Repository: UIHistories Project: Magazine - Illinois Magazine Selections #4 (1917) [PAGE 4]

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nil-; ILLINOIS MM Universil The Ah bra clai 01 V] il »0 evolved the youi instructor into an tantprofes »r of Natural Histoi I a Botany three months lain-. At the set. there were only tour instructor •hiding the regent, so that this distincth advancement is in part picturesqiu Assistant Prof or Burrill taught class. almost all f the day and when he found a little spare time from class work he would plant trees about campus. This he conidered as recreation. In fact, Dr. Burrill was kept so very busy that one account of University management at thai time tit to comment upon it; "lest a remnant of vas his time should he unoccupied, he charged by the board with the sale of a pair of mules whose labors on the South Farm showed that they were not able to land the strenuous life as he was." The faculty of the University was increased to six men by 1871 and in this ame year Dr. Burrill was advanced to the profe orship of Botany and Horticulture, In 1873, in adition to his work as a proor of Botany, he undertook the duties corresponding secretary to the board of tru tees, a position which he held until the pring oi 1894. Th year 1878 marks two further advancements for the erstwhile instructor of mathematics. By appointment, Profess:>r Burrill became the dean of the College of Science and later that year he became the acting regent of the University. With the election of the new regent, Dr. Burrill reumed his old duties, but again in LS80 he was called to act as regent. At this time there were grave doubts as to the future of the University, but the acting regent who had known University affairs intimately from the very beginning soon calmed the prevalent fears. In 1891, poor management again brought about a similar state of affairs, causing great consternation, and at the resignation of the regent, Professor Burrill was called once

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The I. ri.slaiui n, r) t ap riationa and in the ; n new addition h | b < tlle, ult Apparently th g) p fulness n led I I I pen ,y an~ perienced administi | the ,iver sity would b admitl < to the highwa ,f tfivat 1 unn rsiti< ' A ing regent urrill took tin ive step ei ly in September, 1S!)1, and over! hi \ the .'mas and the administration polici which had been holding the University in che:k. The course of study \\ replanned, and strangely enough, the new course was not substantially different from the one Unnois has today. Profes r Burrill' program included such measures i : thereadmission of the Creek letter fraternitie which had been driven out some year- before; the reorganization of the department of Military so that it conformed to the work of the department today; the establishment of a law school; a summer school; the establishment of a medical hool;and the appointment of a director of athletics. This enumeration show how great the needs of the institution were and how necessary it must have been to havt i man of ex a m l fuk,lit v i n c h a r g e f th l>erience ° * execution of the pi gram. The University of Illinois was fortunate in having had Dr. Burrill at this time when good judgment in meeting responsibility was necessary and when wisdom in action counted infinitely. Dv. Burrill remained acting regent until 1 '1. when the title o the office was changed to that o( presides and Dr. Draper elected to fill the chair. 1 is due lo Professor Burrill himself that he ! was never regent of the University, ause he refused the regency when it wa offered to him by the trustees. Following 1894, Dr. Burrill devoted himse" entirely to scientific research in plant h u ,,r . s '-a was the first to sugg( 3 that the < ai e s e m pi.. in i s and trees > caused bj

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