Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/150

 122 A HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Mr. Gates was greatly encouraged by the developments of the day. He wrote regarding it: Dr. Harper spent Sunday with me. He is strongly inclined here. Dr. Vincent, Ely, of Johns Hopkins, Broadus, and other eminent men are urging him our way I now think we shall get Dr. Harper. The visit to Cleveland was made on September 4 and 5. Mr. Gates had already laid the program before Mr. Rockefeller and he was therefore prepared to discuss the whole question. Nearly one entire day was given to the consideration of details, Mr. Rocke- feller having apparently immediately decided to give the million dollars as soon as he was assured that Dr. Harper would, if he did so, accept the presidency. On receiving the assurance of this gift Dr. Harper began at once to act on the theory that he was committed to the presidency. The day after the interview he wrote to Mr. Goodspeed, secretary of the Board, asking him to do six things, indicating that he wished to see things pushed and saying he would assume the responsibility. The second meeting of the Board of Trustees of the new University was held September 18, 1890, and Dr. Harper was elected President by a unanimous and rising vote. He asked and was given six months in which to communicate his decision, but it was under- stood by the Trustees that his acceptance was assured. And indeed he began at once to perform a president's duties. He entered on the study of the plan of organizing the University. He had already given this some thought, but now went at the problem in dead earnest and kept at it until he had solved it. He began at once the preparation of the six Official Bulletins which gave to the public the entire plan of organization. This "plan," his own creation, designed to be set in motion by its author, which no other man would have dared to undertake to set in motion and administer, itself committed him to the acceptance of the presi- dency. No sooner, however, had he consented to be elected, on the understanding, by himself and all concerned, that he would be the first President, than he began to be troubled and to find diffi- culties. He expressed doubt whether the Theological Seminary and its friends would consider him sufficiently orthodox to warrant the union of the two institutions under his presidency. He would