Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-qxdb6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-28T22:16:51.534Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A Struggle for Control and a Moral Scandal: President Edmund J. James and the Powers of the President at the University of Illinois, 1911–14

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 February 2017

Extract

The University of Illinois, a land-grant college, opened in 1868 and developed slowly for a quarter of a century. In 1894 the trustees, determined to give the institution greater recognition, appointed Andrew S. Draper as president. Draper had made a reputation in New York State and in Cleveland as a school administrator, but he had never attended a college or university and did not understand the transformation of higher education then taking place in the United States. During his ten-year tenure the University gained the shape of a university by establishing various professional schools, but it lacked the spirit of a university.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 History of Education Society 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Solberg, Winton U., “James, Edmund, J.,” in American National Biography, eds. Garraty, John A and Carnes, Mark C. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999), 11:813–14.Google Scholar

2 Watson, On, see the obituary notices, Champaign-Urbana Courier, 16 August 1968, Champaign News Gazette, 19 August 1968, in 26/4/1, Florence [Watson] Burrell Morgue FileGoogle Scholar

3 Van Fenstermaker, J., “A Century of Service: History of the Trevett-Mattis Banking Company,” [1965?], mimeographed, copy in author's possession; 26/4/1, Capt. John, R. Trevett Morgue File; 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 24 October 1913.Google Scholar

4 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 19 March 1913.Google Scholar

5 20th Report (1901), 20.Google Scholar

6 25th Report (1911), 47–51, 53–70; 26th Report (1912), 12.Google Scholar

7 Eugene Davenport to Reverend William Barton, 20 February 1914, 8/1/5, B.1, F.BAM-BAZ.Google Scholar

8 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 20 May 1913.Google Scholar

9 Beck, Jean, “Faculty Record,” 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder; Ford, J.D.M., McKenzie, Kenneth and Sarton, George, “Memoir: Jean-Baptiste Beck.” Speculum 19 (1944): 384–85; Bent, Ian D., “Beck, Jean [Johann Baptist].” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 3 (2001): 41.Google Scholar

10 Haines, John, “The First Musical Edition of the Troubadours: on Applying the Critical Method to Medieval Monophony.” Music & Letters 83, (2002) 351–70; idem, “The ‘Modal Theory,’ Fencing, and the Death of Aubry,” Plainsong and Medieval Music, 6, 2, (1997): 143–50. Bent, “Beck, Jean [Johann Baptist],” (footnote 9 above), repeats an older view that Aubry's death while fencing with foils was apparently in preparation for a duel with Beck.Google Scholar

11 For the correspondence with Beck, see 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder. Bedier's letter cannot be located. James recorded the terms of Beck's appointment: 2/5/7, B:3, Diary Entry, 12 June 1911.Google Scholar

12 Carnahan, to Daniels, Arthur, 15 April 1913, 15/1/15, B:12, F:10,12 Annual Reports Departmental.Google Scholar

13 Louise Goebel graduated from the University with an AB on 12 June 1912. She attended Bryn Mawr College from 1914 to 1917, was a private tutor from 1914 to 1918, and an instructor at The Shipley School from 1916 to 1918.Google Scholar

14 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entries, 29 September, 29 October 1912; James to Beck, 27 November 1912, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder. The abstract is not with the letter.Google Scholar

15 Daily Illini,16 January 1913.Google Scholar

16 27th Report (1914), 185–86; James, handwritten memo, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

17 James, , handwritten memo, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

18 27th Report (1914), 185–86; James to Beck, 22 March, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

19 Beck to James, , 21 March 1913, James to Benjamin I. Wheeler (California), David Starr Jordan (Stanford), A. Ross Hill (Missouri), and Frank McVey (North Dakota), 22, 24 March, 2 April 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder. See also 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entries 19, 22 March 1913.Google Scholar

20 Canfield, to James, , 11 April 1913, James, to Canfield, , 17 April 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

21 27th Report (1914), 272.Google Scholar

22 Ditchy, J. K. et al. to Beck, n.d., Seymour and Fitz-Gerald to Beck, 24 May 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

23 Oliver to Daniels, 22 May 1913, 20 June 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

24 Carnahan to Daniels, 25 June 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

25 Kinley to Daniels, 30 June 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

26 Daniels, to James, , 30 June 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

27 James, to Beck, , 5 July 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

28 Beck, to James, , 7 July 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

29 James, to Beck, , 9 July 1913, Beck to James, 11 July 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

30 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 1 July 1913.Google Scholar

31 Chicago Tribune, 13 February 1914, 4.Google Scholar

32 27th Report (1914), 604.Google Scholar

33 James, , handwritten memorandum, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

34 Beck, to James, , 23 August 1913, 2/5/15 Jean Baptiste Beck Folder.Google Scholar

35 James, to Beck, , 28 August 1913, Beck to James, 2 September 1913, 2/5/15, Jean Baptiste Beck Folder. Haines, John, “The First Musical Edition of the Troubadours: On Applying the Critical Method to Medieval Monophony.” Music & Letters 83 (2002): 367 (which corrects Beck's errors).Google Scholar

36 Seymour, Arthur R. to Beck, 24 May 1913,2/5/15 Jean Baptiste Beck Folder. One has to tease out of several documents the conclusion that rumors about Beck began to circulate at this time.Google Scholar

37 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entries, 20, 22 October 1913.Google Scholar

38 Trevett to James, 29 October 1913, 2/5/3, B:55, F:John R. Trevett.Google Scholar

39 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 2 December 1913; Chicago Tribune, 14 February 1914, 2.Google Scholar

40 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 2 December 1913.Google Scholar

41 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 3 December 1913.Google Scholar

42 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 5 December 1913.Google Scholar

43 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 8 December 1913.Google Scholar

44 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 10 December 1913.Google Scholar

45 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 11 December 1913.Google Scholar

46 27th Report (1914), 655 (Trevett's motion); 25th Report (1911), 50 (Section 5, Article VIII).Google Scholar

47 Davenport to Reverend Barton, William F., 26 February 1914,8/1/5, B:1, F:BAM-BAZ.Google Scholar

48 Chicago Tribune, 14 February 1914, 2.Google Scholar

49 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 13 December 1913.Google Scholar

50 The bracketed material is in the secretary's notes.Google Scholar

51 Kelley, , who earned an AB at Harvard in 1907, was appointed as an instructor in art and architecture in 1908. Letters describe him as a man of excellent ability, with a character above reproach, and good looking. He had done well at the University, where he was secretary of the Bachelor's Club for three years. In 1913 he was promoted to associate on a two-year contract. 2/5/15, Charles F. Kelley Folder, 24th Report (1908), 502; 25th Report (1911), 216, 565; 26th Report (1912), 444; 27th Report (1914), 75, 609.Google Scholar

52 James, to Blair, , 3 January 1914, Blair to James, 9, 14, January 1914, 2/5/3, B:30, F: Francis G. Blair; Chicago Tribune 14 February 1914, 2.Google Scholar

53 1/1/6, B:6, F:Board of Trustees Meeting December 13, 1913, Secretary's Notes.Google Scholar

54 Chicago Tribune, 13 February 1914, 4.Google Scholar

55 Blair, to James, , 24 December 1913, 2/5/13, B:40, F:Francis G. Blair.Google Scholar

56 James, to Blair, , 26 December 1913, 2/5/3, B:40, F:Francis G. Blair.Google Scholar

57 James, to Carnahan, , 19 and 23 December 1913, 2/5/6, B:32, F:Bl-Ci.Google Scholar

58 Carnahan, to James, , 10 January 1914, 2/5/6, B:32, F:B1-Ci.Google Scholar

59 2/5/7, B:3 Diary entries, 21 December 1913, 19 May 1913. On James's trip, see Solberg, Winton U., “The Quest for a College and Research Laboratory of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, 1906–1921.” Journal of Illinois History 3 (2000): 246266.Google Scholar

60 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entries, 23 and 26 December and 3 January 1914.Google Scholar

61 James, to Trevett, , 10 January 1914, 2/5/3, B:55, F:John R. Trevett.Google Scholar

62 Trevett, to James, , 13 January 1914, 2/5/3, B:55, F: John R. Trevett.Google Scholar

63 Carnahan, to Babcock, , 20 January 1914, 2/5/6, B:32, F:B1-Ci.Google Scholar

64 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entries, 4 and 17 February, 14 April 1914.Google Scholar

65 Kinley, to Judson, , 14 January 1914, University of Chicago Archives, President's Papers 1889–1925, B:66,F:20.Google Scholar

66 1/1/6, B:6, F: Board of Trustees Meeting January 21, 1914, Secretary's Notes; 27th Report (1914), 688–718.Google Scholar

67 Babcock, to Carnahan, , 28 February 1914, 2/5/6, B:32, B:B1-Ci.Google Scholar

68 Babcock, to Carnahan, , 2 March 1914, 15/1/1, B:2, F: Romance Languages.Google Scholar

69 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 24 January 1914.Google Scholar

70 Oliver, to Trevett, , 23 January 1914, 2/15/10, B:3, F:Jan B. Beck Resignation.Google Scholar

71 Trevett, to Montgomery, , 24 January 1914,2/15/10, B:3, F: J. B. Beck Resignation.Google Scholar

72 A copy of the Memorandum is in 2/5/3, B:50, F: Me-Mi; 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entries, 28 January, 1 February 1914.Google Scholar

73 4/2/1, University Senate, 3:146; 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 2 February 1914; “The President of the University of Illinois,” Science, n.s., 39 (20 February 1914): 278.Google Scholar

74 3/1/1, 11:27–28.Google Scholar

75 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 6 February 1914.Google Scholar

76 Dunne, to James, , 7 March 1914, 2/5/3, B:43, F: Edward F. Dunne; 27th Report (1914), 727; Chicago Tribune, 15 February 1914, 6.Google Scholar

77 Chicago Tribune, 14 February 1914, 2.Google Scholar

78 Ibid., Davenport to Reverend Barton, William E. 20 February 1914, 8/1/5, B:1, F:BAM-BAZ.Google Scholar

79 Chicago Evening Post, 13 February 1914.Google Scholar

80 Chicago Daily News, 16 February 1914.Google Scholar

81 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entries, 4 and 26 February 1914.Google Scholar

82 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entries, 14 and 26 February 1914.Google Scholar

83 Meeker, to James, , 7 February 1914, 2/5/3, B:50, F: Arthur Meeker.Google Scholar

84 James, to Meeker, , 10 February 1914, 2/5/3, B:50, F: Arthur Meeker.Google Scholar

85 Clipping from an unidentified newspaper in 2/5/3, B:50, F: John T.Montgomery.Google Scholar

86 Montgomery, to James, , 19 February 1914, with the clipping, 2/5/3, B:50, F:John T. Montgomery.Google Scholar

87 2/5/7, Diary entry, 21 September 1914.Google Scholar

88 Chicago Tribune, 17 February 1914, 3.Google Scholar

89 2/5/7, B:3, Diary entry, 8 December 1914; Oliver to James, 13 April 1914, 2/5/6, B:31, F: Beck, Jean Baptiste.Google Scholar

90 Kinley, to James, 15 April 1914, 2/5/6, B:31, F: Beck, Jean Baptiste.Google Scholar

91 2/5/7,B:3, Diary entries, 24 April, 1 and 24 and 26 May 1914.Google Scholar

92 Oliver, to James, , 26 May 1914, Oliver to Beck, 26 May 1914, 2/5/6, B:31, F: Beck, Jean Baptiste.Google Scholar

93 James, to Oliver, , 27 May 1914, 2/5/6, B:31, F: Beck, Jean Baptiste.Google Scholar

94 James, to Beck, , 27 May 1914, 2/5/6, B:31, F: Beck, Jean Baptiste.Google Scholar

95 Oliver, to Babcock, , 5 June 1914, Babcock to Oliver, 6 June 1914, 15/1/1, B:2, F:Romance Languages.Google Scholar

96 2/5/7 Diary entry, July 11 1914. The minutes of the July 11 meeting in the 28th Report (1916) make no mention of Beck.Google Scholar

97 Abbot, to James, , 11 July 1914, 2/5/3, B:39, F:W. L. Abbot.Google Scholar

98 James, to Thomas, M. Carey, 3 August 1914, 2/5/6, B:31, F: Jean Baptiste Beck.Google Scholar

99 28th Report (1916), 102–14, 113 (Trevett's Motion).Google Scholar

100 James, , “Memorandum concerning the Case of Professor Jean Baptiste Beck,” original in 2/5/1, B:22, F:James Personal, Misc. A-C, 1914–16; copy in 2/5/6, B:31, F:Beck, Jean Baptiste. James dictated his memorandum on July 25, pending a board meeting on July 28. But owing to Mr. Henrotin's death, the meeting was rescheduled for August 14.Google Scholar

101 2/5/7, B:4, Diary entry, 7 September 1914; James, to Beck, , undated telegram (probably early September 1914), 2/5/3, B:58, F:1914–15 Ba-Be.Google Scholar

102 Kinley, to Beck, , 7 September 1914, 2/15/10, B:3, F:Jean B. Beck Resignation.Google Scholar

103 On March 14, 1916, the minutes show that Trevett, who was recorded as not present, was appointed chair of the board's standing committee on engineering. 28th Report (1916), 926.Google Scholar

104 I am indebted to Treese, Ms. Lorett, Archivist of Bryn Mawr College, and to Ms. Nancy Miller, R., Public Services Archivist of the University Archives and Records Center at the University of Pennsylvania, for information on Beck's service at these two institutions. See also Ford, J. D. M., McKenzie, Kenneth, and Sarton, George, “Memoir: Jean-Baptiste Beck.” Speculum 19 (1944): 3 84–85.Google Scholar

105 Unidentified newspaper clipping, 3 February 1913, 2/5/12, B:4.Google Scholar