USA > Kansas > A standard history of Kansas and Kansans, Volume II > Part 52
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The reorganization was accomplished largely through the efforts of the acting president, Harnly, and the president of the board of trustees, J. J. Yoder.
Since the completion of the reorganization and the calling of Doctor Kurtz, MePherson College has progressed. The indebtedness has been
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paid, and a new central heating plant built, a new ladies' dormitory built, the endowment raised to $225,000; the faculty and budget almost doubled and the attendance increased 50 per cent.
At the annual stockholders' meeting February 6, 1912, it was decided, by vote of 239 for and 1 against, to increase the number of trustees from five to fifteen, and the first meeting of the enlarged board was called for May 10, 1912. At this meeting it was decided to encourage all the churches in the territory of MePherson College to have some kind of an educational programme or sermon at least once a year and to take in connection with it a free-will offering for MePherson College.
At an executive board meeting September 17, 1912, it was decided to take steps at the coming district meeting of Southwest Kansas and Southeast Colorado to place MePherson College into the hands of this and surrounding church districts.
The district meeting of Southwest Kansas and Southeast Colo- rado of 1912 appointed a committee to confer with the trustees of McPherson College, looking towards placing the college more directly under the control of the church districts from which it draws its patronage.
At an executive board meeting October 21, 1912, it was decided to call a joint meeting of the board of trustees, the committee appointed by the Southwest Kansas and Southeast Colorado district meeting and a representative from the General Educational Board of the Church of the Brethren.
By November 26, 1913, the election of the new board of trustees by state districts had been completed.
Presidents of McPherson College: S. Z. Sharp, A. M., 1888-1896; C. E. Arnold, A. M., 1896-1902; Edward Frantz, A. M., 1902-1910; S. J. Miller, A. M., 1910-1911, acting president; John A. Clement, Ph. D., 1911-1913; H. J. Harnly, Ph. D., 1913-1914, acting president ; Daniel Webster Kurtz, A. M., B. D., D. D., 1914-
Present Board of Trustees of McPherson College: Southwest Kan- sas and Southeast Colorado-Elder J. J. Yoder, president, MePherson ; F. P. Detter, vice president, McPherson; Dr. H. J. Harnly, secretary, McPherson ; J. A. Flory, McPherson; J. N. Dresher, McPherson ; Emery Martin, Bloom. Northeast Kansas-Rev. F. E. McCune, 1200 New York Street, Lawrence. Southeast Kansas-Gideon E. Shirky, Madison. Northwest Kansas-Elder Geo. W. Burgin, 1500 S. Pearl Street, Denver, Colorado. Northern Missouri-Elder E. G. Rodabaugh, Stet. Middle Missouri-Elder James M. Mohler, Leeton. Southern Missouri-G. W. Gitt, Cabool. Nebraska-U. C. Miller, Carleton. Oklahoma-Elder W. O. Bosserman, Tangier. Western Colorado and Utah-Elder S. Z. Sharp, Fruita, Colorado.
Enrollment by states, 1916-17: Kansas, 246; Missouri, 24; Nebraska, 18; Oklahoma, 13; Colorado, 12; Michigan, 3; Iowa, 2; and California, Idaho, Illinois, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Dakota, one each.
Departments maintained : Collegiate, Normal, Academic, Biblical, Expression, Commercial, Agriculture, Domestic Science and Art, Music
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and Art; number of professors, 23; number of assistants, 13; enroll- ment, over 400; number of graduates 1917-Collegiate A. B. 16, Acad- emy 41. Total number of degrees conferred from founding of the college : D. D., 2; L. H. D., 2; B. D., 1; A. M., 17 ; B. S. L., 4; B. S. D., 189; A. B., 155.
Value of college property and permanent fund : College Campus, 10 acres, $10,000; Athletic Field, $1,100; College Agricultural Farm, 150 acres, $18,750 ; Richardson Farm, 160 acres, $14,000; Sharp Admin- istration Hall, $35,000; Carnegie Library, $13,500; Gymnasium, $8,000; Fahnestock Hall (Boys' Dormitory), $25,000; Arnold Hall (Ladies' Home), $25,000; Central Heating Plant, $5,000; Furniture, Apparatus, etc., $10,000; Library, $5,000; and endowment (interest bearing) $157,000. Total, $327,350.
THE KANSAS CITY UNIVERSITY
The Kansas City University is the result of an earnest purpose, per- sistently pursued. Nearly three-quarters of a century ago a young man by the name of Mather, a lineal descendant of Cotton Mather, of Colo- nial fame, "purposed in his heart" to some day found an institution of learning. He was poor and without immediate prospect of realizing his purpose; but, he cherished it until, at the age of eighty-four, he came into touch with a board of trustees, appointed by the General Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church, to establish a school somewhere in the neighborhood of Kansas City. Although a Congregationalist, he recognized his opportunity, and, brushing aside denominational preju- dice and preference, he gave his entire estate to this board to help them perform the task laid upon them. Thus, Dr. S. F. Mather of Kansas City, Kansas, became the founder of the Kansas City University, the only educational institution of collegiate grade in Kansas City. Among other friends of the university, without whose generous gifts the insti- tution could not have been established, were Mr. H. J. Heinz of Pitts- burgh, Pennsylvania; Mr. Dexter Horton of Seattle, Washington, and Mr. W. S. Wilson of Ohio, Illinois.
In 1913 Campbell College of Holton, Kansas, under the control of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, was moved to Kansas City, and merged with the university. So that the Kansas City University is now under the joint control of a board of trustees selected one-half by the Methodist Protestant Church authorities, and the other half by the authorities of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. While not sectarian, the life of the university is distinctly Christian.
It is located at Thirty-third Street and Parallel Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas, and is most beautiful for situation. Its students come from Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, and other adjacent states. It has large property interests in and about Kansas City, Kansas, out of which it is expected a considerable endowment fund will be realized. Three large, modern and substantial buildings grace a very beautiful campus, and when the building scheme is complete, nine buildings will
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constitute the group. Seven schools constitute the university: Mather College, Wilson Academy and High School, the College of Theology, the College of Music, the College of Expression, the School of Art, and the School of Home Economics. The courses offered are thorough and complete.
KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The fact that Kansas leads in corn, wheat, fruit and live-stock is of secondary importance to the fact that she leads in ideals and purposes, for material prosperity can come only as the results of applied ideals. The people who settled Kansas did not come primarily for money-making, but for the purpose of leaving their imprint on the destiny of the nation. They came to make history, but realized that history is of little value unless preserved in a way that it can mean something to posterity. The old word of mouth methods that have given us accounts of the struggles and achievements of our ancestors, have left us a priceless heritage of confidence and self-respect, but these methods do not meet modern conditions, and a place must be provided for the preservation of records, accessible to all. where those who enjoy a civil- ization bought by their predecessors may learn what this civilization cost, how it was gained, the high purposes back of unselfish devotion to a cause, and be moved to live up to the standards set by those who have gone before.
One of the first corporations to be formed within the boundaries of Kansas was the Historical and Philosophical Society of Kansas Terri- tory. It was chartered by the Pro-Slavery legislature of 1855 with the following Kansans as incorporators: William Walker, the Provisional Governor of the old Nebraska Territory, D. A. N. Grover, David Lykins, John Donaldson, James Kuykendall, Thomas Johnson, William A. M. Vaughn, Lucien J. Eastin and A. J. Isacks. The object of the organiza- tion was the collection and preservation of historical matter, minera- logical and geological specimens, Indian curiosities and antiques and other matters connected with, and calculated to illustrate and perpetuate, the history of the Territory. However, the great deeds which were to make the history of Kansas, and shape the destiny of the nation had not yet been consummated, and nothing was accomplished by the society.
The next effort on this line was the organization of the Scientific and Historical Society, February 1, 1859, with Honorable L. D. Bailey as president, and Dr. S. C. Harrington, librarian. The address of the occasion was given by Samuel A. Kingman. This society was incor- porated by the legislature February 7, with the following men as incor- porators : Edward Clark, Charles H. Branscomb, R. G. Elliott, William Hutchinson, Charles Robinson, W. I. R. Blackman, Samuel C. Harring- ton, B. W. Woodard, James S. Emery, E. S. Lowman, James Blood, and Melancthon S. Beach. The society was enabled to make some valuable collections before it was wiped out by the Quantrill raid of
MEMORIAL BUILDING, TOPEKA, HOME OF THE KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY [Photograph by Willard, Topeka]
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1863. It had two hundred and forty-four volumes of books, files of fourteen newspapers as well as natural curiosities and relics.
Nothing more was attempted until 1867, when a private organiza- tion called the State Historical Society was formed with purposes similar to those of its predecessors. The first meeting was held March 2, and the following officers were elected : Samuel A. Kingman, president; C. K. Holliday, vice-president; D. W. Stormont, treasurer; Andrew Stark, librarian; George A. Crawford, recording secretary ; S. D. Bowker, cor- responding secretary. A second meeting was held February 4, 1868, after which nothing more can be learned of the organization. If it had any collections they were lost.
The present Kansas State Historical Society had its inception at the meeting of the State Editorial Association, April 7 and 8, 1875, at Manhattan. A resolution, introduced by D. W. Wilder, named Floyd P. Baker, D. R. Anthony, John A. Martin, Solomon Miller, and George A. Crawford as a committee to organize a Historical Society and to ask the legislature for an appropriation of $1,000 per year to cover the expense of collecting and preserving historical matter. The resolution was adopted and the Kansas State Historical Society was organized December 13, 1875. Articles of incorporation were prepared and acknowledged before a notary on the 14th and filed with the Secretary of State on the 15th. The incorporators were: Samuel A. Kingman, president of the society; George A. Crawford, vice-president; Colonel John A. Martin, editor of the Atchison Champion, treasurer; Floyd P. Baker, editor of the Topeka Commonwealth, secretary, and D. W. Wilder, Solomon Miller and D. R. Anthony. The directors included the in- corporators and the following additional names : Honorable R. B. Taylor, editor of the Wyandotte Gazette; Honorable M. W. Reynolds, editor of the Parsons Sun, and Colonel S. S. Prouty.
A bookcase in the office of D. W. Wilder, then Auditor of State, was set apart to receive the collections. The fact that the Society was organized by newspaper men has always been of great advantage, as the newspaper fraternity have taken special interest in adding to the col- lections, and much valuable material has been gained in this way that is lacking in the collections of other states, where the files of newspapers are not so complete. The first books acquired by the society were from the library of Chief Justice Samuel A. Kingman. These books related to the early history of the State and are very valuable. No money had been received from the legislature, and the membership fees, which were $2.00 per year, or $20.00 for life, were the only source of income. In 1876 Mr. Baker resigned and on February 4th of that year, F. G. Adams took his place as secretary. This was the beginning of an im- portant epoch. Mr. Adams later was assisted by his daughter Zu, who was then a school girl. The two worked together at first without direct remuneration, and later as the first paid secretary and assistant. The services of both to the State lasted for the rest of their lives, and were ably and conscientiously performed.
In 1877, the legislature took cognizance of the Historical Society and Vol. II-3I
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appropriated the sum of $3,000 for the purpose of adding to the collec- tions, and ordered thirty bound volumes of each state publication to be delivered to the secretary for his use in exchanging with other states. The Webb Collection was acquired out of these funds for the sum of $400. This collection was in the form of seventeen scrap books, kept by Doctor Thomas II. Webb of Boston, when he was secretary of the New England Emigrant Aid Company. One book contains clippings from newspapers all over the United States relating to John Brown,
d.
VIEW OF PRIVATE OFFICE, SECRETARY OF KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, MEMORIAL BUILDING, TOPEKA
[Photograph by Willard, Topeka]
and the other sixteen are clippings about the Territory of Kansas in the years 1854-'55,-'56. On July 1, 1876, the collections were removed from the bookcase in the auditor's office to a newly finished room under the stairway leading to the Senate chamber. In April, 1877, Secretary Adams published a list of the accessions, which filled an eighteen page book, and showed considerable labor in accumulating and cataloguing. Among the accessions were the files of eighteen old newspapers, and one hundred and seventy-three eurrent publications, and numerous books and pamphlets. Mr. Adams was without pay until 1879, when the yearly sum of $2,500 was appropriated with the provision that no more
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than half of it should be spent for services. The Society was made a trustee of the State, its duties prescribed, regulations made governing the expenditure of money, and the management placed in the hands of a Board of Directors to be elected by the society. The allowance of State publications was raised from thirty copies to sixty. In the two years from 1877 to 1879, one thousand two hundred and thirty-seven volumes were added to the library.
At no time in the history of the society until the building of the Memorial Hall, were the quarters adequate. The work of Secretary Adams was always handicapped for lack of space to properly arrange the material. From its very beginning Kansas had one of the best his- torical collections of any western state, second only to the collection at Madison, Wisconsin, but much of the matter was not accessible to the publie both on account of space, and lack of sufficient clerk hire. In 1882, the collections were moved to a room in the west wing of the State House. In 1886, the legislature made provision for additional clerk hire. The accessions now numbered forty-eight thousand three hundred and five. It was 1894 before the much needed space was granted. The society was given three additional rooms in the south wing of the State House. Secretary Adams said at that time: "The rooms now occupied are in different parts of the basement, inconvenient for use and access to the public." The available space was about one-seventh of that occupied by the Wisconsin Historical Society. In 1895, the legislature voted the society two rooms of the east wing when the capitol building should be finished.
In 1899, the death of Secretary Franklin G. Adams occurred, after twenty-three years of service. His daughter Zu had become the librarian and was a great help to him in his declining years. The accessions had grown during his time from a few volumes in a bookcase to a library of one hundred and fourteen thousand three hundred and seventy-six books, pamphlets and papers. Mr. Adams came to Kansas in 1855, and helped make the history which he was so zealous in preserving. He had a genius for collecting, and his personal connection with historic people enabled him to enrich the Kansas collections with original docu- ments, papers, letters, and manuscripts which could not otherwise have been acquired.
George W. Martin succeeded Mr. Adams as secretary. The State House was now finished and the south wing of the fourth floor was placed at the disposal of the Historical Society. There were six rooms available at once, and two more later. There were now one hundred and nineteen thousand, one hundred and twenty-one accessions besides the museum and the battle flags. Much of this material had been dumped in heaps, where it had lain for years, and the work of moving and arranging it required considerable time. The celebration of the quarter-centennial had been put off for one year awaiting the removal to the new quarters. This was completed in December, 1901, and the celebration was held on the 17th. Judge Samuel A. Kingman, first president, and Daniel W. Wilder, one of the founders, both gave ad-
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dresses. Secretary Martin congratulated the society on having at last secured ample quarters in which to expand for a generation, but it was not more than five years till the rooms were again over-crowded.
In 1905, the legislature made the Historical Society a State depart- ment of archives and required each State officer to turn over all docu- ments not essential to the conduct of his department, to the Society for reference. The first lot of manuscripts were turned over by General J. W. F. Hughes, of the Adjutant's office.
The Centennial celebration commemorating the first raising of the United States flag over Kansas and Colorado, was held in Republic
VIEW OF THE READING ROOM, LIBRARY OF THE KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, MEMORIAL BUILDING, TOPEKA
[From Photograph by Willard, Topeka]
County, at Pike's Pawnee Village, September 26 to 29, 1906. The His- torical Society had charge of the program for the 27th and addresses were given by George W. Martin and Reverend J. A. Sutton, and articles were written by William E. Connelley, James R. Mead and John B. Dunbar, of Bloomfield, New Jersey.
By January 1, 1908, the accessions had reached three hundred thou- sand and the secretary asked for additional help and more space. In 1909, the legislature provided for the building of Memorial Hall, which solved the difficulty as far as adequate quarters were concerned, but which was not available until 1914. The money for this edifice came through war claims, but as these claims could never have been proven without the records preserved by the Historical Society, the State could at least afford to furnish the Society with as much room in the new building as needed in order to properly care for these records, which
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are of great financial, as well as educational value. This was done, but before it was ready for ocenpancy, both the Secretary, George W. Martin, and the Librarian, Miss Zu Adams, had passed away. Miss Adams had known no other work but that of the Society, in which she took a deep interest. IIer death, April 12, 1911, was a great loss. George W. Martin was one of the earliest newspaper men of the State. He lived through most of the history as it was in the making, and the Historical Society is the richer for his experience. He passed away March 27, 1914.
The work of removing the collections to the new building fell to the present Secretary, William E. Connelley. The task was attended with great difficulties. The cost of the moving was variously estimated from $5,000 to $25,000, but there was only $700 on hand which could be used for the purpose. The dedicatory services of the Memorial Hall were held May 27, 1914, and the moving was done that summer. The Museum, the Goss Collection, and the Historical Collections were all taken to the new building in ten weeks time and at an expense of less than $2,000. The employees did the work with the aid of a one horse wagon, instead of letting the job to a contractor, and saved the State thousands of dollars. The Museum and Goss Collection occupy the entire fourth floor. On the third are reading rooms and shelving space for books, and on the second is the G. A. R. headquarters, the Auditorium, and the historical books with reading tables and offices for clerks. The offices of the Secretary, Treasurer, and Librarian of the Society, the head quarters of the Spanish-American War Veterans, the Department of Archives and office of the clerk of archives and shelving for the news- paper department are on the first floor.
The accessions at present number six hundred and sixty-one thou- sand, one hundred and twenty-nine, of which two hundred and fifty-two thousand five hundred and four are library volumes, some fifty thousand are manuscripts, ninety-five hundred portraits and pictures, eight thou- sand and thirty maps and atlases, ten thousand relies in the museum, and a total of three hundred and thirty-one thousand and ninety-five pieces in the Department of Archives which includes separate manuscripts and manuscript volumes. There is a co-operative arrangement with the State Library to avoid duplicating historical books.
The officers of the society elected at the annual meeting in 1916 are as follows: Charles S. Gleed, President; George P. Morehouse, first Viec-President; Robert M. Painter, second Vice-President; William E. Connelley, Secretary ; Mrs. Mary Embree, Treasurer; Miss Clara Francis is the Librarian.
It has been said by people whose work takes them to the historical libraries of the country, that the Kansas collections are superior to all others in the respect that they preserve a history of the people instead of a mere history of the great men. The biographies of the most ordinary persons are kept, and the activities of the plain people who make up the world are not overlooked.
ELIZABETH N. BARR.
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ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
The Kansas Natural History Society, which later became the Academy of Science, was organized at Lincoln College (now Washburn), Septem- ber 1, 1868. Professor B. F. Mudge was president; J. S. Whitman, vice- president ; John Barker, secretary ; Frank Snow, treasurer ; and John A. Banfield curator. At the third annual meeting, held at Lawrence, Sep- tember, 1870, the scope of the Society was extended to include all the sciences. In 1871, the name was changed to the Academy of Science, and two years later the organization was incorporated as a State institution. It was made a co-ordinate department of the State Department of Agri- culture and used the same offices. The reports of the Academy were published in connection with those of the Agricultural Department and the State was at no expense until 1895, when the legislature made a yearly appropriation of $500 for a stenographer, and $300, for postage.
The Goss Ornithological Collection was donated to the State in 1881, and ten years later was turned over to the Academy of Science. In 1897 a curator was provided by the legislature. Professor B. B. Smythe, who had been interested for a number of years in the work of the Academy, took this office. The Goss Collection was separated from the Academy in 1905.
The Secretary of the Academy was placed on a salary of $1,000 a year in 1903, and from that time to the present, the total yearly appro- priation to the Academy for all purposes has been $1,300. The organization has fostered an important work and one vital to the development of the natural resources of the State. This is due largely to the fact that the scientific men interested have labored gratuitously. The geological survey of the '90s, which was done under direction of the University of Kansas, and credited to that institution, was brought about by the efforts of the Academy of Science. It has catalogued the plants and minerals of the State. It exchanges with more than five hundred similar societies all over America and Europe, and has given Kansas a standing in respect to scientific research. These scientific investigations have a practical bearing on the industrial problems of the people as is shown by the following selected from the thirty-eight subjects treated in 1914 :
1. Corn oil as a substitute for olive oil.
2. The search for potash in Kansas.
3. The value of cheap water power in Kansas, and how to obtain it.
4. Increased efficiency of telephone communication by utilization of its by-products.
5. Commercial opportunities with Kansas plants of medicinal value.
Through the secretary, W. W. Swingle, A.M., the Academy is bring- ing eminent scientists to the State to lecture to the general public free of charge. These men could not be seenred at any price without the influ- ence of a scientifie organization. The Academy is beginning an oil and gas survey of the State at its own expense.
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