History of the University of Kansas

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Coordinates: 38°57′13″N 95°15′36″W / 38.95361°N 95.26000°W / 38.95361; -95.26000
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Old North College, the first building on KU Campus, overlooking Lawrence and the Kansas River, ca. 1867

The history of the University of Kansas starts in 1855. This was when people wanted to build a "University of the Territory of Kansas." Nine years later in 1864, with the help of Amos Adams Lawrence, Kansas Governor Charles L. Robinson, and several other important people, the Kansas Legislature chartered the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. The university was at first funded by a $15,000 donation on a 40-acre (160,000 m2) area of land from Charles Robinson and his wife Sara.[1] The university started preparatory-level classes in 1866 and college-level classes in 1869.

Beginnings: 1850s–1880s[change | change source]

Territorial Gov. Andrew Reeder

Conception[change | change source]

The idea for a public university in the Kansas Territory was first mentioned by Territorial Governor Andrew Reeder on July 3, 1855. He gave a speech to members of the first territorial legislature, saying: "To enlarge upon the necessity of general education for producing good government," he told the lawmakers, "would be at this day a work of supererogation, and I leave the matter in your hands, confident it will receive the attention it deserves."[1] After his speech, the session responded by creating a system of common schools for the territory. They also approved a charter for a "University of the Territory of Kansas," proposed to be built in Douglas, Kansas (near present-day Lecompton).[1][2] However, this proposed university was never built.

Lawrence residents had first thought of opening a private Free-State college in the town when it was first settled. This was in the summer of 1854.[1] That fall, one of the members of the New England Emigrant Aid Company, Charles Robinson, told treasurer Amos Adams Lawrence that the people of Lawrence would start a college as soon as possible. It was supposed to be on top of Hogback Ridge (later known as Mount Oread).[1][3] By 1856, no private college for Lawrence was yet created. However, the people of Lawrence were still hoping to create one. They also started to hope that it could later be changed into the state's university.[1] On Christmas Day of 1856, a group of important Lawrence people approved a bill from a business committee. It said that the time had come to create a college in Lawrence.[1] Fifteen trustees were chosen to govern the college. They immediately chose a committee to petition congress for land.[1] It was estimated that $100,000 would be needed to get the college started properly. It was also believed that nearly all of this money would have to be raised outside of the Kansas Territory.[1] The territorial legislature chartered a private "University of Lawrence" in January 1859. However, the people were never able to create a private college in Lawrence.[4]

Establishment[change | change source]

In 1859, in the Wyandotte Constitution - the constitution that Kansas became a state with - parts were written to create a state university.[1] The first Kansas state legislature meeting in 1861, passed a bill that would create the state university in Manhattan, Kansas. They used the assets of the existing Blue Mont Central College.[1] However, the bill was vetoed by Governor Charles Robinson of Lawrence. An attempt to override the veto in the Legislature failed by two votes.[1][4] In 1862, another bill to make Manhattan the place of the state university failed by one vote.[1] On February 16, 1863, the state accepted Manhattan's offer to donate the Blue Mont College building and grounds, and it created the state's land-grant college at the place. This would become Kansas State University.[1]

However, the legislature said Manhattan's land-grant institution was different than what a "state university" is. On February 20, 1863, Kansas Governor Thomas Carney signed into law a bill creating the state university in Lawrence. The law said that if Lawrence wanted the college, Lawrence would need to give a $15,000 endowment fund and a place for the university. The place would have to be in or near the town, and it had to be at least forty acres (160,000 m²) big.[1] If Lawrence did not do these, Emporia would get the university instead of Lawrence.

R. W. Oliver, the first Chancellor of the University of Kansas

The place chosen for the university was a hill known as Mount Oread or Hogback Ridge.[5] It was owned by former Kansas Governor Charles L. Robinson. Robinson and his wife Sara traded the 40-acre (160,000 m2) area to the State of Kansas in exchange for land somewhere else.[1][4] The philanthropist Amos Adams Lawrence gave $10,000 of the needed endowment fund. The people of Lawrence raised the remaining cash by issuing notes supported by Governor Carney.[1][4] On November 2, 1863, Governor Carney said that Lawrence had met the conditions to get the state university. On March 1, 1864, the University of Kansas was officially chartered.[6]

The school's Board of Regents had its first meeting in March 1865. This is the event that KU dates its creation from.[7][8] Work on the first college building (Old North College) started later that year.[6] On July 19, 1866, the Board of Regents elected KU's first three faculty members.[1]

The University of Kansas officially opened on September 12, 1866. It had 26 girls and 29 boys registered in the preparatory school.[6] The school started teaching college-level classes in 1869. The first class (of four students) graduated from the university in 1873.[6] It was one of the first public colleges to admit women and men equally in the United States.[4]

From these beginnings, a rivalry with Kansas State, the oldest public college in the state of Kansas, started.

A student of the early 1870s was writer and journalist Frank Harris. In Volume 1 of his memoirs (My Life and Loves, 1922), he described the intellectual climate he found in the university at that time. He said its New England liberal roots were being overtaken by conservatism.

In April 1874, the school's first serious student publication, Observer of Nature, was issued. In March 1878, former Chancellor James Marvin led the school's first "campus beautification" project. Over 300 trees were planted, including an area which is now known as the "Marvin Grove".

"Rock Chalk Jayhawk"[change | change source]

In May 1886, professor Edgar Henry Summerfield Bailey first proposed the cheer that would become the "Rock Chalk Jayhawk, K.U.” chant. Initially created for the KU science club, Bailey's version was "Rah, Rah, Jayhawk, KU" repeated three times. The rahs were later replaced by "Rock Chalk." This is a transposition of chalk rock, the name for the limestone found on Mount Oread, where the Lawrence campus is. Over time, the chant became known worldwide. Former U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt said it the "greatest college chant he'd ever heard."[9] In 1920, the King of Belgium asked for a normal American college chant at the Olympic Games. After discussion, the athletes at the Games agreed on the Rock Chalk chant.[9]

1890s–1910s[change | change source]

Campus growth[change | change source]

In 1893 the Kansas Legislature allowed $50,000 to build a new physics and electrical engineering building. The building resembled a French chateau now remembered as "old" Blake Hall. The next year, the university's library, Spooner Hall, was finished and opened. It is the oldest free-standing building still at KU. In 1895, the first long distance ship-to-shore message was sent by physics and engineering professor, Lucien I. Blake. The message was sent using underwater wireless technology.[10]

In March 1898, lightning struck the engineering building and the heating plant. It started major fires, and destroyed both buildings. As a result, former Kansas City businessman George Fowler gave $18,000 to rebuild. It became known as the Fowler Shops.[10] The building is now Stauffer-Flint Hall, where the journalism school is.

Starting in 1910, electric trolleys started providing service throughout Lawrence and the KU campus. In the same year, Marvin Hall was dedicated as the School of Engineering. Haworth Hall was dedicated for the departments of geology and mineralogy.[10] One year later, a commencement ceremony was held. This marked the completion of Potter Lake.[11] On February 8, 1912, a group of KU women organized the Women's Athletic Association. It was the first group of its kind in the school's history. William B. Thayer and his wife donated their personal art collection to KU, valued at $150,000.

1920s–1940s[change | change source]

In 1921, the Memorial Stadium was built to replace McCook Field. The football team still plays in Memorial Stadium. This makes it the seventh oldest college football stadium in the United States.[12]

On May 13, 1923, William Allen White became the first KU alumnus to win a Pulitzer Prize. It was awarded to him for his Emporia Gazette editorial “To An Anxious Friend”. In that editorial, White defended free speech.[13] The School of Business was created in 1924. The first campus union was built on in 1926 as a campus community center.[14] On February 18, 1930, future KU alumnus Clyde Tombaugh said he discovered the planet Pluto.[15] Later in 1930, present-day Snow Hall was completed and dedicated. It replaced the old, broken building. In 1932, one of KU's most famous football and wrestling stars, Pete Mehringer, qualified for the 1932 Olympics.

A major civil rights decision came on August 8, 1938. Under severe pressure from Kansas Governor Walter Huxman and several civil rights leaders, the Kansas Board of Regents voted to stop rules which had stopped black students from completing their education at the KU School of Medicine.[10] The current chancellor's residence was finished in 1939. It was known as "The Outlook". The residence was able to be built because of Elizabeth Watkins.[10] Danforth Chapel was officially dedicated in April 1946.

In January 1946, the University of Kansas Press was created. The publishing house later joined with other universities in Kansas. It became the statewide University Press of Kansas.

1950s–1970s[change | change source]

To honor the 276 KU men and women who died in World War II, the Memorial Carillon and Campanile were dedicated on May 27, 1951.[16] In 1954, the debate team won their first National Debate Tournament.[17] Allen Fieldhouse was dedicated on March 1, 1955. The KU basketball team would win its only home game of the season on the same night.[10] In 1968, former senator Robert F. Kennedy had presidential nomination speeches at both KU and K-State.[10]

In early 1970, a firebomb exploded throughout the Kansas Union. It caused almost $1 million in damage.[10] The School of Nursing was created in 1974 as a joint and co-equal unit of the KU Medical Center.[10] The debate team had more success throughout the 1970s. They won the National Debate Tournament in 1970 and 1976.[17] On February 21, 1978 former U.S. President Gerald Ford dedicated the new KU School of Law, Green Hall.[10]

1980s-1990s[change | change source]

In 1983, the debate team won the National Debate Tournament for the fourth time.[17] KU dedicated its Vietnam Memorial in 1986. It was the first university in the United States to build a monument like that. On June 15, 1991, lightning hit Hoch Auditorium. This created a fire which destroyed the building in less than an hour.[18]

In 1993, the KU Edwards Campus was created in Overland Park, Kansas. It was created in order to provide adults with a chance to get college degrees and to get better education.[19] The Edwards campus started providing programs developmental psychology, public administration, social work, systems analysis, engineering management and design.

2000s to present[change | change source]

The football team, led by coach Mark Mangino, won the 2008 Orange Bowl. They finished the season 12–1. In 2009, the debate team won the National Debate Tournament for the fifth time in KU's history.[17] Also in 2009, Bernadette Gray-Little became the first woman and African American to be the chancellor at the university.[20][21] Gray-Little retired on June 30, 2017.[22]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Griffin, C.S. "The University of Kansas and the Years of Frustration, 1854–64". Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  2. ↑ Copy of the Laws of Kansas Territory: "An Act to incorporate and provide for the institution and support of a University in Kansas Territory", U.S. Congress, 1855, p. 781
  3. ↑ Lawrence, William (1888). Life of Amos A. Lawrence: With Extracts From His Diary and Correspondence. Boston, Houghton, Mifflin and Company. p. 115.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Connelley, William (1918). A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans. Archived from the original on 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  5. ↑ "This Week in KU History". Archived from the original on 2012-11-30. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History". Archived from the original on 2012-08-19.
  7. ↑ "KU Info: When Was KU Founded?". Archived from the original on 2014-04-22. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
  8. ↑ "KU150". Archived from the original on 2014-05-03. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "The Chant" (English). Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 "This Week in KU History" (English). Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  11. ↑ "The Campus on Mount Oread". kancoll.org. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  12. ↑ "Memorial Stadium Facts". Archived from the original on 2011-06-23. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  13. ↑ "William Allen White Biography". journalism.ku.edu. Archived from the original on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  14. ↑ KU Memorial Unions Corporation website, http://union.ku.edu/.
  15. ↑ "Clyde Tombaugh Biography". Archived from the original (English) on 2010-11-27. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  16. ↑ "World War II Memorial Carillon and Campanile". carillon.ku.edu. Archived from the original on 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 "NDT Winners". groups.wfu.edu. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  18. ↑ "Fahrenheit 53,000" (English). Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  19. ↑ "About KU Edwards Campus". Archived from the original on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2006-09-29.
  20. ↑ "Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little" (English). Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  21. ↑ "Board of Regents makes historic selection for KU chancellor; welcome event on Saturday". Archived from the original (English) on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  22. ↑ "Chancellor Gray-Little to step down in summer 2017 | The University of Kansas". News.ku.edu. 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2017-07-01.

Other websites[change | change source]

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