he search for a
suitable man for this position, the trustees were happy in the
selection of the Reverend Doctor Wilbur P. Thirkield[524] who accepted
the offer and took up the duties of president in 1906. He was
inaugurated November 15, 1907, on the occasion of the fortieth
anniversary of the founding of the institution. With this ceremony
began an infusion of new life into Howard University. Advantage of
this occasion was taken to introduce the institution concretely to a
group of notables who had hitherto known of it only in a casual way.
And having once brought the institution to the attention of the world,
President Thirkield never allowed the world to forget it.

With keen insight he realized at the very beginning of his term of
office that the great and basic need of the University was material
expansion. He saw the need of a more extensive plant with modern
equipment and served by a larger faculty. With characteristic energy
he sought to bring the University into a still closer alliance with
the Federal Government. So successfully was the case presented that
during his administration of six years he succeeded in raising the
annual Congressional appropriation for current expenses from less than
$50,000 in 1906 to over $100,000 in 1912. The pressing need for
facilities in the teaching of the sciences was met by the erection in
1910 of a science hall from special appropriations amounting to
$80,000.[525] In 1909, the Carnegie Library was erected. This building
was the gift of Mr. Andrew Carnegie and cost $50,000.

About this time the improvement of the dormitories was begun by the
installation of adequate systems of sanitary plumbing and electric
lights. By arrangement with Freedmen's Hospital the heating and
lighting plant was enlarged at a cost of approximately $100,000 to
such capacity that steam and current were supplied to all the
University buildings. In addition to these improvements in housing and
equipment, the grounds were improved and beautified in accordance with
a definite scheme.[526] To provide for the constantly growing work in
technical and industrial branches the Hall of Applied Sciences was
built in 1913 at a cost of $25,000 thus releasing the old Spaulding
Hall for other purposes. A special department of music under Miss Lulu
Vere Childers was established in 1909 and given a building in 1916.

Possibly the most striking result of the educational awakening under
President Thirkield was the rapi