Evening star., 1936-02-22
BYRD IS ELECTED
M. j. PRESIDENT
Regents Board Votes, 7 to
2, to Elevate Acting Head
of University.
BY STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

COLLEGE PARK. Md, February o..
-Washingtons birthday. legal holi-
day throughout the Nation, found
Harry Clifton (Curley) Byrd at his
desk, beginning his first day as presi-
dent of the University of Maryland,
from which he was graduated as a
bachelor of science 81 years ago.
Byrd was named president late yes
terday by the Board of Regents, after
three and one-half hour executive
session in Baltimore. The appoint
ment was announced by DR.. w. w.
Skinner, board chairman, in a formal
statement which revealed that the re-
gents had voted z to 2 for the acting
president and former athletic director.
The action of the board makes Byrd
one of the few university heads who
do not hold a doctors degree.
The two negative votes were cast
by Judge w. Calvin Chestnut and
Clinton L. Riggs.
Based on Committee Report.
The boards decision came after a
SPCtld4 SOIllll1lGICC, llCdACA Wy 4bCPAS-
sentative William P. Cole. jr, had re-
ported on its study of available cam
didates.
The committee had been appointed
shortly after the resignation last June
of Dr. Raymond A. Pearson, whom
Byrd succeeded as acting president.
DR.. Skinner revealed that the COM
mittee recently had narrowed down
the field of candidates to three.
Among the last to be discussed, the
board chairman said, was former Gov.
Albert c. Ritchie.
After being notified of his selection
to head the university, Byrd left the
board room without any comment.
"Real Job Ahead"
"I have nothing to say" he told
questioners, except that I know I
have real job ahead of me-"
After spending a short time at his
Office at the university, Byrd was to
leave for Baltimore to hold several
conferences in connection with the
administration of the institution. He
was to return to College Park later in
the day.
The elevation of Byrd from acting
president to the presidency has been
anticipated for several months. He
has been Endorsed by numerous Mary
land organizations as 1.-The logical
man" for the position.
The Diamondback student weekly,
which attacked DR.. Pearson for al
legedly lowering the academic stand
ing of the university, urged editorially
the appointment of Byrd. Virtually
the entire student body signed petit
tions in his behalf.
The appointment of Byrd will cli-
max a career probably unparalleled on
the campus of an American univer-
sity. He has been connected with the
institution almost continuously since
he enrolled as freshman in 1905
In the 80 years intervening he has
welded considerable influence over the
university's affairs, being credited with
inaugurating many progressive meas
ures, including the consolidation of
the old Maryland State College and
the University of Maryland, and in the
organization of the Southern Confer
ence, one of the leading athletic
groups in the country.
Byrd's career has been marked by
the steady march from student to the
directing head of university with an
enrolment exceeding 1000. With the
exception of the consolidation, his
most noteworthy achievements prob
ably are the reorganization of the edu-
cational system, which resulted in the
creation of the College of Arts and
Sciences; the winning fight to defeat
legislation looking to the division of
schools, the building of new hospital
and the ironing out of difficulties at
the university which had been the OBJ
ject OF considerable criticism in the
past.
Byrd was born in Crisfleld Al years
ago, the son of William F. Byrd, a
member of the General Assembly.
Was graduated from the Maryland
Agricultural College in 1908, the
youngest student ever to graduate
from the college in civil engineering.
Later he entered Georgetown Univer-
sity to study law
He probably is more widely known
Tor his athletic prowess than as an
educator. for he won fame as a pro-
fessional base ball player with Chi
cago and San Francisco and as head
coach of Maryland's varsity foot ball
team. In his student days he was a
star athlete in track, base ball and foot
ball.
After a short career in professional
sports, including a period as coach
of high school foot ball, Byrd returned
to Maryland University in 1912 as an
instructor in English, history and
coach. Two years later he became
director of athletics.