USA > Indiana > Indiana Baptist history, 1798-1908 > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23
340
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
in the founding and conduct of the Institute, and was the largest stockholder, finally disposed of the land giving a large share of the proceeds to the Union Bap- tist Theological Seminary, located at Morgan Park, Illinois. The Institute was not endowed, and like other Baptist schools of the State it could not com- pete with the public High Schools in which tuition was free. The Institute maintained so high a standard of scholarship that it drew and held some of the repre- sentative young women of Baptist families of Indiana. Here follow the names of some of those: Mrs. Rosa Adams Bailey, Mrs. Mary Hawley Swift, Mrs. Lucy Hawley Hall, Mrs. Sophie Trow Terry, Mrs. Rosa English Walling, Mrs. Eusebia Cravens Stimson, Miss Marie Haslup, M. D., Mrs. Irene Boynton, Mrs. Mat- tie Cobb Bailey, Mrs. Alice Cobb Holman, Mrs. Alice Jordan, Mrs. Kate Bundy, Mrs. Julia Merriam Tucker, Mrs. Nannie Furgason, Mrs. Marcia Hobart, Mrs. Elvira Gordon Kimball, Mrs. Ada Briggs, Mrs. Louisa Parks Richards, Mrs. Alice Shirk Edwards, and Miss Clara Kenower.
Ladies College at Vevay. It will be new to many that there was ever any attempt on the part of the Baptists to found a school at Vevay. But that there was, is evident from some resolutions passed at two different Associations ; the first was at the Bethel As- sociation in 1859 and is as follows :
"Resolved, That as the friends of education have it in mind to establish a ladies' school at Vevay, Indiana. we heartily recommend the enterprise to the favor of
341
BAPTIST SCHOOLS.
the churches-and other enterprises of the same char- acter."
The other was passed at the Long Run Association in 1859 and was offered by Deacon U. P. Schenck of the Vevay Baptist church :
"Whereas the friends of education have commenced the establishment of a ladies' college at Vevay, Indiana. we heartily recommend the enterprise to the favor of the churches composing the Association."
There seems to be no evidence that the work of in- struction was ever begun; in fact it is reasonable to suppose that the general demoralization wrought by the approaching civil conflict discouraged all further operations as to the school, and that no instruction was ever given.
School at Utica. The following resolution was passed at the Bethel Association in 1860 in reference to this school:
"Whereas we have a first class Baptist school for the education of young ladies in our midst. Resolved, that we consider Sister P. J. Waldo's select school for young ladies, located at Utica, Indiana, a school in every respect worthy of the respect and patronage of the denomination-therefore we cordially recommend this school to the confidence and liberal patronage of the denomination-and especially to this Association ; further that we request the Witness to copy the above resolution."
Mitchell Seminary. This was organized in 1864, and in 1865 the following persons constituted the fac- ulty of instruction : The Rev. J. K. Howard, A. B.,
-
342
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
principal and teacher of languages; the Rev. S. Bur- ton, A. M., instructor in mathematics ; Mrs. C. A. Bur- ton, intermediate department; Miss Mollie Mantonya, primary department; Miss Lizzie Clark, instrumental music.
The work of the seminary went on for several years, and the effects were quite manifest in the community, in the way of creating a desire for learning, and an ambition to attain to a larger manhood and woman- hood. But as in all the other cases, the public high school came in and offered excellent educational ad- vantages, and the tuition was free.
Crown Point Institute. The following is found in the minutes of the Northern Association, for 1868:
"The committee to whom was referred the interests of the Crown Point Institute, reported the following communication and recommendation : It is a corporate school, under the simplest form of incorporation ac- cording to the general law of Indiana, proposing to pass the second grade of corporation in order to con- fer degrees, proposes to the religious body known as the Northern Baptist Association, to assume its pat- ronage, that a statement be filed with the Secretary of State in accordance with the Act for incorporation of academies, high schools and colleges, approved Feb- ruary 28th, 1855, amended March 9th, 1867. The In- stitute, its property remaining in the hands of the stockholders ; in consideration of such patronage will give to the Association the appointment of one half the number of trustees to be elected according to the pro- visions of the law, and through these trustees exerting
343
BAPTIST SCHOOLS.
their power as the law directs, the Association can exert its share of control over the school."
Now whatever this all means it was submitted to the Association and was adopted. Crown Point In- stitute has done an important work for the north- western part of Indiana as the following facts will show : In 1865 the Rev. T. H. Ball, A. M., was active in organizing the Crown Point Institute Educational Company. The school which was founded and fos- tered by this Company was intended for both young men and young women. The first teachers were the Rev. T. H. Ball, principal; Miss Mary J. Ball, Miss N. A. Cornell, Mrs. Mann, Mrs. Martha C. C. Ball, Miss Martha Baldwin and Miss N. Rees. Besides earn- est literary work in the Institute there was also a deep religious spirit; seventeen students professed conver- sion in one year. In its best years there were sixty boarding pupils. And when the public high school dis- placed the Institute it found an excellent literary spirit, and a general desire among the families of the place for liberal learning for their children.
Rome School. These are the main facts accessible as to this enterprise: At the annual meeting of the Perry County Association in 1866, Robert Tobin, James H. L. Winchell and Thomas H. Thomas were chosen a board of trustees of an education society, the main duty of which was to establish a high school or seminary at Rome, Indiana. Stock was solicited at twenty dollars per share. The incorporation was ef- fected in December, 1866, and the former court house was secured for a place of meeting. The first session
344
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
was taught in 1867, with the Rev. J. T. Beam as prin- cipal. The next August the Rev. I. W. Bruner was elected principal and J. T. Beam assistant; the school was not a financial success; it continued however till 1870, when it went the way of all the others that have thus far been spoken of.
At Evansville there was a school taught by William Price ; at the Evansville Association a resolution passed recommending that the school be given up, and that all patronage should be directed to the school at Rome, which was then in a flourishing condition compara- tively.
The Huntington Academy. Deacon John Kenower (of whom there is a brief sketch in connection with Huntington Association), was always interested in the matter of education; and before the rise of the public school, became impressed with the need of an academy in his part of Indiana. And so, at an expense of between $3,000 and $4,000 he erected a building and organized a school in 1868 calling it Rural Home. The school was operated for four years and gave an im- pulse which resulted in the establishment of the pres- ent excellent Huntington high school. The Rev. Wil- liam Hill who was principal at Ladoga, and later one of the two principals of a school conducted in the Col- lege buildings at Franklin, was, for a time, principal of the Rural Home school.
Crawford Baptist Industrial School. In 1904 Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Crawford, having long thought of the matter, decided to give a fund sufficient to begin the work of building up an industrial school for the care
E.C. CRAWFORD
MRS. E.C. CRAWFORDS
345
BAPTIST SCHOOLS.
and education of the orphan children of parents who had been Indiana Baptists. They made their purpose known to some leading Baptist brethren in Indianap- olis, and as a result a corporation was formed accord- ing to the laws of the State, with the following trus- tees : S. O. Pickens, A. A. Barnes, G. V. Woolen, the Rev. T. J. Villers, Grafton Johnson of Greenwood, and the Rev. C. H. McDowell. To this board was transferred the deed to two farms, one of 185 acres near Zionsville, Indiana, and another of 130 acres lying six and a half miles southwest of Indianapolis.
The Rev. W. H. Baldock was chosen superintendent of farms and buildings, and the Rev. G. H. Jayne, of Shelbyville, was elected financial secretary. A build- ing to cost $10,000 was erected on the Zionsville farm, and in August, 1906, was dedicated in the midst of re- joicing on the part of Indiana Baptists, and in which brother and sister Crawford themselves had a large share. They are credited with saying that it was the happiest day in their lives. Children were admitted and work was begun in September, 1906. The present assets of the school, as reported by the Secretary at the last meeting of the Indiana Baptist Convention are $55,000; and it is the hope and expectation of those most interested that the enterprise will continue to grow, and more and more will be the pride of the de- nomination. And in increasing volume the love and prayers of Indiana Baptists will flow towards brother and sister Crawford, who not being blessed with chil- dren of their own, had it in their hearts to make thou- sands of the children of others happy and useful.
346
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
Franklin College. In striking contrast to the many failures in education made by Indiana Baptists, we turn with pleasure to the one effort that did not finally fail, however severe its "troubles and trials" may have been. The history of Franklin College is not the history of uniform prosperity ; there have been many dark days, times when it seemed almost certain that the enterprise would fail; but like the tree whose roots had struck deep into the earth, the decline and loss of the trunk was followed by the springing up of a stem which in time grew to be as large and flour- ishing as the original trunk-more flourishing and larger.
On June. 5th, 1834, at the Baptist meeting house in Indianapolis, the following brethren met in the inter- est of denominational education: the Rev. William Rees, the Rev. J. L. Richmond, the Rev. Ezra Fisher, the Rev. John Hobart, the Rev. Samuel Harding, the Rev. Lewis Morgan, Henry Bradley, the Rev. J. V. A. Woods, the Rev. Eliphalet Williams, the Rev. Na- thaniel Richmond, the Rev. John McCoy, the Rev. Moses Jeffries and the Rev. Reuben Coffey.
They were drawn together by no mere impulse, nor by a desire to be known as leaders of their Baptist brethren in an educational enterprise; they were the men, in the main, who had long advocated, and finally organized the Indiana Baptist General Association (in April, 1833). The Rev. William Rees was called to the chair and the Rev. J. L. Richmond was made sec- retary. The following resolutions were proposed and adopted :
347
BAPTIST SCHOOLS.
"First. That the members of this meeting take into consideration the importance of the subject of education as it relates to our denomination.
"Second. That in the opinion of this meeting the Baptists of this state need an institution of learning under their immediate patronage and subject to their direction.
"Third. That in the opinion of this meeting the present exigencies of the Baptists of Indiana require their united and prompt efforts to establish an insti- tution of learning adapted to their present wants, whose improvements shall be regulated by the wants of the denomination.
"Fourth. That in the establishment of such an in- stitution we regard the Manual Labor system the best to secure its early patronage and final success.
"Fifth. That we will use every laudable effort to carry into effect the foregoing resolutions, and that a committee of thirty-five be appointed to correspond with the brethren in the several parts of the State and such other men as they may deem expedient, for the purpose of soliciting their friendly co-operation, ex- amining such sites as may be proposed near the cen- ter of the State, and receiving proposals; and a draft of a Constitution to present to this body when con- vened at Franklin, Johnson county, on Tuesday pre- ceding the first Saturday in October next."
Those on the committee on nomination were the Rev. William Rees, the Rev. Samuel Harding, the Rev. J. L. Richmond, the Rev. John McCoy, Henry Bradley, the Rev. John Mason and the Rev. Lewis
348
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
Morgan. They were to report at half-past one o'clock that afternoon. At the hour appointed the committee presented the names of the following brethren: The Revs. Ezra Fisher, J. Jackson, T. C. Townsend, Lewis Morgan, J. V. A. Woods, William Rees, John McCoy, Byrem Lawrence, L. Fairman, N. Richmond, Reuben Coffey, Samuel Harding, J. Chambers, J. D. Crabs, Moses Jeffries, Royce McCoy and J. L. Holman ; Henry Bradley, John Hawkins, Judge Norvel, David Fain, Smith Hunt, Ezra Rogers, D. Thomas, Isaac Hurlock, W. Phillips, H. J. Hall, E. Phares, A. Chamberlain, M. Hornaday, W. Polk, W. B. Ewing and Brother Ristine.
It was agreed that a meeting be held in Indianapolis on the fourth Saturday in August next to examine sites for the institution.
Here were the proposals: J. M. Robinson offers six acres of land and $425 in subscription, it being un- derstood that W. J. Robinson be a teacher in the school. Nothing decided. Met again on October 4th and resolved that a vigorous effort be made in Janu- ary, 1835, to raise funds to establish an institution. The different sites suggested were Indianapolis, Brandywine (where the Rev. Lewis Morgan lived), and Robinsons, (in Decatur county). A committee consisting of the Rev. J. L. Holman, William Rees, George Matthews, Samuel Harding, Lewis Morgan and J. V. A. Woods was appointed to write articles to the Cross and Journal on education, and the Rev. Ezra Fisher was to follow the articles with circulars addressed to the Baptists of the State. The subjects
-
349
BAPTIST SCHOOLS.
of the Articles indicate a clear and broad view of the whole matter :
I. What influence ought the Baptist denomination to exert on the religious and literary world ? The Rev. J. L. Holman.
II. What influence do we exert on the religion and literature of our own country? The Rev. George Matthews.
III. The importance of religious education in the formation of the character of our youth. The Rev. J. V. A. Woods.
IV. The influence of an enlightened ministry on the interests of religion in general, and on our own denomination in particular. The Rev. Samuel Hard- ing.
V. The influence which the education of the youth of our denomination would exert on the Baptists of Indiana. The Rev. Lewis Morgan.
VI. What influence would a Baptist institution of learning exert upon the denomination in Indiana? The Rev. William Rees.
It was decided to organize the Indiana Baptist Ed- ucation Society, and a Constitution was presented and adopted. The proposal from J. M. Robinson now is the land and $1,400. There was a proposal from Dr. Griffin and others of St. Omer, Decatur county, with a pledge of $1,300. It was decided to circulate sub- scription papers for Indianapolis, Franklin, Robinsons and St. Omer.
Another meeting was held at Indianapolis June
350
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
3d, 1835, at that time it was agreed that a site should be chosen by the unanimous vote of those present. The committee to examine, reported and it was unani- mously voted to locate the Indiana Baptist Manual Labor Institute at Franklin, on the site east of town.
The following board of directors was elected by the Education Society: The Rev. Lewis Morgan, the Rev. Samuel Harding, J. D. Jones, Samuel Herriott, John Foster, Dr. Murphy, Nicholas Schaffer, Robert Gilchrist, George King, Milton Stapp, the Rev. J. L. Holman, the Rev. George Matthews, the Rev. Seth Woodruff, J. Chambers, Silas Jones, W. B. Ewing, H. J. Hall, the Rev. J. L. Richmond, Henry Bradley, Samuel Merrill, N. B. Palmer, the Rev. Ezra Fisher, Robert Thompson, George Hunt, J. Walker, William Phelps, the Rev. William Rees, the Rev. J. V. A. Woods, the Rev. Eliphalet Williams, J. Hawkins, D. Thomas, W. Polk, Byrem Lawrence and William Stancil.
The directors were to elect their own officers, ar- range a course of study, choose a faculty of instruc- tion and provide a system of manual labor. Pro- vision was to be made for both literary and theolog- ical study; and the directors were to report annually to the Education Society. The record for 1841 shows that the society received funds for beneficiary students, disbursed the same, taking receipts therefor, and the same was to be refunded when the student became able. The Rev. J. W. Givan, who afterwards became a very able preacher, was named as one who had shared in this fund. Provision was made that the
351
BAPTIST SCHOOLS.
minimum number of the board of directors should be twelve-the maximum number thirty-six.
The matter of a school for young women had long been in the minds of the leaders among Indiana Bap- tists ; but no definite steps were taken till 1853, when a board for such a school was chosen by the Indiana Baptist Education Society. (A full account of this movement and its results is given under the head of "Western Female University").
Franklin College proceeded with its work in the usual way till 1861; President Chandler had resigned in 1851 and gone to Oregon, and President Bailey had been in charge since 1852; the graduating class of 1861 was the largest the college had sent out up to that time; there were six. An unusual thing was connected with the graduation that year; the com- mencement program gave the names and the subject of the oration of each, but opposite the names of two of them was this explanatory note-"In the United States Army." Thomas J. Morgan (afterwards gen- eral), and Benjamin F. Adkins (afterwards Surgeon) had enlisted in the Seventh Indiana Infantry and were out in the field. After graduation two others of the class enlisted, one in the Eighteenth Indiana and the other in the Seventieth (one becoming a Major of Volunteers and the other a Captain.)
The civil war was on and Franklin, in common with most of the colleges of the north, was left al- most without students. On account of failing health President Bailey resigned in 1862; and in a short time afterwards the doors of the institution were
352
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
closed. In 1867 Professor William Hill and Pro- fessor J. H. Smith, who had been conducting the academy at Ladoga, rented the college buildings and brought to Franklin as much of the work and spirit of the Ladoga school as was possible; they used the south building (Bailey Hall) for the young women's dormitory and a boarding department, and the north edifice (Chandler Hall) for the young men's dormi- tory, recitation rooms and chapel.
At a meeting of the Education Society, held at Franklin June 12th, 1868, the following resolution was passed :
"That we tender to Professor W. Hill and his worthy associates the expression of our high appre- ciation of the enterprise, ability and success with which they have managed the school, which has been held in the college edifice during the year just closed, and we hereby pledge ourselves to use every effort in our power to cooperate with him and them to gather a much larger school the year just commenced."
The success of the school had the effect to encour- age the board of directors to take up again the work of carrying forward college instruction; the build- ings and grounds were put into good condition at a considerable expense, and the following faculty was . chosen to commence instruction in September, 1869 : the Rev. W. T. Stott, pastor at Columbus, acting president and professor of physical science; F. W. Brown, professor of ancient languages; the Rev. J. E. Walter, professor of mathematics; Mrs. M. A. Fisher, principal of the preparatory department ; and
SILAS BAILEY D.D. 1852-1862
GEORGE C. CHANDLER D.D. 1844 - 1861
E.B.BRYAN L.L.D. 1905 -
S
W.T. STOTT LLD. 1872 - 1905
3
H.L.WAYLAND D.D. 1870 - 1871
١
353
BAPTIST SCHOOLS.
Doctors B. Wallace and P. W. Payne, lecturers on physiology. Two hundred and ten pupils were en- rolled the first year, and so prosperous was the work of the year in general that the board was encouraged to go forward to the election of a president. Ac- cordingly the presidency was offered to the Rev. H. L. Wayland, D. D., a professor in Kalamazoo Col- lege, Michigan, and he accepted it. The academic year of 1870-71 began auspiciously ; the reputation of the president attracted attention to the college; he issued a paper -The Campfire, in which, in an attractive way, the work and wants of the institution were set forth. A financial agent was also sent into the field to solicit students and gather money to meet the in- creased expenses of the college. But the increased expenses were not balanced by an increased income, and the matter of a larger income became a serious one; and the seriousness of the situation was aug- mented by the fact that the improvements made in 1869 were made on borrowed money.
President Wayland came to the conclusion that if Indiana Baptists were in earnest about their college they would at once rally to its support when all the facts were presented, and that it was useless to think of securing less than $100,000 additional funds. The insistence of his conviction led the board to consent, and declare that if this amount was not secured by a given date not far in the future, then it would be wiser to abandon the enterprise. Much earnest canvassing was done by the agent, the Rev. L. D. Robinson, and others ; at length the board excused the president from
354
INDIANA BAPTIST HISTORY.
class work that he might take the field. But success did not crown these efforts; the brethren of the state were not ready for these strenuous methods, and hope vanished. The president resigned at the beginning of 1872; the creditors took the college property in payment of the loan, and the college board met and by vote disbanded. Those were days of Egyptian darkness for the friends of Franklin College. The way was now fairly open for the location of the in- stitution of learning for Indiana Baptists at some more favorable point. It had been said that there were such points; matters looked a little as if the pre- dictions of "Old Hundred," made in the Witness many years ago, might now come true. An informal meeting was held at Indianapolis, and it was consented by those present that if Indianapolis Baptists had any serious offers to make they should have sincere at- tention. No offers were made. In the meantime the instructors and students who had been connected with the college were widely separated, finding other in- stitutions, or other fields of work.
But the good influence exerted by the college at Franklin, through its third of a century of work, did not die; it was deeper and more lasting than appeared on the surface; the presidents and professors had been men of large ability and high moral and spiritual worth; twenty-eight young men had been graduated; and hundreds of young men and young women had received valuable instruction and noble purpose in the old college. The town of Franklin had been moulded to literary taste, and an elevated social plane by the
353
BAPTIST SCHOOLS.
presence of the institution through all these years; and so after all the hope of still having the college - would not die.
Accordingly in the spring and summer of 1872 there was unusual diligence in finding a way to suc- cess. At length it was proposed that Articles of As- sociation, in conformity to the laws of the State, be adopted; the stockholders were to elect a board of directors for the institution. Certain articles should forever secure the location at Franklin and control of the institution to the Baptists, by their having a ma- jority of the members of the board and the faculty, including the president. But according to the pro- posal no further steps could be taken towards organ- ization till $50,000 had been raised by the sale of stock; and it was also stipulated that $13,000 of the $50,000 might be applied to the purchase of the col- lege property that had been taken by creditors.
Before the summer was over the amount ($50,000) had been raised, a meeting of the stockholders held and a board of directors elected.
The board proceeded to elect a faculty consisting of the Rev. W. T. Stott, president and professor of mental and moral philosophy ; Miss R. J. Thompson, professor of history and physical science ; Rev. J. E. Walter, professor of mathematics; Mrs. Bel R. Stott was chosen instructor in painting and drawing; and Miss Anna Allen instructor in music. The enroll- ment of students for the year was seventy-five; of these four were juniors, seven sophomores, and six freshmen. It was a small beginning-three teachers
356
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.