USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Shrewsbury > A history of Seventh Day Baptists in West Virginia : including the Woodbridgetown and Salemville churches in Pennsylvania and the Shrewsbury church in New Jersey > Part 32
USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > Salemville > A history of Seventh Day Baptists in West Virginia : including the Woodbridgetown and Salemville churches in Pennsylvania and the Shrewsbury church in New Jersey > Part 32
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364 SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
Names of
Names of Students.
Parents.
Post Office Address of Students at present, or at time of decease.
RANDOLPH.
PHINEAS F. and MARVEL MAXSON,
PHINEAS CHAPIN F. (d), Salem, W. Va.
RANDOLPH.
JOHN LAFORGE F. M.D.,
TACY JANE F. (d),
and EXPERIENCE BROWN,
GREENBRIER.
RANDOLPH.
WILLIAM F. and MARY DAVIS.
EZRA F. (d),
Greenbrier, W. Va.
ESTHER F. (d), mar. LeRoy Burdick,
Hebron, Pa.
SILAS F. (l),
Riverside, Cal.
JUDSON F. (l),
Salem, W. Va.
PRESTON F. (1),
Salem, W. Va.
JETHRO F. (d),
Alfred, N. Y.
ZIPPORAH ELISABETH, (d), mar. Leander Place. Hebron, Pa.
NEW MILTON.
BEE.
JOSIAH and PRISCILLA DAVIS.
ISAIAH (l),
Princeton, W. Va.
RANDOLPH.
JEPTHAH F. and DEBORAH SUTTON.
FRANKLIN F. (1),
New Milton, W. Va.
RACHEL F. (d), mar. Johnson J. Low- ther, New Milton, W. Va.
BUCKEYE RUN.
DAVIS. COL. DAVID D. and
JUDITH (l), mar. Jonathan Traugh, Middlebourne, W.
ANNA DAVIS. MORRIS, N. (d),
Va. Numan, W. Va.
WEST UNION ACADEMY
365
Names of Parents.
Names of Students. Post Office Address of Students at present, or at time of decease.
DAVIS.
LODOWICK HUGHES and MARGARET DAVIS. FORD. ALBERT and
HAMILTON (1), Numan, W. Va.
ELISABETH (1), mar.
RHULANAH DAVIS.
Elisha Stoneking, Booker, W. Va.
TATE. WILLIAM and
SARAH (d), mar. A. J. Hickman,
ROCK RUN.
DAVIS.
WILLIAM JOHN- SON ("Rock Run Billy") and EXPERIENCE THORP.
GAMBLE SHANNON (d),
SAMULL PRESTON (d), WILLIAM GRANVILLE
(1),
West Union, W. Va.
West Union, W. Va. Sugar Camp, W. Va.
HUGHES RIVER.
BEE.
ASA and HANNAH MAXSON.
ZEBULON (d), ABIGAIL A. (d), mar. Daniel Nay, ASA JR. (l),
Bolair, W. Va. Pullman, W. Va. South Lancaster, Mass.
FLINT RUN.
DAVIS. WILLIAM F. ("Flint Billy") and RACHEL HUGHES.
EMILY VIRGINIA (d), mar. Rev. James B. Davis. DUDLEY HUGHES (d),
Salem, W. Va.
Quiet Dell, W. Va.
MEAT HOUSE FORK.
DAVIS. STEPHEN THORP and ELISABETH JEFFREY.
FRANCIS MARION (1), Buckhannon, W. Va.
SILAS CARDER (d),
Salem, W. Va.
366 SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
Names of
Parents.
Names of Students. Post Office Address of Students at present, or at time of decease.
LOST CREEK.
DAVIS.
JACOB
ABIGAIL HOFFMAN (d), mar. Reuben
and
SARAH HOFFMAN.
Hevener, Roanoke, W. Va.
ROBINSON'S FORK.
BONNELL.
CHARLES and
LEHMAN (d),
BONE CREEK.
HALL.
ELISHA and SUSANNAH THORP.
LAWSON (1), Auburn, W. Va.
UNKNOWN.
WILLIAMS.
and
EMILY (d),
XXVI.
SALEM COLLEGE.
E
VER since the inauguration of the movement which resulted in the establishment of the ill-fated West Union Academy, it had been the dream of the Seventh Day Baptists of western Virginia to have a denominational school maintained in their midst.
After the final dissolution of the West Union Academy, the vil- lage of- New Salem, by common consent, was fixed upon as the site of the future school; and many of those connected with the West Union Academy laboured and hoped, incessantly, for the realisation of this dream.
Preston F. Randolph, in all his educational work in West Virginia, held this thought uppermost in his mind, and Rev. Charles A. Burdick, from the time he began his duties as a general missionary among the West Virginia churches in 1870, looked forward with anxiety to the time when that hope would be fulfilled.
So confident was he of the success of such a movement, that after four years service as a missionary, he resigned that work and opened a select school at New Salem, doubting noth- ing that it would soon become a permanent school, of the grade of an academy. This school was opened in April, 1875.
At the annual session of the South-Eastern Association, held at Lost Creek, beginning May 28, 1874, the question of a denominational school had been especially prominent. But it was not deemed wise for the association to move in the matter. The select school started in the following spring by
368
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
Rev. Charles A. Burdick, was undertaken, however, upon the assurance of financial assistance from private sources. The business depression prevalent throughout the country, rapidly grew worse, and the expected aid failed to materialise, although the school was a distinct success in attendance and in the quality of work done; for it was well patronised by the Seventh Day Baptists throughout the association, with a gen- erous representation of non-Sabbath-keepers.
Rev. Charles A. Burdick, with his wife, and Miss Adelle M. Whitford, of Utica, Wisconsin, composed the teaching staff. The meeting house of the New Salem Church was used as a school building, it being expected that in a short time a suitable building would be erected for the school. After con- ducting this school through the spring and summer of 1875, it was abandoned, for several reasons, principally for lack of funds for the erection of a school building. Mr. and Mrs. Burdick taught in the public school in the village of Rock- ford, on Lost Creek, the following winter, as they had done the preceding winter; and in the summer of 1876, assisted again by Miss Whitford, they taught a select school at Rock- ford. Mr. Burdick then abandoned his attempts to establish a denominationl school in West Virginia.1
Terence M. Davis, a son of Lodowick H. Davis, and afterward a professor in Alfred University, hoped that upon his graduation from Alfred, in 1881, he might establish an academy at New Salem. He carried his plans so far as the designing of the necessary buildings, to be erected on grounds adjoining his father's home in New Salem. But his disappointment was destined to be added to the growing catalogue of unsuccessful attempts to establish a Seventh Day Baptist school in West Virginia.
Nevertheless, events soon began to shape themselves so as to force the issue. The principal cause of immediate anxiety was due to the fact that of the rapidly increasing number of young people who were going away to Alfred University, very few returned to make their homes in West Virginia after graduation.
It should be remembered, also, that as already intimated
I. A history of this school, written by Rev. Charles A. Burdick, may be found in The Sabbath Recorder, under date of March 5, 1891.
(23)
TERENCE M. DAVIS.
CORLISS F. RANDOLPHI.
VIDEON HENRY F. RANDOLPH.
LUTHER A. BOXD.
( A group of Charles A. Burdick's students at New Salem).
369
SALEM COLLEGE
in the preceding chapter on the West Union Academy, the essential cause of the decay of that institution was its failure to pay cash dividends on its stock, a failure which was not soon forgotten, and which, to a great extent, deterred men of means from investing money in a denominational school after that time. In other words, the financial side of such a school was considered in the light of the probable material profits which it would yield, and the failure of the West Union Academy was a very discouraging example.
Events now transpired which deeply interested several of the prominent business men of Salem, and the establishment of Salem College resulted.
In this connection, it may be interesting to note that at the annual session of the Seventh Day Baptist General Con- ference, held with the church at Salem, in August, 1890, the largest share-holder of the capital stock of Salem College, declared that up to that time his stock in the college had yielded the largest financial returns of any investment he had ever made.
The immediate events resulting in the establishment of Salem College may be briefly sketched as follows :-
The Methodist Episcopal General Conference of the state of West Virginia, at its annual session in 1886, deter- mined to establish a seminary of learning for young people of both sexes somewhere within the state, and announced that it would be established in or near the city or town offering the most acceptable inducements, financial and other- wise.
In the hope of securing the location of the seminary at Salem, the citizens of that village and immediate vicinity, pledged for that purpose, a sum aggregating, in round num- bers, forty thousand dollars ($40,000.00). Their efforts were not successful, however, as the Methodist Episcopal General Conference finally fixed upon the village of Buckhannon, as the site of the seminary.
This fruitless effort, however, showed that the oppor- tunity to secure the long-desired Seventh Day Baptist secondary school was at hand; for if such a sum could be raised for the establishment of a Methodist school, surely enough could be
370
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
raised to establish a good Seventh Day Baptist school upon a solid conservative basis.
At the session of the South-Eastern Association held with the Ritchie Church at Berea, beginning May 26, 1887, the asso- ciation took the following action :-
"We would heartily encourage and seek to have a school within the bounds of our association, in which our young people may be thoroughly prepared to enter college."
In accordance with the spirit of this action, a committee, consisting of Rev. John L. Huffman, Jesse F. Randolph, and Rev. Henry B. Lewis, was appointed "to canvass the matter and take such steps as they may find practicable, looking to the establishment of a school in the bounds of the association, in which our young people may be thoroughly prepared to enter college."
At the next annual session of the association, held with the church at Lost Creek. beginning May 24, 1888, this com- mittee reported as follows :-
"I. That we are fully satisfied that the time has come when the demand is such that we ought to have such a school.
"2. That Salem is a good place for its location.
"3. We are of the opinion that sufficient money could be raised within the bounds of this association to secure the grounds and erect such buildings as would be suitable for present use.
"4. We recommend that a committee be appointed which shall take steps at once to ascertain the amount that can be raised by sub- scriptions ; and if a sufficient amount can be secured, so that no debts should be incurred, to make the needed arrangements, and secure a suitable location, and erect the buildings."
The report of the committee was adopted, and the com- mittee which they recommended was appointed as follows :- Rev. John L. Huffman, Rev. Samuel D. Davis, Jesse F. Ran- dolph, George W. F. Randolph, Charles N. Maxson, Ethelbert J. Davis, Franklin F. Randolph, Flavius J. Ehret, and Samuel D. Bond.
At its annual session held in connection with the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference at Leonardsville, New York, August 24, 1888, the Seventh Day Baptist Education Society adopted the following resolution :-
"RESOLVED, That we have learned with approval of the efforts of our people in the South-Eastern Association, to establish a college preparatory school at New Salem, West Virginia; that we recognise
SALEM COLLEGE.
371
SALEM COLLEGE
the need of the special training which such an institution can furnish to the youth of that body; and that we earnestly trust sufficient ac- commodations will soon be provided for the favourable opening and the successful maintenance of this school."
In the meantime the committee appointed by the asso- ciation was proceeding with its work, which moved along so satisfactorily that on the 28th of December, 1888, a charter for Salem Academy was issued by the secretary of the state of West Virginia, as will be observed from the following :-
"CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION. "STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. "SALEM ACADEMY.
"I, HENRY S. WALKER, Secretary of the State of West Virginia, hereby certify that an agreement duly acknowledged and accompanied by the proper affidavits has been this day delivered to me, which agree- ment is in the words and figures following :-
"The undersigned agree to become a corporation by the name of SALEM ACADEMY to be subject to the regulations of the Seventh Day Baptist Educational Society, for the purpose of purchasing real estate in Salem, Harrison County, West Virginia, and erecting a building or buildings thereon in which to establish an ACADEMY, and so soon as the financial condition and circumstances will warrant, a COLLEGE; and for the purpose of teaching therein and thereat all the various branches of learning composing a thorough academic and collegiate course; and of awarding diplomas to students who may pass the requisite examination upon the various branches of learning taught therein; and for the diffusion of knowledge incident to insti- tutions of like kind. Which corporation shall keep its principal office, or place of business, at Salem in the County of Harrison and State of West Virginia; and is to expire on the 20th day of November, 1938.
"And for the purpose of forming the said corporation, we have subscribed the sum of two thousand one hundred and fifty dollars to the capital thereof, and have paid in on said subscription, the sum of two hundred and fifteen dollars; and desire the privilege of increasing the said capital by the sale of additional shares from time to time to the sum of fifty thousand dollars in all.
"The capital so subscribed is divided into shares of twenty-five dollars each, which are held by the undersigned, respectively, as follows, that is to say :-
"By G. W. F. RANDOLPH, Salem, W. Va.
Forty shares,
"By JESSE F. RANDOLPH, Salem, W. Va.,
Twenty shares,
"By L. B. DAVIS, Salem, W. Va., One
share,
"By F. M. SWIGER, Salem, W. Va., Two shares,
"By A. S. CHILDERS, Salem, W. Va.,
Four
shares,
372
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
"By J. L. HUFFMAN, Lost Creek, W. Va.,
Four shares,
"By CHAS. N. MAXSON, Lost Creek, W. Va.,
Four shares,
"By ERNEST RANDOLPH, Salem, W. Va., One share,
"By URIC F. RANDOLPH, Salem, W. Va., One share,
"By LLOYD F. RANDOLPH, Salem, W. Va., Four
shares,
"By C. M. RANDOLPH, Salem, W. Va.,
One
share,
"By JAS. N. DAVID, Salem, W. Va.,
Two
shares,
"By HIRAM WILSON, Salem, W. Va.,
Two
shares,
"And the capital to be hereafter sold is to be divided into shares of the like amount.
"Given under our hands, this 20th day of November, 1888. "G. W. F. RANDOLPH,
"JESSE F. RANDOLPH,
"L. B. DAVIS,
"F. M. SWIGER,
"A. S. CHILDERS,
"J. L. HUFFMAN,
"CHAS. N. MAXSON,
"ERNEST RANDOLPH,
"URIC F. RANDOLPH,
"LLOYD F. RANDOLPH,
"C. M. RANDOLPH,
"JAMES N. DAVID,
"HIRAM WILSON.
"WHEREFORE, The incorporators named in the said agreement, and who have signed the same, and their successors and assigns, are hereby declared to be from this date until the 20th day of November, 1938, a corporation, by the name, and for the purpose set forth in said agreement.
"GIVEN under my hand and the Great Seal of the said State, at the City of Charleston, this the twenty-eighth day of December, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight.
[L. s.]
"HENRY S. WALKER, "Secretary of State."
The charter was amended afterward so as change the name from SALEM ACADEMY to SALEM COLLEGE, in accordance with a vote of the stockholders of the corporation, as will be observed from the following certificate of the Secretary of State :-
"STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, "Office of Secretary of State.
"I, WM. A. OHLEY, Secretary of State of the State of West Vir- ginia, do hereby certify that J. F. RANDOLPH, President of SALEM ACADEMY, a corporation created under the laws of this State, has this day certified to me under his signature and the corporate seal of
JESSE FITZ RANDOLPH.
373
SALEM COLLEGE
said corporation, that at a regular meeting of the stockholders thereof, held in pursuance of law, on the roth day of June, A. D. 1890, and at which meeting a majority of the capital stock thereof was represented by the holders thereof in person or by proxy, the following resolution was unanimously adopted :-
"RESOLVED, That the corporation known as SALEM ACAD- EMY be changed to, and from this time hence, be known as, SALEM COLLEGE, and that any and all necessary legal steps be taken to constitute the same a college in conformity to the charter of said institution, granted by, and in conformity with, the laws of West Virginia, on the 28th day of December, A. D. 1888,-
"WHEREFORE, I do declare said change of name of SALEM ACADEMY to SALEM COLLEGE, as set forth in the foregoing resolution, to be authorised by law.
"GIVEN under my hand and the Great Seal of the said State, at the City of Charleston, this sixteenth day of August, 1890.
"WM. A. OHLEY, "Secretary of State." [L. S.]
"STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA,
"Office of the Clerk of Harrison County Court, August 28, 1890. BE IT REMEMBERED, That this writing was this day duly admitted to record in this office.
"Attest :
JAMES MONROE, Clerk."
Acting under the provisions of the charter, the incor- porators organised on the 21st of January, 1889, and arranged for opening the academy in the following spring, using the Seventh Day Baptist church at Salem, which had so often already served as a school building, as temporary quarters. At the annual session of the South-Eastern Association held with the church at Salem in May of that year, the committee appointed the previous year, to act in behalf of a school, reported that they had secured pledges to the amount of four thousand eight hundred and sixty-six dollars ($4,866.00), including a tract of five acres of land valued at one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), at the west end of the village of Salem, and that a contract had been let for the erection of a two-story frame building, forty-five feet by sixty feet, at a cost which would be covered by the subscriptions, the building to be completed by the middle of the following November ; and that a term of school was already in successful operation, with Rev. John L. Huffman as acting principal.
The report of "Salem Academy and College" to the Sev-
374
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
enth Day Baptist Education Society, at its annual session in August, 1889, announced that "It is the purpose of the institu- tion to give instruction in Preparatory, Academic, and Col- legiate courses."
The report further announced that Rev. Sanford Lafay- ette Maxson, A. M., B. D., was the principal, and that such assistants as might be needed would be engaged for the ensu- ing year.
Up to this time, the three men who had contributed most to the success of the enterprise, were Rev. John L. Huffman, George W. F. Randolph, and Jesse F. Randolph. Rev. John L. Huffman, by his spirited leadership and organising ability, created a most healthful spirit throughout the association in favour of the school, and served as the general promoter of the enterprise. George W. F. Randolph and Jesse F. Randolph, two prominent business men of Salem, besides devoting time without stint, contributed most generously to the treasury of the academy. The former was the largest subscriber, and the latter the second largest. Jesse F. Randolph was made president of the corporation at the time of its organisation and with the exception of but one year, he has served in that capacity continuously up to the present time.
In the fall of 1889, the term opened under the leadership of Rev. Sanford Lafayette Maxson, who had recently resigned a position as principal of the Albion Academy at Albion, Wis- consin, where he had won for himself an enviable reputation in secondary school work. He was re-enforced by two competent assistants in the regular work of the academy, besides one teacher in each of the three special departments of music, business, and art. To these were added two special lecturers in physiology, anatomy, and hygiene. The enroll- ment for the year was one hundred and sixty (160).
The next year, the name of the institution had been changed from that of Salem Academy to that of Salein College, and there were in attendance during the academic year, six or more young men who anticipated entering the the Gospel ministry.
At the close of the academic year of 1891-1892, Rev. Sanford L. Maxson retired from the presidency of the col- lege, and Rev. Theodore Livingston Gardiner, A. M., B. D.,
GEORGE WASHINGTON FITZ RANDOLPHI.
375
SALEM COLLEGE
was elected to succeed him. President Gardiner, as well as President Maxson, was a graduate of Alfred University ; the former of the class of '74, the latter of the class of '85.
President Gardiner, at the time of his election to his new office, was the pastor of the Seventh Day Baptist Church at Salem, and accepted the presidency with reluctance, because he had had no previous experience in such work, besides being very fond of his church work.
Nevertheless, he threw himself into his new duties with energy and enthusiasm, and with a perseverance born of a determination to succeed, however great the cost.
From the beginning, he succeeded, and it was but a short time until it was apparent that he was the right man in the right place.
In addition to his new and laborious duties of teaching in the class room, was added that of securing the necessary funds from year to year with which to make up the annual deficiency which averaged about two thousand dollars ($2,000.00). In this he was fully as successful as in his other work, although it was a great strain upon him.
In its report to the Seventh Day Baptist Education Society for the year ending June 17, 1902, the college reported a debt on a new building of a little upwards of seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750.00), with but two hundred dollars ($200.00) of unpaid bills besides. To offset the latter item, the college held unpaid subscriptions sufficient to cover it.
The resources of the college consisted of the college campus and adjoining grounds of five acres, with two good buiklings, besides a valuable library, together with a gener- ous equipment of apparatus for teaching physics and chem- istry, and an extensive collection of specimens for work in natural history.
In addition, the college held permanent productive funds aggregating two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00).
This was a magnificent showing for the thirteen years of the history of the college, ten years of which had been under the leadership of President Gardiner.
In recognition of his successful career in church and educational work, his Alma Mater, Alfred University, con-
376
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA
ferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity upon President Gardi- ner, at its annual commencement in June, 1899.
For a time, the special departments were as prosperous as any departments of the college. In 1890-1891, the subjects of telegraphy, and stenography and typewriting were added to the curriculum of the commercial department. After a few years, however, the interest in some of these departments began to decline. At the end of the year 1892-1893, several subjects were dropped from the commercial department, and a year afterwards, the department was wholly abandoned. the college taking the position that that department was detrimental to the best interests of the institution. At the same time that the commercial department was dropped. the art department was likewise abandoned, for similar reasons. The music department has continued, however, doing satisfactory work to the present time.
In order to accommodate the growing needs of the col- lege a new building, twenty feet by thirty-four feet, was erected during the year 1900-1901 at a cost of eight hundred and nine dollars and twenty cents ($809.20).
The work to which Salem College has, for the most part. devoted itself since it was first established, has been that of equipping and training teachers for the public schools of West Virginia.
So successfully has this work been done, that now all students of Salem College completing the prescribed course for that purpose, are awarded a state licence to teach, upon the same basis as the graduates of the normal schools of the state, and of West Virginia University.
Moreover, the administrative officers of the public schools of the county of Harrison, and several neighbouring coun- ties, have received their training in Salem College.
The gratifying success of the college has been dependent upon its normal work more than any other; and that, too, despite the fact that the state normal schools and the state university are maintained at the expence of the public treas- ury of the state, and consequently are able to offer free tuition as well as other attractive inducements ; while Salem College. receiving no revenues, whatever, from public sources, and
ESLE FITZ RANDOLPHL. (A graduate of Salem College ).
377
SALEM COLLEGE
without an endowment fund, upon which it can lean, is dependent upon the private subscriptions of her generous friends from year to year, to cover the inevitable deficit in her treasury, and is compelled to charge a substantial tuition fee, besides.
The secret of the success of the college, then, is the fact that its normal work has been made strong and attract- ive in a way that it is difficult for a state institution to become strong and attractive, particularly if political influences are potent.
Salem College, wholly free from political taint and intrigue, maintains a certain steadfastness of purpose and firm- ness of discipline, while at the same time enjoying a certain desirable, if not necessary freedom, that state institutions do not enjoy in West Virginia at the present time.
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