5 3 . ▁Lawrence ▁University ▁was ▁the ▁second ▁co ed uc ational ▁institution ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁Lawrence ' s ▁first ▁period ▁of ▁major ▁growth ▁came ▁during ▁the ▁ten ure ▁of ▁al umn us ▁Samuel ▁G . ▁Plant z ▁as ▁president . ▁From ▁ 1 8 9 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁when ▁Plant z ▁pres ided ▁over ▁the ▁school , ▁its ▁student ▁body ▁grew ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 ▁to ▁ 8 0 0 . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁the ▁school ▁was ▁named ▁Lawrence ▁College , ▁to ▁emphas ize ▁its ▁small ▁size ▁and ▁liberal ▁arts ▁education ▁focus . ▁The ▁name ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁Lawrence ▁University ▁when ▁it ▁merged ▁with ▁Mil w au kee - Down er ▁College . ▁The ▁state ▁of ▁Wisconsin ▁then ▁purchased ▁the ▁Mil w au kee - Down er ▁property ▁and ▁buildings ▁to ▁expand ▁the ▁campus ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Wisconsin – Mil w au kee . ▁Initial ly , ▁the ▁university ▁designated ▁two ▁entities : ▁Lawrence ▁College ▁for ▁Men ▁and ▁Down er ▁College ▁for ▁Women . ▁This ▁separation ▁has ▁not ▁last ed ▁in ▁any ▁material ▁form , ▁though ▁degrees ▁are ▁still ▁con ferred ▁" on ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁the ▁Fac ulty ▁of ▁Lawrence ▁and ▁Down er ▁Colleg es " ▁and ▁the ▁university ▁by - la ws ▁still ▁make ▁the ▁distinction . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁Lawrence ▁College ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁ 1 3 1 ▁colleg es ▁and ▁univers ities ▁in ▁the ▁nation