consideration of the regents a scheme of organization embodying these ideas, and, much to his surprise, it was at once approved and adopted. Dr. Folwell was too enthusiastic to temporize; but it is probable that his more important aims. -the elevation of the professional schools and the extension of university work-might have been better secured by more tentative and less radical action. In view of the fact that plainly many years were to elapse before the secondary schools could relieve the university of even the subfreshman classes, it was certainly needless to challenge the sweeping criticism with which both learned and ignorant were sure to meet so bold an innovation.

"It is of interest to note, however, that some such premature effort was in the air in those years. The enthusiastic young scholars who had been studying in Germany were flocking home bent upon raising the American university to the European standard of scholarship, and though the boldest and earliest step was taken in Minnesota the same ideas were formulated shortly after in several other centers. This inaugural address of President Folwell is the first public proposal of the kind in America the writer can discover."

FACULTY OPPOSITION.

As might have been expected a plan so many years in advance of the times was sure to bring opposition from many sides. Though this plan of organization had been adopted by unanimous vote of the board of regents, certain members of the faculty were strongly opposed to the plan and did not hesitate to make their In 1872 a meeting was held opposition felt. at which the members of the faculty were permitted to present to the board of regents their views for and against the plan, and President Folwell made so clear and able a defense of his plan that the regents voted unanimously to stand by the same and told the objectors that the matter was settled and advised them to work together in harmony with the other members of the faculty who believed in the plan. This action of the regents was accepted in good faith and it does not appear that this ques

"Uncle Billy" and his basket.

tion was ever raised again. The only real dissension in the faculty was between the classical and scientific wings of the faculty organization. A considerable number of the members of the faculty had been brought up to believe that a college must adhere closely to the old ideas of a classical education in order to be respectable and were unable to bring themselves to accept the newer ideas and make a place for the sciences which were just beginning to assert themselves and demand a place in the college curriculum. Dr. Folwell, though he saw with remarkable clearness the tendencies of the time and knew that a change was inevitable, felt great sympathy for this old idea of a college course. But there were certain members of the faculty who had little patience with such views and among them was numbered Professor S. F. Peckham who was of a somewhat pugnacious disposition and who insisted on obtruding his views upon his colleagues. The controversy between the two wings was at times bitter but a great deal more has been made of the matter than the facts warrant. The conclusion which has been prevalent that this state of affairs led up to the crisis at the time six professors were dropped by the regents, can hardly be substantiated by a careful investigation of the facts. THE CRISIS OF 1880.

The crisis, mentioned above, came in 1880. Originally the regents had looked upon the University much as the average school director looks

The

upon the school under his charge, and felt it to be within their right to hire and discharge a professor as one would a day laborer. practice followed in the early days was to elect members of the faculty annually, but, under the tactful leadership of President Folwell, this practice had been discontinued several years before the date of this crisis, which was brought about by the feeling on the part of some members of the board of regents, that the time had come to secure a higher grade of instructors. President Folwell was not taken into the counsel of the regents in regard to this matter and could do nothing to prevent the predetermined action of the board. For the purposes upon which they had determined the board of regents revived the old plan of annual election and met to elect the faculty for the following year. Two days were spent in balloting and when the result was announced only five out of a faculty of eleven had been re-elected. Had the regents learned, as they did soon after, that a president could bring about changes with less disturbance than they could, they would have saved themselves and the University much subsequent embarrassment. Professor Campbell, who went out at this time, was not dropped for the same reason that some of the other members were; he had refused a re-election unless his salary was given a substantial increase, and this the regents did not feel inclined to grant.

It is undoubtedly true that the members of the board of regents who were responsible for this action did not realize the essential brutality of the same, nor could they realize how serious a matter it would be to get others to take the places of those members of the faculty so summarily dismissed. One thing is evident from an examination of the list of persons who were dropped and those who were retained, that the old quarrel about the form or organization of the University played no part in determining who should go and who should stay, for some who went out were in favor of the plan and some who stayed were against it.

The regents named President Folwell and Regent Tousley a committee to select candidates

to fill the positions made vacant by this wholesale dismissal. This committee had a hard task to perform, to select six new members of the faculty between commencement day in June and the opening of the college year in September, especially in view of the summary action of the board of regents. The committee sent out a circular letter saying that they would be at various points in various parts of the country on certain days and they kept their appointments at Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Chautauqua, Baltimore, New York and Boston. They had a hard time to find suitable teachers. In view of the conditions surrounding their search, their success was remarkable and the committee secured Professors Maria L. Sanford, William A. Pike, John F. Downey, Alexander T. Ormond. James A. Dodge and Charles W. Benton. Though Regent Tousley was a member of this committee he gave Dr. Folwell a free hand in making these selections.

THE HIGH SCHOOL BOARD SYSTEM.

Early in his administration Dr. Folwell began an agitation for the organization of a high school system which should prepare students for the University and under which system the schools should receive from the state financial aid. In his first report to the board of regents he says, "I desire here to suggest, as a matter eminently worthy your consideration, whether some legislation ought not presently to be had which shall enable the high schools of the state to provide courses properly preparatory to those of the University. Our system of public instruction will not be an organized whole until the 'secondary schools' are graded not merely with reference to the primary schools below but to the University above."

Among the various things accomplished by President Folwell during his administration none affords him a higher sense of satisfaction than the establishing of a high school system under the supervision of a state high school board. As stated above, this movement started with Dr. Folwell, and, to quote from David Rhys Jones in an article upon "State aid

to secondary schools," published by the University of California in December 1903:

To Minnesota belongs the distinction of being the first state in the union to provide free secondary instruction in public high schools for all qualified pupils of the state. The early secondary schools of Minnesota were little more than advanced elementary schools, and the few students completing the work offered by them found their preparation so deficient that they could not be admitted to the state university. In 1869 William W. Folwell was appointed president of the University of Minnesota, and in his first report he urged the necessity of a better organization of the public school system of the state. Referring to the secondary schools, he said: 'Our system of public instruction will not be an organized whole until the 'secondary' schools are graded not merely with reference to the primary schools below but to the university above. This can be done not only without detriment, but with advantage to that great class of students who will choose to content themselves with academic education only.' This was the beginning of the movement that has finally resulted in the establishment of 'a complete, continuous, and efficient system of schools which should offer every child in Minnesota a liberal education."

In 1872 the state superintendent of schools. appointed a committee consisting of the city superintendents to suggest some plan for securing a course of study in high schools that should prepare for the state university. In the fall of the same year President Folwell attended the convention of the city and county superintendents and invited them to join in a movement "to bring about a vital, organic connection between the university and the high schools." President Folwell advocated the organization of a comprehensive system embracing all grades in which the state university "may form the roof and crown of a noble structure of high schools based firmly on the broad foundation of the common schools of the state."

In 1877 the State teachers' association recommended a concerted movement in all the larger towns of the state to provide a course of instruction that would prepare for admission to the University and that these schools admit non-resident pupils from country districts upon