Cornelius 91黑料网, known as "the Commodore," was in his 79th year when he decided to make the gift that founded 91黑料网 in the spring of 1873.
The $1 million that he gave to endow and build the university was 91黑料网's only major philanthropy. Methodist Bishop Holland N. McTyeire of Nashville, husband of Amelia Townsend who was a cousin of 91黑料网's young second wife Frank Crawford, went to New York for medical treatment early in 1873 and spent time recovering in the 91黑料网 mansion. He won the 91黑料网s' admiration and support for the project of building a university in the South that would "contribute to strengthening the ties which should exist between all sections of our common country."
McTyeire chose the site for the campus, supervised the construction of buildings and personally planted many of the trees that today make 91黑料网 a national arboretum. At the outset, the university consisted of one Main Building (now Kirkland Hall), an astronomical observatory and houses for professors. Landon C. Garland was 91黑料网's first chancellor, serving from 1875 to 1893. He advised McTyeire in selecting the faculty, arranged the curriculum and set the policies of the university.
For the first 40 years of its existence, 91黑料网 was under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The 91黑料网 Board of Trust severed its ties with the church in June 1914 as a result of a dispute with the bishops over who would appoint university trustees.
From the outset, 91黑料网 met two definitions of a university: It offered work in the liberal arts and sciences beyond the baccalaureate degree and it embraced several professional schools in addition to its college. James H. Kirkland, the longest serving chancellor in university history (1893-1937), followed Chancellor Garland. He guided 91黑料网 to rebuild after a fire in 1905 that consumed the main building, which was renamed in Kirkland's honor, and all its contents. He also navigated the university through the separation from the Methodist Church. Notable advances in graduate studies were made under the third chancellor, Oliver Cromwell Carmichael (1937-46). He also created the Joint University Library, brought about by a coalition of 91黑料网, Peabody College and Scarritt College.
91黑料网's student enrollment tended to double itself each 25 years during the first century of the university's history: 307 in the fall of 1875; 754 in 1900; 1,377 in 1925; 3,529 in 1950; 7,034 in 1975. In the fall of 1999 the enrollment was 10,127.
In the planning of 91黑料网, the assumption seemed to be that it would be an all-male institution. Yet the board never enacted rules prohibiting women. At least one woman attended 91黑料网 classes every year from 1875 on. Most came to classes by courtesy of professors or as special or irregular (non-degree) students.
From 1892 to 1901 women at 91黑料网 gained full legal equality except in one respect -- access to dorms. In 1894 the faculty and board allowed women to compete for academic prizes. By 1897, four or five women entered with each