University of Richmond - Web Yearbook (Richmond, VA)

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Library nz' lzigbl. 2, . RiL'l,77Il0lld College Dining Hall CIIIIIPIIS winter sfezze.

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he was called to the Presidency and on january 1, 1898. he formally accepted, taking office on june 24 of that year. The first thing that President Boatwright did was to campaign for enough money to erect a science building. In 1898 the building was completed and paid for. Soon after this he began raising money for a new dormitory to 2 e' iv A 1 ix!! ' .' Q. yt 2 its 24 ' , 75 F- -S' lk.. pr V' , - Scene OU fl'l6 Pl'CSEI'1t CEUTIPLIS. be situated on the Broad Street side of the campus, and this was erected in 1899. The success of these building campaigns, largely' due to the new Presidents personal efforts, stands as a testimony to the vigor and wisdom of his administration. In june of 1898 the Trustees voted to open the school's doors to women. The girls were required to be eighteen years old, or over, and to satisfy the President that they were fitted to enroll in at least three of a number of designated classes. They were to be eligible for all Ten degrees, distinctions, and diplomas that the College of- fered. Four young women registered in the session that followed. From this modest start the number of women students grew steadily until 1914 when changes that took place in the policy of the institution, provided for Westhampton College. g In the years that followed 1895 public sentiment had grown in favor of a woman's college. The campaign for the new school was started in 1906 and extended to 1913. The General Education Board offered 3B150,000.00 towards the formation of the new school provided that it be matched with 35350000.00 raised from other sources. Dr. B. C. Henning began the task of acquiring the funds but was forced to resign in December of 1911. President Boatwright thereupon took up the cam- paign and completed it. This fund made the building of Westhampton College possible. Prior to this, however, the Trustees of Richmond Col- lege had been pondering over the problem of expanding the institution with opinion divided as to whether or not the location should be changed. In 1910 it was decided to move the school to Westhampton on two hundred ninety-three acres of property, one hundred of which had been given to the College outright. At this time the Trustees provided for an rlZlfOl10llI01l.1' W'o111rnz'.f Coflege to be erected on the new campus. This plan of coordinate education was adopted. since many Virginians were opposed as to co-education. v ln the fall of 1914 the colleges occupied the new site and opened for work. It seemed that Fate must have been against this move because for the second time in the school's history a war dealt it a devastating blow. The Trustees had depended on financing the new enter- prise by selling the old campus, but the World War caused real estate prices to drop so low that the land could not be sold for a reasonable sum. Thus, the school for the first time was heavily in debt. After America entered the war, the government, in 1918, took over the new campus and used it as a hos- pital. This forced the College back to its old site where it remained until the Armistice when it returned to West- hampton. With the return of peace the price of land rose again, thus making possible the sale of the valuable old prop- erty. The revenue from this paid off the principal and interest on the University's debts and provided suf- ficient funds to finance the erection of the Chemistry Building. Once again the future looked bright for the University. As the first hundred years draw to a close, plans are already under way for a greater University. The pro- posed Student Activities Building is no longer a dream but instead is fast approaching reality. May Richmond further herself as much in the next century' as she did in the last.

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Thomas Hall. eter Hall at night Campus spring scene.