1WGK 1GIIT
T11K DAILY NEBKASKAN. TUESDAY, MAY 10, 1938
lMOM KS POUND
m:w uMVPKsir
TO HOLD (.HAM'S
(Continued from Page 3.)
pure hiuI divine light.
There were miitiy advanced
spirits in Nebrankti even at that
early day. They realized that cul
ture was something desirable for
its own sake. I'lairies indeed had
to be subdued, but other interests
besides that of the dollar were
most desirable, and among these
culture in distinction from mere
knowledge, technical or general.
whs regarded as most important.
Tl.rre was another class more lim
ited than the former in influence
and numbers that desired a uni
versity solely because of the adver
tisement which it would give the
state abroad.
UNIVERSITY TO ATTRACT
COMMONWEALTH SETTLERS
They held, and that truthfully,
that an institution of learning; of
high grade would attract the cul
tivated emigrants within our bor
ders, and be the most powerful
factor in securing the settlement
of this commonwealth. Others be
lieved differently and this was still
a smnller class; a class that had
received a one-sided impulse, by a
narrow range of reading and study,
could see no good in a university
unless its professors devoted them
selves wholly to studies In natural
history and physics. They pointed
to the unused resources of the
rtate to its comparatively un
known botany, zoology, and geol
ogy, and claimed that the making
known what the slate was and
rould be made into those particu
lars was itself justification enough
for the establishment of a uni
versity. The fact that the infancy of na
tions is often n literary creative
period was not overlooked during
these discussions. Nothing is bet
ter known than that the most il
lustrious Greek classics were pro
duced during the youth of the Hel
lenic people. The experience of
many another nation is parallel to
that of Greece. The literacy ripe
ness of a nation devotes itself more
to criticism, when its youth was
spent in founding institutions and
In the creation of literary master
pieces. It was through the domi
nance of such ideas as those re
corded above that a public senti
ment was created that justified,
amid some opposition, the estab
lishment of this university.
YOUNG MEN CR HATE
FAVORABLE SENTIMENT.
It should also be remembered
that the public sentiment that es
tablished the university was main
ly created by young or compara
tively young men. The early legis
latures of the state were princi
pally made up of such. These
young men were exceptionally able
and enterprising, and came here
to help create a commonwealth
when the effort meant personal
j isle, sacrifice and toil of unusual
pe verity. To leach Nebraska
nearly eighty years ago involved
the crossing of Iowa in stage
coaches through a sparsely settled
region for half the distance, or a
longer and more tortuous journey
from St. Louis by boats. Many of
every member, democrat and re
publican, voting for the bill. He
sides the above the following in
dividuals were members of that
senate, namely: C. J. Myers, Isham
Ueavis, T. Ashton, T. B. Stevenson,
W. F. Chapin, J. VV. Frost. William
F. Goodwill and Guy C. Barnum
Those familiar with our state his
tory will remember the conspicu
ous part that many of these men
took in the affairs in the state.
In the house the university fared
equally well. On the final passage
of the bill Feb. l.ri, 1H(9 - sixty-nine
years ago - it received the vote of
every member.
Any statements concerning the
early history of this universitv
would be defective without ac
knowledgements of indebtedness to
the patriotic public spirits and
noble characters of the founders
of the state and this institution.
Many of the original ones have
passed away. With our present
magnificent population 1,377,120
and resources, the people are apt
to forget the early intellectual
and social workers in the state. No
political, sectorial, or other feeling
of interest, however, should pre
vent us from giving honor to whom
so much and so greut honor is due.
GEN. PERSHING
GRADUATED IN 1893.
One of the outstanding and dis
tinguished graduates of the Uni
versity of Nebraska who scintil
lates all over the world is General
John Joseph Pershing who grad
uated in 1803, while the world's
fair was In session in Chicago. He
was a student under Chancellor
Bessey and Chancellor Cnnfield.
Col. Frank D. Eager, well known
in Lincoln, was his classmate.
The university having been
founded at the time indicated, it
will bo interesting to consider some
of the men to whom the first
board of regents entrusted the des
tiny of the new school. Foremost
among these stands the first
chancellor of the university, Dr.
A. K. Benton. He was in many
respects a most remarkable char
acter. The circumstances con
nected with his election to the
chancellorship illustrate alike his
modesty ami his high sense of per
sonal honor. Rev. O. R. Dunan,
then a regent of the university, of
his own accord, first opened a
correspondence with him on the
subject, and suggested to him the
advisability of being a candidate
for the office of chancellor. He
consented, but took no steps to se
cure the position, save a reference
of Mr. Dungan to his friends ir
Indiana who were cognizant of his
educational work. Among these
friends were Hon. O. P. Morton.
Hon. A. J. Porter, first comptroller
of the treasury; K. B. Martinsdale,
trustee of the Purdue university,
and many others. So little, how
ever, did the matter weigh with
him that he in the meantime ac
cepted the presidency of the North
western Christian university, over
which he had before persided for
seven years, after having long
been a professor in the college
He was therefore taken by sur
prise when, in the beginning of
1871, he was notified of his elec
tion to the chancellorship of the
University of Nebraska. He was
invited to meet the reeents Feb
7, 1871, for mutual acquaintance
university, which coi..-!?td then in
remodeling the rooms, estimating
purchases, arranging courses of
study, and advertising the opening
and the advantages of the univer
sity by lectures.
The long looked for and anxious
ly expected 7th of September fi
nally arrived. About 70 students
made their first appearance that
morning. After chapel exercises
the first faculty meeting was held
in this hall. Five members, the
total number of instructors, were
present, namely: Chancellor Ben
ton, Professors O. C. Dake, Manly,
Church and Aughey. That was the
beginning of the "faculty love
feasts" that are still held with
more or less regularity. That first
year was an extremely hard one.
The teachers were overworked.
Aughey, for example, taught six
hours a day besides having the
care of the chemical department
and the founding of a museum.
CHANCELLOR NEVER
WOUNDED FEELINGS.
The chancellor and Professors
Dake and Church worked equally
hard. Chancellor Benton was re
markably considerate of his asso
ciates feelings. He made an effort
never to wound the feelings of a
professor intentionally under any
provocation. He meant to be ex
actly just and never was more
happy than when he could help
or confer a favor on his fellow
workers. He was always careful
to preserve their good nar u s. He
was exceedingly cautious and care
ful and watched with a most vigi
lant eye all the Interests of the
university. He had financial abili
ties of a high order, and never ran
himself into debts, and discouraged
the contracting of them by fac
ulty and students. He carried this
spirit to such an extent that some
of the friends of the university
imagined that he was lacking in
public spirit.
Amid all the trials which his
work brought upon him he always
found time to prosecute the studies
of his life. His scholarship was ac
curate and broad. Familiar with
the classics, the amenities of lit
erature occupied much of his at
tention. He aws well posted on the
progress of science, and familiar
with the biological and pholbsoph
ical discussions which distinguish
our epoch. He shone in the recita
tion room, and especially in those
departments that represented the
different chairs that he had filled.
In fact, so varied was his scholar
ship that ho was equally at home
in almost every department of col
lege work. He made every object
luminous by the clearness of his
analysis. In popular address, when
using a manuscript, he rarely did
justice to himself; but his produc
tions uniformly read remarkably
well. When he, however, dispensed
with his manuscript, he spoke with
rare eloquence and poser. Chan
cellor Benton never exaggerated
No fact or statement was ever
colored by him. Neat in person
pure in thought, clear In intellect'
studious in life, courteous to a rei
markable degree, the charm of the
school circle, he was a model
Christian, scholar and gentleman.
The university at that time could'
consider itself exceedingly f,,,..
tunate in its first head. With a lea.,
cautious, careful, well balanced
and able head, it might have failed
Under his administration there
was a regular and constant growth
of the university, and his last year
here was the most successful, up
to that time, in its history. Un
fortunately no catalogue was pub
lished at the close of his last year
of the university management, as
had been previously done, and
from these circumstances the cred
it due to him at that time was nnt
made known to the public. This
failure to publish the final results
of his labors for the university was
an injustice to him which he felt
much less keenly than his friends.
Teachers Service Bureau
Tinclirri Wnnli-d fur School Yer
Inrt, ArU Comm. Bnhjfrl,
Milftle Jlomft r. Coaelilni
and other Mora
505 Tern.. Bldg. Lincoln
the young men who came here air"'" ' "usi-uaiion, ami to decide as
that early day possessed great '''r 's P"ssii)le as to the openm
lame and instinction in the pro
tessions. in business, or in politics.
Honorable J. M. Wool worth, A. J
PoppKton, F.. S. Dundy of the
United States court, C Hriggs
O P. Maon, T. M. Marquette and
of the university. He was also
invited to deliver a popular ad
dress, and he accepted
BENTON DOUBTS
LEADERSHIP ABILITY.
Meeting the regents at the ap
who won great distinction ! time, he frankly told them
bar, on the bench or both, j nu n "''led his election as a great
4 it hers
Jit the
Dr. George L. Miller. Julius Ster- i ' 'o. ui inai ne gave mem
ling Morton of Nebraska City and j Perr-'et liberty to rescind their ac
founder of Atbor Day April jo. J ).lon his ca.se. or choose another
1S72. who passed away April 27. i for ,h, l,(!ill"m. He wished them
1902; Governor Iloliert.W. Furnas. I to have Perfect liberty, after pcr
who served xs governor from 1S7 $ i y""al H'Oiiainlanoe, to do what
to 175. horn May .r. lS2t. and .lied j ' cmed to them best tor the uni
June 1. 1905: j. M. McMurphy v,',s"'- "-' nlso gave advice as to
B.shop Talbot. Lieut. Isaac Web- I ,llI','es, especially that of ( han
Mer and brother .mid Professor I 'ollor. " hu h be consider..!, under
Dake came at the fust organiza 1,1,1 ' "'' ''instances of a new state
tion of the territory. These young I , .eura.iKa. altogether too high
men possessed ability and charac
ters to make them marked in any
state. They are the men who
moulded this cominonwi al! h Th
II.' Wished them to retrieve miv
j false step which they might have
1 made in the election of a chancel
i h i . In ot lit i words, he was willing
men who passed the bill in the 1 s;, nine his own interests f...
legislature. 4-stahlishiiig the l'ni- ih"yo "l iiniveisity. if. in the
vers:ty of Nebraska. Feb. l.". Isii'i "I""1"" f "n.V of the regents, the
leiiioT,str:He, the truth of whit two interests were in conflict. At
has just been Maid. !,!u!" ''" l"u ' meeting the time
STATE SENATE I f'" "!"'"'" the university was not
ORIGINATES BILL ifixM; this was dune at a meetim;
The lull oi i e in: ! el in ,!,.. ,,. .,.. ,llu '"U ii,R Apiil, when it wa.i
n tkI was known as Senate File No
S i. It was introduced by Khrnr.'f
J". Cunningham, then of P.i. Iiai.l
. .n cunly and aftei wards sur
ey. ir pMHeal of Nebtaska and .1
potege of .Indue Ar.luli.ib:
V.V.ivi-r, father 4f Gov. Arthur .1.
Weaver. It was referred to the
4 dn. atiniKil committee of which
". II. Geie, who founded the Corn
iiinnwe dth, Sept. 7. 1SH7, which
b.t.r became the State Journal,
i. ml who published the first issue
t.r the Daily Slate Journal July 20.
l7il. was chairman. They report. -.1
favorably, and lis final passage
i:i the tenate, en Feb. 13, lSH'J,
i esulved to (ommeiiee operation
on the (th of th- following Sep
timber. Dr. Benton leturucl to
Indianapolis and succeeded in can-
4-4-lliin; bis 4'nga.",einent with the!
.N'nitli Western ui.iver.-ity. He ic- j
l.aived to N'eliia-lii in May. and'
at oin e M-t about the woi k of the I
mills ir,niE!isAi;r.xa
S. E. Mills. A. M., 73. Manager
M tW Il I III R ( OM III v TO
lr.. II M M l. Ill MMM,,
'M IMI.
655. f6 Stuart Bldg. Lincoln, Neb .
Gold's Men's Store
(KaAcL ia. (Dhow. t
MUTINY COATS
For Sports or Work. Tho lat
est in Shirt Coats the col
lar can be worn open or
closed. The tail is worn
either inside or out
side the trousers.
Short sleeves.
cool fabrics
and infor
mality makes
fh the
CM .
mrt o
Today
o Celanese 1.95
o Gabardine 1.50
o Mesh Gloth 1.00
y
The Talk
- m
Ut the
Town
m
M
0 I
BENNY GOODMAN
SWING JACKETS
Exact Replicas, of tho
Jackets worn by the
King of Swing and His
Boys the Newest
Thing in Town
in
Whit
Blue
Tan
395
You'll "Swing" in Mora
M
Ways lhan Une in
Those Jackets Tailored
of Sanforized Gabar
dine in Absolutely Fal
Colors and Decidedly
the Thing for Outdoor
Wear This Summer. A
Complete Range of
Sizss in a Wide Choico
cf Colors.
r.
" 7
f.i, i
MMmtWClOWil
Featured
by
BENNY
GOODMAN
and his
FAMOUS
BAND
m