{"product_id":"the-launching-of-duke-university-19241949","title":"The Launching of Duke University  19241949","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this rich and authoritative history  distinguished historian Robert F. Durden tells the story of the formation of Duke University  beginning with its creation in 1924 as a new institution organized around Trinity College. As Durden reveals  this narrative belongs first and foremost to Duke Universitys original President  William Preston Few  whose visionary leadership successfully launched the building of the first voluntarily supported research university in the South. In focusing on Duke Universitys most formative and critical yearsits first quarter centuryDurden commemorates Fews remarkable successes while recognizing the painful realities and uncertainties of a young institution. Made possible by a gift from James B. Duke  the wealthiest member of the family that had underwritten Trinity College since 1890  Duke University was organized with Few as president. Fews goal was to turn Duke into a world-class institution of higher education and these early years saw the development of much of what we know as Duke University today. Drawing on extensive archival material culled over a ten-year period  Durden discusses the building of the Medical Center  the rebuilding of the School of Law  the acquisition of the Duke Forest and development of the School of Forestry  the nurturing of the Divinity School  and the enrichment of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. It was also during this period  as Durden details  that such treasures as the Sarah P. Duke Gardens were created  as well as some near treasures  as seen by the failed attempt to start an art museum. Although the story of the birth of this University belongs largely to William Preston Few  other people figure prominently and are discussed at length. Alice Baldwin  who led in the establishment of the Womans College  emerges as a fascinating figure  as do William H. Wannamaker  James B. Duke  William Hanes Ackland  Robert L. Flowers  Justin Miller  and Wilburt Cornell Davision  among others. Although impressive growth occurred in Dukes formative years  tensions also arose. The need to strike an institutional balance between the twin demands of teaching and research  of regional versus national status  combined with continual shortages of funds  created occasional obstacles. The problem of two sets of trustees  one for the university and another for the Duke Endowment  loomed largest of all. As Few himself said  during these early years Duke successfully embarked on a long journey  for it was not until after World War II that Duke University consolidated the growth begun in the inter-war years. An important contribution to the history of Southern higher education as well as to Duke University  this book will be of great interest to historians  alumni  and friends of Duke University alike.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44986463486005,"sku":"ByrdShop_0822313022","price":47.27,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780822313021.jpg?v=1770905930","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-launching-of-duke-university-19241949","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}