Private Voluntary Support to Public Universities in the United States: Late Nineteenth-century Developments

Abstract

The early history of private support to state universities in the United States followed an inconsistent pattern. From the chartering of the first state university in 1785 through the antebellum period, state universities followed patterns of raising support established by the colonial colleges and relied on a combination of public and private support. This inconsistent pattern improved after the Civil War due to the intersection of powerful social and political forces. This study explores this second stage in the history of private voluntary support of public research universities in the United States during the latter part of the nineteenth century. During this period several factors affected the state institution's ability to attract private funds. These factors include changing social and educational aims, a redefinition of stewardship, and the changing Federal interest in higher education. The emergence of a more responsive American university in the late nineteenth century further stabilized levels of support and created a more consistent pattern of fund raising for state colleges and universities.