University of Oregon - Oregana Yearbook (Eugene, OR)

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THE OREGANA A Ctlanrv at Hniueraitg Beginnings HE College Crest street car and the subsequent ride through the suburbs of Eugene to College Hill has been the momentarily luckless introduction to University life of many new students coming to the University of Oregon. Although carried miles from their intended destination, these temporarily side-tracked beginners in the pursuit of knowledge are being shown in this way, unknown to themselves and to perhaps a majority of the student body, the scene of the most remote beginnings of the University. It was on College Hill that the first university to be established in Eugene was located in 1856, nine years after Eugene Skinner had built his pioneer cabin at the foot of Skinner's Butte. Columbia College, as the institution was called, was a Presbyterian school. During its short life it was twice burned to the ground and finally was compelled to suspend permanently during the Civil War period. Columbia College, nevertheless, was the real beginning of the Uni- versity of Oregon, centering as it did the activities of higher learn- ing at Eugene and securing the good will of 130 graduates among the pioneers of the state. Perhaps the Oregon Spirit of today had its beginnings at Co- lumbia College for the alumni of that pioneer school years later stood loyally behind the movement to locate the state University in the city where their own college days had been spent. if Ili 'lf Pk Ridiculous as it seems today when Oregon is recognized a great university, first agitation for the location of the State Univer- sity at Eugene was made less than fifty years ago because the people of the neighborhood felt the need of a high school. The public school had graduated in 1872 its first class in which there were several who wished to continue their education. Because Co- lumbia College had been located in Eugene at an earlier period and caused the city to consider herself a center of higher education, her citizens felt that something should be done to keep their children in the home community. It was decided that the city should take advantage of a state law and petition the legislative assembly of 1872 for a 810,000 appropriation to be used to build and equip a high school. W It was learned later that the location of the State University was to be decided at this session of the legislature in accordance Nlneloen