A University For The City

New York University is a school that is widely respected and known for its reputation. This reputation is based on the innovative academic life of students and the alumni who represent the school. There are few people in the world who haven't heard of the University's good reputation. Today, the college rivals "ivy league" Universities, offering a different kind of academic experience that is well sought after. The University's progress can be seen through its history. It is through this progress and the overcoming of many obstacles that New York University has a good reputation.

The founding fathers of the University sought to create a different college than those that were already established. They desired to make a school "'which corresponded with the spirit and wants of the age and country,' a nondenominational institution that would enlarge the opportunities of education for those qualified and inclined"(Frusciano 4). The colleges of the time focused on classical education, but the founding fathers who created The University of the City of New-York (New York University's original name) insisted that the education provided be rooted in practical knowledge (Frusciano 4). This advancement in ideals set the University aside from the beginning. They wanted to educate not only the children of the wealthy, but also the children of the common man; an idea that would not reach other Universities for years.

The University of the City of New-York's first president was Albert Gallatin. Today the University recognizes Gallatin as the foremost founder, because he was one that rose out of a group of men that truly wanted a different University. Gallatin saw, however, even before the first day of class, the college would begin differently than he hoped, so in 1831 he resigned his position (Frusciano 15). Regardless of his nearly non-existent span in office the University still hails him the innovator of the New York University known today. The ideas of Gallatin and those who began the University with him were difficult to accomplish. There was only one University overseas that they could look to for inspiration. It was a radical move to decide to endow a University based on the remarkable ideals they chose.

The University of the City of New-York had some trying times ahead. Unable to acquire facilities of its own, Clinton Hall was used as the primary location for classes, located by City Hall (Frusciano 16). Searching for the University to have its own facilities, James Mathews, the first chancellor, had bought areas around Washington Square Park for $40,000 (Jones 41,43). He then made plans to have a building that would rival those in Europe. Work on University Building (what would be the University's first building) began in 1833, and by 1835 the University had moved to Washington Square (Frusciano 30).

The University was beginning to feel the expense of growing pains. The collection of subscriptions (promised payments from those who wished to endorse the University) was poorly administered, that when these expenditures came there was no money in the University to pay (Frusciano 30). The new University raised a debt of nearly $175, 000. The University council, tired of the way the chancellor interfered with professors and the high debt accrued by him, had asked Chancellor Mathews to step down from office (Jones 45). The next chancellor Theodore Frelinghuysen helped relieve a great deal of this debt; he had raised endowments of $75,000 in 1839, $35,000 in 1843, and $40,000 in 1847 from donations (Jones 60, 63)The debt was then abolished with third chancellor, Isaac Ferris with an endowment of $70,000 in 1854 (Jones 71). By this time the financial instability of the University was diminishing an already delicate reputation the college had (Jones 73). At this point it seemed attaining a better reputation would be difficult. Starting on a rocky financial foundation, put the University at a disadvantage.

The University's academic pursuits were on the constant move. Chancellor Ferris, who was influenced greatly by professor of chemistry, John Draper, developed "a new curriculum ... based on science and modern languages, which led to a Bachelor of Science degree"(Dim 29) The University,