|
F4 The Butler Era at Columbia Timeline, 1902-1945 1902 -- February -- Nicholas Murray Butler (NMB) elected 12th President of Columbia University; the third youngest incumbent at 40; April 12 inauguration attended by President Theodore Roosevelt 1903 -- Tentative agreement between publisher Joseph Pulitzer and Columbia University to establish a journalism school with a $1,000,000 gift from Pulitzer; agreement stalled by Pulitzer deciding against proceeding "till after my death." October 1 -- Trustees purchased land between Broadway and Amsterdam and 116th and 114th Streets ("South Field") for $2,000,000. Would become site of College buildings and School of Journalism; still later, Butler Library 1904 -- Olivia and Caroline Phelps Dodge pledge $200,000 for the construction of St. Paul's Chapel; building completed in 1906 Ground broken for two undergraduate dormitories, Hartley and Livingston Halls, on east side of newly acquired South Field Mining magnate Adolph Lewisohn offered $250,000 for a School of Mines Building (now Lewisohn) on condition that University use his architect, Arnold W. Brummer. College of Pharmacy affiliated with Columbia; retain own trustees as per Teachers College and Barnard arrangements 1905 -- NMB changes selection process of deans of Columbia's various faculties from elected by faculty to appointed by Trustees on the advice of the President September 27 -- The cornerstone of Hamilton Hall, future home of Columbia College, was laid. Costs covered by $500,000 anonymous gift (financier John Stewart Kennedy) December -- Trustees discontinue student-run intercollegiate football, following several financial and eligibility scandals. Discontinuance until 1915. 1906 -- At urging of NMB and with funding from James Speyer, Columbia Trustees establish Theodore Roosevelt Exchange Professor with the University of Berlin and welcome establishment by the Prussian government of the Kaiser Wilhelm Exchange Professorship with Columbia University John W. Burgess appointed first Roosevelt Exchange Professor for 1906-1907 Faculty of Fine Arts -- encompassing Architecture, Design, and Music -- established as a separate Columbia faculty (eliminated in 1912?) 1907 -- February -- Hamilton Hall opened as home of Columbia College Spring -- NMB, widowed since 1905, married Miss Kate LaMontague, a Catholic 1908 -- July -- Trustees agree to have alumni elect six members of the Board of Trustees to staggered 6-year terms; Alumni Bureau organized, with Rudolph Tombo as Alumni Director 1909 -- January 19 -- Columbia announces plans to create a Forestry School April 24 -- Alumni elect their first Alumni Trustee, Benjamin B. Lawrence (School of Mines, 1878) -- Administrative office of Dean of Graduate Faculties established; Deans of all non-professional faculties (Political Science, Philosophy, Pure Science and Columbia College) made subordinate to it. John W. Burgess appointed first Dean of Graduate Faculties October 4 -- Cornerstone of Kent Hall laid; to be the home of the Law School and Faculty of Political Science (Opened October 29, 1910) November 7 -- Donor of $500,000 to build Hamilton Hall, John S. Kennedy, leaves another $2,250,000 in his will to Columbia 1910 -- February 8 -- Secretary of the University Frederick P. Keppel (CC '1899) becomes 2nd Dean of Columbia College, upon retirement of John Van Amringe (CC '1860) June 9 -- Columbia establishes a two-year course in optometry
July -- Trustees suspend Preofessor Harry T. Peck after he became involved in a paternity suit; later unuccessfully sues NMB for slander -- Professor of Psychology James McKeen Cattell publicly criticizes Columbia Trustees for their salary policies with respect to junior faculty July 11 -- Cornerstone of Philosophy Hall laid University buys land east of Amsterdam Avenue between 116th and 117th Street ("East Campus"), with much of the funding provided by William Vanderbilt; land considered likely future location for the Medical School (until it moved from 59th Street to 168th Street in 1925). -- Trustees vote to involuntarily retire Cattell; decision stayed by expressions of faculty support for Cattell December 28 -- University signs agreement with Presbyterian Hospital to plan new teaching hospital to be staffed by P & S physicians; plan in accord with recommendations of the Flexner Report (1908) and underwritten with $1,300.000 from Edward L. Harkness 1911 -- Avery and Philosophy Halls completed and opened for occupancy; Construction of President's House (Morningside Drive and 116th Street) begun July -- October Trustees fire English Professor Joel Spingarn for his verbal attack on NMB in protesting Peck's suspension. Joseph Pulitzer dies, releasing $1,000,000 to construct a School of Journalism at Columbia 1912 -- Trustees approve creation of a School of Journalism and appoint School's first two professors, using supplemented funds ($2,000,000) provided by Joseph Pulitzer estate; school initially open to applicants without college experience, but not to women. May 7 -- The administrative position of "Provost" reintroduced; responsibilities do not encroach on those of Dean of Graduate Faculties; akin to to that of Assistant President; Professor William H. Carpenter appointed as Columbia's second Provost [John Mason the first, 1811-1816]. July 1 -- Dean of Graduate Faculties John W. Burgess retired; succeeded by Philosophy Professor Frederick J.T.E. Woodbridge (1912- 1929?). July 2 -- Cornerstone of Journalism Building laid Corporate name changed by order of the New York Supreme Court to "The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York" 1913 -- January 7 -- Maison Francais opened; intended to cultivate Franco-American cultural relations February 4 -- Queen Wilhelmina Lectureship established; intended to strengthen University ties with the Netherlands June 7 -- University establishes a faculty exchange program with Austrian universities Schools of Mines, Engineering and Chemistry become graduate schools, limiting admission to students with at least three years of collegiate study Associate Professor of Politics Charles A. Beard publishes An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution, in which he stresses the economic motives of the Founding Fathers; book roundly criticized for its imputed anti-patriotism 1914 -- April 7 -- Fine Arts Faculty abolished; CU link with National Academy of Design terminated June -- Statue of Thomas Jefferson unveiled between Journalism and Furnald Hall; a pedant to statue of Alexander Hamilton between Hamilton and Hartley Hall August -- War breaks out in Europe, pitting Britain, France and Russia (The Allies) against Germany and Austro-Hungary; President Wilson calls upon Americans to be "impartial in thought as well as in deed" September -- NMB critical of militarism; blames war on "kings and cabinets" and urges US to stay out of it. October 10 -- University Hall, located behind Low Library, burned to the ground. October 25 - A Navy post-graduate program opens in the Engineering School 1915 -- February -- Columbia College Dean Frederick Keppel opposed plans to use nation's campuses for student military training March 24 --Collegiate Common Sense League formed at Columbia to oppose militarism March 26 -- Faculty Committee reports to NMB on "the Chinese problem in the University." Committee sympathetic to problems of Chinese and Japanese students encounter as undergraduates; propose changes in the language requirements to permit Chinese as an ancient language and Japanese as a modern language. Report lists 17 Japanese and 51 Chinese studying at the University in 1914-1915. Professor Emeritus John W. Burgess defends German actions against criticisms from pro-Allied commentators May -- Following Gernam sinking of the Lusitania, Professor of Sociology Franklin H. Giddings denounced US neutrality and urged support of Allies in their war against Germany. May 12 -- A senior honor society, Sachems, founded. June 8 -- Plan announced to build a medical campus at 168th Street; to be site of new Presbyterian Hospital and P & S. September
-- Columbia renews its football program after a decade when it did not
permit students to field an intercollegiate team; sport now under direct
control of a faculty committee
November 21 -- Columbia College Dean Keppel advocates use of moving pictures and phonograph as instructional aids 1916 -- January 22 -- Professor of Philosophy John Dewey reconsiders his earlier neutrality stance in the pages of the increasingly interventionist New Republic School of Business established; to provide two years of collegiate-level instruction April -- Trustee Committee on Education interrogates Professor Charles A. Beard on his presence at a meeting of community organizers at which "To Hell with Flag" uttered; Beard satisfied Trustees that his involvement misreported 1917 -- January -- Professor James McKeen Cattell sent leters to 28 members of the Columbia Faculty Club questioning NMB's competence; Cattell was persuaded by faculty colleagues to apologize but then withdrew his apology upon its being publicized. January -- Professor of History Carlton Hayes denounced military training on campuses January 17 -- Columbia professors E. L. Thorndike, Robert L. Schuyler and James Harvey Robinson call for US to break diplomatic ties with Germany February 6 -- Following resumption by Germany of unrestricted submarine warfare, NMB declares himself in favor of US intervention February 13 -- NMB telegraphs President Wilson of Columbia's readiness to support military intervention February 17 -- NMB defends right of Professor David Muzzey to express anti-militarist views March -- German-born Professor of Anthropology Franz Boas criticized by some students and alumni for statements to his classes viewed as supportive of German cause March 6 -- Faculty adopt resolution to inquire into whether some faculty are propagating undemocratic doctrines April 6 -- Congress declares war on Germany May 6 -- Farewell service on campus for 200 students and alumni going into national service May -- Professor Henry Wadsworth Dana participates in a public anti-militarist meeting; later refuses to disavow the anti-war sentiments of the meeting June 6 -- NMB uses occasion of addressing alumni at Columbia Commencement to declare that public opposition to the war from faculty would henceforth be considered grounds for dismissal; "what had been wrongheadedness was now sedition." June -- Professor Cattell's son arrested for anti-war activities; Cattell publicly defended his son's actions; NMB took this to violate his Commencement statement and convenes a faculty-administrative committee ["Committee of Nine"] to consider Cattell's and Dana's dismissal. Special Trustee Committee also investigating these cases. August -- Columbia College Dean Keppel takes leave for war work in Washington; Mathematics Professor Herbert Hawkes appointed acting dean September 16 -- Columbia reports that 200 of its faculty enlisted for war service September 24 -- Trustee Francis S. Bangs declares "the power of the Trustees to regulate the affairs of the University is absolute." September -- President Wilson convened a group of academics ["The Inquiry"] to consider post-war challenges and propose solutions to assure a permanent restoration of peace; Columbia faculty, conspicuously Professor James T. Shotwell, and several Columbia PhDs figure prominently in its activities during war and later at Versailles. September 25 -- A majority of Committee of Nine, including its chair E.R.A. Seligman (but not John Dewey), recommend the dismissal of Cattell and Dana. September 29 -- Professor of Anthroplogy Franz Boas wrote to NMB in defense of Cattell as "his services to science are so eminent." October 1 -- Trustees vote to dismiss Cattell and Dana; deny Cattell his pension October 4 -- Professors Beard, Dewey and Robinson reported in Evening Post to have opposed firings in remarks to their classes on opening day of the term. October 8 -- Professor Charles A. Beard resigns from Columbia to protest the dismissal of Cattell and Dana; reminds Trustees of his support of American entry into war. October 14 -- Peithologian Society protests firings of Catell and Dana; lament the resignation of Beard. October 22 -- Columbia graduate Randolph Bourne (CC 1909), in "Twilight of Idols" published in The Seven Arts, expresses his disillusionment with Dewey and other academics who had come to support American intervention into the war. December -- Professor of History James Harvey Robinson resigns his Columbia position to join his friend Charles A. Beard at the New Republic; in 1918 Robinson and Beard help found the New School for Social Research, where John Dewey taught for two years on leave from Columbia and H.W. Dana found permanent academic employment December 4 -- Barnard Assistant Professor of Economics Henry R. Mussey resigns from Barnard faculty in protest against Columbia policies censuring critics of the war 1918 -- January -- Deutsche Haus, previously home of German Department, given over to faculty wives for war-relief activities; later renamed Columbia House. Inscription in German on School of Mines building removed. February 13 -- Military training to be compulsory for all Columbia undergraduuates in the Fall March -- NMB estimates that 10,000 Columbia alumni in war service April 22 -- Officer Training Corps established at Columbia May 8 -- Dean Keppel resigns as head of Columbia College; Herbert Hawkes appointed College's 3rd Dean September -- Branch of the Student Army Training Corps (SATC) established at Columbia; South Field illuminated to permit night time drilling; "War Issues" course made a required part of the undergraduate curriculum November 11 -- Armistice signed ending the war with Germany's accepting "unconditional defeat." 1919 -- January 20 -- College faculty vote to replace the heretofore required Philosophy A and History A with a year-long course in "Contemporary Civilization." Would also displace the "War Issues" course taught in 1918. January 21 -- Director of Admission Adam Leroy Jones announces introduction of the use of psychological tests in admissions. Test is a variation of the Thorndike test used to test military recruits. 1920 -- January 11 -- Contemporary Civilizations course made compulsory for all freshmen. September -- John Erskine's General Honors Course offered for first time; a two year course for juniors and seniors; not prescribed and closed to freshmen. Continues course until his resignation in 1929. Two instructors; 25-30 students 1921 -- April 3 -- Columbia Registrar reports that only 40% of students from NYC; College making concerted effort to limit percentage of graduates of New York City public schools, of whom a majority are Jews. May 21 -- University discusses plans for an athletic stadium to be built at 218th Street June 2 – NMB declares that Columbia College hereafter in search of quality, not numbers; indicates intention to consider "social factors" in admissions process 1922 -- March 12 -- Columbia's claim to being country's largest university challenged by University of California June 4 -- George F. Baker gives $700,000 to buy land above Dyckman Avenue on northern tip of Manhattan for athletic fields and football stadium. Columbia now playing a national schedule in football. 1923 -- January 23 -- Columbia charged by Jewish group with discriminating against Jews in admissions to the College. Construction underway for School of Business building (now Dodge Hall); also to house University Extension and McMillan Theater; completed in 1924 1924 -- January 16 -- Columbia College Dean Hawkes acknowledges policy of limiting College enrollments based on social characteristics has been in effect for some time April -- H.W. Jervey replaces Harlan Stone as Dean of Law School upon Stone's resignation; Stone shortly thereafter appointed to the Supreme Court April 3 -- The presence of a Negro student, F.W. Wells, in Furnald Hall, prompts student protest; Ku Klux Klan involvement suspected 1925 January 31 -- Ground broken on main campus for Johnson Hall (now Wien), Columbia's first dormitory for graduate women Baker Field Stadium completed on upper tip of Manhattan on land given by George F. Baker in 1922. Cornerstone of Chandler Hall laid, located north of Mathematics Hall on northwest corner of Broadway and 120th Street. To serve the Chemistry Department. Construction begun on John Jay Hall, a men's dormitory on the southeast corner of Amsterdam and 116th Street. 1926 -- Construction underway for Casa Italiana, located across Amsterdam Avenue from the apse of St. Paul's Chapel. Plan endorsed by Italian premier Benito Mussolini. 1927 1928 1929 -- Columbia Trustees sign 30-year lease of 17-acre “Upper Estate” [47th to 51st St.} to Rockefeller family for construction of Rockefeller Center; annual rent to Columbia to be $3 Million September -- 2nd year of CC ("B") introduced as requirement for sophomores October
29 -- Collapse of the stock market marks onset of world-wide economic
depression 1931 1932 -- April 1 -- Columbia Spectator editor Reed Harris expelled by College Dean Hawles for his critical coverage of Columbia dining room employment policies; Columbia College's elected Student Board of Representatives backs Hawkes. April 4 -- 2000 NYC students protest Harris expulsion on Columbia campus. Protest organized by the National Student League, whose head was Robert Hall, another Columbia student. April 6 -- One-day strike to protest Harris expulsion results in 75% drop in class attendance; some minor schuffling between Harris supporters and anti-Harris "Spartans" April 20 -- University rescinds its expulsion of Harris in return for his agreeing to resign. Harris died in 1982 without ever receiving his Columbia degree. May -- Chairman of the Board of Trustees William Barclay Parsons died; had been Chair since 1918, a Trustee since 1897 October
-- NMB shares Nobel Peace Prize with Jane Addams for his work to achieve
world peace in his capacity as head of the Carnegie Endowment for Peace.
1932 November
8 -- Franklin D. Roosevelt (attended CU Law) defeats incumbent Herbert
Hoover for the presidency 1933 -- January 13 -- F. J. Coykendall elected Chairman of Board of Trustees March 4 -- President Roosevelt inaugurated; launches "100 Days" of emergency legislation; several of his "Brains Trust" advisers were Columbians May 17 -- NMB declares era of "large-scale philanthropy" at an end July 4 -- Lease of Rockefeller Center extended to 1962 November -- Campus hosts Conference Against War 1934 -- James Wechsler (CC 1935) elected editor of Columbia Spectator April 13 --First National Student Strike Against War attracts 25,000 NYC students, with a sizable representation of Columbia students 1935 -- April --Second annual call for a student strike as expression of anti-war sentiment; NMB opposes such a strike; medical school expels six student anti-war activists. 1936 -- April -- 3rd annual student strike protest drew crowd of 5000 to Broadway and 120th Street to watch 2000-strong parade of anti-war Columbia and Barnard students. Barnard women dressed as widows of Future Wars. 300 CU, BC, TC, UTS, JTS students take Oxford Pledge May -- American Student Union protests University's acceptance of invitation to attend the 550th anniversary of the University of Heidelberg October 27 -- Blue Shirts organized by some undergraduates to combat radicalism 1937 -- April 2 -- Senior faculty honor NMB on his 75th birthday and 35th year as president. April 19 -- NMB opposes President Roosevelt's plan to expand the Supreme Court September -- Humanities A (Literature Humanities) requirement begins; Humanities B (music and fine arts) begins as optional sequence November 2 -- University Secretary Frank Fackenthal (CC 1906) named University Provost; assumes most day-to-day responsibilities for running the University 1938 -- May 18 -- NMB seeks $50 Million fund from alumni 1939 1940 -- October -- NMB urges faculty who disagree with University's view on the war and national preparedness to consider resigning. Secret research supported by US military underway at Columbia; beginnings of “Manhattan Project,” which led to the successful construction of a nuclear bomb 1941 -- March 10 -- NMB assails US aloofness from the war. September – CC-A adopts primary sources as basis for year-long course December 7 -- President Roosevelt declares war on Japan following attack on Pearl Harbor; declaration of war against Germany follows directly 1942 -- March 28 -- Navy to use two Columbia buildings for housing and training Naval officer recruits June 11 -- NMB gets honorary degree from Fordham University 1943 -- November 2 -- Professor of History Harry Carman named 4th Dean of Columbia College (to 1950); succeeds retiring Herbert Hawkes who was Dean for 34 years 1944 1945 February 6 -- IBM creates Computing Laboratory on Columbia campus April 1 -- NMB celebrates his 83rd birthday April 23 – NMB announces plans to resign the presidency of Columbia University in October; held office for 44 years May 8 -- V-E Day -- Following Hitler's death, the German provisional government surrenders; marks the end of fighting in Europe August 15 -- V-J Day -- Following the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese government surrenders; marks the end to Worl War Two. August 30 -- Maintenance workers, led by Mike Quill, hold a one-day strike to claim right to organize into a collective bargaining unit; right to do so conceded by the University October 2 -- Provost Frank Fackenthal named Acting President upon Butler's retiring from the presidency.
Last revised: September 27, 2003 For comments, ram31@columbia.edu Can be continued on F5 Columbia in the "American century," 1945-1965
|