Repository: UIHistories Project: Reference Folder - 1949 [PAGE 21]

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Page 19 The University of Illinois is one of a dls- HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY tinguished group of universities which came into existence in the late l860fs because the American people demanded that higher education should be available to more than a favored few* liie movement grew out of Illinois itself, with Jonathan Baldwin Turner of Jacksonville a leader. In 1862 President Abraham Lincoln, coming from Illinois, signed the farseeing nLand Grant College Act" providing support for establishment of such colleges. The University opened March 2, 1868, with three faculty members and 50 students. It has grown to an institution with the many units listed on page 3, staff of 8j700 indicated on page 4, enrollment of 28,592 shown on page 6, and $72,102,425 plant indicated on page 8. To the original campus at Urbana-Champaign was added in 1896 the first of the Chicago professional units. Undergraduate Divisions at Chicago and Galesburg were established in 1946, and that at Galesburg closed in 1949 when need for it had passed. But much as the University has grown in sizey it has grown more in concept and activities. The kind of university Illinois represents today was unknown when it opened in 1868. There were distinguished faculties, and large student bodies, though nonexistent, were not inconceivable. But there were no such gigantic laboratories as are on the Illinois campus today, in which scholars turn the light of science on many problems. Many of these are indicated by "firsts" on page 18. In addition, the University pioneered in study of reinforced concrete, I-beams, railway and highway problems, bridge design, materials testing, ceramics, improved methods of feeding beef cattle, control of animal diseases, soybeans, corn improvement, farm accounting and records, and many other things. Equally important is the use the University makes of this knowledge. Not only does it teach in the classrooms and laboratories, but its radio and publication services, extension specialists and teachers go into every county of the state to bring information to the people, to meet their needs and interests. This pattern of teaching, research, and service Is a new and American contribution to the idea of a university. Executive heads of the University have been; John Milton Gregory, regent, 1867-1880; Selim Hobart Peabody, regent pro tempore, 18801881; regent, 1881-1891; Thomas Jonathan Burrill, acting regent, 18911894; Andrew Sloan Draper, president, 1894-1904; Edmund Janes James, president, 1904-1920; David Kinley, acting president, 1919*1920, president, 192O-I93O; Harry Woodburn Chase, president, 1930-1933; Arthur Hill Daniels, acting president, 1933-1934; Arthur Cutts Willard, president, 1934-1946; George D* Stoddard, president, since July, 1946. The third annual festival at the University will be Feb. 26-March 30, 1950* Theme will be "Art in Mid-century." Purpose of the festival is to show relationships of the contemporary arts to each other and the times, and to acquaint students and the, public of the Mid-West with them. Represented will be art, architecture, landscape architecture, theater, motion pictures, literature, printing, dance, and music. It will Includes third annual National Exhibition of Contemporary Painting; winning compositions in National Competition for Contemporary Composers. FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS