Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/15

 FOREWORD

A quarter of a century forms a very small part of the history of a nation. It is more significant in the case of the University of Chicago, whose origin and development fall wholly within that period. The original Faculty who began so hopefully in 1892 owed a large part of their enthusiasm doubtless to the fact that they were looking into the future; they were less concerned with what was than with what might be and with what they could help create. Probably the dreams of few would have reached to the actual fruition of the short span of the twenty-five years now closing. Chicago is indeed a fruitful field for creative energy. It is a growing city, instinct with civic loyalty and with eager interest in whatever bids fair to make Chicago more worthy of that pride. Then, too, this has been a developing age, in business, in science, in manifold forms of social unfolding. The University has been fortunate in its location and fortunate that it was founded when it was. This history traces its story from the beginning. No one is better qualified to do this than the author, Dr. T. W. Goodspeed. He has been actively and zealously concerned from the outset&mdash;pars magna fuit.

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