University of Wyoming - WYO Yearbook (Laramie, WY)

Page 9 text:

1 Football t 1897 nucleus of the continent can here be studied as in few other localities. The mines nearby with an amazing variety of minerals will supply materials for the school of mines which will be a necessity to the territory. The marvelous variety of rare floral ferns will entice the student of botany. The layers of the earth's crust exposed nearby will make students familiar with the romance of science-geology. The sight of the everlasting mountains and the banks of the Laramie River, destined to be a classic stream, should cause the poetic and literary faculty to blossom into activity and beautyf, One wonders whether the Tribune writer had ever seen Laramie in January. In july 1886 work began on Old Main. It was built at a total cost of 848,700 and the cornerstone was laid on September 27, 1886. Old Main included an

Page 8 text:

The University of Wyoming has had an interesting history. Back in 1886 Laramie had only 5000 people. Wyoming was a growing territory and found that it had a need for an insane asylum, a capital, and a university. Legislative dealing that year ended up giving the university to Laramie, the insane asylum to Evanston, and the capitol to Cheyenne. Rawlins, the only other substantial town in the territory, received the penitentiary the following year. Today, Laramie has a population of 24,000 Wyoming, of course, is a state. And the capital, university, mental hospital, and penitentiary remain as originally placed. Concerning the choice of Laramie for the university the Cheyenne Tribune wrote, '6The beautiful city of Laramie seems to be modeled alike by nature and man forthe seat ofthe University. The archean The Fac lty-1891

Page 10 text:

auditorium, a gymnasium, a library, classes, laboratories, offices, and even a rifle range. Since that time Old Main has been completely remodeled. Only administrative offices remain. The gymnasium has been replaced by Registration and Records, the auditorium by the Admissions department. Old Mainis impressive tower has long since been removed. The entrances no longer lead directly to the second floor. The Universityis first president was john W. Hoyt. He received a first year salary of 82000. The range of faculty salaries went from S900 to 81800. Today our football coach makes over 820,000 a year. The University opened offering a Preparatory School and six departments, Liberal Arts, Philosophy, Letters, General Science, Fine Arts, and Practical Arts. The standard fee, resident and non-resident,