USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > College Hill > Historical sketch of Farmers' College > Part 5
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The Board was requested to publish in pamphlet form a report of the financial condition of the College, with the plat of subdivision, and a copy of the minutes of this meeting, and send same to each stockholder.
Perhaps we are giving too much space to the finan- cial part of this history, but in the years we are writing of the very perpetuity of the College seemed to be in- volved in the policy being pursued by the management, which affected the integrity of the Endowment Fund in diverting a part of it to meet expenses, and the truth of the history requires a statement at least of the most important facts shown by the record. Bat. while rumors existed to the prejudice of the Trustees, the record does not disclose any evidence that they acted other than in good faith and for the best interest of the College as they conceived it.
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FARMERS' COLLEGE.
At the close of the stockholders' meeting the Board of Directors met and organized.
F. G. Cary was elected a member in the place of A. H. Ernst, deceased.
June 6th, 1860, the Board adopted as their guide for future action all the resolutions adopted by the stock- holders at their meeting on April 11th.
June 20th, 1860, Commencement Day. The degree of A. B. was conferred on the senior class.
August 14th, 1860, Rev. C. N. Mattoon adhered to his resignation tendered July 1Ith, and the Board re- gretfully accepted it.
He was succeeded by Professor Jacob Tuckerman, salary $1,000.00. The Board reduced the Faculty to a President and four Professors, and resolved that the expenses of the College should not exceed $5,000.00 per annum.
April 8th, 1861, was the regular time for meeting of the stockholders, but there is no record of the meeting, and none was probably held owing to the excited con- dition of the country .- the beginning of the "Civil War."
May ist. 1861, E. G. Ricker was elected President of the Board.
June 19th. 1861, Commencement Day. The degree of A. B. was conferred on the senior class.
We find the following item on the minutes of the Board of this date :
"A communication was received from the Alumni in session this day suggesting the propriety of changing the name of the College. It was referred to a committee consisting of Messrs. Walden, Cary, and Richards."
6
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This is the first suggestion as to change of the name we have met with. It marks the beginning of the agita- tion of that subject, which continued and grew through many years before its final culmination.
On July 10th, 1861, the Board, after some discussion in regard to the financial condition and prospects of the College on account of the state of the country, by reso- lution reduced materially the salaries of the Faculty, ex- cept the Cary Professor of Agriculture.
October 9th, 1861, Captain E. G. Ricker, having entered the Army, offered his resignation as President, which the Board accepted with a sincere expression of appreciation. He was followed by many others in rapid succession, for patriotism ruled the hour. The effect of the Civil War soon resulted in a marked depletion in the ranks of the students. The falling off in attend- ance had indeed begun before, for other reasons, for in 1860 the number was reduced to 173,-but little over one-half of the number in 1856, which was 330. In 1861 it had fallen to 114. In 1862 still lower, to 92.
D. B. Pierson succeeded to the chair of "Cary Pro- fessor of Agriculture."
We have at this time another report on the state of the accounts of Farmers' College to January Ist, 1862, and dated February 10th, 1862. It was the work of Mr. Giles Richards, who had been in the Board from the beginning, and was certainly one of its most in- telligent, able, and useful members. He had, in fact, written nearly all of the reports of much importance. The Board showed its appreciation of his services at this time by a vote of thanks, and ordering his report to be recorded.
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FARMERS' COLLEGE.
It shows credit balances as follows :
Stock Collections,
$129,585 14
McMicken Professorship, 10,000 00
Donations, 13,863 55
$153,448 69
Faculty (received),
642 82
$154,091 51
On the debit side,-expenditures :
Real Estate,
$49.438 00
Buildings and Improvements,
37,648 06
Incidental Expenses, .
29,732 93
Education Fund, .
23,578 32
College Furniture,
1,531 53
Philosophical Apparatus, .
2,079 44
Loan of Endowment Fund,
3,725 00
Miscellaneous Items, .
6,258 23
$154,091 51
Mr. Richards estimates subscriptions of stock out- standing amounting to $52.306.00 as worth at most $24,000.00 less cost of collection. He says, "It is evi- dent that the income is insufficient for the expenditures, and it is only a question of time when its operations must come to a standstill, though that period is now with due care somewhat remote."
But he takes a hopeful view, with the exercise of care and economy, and a return of general prosperity. He, however, makes this significant statement in ref- erence to the College: "It has now been in operation fourteen years, in all of which time the expenses of the College proper have exceeded the income $23,578.32, or about $1,685 per annum, absorbing that amount of stock collections, which being so greatly reduced they will absorb them in a greater ratio in the time to come." Early in this year, 1862, the College lost by death two
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
among its most devoted and valued friends, W. A. Bagley and William Cary. The former was a faithful and useful member of the Board, and the latter was one of the best of men, of broad views, earnestly sup- ported the great educational work of his son, and showed his practical interest by his large donations. The memorial adopted by the Board especially refers to his philanthropy and his "Endowment of the Cary Professorship of Practical Agriculture in Farmers' College."
The number of students enrolled in 1862-63, ninety- two. On February 25th, 1863, a special meeting of the stockholders, scholarship holders, donors, and patrons of the College was held, to consider a report of the Board and appoint a committee to co-operate with a committee of the Board to arrange with the State of Ohio for selection of Farmers' College as one of the Agricultural Colleges to share in the 630,000 acres granted to Ohio by Act of Congress of July 6th, 1862, to promote agricultural institutions. A full report was made and the movement approved, and committees ap- pointed and $1,000 appropriated to defray expenses. On presentation of this matter to the Legislature, that body was so impressed it sent a committee down to examine the property on March 16th, 1864, which re- ported in favor of accepting the proposition of the Col- lege, and a Bill was introduced to carry it out, but no further action appears to have been taken, although Farmers' College, in view of what itself had accom- plished in that direction, signally deserved to be se- lected to share in that Congressional grant. With such great aid why should it not have secured the permanent leadership in the work of scientific agriculture ? It was essentially a people's College, and its permanent success should not have been left to contingencies.
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FARMERS' COLLEGE.
On June 27th, 1863, Commencement Day, the degree of A. B. was conferred upon the nine members of the Senior class. The average attendance of students in that year was sixty-four. It will be observed that the number of graduates was fully up to the average, not- withstanding the general depression.
On April 13th, 1864, the stockholders held their regular triennial meeting. A Board of fifteen Directors was elected, only twelve votes being cast. At this election Mr. J. C. C. Holenshade came into the Board, and upon its organization, May 14th, 1864, he was elected its President.
The new Board consisted of Giles Richards, S. F. Cary, B. A. Hunt, C. E. Babb. J. M. Walden, R. M. Moore, R. B. Witherby, F. G. Cary, E. G. Ricker, H. L. Wilmer, J. C. C. Holenshade, N. S. Knight, Amos Worthington, S. J. Browne, and Joel Strong.
On May 4th, 1864, the degree of A. B. was conferred on the two members of the class of 1864, showing a serious falling off in number.
The number of students enrolled in 1864-65, · · 114 Average attendance per session, . 74
On July 12th, 1864, the Faculty of the previous year were re-elected -- Tuckerman, President, and Pro- fessors Klund, Wilson, Ellinwood, and Pierson.
On October 12th, 1864, the Board, considering the present condition of the country, and that young men should be qualified to render the highest service to the government, resolved to establish a Military Department, to involve no charge upon the general funds of the Institution, and admission to it being voluntary. Nat- urally this might be termed a military overture to the patriotic spirit prevailing.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
Major W. Beatty became professor of Military Tactics.
On April 12th, 1865, a loan of $2,000.00 was au- thorized by the Board to meet the deficiency in the Education Fund, and the proper officers were author- ized to give a lien, to secure such loan, on any property of the corporation.
June 2Ist, 1865, was Commencement Day, and was published as the 19th Annual Commencement. The degree of A. B. was conferred on the three members of the class of this year.
And the degree of D. D. was conferred on the Rev. John M. Walden.
XII. SUSPENSION OF COLLEGE COURSE AT END OF CIVIL WAR.
Critical Period-Faculty Reduced to Three.
On July 12th, 1865, there being no funds to pay current expenses, the Board resolved to lease or sell the Academy lot of 3 1-2 acres, and apply to the Legis- lature for an enabling act to that end.
At the same meeting, on motion of Gen. Cary, the following was adopted :
"Whereas, The resources of the College are inade- quate to the support of a full corps of professors ;
"Resolved, That Jacob Tuckerman, A. M., be ap- pointed for two years at a salary of $1,500.00 a year. and that he be authorized to employ tutors or lecturers, or both, at an expense of not more than $500 a year.'
A resolution was adopted complimentary to Profes- sors Klund, Wilson, and Ellinwood, whose connection with the College was severed "only from an imperious financial necessity."
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FARMERS' COLLEGE.
There were but two others in the Faculty at that time,-D. B. Pierson, Cary Professor of Practical Ag- riculture, and Major W. Beatty, Military Instructor.
This action of the Board virtually recognized their inability to keep up the College to its proper standard as such, with a full corps of professors and a com- plete Collegiate course. It was in effect a suspension of its operation as a College, and an assimilation of it to the rank of an Academy. Various influences con- spired to bring about this unfortunate result. The at- tendance this year had been reduced to an average of 74. The war had produced a general depression. A large number of its brave sons had gone into the Na- tional Army-a list of those killed is given in the Appendix, and is, indeed, a "Roll of Honor"-and the support from the South, which had been considerable, had been withdrawn. The income available to pay the professors' salaries and other expenses had, it seems, never been adequate, and it was growing less year by year. In the language of Gen. S. F. Cary, in a "His- torical Sketch of College Hill," published by him in 1886: "The money first collected was appropriated to the purchase of lands and the erection of buildings. A very large number failed to pay their subscriptions, and agents were employed to collect them. A very large per cent never was collected. The result was that the principal fund was constantly encroached upon to pay teachers' salaries and other expenses. If the stock had been promptly paid and invested the plan would have succeeded. Its failure was only a question of time."
The number of stockholders or subscribers is stated in the record at from 1,600 to 1.700; but we have not
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
been able to ascertain the number of perpetual scholar- ships, or who hold them.
On January 10th, 1866, the Board took action with the view of procuring a disposition of the unproduc- tive lands of the College for the support of the Insti- tution, and to memorialize the Legislature for an En- abling Act for that purpose.
On March 15th, 1866, a further loan of $2.500 was authorized.
On April 5th, 1866, the Legislature of Ohio passed "An Act to authorize the Trustees of Farmers' College of Hamilton County to dispose of certain lands." (Vol. 63 O. L. 211.)
This Act empowered the Stockholders, Scholarship- holders, and Donors, at a meeting to be called for that purpose, to authorize and direct the sale or lease of "such part of the real estate of the corporation, as to them may seem proper, for the support of the College." The Act provided for the investment of the net proceeds of such sales "in the stocks of the United States, the State of Ohio, Hamilton County, or City of Cincinnati, bonds yielding an interest of not less than six per cent, which interest, with the annual and other incomes, only shall be used for the support and maintenance of said College, reserving the principal as an irreducible fund for the said College."
These provisions were ample as to the power to sell or lease, and specific and mandatory as to the mode of investment.
The College had now entered upon what proved to be the most trying ordeal of its career, and may be characterized as the fifth era of its history, from 1865 until 1873. During this critical period it was struggling for existence. The agents sent out met with but little
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FARMERS' COLLEGE.
encouragement among the people. The Institution had lost that responsive confidence and favor of the public it had formerly so abundantly possessed. It became a commanding necessity to abandon the original design, so fondly cherished by Mr. Cary and his friends, and sell the "Model Farm."
XIII .- SALE OF THE "MODEL FARM."
In 1866 Rev. Charles D. Curtis Became President.
Avoiding tedious details of the occurrences of this period, which are fraught with unpleasant reminis- cences and reflections to the old patrons of the College, we will summarize the results. In pursuance of the Enabling Act, a meeting of the Stockholders, Scholar- ship-holders, and Donors was duly called, and, after considering the conditions, on May 9th, 1866, they unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing the Board of Trustees to sell, or lease for an annual rent, "all the real estate and buildings belonging to said Institution, except the main College building, and the lot of 7 42-ICO acres on which it stands." And yet at this vitally in - portant meeting there were only 21 stockholders. The first step was to have the lands surveyed and subdi- vided into 25 lots, and the Plat was recorded June 23rd, 1866, in Plat Book No. 2, page 304, of the County records.
About this time the Board lost, in the resignation of Giles Richards, one who had been from the beginning probably its most valuable and efficient member. Just prior to his resignation he had sent to the Stockholders' meeting a detailed statement of the cost of the College property. This was his last service as a Director, and seemed to be his final protest against the sale of that
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
property. And also President Tuckerman severed his connection with the Institution in July, 1866, and this was followed in August by the resignation of Gen. S. F. Cary as Treasurer, which was accepted with thanks "for his 21 years of faithful and gratuitous service." Joel Strong was elected in his place.
August 9th, 1866, the Board employed as teachers Rev. Charles D. Curtis, President, salary $1,200; Rev. J. C. Brodfeuhrer, Professor of Languages, salary $800, and Edward N. Wild, Professor of Mathematics, salary $800.
On the day fixed, May 26th, 1866, all the lands were sold, except the College campus, at prices above the minimum fixed by the Board, as reported by the Committee in charge, June, 1866, and realized net the sum of $54.845.47.
The sales were confirmed, deeds made, and plat re- corded. The streeets were named Cedar and Maple, and dedicated, 60 feet wide, as ordered by the Board, June 20th, 1866. Thus the original building, constructed largely for the use of Freeman G. Cary, to develop and expand his practical ideas of education, with the land on which it stands, was all that remained of the Far- mers' College.
The Treasurer was ordered to invest these funds in registered bonds of the State of Ohio, bearing 6% in- terest. October 10th, 1866, President Curtis reported "32 students enrolled and others expected."
The Stockholders at their regular meeting on April 10, 1867, (17 present) recommended, in view of the diminution of the endowment and the necessary reduc- tion of the corps of teachers, the Trustees and Faculty to modify the course of study to meet the wants of the patrons.
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FARMERS' COLLEGE.
They elected a new Board of Directors, and we ob- serve a notable omission from the list of the names for the first time, of both Gen. S. F. Cary and F. G. Cary. Those elected were J. C. C. Holenshade, A. D. E. Tweed, E. G. Ricker, J. M. Walden, Norris S. Knight, D. B. Pierson, C. E. Babb, W. E. Watson, R. Simpson. Josiah Wilder, G. F. Sadd, J. Tuckerman, Henry M. Cist, Jacob Hoffner, and B. A. Hunt. Mr. Holenshade became President, as before.
On May 2nd, 1867, the Executive Committee re- ported the assets of the College from which income was derived to be as follows :-
Mortgage notes, $46,195 37 6,000 00
State Bond, .
$52,195 37
Producing an annual income of 3,131 72
On May 23rd, 1867. the Board from motives of economy, in view of the financial condition and pros- pects of the College, restricted the expenditure from the income to $1.500.00 per year.
On July 10th, 1867, it was arranged wit !! Professor J. C. Brodfeuhrer to teach the next year with one assistant for $1,500.00, and D. B. Pierson was elected Cary Professor of Agriculture, and it was resolved to keep the net income from the 23 acres, deeded to the Board by William Cary, separate from the other income and appropriate it to the support of the Professorship of Agriculture.
On August 29th, 1867, N. S. Knight, who had pur- chased said 23 acres, reconveyed the same to the College. and the Board arranged to have them surveyed, platted and sold, or leased. This was afterwards reported as sold for net $24,214.44.
On September 12th, 1867, the Board received an
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
opinion from its Attorney, Hon. George Hoadly, in regard to the leasing of the 23 acres claimed in rever- sion by the heirs of William Cary, asserting in positive terms the right of the College to lease perpetually the same or any part thereof.
On December 5th, 1867, a committee was appointed to report "a name for a change of name" of the Col- lege, but no further action was then taken.
In the minutes of the Board of January 8th, 1868, an item appears indicating that the old Academy building was torn down, and near its site the present Episcopal Church was erected. We are informed that much of the brick of the old went into the new struc- ture. In that way it may be said that the Academy, through its transposed ruins, is still serving a glorious purpose. John R. Davy was elected a member of the Board in place of D. B. Pierson, resigned.
On April 8th, 1868, an elaborate plan was presented to the Board by President Curtis for the resuscitation of Farmers' College. One of his statements was quite optimistic in these words:
"It is believed that the endowment fund of this In- stitution is now such as to insure its perpetuity,-that it is to remain to the end of time a place where young men are to be educated."
He estimated the fund at $50,000, and the income at $4,000, and he proposed a Faculty of three teachers.
The Board approved Mr. Curtis' plan as to the Faculty and re-elected him President to carry it out, and he accepted.
It also elected John A. Warder Cary Professor of Agriculture, a position he acceptably retained until he retired in 1876.
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FARMERS' COLLEGE.
In 1869 there was a project on foot to unite the Western Military Institute (Col. Locke) with Farmers' College, but was not consummated.
On April 11th, 1870, was the regular triennial meet- ing of the stockholders, but there is no record of their proceedings. Presumably they elected a new Board of Directors, and a list of their names is given, it is stated, from the tally sheets. They are as follows :
Bellamy Storer, Geo. M. Maxwell, J. M. Walden, F. G. Cary, Geo. W. Hulick, A. E. Chamberlain, Charles E. Cist. C. D. Curtis, B. W. Pease, W. W. Innes, Wil- liam Cone, Geo. F. Sadd, John R. Davy, Henry M. Cist, and E. N. Wild.
This Board organized by electing Henry M. Cist President, E. N. Wild Secretary, and John R. Davy Treasurer, the latter resigning in October, 1870, both as Treasurer and Director.
They resolved to employ Geo. E. Pugh and Stanley Matthew's as Counsel for the Board and the College. None abler could have been employed.
May 5th, 1870, J. M. Walden resigned, and Rev. E. L. Davies was elected in his place on the Board.
A resolution was adopted instructing the Executive Committee to have the question whether scholarships in the College are stock tested in the District Court.
XIV. LIQUIDATION OR PERPETUITY.
Revival in 1873-Co-Education - Prof. J. S. Lowe Elected President-Mr. Cary Favored Liquida- tion-His Great Disappointment.
The power of the Board of Directors to convey in fee simple the lands belonging to the "Model Farm" which had been sold having been questioned. reconveyances
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were obtained from the purchasers and leases given in lieu of deeds. But the income from these leases was in- sufficient to sustain the College; and in 1872 a propo- sition to liquidate, or to suspend until the funds should accumulate, was seriously considered, but it was finally decided that no legal liquidation could be had. Two suits had been brought to force the College into liquida- tion. The proposition of the accumulators was to allow the investments to accumulate until they reached $100,000, which would take eight years. This would insure perpetuity.
The question at the bottom was liquidation or per- petuity. There was a decided division of sentiment, and the feeling on the question grew to be strong and almost bitter between the two factions. This mani- fested itself especially at the triennial meeting of the scholarship holders on the 14th of April, 1873, where there was a struggle for supremacy, and a full discus- sion of the matters in issue. There were 141 votes cast and two tickets for Board of Directors in the field. Those opposed to liquidation received 76 votes and were elected; those for liquidation, 68 votes. This determined the policy in favor of reorganization and operating the College.
The following were on the successful ticket : "Joseph F. Wright. Alexander Brown, Benjamin A. Hunt, Theophilus Wilson, T. B. Witherby, John W. Caldwell, W. C. Huntington, Isaac N. Laboyteaux, D. B. Pierson, J. C. C. Holenshade, Robert Simpson, John N. Poage, J. C. Eversull, Edward DeSerisy, and J. Wilder."
Freeman G. Cary seems to have favored liquidation, as he was on the ticket of its supporters. The result was grievously disappointing to him. The plan of his
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FARMERS' COLLEGE.
life-work was all shattered, and he could see no bright skies ahead for the College.
The Treasurer's report showed the total resources of the College furnishing income to be $66.947.77. The new Board organized by electing Joseph F. Wright President, and John W. Caldwell Secretary. They re- solved to procure a Faculty and open and operate the College in September, and they adopted the co-educa- tion plan-to admit students without distinction of sex. They then resolved to employ "a good man" for Presi- dent, and "a good man and woman" for Professors. Under this resolution they elected Professor J. S. Lowe, of Geneva Normal School, President ; Mr. C. E. Holt, of Geneva, O., Professor of Mathematics, and Mrs. J. S. Lowe to take charge of the Preparatory Department. Also Dr. John A. Warder, Cary Profes- sor of Theoretical and Practical Agriculture. All these accepted.
On the opening of the College on September 3rd, 1873, 37 pupils were in attendance, later 45, and during the year the co-education plan seemed to work satis- factorily.
This was confirmed in an address of the Board of Directors, dated June 5th, 1874, wherein the following testimony was given: "The presence of both sexes, in the same classes, has proved beneficial to both, in pro- moting a generous emulation in their studies, and a care- ful attention to correct deportment, good manners, and good morals."
This was the beginning of the revival period of the College, which may be classed as the sixth era in its history.
About this time (December 15th, 1873) the death of
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
Professor Philip I. Klund occurred, and the Board spoke of him in the highest terms as a teacher, and added his name to the roll of the honored dead, who had been Pro- fessors, Directors, Agents, or Benefactors of the Col- lege. It was deemed proper to record the list, and we deem it of sufficient interest to repeat it here :
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