Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-25
IOWA GETS MACLEAN
0hancsllor of Nebraska's University Decides
on a Change Of Base.
ACCEPTS THE OFFER OF THE HAWkeYES
Sends Telegram to that Effect to Board
Of Regents
SEES GREATER POSSIBILITIES IN IOWA
Leaves a Prosperous University and q
United Faculty.
ASKS COOPERATION IN NEW POSITION
Acting Chancellor Will Probably He
Elected to Serve During the Com
ing Year in the Nebraska
Institution.

LINCOLN June 24.-(special Telegram)-
After several weeks of serious consideration
Chancellor George Il. MacLean OF the Uni
versty of Nebraska tonight decided to ac
cept the presidency of the University of
Iowa.
He has been corresponding with the au
thorities of the Iowa institution since his
visit there two weeks ago. but he did not
reach a decision until tonight when he sent
the following dispatch to Judge Babb chair
man OF the Board of Regents at Mount Pleas
ant, Ia:
After mature deliberation am convinced
of Iowa's greater opportunity. l accept the
presidency and leave loyal regents, a united
faculty and a prosperous university with
the assurance of finding the same in Iowa,
with its possibilities. l trust the people
will be cooperative, not expecting too much.
GEORGE L. MACLEAN."
Soon after sending the above dispatch
Chancellor MacLean received the following
telegram from the acting president of the
Iowa university:
Greetings for President MacLean. Com
pliments for the University of Iowa.
AMOS n CURRIER,
Acting President"
Chancellor MacLean has received congratu
latory kilograms and letters from promi-
his election to the presidency of the Uni
versity of Iowa. Among those who have
complimented him are President Draper Of
the University Of Illinois, President North
rop of the University Of Minnesota, Dean
Judson of the University Of Chicago, Charles
Chaplain of the University Of Washington
at ST. Louis, State Superintendent Barrett OF
Iowa, Judge Maxwell OF this state and Gov
ernor Shaw of Iowa.
Grateful to Nebraska.
az am very grateful, indeed" said Chan
celor MacLean tonight, in speaking of leav-
ing Nebraska, ito the many friends who
have expressed themselves during the last
few weeks. 1t is true that leave Nebraska
very reluctantly, but go very cheerfully. !
think The possibilities are greater in Iowa or
would have remained in this state. The
people of Nebraska ent ertain wrong idea
of the Iowa university. In buildings and
| equipments it is superior to ours but the
attendance is not quite so large l hope the
regents of the Nebraska university will pur-
sue vigorous policy and shall continue
to do all can for the institution. The uni
versity here will never have a warmer friend
than me-"
! Chancellor MacLean has not decided when
to leave for his new location. He said to-
night that he would remain here until he
could complete his work. The board of re-
! gents of the Iowa university will hold
meeting June 2S and he expects to be pres
ent The regents of the Nebraska
university meet July l to let the
contracts for the buildings and his resigna-
tion will be formally brought before them
at that time. While very little has been
said or done regarding a successor to the
chancellor it has been the general opinion of
| Iba hat would hp we'll elect
| acting chancellor for the term OF one year
| in the event Of the departure of the present
head OF the institution. That idea still pre-
walls and such action will probably be taken
! by the board at it's next meeting.
| George Edwin MacLean was born in Rock
Vile, Conn, August 81, 1850, son of Edwin
! w. MacLean and Julia H. (Ladd) MacLean.
His father, man of public spirit, was a
successful merchant, for a number of years
postmaster of Rockville. a member OF the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows and later
a deacon in the Congregational church of
| Great harrington, Mass. The earliest Amer
lean representatives of the family settled in
Hartford and Vernon, Conn, before the
revolution. The genealogy in Scotland
reaches back to the eleventh century, with a
legendary line for several centuries beyond.
in 1882 DR.. MacLean received his prepara-
tory education in Westfeld academy and
| Wiliston seminary, Massachusetts, He
completed a course OF study at Yale Theo-
logical school in 1874 and accepted the pas
torate of the Presbyterian and Congrega-
tional society OF New Lebanon. n. Y. From
1877 to 1881 he was minister of the Memorial
Presbyterian church at Troy, n. Y. Going
abroad in the latter year he studied at the
University OF Leipzig until 1883. with the
exception OF two semesters at the University
of Berlin. He devoted his attention espe
cially to philology and history. Biblical
exegess and old English literature, He col
lated several old English manuscripts in the
British museum, Oxford and Cambridge, and
made the degree of Phi. d. at Leipzig
After an extended tour through Europe
he returned to the United States and short
ly afterward accepted the chair OF English
language and literature in the Universt,
OF Minnesota. At the expiration OF sever
years OF service in that institution he OBJ
taned leave OF absence, spending clever
months in studying the British museum anC
in making cycle tours through England Fa
cilities were everywhere afforded him fol
becoming acquainted with English fIfe anC
thought and especially at the universities,
He resumed the duties OF his professor
sup dA lHt VI III re
cember, 1892, but again in 1894 he began re
searches in the Bibliotheque Rationale
Paris. In 1891 he was elected a member
OF the Pathological society Of London apC
also of the American Pathological society
the Modern Language association, the Amer
lean Dialect society, an honorary membe
of the Whig society Of Princeton university
OF the North American Bee Keepers asso
J citation and of the Society of Electrical En-
gineers of the University OF Nebraska, ant
in 1885 the degree of LII d. was conferred
upon him by Williams college. In the SAM
year he was elected chancellor of the Uni
} yersity OF Nebraska and president of tn
university senate. which positions he still
holds. He is also a director OF the Unite
States agricultural experiment station a
the university and during the summer O
: 1886 travelled in England, Holland and Ger
many studying the work done in the sX
pertinent stations in each country.