USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume II > Part 40
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The act of incorporation provided that "Wil- liam Wilson, Samuel H. Thompson, Thornton Peeples, John S. Barger, Benjamin Hypes, Hiram K. Ashley, Joshua Barnes, James Riggin, Nathan Horner, Benjamin T. Kavanaugh, Theo- philus Nichols, Crispin Cunningham, John Ho- gan, Jesse Renfro, Benjamin M. Bond and Alex- ander M. Jenkins, and their successors in of- fice, be and they are hereby created a body politic and corporate, under the name and style of the 'McKendree College,' and henceforth shall be styled and known by that name, and by that
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
style and name to remain and have perpetual succession." The first President of the College was Rev. Peter Akers, D. D., one of the most distinguished men of his time in ecclesiastical circles.
The college offers two courses of study-the classical and the scientific-leading respectively to the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. The entrance requirements for both courses are equal in amount and prac- tically equivalent in character. The value of the classical course is emphasized and the stu- dents are advised to enter upon that course. Its chief distinguishing characteristic is the Greek language and literature. It maintains the ideal of the original college course, founded on thorough work in the ancient languages, English and History, with enough Mathematics and Science to secure symmetrical develop- ment, and with a considerable range of elect- ives, enabling the student to do special work in favorite lines. The scientific course allows the substitution of modern languages in place of Greek. The Latin, however, is required, in like manner, and to the same extent as in the classical course. Opportunity is afforded for elective work in Mathematics and Science, which will furnish a well-rounded equipment for further scientific or technological studies.
A complete course of musical instruction, in pursuance of the new Goldbeck method, is em- ployed in the training of pupils, and great pains are taken for their technical and artistic de- velopment. There is an orchestra course and a voice course.
McKendree College stands for sane athletics. The Board of Trustees has abolished football and inter-collegiate games are prohibited. In- stead of these a new gymnasium, well equipped, is under the direction of a competent and ex- perienced instructor in physical culture, having a knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology. While the gymnasium is open to all students, those having special need of physical training are required to do such work as will be necessary for their proper development. The enlargement of the gymnasium and the extending of field sports will be effected as fast as the income of the college will admit, it being the purpose to pro- vide such appliances for home sports and phys- ical training as shall not be surpassed by any
in the State. A credit of one hour a term is al- lowed for work in physical culture.
While the college is denominational, it is in no sense sectarian. It welcomes those of other creeds and beliefs to its benefits and privi- leges, as also those who have no established de- nominational predilections. Good moral char- acter, as elsewhere stated, is the only prerequi- site for matriculation. To those having de- nominational preferences, the various churches of Lebanon afford young men and women, who come as students, ample opportunity to choose their place of worship.
The college Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations, respectively, hold week- ly devotional meetings. The aim of the former is twofold: to lead non-Christian men to Christ and to inculcate a deeper spirituality in pro- fessing Christians. That spiritual as well as intellectual growth may be stimulated, three courses of systematic Bible study, taught by experienced leaders, are offered each year. In pursuance of either course chosen, the "morning watch" is regularly observed. A reading room is accessible to young men, furnished with a reference library and current literature. The Young Women's Christian Association has like purposes with the Young Men's Christian As- sociation. Especial training is given in Bible study work, and the evangelistic spirit dis- played among the members has shown fruit in the declaration of a number of its members to prepare for Christian work in foreign fields. Once every four weeks these two bodies hold a union meeting.
There are three excellent literary societies- the Philosophian, the Plantonian and Clionian, the latter for ladies-which hold weekly ses- sions in which splendid work is done among their members along various lines of literary effort.
The libraries of the college and its literary societies contain more than 10,000 volumes, and valuable additions are constantly being made.
The Bryan medal is a prize established by Hon. William Jennings Bryan, A. M., LL. D., in honor of his distinguished father, Judge Silas Lillard Bryan, A. M., who graduated at this in- stitution in 1849. Mr. C. W. Brown, of Chi- cago, offers annually a $20 gold medal to the student of this institution, who in public com-
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
petition attains greatest excellence in the com- position and delivery of an oration. This con- test has been established in commemoration of Professor Isaac Hinton Brown, a former stu- dent of McKindree, the father of the donor.
Entrance to the institution is obtained by ex- amination and by high school certificate. De- grees of B. A., B. C., B. L., and of Law are conferred, and M. A., after one year. The law degree secures admission to the bar of the State.
The endowment fund is about $50,000, from which there is an annual income of about $6,500. The estimated value of the college grounds and buildings is about $70,000.
The officers and Board of Trustees are as follows:
Officers-John M. Mitchell, President; Pro- fessor James C. Dolley, A. M., Secretary; J. M. Chamberlin, A. M., Treasurer; Professor E. B. Waggoner, A. M., Fiscal Agent; McKendree Hypes Chamberlin, A. M., LL. D., President of College and ex-fficio Member of Board.
Members (Term Expires 1907)-B. M. Hypes, A. M., M. D., Rev. C. A. Beckett, John M. Mitchell, Rev. C. Nash, D. D., Rev. O. H. Clark, D. D., Rev. Lemuel Cramp, A. M., John H. Ful- gham, M. D., P. M. Bruner, J. C. Eisenmayer, Rev. Charles D. Shumard, Hon. M. M. Stephens, Hon. Joseph B. Messick: (Term Expires 1908)- Rev. F. M. VanTreese, D. D., Hon. T. A. Wilson, Rev. John F. Harmon, D. D., Hon. James H. At- kinson, Hon. W. C. Pace, M. D., Bishop J. N. Fitzgerald, D. D., LL. D., Rev. J. A. Scarritt, D. D., Alexander W. Morriss, James E. Kelsey, J. M. Chamberlin, A. M., E. L. Waggoner, A. M., M. D., E. W. Feigenbaum, M. D .; (Term Ex- pires 1909)-Andrew J. Dougherty, Mrs. Lucia I. Priest, Rev. J. W. Flint, A. M., D. D., Paul G. Manley, M. D., Rev. L. W. Thrall, A. M., D. D., L. C. Haynes, Herman T. Bechtold, M. D., P. M. Johnston, Rev. Frank W. Loy, D. D., Hon. Charles S. Deneen, A. M., LL. D., John I. Rin- aker, LL. D., Edward D'Arcy.
The faculty (1906) is constituted as follows:
McKendree Hypes Chamberlin, A. M., LL. D., President, Professor of Mental and Moral Phi- losophy.
Rev. William C. Walton, A. M., Ph. D., Vice- President, Professor of Greek Language and Literature.
James C. Dolley, A. M., Professor of Latin Language and Literature.
Edward B. Waggoner, A. M., Professor of Natural Science.
G. W. Greenwood, A. M. (retired), Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy.
Edwin P. Baker, A. M., Professor of German Language and Literature.
LeRoy T. Weeks, A. M., Ph. D. (retired), Professor of English Language and Literature.
Professor Fred Pesold, Musical Director and Instructor in Piano.
Miss Cleda Lindley, B. Mus., Instructor in Piano.
Mrs. Ottillia Pesold Fulgham, Instructor in Piano.
Professor Arnold Pesold, Instructor in Vio- lin, Mandolin and Orchestration.
Miss Jennie Blanck, B. S., Instructor in Vo- cal Music.
Arthur L. Weber, Bonnidell Sisson, Tutors.
The following are officers of the faculty: Ed- win P. Baker, A. M., Secretary; E. B. Waggoner, A. M., Curator of Museum; G. W. Greenwood, A. M., Librarian.
COLLEGE HISTORY .- Following is an abridg- ment of a history of the institution written by President Chamberlin:
"The Methodists, from the date of their com- ing into Illinois, were the ardent friends of education. After their organization in 1824 into the Illinois Conference, embracing all the territory west of the Ohio to the Pacific-ex- cepting Missouri-and north to the British pos- sessions, the question of providing an institu- tion of learning for its patrons became a much- discussed proposition among its people. At its annual session, held in Mt. Carmel, Ill., Sep- tember, 1827, Rev. Peter Cartwright presented a memorial from certain citizens of Green County, praying the consideration of that body in behalf of establishing a conference seminary. This led to the appointment of a committee of five, Mr. Cartwright being one of the num- ber, to examine into the situation and report to the conference at its next session. This can be fairly counted the beginning of McKendree College, the oldest educational institution in Illinois.
"On February 20, 1828-less than five months after the adjournment of the conference-the people of Lebanon, a village of about 200 souls, to anticipate the action of this committee, de- termined, independent of church affiliations, that this proposed institution of learning should
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
be located in their midst. Articles of associa- tion were promptly formulated by Rev. A. W. Casad, to which subscriptions were solicited 'for the erection of an edifice for a seminary of learning, to be conducted, as nearly as may be, on the plan of Augusta College, ky.' The articles provided that 'any subscriber in the sum of $110 should become a shareholder, shares to be trans- ferable;' that each shareholder should be en- titled to send one scholar for each share, free of house rent, and charges for the use of the pub- lic library, and for fuel. The building was to be two stories in height and 'not less than 36 by 48 feet, with two wings of suitable dimen- sions for convenience, to be commenced as soon as $600 is subscribed.'
"It was further provided that 'the Illinois Conference is respectfully solicited to take the institution under its fostering care,' etc., with the added statement that 'it is very desirable that the Missouri Annual Conference should unite with the Illinois Conference and make it a conference seminary for both conferences.' The final provision runs as follows: 'In case the conferences do not signify, by special com- munication to the Secretary of the institution, their intention to aid the institution by the first of October, the stockholders shall, on no- tice, convene and select a suitable number of managers and other officers whose powers and duties shall be delegated to them by. the stock- holders.' To these articles of organization are appended the names of 104 persons-three be- ing women-whose subscription toward estab- lishing the institution aggregated $1,385. 1
"As evidence of the systematic zeal with which these early pioneers were pushing this educational enterprise, the subscribers met on March 1, 1828, and elected the following named persons as Trustees: Samuel H. Thompson, Nicholas Horner, George Lowe, Theophilus M. Nichols, Joshua Barnes, John Thomas, Sr., Samuel C. Stites and David S. Witter. At this meeting it was resolved to erect an edifice, and A. W. Casad, Nathan Horner and George Lowe were appointed a committee to purchase a cer- tain eight-acre tract of land owner by Richard Bradsby, provided the same might be secured at a figure not exceeding $3.00 per acre, and to proceed to let the contract for the erection of the building.
"On November 8, the conference not having, at its session in the preceding October, taken
the institution under 'its fostering care,' as ex- pressed in the articles of organization, the stockholders elected thirty-three managers, of which body Rev. Samuel H. Thompson was made President, David S. Witter, Secretary, and Nathan Horner, Treasurer. The managers were chosen from a wide area of territory and em- braced some of the most conspicuous persons connected with the early-day history of the State: Rev. John Dew, Rev. Joshua Barnes, Colonel Andrew Bankson, James Riggin, Thom- as Ray, David L. West, Colonel E. B. Clemson, Rev. Samuel Mitchell, Sr., William Padfield and William Bradsby, of St. Clair County; Rev. Peter Cartwright and Charles R. Matheny, of Sangamon County; Hail Mason, Rev. Washing- ton C. Ballard, John C. Dugger and Major Isaac Furgeson, of Madison County; Rev. Aaron Wood, of Mt. Carmel; Hon. Shadrach Bond, of Kaskaskia; Rev. Smith L. Robinson, of Kas- kaskia Circuit; John Tillson, Jr., Hillsboro; Peter Hubbard, of Bond County; Charles Slade and Pomroy Easton, of Carlyle; John Logan, of Jackson County; Major John Phillips, of Washington County; Colonel E. C. Berry, of Vandalia; Dr. Thomas Stanton, of Waterloo; Rev. Zadock Casey, of Jefferson County; Rev. Andrew Monroe, Major John O'Fallon and George W. Kerr, of St. Louis City; Rev. Alex- ander McCallister, of St. Louis County; and Rev. Jesse Green, of Missouri District.
"An elaborate constitution was formed and .by-laws and rules were adopted. The nature of the work, both as to the preparatory and college departments, was indicated, and the im- portance of employing some one capable of 'teaching the higher branches of mathematics, natural and moral philosophy, and the Latin and Greek languages,' was emphasized.
"That no time should be lost in waiting for the completion of the building-preliminary steps for the erection of which had already been taken-the two school-houses of the village were rented, and on November 24, 1828, with Mr. E. R. Ames-subsequently Bishop-as Prin- cipal and Miss McMurphy, assistant, McKendree College, then known as 'Lebanon Seminary,' was opened for public patronage. The year was divided into two sessions of five months-each session being followed by one month's vacation. The terms of tuition were fixed for the 'lower branches at $5.00 per session,' and for the 'higher branches, embracing mathematics, nat-
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
ural and moral philosophy and the Latin and Greek languages, at $7.00 per session.' The close of the first term showed an enrollment of seventy-two students-five of whom were wo- men-yielding a revenue of $464.41. The Prin- cipal received as compensation for his services $115, and the assistant $83.33. The Board of Managers, by resolution, highly complimented Miss McMurphy for her excellence as a teacher, and appointed a committee to urge her continu- ance in service for another session. Both Mr. Ames and Miss McMurphy were elected to their former positions, with equal salaries, each to receive $25 per month for a five months' session.
"It is as gratifying as it is significant, that McKendree, commencing its career with college espousals, in an era when it was seriously be- lieved that the lack of 'gray matter' in the brain of woman disabled her for the successful pur- suit of any but the most simple sort of mental culture, should have made up its board of in- struction (small though it was) from the two sexes, in equal numbers and on equal salaries, at the same time welcoming women to the priv- ileges of tuition. This condition of things never met with a solitary protest in the legislation of the early managers. Mrs. Peter Akers, followed. by Miss Polly Thorp, as faculty teacher, was suc- cessor to Miss McMurphy. About 1836 it seems that feminine patronage disappeared, not from any hostile legislation on the part of the board, but in spite of its persistent attempt to fur- nish adequate facilities for its proper mainte- nance. The records show that in the board session of 1852, 1866, 1868 and 1869 the subject of co-education was resurrected, and while it was not restored until the latter date, by a vote of fourteen to seven, there is on record no evidence that the small minority held any other grounds of objection than inadequacy of prepar- ation for its reintroduction. After thirty-five years of unbroken experience with the joint system of education, McKendree has no dispo- sition to retrace its steps, or even to advocate 'segregation' of the lady students.
"The building, the construction of which was commenced in 1828, was completed the suc- ceeding year and, after twenty-seven years of service, in 1856 the first erected edifice for higher education in the State of Illinois went up in flames, kindled by the hand of an in- cendiary.
"In 1830 the Illinois Conference took McKen- dree College under its 'fostering care,' and at a general meeting of the stockholders a reor- ganization was effected, whereby it was pro- vided that, in future, there should be elected eleven managers by the conference and five by the stockholders, to have in custody the affairs of the institution. Later the Missouri Con- ference accepted the college as its institution, and for a time sent visiting members to the sessions of its Board of Trustees. Its adhesion to the college, however, was lukewarm-in- duced by the growing sentiment against Free- State influences-and in a little time its offi- cial patronage was discontinued.
"Bishop McKendree, in his rounds over a dio- cese embracing a territory half continental in its proportions, visited Lebanon. He was great- ly pleased with the prospects of the new insti- tution of learning and pledged, as a donation, 480 acres of land located in St. Clair County, for the promotion of its interests, with the ex- pressed desire that the Missouri Conference should join with the Illinois Conference in giv- ing it patronage and support. It was at this time that the name of the institution was changed to 'McKendree College.' So important did the Bishop hold the object of maintaining an institution of learning for the two confer- ences named, that he committed the execution of his will to the entire board of Bishops of the then undivided church-Bishops Roberts, Hedding, Andrew, Waugh, Morris and Soule. The last-named was given power by his asso- ciates to carry out the provisions of the will, which duty he performed by a conveyance of the land to McKendree College in 1839.
"In 1834 an omnibus bill was passed, which was approved February 9, 1835, granting char- ters for the Illinois, McKendrean and Shurtleff Colleges, representing, respectively, the Presby- terian, Methodist and Baptist denominations, all of which still exist and have done splendid work for Western civilization. The original bill was amended to include a fourth institu- tion, the 'Jonesboro College'-which passed out of existence many years ago, if, indeed, it was ever organized. This amendment seems to have been required to secure the necessary vote to pass the bill. The Trustees named numbered seventeen in all, ten of whom were laymen and the remainder clergymen.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
"The bill gave authority to these institutions to exercise the functions ordinarily incident to such organizations; providing, however, 'that lands donated or devised, over and above 640 acres (which might be held in perpetuity), must be sold within three years of such dona- tion, or be forfeited to the donor,' and also pro- vided 'that nothing herein contained shall au- thorize the establishment of a theological de- partment in either of said colleges.' The act, not improperly, provided that 'these institu- tions should be open to all denominations of Christians.' It did, however, authorize a school for manual training, in pursuance of which one was established by the college in 1836, and for a number of years was successfully maintained. The two restrictive provisions in the act indi- cated a wide-spread suspicion that theological training would inculcate religious bigotry, which, coupled with the possibly gobbled-up lands of the State, would eventuate in subject- ing the civil government to churchly domi- nation.
"The first President under the chartered or- ganization was Rev. Peter Akers-chosen on recommendation of Bishop McKendree-who served one year on a salary of $500. He was succeeded by Rev. John Dew, for a like period, to be followed by Professor Annis Merrill as acting President, who, a few months later, was joined by his brother, Rev. John W. Merrill, President-elect. These two, together with Pro- fessor J. W. Sunderland and Judge William Brown, of Morgan County,-who came to the college about the same time-constituted a fac- ulty which reduced the courses of study to sys- tematic collegiate order, with a fittingly as- signed division of labor. In the college work, the course leading to a degree was the classical, the order observed up to 1847, when a scientific course was added. Prior to 1836 it is believed no candidate had offered for the study of the Greek, though the Latin had been taught, as we learn from Professor Sunderland. The men composing this faculty were scholastic, ambitious and hopeful, with a full appreciation of the he- roic efforts of the founders of the college and, as Acting President Merrill stated to the writer, they 'had dreams of another Harvard to be built up here, hard by the banks of the Missis- sippi River.'
"At the instigation of President Merrill and his coadjutors, Rev. John Dew, Rev. B. T. Kav-
anaugh and Judge Brown were appointed a committee to memorialize the General Assembly for a new charter. Mr. Lincoln, then a mem- ber of that body, enlisted himself in the under- taking, with the result of securing a grant- quite in contrast with the legislation of 1835- authorizing not only the establishment of col- lege courses, but all manner of technical schools, with power to confer all manner of degrees and the holding of 3,000 acres of land in perpetuity, as well as any added amount, provided the same should be sold within the period of ten years after title to the same.
"The act contained a clause providing it should be in force only when the trustees of McKendree College should accept the same Rev. B. T. Kavanaugh was present at Vandalia, the capital of the State, on passage of the act, and hastened to Lebanon to have the McKen- dree trustees officially signify its acceptance. This was in pursuance of the advice of Mr. Lincoln, who warned him that the largeness of the privileges secured by the act, if fully realized by those opposed to legislation of this character, might lead to a successful effort for its recession. The act was approved January 26, 1839, was accepted by the "McKendrean" trustees at a called meeting nine days later and evidently, that no question might arise concern- ing the validity of the legislation because of its occurrence at a called meeting, the accept- ance of the charter was reaffirmed at a regu- larly stated meeting of the trustees March 4, 1839. This is a significant item, since it shows not only the lurking danger of a reversal of the action of the Legislature because of dormant prejudices which might easily have been ex- cited, but by reason of the bit of sentiment found in the solicitude of one who subsequently became our greatest of Presidents, in an act he assisted to create in behalf of higher education.
"The jubilant faculty and citizens of the vil- lage held the occasion whereby the 'splendid charter' was secured worthy of a celebration, and by resolution of the board, Professor Sun- derland was appointed to illuminate the front college windows with candles and speeches were made by Rev. B. T. Kavanaugh, Judge William Brown and others, commemorating the occa- sion.
"The augmentation of the faculty and the thor- ough classification of the work of the institu- tion already alluded to, led to the graduation
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
of the first class in 1841-all classical-seven in number. The year preceding, Rev. W. D. R. Trotter had been admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, on examination in the entire course of study, in pursuance of a clause in the charter providing for such cases, while the first honorary degree conferred was that of Doctor of Divinity, in 1839, on Rev. Peter Akers, the first President of the College.
"President Merrill, in a letter to the writer, alluding to the excellent work of the first grad- uating class, said: 'The class read as much Greek as was required at that time by the best American colleges.' On his retirement, in 1841, he was succeeded by Rev. James C. Finley, M. D., who resigned in 1845, at which time, by order of the Board of Trustees, the college was closed from November 17 of that year to May, 1846-a period of six months-its discouraged patrons, because of long-continued financial em- barrassment, even debating the prudence of ever again opening its doors. In succession came to the head of the college Dr. Peter Akers, Dr. Erastus Wentworth, Dr. Anson W. Cum- mings, Dr. Peter Akers for a third term, and Dr. Nelson E. Cobleigh, with terms of service of one, four, two, six and five years, respective- ly,-the last named closing his administration in 1863.
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