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Caption: Book - Early History of University (1916)
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HISTORICAL SKETCH XV was to be " the grandest university on the American continent.' T He accepted the election and become the first Regent, of what was then the Illinois Industrial University, serving as its executive head from April 1, 1867, a year before the institution was formally opened, until 1880. John Milton Gregory was born at Sand Lake, New York, July 6, 1822. He was a graduate of Union College, and a pupil of Eliphalet Nott, one of the greatest educators of his day. He studied law from 1836 to 1848, and later, after some time spent in the study of theology, he entered the Baptist ministry. For a time he taught in a secondary school in Michigan, and in 1858 was elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction of that state. H e held this position until 1863, when he was elected to the presidency of Kalamazoo College. After serving this College four years, he entered upon the duties of Regent of the University. Br. Gregory was a man of high ideals and broad sympathies, with great vigor and considerable oratorical ability and his general plan of university organization has continued to the present day. His personal influence upon the student body was marked. His vision of what an institution such as a State University should be was far reaching. During the year following his election to the regency, and previous to the opening of the University, not only were the plans for the institution pushed forward at the seat of the proposed university, but Dr. Gregory also travelled the state, seeking to interest young men everywhere in securing a higher education. Many of the addresses which he made were delivered from the rear end of a farmer's wagon a t ' a county fair. To many young men who afterwards eame to the University and who have since been of great value to their state, the appeal came from the lips of this college president on some such occasion.1 Ong of the first great tasks of Dr. Gregory was to prepare an outline of the general aims of the new university, and a course of study. This he did, as chairman of a committee appointed by the Board. The following departments and courses of study were suggested to be developed as soon as practicable. The Agricultural Department, embracing— 1. The course in Agriculture proper 2. The course in Horticulture and Landscape Gardening I I . The Polytechnic Department, embracing— 1. The course in Mechanical Science and Art 2. The course in Civil Engineering 3. The course in Mining and Metallurgy 4. The course in Architecture and Fine Arts I I I . The Military Department, embracing— 1. The course in Military Engineering 2. The course in Tactics IV. The Department of Chemistry and Natural Science V. The Department of Trade and Commerce VI. The Department of General Science and Literature, embracing— 1. The course in Mathematics 2. The course in National History, Chemistry, etc. p. 5. Alumni Quarterly, V. IV, Makers of the University, by Henry Mahan Beardsley, '79, . I.
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