USA > Michigan > Calhoun County > History of Calhoun county, Michigan : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 17
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a member and Secretary of the State Board of Education; a member of the Conven- tion that framed our present State Constitution and in that convention was chairman of the Committee on Education and Educational Institutions.
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The course of study was extended and made more regular, requiring work up to about the close of the sophomore year in our best colleges for young men. The edneational demands were thought to be of a higher standard than in the female colleges in other states at that time. The appliances for instruction were considerably increased, especially in chemistry and physies.
The institution continued under this charter for eleven years, from 1850 to 1861. During this time the degree of M. A. S. was conferred upon 117 young women. Let the reader pause here and interpret the letters designating this degree. Ile will look in vain in the list of ab- breviations in the unabridged dictionaries of our time. It is supposed, of course, that the worthy women who received this degree can readily translate it, "Mistress of the Arts and Sciences." Many of these women became quiet prominent in public work, and some are to-day occupying distinguished positions.
A second building of about the same dimensions as the first was erected in 1852. This was burned to the ground in the autumn of 1853, and was rebuilt the next year, although somewhat reduced in size.
The board of trustees of the female college might have been com- posed of women, but it was not. Rev. A. M. Fitch was president; Ed- ward MeClure, first vice-president; C. M. Cobb, seeretary ; Joseph French, treasurer; the other members being G. L. Foster, E. H. Pilcher, R. Sapp, H. Packard, O. C. Comstock, Benjamin Faxon, E. J. House, and L. D. Crippen.
The faculty were Rev. Clark T. Ilinman. A. M., president and pro- fessor of moral and intellectual science; Rev. E. W. Merrill, A. M., professor of aneient languages and elocution ; Rev. Norman Abbott, A. M., professor of mathematics; Rev. L. R. Fiske, A. B., professor of Natural seience; Isaac C. Cochrane, professor of primary English liter- ature; Miss Sarah Hurst, principal of female department and teacher of modern languages and fine arts; Mrs. Mary E. Church, teacher of music; Joseph Chamberlain, teacher of Indian department: - Joseph French, steward; Rev. W. II. Brockway, general agent.
During the year 1850 there were 355 students in attendance. It will be noticed that the course of study was essentially the old, traditional classical course with a modest introduction of the subjects of science. modern languages and English. The department for the instruction of Indians was unique and suggestive of the early missionary spirit of the institution. The catalogue of that year made the modest statement for the musical department that "Lessons will be given on the piano and melodeon." It takes a half-dozen pages of the modern college year book to make adequate announcement of instruction in piano-forte, voice, pipe organ, violin, violoncello, orchestral instruments, chorus, oratories, can- tatas, concerts, recitals, et eetera.
Rev. Clark T. Ilinman, D. D., a minister of inspiring eloquence and of great pulpit power, was principal of the seminary for four years and president of the collegiate institute for three years, from 1846 to 1853. He was afterwards largely instrumental in founding the Northwestern University at Evanston, and became its first president.
For the following very vivid and interesting account of one phase
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of Albion's history, the writer is indebted to the Rev. M. A. Daugherty, who was for several years the very able field agent of the college: "It may be of interest to recall a chapter of its history in the transition from the Albion Seminary and Wesleyan Female College to Albion College. This required a change in the charter. One of the features of the re- vised charter was unique, and born of the unfortunate experience of the institution in getting into debt. It was the creation of a new corporation, distinct from the board of trustees, to hold and invest all the funds con- tributed for endowment, making it impossible for the trustees, no matter how great their necessity, to use a dollar of the endowment fund for current expenses.
"That matchless man, Clark T. Hinman, when president of the insti- tution, had raised an endowment fund of $100,000 by the sale of scholar- ships entitling the owner to free tuition for one pupil forever. Every
ROBINSON BUILDING
$100 represented such a scholarship. The principal was to be invested and held a sacred trust forever, and the interest only to be used for current expenses. The fund was partly cash, and partly in notes, given for scholarships, on which the makers paid ten per cent annual interest till it suited them to pay the principal. The income was scanty, the wants of the school plenty and pressing. The trustees had money in hand belonging to the endowment fund. To be sure, it was a sacred trust, and they had solemnly promised never to pervert it. But it was needed so badly, and they must either have money or close the school. They were good men, true friends of the church and the college, con- fronting as they saw it, a great dilemma, one horn a elosed school, the other a perversion of a sacred fund. They made the fatal mistake of selecting the latter. They borrowed the endowment fund, as they said, and intended to repay it. But wants accumulated so fast, income was so
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inadequate, they were never able to pay. Having entered upon this fatal poliey, it was easy to continue it, and this they did till all eash was in hand and all notes that they could colleet were used up. The end had come. The institution was without means, and what was far worse, was left without many friends, and with an army of open enemies or indifferent constituents. The college and its managers were covered with odium. Every prominent minister and layman in both confer- ences had scholarships, anathemas for the trustees, and hostility or cold- ness for the institution itself. Meanwhile a poorly-paid but heroie faculty had kept the doors open and taught all who came. The north and eentral buildings had grown dilapidated, the grounds unsightly, being uninclosed and dng into pits to get gravel to mend the ways of the village. The walls of the north building were up and. roofed, and had been for some years, but inside unfurnished, and outside unsightly. 'Iehabod' was written everywhere.
"This was the state of things that confronted its friends in 1865. Its friends of to-day have no such conditions to face. They have a publie sentiment widely sympathetic, a condition highly respectable, resources not what they should be, but equal to good work, a hopeful and splendid outlook, and halls crowded with promising young men and women. Had it not been for such men as Owen, Preston, Sheldon, Gale and others among the laymen, and Cogshall, Brockway, Fiteh, Joeelyn, Perrine, Gillett, Smart, Clements, Reed and others among the preachers, but for their heroism and devotion, Albion College would have found its grave in 1865 or before. But 1866 was the centennial year. The friends of the college succeeded in earrying through both the Michigan and De- troit conferences a resolution to celebrate the centennial of Methodism in America by raising $100,000 for the endowment of Albion College. Each conferenee appointed a committee to plan and supervise the effort. Albion was asked to raise $25,000 as the condition on which the institution was to remain at Albion. I know well the plans of the Michigan con- ferenee for I was chairman of its committee and the laboring oar and supervision of the work fell to me. We had the cause presented to the people at every appointment and contributions solicited. We also em- ployed Rev. Thomas Lyon to canvass every charge, and to his thorough and skillful work was largely due our success. Albion raised her $25,000; the Michigan conference raised in addition about $55,000 and the De- troit conference about $20,000, and thus Albion College had her first $100,000 of endowment.
"In 1867 it was determined to appoint a finaneial agent. The insti- tution was not much in debt, but without means to pay teachers or repair buildings. The endowment fund was mostly in notes seattered all over the state and needed attention. The trustees and my conference asked for my appointment. Bishop Ames, against my earnest protest, complied. The endowment fund committee also made me their agent, to collect and look after the notes and interest on them, and to pay the taxes and make sales of the real estate that had been contributed to this fund.
"The first necessity was money to pay the teachers. Churches in every part of the state, in town and country, were visited and help
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asked, and a healthy sentiment created. The preachers and the people nobly responded and current expenses were met without debt or borrow- ing.
"The next thing pressing was money to repair and rejuvenate the north and central buildings, and complete the south building and enclose and grade and ornament the grounds. A meeting was called at Central church, Detroit, at which it was resolved to raise $10,000 for this pur- pose. This sum was pledged after considerable effort. It had been conditioned on raising the whole or none. A meeting of the trustees was called. to which every subscriber to the fund was invited to show that the money was pledged, and to determine how it should be expended. At this meeting it was resolved to borrow $10,000 to be paid from this $10,000 fund when collected. To this there was much opposition as a dangerous step. It was the camel's nose. But the needs. were so press- ing. Our appearance was so truly shabby and humiliating that pride overrode prudence, and the debt incurred. The $10,000 was collected slowly ; subscribers given time, if they requested it, as we had the money for the improvements. But interest at ten per cent was enlarging the debt, some subscribers failed, and the subscription, though a good one, failed to pay all the principal and interest of the loan, and thus was created the nucleus of a debt that has haunted and burdened the insti- tution for thirty years. But with the $10,000 the college put on fine new clothes, and when the south building was finished and our new chapel was ready to dedicate, a Methodist state convention was largely attended. The hospitality of Albion was severely taxed. It proved a most important and epoch-making occasion.
"The prime object of this convention was to consider how the endow- ment fund could be increased by another $100,000 though ostensibly to dedicate the new chapel and swell the now rising tide of public favor. After much discussion by the strong men of both conferences, clerical and lay, in which all admitted the college needed and deserved it, that prince among good men, David Preston, arose, and in his direct and laconic style, said : 'If Bro. Daugherty will raise $50,000 from not over fifty men, 1 will pledge myself to raise $60,000 from the rest of man- kind.' Bro. Daugherty said he could and would do it. The doxology was sung, and amid great rejoicing the first Methodist state convention adjourned.
"The $50,000 was pledged before the next ensning session of the con- ference by less than fifty persons. In this work the agent was assisted by Rev. Seth Reed a part of the time. Bro. Preston arranged to have a collection taken in every congregation in both conferences on the same Sunday, and to have the result reported to him promptly. He flooded the Methodist churches with facts and exhortations printed and sent out by tens of thousands, eloquent and brotherly appeals. They greatly stimulated interest in the college, but the result was disappointing. Only a fraction of the $60,000 was thus gained. But nothing daunted, he took the field in person and called to his assistance the agent and others, and pressed the canvass till the whole sum was raised. And thus Albion College gained her second $100,000.
"The men most closely connected with the history of the institution
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in those days were sure that God had need of it and was planning for it a great future. Some of them were mighty men of prayer, and all plainly saw and acknowledged his guiding hand and favoring providence. Some still linger to behold and rejoice in what they helped to do, but most of them with joy eestatie look down upon it from the golden towers of the New Jerusalem."
Rev. L. R. Fiske, of this faenlty, after teaching for some time in the Michigan Agricultural College, and serving the church as pastor with great distinction, became the president of Albion College in 1877, con- tinning in his office with great efficiency for full twenty years.
Of the young men who attended the school at this early time, and who here prepared either for college or for life, may be mentioned the Hon. Wirt Dexter, a very eminent Chicago lawyer; General Clinton B. Fisk, the soldier, statesman, and philantropist of blessed memory ; Hon. Sterling Morton, secretary of agriculture under President Cleveland ; Judge John W. MeGrath, once a member of the supreme court of Mieh-
OBSERVATORY
igan; Rev. Arthur Edwards, the forceful and influential editor of the Northwestern Christian Advocate for so many years; Hon. Ashley Pond, a noted lawyer of Detroit, and others. Dr. Edwards once told the writer of his great delight in finding in the records of the Clever Fellows' So- ciety, one of the leading literary societies of the school, the statement of his election to the first office ever conferred upon him by the vote of his fellow men.
It would require volumes to be written to adequately set forth the self-sacrificing labors of many of the men and women who gave the best they had for the upbuilding of the institution. One man may be men- tioned here as a typical example of the spirit manifested by many others.
The services of William H. Brockway for Albion College covered a period of nearly forty years as agent, member and president of the board of trustees, treasurer, and chairman of the executive eom- mittee. Born in Vermont in 1813, he came to Michigan in 1831, and very soon was licensed to preach the gospel. He is said to have been the first Methodist preacher licensed in the state. He was first appointed to the Huron mission, ineluding Ypsilanti, Detroit, and Monroe; next to Mt. Clemens; then the Saginaw mission; back to the Ypsilanti cir-
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cuit, and finally to the Lake Superior mission for ten years, serving during the most of this time as chaplain at Fort Brady, Sault Ste. Marie. He came to Albion in 1848 and began his service as presiding elder of Indian missions for lower Michigan, as pastor at South Albion, and at the same time as agent for the college. He was also an active business man, building houses and stores in Albion and superintending the grading of the branch of the Lake Shore railroad from Jonesville to Lansing. He was active in public affairs, member of the state house of representatives, state senator, a trustee and president of the village. During the Civil War he was commissioned by Gov. Austin Blair as chaplain of the Sixteenth Michigan Infantry. He was later one of the founders of Bay View. Such a man of action was W. H. Brockway ; one who knew the hardships of pioneer life, and by a self-reliant and coura- geous spirit conquered all the difficulties he was called upon to face. And it is safe to say that of all the interests which engaged the service of this rugged character, the one all absorbing ambition of his heart was to contribute to the prosperity of the school at Albion. All his life long he was devoted to its service. His enthusiasm and loyalty were communicated to others, and so the good work goes on.
(III.)-Early History. Third Period.
The original act of the legislature which gave life to a Methodist school at Albion was the granting of a perpetual charter which can never be set aside for another. It can only be amended, and that must * be done by the legislature acting under a concurrent resolution of both house and senate.
In 1861 the charter was again amended, granting general college powers and changing the corporate name to Albion College. The courses of study were at this time greatly enlarged with the set purpose of making them equal to the best of our American institutions. Such a spirit has been fostered from that day to this, and to-day the college challenges comparison as to the thoroughness of the courses offered. Of course there cannot be as wide a range of courses as at a larger insti- tution, but in the character of such as are offered the standard is high.
The first class, graduating from the college in 1864, consisted of three young ladies, Misses Phebe W. Barry, Minnie A. Grimes and Franc M. Sanders. Their college education apparently did not unfit them for mat- rimony, for the records show that they became the wives respectively of Lewis B. Agard, Fred W. Ellis and J. N. Nichols. The class of 1865 contained three graduates, young men, William E. Ambler, Henry Gib- son and John M. Rice. The institution thus began a true period of co-education, supplying equal educational advantages to both sexes.
Four other denominational colleges had already been established in Michigan : Hillsdale College, founded by the Freewill Baptists in 1855; Kalamazoo College, Baptist, also in 1855; Olivet College, eleven years earlier under the supervision of the Congregational church, and Adrian College, Methodist Protestant, 1859. The state had also provided a university, thus affording the young people a choice of the institutions they would attend. Among these schools there never has been anything
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bordering upou antagonism or bitter rivalry, but on the other hand the most helpful and mutual stimulation to excellent work which the existence of so many schools would naturally make. The state, in maintaining a university, does not intend to supplant or discourage the founding of church colleges, nor does it intend to become a competitor. In this early day a sharp distinction was made between the religious and the secular school, with so much of popular favor and emphasis placed upon the former that even the university maintained early morning prayers, every day in the weck, for several years. Today the basis of compar- ison is broadened by the addition of another factor involved in the idea
REV. THOMAS H. SINEX, D. D.
of the small college versus the large one. Let the friends of the small denominational college take comfort and courage in the fact that in high educational quarters the trend of opinion is largely to the conclusion that in its final product, considered from the standpoint of character, forcefulness and efficiency, the small college has nothing to fear in com- parison with those institutions which number their students by the thousands.
The legislative act of 1861 named the following as members of the board of trustees : George Smith, president ; S. W. Walker, first vice-presi- dent; Manasseh Hickey, second vice-president; William Farley, treas- urer; E. Holstock, E. H. Pilcher, W. E. Bigelow, A. M. Fitch, William
.
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Bort, J. C. Blanchard, W. H. Johnson and Clinton B. Fiske. These constituted a body corporate to be known as Albion College. These men were well known and representative men, members for the most part of the Michigan conference. Some had been students of Manasseh Hickey. It is related that he had a favorite place in "Brockway's woods" where he went daily for his "private" devotions, but that in his enthusiasm and with his tremendous voice he could be heard for miles around. The writer well remembers when, as a boy, he sat in his home and heard Mr. Hickey preach in the Methodist church some distance away.
The faculty at this time were: Rev. Thomas Sinex, D. D., president and professor of moral philosophy and political economy; Rev. C. C. Olds, A. M., professor of natural science; John Richards, A. M., pro- fessor of ancient languages ; Miss Julia F. Robinson, principal of female department and teacher of French and fine arts; Miss Charlotte Innes, assistant teacher ; Henry Meakin, professor of music. The whole number of students in 1861 was 200.
In 1865 the legislature was again appealed to and steps were taken to place the college on a better financial basis. By this act John Owen and E. G. Merrick of Detroit and E. J. Connable of Jackson were constituted an "endowment fund committee" to receive, hold in trust and invest all moneys contributed for the endowment of the college, and to pay to the trustees semiannually all interest acerning therefrom. The great struggle through which most institutions of learning pass is the effort to procure funds to meet current expenses. Colleges which do not de- pend directly on the state or which do not exist through private benefi- cence are badly crippled in their work unless endowed. Only a small revenue can be obtained from students' fees.
The board of trustees at this time, 1865, were: James W. Sheldon, president; Martin Haven, first vice-president; S. W. Walker, second vice-president ; A. M. Fitch, treasurer ; George Smith, Julius D. Morton, S. Clements, David Preston, A. Billings, William Bort, W. II. Brock- way and J. S. Tuttle. Rev. Israel Cogshall was agent.
The members of the faculty were: George B. Jocelyn, D. D., presi- dent and professor of mental and moral science; Rev. W. H. Perrine, A. M., professor of natural sciences and fine arts; W. H. Shelley, A. M., professor of Latin and Greek languages; Mrs. Livonia B. Perrine, A. M., professor of mathematics; Miss Rachel Carney, M. S., preceptress and professor of modern languages; Miss Juliet Bradbury, M. S. A., and Miss Elizabeth Hollingsworth, teacher of instrumental music.
During the period vigorous efforts were made to establish a permanent endowment fund. After much consultation a plan was devised and set in operation by which the people of Albion an vicinity were to raise $25,000 and the Methodist public in the remainder of the state $75,000 thus providing $100,000 in all. The greater part of this was realized.
Many of the names already recited are worthy of a much more ex- tended notice that can be given them here-strong, stalwart Methodists who stood in their lot and place and assisted in the carrying on of this most important work. Among these will be remembered William H. Perrine for his great ability and strong and manly virtues. He was born at Lyons, N. Y., Oct. 8, 1827, of Huguenot extraction. He worked his
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way through Hillsdale College by teaching and preaching. While in college he was stationed at South Albion and Jackson, and after gradua- tion he served as pastor at Hastings, Detroit, Adrian, Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing, St. Joseph and Albion. October 7, 1854, he married Miss L. E. Benedict. Mrs. Perrine filled the chairs of languages and mathe- maties, and also acted as preceptress with great ability. In 1858 aud again in 1868 Mr. and Mrs. Perrine visited Europe and the holy land. In 1871 he received the degree of doctor of divinity from Albion College. He was a forceful and influential member of several general conferences and was a conspicuous persou in church affairs.
REV. GEORGE B. JOCELYN
The greatest credit, however, for lifting the college out of its period of great discouragement must be given to the sagacity and executive efficiency of Dr. George B. Jocelyn. Born in New Haven, Conn., he lived a strenuous life and died a comparatively young man at the age of fifty-three. ITis biographer says that when he came to the presidency of the college he found it out of money, out of credit and out of friends. Hle left it with its finances on a sound foundation and larger in amount than any college in Michigan. Ilis previous life had fitted him to become a sueeessful college president. At twenty years of age he had eondueted a seleet sehool at Vincennes, Ind. Atte: wards he was placed in charge Vol. I-9
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of the preparatory department of Vincennes university, which position he held until he was called to New Albany and opened a Methodist college. In 1853 he was elected professor of mathematics and natural sciences in Whitewater college, and in 1855 to the presidency of the same institution. In 1857 he was appointed pastor at Des Moines, Iowa, and in 1859 to Burlington. In 1861 he was elected president of the Iowa Wesleyan university, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.
In 1864 he was elected president of Albion College and transferred from the Iowa to the Detroit conference. Resigning the presidency in 1869 he was transferred to the Michigan conference and stationed at Division street, Grand Rapids. In 1871 he was re-elected president at Albion, which position he continued to hold until his death, Jan. 27, 1877. He was a man of commanding presence and possessed large en- dowments of brain and heart, and "cultured by long continued literary and educational pursuits, he stood among the abler and more efficient educators of the church." His friend and associate, Dr. W. H. Perrine, said of him: "As a preacher in power of thought, perspicuity of style and impressiveness of manner, he had but few superiors. The ringing clearness of his voice, the ease and naturalness of gesture, to- gether with his commanding logical vigor and lively play of imagination, gave him as an orator at all times unusual strength, and, when the con- ditions were most favorable, an almost resistless power."
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