USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 12
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INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
it should not treat them as men of under- standing and hardened in iniquity, but, as a parent, train them up in the way they should go, in the hope and trust that when they be- come old many of them will not depart from it."
Governor Kingsley S. Bingham said : "The presence of several boys and youth among the more hardened criminals in the State prison, induces me to urge upon your attention the propriety of establishing a
confinement, to beconie good citizens and useful members of society, as they return to its duties and privileges."
These messages seem to have had the de- sired effect upon the legislature, for an act, approved February 10, 1855, provided for a "House of Correction for Juvenile Offend- ers," at or near Lansing, "Provided, a suit- able piece of land of not less than twenty acres shall be donated for that purpose." Some of the citizens donated the land where
9 2. Rapids Eng Lo
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING OF THE PRESENT TIME AT INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
House of Refuge or Correction, where a milder course of treatment, more especially adapted to their reformation, can be em- ployed. The State has not discharged its duty to these unfortunate victims of ignor- ance and temptation until it has made pro- vision, by a proper system of discipline, for their instruction in useful knowledge. morals, and piety, taught them some me- chanical trade or other proper employment, and prepared them, upon their release from 7
the buildings stand-twenty-five acres-and one hundred and ninety-five acres have been added by purchase by the State. One build- ing. in size about 60x250 feet was first erected and opened for the reception of in- mates September 2, 1856: divided into offices and living rooms for the superintendent and his family and his assistant and other sub- ordinate officers and attendants, and dining room, chapel and dormitories for the in- mates. At first boys and girls were admitted,
-
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PAST AND PRESENT
at ages from 9 to 18 years, but in 1862 the girls were sent to other institutions and no more were admitted. Probably young men above the age of 18 gained admittance and some of them hardened criminals who caused much trouble, at one time attacking the night watchman and nearly killing him. Now the ages of admission are 10 to 16 years. Since the institution opened 9.120 have been
harsh and in 1893, it was changed to the "Industrial School for Boys," which should eliminate any disgrace resulting from a name. There certainly should be no stigma following young men going out and be- coming respectable citizens, remembering they were mere lads when entering there and many sent for very trivial offenses, because they had no homes or because their environ-
OLD ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
admitted, and at present. January 10, 1905, there are 725 inmates.
It was thought that the name. "House of Correction," left too much of a stigma upon young men going out from there, reformed and prepared for the responsibilities of life and to become valuable citizens, as many of them have, and the legislature of 1859 changed the name to "Michigan State Re- form School." But this was considered too
ments and associates were bad. Some, per- haps many, are incorrigible, and cannot be reformed and commit crimes and are ar- rested and the newspapers are in almost every instance sure to mention the fact that they are graduates of the Industrial School. which the writer thinks is unjust to the in- stitution that is doing the most good of any of the State institutions.
The yard in the rear of the building and
99
INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
including the shops and play grounds were at first, and until 1897, surrounded by a high board fence which was considered necessary, and as late as 1873, the board of control recommended that the fence be replaced by a stone wall, but Superintendent Howe did not want a wall or even a high fence, and demanded that the fence should be removed and replaced by an ordinary picket fence and that the iron doors and bars should be removed. The Board, with some hesitancy, consented to these suggestions and the changes were made, with the result that there have been fewer attempts to escape ; in fact they have become exceedingly rare. There is now very little, if anything, prison- like about the school. The boys play as joyfully and with as much freedom as school boys at recess in the common schools, and with more decorum. The discipline of the present superintendent, Mr. J. E. St. John, is marvelous; it is especially noticeable in Sunday afternoon chapel exercise; and is not maintained by punishment. He and his admirable wife very well fill the places of father and mother to the boys and are fully qualified for the positions they hold.
A system of cottages for the boys was in- augurated in 1870 and at present there are ten of them, each kept by a gentleman and his wife; the gentleman also having charge of some department and the lady being a teacher. The cottages are three-story brick and of architectural design. Each is occu- pied by a family of fifty boys.
There are also two fine residences for the superintendent and the deputy superintend- ent.
In 1898 a brass band was organized by the boys and has been kept up, with thirty pieces. It can compete with most of the bands in the State. A fine choir is also kept up and both are always ready to furnish music, the band for parades and the choir for public gather- ings. All are drilled two hours each week in
military tactics, and for that purpose are di- vided into five battalions of seven companies each.
Endeavor is made to teach trades to all of the boys but lack capacity in the shops. As it is, however, there is taught tailoring, painting, shoe making, printing, blacksmith- ing, engineering, baking, carpentry, sloyd, farming, and care of the greenhouse.
The cooking is done by the boys, all of them wearing apparel made by them and the work on the farm is done by them.
The boys are committed between the ages of 10 and 16 years to remain until they reach the age of 17, unless sooner discharged. They are kept on an average of from a year and a half to two years, when, if they have fairly good homes, they are released on leave of absence, conditioned on good behavior, until the expiration of their terms of com- mitment. About one-fourth of the boys come from Detroit and the superintendent goes there about once in every two months and meets those who are out on leave. Usu- ally from 30 to 60 of them meet him at the truant officer's rooms and report whether they are attending school or not ; if at work and where ; the wages they get, etc., etc. ; and in return, receive kind advice and encourage- ment. If one is found who is not complying with the terms of his leave of absence he is returned to the institution, but it is seldom that it is necessary to return one. There are in all between four and five hundred out on leave throughout the State and being looked after by county agents and by correspond- ence. Mr. and Mrs. St. John have very much to encourage them in this work, with hundreds of young men who were formerly inmates of the institution and are free to say that they received their start in life there as well as all the education they ever had, and they are ever ready to express their gratitude.
The first superintendent of the institu-
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PAST AND PRESENT
tion was Theodore Foster, who was also one of the first board of commissioners appointed under the act of 1855. He resigned the po- sition on July Ist, 1860, and was succeeded by the Rev. Danforth B. Nichols, who held the office for the term of one year, and was succeeded by Cephas B. Robinson, who had previous to his appointment, been the assist- ant superintendent.
Mr. Robinson retained the position until his death, which occurred on August 27th, 1866. The institution was then under the care of assistant superintendent James H. Baker, until the appointment on November 16th, 1866, of the Rev. O. W. Fay, who soon after resigned, and the Rev. Charles John- son, a former teacher and assistant superin- tendent, was appointed, and continued in office until April Ist, 1875, when he was succeeded by Mr. Frank M. Howe, then as- sistant superintendent, who held until 1880, when Mr. C. A. Gower was appointed. He was succeeded, in 1891, by W. H. S. Wood, who held the office until the appointment of the present superintendent. Mr. J. E. St. John, in 1893.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
This institution was opened May 13, 1857. with a class of sixty-one students. The fac- ulty were :
Joseph R. Williams, President.
Calvin Tracy, Professor of Mathematics.
Lewis R. Fiske, Professor of Chemistry.
Robert D. Weeks, Professor of English Literature.
John C. Holmes, Professor of Horticul- ture.
Enoch Bancker, Assistant Professor of Chemistry.
The Steward was James M. Shearer.
Five of the first class of students are now living in Lansing: Henry B. Carpenter, Samuel L. Kilbourne, Russell B. Calahan,
Alfred G. Gunnison and Albert E. Cowles.
The buildings at that time were two three- story brick buildings, one a college building -still standing, and called College Hall-
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BOTANICAL LABORATORY.
containing at that time, on the first floor, a chapel in the north end, a lecture room in the south end and a chemical laboratory be- tween the two; on the second floor were class rooms : and on the third floor were dor- mitory rooms. The other building-since burned-was used for dormitory, dining
SCENE ON THE CAMPUS.
room, kitchen, and living rooms for the steward's family and help. There was also in the basement a large room where the
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INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
students changed their clothing when they went out to work and when they came in from work. All of the students boarded in this building and nearly all roomed there.
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AGRICULTURAL BUILDING.
This building stood about where Williams. Hall now stands. The college bell was about half-way between the two buildings, perched upon a derrick about fifteen feet high. One night, in some way never ascertained, it got balanced bottom side up and filled with water which froze solid. At another time, in some way never ascertained, it lost its clapper and did not recover it for a long time.
There were, besides, three cottages in faculty row for the president and professors. Professors Tracy and Bancker being single men, roomed and boarded in the dormitory building and kept order among the students, not always an easy or pleasant task. The students' rooms were fitted up with carpets and furniture in fine style ; better than many of them were accustomed to.
The examinations for admission were not so rigid as at present but were, no doubt, dreaded more than they are now, for the facilities for preparation were not then so ample as at present. Those who passed were very happy and nearly all passed. The one first examined and passed was the late Judge
Mason D. Chatterton. He lived about a mile east of the college and was on hand early.
All students were obliged to work three hours a day on the farm, for which they were allowed to apply on board from six to ten cents per hour, graded not by the size, strength or ability of the student so much as by the disposition to work and faithfulness; some small and weakly ones getting more than some strong lusty fellows who were in- clined to shirk.
Work on the farm was not what it is now, for the farm of nearly 700 acres was, all but a few acres, forest land and the work was mostly chopping, logging, burning and grub- bing out roots, in clearing the land, and dig- ging ditches and laying tile for drainage. The writer, being rather slight of build, did not do much of the clearing, except hauling logs to the piles for burning, grubbing and ditching, but was put upon lighter jobs, one of which was with another student helping Prof. Tracy lay out the orchard east of the college, carrying the chain and driving stakes where the trees were to be placed, while the
MECHANICAL BUILDING.
professor managed his surveyor's instru- ments, and the trees were set so as to line from all points of view.
Any one now visiting the beautiful
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PAST AND PRESENT
grounds surrounding the more than fifty fine buildings, cannot easily imagine their condition in the early days of the college ; nor can they realize the vast amount of labor that has been done to bring the campus to a
play pranks upon each other, upon the pro- fessors, and upon the steward, some of which the writer is strongly tempted to give, but this is hardly the place for them.
The dear old Profs. : the fact that they had
WOMEN'S BUILDING.
condition where it is considered among the finest in the country. The work seemed pretty strenuous for young fellows not much
pranks played upon them is no evidence that they were not highly respected and fully ap- preciated by the young men. They have all
ABBOT HALL, WOMEN'S DORMITORY.
used to work, but those were happy days, just the same, as viewed from present stand- points.
Notwithstanding the hard work and the hard study required, the boys found time to
passed away except Professor Bancker who now is a lawyer in Jackson, Mich.
President Williams died at Constantine, Mich., June 15, 1861 : Prof. Tracy, at North Lansing, Mich., July 28, 1889 ; Prof. Fiske,
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INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
at Denver, Col., February 14, 1901 ; Prof. Weeks, at East Orange, N. J., February 23, 1898; and Prof. Holmes, at Detroit, De- cember 17, 1887.
Professor Theophilus C. Abbot came to the college in its second year. 1858, and took the place of Prof. Weeks, who then retired as professor of English and Literature. He died at Lansing, November 7, 1892. He was president of the college from December, 1862, to November, 1884.
In 1870 women were admitted to the col-
HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE.
Directly east of the main entrance of the State Capitol is a wide avenue, which termi- nates three and a half miles distant, at the entrance of the grounds of the Michigan State Agricultural College. These grounds are approximately 684 acres in extent, and are separated into two large parts by the Red Cedar river, a small stream whose source is thirty miles away. The college farm is mostly on the south side of this river, and
WILLIAM'S HALL
MANY
lege and a class of ten entered that year. No the buildings are all in one large park of special plans were made for them until in the fall of 1896, when a Women's Course was adopted.
Miss Eva D. Coryell was the first woman graduate. She entered from Ingham county in 1875, and graduated in 1879. There are at present 195 women students in the col- lege. A fine, large woman's building was erected in 1900.
The subjoined history was written by Ex- President Abbot, about twenty-five years ago, and has been revised and brought down to date by Prof. W. J. Beal.
about 100 acres on the north side. The col- lege park was skillfully laid out in 1872 by Mr. Adam Oliver, a landscape gardener of Kalamazoo, Mich. There are in it no straight rows of buildings or of trees, but its more than fifty buildings, if barns are in- cluded in the number, are separated by un- dulating lawns, shallow ravines, and groups of trees and shrubbery. In one place only the method of grouping trees is departed from, for along the highway, a mile in ex- tent, a double row of elms, one without the fence and one within, forms a double walk along the road.
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PAST AND PRESENT
There are three entrances to the grounds, one at the west, one at the north not far from the town line between Lansing and Meridian, and a third north of the Woman's Building. The drive from the west entrance ascends a hill, and leaving a pear and cherry orchard on the left, keeps near the steep river. bank on the right. At the top of the hill the drive divides, the left-hand road passing by the president's house and down faculty row, where there are dwellings for ten mem- bers of the faculty and some other officers, while the right-hand drive follows the wind- ing river bank, passes the botanic garden with the armory and bath house at the left and still to the north is Abbot Hall. From this place walks and drives diverge to Col- lege Hall, to the greenhouse, physical and chemical laboratories and other buildings. Beyond and to the right are the laboratories and shops for the engineering department, the veterinary laboratory, the farm buildings and the old carpenter shop, back of which is a large new house for a heating and an electric light plant. Turning to the north, one passes on his right beyond the old farm barn, the agricultural laboratory, dairy buildings, laboratories for botany, bac- teriology and horticulture and the large building for the accommodation of women students. A considerable number of the teaching force and other employes of the col- lege live in Collegeville and seven other vil- lage plats north of the college highway. Many students also, find accommodations in this neighboring settlement. The students number very nearly 1,000.
The discipline of the male students is par- tially committed to student officers who live in the three different dormitories, in which there are also five boarding clubs, managed chiefly by students.
The students have formed a dozen or fif- teen societies for mutual improvement in
agriculture, horticulture, natural history, botany, physics, debating, engineering, and other topics. The Y. M. C. A. employs a competent man, on salary, who acts as its secretary. There is also a Y. W. C. A. with headquarters in the Woman's Building. Re- ligious services and a number of Bible classes are held every Sunday.
To a great extent Saturday is a holiday, though a number of classes meet during the forenoon of this day.
For many years an officer of the United State army has been detailed to conduct mili- tary instruction throughout the year, usually three days in the week. A cornet band is maintained as a part of the military instruc- tion.
In each of the four departments, agri- culture, mechanical engineering, domestic economy, and forestry, laboratory instruc- tion is a conspicuous feature, and takes the place of much of the compulsory manual labor that was in vogue during the early days of the college. The laboratories are well equipped, though much crowded.
The course of study is four years in length, and the graduates receive the degree of Bachelor of Science. Instruction in the use of language runs through the whole course, and history, philosophy, political economy, and constitutional law find their proper place in the instruction given. In early days there was no professor of agri- culture ; later such a professor taught agri- culture, veterinary, drainage, civil engineer- ing, and other topics. More recently the work is much divided, a specialist presiding over each, such as live stock, farm crops, dairying, and the veterinary department.
In 1876 the college began holding farm- ers' institutes, and for several years held six or eight a year, later increasing the number to over three hundred a year.
The college has an excellent general
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INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
museum, to which the State Geological Sur- vey and Smithsonian Institution have made valuable contributions. The herbarium con- tains plants numbering about 90,000 sheets of specimens.
The college is supported in part by bi- ennial appropriations of the legislature, and in part by the interest of a growing fund arising from the sale of lands given to the State by the general government. The nun- ber of acres received by the State is 235,673. On January 1, 1905, the State had sold land amounting to $950,000, on which the col- lege receives interest at seven per cent. The
a constitution of the State was adopted which says, Article XIII, Section II : "The legisla- ture shall, as soon as practicable, provide for the establishment of an agricultural school." Under this constitutional provision the friends of the project secured the passage of a bill for its organization in 1855. Among the many earnest advocates of the college, it can hardly be invidious to mention the Governor of the State at that time, Kingsley S. Bingham, who heartily worked for it and gave an address at the time of its opening, May 13th, 1857. The college was then in the woods, the stumps and underbrush not
COLLEGE HALL
United States in 1888 began giving the col- lege $15,000 per year to defray the expenses of an agricultural experiment station, and in 1890 began giving $15,000 a year with an increase of $1,000 a year until it reached $25,000 per year toward paying the current expenses of the college. Four years ago the legislature passed an act granting the col- lege a mill tax, amounting to $100,000 yearly.
The college is managed by a State Board of Agriculture of six appointed and two ex- officio members, of whom two are appointed by the Governor every two years. In 1850
cleared away from around the two brick buildings where officers, students, and the public gathered, on a spot selected for the college, under narrow restrictions, by the State Agricultural Society. Photographs of the place as it then appeared hang in the library of the college. But the institution owes more to Mr. J. C. Holmes, of Detroit. than to any other man for its early organ- ization and success. Mr. Holmes was un- wearied in his efforts to secure its establish- ment. He drew up the bill, without, how'- ever. the clause as to its location, and spent much time in explaining the nature and de-
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PAST AND PRESENT
sign of the proposed institution. He also had charge of the horticultural department for three years, and the college enjoyed his valuable friendship to the end of his life. The inaugural of Mr. Joseph R. Williams, the first president, was a production of great merit.
.The State established and maintained an agricultural college for five years, when the Nation granted funds for additional support and the courses of instruction were gradually increased in number. Although three depart- ments of instruction have been added to the college, the members of the State Board of Agriculture have been conservative and have retained the name "Agricultural College," although more than half of the students are now members of departments not recognized by the name "agriculture."
The State Board of Education had charge of the institution until the spring of 1861, when the legislature created a State Board of Agriculture, and committed the college to its care. During the war its fate was de- bated anew by each successive legislature, which always made, however, a generous appropriation. The Congressional gift of land in 1862 gave courage to its friends, and the college has gradually grown in influence until now it is one of the cherished institu- tions of the State.
From 1875 to the present time the State Grange rendered valuable services in a num- ber of different projects. In 1885, when Hon. Edwin Willits left the presidency of the State Normal School to become presi- dent of the Agricultural College, he did so with the express understanding that the State Board of Agriculture would establish a distinct department in Mechanical Engin- eering, where students should learn to work in iron and wood, designing, making and testing engines, and other work of kindred
nature. The department soon won its way to great popularity and usefulness.
In 1894 short special courses during win- ter were begun, in which farmers' sons re- ceived instruction of the most practical kind in stock judging, making butter, making cheese, horticulture, and in acquiring knowl- edge to enable them to work in the labora- tories of sugar beet factories.
In 1896, when J. L. Snyder, Ph. D., be- came president, it was expected that he would take the lead toward establishing a department for women, where, among other things, they should be well trained in do- mestic art and domestic science. The money was appropriated, a fine building erected, and the departmet has proved very popular.
In 1902 a department of forestry was established and Professor E. E. Bogue, M. A., placed at the head of it.
In early days the mail was carried from Lansing to the college once a day by a stu- dent, later twice a day by an omnibus, and now four times a day each way. The office ranks second in the county for the amount of mail that passes through it.
Since 1897 the college population has been supplied with water derived from artesian wells 350 feet deep and forced through pipes to the various buildings. In 1893 about three miles of gravelled stone paths were constructed and found to be a great con- venience. Early in 1894 the street cars ran to the west entrance and later they entered the campus a little west of the town line. In 1898, the campus and buildings began to be lighted by electricity furnished by a dyna- mo five miles distant near a dam on Grand river, and the next year the Pere Marquette built a spur of their road from Trowbridge to the boiler house, over which heavy freight is hauled and large excursions reach the campus. At this time, January, 1905, men
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