History of Champaign County, Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I, Part 55

Author: Middleton, Evan P., editor
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1196

USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I > Part 55

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Racer, Harold Stadler. Lyman Wiant, Ceril Bedell, Karl Durnell, Ralph Phelps, Melwood Staubope. Ivan Shultz. Helen Snarr. William Sidders, Harold Hawkins, Luclle Russell, Hazel leck.

1915-Dorothy Shyrigh, John Thackery, Harriet Day, Seymore Long (deceased). C'eell Shook, Christine Erickson. W. Marvin Vance. Very! Earnhart. Mabel Meisner. Howard Thornburg. Fuy Biggert. William Fee. Marjorie Henz, Howard Saxbe, Ruth Cheney, Clara Mitchell, Bernice Jobe, Paul Grove. Thelma Reck, Raphael Shaffer, Robert Harrison. Otho Lingrell. Blanch Moses, Winifred Wanzer. Mildred Shanley, Carl Lortz, Dixie Braley. Floyd Essman. Flora MeDonald, Lewis Hurd, Mabel Millner, Kenneth Crawford, James McElwain, Marjorie Nagel. Hugh Eleyet, Dorothy Holding.

1916-Beulah Brubaker. Lola Burley, Corinne Cone, Arthur Curl. Jobn Euright, Ruth Essman. Robert French, Florence Gingery. Ruth Guthrie, Willis Guyton. Lelah Houser, Dorrel Houser. Paul Kite, Harry Legge. John Powers, Christine Racer, Helen Nolte, leo Rice. Lester Roach. Lawrence Curl. Cecil Shockey, Forest Stanhope. Rachel Stein- berger. Russell Thornburg. Corrine Valentine, Wilbur Zimmerman, Leona Jernegan.

1917 -- Eloise Fromme, Mary Louise O'Conner, Mary Shanley, Mary Earsom. Doris Henz. Helen Curry, Gladys Raff. Ruth Wagner, Louise Smith, Ina Dye, Helen Boisen, Eloise Rawlings, Etbel Adams, Neola Wlant. Adelaide Carter, Etoyle Wagner. Eunice Glenn. Pauline Eleyet, Ruth Swisher. Carrie Erickson. Verra Tudor. William Pickering. Joseph Shambaugh. William Dunlap. Donald Sherlock, Merz Condit. Robert Hearn. Eart Gardner, Amos Shambaugh. Alice Butler. Belshazzar Owen, Grace Parks, Helen Parke, Louise Smith.

MOORE'S BUSINESS COLLEGE.

Moore's Business College and School of Shorthand, located at U'rbana. was established on December 4, 1899, and has developed into one of the most completely equipped commercial and shorthand institutions in this section of the country. J. W. Moore, the founder and president of the institution, is today looked upon as one of the leading business educators of the state. His business and shorthand courses are thorough and modern, and in keeping with the requirements of modern-day methods.

Beginning with only five students, the college has steadily grown until it now occupies six times as much space in the Weaver building as when it was founded. The enrollment of the school at the present time is not up to the standard, due primarily to the influence of the war, which has a tendency to keep young men from enrolling.

HISTORY OF URBANA UNIVERSITY.

A very complete and interesting history of Urbana University from the time of its inception in 1849 to 1870, was written by Ex-President Thomas F. Moses for the University Courant, in 1894. The historian has taken the liberty to quote freely from this source and it is to be regretted that space cannot be given to the entire account as written by Doctor Moses. The his-

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tory from 1870 to the present time has been prepared from the records of the school, with the assistance of Dr. Carroll H. May, the present head of the institution.

In the year 1849 the Rev. J. P. Stuart, while on a missionary tour in the interest of the New Church, made a call upon John H. James, of Urbana, a prominent member of that church, and while together they discussed the subject of higher education and the importance of religious instruction under the influence of the church. As a result of this interview, the following letter was written :

To the REV. J. P. STUART.

Urbana, Ohlo, March 26, 1849

:tr Ar-I will give ten acres of ground for the site of a New Church University, to be selected from my lands about the town of I'rhana, and so chosen that the selection shall always be regarded as a proper one both with reference to the ground itself and Ita proxmity to town. I regard the land I offer ns worth one thousand dollars. I stipu- Inte the sum of two thousand dollars shall be contributed by others within one year, and that some building suitable for a school shall be erected within three years. And I express the wish that the building shall be substantial, plain, and of handsome propor- tions, without ambituous display.

(Signed ) JOHN H. JAMES.

This letter to Colonel James, together with the subscription of one thou- sand dollars on the part of D. and T. M. Gwynne, of Urbana, occasioned the call of a meeting of the members of the New Church, interested in the sub- ject of education, for the purpose of devising ways and means for the estab- lishment of an institution of learning to be under the auspices of the New Church. At this meeting, held at Urbana, November 15, 1849, John Mur- dock was chosen president and J. P. Stuart, secretary. The following per- sons were present and took part in the deliberation of the meeting: J. H. James, R. S. Canby, Rev. George Field, Rev. Sabin Hough, Rev. J. P. Stuart, Dr. William M. Murdock, John Murdock, David Gwynne, Thomas M. Gwynne, M. G. Williams, Amos A. Richards, David Pruden, and Evan Gwynne.

At this meeting an association was organized which accepted the prof- fered gifts, and authorized an application to the Legislature of Ohio for an act of incorporation. As the result of this application a charter was obtained, bearing the date of March 7, 1850, very liberal in its character, giving the institution authority to establish whatever schools, seminaries or colleges which may be deemed necessary or desirable, and for the conferring of the usual academic degrees. The incorporators named in the charter were as follows: Milo G. Williams, John H. Williams, Benjamin F. Barrett, E.

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Hinman, William E. White, David Gwynne, George Field, Sabin Hough, Samuel T. Worcester, John Murdock, Richard S. Canby.

By the terms of the charter the corporation is governed by twelve trus- tees, the persons named above constituting the first board of trustees. The trustees are also required to be members of the New Church, or attached to the principles thereof. The name of University was assumed at the start, and the board at once decided that the university should embrace the entire course of school training from the lowest to the highest.

CO-EDUCATION FROM THE BEGINNING.

Although no mention is made of it in the charter, the plan of co-educa- tion was adopted at the outset, after careful deliberation. From this it will be seen that the Urbana University was one of the earliest institutions to admit both sexes to equal and unrestricted participation in the acquirement of a liberal education, Oberlin having been the pioneer in this direction some seventeen years before. In one of the early catalogues, published in 1860, it is stated that "the union of boys and girls in the same school may be viewed with distrust by those who have no chance to witness its working. With the experience they now have, the trustees and faculty unite in opinion as to its benefit. They have found no evils resulting from it, and the benefits have been so obvious, on the formation both of manner and character-and this with girls no less than boys-that the present arrangement will not willingly be dispensed with." Among the graduates of the first and several following classes appear the names of several young women.

Such were the preliminary steps which led to the foundation of the university, which as yet possessed only its charter and organization, and a plat of ground. No funds were available to erect suitable buildings or to equip them when erected-no means on hand with which to engage a single instructor. These were not the days of the millionaire benefactors of insti- tutions of learning, and large contributions to the cause of education were comparatively unknown.

In the minds of its projectors the most urgent need of the university at this stage of its affairs was a suitable person to take charge of its educa- tional interests, and the opinion was unanimous that Mr. Milo G. Williams possessed in an eminent degree the necessary qualifications. He was accord- ingly invited to accept the position. Mr. Williams was at that time conduct- ing an academy in Dayton, Ohio, and his reputation as a teacher was already well established throughout the state. Prior to his going to Dayton he had

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been successfully engaged in teaching in Cincinnati. The plan of establish- ing a New Church university at Urbana being submitted to him, and also the proposition that he should come and assume charge of the same, Mr. Williams took the matter into prayerful consideration. The records made in his private journal at this time fully testify to the weight and responsibility which he attached to the undertaking, and the serious thought which he gave the ques- tion of his acceptance of the position offered. In answer to the question, early submitted to him, of the practicability of the undertaking and the suita- bility of the location at Urbana, he says: "I expressed my belief that the time had arrived when the New Church should adopt more efficient measures for the diffusion of the doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and that there were no better means for accomplishing the end proposed than the proper educa- tion and training of the young in the doctrines and life of the church, thus making them fair exponents of the truths of the New Church. As to the locality, there were no valid objections to it, but there were many good reas- ons in its favor. Urbana is the county seat and in one of the best agricul- tural districts in the state. Champaign is one of the oldest counties and noted for the grand character of the early settlers, and the inhabitants are a church- going people."

HIGHLY QUALIFIED FOR POSITION.

Mr. Williams decided to accept the task of taking charge of the educa- tional work of the university in spite of the fact that the responsibility would be greater and the compensation less than those of his present work. His decision was a fortunate one for the interests of the university. He possessed the qualities of infinite patience and perfect self-control combined with an extensive knowledge of human nature; he had early learned the lesson that the art of governing others consists in the ability to govern oneself, at all times and under all circumstances. Moreover, he was a born teacher, a mem- ber of that noble race of pedagogues now nearly extinct, for whom the mod- ern methods of teacher-making no longer find a place. In early life Mr. Williams had studied law, and afterwards, not being willing, as he expressed it, to make a living out of other people's quarrels, he pursued an extensive course in medicine. His training in the latter afterwards proved of great value to him when called upon to give instruction in the various branches of natural science, in which he became a highly successful teacher. More- over his predilections were strongly in favor of the new field of work and the possibilities it seemed to offer for carrying out some long cherished ideas. He had long considered the desirability of combining literary and scientific

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education with an inculcation of the doctrines of the New Church, believing that education is worse than useless unless it elevates and purifies the affec- tions and leads to a pure life. Such should be the aim of all systems of education.

It was deemed best that Mr. Williams should close his academy at Day- ton at once and begin the educational work at Urbana as a preliminary to the organization of classes in the college. Accordingly he removed his family to Urbana in the summer of 1850 and engaged suitable rooms in the town for his school, as but little progress had yet been made in the construction of the university buildings. These rooms were located in the Glenn building, on the southwest corner of the public square. and were convenient and readily accessible to pupils from all parts of the town. The following year the school was removed to the northeast corner of Scioto and Locust streets. With Williams came a number of families from Dayton and Cincinnati who desired. to have their children continue to receive the benefit of Professor Williams's instruction.

On the opening day, early in September, 1850, the room was over- crowded with applicants for admission. It was found necessary to employ an assistant teacher at once, and Charlotte Hoadley was engaged to take charge of the girls' department. She was afterwards succeeded by Caroline Cartheart. The school was continued in the Glenn building until the fall of 1853, when it was removed to the college building, and the classes merged into those of the university. There was a board of trustees, five in number, selected at large from the prominent men of the community, among these being Joshua Saxton.

CONSTRUCTION OF COLLEGE BUILDING.

In the meantime, funds had been generously donated for the proposed building. An architect had already submitted plans for a building which seemed to have met Colonel James's requirements that "the building should be substantial, plain, and of handsome proportions, without ambitious dis- play." A deep interest in the enterprise was taken by the citizens of Urbana, as manifested by their liberal donations to the building committee. Those who did not feel able to give money contributed materials for construction. Merchants contributed of their goods and workmen of their labor. Among the subscriptions appear stoves, dry goods, hardware, queensware, lumber, printing, and carpenter work. June 19, 1851, the cornerstone was laid with appropriate ceremonies. All New Church brethren will recognize the appro-

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priateness of this day, the 19th of June, for the foundation of a New Church University. This building, now known as "Bailey Hall," was completed and ready for occupation in the fall of 1853.

While the work of the construction of the college building was yet in progress, a special committee selected by the board of trustees, was maturing a plan of educational work for the future university. This was presented at the next annual meeting in July, 1852, and unanimously approved. The scheme thus adopted challenges admiration both from its simplicity and com- prehensiveness. It comprised three general departments of instruction, name- ly: Philosophy, science, and language, in the order named. The department of philosophy was to include philosophy as taught in the doctrines of the "True Christian Religion" involving mental and moral philosophy, logic, rhetoric, elocution, and also the science of correspondence. The department of science to include pure and mixed mathematics and the natural sciences, and the department of language to include ancient and modern languages. One professor was to be appointed as the head of each of these departments as soon as means should be available for his support, and other professors and instructors were to be added in each department as soon as it would be found expedient and necessary. The chair of science was at once filled by the appointment of Prof. Milo G. Williams, and the chair of language, after being declined by Rev. Chauncey Giles and Rev. S. F. Dike, was finally accepted by the Rev. Joseph Jenks.

EARLY ATTENDANCE.

The first annual catalogue shows an attendance of ninety-eight students and pupils of both sexes, and the first annual commencement was duly cele- brated on the 19th day of June, 1854, the exercises consisted of orations, essays and declamations remarked by the pupils of the preparatory grades, no college classes being formed until the following year. On this occasion also the formal installment of Prof. Charles W. Cathcart as professor of mathematics took place. At the succeeding commencement in 1855, Professor Jenks having resigned, J. F. Leonhard Tafel, Ph. D., was installed in the department of language, and the chair of philosophy was for the first time filled by the installation of Rev. James Park Stuart, thus completing the orig- inal plan of instruction. Doctor Tafel was of German birth and education, having received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Tubigen at the age of twenty-three. He was thoroughly conversant with the classic, oriental and modern languages, and published a number of text books

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in the latter. As an educator he was an innovator, introducing a new system of teaching both modern and ancient languages by the natural method. In his inaugural oration delivered in Latin, Professor Tafel described the usual methods in vogue of teaching the ancient and modern languages and briefly described the main features of the new method showing wherein it principally differs from the old.

The Rev. James Park Stuart, now made the head of the department, had received the appointment at the opening of the university, but was prevented by other engagements from accepting it. It was he who first proposed the plan of establishing a college at Urbana, and he was indefatigable in his efforts to place it upon a firm foundation. A man of broad culture, a pro- found scholar, thoroughly imbued with the philosophical spirit and posses- sor of an exhaustive knowledge of the philosophy of the church, Mr. Stuart was eminently qualified for the duties he now assumed. He remained with the college until its temporary suspension at the outbreak of the rebellion, and afterward engaged in ministerial and editorial work, being editor of the New Church Messenger after its removal to New York. Mr. Stuart wielded a ready pen and his contributions to the magazines and periodicals of the church were frequent and able.

In 1856 the faculty was further augmented by the appointment of Henry Thayer Niles, A. M., as professor of Greek and rhetoric. Mr. Niles at his installation delivered an oration upon the study of the classics which was described as "a forcible and original address," in which he drew a comparison between the relative merits of the higher mathematics and the classics for the purposes of mental stimulus and discipline, giving the preference to the latter on the ground of their adaptability to every grade and caliber of mind. and therefore sufficient per se for all. Mr. Niles retained his professorship for three years, and afterwards served many years upon the board of trustees.

At the following commencement John C. Ager received the appoint- ment of tutor of Latin and Greek. Ager had been educated in the univer- sity, having received his degree with the class of 1858. Two years later Ager was appointed professor of English literature and philosophy, holding the position until the suspension of the college at the outbreak of the Civil War.

From the opening of the University until the year 1860, the preparatory school and the school for girls was presided over by Caroline Wenerell, who was a graduate of the University. The department of music was ably con- ducted by Prof. John Canby, through whose efforts a building was erected in the town for a music hall. This hall afterward became the house of wor-

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ship of the New Church society, and when the beautiful stone structure, now occupied by the society, was built upon the same site, the old hall was removed to the rear of the church lot, raised, and a lower story built beneath it for the primary department of the college. The original hall was again dedicated, under the name of Lyceum Hall, to purposes of music, and was occupied for many years by the Urbana Choral Society.

FIRST GRADUATING EXERCISES.

In the year 1857 were held the first graduating exercises of the univer- sity, when three young men and one young woman received their first degrees. The exercises described in the journals of the day were highly interesting and largely attended. By a happy coincidence the centennial anniversary of the church was being celebrated in Cincinnati, and many of those in attendance seized the opportunity to be present on so important an occasion in the life of the young university. Many representative men in the church from all parts of the country were present, among others the Rev. Dr. Thomas Wor- cester. Altogether it was a notable delegation. The annual oration was delivered by John Westall and the charge to the graduates by the Rev. Chauncey Giles. A bountiful collation served by the ladies of Urbana on the college campus was not the least enjoyable feature of the occasion. The succeeding year there was an increased attendance of pupils, and at the annual commencement there was a graduating class of nine. In the third year one hundred and twenty-eight pupils were enrolled.

In the year 1858 the Rev. Chauncey Giles was elected president of the university. holding the office nominally until 1870. Mr. Giles continued his ministerial work in Cincinnati, and was never charged with any teaching of classes. Up to the date of Mr. Giles' appointment, Prof. Milo G. Williams had filled the office of dean of the faculty and president of the board of trus- tees, having declined to accept the title of president of the college, which had been tendered to him, modestly contending that he did not consider himself endowed with the qualifications which should be possessed by a college presi- dent. Professor Williams remained more or less actively connected with the college as an instructor in various departments of natural science until the year 1870. During this period, in addition to his class room duties, he made valuable contributions to science, more especially in the departments of bot- any, conchology and meteorology. The plants growing in the vicinity were thoroughly studied and a large herbarium was formed of the specimens col- lected and placed in the college museum. His collection of the fresh water

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mollusca of the Ohio river and its tributaries contains representatives of nearly all of the known species. For fifty years he made daily observations of the temperature, direction and force of the winds, humidity of the atmos- phere and barometric pressure. Many of these observations were published by the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, and constitute some of the earliest contributions to the science of meterology, anticipating the present work of the signal service bureau. At the time of Mr. Williams' death, which occurred at Urbana in the year 1880, the chief signal officer, General Meyer, showed his high appreciation of Mr. Williams's services to meteor- ology in a letter expressing the great value and importance of these services. L'p to the time of his death Mr. Williams remained a trustee of the college and took an active interest in its affairs.

DARK DAYS WERE APPROACHING.

The seven years following the opening of the college had been marked with prosperity, but the dark days were approaching which were to threaten the life of the institution and bring disaster throughout the land. On the outbreak of the Civil War so many of the students left, either to take part in the struggle, or because of financial distress, that it was found necessary tem- porarily to close the institution. The preparatory department was reopened the following year under the charge of Rev. Charles Hardon and Reverend Bartels, and was continued two years, when it was suspended. In the year 1866, the preparatory schools were again reopened under the direction of Prof. Alonzo Phelps, who with several assistants, remained in charge until 1868, when he was succeeded by Julius Herrick. In 1869 the board of trus- tees were successful in making satisfactory arrangements for the reorganiza- tion of the college. The assistant teachers and instructors who served at different times during this period were Rachel Farnham, principal of the girls' department. and Eleanor Eckstein. Miss Farnham was succeeded by Hannah G. Phinney. During the administration of Herrick, Bradford Farn- ham, James Dike and Theodora W. Howells were employed as instructors.

BASIS OF ENDOWMENT FUND.

In a letter addressed to the board of trustees under date of March 11, 1852, David Wilson, of Cincinnati, signified his intention of donating nine thousand dollars to the university, "the interest of said sum to be used toward the payment of a professor in said university to be appointed by its

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board of trustees and under their control." This was the first considerable donation to the endowment of the university and may be considered as form- ing the basis of the present general fund, former contributions having been for the purpose of constructing buildings, the purchase of apparatus, and other necessary equipments. The interest of this donation is now, by a vote of the trustees, applied to the support of the classical professorship which is known as the "Wilson Professorship of Latin and Greek." A further dona- tion of one thousand dollars was also made by Mr. Wilson for a scholarship, "the interest of which is to be applied for the support of some indigent and worthy person in the institution, and this money is to be appropriated at the discretion of the board of trustees of the university." This fund is known as the Wilson Sustaining Fund.

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History of Champaign County, Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I, Part 55

Author: Middleton, Evan P., editor Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1196

Author: Middleton, Evan P., editor
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1196