CHICAGO, UNIVERSITY OF, an American university, in Chicago, opened in 1892, privately endowed, co-educational, non-sectarian, although one-third of its 3o trustees must be Baptists. Its presidents have been William Rainey Harper (Sept. 16, 189o—Jan. 1o, 1906), Harry Pratt Judson (Feb. 20, 1907—Jan. 9, 1923), Ernest DeWitt Burton (July 12, 1923—May 26, 1925), Max Mason (Oct. 1, 1925—resigned May 7, 1928), and Robert M. Hutchins (July I, 1929— ).
The aims of the University have been research, advanced edu cation and improvement of general education. These ideals were set up by its first president and expressed in its earliest organiza tion. It has continuously had on its staff men eminent in American letters and science.
On its first faculty were nine former presidents of other institu tions of higher learning. More than of the degrees granted have been doctorates of philosophy.
The University is composed of a College division, devoted to general education ; four upper divisions in arts and sciences, namely the Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities; and a group of professional schools, including law, medicine, divinity, business, library science and social service administration. Nearly half of the members of the student body hold the bachelor's degree. The University maintains a branch in Chicago's business district, and a home-study department, for the convenience of those who cannot enroll on the quadrangles.
Guided in its early development by the genius of William Rainey Harper and supported by the generosity of John D. Rockefeller, its founder, and the citizens of Chicago, the University has shown a remarkable growth and has continued through its history to ex pand and intensify its efforts.
The list of donors of buildings and endowment includes a large group of the public-spirited citizens of Chicago. The grounds of the University include about i6oac., and the University holdings front on both sides of the Midway Plaisance (which joins Wash ington and Jackson parks) for nearly three-quarters of a mile. On these grounds stands the main part of the University, including some 8o structures. The buildings are of grey limestone, of Eng lish Gothic style, and are grouped in quadrangles. Astronomical research is conducted at Yerkes Observatory, located at Williams Bay, Wis., about 65m. from Chicago. Expedition headquarters for various of the Oriental Institute's expeditions are maintained in the Near East.
In the year ending in June, 1935, the enrollment was above 13,00o, exclusive of home-study registration. This enrollment is distributed over the four quarters of the normal academic year, about 6,000 being in residence at the quadrangles at any one time and 2,000 at the downtown branch. The University of Chicago was the first American university to adopt the summer quarter as a regular part of the academic programme, thus increasing oppor tunities for teachers in other schools to do scholarly work in their summer vacations and increasing by one-third the usefulness of the academic plant.
The University of Chicago Press, the first university press to be organized in the United States, publishes the results of scholarly effort at this and other universities. The press publishes from 8o to 90 books annually, in addition to 19 journals, most of which are edited at the University. These journals are : Astrophysical Jour nal, Botanical Gazette, Journal of Business, Classical Philology, International Journal of Ethics, Journal of Geology, University of Chicago Law Review, Library Quarterly, Journal of Modern History, Modern Philology, Physiological Zoology, Journal of Political Economy, Journal of Religion, American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Social Service Review, Amer ican Journal of Sociology, Elementary School Journal, School Re view, and English Journal.
A striking revision of the University's organization, made in 1931, has been one of the most significant developments of recent years. Supplanting the undergraduate college and the graduate schools, which had been organized chiefly according to some 4o departments, there was established a College division, devoted to general education, and four upper divisions for advanced study and research in arts and sciences. Time and course-credit require ments, required class attendance and other forms of routine were largely abolished, and comprehensive examinations, which the student might take when he felt himself ready, were substituted for course-examinations.
Completion of the College division examinations normally re quires two years of preparation. The upper divisions, which grant all academic degrees, were organized partly for the purpose of fostering inter-departmental research.
The period 1924-1932 saw a remarkable expansion of the physi cal plant, which involved the expenditure of some $30,000,000 and trebled the available floor-space.
Among new structures are those for physics and mathematics, chemistry, botany, physiology, zoology, physiological chemistry, modern languages, theology, oriental studies, educational research, and social science research; and the University Chapel, student residence halls, gymnasia, service buildings and the International House, a 500-room residence hall and clubhouse intended pri marily for use by foreign students of the Chicago region.
Largest of the building projects has been the erection of the hospitals, clinics and laboratories of the South Side medical de velopment.
This enterprise envisages closer co-operation between clinical and basic sciences ; medical students are trained in scientific methods and medical teachers and investigators are full-time members of the University staff. Much of the University's clinical teaching, however, continues to be carried on at Rush Medical College on the West Side.
The financial history of the University is in large part that of the liberality of the founder, John D. Rockefeller. His personal contributions amounted to $35,000,000, and the grants of the Rockefeller boards for capital purposes and the subvention of research total an equal amount.
Total assets of the University on June 3o, 1935, were $110, 500,000, of which $6o,000,000 was endowment fund. Expenditures for the fiscal year 1934-35 were $7,3457000. In that year the number of bound volumes in the University library exceeded 1,100,000 and the number of periodical and serial subscriptions exceeded 5,00o.
The faculty of 900 offers some 3,50o courses. Up to July 1, 1935, the University had granted 38,016 academic and professional degrees, of which 3,886 were doctorates of philosophy. (J. P. H.)