Word: umphrey
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...Umphrey Lee is a big, good-natured man who manages to resemble neither preacher, scholar, historian nor college president. The fact that he is all of these things-and a man of tact and horse sense, too-goes a long way to explain the rise of Southern Methodist University. Last week, already the biggest private university in the Southwest and still sprouting, S.M.U. proudly dedicated its newest shining wonder: a $3,500,000 school of theology, consisting of seven pink brick, Georgian-style buildings spread on 16 acres of the S.M.U. campus...
Domes & Dormers. S.M.U. has trebled in enrollment (to 7,250) and assets (to $24 million) since Umphrey Lee took over in 1939. In those days the 133-acre S.M.U. campus, just north of Dallas, had twelve buildings. Now it sparkles with the gold domes, white dormers and tall steeples of 28. Umphrey Lee (who explains the Umphrey by saying, "Some of my ancestors just couldn't spell") thinks that he raised maybe $6,000 toward all this...
There is truth and good sense in Lee's attitude. Building schools is a passion with Texans,* and nearly every college in the state has construction either under way or blueprinted. As Umphrey puts it: "There is an atmosphere of achievement and a healthy attitude toward giving. People do not ask, 'Can it be done?' They know it can. All they want to know is whether it is desirable...