Evening star., 1954-05-01
New Maryland U. President
DR.. Wilson H. EIkins Likes Sports, But Stresses
Value Of Good Faculty and School Program

the University of Texas in 1881
and 1882. For the next year, he
coached athletics and taught his
tory at Cisco (Tex.) High School.
Then in 1888 he went to Oxford
University in England as a
Rhodes scholar and received de-
grees as a bachelor Of literature
and doctor Of philosophy.
He returned to Texas in 1886
to teach history and government
at the university for two years.
Becoming interested in educa-
tional administration. he ac-
cepted appointment as president
of San Angelo in 1898.
He went to Texas Western at
about the time it became a
branch of the University of
Texas. Before that, it was a col
lege of mining and metallurgy.
Today it is a combination engi-
neering and arts and sciences
school, DR.. Elkins explained.
Texas Western has about 5000
men and women students. At
the University of Maryland, DR..
Elkins will be president of H.
178 studelits-8,525 at College
Park and 1858 at Baltimore
not to mention the thousands of
servicemen who attend classes
in the part-time colleges the
university operates overseas for
the Defense Department.
Big Jump in Pay.
A happier increase faces DR..
Elkins in his salary. He earns
$4,000 a year at the Texas col
lege. At Maryland, he will re-
ceive $22,50O, the same salary
paid to DR.. Byrd.
DR.. Byrd is scheduled to seek
pension on July l and give up
the $22,500 salary he has con-
tinued to draw as president
emeritus. DR.. T. B. Symons.
who has been serving since jan
uary as acting president, is
being paid at the rate of $4,000
a year.
Bigger figures also will con-
front DR.. Elkins on budget mat
terS. He has been accustomed
to handling an operating budget
of about 50 million at Texas
Western. Current operating
budget at Maryland is SIG mil
lion.
Although he was born on a
ranch in Texas cattle country
near Medina, DR.. ElkinS said he
"can't very well be called a cow
boy" His family moved to San
Antonio while he was still boy,
and he lived the rest of his boy
hood in that city.
Wife Formerly Taught.
His wife, whom he married in
1887, is a former school teacher
They have two blonde daughters
-Carole Anne, II, and Mar
garet Elise, 8.
When he returns to Ell Paso on
Monday. DR.. Elkins said. he is
certain his offspring will have
only one concern about the move
do they have horses in Mary
land?"
His girls, he said, are very fond
of riding horses. Texas Western
keeps a stable on the campus.
DR.. ElkinS' appointment ended
a search of almost a years dura-
ton, in which nearly 100 pos
sible candidates were considered
by the regents. Judge William
P. Cole, chairman of the regents,
said DR.. Elkins' educational and
administrative background was
the factor which had the great
est influence on the boards
choice.
Developed Texas Western.
Ell PASO, May l Especially -
An air of sadness blanketed
Texas Western Colleges campus
here today after it was learned
DR.. Wilson H. Elklns. the school
president, is leaving to become
president of the University of
Maryland.
1--WE hate to lose him, but he's
taking a big jump and Maryland
won't be sorry" one faculty
member declared. Hes a great
guy" a student commented.
DR.. Elkins has been instru-
mental in developing Texas
Western from a small mining
engineering school to one which
now covers the arts and sciences.