The distinguished historian Winton U. Solberg presents a detailed case study of one institution's transformation into a modern American university. The years 1894 to 1904 mark the stormy tenure of Andrew S. Draper as president of the University of Illinois. Draper, a successful superintendent of schools with no college or university experience and no credentials as a post-secondary administrator, presided over many crucial improvements in the university's physical plant, curricula, and other areas. However, he failed to infuse the university with a spirit of cohesion, and his term as president was fraught with conflict. From his inauguration on, the autocratic Draper collided with deans and faculty who opposed both the substance of his changes and the manner in which he presented and implemented them. This volume closely examines the Draper years from the perspectives of faculty, students, and administrators. Solberg outlines the administrative, faculty, staff, and physical infrastructure. He also reveals a vibrant and varied student life, including a whirl of social activities, literary societies, intercollegiate debate and athletics, hazing, religion, and increasingly prominent fraternities. A sharply delineated and detailed picture of a university in transition, The University of Illinois, 1894-1904 traces the school's shift from an institution known primarily as a training ground for engineers to a full-fledged university poised to compete on the national level.

Excerpt from The Alumni Record of the University of Illinois, Chicago Departments, 1921: Colleges of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Pharmacy Several years ago the University undertook the publication of a record of its alumni of the departments at urbana-champaign. Since the College of Medicine, the College of Dentistry, and the School of Pharmacy became integral parts of the University a few years ago, it seemed desirable to publish a similar record of the graduates of these divisions of the University. It seemed further advisable to include their graduates of the periods prior to the times of affiliation with the University of Illinois. We regard them all as alumni of the University. The reasons for publishing such a record are several. In the first place, it is a convenient presentation of the names, work, and addresses of the men and women who through the years have received their education at the University. Every one of these graduates is interested not only in the University but in other graduates and welcomes such a source of information about them. In the second place, such a book enables the officers of the University to keep informed as to the careers of its graduates and to keep in touch with them, both in their own interest and in the interest of the University. I take great pleasure, therefore, as this book is issued; in calling it to the attention of the Medical, Dental, and Pharmacal alumni and urging each of them to secure a copy. It will stimulate his interest in the University; it will recall old associations; it will inspire him to do something more for the cause of medical education. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.