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PART I

ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT

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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

The first University of Chicago closed its work in 1886. Within a few months thereafter Mr. John D. Rockefeller took into consideration the founding of a new institution of learning in that city. In the fall of 1888 he conferred with Professor William R. Harper in regard to it, and finally entered into communication on the subject with Rev. F. T. Gates, Secretary of the American Baptist Education Society. In December, 1888, Mr. Gates brought the matter before the Board of the Society, which approved the effort to establish a well-equipped institution in Chicago, and instructed the Secretary to use every means in his power to originate and encourage such a movement. Being also encouraged by Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Gates henceforth gave himself, with untiring devotion, to the work of founding the University of Chicago.

At the annual meeting of the Education Society, held in Boston in May, 1889, the Society formally resolved "to take immediate steps toward the founding of a well-equipped college in the City of Chicago." To make it possible to carry out this purpose, Mr. Rockefeller at once made a subscription of $600,000 toward an endowment fund, conditioned on the pledging of $400,000 before June 1, 1890.

Immediately following the action in Boston, and the announcement of Mr. Rockefeller's subscription, early in June, 1889, a meeting was held in Chicago, and a College Committee of thirty-six was appointed to co-operate with the Society in the effort to meet the conditions proposed. This committee appointed Rev. T. W. Goodspeed to assist Mr. Gates in raising the $400,000 required. They accomplished the work, and in addition secured from Mr. Marshall Field, of Chicago, a block and a half of ground, valued at $125,000, as a site for the new institution. Two and a half additional blocks were afterward purchased for $282,500, thus providing a site of four blocks, or about twenty-four acres. The streets running through this tract were vacated by the City Council, making the University's land one unbroken piece, two blocks long and two blocks wide. In 1898, by the munificence of Mr. Rockefeller and Mr. Field, two more blocks were added to the campus, at a cost of $335,000. Later between seven and eight additional blocks were added to these six. The land lies between the two great south parks of Chicago-Washington and Jackson-and fronts south on the Midway Plaisance, which is itself a park connecting the other two. The University now owns, including the grounds of Yerkes Observatory, at Williams Bay, Wis., about 165 acres reserved for educational purposes.

The annual meeting of the Education Society in May, 1890, was held in Chicago, and the Board of the Society adopted articles of incorporation and a charter for the new institution. On September 10 of the same year the University was incorporated with the following Trustees: E. Nelson Blake, first president of the board, Edward Goodman, Hermann H. Kohlsaat, George C. Walker, William R. Harper, Andrew MacLeish, Martin A. Ryerson, Henry A. Rust, Alonzo K. Parker, Joseph M. Bailey, Charles C. Bowen, Charles L. Hutchinson,

Frederick A. Smith, George A. Pillsbury, Ferdinand W. Peck, Daniel L. Shorey, Francis E. Hinckley, John W. Midgley, Eli B. Felsenthal, Elmer L. Corthell, Charles W. Needham.

The incorporators named in the charter were John D. Rockefeller, E. Nelson Blake, Marshall Field, Fred T. Gates, Francis E. Hinckley, and Thomas W. Goodspeed. The name of the corporation in law is "THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO." In recognition of the peculiar relation of Mr. Rockefeller to the institution, the Board of Trustees has enacted that on the seal, letter heads, and all official publications of the University the title shall read: "The University of Chicago, founded by John D. Rockefeller."

At the first meeting of the Board after its incorporation in September, 1890, Professor William Rainey Harper, of Yale University, was elected President; and he entered on the duties of his office July 1, 1891. Before Professor Harper accepted the presidency, the scope of the institution had been greatly enlarged. Professor Harper felt that it should be in fact, as well as in name, a university, and Mr. Rockefeller, agreeing with this view, in September, 1890, added $1,000,000 to his former subscription. In accordance with the terms of this second subscription, the Baptist Union Theological Seminary was removed from Morgan Park to the University site, as the Divinity School of the University, an Academy of the University was established at Morgan Park, and $100,000 of the amount of the subscription was devoted to the erection of dormitories for the Divinity School on the grounds of the University.

On July 11, 1891, the executors and trustees of the estate of William B. Ogden designated to the University 70 per cent of that portion of the estate devoted by will to benevolent purposes. It is expected that more than half a million dollars will be realized from this designation for "The Ogden (Graduate) School of Science of the University of Chicago."

The University began the erection of its first buildings on November 26, 1891. The doors of the University were opened to students and the work of instruction began October 1, 1892. The only buildings then ready for occupancy were Cobb Lecture Hall and the Graduate and Divinity dormitories.

In February, 1892, Mr. Rockefeller made an additional donation to the University of "one thousand 5 per cent bonds of the par value of one million dollars," for the further endowment of instruction. About the same time Mr. S. A. Kent, of Chicago, undertook to provide a fully equipped laboratory of chemistry for the University. This building, the Kent Chemical Laboratory, costing the donor $235,000, was presented to the University on January 1, 1894.

In March, 1892, Mr. Marshall Field subscribed $100,000 toward a building and equipment fund, conditioned on the raising of $1,000,000 in ninety days, his own gift and Mr. Kent's donation being included in that fund. The entire sum was raised within the specified time. This amount was made up for the most part of large sums designated for particular buildings. In addition to the gifts of Mr. Kent and Mr. Field, the following large subscriptions were made for buildings: Silas B. Cobb, $165,000; Martin A. Ryerson, $200,000; George C. Walker, $130,000; Mrs. N. S. Foster, $60,000; Mrs. Henrietta Snell, $50,000; Mrs. Mary Beecher, $50,000; Mrs. Elizabeth G. Kelly, $50,000.

In 1899 and 1900, Mrs. E. G. Kelly made an additional contribution of

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