjurehased by his own means the thousand feet along University avenue jjlatted as Thatcher ' s Addition, and held it until the State could appro- ]5riate funds to reimburse him. This was done in February, 1877 and the most essential part of the Campus, a beautiful frontage, was secu red fi-om Twellth avenue to Seventeenth, at an expense of $18,000. Soon, even this enlargement was found to be insufficient for the prospective needs of the immediate future. Again, the phenomenal growth of the cities. Minneajiolis and Saint Paul, warned the Regents that what was done must be R?S done quickly. An- other appropria- tion for enlarging the Campus was asked and granted March 10,1879, of $20,000. The next request for more ground was re- ceived by the legis- lature and ap- proved in voting February 24, 1S8-1-, the sum of $20,- 000 in addition to the ordinary Uni- versity budget. The final addition to the grovmds was made two -ears ago by the gift of the late Hon. Richard Chute, who had served for some years and at two different times as a Regent. The gilt consists of a narrow strip extending on the south side of University avenue from Eleventh avenue southeast eastward. It has given that finish to the westward extension of the grounds, possible only when a street frontage is secured. — 15— The Plant House. The University of Minnesota ji

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1 116 t « University of Minnesota Another question had to be answered at this point in the history of the insti- tution, viz., whether co-education should be allowed. The Faculty brought the traditions of American colleges to bear. The Regents representing the Common- wealth voted the spirit of the Constitution into the University, and since that date the question of sex has never been raised except in the debating societies. The decision, which appears to have been reached before President Folwell ' s arrival, was ably supported by him in the following inaugural words : The Uni- versity . . . exists for the benefit of society, not mei ' ely for that of individuals. Whether male or female, . . . the doors of its auditoria, its laboratories, its library stand open to all worthy comers; that is, to all persons of good fame, who prove themselves competent to hear and receive its lessons. Both before and some time after this point in its history the University had been hampered by political influences; these influences grew up because there was money to be exjiended. Everywhere that such a condition exists, the politician is on hand and the early days in the historj ' of the University of Minnesota are no ex- ception to universal experience. But the Regents stood firm in their convictions thateducation should not be hampered by political orselfish desires. The constitu- tion had already declaimed it free of sectarianism or other religious interference, and it remained with the Board further to insist upon perfect freedom from ]5olitical intrigue. In this position they were supported by the educated men of the state and those were, for a young commonwealth, many and strong. So well did the Regents succeed in maintaining their position that no influence of this kind has for years been seen. A proposition practiced by Governor Pillsbury that no man should be appointed to an oifice of responsibility and trust in the State ' s affairs who had not proved his fitness therefor by the successful management of his own personal affairs, has been felt in the Capitol since Governor Pillsbnry ' s six years ' service as chief executive. A serious difficulty conti-onting the Regents was that of starting aright in entering upon their work of founding a university. The first necessity of such an enterprise was the selection for the presidency of a man of courage, persistency, caution, bright scholarship and a large view of the future. It was essential that such a man be found to serve as pilot and guide in holding the institution to a steady policy of intellectual progress. The first duty of a president thus chosen is to mark out a reasonable and fair policy, and direct the energies of the administra- tion to its proper and legitimate enforcement. In viewing the history of educational movements it is seen that all i-eforms have begxm in the higher fields — those of knowledge and research — and thence, like rays of light, have penetrated down- wards through the great mass of human society, until the plane of theevery-day in- terests of life has become illumined. The condition recpiisite of success in an educational movement is that it be ada])ted to the conceptions and judgment of the people tf) be educated. Another is that it be pushed only at such speed that the community may keep pace miderstandingly, without chafing and im- rest. The man for such a work was found in President Folwcll, and the policy upon which he settled after months of careful study and consultation with some of the foremost educators in the country, was published in its general features as the action of the Regents in the early reports of the Board.

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The University of Minnesota