PAGE 6
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1969
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by Bill Smitherman
Nebraskan Staff Writer
It was Feb. 15. 1869.
After four days of debate the
Nebraska legislature passed a bill
providing funds for "the erection of
a State university, Agriculture col
lege, and State lunatic asylum." Gov.
David Butler signed the bill im
mediately and the chartered
University was born.
THE UNIVERSITY'S financial pro
blems began almost as soon as the
bill was passed. The Legislature had
allowed $100,000 for the construction
of a University, but the contract for
the first building was let for $128,480,
according to Frank Partsch in a
historical series done for the Daily
Nebraskan in 1964.
University Hall's cornerstone was
laid on Sept. 23, 1869. It was a day
of festivities in Lincoln, then a town
of about 1000. A brass band was im
ported from Omaha to celebrate the
event.
The hall was completed in 1871 and
stood about where Ferguson Hall
stands today, Partsch said. It con
tained 26 classrooms and offices, an
assembly room that seated 600, two
"society halls" and a chapel.
ALMOST AS soon as it was com
pleted, the building was condemned
for faulty construction. Its sandstone
foundation deteriorated rather than
hardened with age and several
newspaper editors called for the clos
ing of the school.
However, after a series of tests,
$25,000 was appropriated to repair the
building. As a result of this expense,
the University was hampered finan
cially for many years.
The University opened its doors
Sept. 7 1871 with a student body of
five freshmen, two sophomores, one
junior, and twelve "irregulars." Since
high schools were almost unheard of
in the young state, 110 students were
enrolled in the preparatory "Latin
School."
STUDENTS PAID a tuition of five
dollars per semester, eight dollars for
non-residents, according to Partsch.
There were no dormitories until the
1930's and most students lived with
local families.
In the University's early years
almost all faculty members were
ministers. The fact that the cur
riculum included a program of re
quired chapel and Sunday worship
created a problem as to which
denomination would dominate.
Religious quarrels were frequent and
resulted in the resignations of the first
two chancellors.
Other problems besetting the
University during its early years were
the question as to what subjects
should be taught and whether military
training should be compulsory on
campus. Neither of these questions
were finally resolved in the school's
first 20 years.
THE CHANCELLOR'S salary was
first set at $5,000 by the Board of
Regents. However, the body soon
reconsidered its "rash action" and
lowered the salary to $4,000. Pro
fessors were paid $2,000, Partsch
said.
In 1881 the University had grown
to 284 students, only 67 of whom were
in "Latin" school.
The 1880's marked both physical and
intellectual growth for the University.
Professors from the East brought
ideas of a more extensive and liberal
curriculum. These were incorporated
in the late 80's by new emphasis on
modern language and science.
AT THIS time the University had
three colleges the College of
Literature, Science and Art, the In
dus trial College (including
agricultural students) and the College
of Medicine. All were located in Lin
coln. Financial problems and community
suspicion of grave robbing forced the
closing of the Medical College in 1887,
according to Partsch. It was reopened
in 1902 in Omaha.
In the late 80's four new buildings
were added. The chemistry building
was completed in 1886. It was followed
closely by Grant Memorial Hall
(1888), Nebraska Hall (1889) and a
boilerhouse.
WHEN THE lands near the city
campus were found unfit for
agricultural instruction, the farm of
Moses Culver, two and one half miles
away, was purchased for this purpose.
The agriculture campus soon gained
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The University in 1873 as seen looking upward from 11th Street. The main structure at the end
of the road. University Hall, was the center of controversy revolving around the contention that the
foundation was insecure.
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UNIVERSITY 1
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. . . AND SO ARE WE N
We have grown along with the University for 53 of its first 100 j
years. We've modernized and expanded many times to better serve V
you, the student. II
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Congratulations to the University on its 100th Anniversary
There is no place like Nebraska Book Store! j
Nebraska book sM13 Est. !
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STORE HOURS: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 0
MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 2
statewide notice for its scholarship
and natural beauty.
Early student social life centered
around literary societies. The societies
held weekly meetings which were
"social functions as well as literary
programs," Partsch said.
These societies played an important
role in the development of the In
dividual, he continued. Many of the
students had been raised in frontier
homesteads and had no training in
social graces.
GREEK LETTER fraternities
began to arrive on campus in 1883.
They were, quickly condemned as
undemocratic by the literary societies,
but continued to grow in popularity.
The student paper, The Hesperian
Student, fiercely criticized the Greeks
and a contest for control of the paper
ensued. In 1892 the "Nebraskan" was
founded by Greeks to oppose the
Hesperian. In 1901 the two publica
tions merged to form the Daily
Nebraskan.
In the early 1890's Nebraska was
paralyzed with droughts and the worst
depression experienced by the state
to that time. Still, University enroll
ment flourished and rose from 500
in 1889 to about 1500 in 1895.
NOTABLE PERSONALITIES
emerged on the University campus
during the 90's. Roscoe Pound, Willa
Cather and John Pershing were all
familiar faces on campus in these
years.
A library was completed in 1895
to house books stored in University
Hall. It stands today as Architecture
Hall.
Football was introduced to the NU
campus in the 1880's by faculty
members from the East. The game
caught on quickly and became a
Nebraska tradition.
BASEBALL ALSO became a
popular sport and, in 1891, an athletic
department was added to the
University.
Partsch lists the major problems
of the University ' between 1900 and
1915 as the efficiency of the physical
plant, the quality of the faculty and
the necessity for student discipline.
Problems of the physical plant were
brought to light in the spring of 1914
when the question was raised whether
the city campus was spacious enough
for further building. Proposals were
made to move the whole University
to the agriculture campus.
AFTER A SPIRITED debate, the
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Big Red, hale and hearty as ever, are shown in this 1903 line up
looking eager as always, but a bit unprotected compared with
today's powerhouse.
question was put before the people
in a referendum. They voted to keep
the University at its original site. At
the same time, the legislature voted
to fund a large scale program of
building for University expansion.
Student behavior came under tough
scrutiny in 1912. The problems
culminated when the 1912 Cornhusker
was called back to have an "of
fensive" section removed.
During World War I the University
operated on a greatly reduced level.
Many students and faculty members
were called to serve in the armed
forces. Chancellor Samuel Avery,
himself, became a major in the
Chemical Corps.
The 1920's saw another surge of
building. Morrill Hall, Bessey Hall,
Andrews Hall, Social Sciences Hall,
Avery Lab, Teachers College, the
Coliseum and the Stadium were all
products of this era.
In 1925 University Hall was again
condemned as unsafe. The Regents
ordered the building razed to the first
floor and it remained in this condition
until it was razed completely n
1948.
CARRIE BELLE Raymond Hall
was completed in 1933 as the first
dormitory for undergraduate women.
It was later expanded with the addi
tion of Hepner, Love, and Piper Halls.
The first men's dorm was not con
structed until 1948.
War once again bit into the
University faculty and students in
1941. However, some expansion con
tinued during the war years.
Love Memorial Library was com
pleted in 1943. The building was con
structed with funds from the estate
of Don L. Love, former Lincoln mayor
and lawyer.
IT WAS immediately converted into
barracks for 2600 soldiers who at
tended classes as part of their special
training, according to Partsch. The
building was reconverted and
dedicated after the war.
The number of students on campus
increased from 2200 in 1945 to 10,000
in 1947. By 1950 enrollment dropped
to 8000 but has increased steadily ever
since. Enrollment today is around
30.000 including NU at Omaha.
After the war, building boomed once
again on campus. Burnett and
Ferguson Halls were added in 1948.
The Ralph Mueller Carillon tower was
also constructed at this time.
THE 60's saw huge construction
programs of dormitories, class, and
student buildings on the city campus.
In its 100-year history the University
has grown from a four block campus
worth a few hundred thousand dollars
to a four campus plant worth almost
$146 million according to University
figures. The faculty has grown from
a handful to well over a thousand.
And the students, once a few high
school students and freshmen from
Nebraska and neighboring states, now
number over 30,000 from all over the
world.
CONGRATULATIONS
on your 100 Year Anniversary
from
Quality Business Training
for Over 85 Years
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WESTERN niWSION
LEAR S1EGLER EDVCAUOS COMrANY A DMSIOX OF LEAR SIEGLER, LVC.
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