The professors at Arkansas Industrial Univeristy: N. P. Gates

N. P. Gates
History of the Univeristy of Arkansas

N. P. Gates
Hope Star newspaper

Noah Putnam Gates (b. November 18, 1832; April 18, 1909)

KY.  White.
Education: Arkansas Industrial University (honorary M.A.)

Occupation: school superintendent, teacher

Noah Putnam Gates was born in 1832 near Princeton, KY (in Caldwell County) to Nathan and Carolina Gates. By 1850, the family had moved to Missouri, and the father Nathan was working as a farmer.

Noah attended church schools in Kentucky and Missouri. He then attended Chapel Hill College in Missouri, Princeton College in Princeton, KY, the Illinois Normal University, and the University of Michigan. However, he did not receive a degree from any of these schools.

At a young age, Noah planned to enter the ministry. However, he began teaching as a way to support his own education and ended up staying in the profession. He taught for six years in Charleston, IL and then for three years in Mattoon,  IL.

Around summer 1869, Noah decided to leave Illinois and move south as the Illinois winters were negatively impacting his health. In August of that year, he left his position to become a school superintendent in Little Rock, AR. He left Little Rock around January 1872 to accept a position at Arkansas Industrial Univeristy.

Noah was elected Arkansas Univeristy's first president. As the first president, he had a number of important duties: helping the trustees hire faulty, supervising the construction of new buildings, and other organizational work. 

One especially important issue that Gates addressed was the admission of African American students. After the univeristy opened African Americans applied for admission to study during the 1872-73 academic year. The university's policy regarding the matter. A trustee had proposed a resolution resolving that both Whites and African Americans be admitted. However, the proposal failed and instead the trustees passed a resolution directing the Board's Executive Committee shall dispose of the issue when it arises.

The Executive Committee evidently chose to admit students of all races as African Americans were admitted during the university's first year. It is unclear how many students were admitted, although it was a limited number, at most three or four. The students were not allowed to attend courses with White students. Instead, they received private lessons by Noah outside of normal school hours. 

When he had accepted the university presidency, Noah intended to hold it only for a short time and then step down to become principal of the university's Normal Department. In 1873, the trustees organized a national search for a university president. However, the search failed, so in late 1873, the trustees elected trustee member Albert W. Bishop as president.  

After Bishop's election as president, Noah served as principal for the Normal Department. In 1875, Bishop stepped down from the presidency after he was appointed Arkansas's adjutant general. A second national search failed, and Noah became president a second time around June 1875. 

Noah's second presidency lasted two years until about June 1877. In his place, Daniel H. Hill was elected president and Noah returned to serving as principal of the Normal Department. While serving as department principal, in 1880, Noah awarded an honorary M.A. degree from the Arkansas Industrial Univeristy. 

Noah resigned his position at the university in 1884. He left to move to Fort Smith and act as a school superintendent there. He remained in Fort Smith until 1889, when he returned to Fayetteville to serve as the town's school superintendent. Noah retired in 1902 because he was experiencing ill-health.

Noah died in 1909 while living in Little Rock, AR. He is buried in Fayetteville.

Sources

1. 1850; Census Place: Jackson, Buchanan, Missouri; Roll: 393; Page: 137a

2. 1860; Census Place: Princeton, Caldwell, Kentucky; Page: 30; Family History Library Film: 803359

3. 1870; Census Place: Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas; Roll: M593_62; Page: 276A

4. 1880; Census Place: Fayetteville, Washington, Arkansas; Roll: 59; Page: 693D; Enumeration District: 215

5. 1900; Census Place: Fayetteville, Washington, Arkansas; Page: 7; Enumeration District: 0113; FHL microfilm: 1240079

6. History of the Univeristy of Arkansas

7. "Presidents of the University." Hope Star (Hope, AR), April 19,  1972. p. 26. 

8. "First President of State U. Dies." St. Louis Globe-Democrat (St. Louis, MO). April 19, 1909. p. 2.

9. "In Memoriam: Prof. N. P. Gates." Arkansas Democrat (Little Rock, AR). April 20, 1909. p. 5.