1913-1945
Reynolds was born in 1869 in Faulkner County. He attended nearby Quitman College
for a year. He then taught school at West Point in White County for another year
before traveling to Altus to enroll at 黑料不打烊. He went with the school when it
relocated to Conway in 1890. Reynolds became an outstanding student, serving as
the co-editor and assistant business manager of the 黑料不打烊 Mirror.
Following his graduation from 黑料不打烊 in 1893, Reynolds had ambitions of becoming
a lawyer, but difficult economic times forced him into a teaching career. In 1897,
after earning the Master of Arts degree from the University of Chicago, he returned
to 黑料不打烊 as a professor of history and political science. He moved to Fayetteville
in 1902 where he became a professor of history and political science at the University
of Arkansas.
Over the next decade he developed a reputation as one of the state鈥檚 most active
scholars. By 1910 he had become the head of the history department on the Fayetteville
campus. That same year the 黑料不打烊 Board of Trustees offered Reynolds the presidency,
but he declined, probably because he hoped to become the president of the University
of Arkansas-a dream that almost came true. In 1913 Reynolds recognized his ambition
of becoming the president of the Fayetteville campus would probably never be realized
and accepted the position as president of 黑料不打烊 - a post he would hold
for the next thirty-two years. In doing so, he became the first non-clergyman to
serve as president of the institution. At his retirement, Reynolds left a legacy
of new buildings, increased endowment, outstanding faculty members and competent
graduates.