History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 35

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 35

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* At the present writing (September 1884), this house is just being removed.

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contribute moneys for the erection of a new chapel. The civil war had then just closed; one hundred and thirty- three Wesleyan alumni and students had seen service in the Federal armies during the struggle, and thirteen of them had fallen. It was proposed that the new chapel should be a memorial to those thirteen, and that a memorial window should bear their names. In response to this suggestion $60,000 were contributed, and the graceful Memorial Chapel was erected. It was dedi- cated during the Commencement season of 1871, and the lower floor of Captain Partridge's old south building, which had formerly served as a chapel, has thenceforth been devoted to the humble purpose of a coal bin.

The Commencement week of 1871 saw the dedication of another noble building, the Orange Judd Hall of Natural Science, erected during the years 1869-71, at a cost of one hundred thousand dollars, and believed to be one of the most complete and elegant structures of its kind in the country. For this building the University is indebted to the munificence of Orange Judd, Esq., of New York, who will ever be remembered as one of the most faithful and generous friends of his Alma Mater. The basement or first floor is devoted to the department of chemistry; the second floor to the department of natural history; while the third and fourth stories contain the museum of natural history.

It was during the administration of President Cum- mings that provision was made for the regular increase of the library and the scientific collections of the college. During the years 1864-5, a library fund, amounting to twenty-seven thousand six hundred dollars, was raised by the Alumni. This fund, although originally none too large, and since somewhat depleted by unfortunate in- vestment, has secured for the library a continuous, if not a very rapid, growth. The whole number of vol- umes now (1884) in the library is about 33,000. An in- crease of this fund is at present one of the most urgent needs of the college. The completion of the Orange Judd Hall of Natural Science, in 1872, provided ample accommodations for the proper care and arrangement of the scientific collections of the University; and in the years immediately following, large additions were made to these collections, chiefly by the endeavors of Mr. G. Brown Goode, then curator of the mu- seum. Since that time the growth of the museum has been constant and rapid. The department of mineralogy contains a nearly complete series of the min- erals of Middlesex county-one of the richest fields for the mineralogist in New England-mostly collected by the late Professor John Johnston. The botany of the county is also fully represented. The most extensive collections, however, are in the department of zoology. The Shurtleff series of shells comprises 8,000 species, from all parts of the world. The vertebrata of North America, especially the reptiles and fishes, are represent- ed by a collection which ranks among the first in the country. The whole department of zoology contains over 1,300 distinct species. Probably no other New . England college has so extensive a museum actually

used to illustrate instruction in its under-graduate de- partments.

In 1872, important changes were made in the curricu- lum of the college. Increased provision was made for the study of the modern languages and the physical sci- ences, and the plan of the course was materially changed by making the studies of the last two years largely elec- . tive. It was in the fall of this year that the college was for the first time opened to ladies. Four ladies were ad- mitted September 1872, and were graduated in 1876. Comparatively few ladies have, since then, availed them- selves of the privileges of the college: not more than eight or ten have usually been in attendance at any one time, though the number seems now to be slowly increas- ing. At the date of the present writing (1884) only four- teen in all have been graduated. The experiment of co- education (for it must still be considered an experiment) can hardly have been of injury to the college: no changes have been made in the course of study to accommodate it to the ladies, and there has been no lowering of the tone of scholarship, for the young ladies have shown themselves able, both mentally and physically, to perform the intellectual labor of a college course quite as well as the gentlemen who sit in the class with them. It is prob- able, however, that there are still many of the alumni who have some doubts as to the wisdom of the measure, and it has never been very popular with the undergradu- ates.

President Cummings resigned his position in June 1875, though he continued in charge of the department of philosophy until January 1878. At a special meeting held July 28th 1875, the trustees elected as the successor of President Cummings, Rev. Cyrus D. Foss, D.D. Pres- ident Foss entered upon his duties at the commencement of the fall term, and was formally inaugurated October 26th 1875. He found it necessary to give immediate at- tention to the enlargement of the permanent funds of the college. The growth of the endowment during the pre- vious ten years had by no means kept pace with the growth of the unproductive wealth of the college, in buildings, collections, and other material facilities. The increase in the number of buildings, and the needful en- largements of the course of study rendered the annual expenditures, of necessity, greater than ever; while, on the other hand, in the stagnation of business and general financial depression that followed the panic of 1873, the productive property of the college had depreciated greatly in value. In March 1876, a committee of the trustees decided that only about one-half of the bills re- ceivable reported at the previous Commencement could be any longer considered good. A debt, allowed gradu- ally to increase for twenty years, had reached the sum of sixty thousand dollars; while the total amount of funds from which income was available was only one hundred and forty thousand dollars. In these circumstances, it was evident-to quote the words of President Foss in his report to the conference in 1876-that "only large and generous help, promptly given to the institution, could save it from disaster." Never, perhaps, was the Univer-

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sity in a more critical position. It is gratifying to be able to record that the generosity of its friends soon re- moved it out of urgent danger. A committee appointed by the Alumni Association appealed for aid to all the graduates of the college. In response to this appeal about forty thousand dollars was subscribed, of which the greater part has been paid. Still more largely liberal was the response to the untiring personal efforts of President Foss. The inevitable annual deficit, while it yet contin- ued, was met by generous annual subscriptions, in ad- vance, chiefly from the trustees. The debt of the Uni- versity was paid. And, during the five years of President Foss's administration, nearly two hundred and fifty thou- sand dollars was added to the permanent funds. If the needs of the college were still great, the danger of im- mediate disaster was past. Of the group of generous friends whose liberality brought this timely aid, the larg- est giver was Hon. George I. Seney.

But it was not financial success alone that marked the administration of President Foss. A character so noble, a kindness and courtesy so unvarying, an enthusiasm for goodness so inspiring, a piety so high and pure-these could not fail of their effect upon all who knew him. His influence was itself an education of the best sort. No president of Wesleyan University was ever more respect- ed; none was ever better beloved.

In May of 1880 President Foss was called by the Gen- eral Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church to fill the highest office in the gift of the church. At the annual meeting of the trustees in June following, the chair of President, thus made vacant, was filled by the election of Rev. John W. Beach, D.D., who at present occupies the position.

The permanent endowment funds of the Wesleyan University now amount to about $800,000; the whole property of the college may be estimated at about $1,250,000. The faculty at present numbers eighteen members, of whom all but one-the librarian-are officers of instruction. The number of students enrolled upon the last catalogue is 201. There has been a slow but steady increase in the attendance for the past few years.

The college has graduated, in all, about 1,400 students -the exact number, if we mistake not, is 1,370-of whom about 1, 100 are still living and at work, many of them in the most influential positions in school, church, and State .*

Wesleyan University has always been under the direc- tion and patronage of the Methodist Episcopal church; but it has never been a sectarian institution, still less- as it is sometimes curiously thought to be-a theological school. It gives no theological instruction whatever; some of its trustees and faculty, are usually, as at pres- ent, members of other churches than the Methodist; and its students are of all religious denominations and of

none. It is probably true, however, that the general tone of morals among the students is higher, and the scholarly purpose more pronounced in Middletown than in most other colleges. Student life is, indeed, much the same thing here as everywhere else, with its odd mixture of seriousness and gayety, its conviviality and occasional nonsense, its stubborn adherence to traditions not always reasonable. But most Middletown students belong to the class who go to college and not to the class who are sent; many of them are not wealthy, but they have the better wealth of thrift and energy, and are not likely to waste the privileges of a college course. The average expenses of students in Wesleyan are probably somewhat less than those of students in most other eastern colleges, but it is very doubtful whether there is in any college community a quicker intellectual life, or more genuine social refinement. A word of commendation ought here to be given to the college chaptered fraternities. What- ever they may be elsewhere, their influence in Middle- town seems to be only good. Each one owns or leases a large " club house," which contains lodge room, dining room, and parlors, and which affords to young gentle- men the comforts and some of the social amenities of a home. Three of these club houses have been erected within a few years, the "Psi Upsilon," on Broad street, the " Eclectic," on College Place, and the " Alpha Delta Phi," at the corner of High and Cross streets. The last two are perhaps the best specimens of domestic architec- ture in the city.

Wesleyan University is one of the youngest of our New England colleges, having but just completed its first half century. The man who received its first di- ploma, Daniel H. Chase, LL.D., of Middletown, is still living; and at every meeting of the trustees is still seen at least one man who was present at that meeting in the "Lyceum of Captain Partridge's Academy" where the Wesleyan University was born. Its friends confidently believe that the college has passed the days of embarass- ment, and that its career has but just begun. In the beauty of its location, its buildings, apparatus, and all other material facilities, in the wise adaptation of its course of study to the needs of the student, and in the ability and energy of its faculty, Wesleyan University may compare favorably with other eastern colleges; and in the next score of years it will doubtless greatly in- crease its influence and attract many more students to its halls.

BERKELEY DIVINITY SCHOOL .*

The Berkeley Divinity School is situated at the south- west corner of Main and Washington streets, its property extending on Main street, to the land of the Episcopal church. The buildings are: (1) a large three story brick house on the corner, formerly the residence of Rev. Dr. Samuel F. Jarvis. A part of this is occupied by the Bishop of the Diocese (who is also the Dean of the school) as a residence. The library and class rooms are in the second story, while the third floor and the attic furnish

*For many interesting statistics of the alumni the reader is referred to the Alumni Record of Wesleyan University, edition of 1881-3, J. C. Burke, S. B. Goode, and C. W. Smiley, editors. It is believed that no other college has so complete a record of Its alumni. From the " Ils- torieal Sketch" (by the present writer) in this record this article is chlefly taken. A few facts are also drawn from an article prepared by the present writer for " The College Book," Beston, 1878.

*BY REV. FREDERIC GARDINER, D. D

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rooms for students. (2) A two story students' dormitory extending on a north and south line from the rear of the first building to the rear of the chapel. This contains twelve students' rooms. It was built in 1860, of brick, but was intended only as a temporary structure and it will be hereafter removed. (3) The chapel, a beautiful struc- ture of Portland stone, erected by the liberality of Mrs. Mary W. A. Mutter, in 1861, and restricted in use to re- ligious worship. Besides the seats for the faculty and students, it contains about 60 sittings which are free. (4) The so-called " Wright House," a two story brick dwelling house, purchased in 1868, and used for students' commons, the second story and attic containing also about seven rooms for students. There is also a wooden gymnasium behind the first building.

The origin of the school was in this way: when the then Rev. Dr. Williams was rector of the church in Schenec- tady, New York, he had gathered about him several theo- logical students. In 1848 he removed to Hartford, Conn., as president of Trinity College, his students following him, and, on October 29th 1851, was consecrated as As- sistant Bishop of the Diocese. Several eminent divines being then connected with the faculty of the college, or with the parishes in the city of Hartford, it was thought wise to organize a theological department of Trinity Col- lege. The instructors were Bishop Williams, the Rev. Dr. Coit, then a professor in Trinity College, the Rev. A. C. Coxe, now bishop of western New York, having been consecrated in 1865, and the Rev. E. A. Washburn, after- ward rector of Calvary Church in New York. Sixteen young men had already been graduated, when the increasing numbers and importance of the school made a more permanent and independent organization desirable.

At the meeting of the General Assembly in 1854, a charter was granted constituting a Board of Trustees, eleven in number, of whom six should always be clergy- men and five laymen of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of Connecticut; vacancies occurring in the board to be filled by election by the convention of the Diocese. The trustees were authorized to meet for or- ganization whenever the sum of $40,000 should have been subscribed for endowment. The original trustees were: the Rt. Rev. T. C. Brownell, D.D., Bishop of Conn .; Rt. Rev. John Williams, D.D., Assistant Bishop of Conn .; The Rev. D. R. Goodwin, D.D., president of Trinity College; The Rev. F. G. Goodwin, D.D., rector of Church of the Holy Trinity (then called Christ Church), Middletown,: These being trustees ex-officio. The Rev. Thomas C. Pitkin; Rev. Jacob L. Clark, D.D., of Water- bury; Edward S. Hall, of New York; Ebenezer Jackson, of Middletown; William T. Lee, of Hartford; Charles A. Lewis, of New London; Leverett Candee, of New Haven.

Bishop Williams, having resigned the presidency of the college, removed to Middletown and it was decided to locate the new Divinity School in that city.

In August 1854, the trustees met for organization at the residence of Bishop Williams. The organization was effected and the Rev. William Jarvis was elected secre- tary and treasurer.

At a subsequent meeting, on the 19th of January fol- lowing, the course of study was arranged and negotiations were entered into for the purchase of a site for the build- ings of the school. At a special meeting, April 18th 1855, it was unanimously decided to accept the offer of Mr. E. S. Hall of so much of the property now occupied by the school as belonged to the estate of the late Rev. Dr. Jarvis for the sum of $10,000. Negotiations on the subject were continued for some years, the school having rented the building, and finally Mr. Hall presented the property, and also an additional $10,000 to the school, on condition that it should never be removed from Mid- dletown.

In 1856 Rev. Edwin Harwood, now rector of Trinity Church, New Haven, became the first resident professor, beside the Bishop, and was the only one until the election of Rev. T. F. Davies, as resident professor of Hebrew, in the same year.

In October 1857, the professorships were as follows: The Rt. Rev. J. Williams, D.D., LL.D., professor of doctrinal theology and ritual.

Rev. T. W. Coit, D.D., LL.D., professor of ecclesias- tical history. Dr. Coit was then pastor of St. Paul's Church, Troy, N. Y., but spent several weeks in each year lecturing to the students. He became a resident profes- sor in 1873.

Rev. Edwin Harwood, M. A., professor of the litera- ture and the interpretation of Scripture. Dr. Harwood had become professor, as above, in 1854, and continued until 1859, when he resigned to bccome rector of Trinity Church, New Haven, where he still remains.

Rev. F. J. Goodwin, D.D., professor of the evidences of Christianity. Dr. Goodwin was then rector of Christ Church (now the Church of the Holy Trinity), Middle- town, where he remained until his death, in 1869; but gave instructions in his department until compelled by ill health to relinquish it, in 1867.

Rev. A. M. Littlejohn, M.A., professor of pastoral theology. Dr. Littlejohn was then rector of Trinity Church, New Haven, but came weekly to the school for his teaching until his removal to Brooklyn, L. I., where he was consecrated bishop, January 27th 1869.

Rev. E. A. Washburn, M. A., professor of the polity of the church. Dr. Washburn was then rector of St. John's Church, Hartford, but came regularly to the school until his removal to New York as rector of Calvary Church. He died in that position, February 2d 1881, one of the most eminent and respected divines of what is known as the Broad School of Churchmen.

Rev. Francis T. Russell, professor of elocution. Pro- fessor Russell was then rector of the church in New Brit- ain, but afterward settled in Waterbury, where he be- came and still remains the first principal of St. Margaret's School, an eminently successful institution for the edu- cation of young ladies. He still continues his valuable instructions in the Divinity School, to which he makes frequent visits.

Rev. Thomas F. Davies, M.A., professor of Hebrew. Dr. Davies was an alumnus of the school, and his pro-

-CHURCH OF FITE.HOLY TRINITY :-

+BERKELEY: DIVINITY SCHOOL-

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fessorship has ever since been filled by alumni. In 1861 he resigned to become rector of St. John's Church, Ports- mouth, N. H., from which he removed to St. Peter's Church, Philadelphia, where he still remains.

Bishop Williams was the dean of the school, as he still is, and was authorized to appoint a librarian.

January 12th 1858, Mr. Jarvis resigned his office of secretary and treasurer, and A. H. Jackson, M. D., of Middletown, was chosen in his place and continued to discharge its duties until his death.

The Rev. Dr. Harwood resigned his professorship in March 1859, and was chosen non-resident professor of ethics, but never took further part in the teaching of the school. A committee was appointed to provide for the instruction during the rest of the year, and to nom- inate a successor.

The Rev. Frederic Gardiner, of Maine, was selected, but was unable at the time to accept the position. On June 15th 1859, the Rev. Samuel Fuller was elected and continued to discharge the duties of the professorship until, on account of his increasing age, in 1882, at his own request, he was retired from active service and be- came Profsssor Emeritus.

By death and resignation the board of trustees was gradually changed, Bishop Williams and Mr. E. S. Hall being the only original members now remaining. The Rev. Dr. Todd, now dead, of Stamford, became a trustee in 1857; Mr. John H. Watkinson, of Middletown, was elected in 1860, and others have since been added, until the present board consists of the following persons, the first three being ex officio:

The Rt. Rev. Jolin Williams, D.D., LL. D .; the Rev. G. W. Smith, D.D., president of Trinity College; the Rev. J. Lewis Parks, M. A., rector of Church of Holy Trinity, Middletown; the Rev. Francis T. Russell, M. A .; the Rev. Francis Goodwin, M. A .; the Rev. Storrs O. Seymour, M. A .; Edward S. Hall, Esq .; John H. Wat- kinson, Esq .; Lyman W. Coe, Esq .; Charles E. Jackson, Esq .; Henry B. Harrison, Esq.

In 1860 an offer was received from Mrs. Mary M. Mutter to build a chapel for the school, on condition (1) that seats not occupied by the students should be free, (2) that daily service should be celebrated in it during term time, (3) that the services, when held on Sundays and holy days, should not be so fixed as to interfere with the hours of service of the parish church, and (4) that the chapel should be under the immediate charge and jurisdiction of the bishop of the diocese. This generous offer was thankfully accepted, and the beautiful chapel, now standing on the grounds of the school, was subse- quently built and conveyed by deed of trust, containing the above conditions, to the trustees, who formally ac- cepted the same. The Shaler and Hall Quarry Com- pany, of Portland, generously furnished gratuitously the necessary stone.

When the Hebrew professorship became vacant, in 1861, Mr. Wm. H. Vibbert, then a student in the school, was appointed instructor ad interim, and after his ordina- tion, in 1862, was made professor of Hebrew. His in.

structions continued twelve years, and he then resigned to take charge of St. Luke's Church, Germantown. Dr. Vibbert subsequently became rector of St. James Church, Chicago.

Meantime the increasing number of students niade more room necessary, and a temporary dormitory of brick with twelve additional rooms was added and is still standing, known as "the wing."

In June 1865, the Rev. Henry De Koven, D.D., who had already been discharging the duties for some time, and who was residing in Middletown, was appointed professor of Homiletics without salary, and also chaplain, and a vote of thanks was recorded by the trustees for his previous valuable and gratuitous services. Four years later he resigned, on account of ill health, and subse- quently went abroad, settling near Florence. He died in Switzerland, in 1884.

At the same time it was left discretionary with the Bishop to employ the Rev. H. A. Yardley as his assistant in instruction. He decided to do so, and Mr. Yardley afterward became a regular professor and the chaplain of the school. He continued his instructions until within a fortnight of his death, in April 1882, but increasing illness had compelled him to give up his chaplaincy some years earlier, in 1876. '

Although the school had been founded as a school for the Diocese of Connecticut, so many were attracted to it from other dioceses that more accommodation for stu- dents was imperatively needed, and the dwelling house known as "the Wright house," then belonging to Dr. Blake, and adjoining the grounds of the school, was pur- chased in 1868 for a students' boarding house and dor- mitory. This was effected chiefly by the liberality of the Alsop family, the frequent benefactors of the school. A word should be said of this house, since it was the first one built in Middletown of American brick. The late Mr. Glover's house had already been built of imported brick. The Wright house was built between 1745 and 1750, by Joseph Wright, of brick made in Newfield dis- trict, and was occupied after his death by his grandchil- dren and great-grandchildren until 1816 or 1817. In

1820 it was again occupied by them. In 1846 it was sold to Dr. Casey and by him, after several years, to Dr. Blake, and by him to the Berkeley Divinity School. No other buildings have since been acquired or erected, though a library building has long been in contemplation and is greatly needed. The school is also greatly in want of more convenient rooms for the students.

In 1869, in consequence of the death of Dr. A. H. Jackson, his brother, Mr. Charles E. Jackson, was chosen secretary and treasurer, and now fills those offices.

In 1868 the Rev. Frederic Gardiner, D. D., then con- nected with the parish church, was added to the list of professors, and in the following year terminated his con- nection with the parish to become professor of the lit- erature and interpretation of the Old Testament. He was subsequently appointed librarian, and on the resig- nation of Dr. Fuller, in 1882, his department was changed to that of the literature and interpretation of the New

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 35

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818