Walter Barnard Hill
Encyclopedia
Walter Barnard Hill was chancellor of the University of Georgia
(UGA) in Athens
from 1899 until his death in 1905 (The head of the university was referred to as chancellor instead of president, from 1860 until 1932).
, Georgia
. He obtained three degrees from the university: A.B.
(1870), M.A.
(1871), and Bachelor of Laws (B.L.) (1871) and was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. He practiced law in Macon, Georgia
.
Hill's efforts eventually led to contraction of pneumonia, and he died in office in December 1905. He was buried in the Oconee Hill Cemetery
in Athens.
* Created the foundations for the College of Agriculture and the College of Education
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
(UGA) in Athens
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
from 1899 until his death in 1905 (The head of the university was referred to as chancellor instead of president, from 1860 until 1932).
Biography
Hill was born in TalbottonTalbotton, Georgia
Talbotton is a city in Talbot County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,019 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Talbot County. Talbotton may be best known in history as the place where the immigrant Straus family got their start in retail sales in the 19th century....
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He obtained three degrees from the university: A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(1870), M.A.
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
(1871), and Bachelor of Laws (B.L.) (1871) and was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. He practiced law in Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
.
Hill's efforts eventually led to contraction of pneumonia, and he died in office in December 1905. He was buried in the Oconee Hill Cemetery
Oconee Hill Cemetery
Oconee Hill Cemetery is an American cemetery in Athens, Georgia. The cemetery opened in 1856 and is located just off the University of Georgia's campus....
in Athens.
Accomplishments
| Walter Bernard Hill Hall Hill Hall at Savannah State College Hill Hall at Savannah State College, also known as Walter Bernard Hill Hall and built between 1900 and 1901 by students studying manual arts and blacksmithing, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The building was named for Dr... on the campus of Savannah State University Savannah State University Savannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah State holds the distinction as the oldest public historically black university in Georgia... is named in honor of Dr. Hill. |
- Expanded the law curriculum from one to two years
- Established a School of Pharmacy (1903)
- Prepared for the School of Forestry (1906)
- Secured $151,000 in funding from the Georgia General AssemblyGeorgia General AssemblyThe Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
between 1900 and 1905 (as opposed to just $8,000 in 1899) - Opened the following buildings on the university of Georgia campus: Denmark Hall (1901), Peabody Library (1905); Science Hall/Terrell Hall (1897/1904), Candler Hall (1902), and Meigs (originally, LeConte) Hall (1905).
Additional reading
- History of the University of Georgia by Thomas Walter Reed; Frontmatter and Chapter I: The Beginnings of the University, Thomas Walter Reed, Imprint: Athens, Georgia : University of Georgia, ca. 1949
- From Ahmedunggar to Lavonia Presidents at the University of Georgia 1785-1997, University of Georgia Libraries, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library