Samuel Jones, a graduate of West Point and former Confederate major general, was president from 1873 to 1875.
During his presidency, Jones reconstructed the curriculum and the overall focus of the college. He established six departments—languages, mathematics, English, natural science, moral philosophy and agriculture—with emphasis on science instead of the classics.
He also added military training and continued the preparatory school, advertising it as a preparatory course for West Point and the Naval Academy.
The board requested his resignation amid the controversy over his shift in emphasis from agriculture to militarism. Following his presidency, he became a clerk in the federal war department. Jones died in 1887.
The University of Maryland, College Park is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 41,000 students, 14,000 faculty and staff, and 388,000 alumni all dedicated to the pursuit of Fearless Ideas. Located just outside Washington, D.C., we discover and share new knowledge every day through our renowned research enterprise and programs in academics, the arts and athletics. And we are committed to social entrepreneurship as the nation’s first “Do Good” campus.
The University of Maryland is one of the world’s premier research institutions. With our strategic location and scores of partnerships with government and businesses, UMD conducts groundbreaking research on some of the biggest challenges facing our global community, including cybersecurity and terrorism, bioengineering, public health equity, food safety and climate change. We strive to discover new knowledge and put it to work through innovation and entrepreneurship, advancing economic development and transforming lives.
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