University of Nebraska Omaha - Tomahawk / Gateway Yearbook (Omaha, NE)

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Dr. D. E. Jenkins

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Dr. Jenkins ' Review THE close of the present school year marks the thirteenth milestone in the progress of the University of Omaha toward the goal of its destined greatness as an institution of learning and human uplift. The University will be just thirteen lucky years old on next Com- mencement Day. It will, so to speak, emerge from its institutional childhood into early adolescence. Its beginnings were very humble. No blare of trumpets announced its advent. No munificent endow- ment started it on its career. One wealthy citizen, who afterwards became the institution ' s greatest benefactor, Mr. George A. Joslyn, having heard of the enterprise, made a provisional offer towards its launching, providing that the citizens of Omaha and its vicinity would raise a specified sum. As yet, the need and possibilities of such an institution had not been sufficiently evinced to command the financial support of monied citizens and, consequently, Mr. Joslyn ' s generous offer was not met. Nevertheless, the infant enterprise exhibited tenac- ity of life. It began to thrive and grow in spite of obstacles seemingly insurmountable, the good Lord only knows how and why. Without endowment of funds it lived on optimism and confidence of its worth- while-ness, as an undertaking. Thirteen years is a considerable period in the life of an individual human being. It covers the period of transition from infancy to ado- lescence, from adolescence to the time when one is of age, from this period, in turn, to early prime, from early prime to middle life, and, finally, from middle life to eventual old age. But it is a very brief span of years in the upbuilding of an institution like ours with its limitless possibilities of beneficent adjustment to the ever multiplying civic and cultural needs of a great and growing center of population. Accordingly, we are only beginning to give tangible evidence of the manifold forms of service we may render to the city and to society, at large, as we pass out of our institutional childhood into adolescence and into that still larger growth of which childhood is but the portent and promise. The most distinct forward steps in the progress of the University that have been taken during the current school year may be said to have been taken in connection with the establishment of departments of Engineering and of Music. [13 1