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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 1948)
-John W. Johnson: From Pioneer i ' To First University President |k By JOE MEIER l A son of pioneers, John Wesley Johnson, first presi dent of the University of Oregon and the man for whom (the administration building is named, was a pioneer him self in the real sense of the word. Born near the present site of Kansas City, Missouri March 22, 1836, Johnson, when 14, set out across the plains with an ox team for Oregon, the promised land. It was a long, hard journey for Johnson, filled with grief at the deaths of his mother and a sister who were buried t in unmarked graves on the Nebraska plains, hk Through courage and indomitable will, Charles John f?on and his nine children reached Oregon,, where they ftook up a homestead within the limits of present-day F Corvallis. L" In the wilderness* they led the hard-working, strenu fms lives of a pioneer family. Johnson early showed en thusiasm for learning, but in those days, educational facilities were crude. At the age of 17 he entered the ^primary class or ms district m school, but he soon outstripped all Bhis fellow students, especially in ■^mathematics. In 1858 he deter K mined to obtain a college educa | tion and borrowed the money nec i essary to send him through Yale, b Yale Student There were no transcontinental j, railroads then so he boarded a r sailing vessel for the Isthmus of I Panama, which he crossed on t horseback. From Panama, to save ■ money, he took steerage passage Eon a ship bound for New York ■ City. Altogether, he spent six P months in travel. ■ At the age of# twenty-four he p faculty who could not rfeuse one | entered Yale college by graoe of a k who had come so far, however poorly prepared. While enrolled there Johnson was a diligent, self k disciplined student, working ener getically to overcome his educa k tional handicap. He graduated in * 1862 with a standing surpassed by ^ few in Jiis class. On his return to Oregon, John son became principal of the Bap fc tist college at McMinnville, Ore gon where he won a reputation for superior ability as instructor and • administrator. Four years later, he accepted a position as principal of Central public school in Port k land, the only fully-developed high - school in Oregon at the time. Pupils today are taught as part of the history of Portland public schools that “the Portland high E, school was founded by Professor J John Wesley Johnson, afterward first president of the University of ■ Oregon.” [ First President jp. When the university was found in 1876, Professor Johnson was called to head its faculty. He was !> president for the following 17 i years. g In the classroom, Johnson was a * strict disciplinarian, with con g, tempt for shoddiness and laziness, F but he inspired his student with ' true ideals and worthy aims. | Johnson’s contribution to Ore gon’s intellectual life is beyond cal Iculation. He and a few others of " like spirit laid the foundation of l genuine scholarship and whole jSome culture during the adverse ^period of pioneer development. ■ Kinship, thoroughness, sympathy; gin these forces lay the key of a fc career whose influences were all for the good. ^ 5 President Johnson died of cere Mgfcritis at his home in Eugene, Sept ember 14, 1898. The administration I building, Johnson Hall, was com pleted in 1915. Editor’s Note This is the third in a series | of articles on the men for whorii ; the University buildings were : named. Preceding today’s art I icle on President Johnson, the P5. Emerald has bad articles on Henry Yiliard and Samuel H. Friendly. I: - | Andrew Jackson was the first ^ president to invoke the pocket veto. Outing Club Plans Overnight Ski Trip An overnight ski trip is sched uled by the Outing club for Feb ruary 21 and 22. Girls interested | are to sign up on the Gerlinger bulletin board by Tuesday. A 50-! Night. Staff: Barbara Dragoo Joyce Good Jim White Bob Hemingway, editor cents room deposit will be neces- j sary, announced Jeanette Masi- i lionis, adviser. FOR SALE Ice skates (8P2 Fine leather shoes Pre-war chromium, nickel Phone 9883-R Emerald Classifieds 1! FOR RENT, Room for single man close to campus. $18.00, 960i Patterson. Call 1744-W. Even ing s. , ROOM & BOARD: Men students $45 a month. Cooperative mana gement. 2477 Alder. Phone 6230 (77) BOARD for students. Call 6786-R (77) Basketball Results Richmond 71, Citadel 50 Allen Bradley 60, Akron Good years 48 Texas Wesleyan 08, Kings Point 47 Virginia Union 54, Howard 34 Ney York University 70, Brook Tvrt College 46 Beloit 72, Colorado College 5f Stanford 45, College of Pacific 4c LOST: Brown, golcl-top Eversharp pen. Name engraved Geo. C', Sutton. Phone 5060-W (70) ! . I FOR SALE: Tuxedo, excellent con dition; fine' material; size 33 | long; $25.00. 2137 Columbi,!. Phone 1381W. (76) I _ j LOST; Black silvei Shaffer pen. Finder call 28S4. Dud Lands Job MORGANTOWN, W. Va., Jan. 30. -West Virginia University to night announced the appointment, of Dudley Degroot as head foot ball coach. The Los Angeles pro Dons pilot succeeds Bill Kern who resigned effective July 1. Foreign countries have honored Roosevelt with 84 postage stamp,d. HEAR DR. Wm. WARDAYER Of New York City FEB. 8-22 11a m. "He Ascended into Heaven." Broadcast .over KASH University Class—9:45 a. m. Fellowship—6:30 p.m. 7:30 p. m. "Drifting To and Fro" FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH Brdw’y and High D. H. Webster, Pastor You Get A GOOD DEAL IN THE CITIZEN MARINES * • fft If you are an American citizen between the age of 17 to 32 (older if you are a veteran) it will pay you to join the Citizen Marine Corps (Reserve). This organization is the civilian branch of the famous U. S. Marine Corps, whose achievements i are known to every American. I Membership in the Citizen Marines carries with it / many concrete advantages, but no less important it also carries the tradition and prestige which over 170 years of faithful service have built. The Reserve is a spare-time activity. It does not interfere with your regular civilian occupation. A few of the more important opportunities in the organized reserve are. I PAY — EDUCATION — TRAINING — PROMOTIONS TRADE COURSES — TRAVEL — SPORTS Why not get in touch with your local Marine Reserve Headquarters? There is a spot for you. You veterans should ask about regaining your old rank. 41 W. 8th Ave., Eugene Or See LT. JACK L. BILLINGS, Rm. 3, Journalism