University of North Dakota - Dacotah Yearbook (Grand Forks, ND)

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The Unix Cl 'ity was first thrown open for the, reception of students Sept. 4th, 1884. During the first year, seventy-nine students were enrolled, mainly from Grand Forks and its immediate vicinity. In the absence Of any pupils of college grade during the fjrst year, the president taught classes in Algebra, Geometry and History and the professor of Natural Science taught classes in Grammar and English Literature in addition to the modicum of Natural Science offered in the preparatory department. Dr. Blackburn resigned the presidency at the Close of the hrst year to accept the presidency of a Presby- Davis Hall tcrian college at Pierre. S. D., and Prof. Montgomery served for two years 21:5 acting president. The second year, 1885-86, Professors H. B. W'oodworth and John Macuic were added to the teaching force, and Miss Jennie Allen, Budge Hall

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Hniupraitg nf North Eaknta. HIE University of North Dakota was established by an act of the territorial legislature approved February 27th. 1883. Ground was broken May 25th, 1882, and the cornerstone of the present Main Building was laid with imposing cere- monies October 2nd of the same year. H011. .D. L. Kiehle, then Superintendent of Public Instruction for Minnesota, delivered the address, taking for his subject, HIntellect the Basis of Christian Civilization. Hon. N. G. Ordway, governor of the terrie tory, and many other distinguished guests were present. The original faculty consisted of Wm. M. Blackburn, D. D., president and professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy; Henry Montgomery, M. A., P. SQ, Ph. 13., professor of Natural Science; Webster Merrifleld, M. A., professor of Latin and Greek; and Mrs H. H. Mott, preceptress and teacher of English branches. The Main Building 11

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now principal of the Grand Forks High School, succeeded Mrs. Mott as pre- ceptress. The enrollment the second year fell to forty-eight, rising the third year to seventy-flve. By way of comparison with the present standards it may be interesting to note that, at the end of the third year, the preparatory department consisted of two Classes, junlor and senior. The work of the jun- ior ClaSS included Advanced Arithmetic, Algebra through fractions, Outlines Science Hall of U. S. History, Grammar and English Composition. The work of the senior year included three books of Plane Geometry, Algebra t0 Quadratics, two books of Caesaras Gallic War, and the hrst two Catilinian orations, together With a modicum of work in Physiology, Physical Geography, and General History. During the freshman year, Algebra was continued and Plane and Solid Geometry was completed. Latin was continued through three books of Virgil's Aeneid and selections from Livy. English was studied for two hours a week. Hart's Rhetoric being the basis of instruction, accompanied by the criucal reading of ttThe Lady of the LakeU and Chaucer's ttProlOgueU The French Grammar and Reader were studied for three hours a week. Ger- man was not begun until the sophomore year, nor Greek until the junior year, Of the seventy-hve students in attendance the third year, seven were Classihed as sophomores. eighteen as freshmen, eighteen as senior prepara- tory students, seventeen as junior preparatory, five as second-year normals and ten as Erst-year normals. In 1887, C01. Homer B. Sprague. Ph. D., a graduate of Yale and a former professor in Cornell University, was elected president and entered upon his duties with the opening of the fall term. During the Erst year of C014 Spraguek administration the attendance rose to ninety-eight, and the second year to one hundred ninety-nine. After nearly four years of service as president, C01. 13