The History of the Fine Arts School at the University of Kansas

Abstract

The history of the Fine Arts School at the University of Kansas begins, in a sense, with the history of Lawrence. As early as 1854 there were musical influences in the town, which, after the founding of the university in 1866, were to be found also in the activities of certain early faculty members and musical groups. These factors all contributed to the establishment of the Department of Music, and culminated ultimately in the organization of the School · of Fine Arts. The first chapter of this work deals with these early musical influences leading to the organization of the Department of Music and the appointment of the first Dean. The remainder of the thesis is divided into chapters covering the administration of each Dean of the Fine Arts School.