University of Oklahoma

In the late 19th century, on December 18, 1890, the Oklahoma Territorial legislature set up three universities to facilitate higher learning. Governor George Washington Steele's robust backing ensured the establishment of these educational hotspots. Of these three, the state university located in Norman made a lasting impact and came to be known as the esteemed University of Oklahoma.

Imagine, a bare piece of land! The first university president could not. Hence, he insisted on planting trees before the rapid construction of the buildings. The Norman locals generously donated a sizable 407 acres for this dream project. What was the result? An attractive, perfectly landscaped university, about half a mile from Norman's railway depot.

A visionary named David Ross Boyd stepped into the role of the university's first president in August 1892 and the first batch of enthusiastic students enrolls in the same year. Recognizing the local demand for pharmaceutical services, the university unfolded a School of Pharmacy in 1893. Three years after, a dazzling moment of pride embraced the university when they awarded the first degree to a pharmaceutical chemist.

In the initial days, a downtown Norman held classes in what was known as the "Rock Building", until September 6, 1893, when the first university building welcomed eager scholars. However, a tragic event on January 6, 1903, threw the university into disarray, as the only existing building was licked up by flames, taking along with it many early university records.

But the undying spirit of the president and his faculty saw a rapid rise from the ashes. Professor Frederick Elder famously said, "All you need to keep classes going is a two-yard blackboard and a box of chalk." This disaster also led to the unveiling of a campus development plan by English professor Vernon Louis Parrington. His unfailing dream of an Oval core is now an aesthetic highlight of the campus.

The original architecture adopted by the University was a rare combination of Gothic era features and designs from local Native American tribes of Oklahoma, coined as "Cherokee Gothic" by the sensational American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Since statehood was granted to Oklahoma in 1907, there was a notable shift in the political sphere and the university underwent a series of changes, including disagreements concerning religious views.

Over the years, a slow but steady expansion process transformed the campus, and by 1932, the university reached an impressive 167 acres. Efforts made to increase funding for library construction proved fruitful by 1936, providing a rich collection of research materials for the academic community.

The next few decades saw a flux of enrollments with a severe decrease during the World War II period, dropping to 3,769 in 1945 from pre World War II high of 6,935 in 1939. But with the completion of the War, the numbers soared, hitting a record high of 17,268 by 1965.

The transition from segregation to an environment free from racial discrimination and prejudice marked the dawn of a new era in OU's history. This significant change came around in 1950 after G. W. McLaurin, a black man, won a case overturning the university's segregation policy.

A period of immense growth flagged off when David Boren took over as president in 1994. Many notable infrastructural transformations have taken place since then, including the establishment of the National Weather Center and expansions of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.

However, not all dots on OU's timeline are happy ones. A painful event in March 2015 witnessed the halt of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity's Oklahoma Kappa chapter activities due to a surfaced racist chant video.

Since its inception, the University of Oklahoma has had a diverse range of presidents, with David Boren serving the longest term from 1994 to 2018, after George Lynn Cross's 25 years tenure that began in 1943. As of May 9, 2020, the OU College of Law Dean Joseph Harroz holds the position of the university's 15th president.

This narrative, encapsulating the history of the University of Oklahoma, serves as a peek into its rich and complex journey. Providing many opportunities for learning, growth, and personal development, from its beginnings in the Territorial era till today, OU offers a chance to be a part of a forward-thinking society.