University of Southern California - El Rodeo Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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EDITORIAL At the closing of this greatest year in the history of our University, do we as representatives of the student world of America realize our opportunity? Are we going out from our University as men and women who can meet the challenge of our disturbed world. ' We are all so busy about our little affairs we often-times forget the goal of University training. ( )ur year just ending has been splendid in many ways. Our days have been happy— we have felt freed from the world responsibility since the Armistice was signed— ami have we not planned our life work in a more or less selfish way? It is so easy — and natural— to plan to earn money. for money ' s sake alone. The key-word, of our year has been progress. We have progressed in our studies; in our Student Body affair-, as shown by the new constitution; in our athletics; and most, in our feeling of world fellowship, as evidenced by the Service Campaign. To our Senior class we wish good speed and happiness, but more than that, we hope they will definitely realize some of the progressive aims of U. S. C. As Juniors, we are rather big-eyed at the thought of being Seniors—vet happy that we can be Seniors in this great school of ours. Our ambition is to bring other laurels to U. S. C. next year. For the Sophomores and Freshmen we offer the encouragement that U. S. C. brings greater visions and opportunities each year. With the opening of the coming fall term, representing the fortieth anni- versary of the founding of our University, shall we not step into the balls ,,: our new Administration building— clear-eyed, strong-willed young people with Christian ideals influencing every activity? 26

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1 1 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA The founding of the University of Southern California was as much the logical outcome of the manifest tendency of Methodism, as the result of the individual enterprise and initiative. One of the most prominent influences at work in the early inception of this University was the spirit of the Methodist Episcopal Church : the spirit standing as it has, and does, for the highest possible development of character, and believing that this is attainable only through a proper balance in the functioning of life and all of its departments. It earlv became apparent to the far-seeing mind of Rev. John ! . Tansey that a great future lav before the University of Southern California in the city of I, os Angeles. Shortly after taking up his work as presiding Elder of the Los Angeles District. Rev. Tansey had purchased a tract of land near the present townsite of Florence. With the idea of a school in mind, be donated a portion of this property for a campus. In addition to outlining bis plan, be suggested Rev. M. M. Bovard, pastor of the Methodist Church at Riverside, as the best man to place at the head of the new project. However, in 1876, Rev. Tansey died, ami while his plan for a University never materialized, vet the foresight which he had shown is a worthy considera- tion, for his was one of the earliest movements looking toward the foundation „f a Methodist institution of higher learning in Southern California. Later, in commemoration of her husband ' s part in the great work. Mrs. Tansey gave property valued at $20,000 to endow a chair in the University of Southern Cali- fornia to be known as the Tansey Chair of Christian Ethics. Another name which is associated with the beginning of the University is that of fudge Robert Maclav Widney. Soon after his arrival in Los Angeles, fudge Widney bad conceived the idea of a great University and bad begun to formulate plans for its establishment. One evening in May of 1879, Judge Widney invited Rev. A. M. Hough to his residence and laid before him the plans for the University work. An offer from West Los Angeles was secured by Mr. Hough, and the original deed of trust of the University was executed July 29, 1879. An election for the Board of Directors was held in L s Angeles, California, in 1880, which resulted in the selection of Rev. I lough and R. M. Wi lney as two of the prominent directors of the University of Southern California. The Board organized, elected officers, and adopted a code of By-Laws. This marks the end of the first stage in the history of the University, and in the second stage the period of actual construction began. The Los Angeles Academy cannot be overlooked as the forerunner of the larger educational institution. The Academy differed in no essentials from the earlier University scheme, both having derived their first impulse from the same source. The Los Angeles Academy was incorporated as a preparatory school, while the University oVganized later ' as an entirely new and independent corpora- tion to do work of collegiate rank. The Conference made the Academy a part of the University of Southern California. Rev. M. M. Bovard was elected to the presidency, and his brother to a professorship in the new University. During that summer, the trustees of the Endowment Fund voted to sell thirty lots and with the proceeds erect and furnish a frame building in which to conduct educational work. Friends of the University purchased lots at $200 each. Stakes had already been set for the lots and the streets marked out in the University tract. A contract was let for the erection of the first building. The cornerstone laving was held on the 4th of September. 1880. This was a great occasion, not only for the University and the church but for the city as well. Tin building was completed and ready for the opening of school work by ( Ictober 4. 1880. It was a large two-story frame structure, the lower floor being divided into several comfortable rooms for class-room purposes, and the upper e