Johnson Resigns
Because of Dorm
Wants No Part
Of Providing
Campus Living
The photograph of John Wesley
Johnson - slightly raised
eyebrows, sharp linear nose, high
buttoned collar - has distinct
clerical aspects. He was a man of
absolute discipline, a man who,
one senses, could as easily copied
Latin manuscripts in medieval
monastaries as drill pioneers in
Eugene City.
When John Johnson submitted
his resignation of the Presidency
on March 30,1893 it was because
he could see the coming of a new
vision of education that lay well
beyond his austere disciplines of
Law, Medicine, and Theology.
Also, he wanted nothing to do
with a dormitory.
Charles Hiram Chapman, the
second President of ihe
University, was the son of a
Wisconsin farmer. He had a PhD.
in Mathematics from John
Hopkins University. He was 32.
His first impression of the
University was expressed in a
letter to a friend and displayed
the flamboyant, hard-hitting
style that was Charles Chapman:
“The institution has the at
mosphere of a petty theological
seminary manned by superan
nuated ministers.” From the
beginning of his administration it
was very clear that Charles
Chapman was not running a
Sunday school.
His first policy decision proved
the worst fears of John Johnson
who stayed at the University as
Professor of Classics after
resigning the Presidency.
Chapman decreed that the ad
vanced classics be taught as
literature rather than as means
of grammatical drill. Further he
made laboratory work the heart
of a heretofore text book ap
proach to the exact sciences.
These innovations were ardently
opposed by certain members of
the faculty and served the
dubious purpose of dividing the
faculty into factions that sur
vived the length of the Chapman
administration.
Chapman was not a man to stop
at factionalism however when he
believed innovation to be the only
way the University could survive.
By 1893 the country was
becoming full of good colleges
and universities and the com
petition for students was at a
peak. Most of the newer in
stitutions like Stanford and some
of the older eastern schools were
adopting new formats embodying
fundamental changes in the
conception of education The
social sciences, business, and
engineering courses were
flourishing and attracting great
numbers of students. It was with
this knowledge that President
Chapman embarked on his term
(Continued on Page 12)
Charles Chapman
-an all new
environment
A beautiful new store doesn't
just happen. It takes planni
ng. Creativity. Good taste. It
takes progressive thinking,/"
an understanding of history/
and tradition,organization.^^
It takes all this and much,
much more to create a new
environment --
THE BROADWAY
Skillfully decorated by Linda
and Dave Sherman, The
Broadway is a pleasant
weaving of country house
color and comfort, merged
with super graphics, and
shiny vinyls. Scattered
throughout, a collection of
antiques and art objects
crafted by local artists.
For instance the im
mense metal sculpture
that lights the
grand stairway, or
the stained glass sign
designating "Bristows.
Jewelers".
Reward your taste with j
a visit to the
BROADWAY Si
FABRICS
1
Cps.
if ~WSi