Handwritten on verso of image: Dr. Ed. Meany -- Dr. Suzzallo, Stadium groundbreaking Filed in Meany Collection, Box 1/3

Edmond S. Meany (1862-1935) was born in East Saginaw, Michigan. He moved west with his family, arriving in Seattle in 1877. At the time, the University of Washington was still the Territorial University; Meany graduated from it as valedictorian of his class of 1885 with a bachelor's degree in science. He obtained a master's degree in science in 1889. He also married Sarah Elizabeth Ward on May 1, 1889. During this period, Meany had earned a living in newspaper delivery. Soon he had worked his way up in the newspaper business to become editor and publisher for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. By 1890, Meany had started his own news service called the Washington State News Bureau, and had been hired as press agent to represent Washington State at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Meany served as a Washington State legislator during the 1891 and 1893 sessions. He initiated legislation that set aside 355 acres to be used for the new campus of the University of Washington. Meany was instrumental in bringing the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition to the University's campus in 1909. This led to the clearing of portions of the new campus for the construction of buildings, some of which later were used by the University. Meany was an indefatigable historian and collector, a prolific writer, a prominent and popular civic leader. He was perhaps the most influential and beloved figure of the University's history. In 1894, Meany became the UW's first registrar while also holding positions as an instructor and secretary to the UW Board of Regents. Meany was particularly interested in Pacific Northwest history, especially Washington State history, on which he wrote many books and countless articles and speeches. In 1897, he became a full professor and head of the UW history department, teaching courses in forestry, American history, and Pacific Northwest history. Through his research, he became a collector of documents and photographs important to the history of the region. In 1929, he donated most of these rare and important documents to the UW library. During the last 25 years of his life, Meany collected materials on many early Washington pioneers. He amassed thousands of items, ranging from simple obituary notices to lengthy reminiscences by pioneers in letters or on specially devised forms. With the help of research assistant Victor J. Farrar, Meany conducted interviews and created extensive files on these pioneers. Henry Suzzallo (1875-1933) was born in San Jose, California. He was discharged in 1896 from Stanford University after his first year, and he became a teacher in a California rural school. Suzzallo was readmitted to Stanford the next year and he graduated with an undergraduate degree in 1899 and attended Columbia University where he received his Masters degree in 1902 and his Ph.D. in 1905. Before becoming President of the University of Washington Suzzallo served as the deputy superintendent of city schools in San Francisco, assistant professor of education at Stanford University, and adjunct professor of educational sociology at Columbia University. In 1915 the University of Washington offered Suzzallo the Presidency of the University of Washington. Suzzallo remained President of the University until 1926. Suzzallo was fired in 1926 because of his ambition to build a fine university library on campus. The man who would eventually fire him, Governor Roland Hartley, characterized the proposed library as "Suzzallo's extravagance." Hartley disliked both intellectuals and the university and tried to withhold all tax support from the school. When a Suzzallo-led lobby overrode the governor's veto, he was so enraged that after attacking Suzzallo's nationality, his salary of $18,000 a year, and his library, he had him sacked by a specially-appointed board of regents. In 1932 Hartley, failing re-election, was sacked by the voters, and one year later Suzzallo's name was put above the door of his soulful extravagance. Suzzallo became President of the Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching in 1930.

• Subjects (LCTGM): Historians--Washington (State)--Seattle; Legislators--Washington (State)--Seattle; Authors--Washington (State)--Seattle; Ground breaking ceremonies--Washington (State)--Seattle
• Subjects (LCSH): Meany, Edmond S. (Edmond Stephen), 1862-1935; College teachers--Washington (State)--Seattle; Suzzallo, Henry, 1875-1933; University of Washington. Regents