History of the University of Arkansas
Over the period of its nearly 140-year history, the school has grown from two small buildings on a hilltop to a university with diverse colleges and prominent graduate programs.
[1] In addition, Fayetteville was also home to Arkansas College, which enjoyed a high reputation statewide and regionally until the destruction of the school's buildings in 1862 by fire.
[5] However, by the rules of the Morrill Act, the state had until February 12, 1872, to have the university founded and operating to qualify, leaving less than a year to accomplish the deed.
Of the three, however, only the Fayetteville-Prairie Grove and Batesville supporters won requisite local elections to legitimize their bids to the legislature created board of trustees.
[7] Two men, Lafayette Gregg and David Walker, were among the primary pushers in Washington County to secure the successful passage of the bid via election and later played instrumental roles in the university's history.
[8] The board of trustees visited Batesville on September 24, 1871, and arrived in Fayetteville after a journey that involved the usage of trains, stagecoaches and steam boats by October.
The date of their establishment was approximately four months prior to the deadline of February 12, 1872, after which the state would lose the benefits of the land grant act if the two committees could not have the university up and running by that time.
[10] The homestead of William McIlroy, a local farmer and merchant, had been selected as a location for the university and purchased at cost of $12,000 by the Fayetteville lobbying committee prior to the final decision of the board.
By January 1, 1872, the committee had arranged for the completion of a two-story frame building, no more than twenty-four by forty feet and with enough room to hold around 120 students.
Alexander Hendry was selected as his replacement by Lafayette Gregg, who had played an instrumental role in bringing the university to Fayetteville, and later, closely oversaw the construction of Old Main.
Much of the materials of the building were of local origin, with sandstone quarried near to the university, while the bricks (over 2.5 million of them) were fired not far from the present student union.
Despite the declaration, the upper two floors and the basement were left unfinished due to the belief they would be finished later when the student population had grown larger.
[19] Hill brought an emphasis on classical and mathematical education, and downplayed the agricultural and technological elements for which the university had originally been established.
Under Murfee, and his predecessor ten years later, Albert E. Menke, the school was pushed by Little Rock to adopt and promote its agricultural mission.
[22] For all that the legislator in Little Rock pushed for the school to adhere to its founding principle, a lack of interest by both students and faculty resulted in general failure.
The student dislike of their president, joined with the support of the citizens of Fayetteville, was enough to lead the board of trustees to request Tillman's resignation.
Inherited from Tillman's administration was a dire financial crisis, severe enough that the school had to borrow money to pay for student labor.
His goal of fiscal solidity for the university was joined by Governor Charles H. Brough, who pushed through legislation guaranteeing the school a percentage of the state property tax.
[29] Futrall's administration remains to the present the longest of any University of Arkansas president, spanning twenty-five years and ending only with his death in 1939.
[32] In effect, the PFB sought to place an individual educated in modern agricultural practices of the day, as well loyal to its purposes and aims, in charge of the department and its extension services; something that Futrall absolutely refused to consider.
[36] The Jackson, Tennessee native would never see the final fruits of his labor, however, as Futrall died on September 12, 1939,[37] in an automobile accident on his way back from Little Rock.
The Board of Trustees passed a resolution to posthumously name the new student union building "Futrall Memorial Hall" in the president's honor.
As a result, Adkins with the assistance of the legislator, changed the process by which the board of trustees was elected, and followed that with the firing of a number of high-ranking individuals at the university.
Such changes included the establishment of four quarter terms, instead of two semesters, barracks were built surrounding the university for military personnel, and the largest student group on campus was an army air corps unit.
[42] Harding was succeeded by Lewis Webster Jones, with the law school dean, Robert A. Leflar, serving in an interim capacity for a brief period of time.
Mullins formally became president in 1961 during the centennial of the Morrill Act, and oversaw the great burst of growth and expansion of the university during the twelve years of his administration.
