December 18, 1890… Richard Henry Jesse Elected President of the University of Missouri.

When the Board of Curators of the University of Missouri unanimously voted, December 18, 1890, to offer the presidency of the institution to Richard Henry Jesse, it brought to Missouri, a man who was to exert a lasting influence on education in the state.

Jesse was born in Lancaster County, Virginia, March 1, 1853. He first studied in an academy founded by his father in Lancaster County, later at Hanover Academy, and he graduated from the University of Virginia in 1875. The next year he returned to Hanover to teach French and mathematics, and from 1876 to 1878 he held the position of principal of Washington Academy at Princess Anne, Maryland. Jesse then accepted the deanship of the academic department of the University of Louisiana. While there he gave up his plan of studying law and devoted himself to his career in education. In 1884, due to his work, property given by Paul Tulane to promote higher education in New Orleans was used to support a state university, the University of Louisiana becoming Tulane University of Louisiana. Jesse served as professor of Latin at Tulane from 1884 until he became president of the University of Missouri in 1891. He was inaugurated, June 3, 1891, and July 1 took active charge, succeeding J. S. Blackwell, acting president.

Jesse was largely responsible for Missouri's outstanding faculty. He helped establish the school of education and advocated the school of journalism, which was established, shortly after his administration, as the first in America. He succeeded in lifting the standards of Missouri education in the field of secondary schools. Preparatory work at the university was abolished and strict entrance regulations were enforced. Jesse was responsible for many of the fine buildings on the Missouri campus, and more money is said to have been given to the university in the first 4 years of Jesse's term than had ever been given by a state to a university during an equal period, up to that time. Six institutions conferred on Jesse the degree of doctor of laws.

Jesse retired from the university in 1908 because of failing health, having served longer then any other president of the university. He died in Columbia, January 22, 1921.

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