Nicholas Murray Butler

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Presidency of Columbia University

In 1901, Butler became acting president of Columbia University and, in 1902, formally became president. Among the many dignitaries in attendance at his investiture was President Roosevelt. Butler was president of Columbia for 43 years, the longest tenure in the university's history, retiring in 1945. As president, Butler carried out a major expansion of the campus, adding many new buildings, schools, and departments. These additions included Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, the first academic medical center in the world.

In 1919, Butler amended the admissions process to Columbia in order to limit the number of Jewish students; it became the first American institution of higher learning to establish a quota on the number of Jews admitted. Butler's policy reduced the number of students hailing from New York City from 54% to 23% stemming from what was called at the time "the invasion of the Jewish student". This is one of the reasons why Butler has been called an anti-semite.

In September 1931, Butler told the freshman class at Columbia that totalitarian systems produced "men of far greater intelligence, far stronger character, and far more courage than the system of elections."

In 1937, he was admitted as an honorary member of the New York Society of the Cincinnati.

In 1941, the Pulitzer Prize fiction jury selected Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls. The Pulitzer Board initially agreed with that judgment, but Butler, ex officio head of the Pulitzer board, found the novel offensive and persuaded the board to reverse its determination, so that no novel received the prize that year. Hemingway didn't receive his Pulitzer (for The Old Man and the Sea) until 1952, after Butler's death.

During his lifetime, Columbia named its philosophy library for him; after he died, its main academic library, previously known as South Hall, was renamed Butler Library. A faculty apartment building on 119th Street and Morningside Drive was also renamed in Butler's honor, as was a prize in philosophy.

An in-depth look at Butler's time at Columbia University can be found in The Goose-Step: A Study of American Education by Upton Sinclair.

Works

———— (1896). Introduction. Regeneration: A Reply to Max Nordau. By Hake, Alfred Egmont. New York City: G. P. Putnam's Sons. LCCN 22018013. OCLC 2886930. OL 6647134M. Retrieved March 24, 2022 – via Internet Archive.

———— (1907). True and False Democracy. New York City: The Macmillan Company. OCLC 1085980194. Retrieved July 6, 2017 – via Internet Archive.

———— (March 4, 1908). Philosophy (Third Thousand ed.). New York City: Columbia University Press (published 1911). OL 20542028M. Retrieved March 24, 2022 – via Internet Archive.

———— (1912). The International Mind: An Argument for the Judicial Settlement of International Disputes. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. OCLC 1047511494. Retrieved July 6, 2017 – via Internet Archive.

———— (1912). Why Should we Change our Form of Government? Studies in Practical Politics. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. OCLC 1158379286. Retrieved March 24, 2022 – via Internet Archive.

———— (October 1914). The Great War and Its Lessons. New York City: American Association for International Reconciliation. LCCN 21003338. OCLC 1158379286. Retrieved March 24, 2022 – via Internet Archive.

———— (1914). "The United States of Europe" (Interview). Interviewed by Marshall, Edward. New York City: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. OCLC 1086146230. OL 23638844M. Retrieved July 6, 2017 – via Internet Archive.

———— (1914). "The United States as a World Power" (Interview). Interviewed by Marshall, Edward. New York City: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. OCLC 1086146637. OL 13497116M. Retrieved March 24, 2022 – via Internet Archive.

———— (April 25, 1916). The Building of the Nation. New York City: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. LCCN 16014796. OCLC 1041645865. OL 23283299M. Retrieved March 24, 2022 – via Internet Archive.

———— (1918). The Basis of Durable Peace: Written at the Invitation of The New York Times. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. LCCN 24003441. OCLC 1041043446. Retrieved July 6, 2017 – via Internet Archive.

———— (February 11, 1919). Problems of Peace and After-Peace. Paterson, New Jersey. OCLC 181661998. Retrieved July 7, 2017 – via Internet Archive.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

———— (February 21, 1921). Making Liberal Men and Women; Public Criticism of Present-day Education; The New Paganism; The University, Politics and Religion. New York City: Columbia University. OCLC 1049618080. Retrieved March 24, 2022 – via Internet Archive.

———— (1921). Scholarship and Service: The Policies of a National University in a Modern Democracy. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. OCLC 1084595889. Retrieved March 24, 2022 – via Internet Archive.

———— (1923). Building the American Nation: an Essay of Interpretation. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. OL 14798157M. Retrieved March 24, 2022 – via Internet Archive.

———— (1924). The Faith of a Liberal: Essays and Addresses on Political Principles and Public Policies. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. LCCN 24030512. OL 14125156M.

———— (1934). Between Two Worlds: Interpretations of the Age in Which We Live. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. LCCN 34010046. OCLC 1124951. OL 6303958M.

———— (1939). Across the Busy Years: Recollections and Reflections. Vol. 1. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. OCLC 1038753871. OL 13530857M. Retrieved July 6, 2017 – via Internet Archive.

———— (1940). Across the Busy Years: Recollections and Reflections. Vol. 2. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. OCLC 1038780341. Retrieved July 6, 2017 – via Internet Archive.

Nicholas Murray Butler

Nicholas Murray Butler

Article

Early life and education

Notable quotes

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Live room · 1 here

Notable quotes

Article

Early life and education

Presidency of Columbia University

Political activity

Attitude towards Fascism and Nazism

Internationalist

Personal life

Honors

Works

Related journals

About Nicholas Murray Butler

About Nicholas Murray Butler

Article

Early life and education

Notable quotes

Related journals

Live room · 1 here

Notable quotes

Article

Early life and education

Presidency of Columbia University

Political activity

Attitude towards Fascism and Nazism

Internationalist

Personal life

Honors

Works

Related journals