In 1895, a bill was submitted to the Missouri State Senate seeking a chair of journalism to be established at the University of Missouri. That bill was rejected, as was the idea of granting the school the ability to give degrees in journalism. The Missouri Press Association backed these ideas again in 1896, but they were again denied. Walter Williams would be a driving force for change both in Missouri, and the world of journalism. Williams was a dedicated journalist who started his career as a writer for the Boonville Advertiser. In 1889, at the age of 25, he was the youngest president of the Missouri Press Association. By 1908, Williams was editor of the Columbia Missouri Herald and a university curator and pressed for a school of journalism. With the support of Joseph Pulitzer, they finally convinced the Missouri Senate to back their idea. Williams was selected to serve as the school’s first dean.