Alston Ellis 1892 - 1899 |
University Presidents |
|
Ellis was born in Kenton County, Kentucky, and spent his younger years on the family farm. He obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees from Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, after a brief stint of country school teaching and working in his father's tobacco factory. He became Colorado's State Agricultural College's third president on February 15, 1892. No previous president could match Ellis' talent for defining institutional needs and formulating workable policies. He possessed a quick, practical intellect that enabled him to cut through details and grasp the essence of a situation. However, brilliance partially offset by some unfortunate personal qualities made him a controversial figure at the college. He could be arrogant, egotistical, and contemptuous of persons less intelligent than himself. He rarely hesitated to speak his mind, and nowhere was this trait more evident than with regard to his philosophy of education. He strongly supported the "broad gauge" concept of land-grant higher education, and his sophistication and eloquence in defending this approach surpassed his predecessors. Even so, this was a difficult goal to achieve because of the school's eagerness to serve the surrounding community and because of its dependence upon that community for survival. Ellis contributed significantly to the development of Colorado Agricultural College. Despite severe economic difficulties precipitated by the depression of the 1890s, enrollment increased from 179 to 345 students and resident instruction faculty from 19 to 33. The "Ladies' Course" became a promising domestic science program, and a new commercial course was adopted. This period also featured some important additions to the College physical plant: Agricultural Hall, Horticultural Hall, the Farm House, the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory, the Chemical Laboratory, the campus Train Station, and several greenhouses. Despite extraordinary knowledge as an educator, Ellis experienced continuous difficulty in attracting support for his ideas and policies and found himself confronted by mounting opposition. During his six years as president, he offended many with his relentless, often scathing candor. His association with Colorado Agricultural College was terminated by the Board after the 1898-99 school year. |
