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Franklin Johnson was indeed much more than the "Builder of Mayflower Hill." He was one of the most capable administrators who ever sat in the Presi- dent's chair.
CHAPTER XXXVI
Mayflower Hill
S UBSTANTIAL and lasting as were the educational achievements of President Johnson, they were indeed overshadowed by his supreme accomplishment of mov- ing the College to Mayflower Hill. Never before in the history of American col- leges had a small institution of higher education lifted itself by its own bootstraps from a site where it had nestled for more than a century to a hilltop two miles away. Great universities had moved. Columbia had done so twice. Rochester had sought a new site beside the lake. But when some small college, like Wake Forest, had left its old environs it had done so on the millions provided by a single benefactor.
Although he had much loyal and devoted assistance, it was the faith, the de- termination, and the unremitting zeal of Franklin Johnson that assured the eventual success of a plan which at first seemed to many persons fantastically impossible. "Johnson's wild dream," "Johnson's folly," "Johnson's farce," were some of the opprobrious terms applied. When the project was started, no one saw around the corner the nation's worst financial depression, and just around the next corner a disastrous world war. Seven years elapsed before ground was broken for the first building and twenty-two long years went by before all classes and all housing on the old campus were finally abandoned. Every friend of Franklin Johnson- and they are numbered in the thousands-rejoiced that he could live to see the task accomplished. After he and Mrs. Johnson built their new home on May- flower Hill Drive, he kept almost daily watch of the new campus developments, saw each new building erected brick by brick, personally supervised landscaping and tree planting, and as long as his health permitted was on hand for the an- nual gathering of students on clean-up day in May-a day which the students themselves insisted upon naming Johnson Day. If one would see Franklin John- son's monument, he has only to go to Colby's new home on Mayflower Hill and look around.
Why did the Colby Trustees decide to move the College? It is well known that the compelling official reason was provided by a survey of the four Maine colleges conducted in 1929, but there is more to the story than that. Before that survey had even been started, at least one member of the Board of Trustees had seriously made the suggestion that the College seek a new site. For three different men the claim is made of first making the proposal. Ernest Gruening, former Governor of Alaska and now its U. S. Senator, was in 1929 Editor of the Portland, Maine, Evening News. On May 15, 1929, he wrote to President Johnson, "The College ought to be removed from its present location. It would be economy in the long run to abandon the present cramped quarters. There must be ample acreage across the river or anywhere in the surrounding country."
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Johnson himself often said that it was Henry Hilton who had convinced him of the necessity of moving the College. He did not say that Hilton first sug- gested the plan, but that it was Hilton's insistence that made Johnson sure the move must be made. Detailed correspondence between Johnson and Herbert Philbrick, 1897, then a dean at Northwestern University, convinces this historian that Philbrick was the first person in the whole Colby family of trustees, faculty, alumni, and students to make the serious proposal to abandon the old campus.
Although both were residents of the Chicago area, Henry Hilton and Herbert Philbrick did not know each other until their mutual friend Franklin Johnson brought them together. After the death of Johnson's college chum, Dana Hall, Hilton had become the leading Chicago partner in the publishing firm of Ginn and Company, and Johnson had come to know him well and to prize his busi- ness ability. Hilton was a trustee of Dartmouth College, but with President Hop- kins' consent he withdrew from that board to become a trustee of Colby to help his friend Frank Johnson make it a truly great college.
What are the facts which justify Herbert Philbrick's claim to have made the initial suggestion that the College move? In 1927 Philbrick had been elected an alumni trustee of the College, and his long sustained graduate interest was now heightened by his official position on the Board. That summer he spoke to the Waterville Rotary Club on "Our Boys and Girls and the Colleges." After the meeting, he conversed with Herbert Wadsworth, then the trustee chairman, and with George Otis Smith and Carroll Perkins, also members of the Board. After commenting that, in his opinion, the affairs of the College could well be administered by a committee of the faculty during President Roberts' illness, Philbrick said, "The real problem, however, facing the College is that of a new campus." One of his listeners remarked that, had he known Philbrick held such an opinion, he would have opposed his election to the Board.
It is interesting to note that Herbert Philbrick was Franklin Johnson's choice for president, just as Johnson was Philbrick's choice. When Johnson learned that Philbrick would not consider the position, he held for many months to his contention that someone other than himself should be chosen. But, importuned from all sides, he finally gave in. Before making the decision, however, John- son conferred with Philbrick in Chicago. Of that interview Philbrick has said, "When our meeting was ending, Frank told me that he was convinced the Col- lege must have a new campus, that until I spoke of it that matter had not been presented to him before, and that he would now undertake it."
Johnson was elected president in November, 1928. On January 20, 1929, he wrote to Philbrick:
I presented to Herbert Wadsworth first, and later to other members of the Board, a proposal to consider a long term program for the de- velopment of the College. This involved, fundamentally, the proposal to change the location. I found all of them interested, some of them timid, but on the whole willing to think in terms of a century rather . than a decade. We went so far as to go into the country and look over three possible sites. All agreed on the impossibility of develop- ing the College on its present site. You suggested you would come to the spring meeting and suggest such a proposal. I would be glad to have you do so.
Philbrick replied that he could not attend the April meeting, but he hoped Johnson would strongly urge moving the College. He said, "I am interested to
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know that you consider my suggestion favorably and have spoken of it to Mr. Wadsworth and others of the Board. While I realize the difficulties involved, I don't see any other way out. That is a way which leads to a big future."
That Johnson was depending upon Philbrick to urge a plan of removal is shown by a letter from Johnson on March 7, 1929, a few days before a planned Colby meeting in Chicago. Johnson said, "For the Colby meeting on March 14, Herbert Wadsworth will come out and Mr. Brown, who is in charge of the de- velopment fund campaign. I hope you will have opportunity to talk with Her- bert about the policy of transferring the College to another site."
For some reason, perhaps because of Philbrick's absence, Johnson did not make the intended proposal at the April meeting. He always had an excellent sense of timing, and it is more likely that he saw strategic advantage in delaying the proposal until June than that he held back because Philbrick was not at hand to present the case. On May 15 he wrote to Philbrick:
Everything seems to be set for making the proposal to the Trustees in June to move the College to a more suitable location. I shall ask the Board to postpone the decision as to where to place the building1 until a committee to be appointed has canvassed the whole situation and made recommendation to the Board. We shall not be in a posi- tion to force Trustees to a decision in June. The proposal I shall make will prevent the mistake of locating the building at once on the present campus and will give us opportunity to see what we can do to provide a new site.
Then Johnson revealed a development that will even now surprise many persons who think the final choice of Mayflower Hill sprang from Waterville interests. Johnson wrote: "In the meantime Walter Wyman is securing options on 1500 acres of land on the ridge between Waterville and Oakland. He is very much in favor of moving, and in his characteristic manner proposed that, if I wish, he will go ahead to this extent."
When the Trustees assembled in annual meeting on June 14, 1929, on the eve of Johnson's inauguration as president, Johnson did indeed present his pro- posal, and was strongly supported by Philbrick. The new president linked his plan with the preliminary report of the Survey of Maine Colleges, which had just been received. Just as Johnson had previously indicated, he did not ask the Board for a vote to move the College. What he actually did is revealed in the formal record of the meeting:
A preliminary report of a committee on Survey of Maine Educational Institutions, with particular reference to Colby College, was presented by President Johnson. After discussion by several members of the Board, on motion of Mr. Guptill it was voted that a committee consist- ing of the Chairman of the Board, the President of the College, and four others be appointed by the Chairman to investigate and report at a future meeting on the advisability of changing the location of the campus or development of the present campus.
That important committee consisted of Wadsworth, Johnson, Wyman, Bassett, Philbrick, and Padelford.
What was the survey report which seemed to play such an important part in prompting that vote? The survey had been conducted as the result of urging
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by President Harold S. Boardman of the University of Maine. Believing that there should be a systematic attempt to discover the present facilities and the future needs of Maine colleges, in relation to the state's general need in higher education, Boardman persuaded the authorities at Maine's three private colleges (Bowdoin, Colby, and Bates) to join with the University in promoting such a study. On the recommendation of Governor Brewster, the Maine Development Commission voted in December, 1927, to invite the University of Maine "to un- dertake in cooperation with the commission an economic educational survey as to the probable call for higher education in the State of Maine in the next ten years, and how that call can best be met." Dr. R. J. Leonard of Teachers Col- lege, Columbia University, was engaged as consultant, and it was agreed that other members of the same staff would be employed to conduct the actual visits to the institutions. Consequently Professors O'Rear, Evenden, and Cottrell of Teachers College made the detailed inspections. Dr. O. S. Lutes, Dean of the School of Education at the University of Maine served as Executive Director, and his assistant was Ermo H. Scott, now President of the State Teachers College at Farmington, but at that time a student at the University.
When the survey report appeared, its comments on Colby College were so alarming that, resentful as many Colby persons were of the statements, they had to be taken seriously. After a dozen pages of factual information about the Colby plant, the report said:
The physical plant of Colby College is very meager, inadequate, and poorly planned. If Colby is to continue to offer high quality colle- giate work, the limitations which the site and present buildings put upon its program of service must be removed. It is the opinion of the surveyors that the present plant is so far below the general standards for a college of Colby's standing that the site should be changed be- fore any more capital is invested in the present plant, most of which has given service for a long period. In a relatively few years more than half of the present buildings must be replaced. It will cost no more to build these buildings on a new site than on the present one. Our recommendation is, then, that Colby College should move to a larger and more desirable site.2
In July, 1929, the special committee of the Colby Trustees met in Water- ville. President Johnson was absent, recovering from an automobile accident in Washington County. Here is Herbert Philbrick's account of that committee meeting.
We went first to the old campus. Norman Bassett, who was sure the old campus had such possibilities for usefulness that it should not be abandoned, took charge of the inspection. He was very earnest and thorough, a bit emotional but wonderful. The back campus he pic- tured with new buildings and fine landscaping. After lunch we were directed by Walter Wyman, who took us to the Mayflower Hill site. He visualized the possibilities. It was a beautiful day and our imagina- tions jumped our financial and other difficulties. We adjourned to the Elmwood Hotel for a meeting and a vote. I think Wyman and I were the only ones who from the first favored moving the College. Norman interested me all the time. It was hard for him to vote for the move, but he "had to," as he said. The vote was unanimous to recommend that the College move to a new site.
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The committee made their report at a special meeting of the Board in August, 1929, but, at Johnson's request the Trustees delayed definite action until June, 1930. In a letter to Philbrick, Johnson explained the strategy of delay.
I hope we shall not only have the options, but actually own the land for our new site within a short time. The Trustees were ready to vote to move at our November meeting, but I asked them not to do so. We need to call the attention of the enterprise to the public in the way that will give us the best initial start.
That letter should not lead the reader to conclude that Johnson was already committed to the Mayflower Hill site. He favored it at that time because it was the only site about which anything definite had been done. Walter Wyman had already taken options on the land. Later events led Johnson to maintain a judi- cious neutrality until a majority of the Board were ready to decide the precise location.
At the annual meeting on June 13, 1930, the Trustees of Colby College passed the most critical vote made since the founding of the institution. In the minutes of the meeting appear the following statements:
The Committee on Campus Location and New Development reported in favor of moving the College to a more eligible and adequate loca- tion. After discussion by Wadsworth, Murray, Johnson, Philbrick, Law- rence, Gurney, Seaverns, and Wyman, it was moved by Mr. Guptill, seconded and duly voted, that it is the sense of this meeting that the Col- lege, as soon as means can be obtained and it is feasible, be moved to a new and more adequate location.
The first recorded inkling that the College might leave Waterville is found in a letter written by Johnson to Philbrick on May 22, 1930.
The situation relative to our moving has been developing rapidly and is getting complex as well. A site is going to be offered us on the edge of the city of Augusta. It is probable that a substantial amount of money will come with this site, which could not be secured for our pur- pose elsewhere. There will naturally develop very strong opposition to any such move in the city of Waterville. What the attitude of our alumni in general will be, I cannot say. We must weigh very care- fully all the factors of sentiment and money involved.
A fortnight before Johnson mentioned the offer to Philbrick, the prominent Augusta publisher, William H. Gannett, had written to Johnson, asking him to come to Augusta and see Gannett Park. Mr. Gannett suggested the park would be an ideal site for the College, but he did not then make an offer to donate the property. On June 9, however, Mr. Gannett presented a formal offer to the Colby Trustees: "I shall be glad to give Ganneston Park, free of all encumbrances, with the stipulation that it be used for the expansion of Colby College and that a sum of at least three and one-half million dollars be raised for the purpose in a time not to exceed three years."
News of the Gannett offer aroused indignation in Waterville. The most unpopular man in town for many weeks was Franklin Johnson. "Keep Colby, move Johnson!" was the battle cry. The rumor spread that Johnson was de-
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termined to move the College to Augusta, when the truth was that he wanted to arouse such financial backing as to assure a new Colby on the best available site, whether it be in Waterville, Augusta, or Timbuctoo.
Upon first being informed of the Gannett offer, Philbrick shared Johnson's view. He wrote to the President, "The new location must be the one which will best serve the College and, through it, future generations, regardless of local prejudice or excessive sentiment."
In July the same view was reemphasized in a letter which Philbrick wrote to Johnson from his summer home at Squirrel Island:
Last Monday I was in Waterville to attend the annual meeting of the Waterville Iron Works. The main subject of conversation wherever I went was the possibility of moving the College to Augusta. Mr. Gan- nett's proposal is a good thing to have. It is definite, sets a time limit, and gives a chance for rich men in Augusta to subscribe in order to get Colby into their city. Now it is Waterville's turn to make an offer. What the loss of the College would mean to the town is beginning to be realized by its citizens.
But Herbert Philbrick could not forget that he was a Waterville native as well as a Colby graduate. He could not accept, without at least mild protest, a decision that the College move to Augusta. He wrote to Johnson:
I believe a better site can be found in Waterville than the Gannett site. I believe the continued connection of the names Colby and Waterville to be a decided advantage. Sentiment is solid for leaving the present site. You have, in your first year as President, created a feeling of confidence in the College and in yourself, but there is a very strong sentiment against moving the College to some other town. The transition can better be made if the new site is in Waterville.
If proof beyond the facts already given is needed to establish Herbert Philbrick's position as the original instigator in moving the College, it is furnished by a letter which Johnson wrote to him on November 29, 1930. In that letter Johnson said, "You must not forget that you were the one who first urged the necessity of this move."
One man who was determined to keep the College in Waterville was the influential editor of the Colby Alumnus, Herbert C. Libby, who only a few years earlier had been mayor of the city. A life-long resident and at one time editor of its evening newspaper, Libby was prompted both by sentiment and by practical considerations to fight vigorously to retain the College in the town of its birth. Instead of launching diatribes of sentiment, Libby was wise enough to see in the Gannett offer a serious challenge to financial recognition of the situation by Waterville citizens. He knew that "money talks," and he vigorously worked with other local leaders to form an effective committee to raise funds to provide the College with a spacious new site within the environs of Waterville. Meanwhile he let the Colby alumni know just what the situation was.
It is hard to visualize Waterville without Colby; it is not hard to visualize Colby without Waterville. Colby can exist more easily without Water- ville than Waterville can exist without Colby. The College is Water- ville's bread and butter. The most conservative estimate places the
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revenue derived by the city from the College at a million and a quarter. The city is known the country over as the home of Colby and therefore as a place of culture and opportunity. As an asset to the city Colby thus becomes incalculably valuable. If Colby should be removed to another place, a most dangerous blow would be struck against the city. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that a monetary offer of sufficient size to meet Mr. Gannett's stipulations, along with the valuable site offered, so generously by him, will lose to Waterville its most valued possession. While it is not the province of the Alumnus to take sides, nevertheless we are prompted to suggest to Waterville citizens a way to present to the Colby authorities the most effective appeal.
Possession is nine points of the law, but only when the thing possessed is of inestimable value. If search of the records be made, it will be found that a vast number of people, many of them former citizens of Waterville, have sacrificed much for old Waterville College and for Colby. But as time went on, the city came to take the College for granted. In the last three or four financial campaigns, citizens of Waterville have shown amazing apathy. In the campaign for the new athletic building many prominent merchants gave absolutely nothing. In the Centennial Fund campaign, the total pledges by Waterville citi- zens proved to be the most discouraging blow. It has seemed at times as if the city had little or no interest in the College.
The way ahead for Waterville is clear. If they want Colby to remain in this city, the citizens must form a committee composed of several hundred leading people, pledged to united action to retain Colby. Sites must be found, and a choice of them offered free to the college com- mittee. A concerted effort, intelligently planned and carried out, should be undertaken by the Waterville Committee to secure a sum of money approaching the figure named by Mr. Gannett. The immediately im- portant step is for Waterville to organize her citizens into a large group of Friends of Colby, and for each to pledge so generously as to con- vince the governing body of the College and its 4000 graduates that the home folks deeply desire to keep Colby within its sacred walls.3
Herbert Libby's advice was heeded. A Citizens Committee, headed by a prominent merchant, Herbert Emery, pledged to the College Trustees, on Septem- ber 17, 1930, "its full and hearty cooperation in any undertaking that the Trus- tees should make to raise such funds as may be necessary to establish the Col- lege upon a new site in Waterville."
Strongly supported by the city government and by the Waterville-Winslow Chamber of Commerce, the Citizens Committee proposed to raise $100,000 for the College if it should decide to remove to a new site in Waterville.
In mid-September Libby became convinced that only some dramatic action could prevent an official decision to accept the Gannett offer. After talking repeatedly with prominent trustees, he felt they must sincerely decide that the welfare of the College lay in acceptance of a definite offer from Augusta rather than of the unfulfilled hopes of the Waterville pledge, however well intended. On many occasions Libby had talked with the venerable Julian Taylor and re- spected the Latin professor's deep concern to have the College remain in Water- ville. In Libby's opinion the time had come to persuade Taylor to make a definite offer.
Taylor owned a gravel pit in the South End, near the Pine Grove Cemetery. Beyond it was a tract of land owned by Dr. James Poulin. It was not in itself
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the best site for a college, but across the Messalonskee was a rising height afford- ing an excellent site. Libby took Taylor to the site, where together they viewed the prospect. It was learned that the Poulin property could be bought for $10,000.
Libby tried to persuade Taylor to buy the Poulin tract adjoining his own land and donate it as a contribution to keep the College in Waterville. It was Libby's hope that, if the retention of the College could thus be assured, there would be time to work out a plan, acceptable to Dr. Taylor, to secure the prefer- able site across the stream. Taylor was reluctant to grant Libby's request, was even loath to believe that the Trustees would under any conditions accept the Gannett offer. But he finally said he would donate the gravel pit.
The steering committee of the Waterville Citizens group decided that the Taylor offer, even if it consisted principally of a gravel pit, was just the stimulus needed to assure success of the financial campaign to provide the College with a new site as the gift of Waterville citizens. But, to obtain the proper psychological effect, Dr. Taylor's personal presence at a mass meeting seemed essential. The committee left it to Libby to see that Taylor arrived at the appointed meeting.
Unfortunately the date selected was the September evening of the President's reception at the opening of the new college year in 1930. In the receiving line at that reception, Libby approached Taylor and reminded him that a packed crowd of more than a thousand was waiting at City Hall. Taylor avowed he wasn't going. Libby insisted he would stay right on the spot until the receiving line had broken up, then Taylor must get into Libby's car, just outside the re- ception hall, and both would rush off to the mass meeting. With equal insistence Taylor said Libby could take Taylor's written offer to the meeting, but not the man himself.
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