Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/278

 CHAPTER IX THE FIRST YEAR The first day of October, 1892, that great day so long antici- pated, in preparation for which so many plans had been made and so many labors performed, the day on which the doors of the Uni- versity were to be opened for receiving students and beginning that work of investigation and instruction which it was hoped would end only with the end of time that great day was drawing near. President Judson, writing of it, says: The night before I spent working with Dr. Harper on the details of the open- ing until about midnight at his house. When we had finished he threw himself back on the sofa and said, "I wonder if there will be a single student there tomorrow!" Of course we had been having interviews with students for weeks; still he didn't feel sure that anybody would appear. The last item in the work of preparation for the opening day had been done, and the President could not but be anxious as to the outcome. Much thought had been given to the question of the opening exercises. There must be such exercises. There would be a first day, and on that day something would be done. What should it be ? Was not a celebration of some sort the fitting opening for so important a work ? The President and Trustees had given this question much consideration. On May 7, 1892, President Harper wrote the following letter to Mr. Rockefeller: I wonder whether you remember a promise given me at Cleveland, that, at the opening of the University, you would come to Chicago and attend the exercises. The time is approaching when the arrangements for such exercises ought to be made, if made at all. After careful consideration I have proposed to our Board of Trustees that they hold no opening exercises; that the work of the University begin October i as if it were the continuation of a work which had been conducted for a thousand years. I find that the majority of the Board are not in favor of this plan, and, of course, I gladly yield to their wishes. They, on the other hand, are very anxious to know what would be pleasing to you. They realize the great debt of gratitude due to you for your many and magnificent donations. They recognize your deep and personal 242