David Ross Boyd
Encyclopedia
David Ross Boyd was an American educator and the first president of the University of Oklahoma
.
He was born in Coshocton, Ohio
, and after obtaining a doctorate degree from the small Wooster University
, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. He began his career early as a superintendent of the Arkansas City, Kansas
school system. While there, members of the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma came to his schools to view the heating system that Boyd had installed. The Board was very impressed with him and chose him as the University's first president with a salary of $
2,400. In addition to his role as University President, he would also serve as the professor of mental and moral science, as he was a devout Presbyterian.
He brought his religion with him to the university where he held chapel services each morning which included Scripture readings and a brief, three-minute sermon. Around the turn of the 20th century, Boyd was both the president of the territorial
university as well as the territorial Board of Education, making him the most prominent man in education in the area.
Shortly after arriving in Norman
, he began a project for which he since become best known. He immediately began preparations for planting thousands of trees around campus, and began buying young trees from a bankrupt nursery
in Wichita, Kansas
. At first, the people of Norman were outraged; but when they learned Boyd was purchasing the trees and the water with his own money they became grateful. He reportedly planted nearly 10,000 trees in his first 18 months on the job and developed a campus nursery with more than 40,000 trees.
After the Oklahoma Territory became the State of Oklahoma
, one of the first acts of the new Oklahoma Governor, Charles N. Haskell
, was to replace many of the original faculty at the University. This included Boyd as well as Vernon Louis Parrington
, the Harvard
-educated professor who started the English Department and went on to win a Pulitzer Prize
. The Governor accused Boyd of being an "aristocrat, not democratic enough." Upon leaving the University of Oklahoma, he became the president of the University of New Mexico
in 1912. He died in November 1936, aged 83.
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
.
He was born in Coshocton, Ohio
Coshocton, Ohio
Coshocton is a city in and the county seat of Coshocton County, Ohio, United States. The population of the city was 11,682 at the 2000 census. The Walhonding River and the Tuscarawas River meet in Coshocton to form the Muskingum River....
, and after obtaining a doctorate degree from the small Wooster University
The College of Wooster
The College of Wooster is a private liberal arts college primarily known for its Independent study program. It has roughly 2,000 students and is located in Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio, United States . Founded in 1866 by the Presbyterian church as the University of Wooster, it was from its creation...
, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. He began his career early as a superintendent of the Arkansas City, Kansas
Arkansas City, Kansas
Arkansas City is a city situated at the confluence of the Arkansas and Walnut rivers in the southwestern part of Cowley County, located in south-central Kansas, in the central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,415....
school system. While there, members of the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma came to his schools to view the heating system that Boyd had installed. The Board was very impressed with him and chose him as the University's first president with a salary of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2,400. In addition to his role as University President, he would also serve as the professor of mental and moral science, as he was a devout Presbyterian.
He brought his religion with him to the university where he held chapel services each morning which included Scripture readings and a brief, three-minute sermon. Around the turn of the 20th century, Boyd was both the president of the territorial
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
university as well as the territorial Board of Education, making him the most prominent man in education in the area.
Shortly after arriving in Norman
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
, he began a project for which he since become best known. He immediately began preparations for planting thousands of trees around campus, and began buying young trees from a bankrupt nursery
Nursery (horticulture)
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of...
in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
. At first, the people of Norman were outraged; but when they learned Boyd was purchasing the trees and the water with his own money they became grateful. He reportedly planted nearly 10,000 trees in his first 18 months on the job and developed a campus nursery with more than 40,000 trees.
After the Oklahoma Territory became the State of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, one of the first acts of the new Oklahoma Governor, Charles N. Haskell
Charles N. Haskell
Charles Nathaniel Haskell was an American lawyer, oilman, and statesman who served as the first Governor of Oklahoma. Haskell played a crucial role in drafting the Oklahoma Constitution as well as Oklahoma's statehood and admission into the United States as the 46th state in 1907...
, was to replace many of the original faculty at the University. This included Boyd as well as Vernon Louis Parrington
Vernon Louis Parrington
Vernon Louis Parrington was an American historian and football coach. His liberal interpretation of American history was highly influential in the 1920s to 1940s, when it fell out of favor.-Career:...
, the Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
-educated professor who started the English Department and went on to win a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
. The Governor accused Boyd of being an "aristocrat, not democratic enough." Upon leaving the University of Oklahoma, he became the president of the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
in 1912. He died in November 1936, aged 83.