Presidents of the University
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In 1820, James Monroe had been re-elected President of the United States. His opponents had included John Quincy Adams, son of the second President, who became Monroe's Secretary of State. A year later, in order to assume the presidency of Columbian College, the Rev. William Staughton resigned as Pastor of the Samson Street Baptist Church in Philadelphia and, at the request of the Board of Trustees, familiarized himself with European educational methods. His tenure as President saw the founding of the law school, the departments of classics, medicine and theology, and a preparatory school. The first Columbian College commencement, held in 1824, included among its guests President Monroe, members of his cabinet, members of the Senate, House and Supreme Court, and the Marquis de Lafayette. The Columbian College was located on "College Hill" an area of land bordering Florida Avenue and 14th and 15th Streets. |
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Andrew Jackson, in the election of 1828, succeeded John Quincy Adams as President of the United States, the first chief executive to move from humble beginnings to the White House. Stephen Chapin, formerly a professor of theology at Waterville College (now Colby College) in Maine, arrived at Columbian College that same year to begin thirteen years of ceaseless struggle--most of it financial rather than intellectual. Under his administration, the first Master of Arts degrees were awarded and an Act of Congress conferred on the school a federal grant of $25,000 in city lots. At the very end of Chapin's tenure, Columbian College was free of debt. |
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Martin Van Buren's first term as President of the United States had been severely damaged by the financial panic of 1837, and he failed in his 1840 bid for re-election. The new President, William Henry Harrison, had garnered some of his public appeal by portraying himself as a humble farmer (in reality, he was the wealthy owner of 2,000 acres of land). Joel Smith Bacon came to Columbian College from Hamilton College three years after Harrison's election. He oversaw the transition as the College's Department of Medicine moved to the old jail in Judiciary Square and became the National Medical College, one of the nation's first teaching hospitals. Other innovations included a program in natural science leading to the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy, the college's first alumni association, and the awarding of the first Doctor of Laws degree. |
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Three years after the election of Franklin Pierce, the issue of slavery was very much on the American mind. Indeed, Pierce's victory over Winfield Scott in the election of 1852 was attributed, by the New York Herald, to fear of Scott's anti-slavery views and the risks they posed for the Union itself. Joseph Getchell Binney's experience as a missionary in India, where he had founded a seminary for the training of native ministers, resulted in a brief presidency at Columbian College. In 1855 the Columbian College awarded the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and the Bachelor of Philosophy. German was also added to the curriculum. He resigned in 1858 in order to begin missionary work in Burma--but died at sea during the voyage and was buried in the Indian Ocean. |
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Two days after James Buchanan's inauguration in 1857, the Dred Scott decision was handed down by the Supreme Court. For the abolitionists of the North, it was a stimulus to still stronger efforts in the battle against slavery. In the mid-term elections of 1858, the badly split Democrats suffered a resounding defeat and the way was clear for the emergence of the Republicans under Lincoln. To the Rev. George Whitefield Samson, formerly Pastor of the E Street Baptist Church, fell the difficult task of guiding Columbian College through the Civil War. In 1861, many students left, most of them heading back to their homes in the South. College exercises were continued for the few remaining students. An executive order from President Lincoln caused the campus to be occupied by the government for war-related hospital purposes (the College was fully reimbursed after the war). By 1867, Samson had overseen the restoration of the school to its former status, and a total of 419 students were in residence. The Medical College now shared the College of Law Building on Fifth Street, while a new building donated by W. W. Corcoran made it possible to introduce an "Advanced Course" for the Master of Arts degree. |
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The scandal-ridden presidency of Ulysses S. Grant (he was elected to a second term in 1872) had caused a good deal of national demoralization when Dr. James Clarke Welling, former president of St. John's College in Maryland and former holder of the Chair of Belles Lettres at Princeton University, began his distinguished tenure at Columbian College--soon to be known, following an Act of Congress in 1873, as Columbian University. He was the first layman to hold the position of president. In the course of his administration, the school moved from the outskirts of Washington to a midtown location, and all of its departments were moved to newly erected buildings at fifteenth and H Streets. During his tenure, the Board of Trustees became a self-perpetuating body, the National College of Pharmacy was chartered, the Medical School became a three year program, the Dental School was established, the National Veterinary College was organized, and the Corcoran Scientific School was established. In 1888, the first female students entered Columbian University, and in 1892 the School of Graduate Studies was created. |
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Formerly the president of Colby College in Maine, Benaiah L. Whitman arrived at Columbian University in the year that William McKinley defeated William Jennings Bryan in the race for the presidency of the United States. During his term, the University Extension Program was established, library science added to the curriculum, a new law school building erected, and training of nurses begun at the University's new hospital--whose new female superintendent was also the first woman to appear on the official faculty list. President McKinley and his cabinet attended the opening of the School of Comparative Jurisprudence and Diplomacy. |
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When Dr. Charles Willis Needham, a Baptist layman and dean of the law school, assumed the presidency of Columbian University, the unexpected President of the United States was Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt had been sworn in on September 14, 1901, following the assassination of President McKinley, and had brought into Washington a surge of energy whose only precedent may have been that experience under Andrew Jackson. Needham's presidency was also a time of remarkable and lasting accomplishments. In 1904, Congress authorized a change in the name of the school from Columbian University to The George Washington University (the new seal and flag of the school were displayed in 1905, at the first convocation following the change). The institution's new charter also permitted it to organize colleges. Thus the National College of Pharmacy, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the College of Engineering and Mechanical Arts became part of the University. Although endowed with a new name, expansion of schools and courses, combined with the costs of construction and maintenance created a heavy economic burden upon the University. |
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University President Charles H. Stockton provided the guidance to weather the financial stress, reorganizing the University in 1911 to reduce expenditures and selling property to increase revenue. Through the urging of Dr. Stockton, the Department of Arts and Sciences was moved in 1912 to 2023 G Street, the area that George Washington himself had selected as the site for "his" University. Foggy Bottom was established as the new central location.
President Stockton's credentials could not have been better for the challenges that would confront the University. He had served as dean of the law school and as Acting President before his appointment to the presidency. But Stockton's most significant qualification for guiding the University during World War I was his status as a retired Rear Admiral. As the United States drew ever closer to full involvement in the conflict, Stockton placed the University at the government's disposal. On the national level Theodore Roosevelt was the freelance trouble-shooter throughout the world, as the first governor of the Philippines and as Secretary of War, William Howard Taft was Roosevelt's natural successor as President in 1908, defeating not only William Jennings Bryan but also the Socialist candidate Eugene V. Debs. Growing bitterness between Taft and Roosevelt paved the way for the victory, in the 1912 election, of Woodrow Wilson. |
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William Miller Collier was the former U.S. Minister to Spain. When he assumed the presidency of GW, the United States was at the height of its involvement in the First World War. In practical and symbolic ways, the school became part of the war effort. A unit of the Student Army Training Corps and a United States Naval Unit were established "for the duration." In 1918, at a special convocation, the University for the first time bestowed an honorary degree upon a foreign leader: Albert, King of the Belgians, symbol of the neutrality violated in 1914. In 1921, having presided over the centennial celebration of the University, Collier resigned when President Warren G. Harding nominated him for an ambassadorship. |
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In 1923, the year William Mather Lewis made the transition from the United States Chamber of Commerce to The George Washington University, Calvin Coolidge became President after Harding's death, and went on to win the election of 1924. Lewis was well known as a brilliant speaker, in demand by groups throughout the nation. During his presidency, a new gymnasium was erected and Mrs. Joshua Evans, Jr., was elected by the alumni as the first woman member of the Board of Trustees. After leaving the University, Lewis assumed the presidency of Lafayette College. |
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The thirty-two years of Dr. Marvin's presidency represent the longest in the history of the school. By the 1930s, the University was well established in the Foggy Bottom area. The city was growing and the institution had become a true urban university. In the same year, another major reorganization took place in the curriculum of the University. Advanced degrees in professional fields became the responsibility of the professional schools, the Graduate Council was given the supervision of all work leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, and an autonomous Junior College was established to administer the work of the freshman and sophomore years. Dr. Marvin reorganized the administration of the University and with the assistance of the Board of Trustees, strengthened its financial structure. Through Dr. Marvin's efforts, the School of Government was established with an endowment from the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite, a Masonic organization. In 1950, the College of General Studies was founded to provide courses for special groups on and off campus.
Throughout Dr. Cloyd Heck Marvin's tenure the University had undergone physical change. Dr. Marvin's vast building program included the construction of a medical laboratory building, Lisner Library, the Hall of Government, Lisner Auditorium, Tompkins Hall of Engineering, the University Hospital, James Monroe Hall, Warwick Memorial building, Samson Hall and the Student Union. The grounds were landscaped with a notable array of roses which continue to grace the campus. In the 1930s, The George Washington University served as a center of activity for theoretical physicists and as the backdrop for some of the most important conferences on theoretical physics ever held. It was on this campus that one of the most dramatic announcements of the century was made. The news that physicist Otto Hahn in Berlin had successfully split an atom was made on January 26, 1939. The Fifth Washington Conference on Theoretical Physics, hosted by faculty members George Gamow and Edward Teller and attended by distinguished physicists from all over the world, listened as Niels Bohr of Copenhagen read the telegram with the amazing news. The development gave GW a prominent place in scientific history. Dr. Marvin led the University through the war years. With the outbreak of the war in 1941 national defense overshadowed events at the University. Although occupied with the war effort, university activities continued. With the construction of the Lisner Auditorium the student body gained space for meetings and performances. Cue and Curtain (the Student drama club), the Glee Clubs, Debate Club and numerous other organizations made regular use of the auditorium. In 1943, even though the Auditorium was not dedicated, it was chosen for the 122nd annual commencement. That same year, team captain Joe Gallagher led the Colonials to the Southern Conference Basketball championship. With the conclusion of the 1943 season varsity sports would not be resumed until the conclusion of the war. GW contributed greatly to the war effort. At the end of the conflict the University had sent some 7,000 students off to war, contracted with the U.S. government to develop rockets for use by the Army and Navy and develop training courses for over 12,000 students. |
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Dr. Thomas Henry Carroll had served as Vice President of the Ford Foundation before assuming the Presidency of the University. President John F. Kennedy spoke at his inauguration. Before his sudden death in 1964, President Carroll had overseen the beginning of work on the new wing of the University Hospital and the University's participation in a new consortium of local universities, a consortium that made the facilities of each member school available to graduate students attending the others. |
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Dr. Lloyd Hartman Elliott became University President during the turbulent years of the Vietnam Era and the student protests. By the end of his tenure Dr. Elliott had brought to the University financial stability and continued growth through academic development and his many building programs.
As Dr. Elliott considered libraries to be the backbone of any campus, his proudest achievement was the building of the three libraries currently at the campus: the Melvin Gelman Library, the Jacob Burns Law Library, and the Paul Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library. In addition to the library projects, the Academic Center, (comprised of Smith, Rome and Phillips Halls), Funger Hall and the National Law Center's Theodore N. Lerner Hall were completed. The Charles E. Smith Center for Physical Education and Athletics, which replaced the old"Tin Tabernacle," was completed and in use in 1970. In that same year Dr. Elliott opened the Cloyd Heck Marvin Student Center. The Marvin Center was one of Dr. Elliott's first building commitments. He felt it was a high priority because of the great need for additional space for student activities. 1973 was a landmark year for the University. GW's medical training program was moved from 13th and H Streets to the Walter G. Ross Hall. With the relocation of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences the University was for the first time located in one central area. Dr. Elliott began the Educational Opportunity Program and created the new faculty rank of "University Professor." He increased the number of endowed professorships from three to twenty. He is also credited with the tremendous growth in the University's endowment -- from $8 million in 1965 to $200 million in 1988. |
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For eleven years before coming to the University,Stephen Joel Trachtenberg served as President and Professor of Law and Public Administration at the University of Hartford. His arrival in Washington was in the nature of a return, given his earlier service at the U.S. Office of Education and at the House of Representatives.
On August 1, 1988, Stephen Joel Trachtenberg became the 15th President of The George Washington University. In his convocation address at his installation, President Trachtenberg recognized the many accomplishments of the University and those who preceded him, and alluded to GW's future. In 1989, President Trachtenberg created the Office of Campus Life and made the commitment to offer programs and services "to enhance the personal, professional, social and cultural development of the University community." Other accomplishments include the remodeling of Lisner Auditorium and the campus bookstore, new seating for the Smith Center, the development of Francis Field for GW Athletics, and the creation of a 24-hour reading room within Gelman Library. President Trachtenberg has affirmed his commitment to the importance of teaching at the University with the establishment of the University Teaching Center. He also created the 21st Century Scholars program, allowing high school students within the District of Columbia to attend the University and participate in aspects of campus life. President Trachtenberg has endorsed and advanced policies designed to increase excellence in research, graduate and undergraduate liberal arts education, and budgetary stability and quality management for the University. Between August 28, 1995, and May 19, 1996, the University celebrated its 175th Anniversary. To commemorate this special occasion, symposia, conferences, exhibitions and performances were held. On February 9th, 1996, Charter Day/Homecoming weekend, the University held a special convocation and a birthday gala at historic Union Station. This event was accompanied by other celebrations and the Homecoming basketball games. Also, in 1996, a new photographic history of the University entitled From Strength to Strength was published. In its 176th year, the University continued to build upon its previous success. New gates, marking the entrance to the Gelman Yard on both 21st and 22nd Streets, NW, were constructed, as was a new park on F Street. A new residence hall at 2350 H Street was opened. The academic resources of the University were built up as well, as a major Judaica Collection was given to Gelman Library by the Kiev family, and President Trachtenberg was honored with a humanitarian award from B'ai B'rith. In addition, the reputation of our academic institution grew as noted by GW's first-ever ranking in the "Top 50 Colleges and Universities" by U.S. News and World Report. In 1996 Mount Vernon College announced plans to affiliate the 121-year-old women's college with The George Washington University. By the Fall of 1998 the first class of George Washington freshmen women began classes on the Mount Vernon campus as part of the new The George Washington University at Mount Vernon College. In May (1999) the last Mount Vernon College class graduated and on June 30 the campus officially became The George Washington University at Mount Vernon College, offering special living, learning and leadership programs for women of The George Washington University. New projects currently completed or underway include an upgrade of computer and telecommunications technology, a Health and Wellness Center, Media and Public Affairs Building, a new GW Hospital and the renovation of the Gelman Library and student center building. |
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