USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume I > Part 60
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The educational movement which resulted in the establishment of the Central Univer- sity at Richmond had its roots in some issues growing out of the War Between the States. One of the deplorable consequences of that sanguinary struggle was the strife and pas- sion that invaded the church and forced an organic rupture. In the Presbyterian church this was precipitated by political deliverances of the General Assembly North against which the Synod of Kentucky protested as being unconstitutional and uncalled for. The synod was unhappily divided in sentiment ; some were for standing by these deliverances although they deplored them, others were so zealous in their convictions that they were unwilling to remain silent, and thus ecclesias-
tical controversy in most virulent form was brought into the synod. The deliverances were of such a nature as to make a rupture in the church inevitable. They assumed to declare the de facto government to which the alle- giance of the citizens was due and hence all Presbyterians within the Confederate States were unchurched and denied church privileges unless they repented and confessed to the sin of rebellion and slavery. Against these acts, which were repeated by several successive as- semblies, the synod of Kentucky continued to protest in most vigorous terms and the result was a final exclusion of a majority of the Presbyterians of Kentucky from fellowship with the church North, and soon after they formed an organization with the church of the South known as the "Presbyterian Church of the United States."
For more than half a century the Presby- terians of Kentucky had looked to Centre College at Danville as meeting their educa- tional wants and that institution had done noble work in equipping a large number of young men of Kentucky and the south for high honors in church and state. Each of the two synods, after the rupture, claimed to be the legal custodian of that institution and the claim could be settled only by the courts, which tribunals decided adversely to the Southern Synod, and those in that connection were thus left without an institution of higher education. They were ardently attached to this type of civilization which distinguished the people of the south and wished to per- petuate the ideals and traditions of the fathers which they felt were in danger of being lost during the turbulent and plastic period following the war, which resulted in such prostration and profound discourage- ment to a brave and generous people.
This danger they felt, would be greatly accentuated if the young men were to be edu- cated in the northern institutions where the environment was, at that time, unfriendly to
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PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, LOUISVILLE
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cherished social and political conditions. Hence, after an informal conference among the leading educators and others, chiefly alumni of Centre College, it was determined to make a heroic effort to establish a new institution on broad and liberal foundations which would meet the demands of the times and conserve the type of social and religious culture which they felt it was incumbent upon them to perpetuate.
A meeting was called at lexington on the 7th of May, 1872, under the auspices of the synod of Kentucky and alumni of Centre College and others, to see if the way was clear to take steps looking to the establish- ment of such an institution. The meeting was largely attended and much enthusiasm developed. After full discussion, a per- manent organization was formed, known as "The Alumni Association," which, on the fol- lowing day, tendered to the synod of Ken- tucky its hearty co-operation in the establish- ment of such an institution. The offer was accepted by the synod and a joint committee was created by the two bodies for the arrang- ing of details and prosecuting an endowment. A charter was agreed upon by the commit- tee and adopted by both synod and asso- ciation. By the charter the donors of the en- dowment were to own and control the uni- versity under the title of "The Alumni As- sociation of Central University" and elect their successors from among the alumni of the new institution and its liberal benefactors. The direction of the university was confided to seven curators and its funds to five trustees. To the synod was confided the right to fill the chair of ethics. It was thus the purpose from the beginning to put the control of the Uni- versity under the Alumni Association, by this plan avoiding the dangers which arise from either church or state control, and yet. so much of the instruction as belongs to the church was secured to it.
Having secured an endowment fund of
$250,cco, as a beginning, and after a heated struggle over the location between Danville, Richmond and Paris, Richmond finally won by offering a large, although not the largest, inducement in grounds and subscriptions. The curators then proceeded to erect the main building and four professor's houses on a large and beautiful campus. Having secured this much, the university was opened Septem- ber. 1874, with a full faculty, some of whom were experienced teachers of repute and all of whom were expert in their own depart- ments.
Dr. Robert L. Breck was elected chancel- lor and Dr. John W. Pratt, president of the faculty. Both were men of great ability and the opening was encouraging, especially in view of the fact that in the struggle for lo- cation considerable animosity was created between the friends of the enterprise and thuis some of its warmest friends were, for a time. alienated. It was the purpose of the founders to establish a university, in fact, it was meant to embrace the four faculties :- The College of Philosophy, Letters and Sci- ence : the College of Medicine and Dentistry ; the College of Law, and a Theological Semi- nary. The charter also provided for several university schools at different points in the state. These were meant to be high schools, where youth could be prepared for entering the university courses. Three of these were erected under control of the curators, one each at Elizabethtown. Jackson and Middles- borough. The funds of the university, how- ever, were not to be used in founding or maintaining these schools. This was to be done by funds raised as a separate endow- ment in each case, and by matriculation fees. These schools were largely maintained by generous friends of Christian education in other states. Mrs. S. P. Lees, of New York, and Mrs. N. F. McConnell, of Chicago, were especially worthy of mention by their liberal contributions to the school at Jackson which
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has prospered greatly and done a great work for education in that section of Kentucky. These results were accomplished during the administration of Chancellor Blanton.
Thus was laid a foundation so comprehen- sive, broad and liberal that, if it could have been definitely undergirded by financial back- ing. would have proved the most complete system of education ever formulated in the state. But it was to struggle under financial difficulties for a quarter of a century, yet it may be said without exaggeration that a greater educational work was never done on so slender a financial basis. Money given to education never accomplished so great com- parative results. In these varions university schools there were for a number of years at least a thousand students, yet the com- bined endowment was never greater than that of an ordinary college with two hundred or three hundred students.
The Hospital College of Medicine located in Louisville, rose by leaps and bounds in public favor under an able faculty and had in attendance upon the lectures between three hundred and four hundred students, and con- tinned in ascendancy until its consolidation with other medical schools in Louisville.
The Law School met with varied success and introduced to the bar of Kentucky some of its most skillful attorneys who are an or- nament to that vocation.
The theological school, organized at first as a department of the university, was re- moved to Louisville and organized under a new charter as "The Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary." It grew from year 10 year under the fostering care of the two synods of Kentucky and Missouri, receiving a liberal increase of endowment until it now has in buildings, libraries, endowment, etc., one of the most imposing and complete es- tablishments of the kind in the middle west and south. With a faculty of distinguished educators it promises to be a fountain of
sound Christian education that will meet all demands of the future. It has students from many states and, with the large Baptist Theological Seminary, will make Louisville a center of religious interest to the entire country.
The College of Philosophy, Letters and Science, which the founders had especially in view, calls for a notice, while it may be said that the opening in 1874 was encouraging, in view of the alienations created by the rivalries over the location, it should be borne in mind that it rested under a cloud that filled the minds of many with apprehensions for the future. Time proved that these fears were not groundless. In several parts of the state the feeling of some who were zealous friends at the beginning of the movement, was hostile, and these predicted failure. The financial resources were limited and it was evident that unless there could be an increase of funds, the opening standard could not be long sustained. In six years it was found that the available funds were almost ex- hausted and Dr. Breck, the chancellor, in de- clining health, became profoundly discour- aged and determined to resign and turn the institution over to other hands. Dr. J. W. Pratt also resigned and returned to the pas- torate where his splendid gifts as a preacher were fully devoted to the ministry. Dr. Breck removed for his health to California, preaching when his feeble condition permit- ted. The board of curators faced a dis- couraging outlook, for an enterprise of such noble ideals, projected with so much en thusiasm to fail so soon, would be a severe blow to the cause of education in Kentucky and would discourage the church by shaking confidence in its constituency. The board, however, did not falter. Believing that time had abated the animosities over the location, and believing that if the right man could be found for the chancellorship, the former friends of the enterprise could be re-enlisted
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in its service, after mature conference, Rev. L. H. Blanton, D. D., who was then pastor of a flourishing church at Paris, Kentucky, was unanimously elected chancellor, and Dr. J. V. Logan, who had occupied the chair of ethics, was elected president of the faculty. Both accepted and entered at once upon the work. Dr. Blanton threw all of his remark- able executive ability and untiring energy into the work, soliciting endowment and patron- age and soon the hopes of its friends revived. and a new era dawned upon the university. The new chancellor reenlisted many of those who had been alienated and was successful in securing funds and students. The faculty was reorganized and all departments filled with capable men. The institution grew rapidly so that it soon became difficult to ob- tain board for the students. In 1883. three years after Dr. Blanton's incumbency, which was the centennial year of Presbyterianism in the state, a memorial hall was built providing rooms for students, a handsome gymnasium was built, laboratories established, the faculty enlarged and the standard elevated, so that the university took rank with the first institu- tions of the south.
At the centennial of the church in Ken- tucky, held at Harrodsburg in 1883, the re- port of the committee appointed to visit the university, contained the following: "We re- joice to be able to report the institution is in a most prosperous condition. It has a larger number of students than ever before. There is a manifest improvement also in the thor- oughness of their previous training and their application to work. Your committee cannot too highly commend the efficient services of the chancellor. Rev. L. H. Blanton, D. D., to whose executive ability, untiring energy and devoted zeal the institution owes so much, and who is laboring day and night on its in- terest so as to merit the thanks not only of this synod but of the friends of education all
over the land." This report was unanimously adopted.
The university continued thus from year to year, extending its influence and enlarging its equipment to the close of the century under the joint administration of the chancellor and the president of the faculty. Thus for a quar- ter of a century, it had steadily grown in public favor and efficiency and had turned out a large number of men who took front rank in all the vocations of life-governors, con- gressmen judges in courts, physicians and ministers of the gospel, who are filling high places of trust and service to the state and the church.
The advent of the new century brought with it a conjunction of circumstances that pro- foundly affected the future of the Central University. In the first place, the great finan- cial panic through which the country had just passed had rendered much of its endowment insecure. There was such severe stringency in money that several corporations whose bonds were hell by the institution, suspended payment of interest, thus cutting down the annual income. The failure of many of the staunchest friends of the university whose notes were held, rendered them unable to pay either principal or interest. They had sus- tained such heavy losses that a number of them were compelled to withdraw their sub- scriptions. The losses thus entailed aggre- gated $50,000 at least. Another cause of a serious reduction of income was in tuition fees. There had been no reduction in the number of students; on the contrary the last three or four graduating classes were the largest in the history of the institution, but the reduction in fees amounted to at least half the former amounts. This was brought about by the competing for students by the half-dozen colleges of Kentucky, some of them consenting to lower the fees as an in- ducement. These colleges, all in the heart of
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the Blue Grass region, allowed themselves to be drawn into an unseemly rivalry for stu- dents and thus mutually crippled each other, the youngest of course, being the greatest suf- ferer. But more serious than all else was the competition of the state college, which has an annual income of $100,000 which will in- crease as the years come.
In the meantime, and in conjunction with these successive financial disasters, a new spirit was abroad in the land, transparently manifest to all observers of events. There had been for several years a strong tendency toward combination' and consolidation of re- sources in the interest of economy and effi- ciency. Men were beginning to see the sinful waste of division and unreasoning rivalry. They were becoming more and more in- pressed with its weakness and the cumula- tive strength of combining forces. In other words, they were asking with increasing urgency, "Why this waste? Would not one strong institution capable of meeting the edu- cational wants of a given territory, without having to appeal to the denominational friends to get students and crying for help from year to year, be better than two such half-endowed ones, when owned, controlled and managed by people who think alike, look alike and talk alike ?"
Another trend of thought was also mani- fest. The spirit in which Central . University was founded was fast ebbing away and men were beginning to see that the pursuit of phil- osophy, letters and science had little to do with a question of practical politics that was settled nearly half a century since. Most of the people concerned were feeling quite un- comfortable over the existence of two struggling rival colleges almost within speak- ing distance of each other. The deplorable animosities and suspicions following the war were fast abating and the fierce struggle for patronage was becoming intolerable to both parties. Hence the friends and patrons of
both began taking counsel together to see if some plan could not be devised by which a satisfactory consolidation could be accom- plished, and thus save a waste of resources and acquire enlargement of scope and im- provement of educational facilities. After much conference between officials on both sides and consultation with able attorneys rep- resenting both wings of the church, it was found that there were no legal barriers to a consolidation. In a spirit of mutual conces- sion, it was determined, both parties agreeing, that the Central University at Richmond be removed to Danville and consolidated with Centre College, to be known still as Central University, while the theological seminary at Danville was to be removed to Louisville, there to be consolidated with the theological seminary under control of the synods of Ken- tricky and Missouri, the funds of Central Uni- versity going to Centre College and the funds of Danville Theological Seminary going to the Louisville Seminary.
It was agreed that whatever legal or moral obligations to the subscribers to the local fund might exist, should be faithfully met by the new corporation. It was further provided that the various buildings of Central Univer- sity at Richmond should be dedicated to the new collegiate institute and further that fif- teen per cent of all money subscribed to the Dew institution should be set aside as the basis of an endowment until $40,000 additional should be secured. Everything possible was done to deal generously with the people of Richmond in the settlement. It was natural that local interests at both Richmond and Danville resented this movement. The people of the first-named town strenuously protested against the university going to Danville and the people of the latter town protested against the Theological Seminary going to Louisville. But the Alumni Association and the Southern Synod almost unanimously ratified the action of the boards. as the Synod North unani-
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mously did, and in 1901 the consolidation was legally completed and both university and seminary entered upon a future full of prom- ise to both institutions.
The Central University at Danville is now under the able and successful presidency of the Rev. F. W. Hinitt D. D., keeping alive the splendid history of the old Centre College which it succeeds, and the young Central Uni- versity of Richmond to the fine record of which it succeeded.
Before quitting consideration of this famous educational institution reference is due one of the really great men who, at the head of Centre College, made his mark broad and deep upon the history of education in Kentucky.
Ormond Beattie was born in Mason county, Kentucky, in 1815 and was graduated from Centre College when twenty years of age. After a year's post-graduate course at Yale, he became a professor of natural science in the college which had given him his educa- tion. Transferred to the chair of mathe- matics, he again, after five years, returned to the chair which he had first held. In 1870 he became president of the college and filled the chair of metaphysics holding these posi- tions until his death in 1890. He was a great teacher, and, in addition to his duties with the college for half a century, he filled many positions of honor in the Presbyterian church and its councils. He passed to the high re- ward for his great labors. June 24, 1890, honored by all who had known him; beloved by those whom he had taught.
The charter of the University of Louisville was granted by the legislature on February 7, 1846, and contemplated the founding of "all the departments of a university for the pro- motion of every branch of science, literature and the liberal arts." Lewis, in his sketch of Kentucky institutions, says: "Its basis was to be the Louisville Medical Institute, then a flourishing institution-a law department Vol. I-27.
to be at once established-and power was given to convert the Louisville College into the collegiate department. The proposed in- stitution was, according to the plan of the management adopted for the Louisville Med- ical Institute in 1837, to be governed by a board of eleven trustees who were to be ap- pointed by the mayor and City Council of Louisville, and were given the right to confer all degrees usually conferred in colleges or universities.
"The medical department of the University of Louisville, is the oldest medical school now existing in Kentucky with a continuous his- tory. Its origin may be traced, in name at least, to the Louisville Medical Institute, which was established in Louisville on Feb- ruary 7, 1833, and was it seems, operated for a short time under the charter of Center Col- lege at Danville. It appears, however, never to have had any vigor and was succeeded in 1837 by a new institution, under the same name, out of which has grown organically the present medical department of the Uni- versity of Louisville, which has thus had a continuous corporate history since 1837."
The leading spirit in the establishment of the medical department was Dr. Charles Cald- well of Transylvania University, who came to Louisville and interested other prominent medical men in the project to establish a uni- versity. The council gave four acres of ground centrally located, and $50,000 toward the establishment of the university, $30,000 being for a suitable building and $20,000 for a library and apparatus. Dr. Joshua B. Flint was sent to Europe to purchase a suitable equipment for the new school. The corner- stone of the new building was laid February 22, 1838. The students who had already come to the new institution occupied tempo- rary quarters in the upper rooms of the city workhouse, which stood on the site of the university." Think of it! The young men who were to become the leading physicians
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of the country gained their first training in rooms above the derelicts who were sent to the workhouse for their violation of the laws of the city.
"The first faculty of the school was con- stituted as follows: Charles Caldwell, pro- fessor of the institutes of medicine; John Esten Cooke, theory and practice of medicine ; Lunsford P. Yandell, chemistry ; Henry Miller, obstetrics; Jededial Cobb, anatomy ; Joshua B. Flint, surgery. There were only twenty-five students present at the opening of the new institution but eighty, a number of them from other institutions, were in atten- dance during its first session and at its close the degree of M. D. was conferred upon twenty-four candidates."
Through various vicissitudes the medical school continued, always maintaining the high standard of excellence which had marked its beginning. To note the names of those who have held its different chairs would be to pub- lish a directory of the most famous medical men of Louisville from the day of its founda- tion to the present; the list of its graduates would be a repetition of the names of many of the foremost physicians and surgeons in the United States. Other and excellent schools of medicine have in the years of its life, risen, flourished and passed away. Yet the University of Louisville, in its medical department, has gone on from initial excel- lence to the highest standard in the medical world and its diplomas today place their holders in the front rank of medical science.
The Louisville Law School, as the legal department of the University of Louisville is commonly designated, was organized February 7, 1846, and from its opening session to the present, it has been successful. Those most prominent in its formation were the Hon. James Guthrie and Chancellor Henry Pirtle. Mr. Guthrie was a lawyer, capitalist and states- man of the highest distinction. In subsequent years he became president of the Louisville
and Nashville railroad, secretary of the treas- ury in the cabinet of President Pierce and United States senator. The first faculty of the school had at its head the distinguished lawyer, Chancellor Pirtle, professor of con- stitutional law, equity and equity pleadings and commercial law; Garnett Duncan, pro- fessor of the science of law and the law of nations ; Preston S. Loughborough, professor of the practice of law, including actions, pleadings, evidence and criminal law. All of these were able lawyers, but Judge Pirtle was the most distinguished and the one des- tined to be most closely connected with the school and to build the foundation upon which its success was to be established. "He was for twenty-seven years a professor of the law school and was more potent than any other one man in shaping its destinies. He was a profound lawyer, particularly in the equity branches, and was to the end of his life an enthusiastic and laborious student in many fields of learning."
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