The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-04-07
UNIVERSITY OF n. D.
OBSERVED ITS 51Sr
BIRTHDAY FEB. q
Institution Organized Six Years
Before North Dakota Be.
came a State
ENJOYS HIGH RANKING NOW
Has Conferred 1854 Degrees
and Matriculated More
Than 1000

Last FEB. a, the University OF
North Dakota observed It's 5lst ami
versary, with n. A. Nestos, one.time
governor Of the state and q. N. D.
alumnus, giving the principal address
at Founders day exercises.
More than half century ago, lit
tie more than seven years after Gen.
eral George A. Clusters last stand ut
the Little Big Horn and six years be-
fore North Dakota became . state,
the territorial legislature established
the University Of North Dakota. The
cornerstone Of the new university was
laid Feb. q, 1853.
Establishment Of the institution was
aided by the enabling act Of congress.
which granted the university 5000
acres Of public lands. and the School
Of Mines, combined by law with the
university. with an additional 10000
acres.
The College Of Liberal Arts was the
first established. The university now
includes the Colleges Of Engineering,
Law and Liberal Arts, the schools Of
education, commerce and medicine,
the graduate school and extension de.
partment.
Wesley College Affiliated
Wesley college, with schools Of re.
ligion, music and expression. Il At
filiated with the university.
The North Dakota institution has
the highest rank given among uni
versities In all its departments. schools
ard colleges. The university Is rated
Glass A" with the u. 8. commits
sioner Of education, Is on the list Of
universities accredited to European
universities by the Association Of
American Universities, its medical
school Is rated "Class A" by the
American Medical association and Is
4 member Of American Medical COL
leges, its law school is rated "Class
A" by the American Bar association,
courses Of the College Of Engineering
and School Of Education are ranked
Glass A. by the American Associa-
ton OF Collegiate Schools Of Business,
and the university itself Is . mem.
Der Of the National Association Of
State Universities.
This standing Is maintained despite
severe appropriation cuts Of the last
legislative assembly.
Only eight students registered in the
first year, 1885-l886. BY 1900 the en-.
rollment had jumped to l24 and In
1892 it was 2,463. Six were graduated
in 1850 and SIS received diplomas In
1893. The university has conferred
1884 degrees in 81 years and matricu-
lated more than $4,000 students.
Old Main Was First
"Old Main" was the university's
first building. It was constructed In
1883 and remodeled and moderni1ed
in 1912. The university has II build
irgs in addition to Memorial stadium.
in which athletic events are staged.
It was built in 1927 with . seating
capacity Of 5000, but more than twice
that number can Be taken care Of
adequately with bleachers on the east
side.
The new Merrifield building Is the
largest class building on the campus.
having 20 class rooms, 20 offices and
two large lecture rooms. It Was CONF
pleted in 1920.
Other buildings include Science
Hall, 1901: mechanical and electrical
engineering building, 1900: Babcock
Hall, mining engineering building,
1908: Woodwork hall. housing the
school Of education, 1910; chemistry
building, 1918: law building, housing
schools Of law and commerce: library,
1918: women's gymnasium. 1907; Com
mons building, 1908; Davis hall, dor
nitory for women, 1887: Macnie and
Bulge halls, dormitories for men, 1893
and 1899; and the armory, housing the
II o. T. G. and athletic departments
Wesley college has two buildings,
Larimore and sayre halls, combining
dormitories for students and office
buildings for classes and teachers.
The first years Of the university
courses provide . good general edu-
cation. . liberal culture that develops
the personality, helps the student u
find himself, to discover his special
ability and to develop systematic hab-
its. Later years provide opportunity
for men and women to specialize IN
their chosen fields, to prepare them
selves for successful participation n
the affairs Of life, to succeed In pro-
fessional life and thus advance the
welfare Of society.
Cosmopolitan FaSulty
More than 100 trained men and
women constitute the teaching staff
Thee mon and V50nnen with dAUrAal