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Ferris State University Historical Timeline |
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January 6, 1853 | Woodbridge Nathan Ferris born near Spencer, Tioga County, New York |
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September 7, 1853 | Helen Frances Gillespie born in New Haven, New York |
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December 23, 1874 | W. N. Ferris and Helen Frances Gillespie married at her home in Fulton, New York. |
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September 1, 1884 | W. N. Ferris and H. G. Ferris open the Big Rapids Industrial School in temporary quarters in the Vandersluis Block (present location of J. C. Penny Co.) in Big Rapids. |
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January, 1885 | Big Rapids Industrial School moves to permanent home at the northwest corner of Michigan and Maple Streets in the Big Rapids Northern National Bank Building. |
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January, 1885 | Name of Big Rapids Industrial School changed to Ferris Industrial School. |
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1893 | Marius Preysz asks W. N. Ferris for training in pharmacy. His success in passing the state board examination encourages Mr. Ferris to establish a pharmacy department. |
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January, 1894 | Ferris Industrial School moves into and dedicates its new building (Old Main) on the corner of Oak and Ives Streets. |
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January, 1894 | Ferris Industrial School incorporated, with capital stock of $50,000. |
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1898 | Name changed from Ferris Industrial School to Ferris Institute. |
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1900 | W. N. Ferris sells capital stock in Ferris Institute to the public, keeping a controlling interest in his own hands. |
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1901 | Pharmacy Annex Building constructed |
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1901 | Helen Gillespie Ferris retires as teacher and vice president of Ferris Institute. |
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| 1902 | Bert Scott Travis becomes secretary and treasurer of Ferris Institute. Gerrit Masselink becomes Vice President of Ferris Institute. |
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| January 1, 1913 | W. N. Ferris inaugurated Governor of Michigan. |
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| January 1, 1915 | W. N. Ferris inaugurated Governor of Michigan for second term. |
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| March 23, 1917 | Helen Gillespie Ferris dies. |
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| August 14, 1922 | W. N. Ferris marries Mary Ethel McCloud of Indianapolis, Indiana. |
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| November 7, 1922 | W. N. Ferris elected United States Senator from Michigan. |
| 1923 | W. N. Ferris sells controlling interest in Ferris Institute to Gerrit Masselink and Bert Scott Travis. Ferris institute is reorganized as a non-profit school with non dividend bearing stock. |
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| October 30, 1926 | First homecoming, sponsored by Phi Sigma Chi fraternity. |
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| March 23, 1928 | W. N. Ferris dies in Washington, D. C. |
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| March 24, 1928 | Gerrit Masselink takes office as second president of Ferris Institute |
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| April 25,1929 | Gerrit Masselink dies. An advisory board of Grover C. Baker, E. M. Clark, K. G. Merrill and E. J. Parr chosen to manage the school. E. M. Clark, as chair of the board becomes acting president. |
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| September 4, 1929 | Alpheus A. Worcester takes office as acting president. |
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| October 19, 1929 | Alumni building dedicated. |
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| July 1, 1930 | Wells D. White takes office as fourth president. |
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| August 25, 1931 | The Board of Incorporators, a group of 39 businessmen purchase Ferris Institute from the old stockholders and select a board of trustees from their number to govern school. |
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| February 12, 1931 | Pioneer sports writer Lester "Jap" Williams gives the Ferris Institute athletic teams (notably the Basketball team) the nickname "Bulldogs." |
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| 1931 | Wells D. White leaves the presidency, an executive board consisting of E. M. Clark, E. J. Parr and K. G. Merrill chosen to manage the school. E. M. Clark, as chairman of the board is acting president. |
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| 1931 | B. S. Travis retires as secretary and treasurer of Ferris Institute, but continues teaching. |
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| 1932 | Ernest E. Brown, of Oklahoma takes office as fifth president. |
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| February 14, 1936 | Ernest E. Brown leaves the presidency to become president of Northwestern State Teachers College in Alva, Oklahoma. |
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| February 17, 1936 | E. M. Clark appointed acting president. |
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| July 13, 1936 | Merle S. Ward takes office as seventh president. |
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| February , 1943 | Ferris Institute alumnus Colin Smith introduces a bill in the legislature for the state to purchase Ferris Institute. It passes both houses but is vetoed by Gov. Harry Kelly. |
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| April , 1946 | Merle S. Ward leaves the presidency after a misunderstanding with the Board of Trustees. |
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| July 10, 1946 | Byron J. Brophy takes office as president. |
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| May 17, 1949 | Governor G. Mennen Williams signs bill accepting Ferris Institute as a gift to the State of Michigan, which will take over its governance on July 1, 1950. |
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| February 21, 1950 | Old Main and Old Pharmacy buildings destroyed by fire, only the Alumni Building and some minor buildings left standing. |
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| July 1, 1950 | Ferris Institute becomes a state college. |
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| February, 1952 | Byron J. Brophy resigns as president because of ill health. |
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| February, 1952 | Karl G. Merrill named acting president. |
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| September 8, 1952 | Victor F. Spathelf takes office as tenth president. |
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| July 1, 1963 | Name changed from Ferris Institute to Ferris State College |
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| Fall, 1968 | First Ferris undefeated football team. Bob Leach, coach. |
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| December 15, 1970 | Victor F. Spathelf retires as president. |
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| December 16, 1970 | John R. Smith takes office as acting president. |
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| March 15, 1971 | Robert L. Ewigleben takes office as 12th president. |
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| 1983-1984 | Celebration of centennial of Ferris State College. |
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| June 30,1984 | Robert L. Ewigleben retires as president. |
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| July 1, 1984 | J. William Wenrich takes office as 13th president. |
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| November, 1987 | Name changed from Ferris State College to Ferris State University. |
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| September 5, 1988 | J. William Wenrich leaves the presidency. |
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| September 6, 1988 | Roy J. Tiede takes office as interim president. |
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| July 31, 1989 | Roy J. Tiede ends his term as interim president. |
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| August 1, 1989 | Helen Popovich takes office as 15th president. |
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| July 31, 1994 | Helen Popovich retires as president. |
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| August 1, 1994 | William A. Sederburg takes office as interim president. |
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| August 1, 1995 | William A. Sederburg officially appointed the 16th president |
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| May 2003 | William A. Sederburg leaves office to accept position as president of Utah Valley State College |
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| May 2003 | Scott Hill-Kennedy appointed as interim president. |
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| July 2003 | David L. Eisler takes office as the 18th president. |
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