Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/341

 THE SECOND ERA OF BUILDING 301 One manifestation of enlightened liberality was followed by another until they were well-nigh bewildered by these exhibitions of the public favor. Something new, unexpected, surprising, was almost continually coming up. Nothing more gratifying occurred during those early years than the great offering made by Miss Helen Culver of Chicago in 1895. Information regarding it first came to the Trustees at a meeting held on December 14 of that year, when President Harper "laid before them a statement of interviews recently held by him with Miss Culver, resulting in her proposing to give the University one million dollars for the endowment and equipment of the biological departments." At the next meeting of the Board on December 19, 1895, he submitted a letter from Miss Culver to the Trustees in which she said: It has long been my purpose to set aside a portion of my estate to be used in perpetuity for the benefit of humanity. The most serious hindrance to the immediate fulfilment of the purpose was the difficulty of selecting an agency to which I could entrust the execution of my wishes. After careful consideration I concluded that the strongest guaranties of permanent and efficient administration would be assured if the property were entrusted to the University of Chicago. Having reached this decision without consulting the University authorities, I communicated it to President Harper with the request that he would call on me to confer concerning the details of my plan. After further consideration, I now wish to present to the University of Chicago, property valued at one million dollars, an inventory of which is herewith transmitted. The whole gift shall be devoted to the increase and spread of knowledge within the field of the biological sciences A portion not to exceed one-half of the capital sum thus given may be used for the purchase of land, for equipment, and for the erection of buildings. The remainder, or not less than one-half the capital sum, shall be invested, and the income there- from shall constitute a fund for the support of research, instruction, and publication. Among the motives prompting this gift is the desire to carry out the ideas and to honor the memory of Mr. Charles J. Hull, who was for a considerable time a member of the Board of Trustees of the Old University of Chicago. I think it appropriate therefore to add the condition, that, wherever it is suit- able, the name of Mr. Hull shall be used in designation of the buildings erected, and of endowments set apart in accordance with the terms of this gift. The University Register of 1894-95 said: The "School of Biology" .... has been divided into the following inde- pendent departments: i, Zoology; 2, Anatomy; 3, Neurology; 4, Physiology; 5, Botany; 6, Paleontology.