USA > Nebraska > A history of Nebraska Methodism, first half-century, 1854-1904 > Part 31
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Broadly speaking, it may be said that the first ten or twelve years of her history covered a period of as many
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NEBRASKA WEST EVAN UNIVERSITY
R.
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C. F. CREIGHTON, D. D. First Chancellor.
ISAAC CROOK, D. D. Second Chancellor.
D. W. C. HUNTINGTON, D. D. Present Chancellor.
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and as great financial difficulties as any of our schools have ever been called to face. We began at the close of an unprecedented boom, in which all values were enor- mously inflated, and the notions of nearly all men were even still more inflated. While the original proposition included a $50,000 building to be erected and paid for by the people of Lincoln, local pride, and the still pre- vailing boom ideas, led to the selection of a plan costing $70,000. It was still thought we could realize on some real estate enough over and above the bonus offered to provide for the extra $20,000. But after the contract was let, and the building was in process of construction, it was found that the boom had spent itself, the reaction had set in, the bottom fell out, and everybody wanted to sell and no one wanted to buy. This sudden and unex- pected turn in the tide made it more difficult for the Lin- coln people to collect or pay their pledges for the build- ing fund, or for the trustees to realize on the real estate set apart for the extra $20.000. Money for building ceased to come in, and local banks refused to advance any more. £ A crisis of such seriousness was reached that a meeting of the Board of Trustees was hastily called. The greatness of the peril found expression in the language of the following telegram from Dr. Creigh- ton to Bishop Warren, a member of the board: "We are hanging by the eyelids, be sure and come." When the trustees met and the situation was considered, the emergency, while serious, was not thought to be one arising from the lack of ultimate resources, but a teni- porary inability to raise the cash needed to finish the building. With 800 lots contiguous to the campus, val- ued at an average of not less than $300, and several
GOVERNOR J. H. MICKEY. PRESIDENT BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
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thousand dollars worth of lots in Peck's Grove and other parts of the city, over and above the Lincoln pledge of $50,000, it was thought that the emergency could be met by the purchase by the trustees and others of enough of these lots, and giving their notes, secured by these, and thus furnish paper that could be used as collateral se- curity, and on this get the banks to carry them throughi financially. No doubt was entertained that if we had time we could realize enough cash out of sales of real estate at these boom prices to pay the balance needed over and above Lincoln's $50,000. The emergency was promptly met in this way by Bishop Warren generously offering to secure a loan of $5,000, and also to purchase $5,000 worth of real estate, on condition that the other members of the board make purchases as they were able. This they all did, and the means to finish the building was thus secured, but at the financial loss of every in- vestor, there never having been a time since, until now, that they could have gotten half what was paid by thein for their lots. Nor could the extra lots be sold. The result was that instead of starting out in our career with a building paid for, as contemplated, we were about $25,000 in debt, the one cause of all our subsequent troubles. Like thousands of others at that time, it seemed impossible for the trustees to divest themselves of the notion that the boom prices were to continue forever, and all our plans involving the expenditure of money were made on that basis. When we could and did appraise our lots at an average of $300 per lot, making a total valuation of $240,000, there did not seem to be any demand for rigid economy, but the face of the facts seemed to justify a liberal policy. Hence we at the first fixed the chancellor's
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J. M. STEWART SECRETARI.
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salary at $3,000, and the other members of the Faculty at about $1,000 to $1,200. It may be safely said that few other Methodist institutions ever started out on such a munificent scale.
But the tide had turned and was moving in an ad- verse direction at a rapid rate. It soon became impos- sible to transform our real estate into productive endow- ment, as was contemplated, and as might readily have been done but for the unforeseen bursting of the boom and consequent depreciation of our real estate along with all other of like nature, until it became unsalable at any price. A lingering faith in the outcome induced many of the faculty to take our lots in part payment of salaries, but in spite of this generous action, there was an increas- ing deficit from year to year, which added to the nine per cent interest we were paying on our notes, the debts kept growing, and soon passed the limit of $25,000, as fixed by the charter. In the meanwhile the financial situation throughout the country was growing worse. Banks were breaking in every direction, and many private individuals and firms were going under. Cotner University, of the Christian denomination, established a year after Wes- leyan, and about a mile distant, was compelled to go into bankruptcy, and the Episcopal Church deemed it inex- pedient to rebuild their school after its loss by fire. The remarkable thing about this whole matter is, not that a debt was contracted, and allowed to grow to alarming proportions, but that under the awful stress of financial storm under which her infancy and youth were passed during the first ten or twelve years of her history, that she weathered the storm, was kept in the field and up to a high grade of efficiency, and the debt kept down to a
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REV. E. E. HOSMAN. FINANCIAL SECRETARY, 1900-1901.
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manageable point, so that at the first opportunity, when a changed financial condition made it possible, the debt could be and was paid.
In this connection historical justice requires that the chief factors in this glorious consummation should be mentioned, being Dr. D. W. C. Hunting- ton, Chancellor ; Gov. J. H. Mickey, who besides giving $6,000, gave much of his time in personal can- vass of the State, and Bishop McCabe. Be- sides these, E. E. Hosman rendered valuable service as Financial Secretary, and Mrs. C. C. White, who gave $5,- 100. Under the in-
spiration of this lead- GEORGE W. ISHAM, D. D. Field Secretary and Treasurer. ership and this giving the Methodists of Ne- braska were led to lay upon the altar enough to pay the last penny of the old indebtedness, and under the efficient leadership of Field Secretary Dr. G. W. Isham has since paid every dollar of its current expenses, besides making many needed in1- provements and repairs. There have also been erected and paid for at a cost of $7,000, a heating plant and gymna- sium and botanical conservatory. Then there is now in
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process of construction a Conservatory of Music to cost, when completed, $50,000, one wing of which is now com- pleted and paid for at a cost of $16,000.
The financial history of this great institution would not be complete without the mention of the fact that through the influence of Bishop Warren, Jacob Haish, who had already given $50,000 to build and equip a manual train- ing school for Denver University, was in- duced to do likewise for Nebraska Wes- levan University. Ac- cordingly a fine build- ing was erected for this purpose on the campus. Negotia- tions for the insur- ance were held with different insurance C. C. WHITE. companies for the Former President Board of Trustees. proper insurance of this building, but the rates demanded seemed so exorbi- tant that those responsible for this part of the business hesitated to pay the rates. This happened to be a case where to hesitate was to be lost. For unhappily, before any agreement could be reached and the property in- sured, it took fire from some unknown cause and was en- tirely destroyed.
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There was some talk of rebuilding the "Haish," but as Mr. Haish himself naturally declined to furnish the money, the pressure of debt and adverse financial condi- tions made the project impossible.
But financial and moral confidence have been seem- ingly completely restored, and the future of Nebraska Wesleyan is assured, and her expanding needs in the way of additional endowments and additional buildings will in due time be met by the generous men and women who are interested in the cause of Christian education.
After this somewhat detailed statement of the finan- cial and material side of this history, which in the nature of things must always be a very important feature in the early periods of the existence of such institutions, when income is small and expenses are great, often involving from a quarter to a half a century of struggle, seems jus- tified by the unique conditions through which we have reached the final victory. It is due, however, to the Board of Trustees to say that at the very first every pre- caution possible was taken to start the institution out on its career free of debt arising from any expense of build- ing, and the creation of productive endowment through the sale of lots and pledges from the people such as would amply provide for the payment of current ex- penses. That these expectations and plans were not realized was no fault of the trustees, but was the result of changes in conditions that no one but the Omniscient could foresee.
The other phases of Wesleyan's history may be briefly summed up. Dr. Charles F. Creighton seemed to many, when the plan was consummated, to be the ideal man to serve as chancellor, and put the plan in operation.
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Accordingly he was elected the first chancellor, and pro- ceeded with vigor and enthusiasm to inaugurate the great enterprise. In many respects he was well suited to the work. He was certainly a great preacher, with no little ability as an organizer. He had a great opportunity, and realized it, and seemed determined to make the most of it. But just at that juncture there was needed at the head of affairs a man, that while vigorously pushing the inauguration of the new plan should also in marked de- gree possess a spirit and tact calculated to bring into line the doubting ones and conciliate the antagonistic. Neither of these did Dr. Creighton possess in such meas- ure as to enable him to meet this demand under the con- ditions then prevailing. After several years of strenuous, and in many ways, successful, effort in behalf of the school, he in June, 1893, resigned, and the following August Dr. Isaac Crook was elected Chancellor.
Dr. Crook was a dignified, cultured, and scholarly man, and as such was pre-eminent'y an educator. He was well adapted to manage the internal affairs of an in- stitution already established and endowed, and did intro- duce a number of improvements in the methods of work. He also did much to allay the feeling of bitterness aroused during the preceding years. The work that was urgently needed at that time was not at all to his taste, and Dr. Crook gracefully retired after three years of honorable and efficient service along the lines for which he was adapted, leaving the institution in much better condition in many ways than he found it. He was soon called to the honorable position of president of the Ohio State University.
After an interregnum of two years, during which
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inatters went rapidly from bad to worse, the Ellinwood defalcation being detected about that time, we found right in our midst the man for the hour, in the person of Dr. D. W. C. Huntington, who was elected Chancellor. After many years of distinguished service in the old Genesee Conference, in New York, which sent him sev- eral times as one of her delegates to the General Confer- ence, he was transferred to Nebraska Conference in Oc- tober, 1891, to take charge of the new and promising Trinity Church enterprise in Lincoln. It is a high com- pliment to Dr. Huntington that at a great crisis, when the school needed a wise man to save it from its financial perils, and restore the confidence and respect of the pub- lic, lost through the defalcations of its trusted treasurer, C. M. Ellinwood, all turned spontaneously to him as the one man whose wisdom could guide us safely through the financial breakers, and whose high moral character, which had become recognized throughout the entire State, could reinstate our institution in the confidence of the people, which must be done if we were to live at all. At a meet- ing of the trustees, called for the purpose of electing a chancellor, immediately after convening, and without waiting for a nomination by any committee, Dr. Hunt- ington was unanimously elected chancellor, notwithstand- ing he himself earnestly protested against the action.
It is not too much to say that this was a turning point in the history of the Nebraska Wesleyan University, and that ever since the tide has moved steadily in the direc- tion of increasing prosperity, confidence has been not only entirely regained, but is to-day greater than it has even been.
While it was intended that the other schools should
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keep in the field as subordinate departments of the Uni- versity, confining themselves chiefly to preparatory work, though allowed at their option to carry that work as far as the sophomore year of the university course, attention and effort were so largely concentrated on the new ell - terprise as to operate to the immediate disadvantage of all the others. Besides, the immediate patronizing territory of the York College, the oldest and strongest, coincided with that on which the new institution must mainly de- pend. Then there was naturally a feeling of disappoint- ment that York should not have been made the one uni- versity, but instead, her grade was reduced virtually to that of a seminary. Added to this wounded pride, and discouragement incident to defeat, hard times set in and many who had pledged help or had been in the habit of doing so, refused to pay old pledges or make new ones, on the score that the conditions had changed and there was no use trying to keep up the subordinate schools. The conditions resulted in the closing of both the York and Central City schools in a few years.
Two preparatory schools were afterward adopted by the University, one at Douglas, within thirty miles of Lincoln, and one at Orleans. The first soon died be- cause it ought never to have been. The one at Orleans supplied a real need for all the southwestern part of the State and deserved success. It flourished a few years under the principalship of Prof. J. L. McBrien, but suc- cumbed to the adverse financial conditions caused by gen- eral depression, and especially by the drouth.
This left the entire field to the Nebraska Wesleyan University, and nobly has she done the work. Under the successive chancellorships of Drs. C. F. Creighton,
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Isaac Crook, and D. W. C. Huntington, asteady growth has been maintained. Beginning with less than one hun- dred students, the number has increased to over seven hundred at present.
Allusion has been made to the defalcation of our treas- urer, and as this sad fact has been much misunderstood historical justice requires a brief statement of the oc- currence. Professor Ellinwood was among the first men elected to our Faculty, he coming to us from Simpson Centenary College, in Iowa, and taking charge of the de- partment of natural science. He was a master in his de- partment, and would have succeeded had he not gone into banking and other business projects, by which he became involved financially. He was withal an expert accountant, and such was the implicit confidence all had in his business and moral integrity, that he was soon made deputy treasurer, and afterward treasurer. Doubtless this confidence in his honesty and skill as an accountant made the Board of Trustees less careful in auditing his accounts, and his confidence in his own ability as an ac- countant tempted him to abuse this sacred confidence of his brethren and to begin and carry on a series of frauds which he skillfully kept covered up for years, deceiving not only the trustees, but also the officials of different banks, among which were the First National of Lincoln, a leading bank in Burlington, Iowa, and Windom Bank of University Place. He was tried and expelled from the ministry and membership of the Methodist Church, but escaped criminal prosecution on the part of the att- thorities of the State. While the defalcation was at first about $34,000, Ellinwood turned over certain properties which reduced the loss to $27,000, and by equitable ad-
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justments made by the trustees with the several banks in- volved, the net loss to the University was reduced to about $7,500, or less than one-fourth of the original amount.
In the meanwhile, through all these changes and vary- ing experiences, the school was doing most excellent work, being able to keep in the field an able corps of teachers. The attendance has steadily increased almost from the first, beginning with niney-six the first year, and reaching the present year over seven hundred. There has been a total of 179 graduates from the College of Liberal Arts. The normal department has for a number of years been among the few normal schools that have measured up to the demands of the State, and received for its graduates from the State superintendent, State certificates on an equality with the State Normal school at Peru.
Indeed all the departments have been well manned from the first, the course of study comparing favorably with that of our best institutions. Even in the more ex- pensive departments, as in the chemical laboratory, im- provements have constantly been made and the latest appliances have been procured.
The tract of ground surrounding the campus which fifteen years ago was farm land, has grown to be a thrifty village of nearly, or quite, 2,000 inhabitants. While vir- tually a suburb of Lincoln, with street car service every fifteen minutes, and a five-cent fare to any part of the city, they have wisely maintained their own separate municipal government, rigidly excluding all places of vice, thus protecting the students from the degrading in- fluences which prevail in our cities and many of our villages.
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Not only in this negative way have the youth who flock to the Nebraska Wesleyan for instruction been pro- tected from positive immoral influences, but there has grown up a strong Methodist Church with over eight hundred members, being the second largest church in the State. But not only is it strong numerically, but it is one of the most spiritual Churches in the Connection. A Church that maintains its spiritual power throughout the year, where at every testimony meeting two to five are on their feet at once waiting their turn to speak, and where revivals are liable to break out spontaneously at any time, and seekers after salvation present themselves at the altar for prayers. Where vigorous means of grace for the intelligent culture and development of Christian experience and character exist in a high state of effi -- ciency, and all the modern departments of a Methodist working Church are in operation.
While it is true that the conversion of a youth in one of our city, village, or rural Churches, may be said to double the probability of that youth seeking an educa- tion at Wesleyan or elsewhere, so that over fifty per cent of the students that enter all our institutions of learning, including State schools, and about eighty per cent of those coming to Wesleyan are professing Christians when entering these schools, it is also true that the twenty per cent of unconverted that come to Wesleyan are three times more likely to be converted there than they would if they had staid at home. If twenty per cent enter Wes- leyan unconverted, only two per cent of those graduat- ing remain unconverted.
If Nebraska Methodism was slow about getting at its educational work, it has finally solved the problem of
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Christian education in a most satisfactory way by the establishment of an ideal school, surrounding it by a highly moral community, and supplementing the power- ful influences of the school itself by a strong spiritual Church, thus creating well-nigh perfect conditions under which our youth may secure an education.
Among the laymen mentioned in connection with our Wesleyan, and who are worthy of further mention, is J. H. Mickey. Even before his elevation to the place of Chief Magistrate of the State, he was one of the best known and highly honored laymen of the State. This is because John H. Mickey always gave evidence of a gen- uine piety, everywhere, and under all circumstances, "witnessing a good confession," and living a pure life. And under all circumstances the Church has found in him a true friend, ready to help up to the extent of his ability. And though he has been prosperous, both as a farmer and banker, and later in politics, this prosperity has never climinished his devotion to Christ and His Church.
After serving his country during the war as a mem- ber of an Iowa Regiment of Volunteer Cavalry, he came to Nebraska in 1869, settling on a homestead in Polk County, and at the organization of the county, soon after, he was appointed county treasurer, to which position he was afterwards elected a number of terms.
It is characteristic of this devoted layman, that Father Query, the local preacher who planted Methodism in Polk County, found a hearty welcome to the home of John H. Mickey, where he organized the first class in that county, and that Wm. Worley should report that out of the eleven dollars received on the West Blue Mis- sion in 1869, J. H. Mickey paid five, and that during a
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great revival held at Osceola, by J. Q. A. Fleharty, J. H. Mickey was one of the most earnest and efficient lay workers, leading his friends and neighbors to Christ.
It may be truthfully said that every Methodist pastor that has served the Church at Osceola has found in Brother Mickey a true personal friend, and in some cases that friendship has continued to the pastor's family, after he has died. The first time the writer met Governor Mickey to know him was just after the death of S. P. Van Doozer, who had been his pastor at Osceola, and he was then busy settling up the estate, endeavoring to save as much as possible for the widow and fatherless children.
These and other incidents that might be mentioned, occurring before he came into prominence in Church and State, best show his true character, and explain in part why he has come into prominence.
Perhaps the moral and religious sides of his charac- ter are too pronounced and are too rigidly applied to the affairs of State to suit the average politician, but his up- right principles and downright honesty suit the Meth- odists, and indeed, all other decent people who believe in an honest administration of the affairs of the State. We think all the more of him because he has not allowed any one to use him, and has never apologized for being a Christian.
He has twice been elected lay delegate to the Gen- eral Conference, and ever since the death of C. C. White, he has, from year to year, been the unanimous choice of the Trustees of the Nebraska Wesleyan for President of the Board.
The Board of Trustees of the Nebraska Wesleyan
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University has had no more faithful and influential mem- ber than J. M. Stewart, who has been on the Board for many years. Though a leading lawyer of Lincoln, with a large practice, he still finds it possible, or makes it pos- sible, to give much time to the affairs of the university. It was largely due to his legal services that the institu- tion was able to save so much out of the loss caused by the Ellinwood defalcation.
It would be safe to say that besides much generous giving directly, his legal services, the charge for which, if any, has been merely nominal, have saved the institu- tion many thousands of dollars. .
C. C. White is another one of those strong laymen who not only rendered valuable service to Nebraska Wes- leyan at the time of its sorest need, but was a tower of strength in the Church, and indeed, in all the walks of life. Few men have touched humanity in more varied and helpful ways than C. C. White. But I feel that all- other pen will be far more able to do justice to this unique character, unique, not in the sense of oddity or eccen- tricity, but of a rare and well-proportioned combination of well-nigh all the virtues.
But Dr. Isaac Crook, who came to know him in their close official relations to Nebraska Wesleyan, shall speak for me: "The outward story of his life need not be long -true with all of us. He was born in Sylvania, near Toledo, Ohio, February 24, 1843, and attended the com- mon schools, also a local academy, till eighteen years of age. He intended to become a teacher, but instead en- listed in the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, and for three years had the stern schooling of war-in camp-life and battle, and for seven months in prison at Libby and Belle Isle.
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