History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I, Part 54

Author:
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1162

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* His influ- ence in the musical education of the city was widespread. It has been well said : 'His passion for the best things in his art has been communicated to the University life, and has made us familiar with the best products of con- secrated genius.' " There were touching evidences of the fact that he "had won the warmest place in the hearts of all cultivated people of the city."

Director J. L. Erb came at once in 1905 from a recognized position in New York and has proved in every way worthy of his eminent predecessors. In speaking and writing (he has written a life of the celebrated German mu- sician-Brahms), in the art of composition and in that of conducting

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he has proven equal to all the demands of the position. The department grows in character as in numbers. The Conservatory is well adapted to its uses and the outlook is promising.

Along with these talented directors the department has enjoyed the services of many instructors of rare gifts. In piano-teaching mention must especially be made of Miss Mary T. Glenn (1898-1904), of Mr. Carey E. McAfee ( 1895-98) and of Miss Edna B. Riggs-since 1901-made adjunct professor in 1907. In vocal instruction we were privileged in the rare voice and fine method of Mrs. Minnie L. (Carrothers) McDonald ( 1891-1901), in the admirable work of Mrs. Francis E. (Glenn) Brewer ( 1901-4), as in that of Miss Miller and Mrs. Wilson (of Columbus) for shorter periods. Under Mr. Harrold Hutchins the vocal outlook is now better than for some years. The violin-a department of instrumental music we would gladly have enlarged-has known the brilliant touch of Miss Anna M. Hunt ( 1893-5) and the rare talent of the virtuoso Mrs. Caroline ( Harter) Wil- liams, and the sound instruction of Mr. George F. Schwartz, now presid- ing successfully over a large department of music in the West. Carl Duer- ringer, the present teacher, is both proficient as a performer and diligent as a teacher. It is hoped that a small orchestra can now be formed.

The epochs in the growth of the department have been the inauguration of the larger chorus work and the enlargement of "Old Music Hall" under the first director, for which the credit is due to Dr. O. A. Hills. Then came the first organ (1894-5). Then a degree, Bachelor of Music, was granted the graduates (but that was abandoned in 1899). Various extensions and modifications of the course were made and hymnology introduced as a subject of study. The Conservatory was fitted up and occupied, and then, after the fire, came the great organ in Memorial Chapel. Artists' recitals have been given, which have brought before the student-body and the com- munity some of the most distinguished soloists and lecturers of the country. Glee clubs for men and for women receive constant attention. There is also a University band, which has been maintained with greater interest since the gift of a superb set of instruments by Mr. H. C. Frick. The department is now fairly abreast, in its personnel and equipment, of its original ideal. It remains for the University's constituency to give it sufficient patronage and it will soon equal any similar department in an educational institution. Nothing more would be needed to establish that conclusion than to know what underlies the following (partial) list of special talent found in the graduate list : Miss Florida ( Parsons) Stevens (now teacher and piano-virtuoso of Chicago) 1889; Mrs. Ida (Speer) Coan (1884) : D. F. Conrad ( 1886) ;

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Miss Alice M. Firestone (piano, '87, organ. '05) ; Miss Bessie Merz (now teaching in New York) 1887; Emmanuel C. Zartman (now presiding over the department of music at Tiffin, Ohio) ; Miss Anna E. Hunt (piano and violin, '88) ; Benjamin Welty (1890-head of a department in the West) ; Carey E. McAfee and Reno Meyer (classmates 1891) ; Miss Elizabeth R. Speer ( 1892) ; Miss Mary Elizabeth Beer (now one of the world's best con- traltos) 1898; Miss Josephine Cook (1899) ; Miss Regina Barnes ( 1904) : Miss Ora M. Redett, 1906; Miss Dessa Brown ( 1908), with Messrs Hart and Keim, recent tenors. Perhaps the most talented of all has been just lost to the world, in which he promised to be among the most eminent pianists, by sudden death-Ralph E. Plumer (organ, 1905, piano, 1906, collegiate. 1906). In the near future it is to be hoped that this department, which can be made more useful in many ways, may share in the large endowments which seem to be coming to the University.

6. The homes for missionaries and their children deserve an honored place in this record. The crying need for such homes as would offer shelter and care and education to the children of missionaries, both of whose parents remained at work in the foreign field, was first emphasized by the Rev. Dr. Wherry. who was marooned at Chicago by the care of his family for some of the years which he well knew might be most fruitful for the great work he had been compelled to leave in India. Application being made to Mrs. William Thaw, of Pittsburg, for aid in establishing such homes elsewhere, she saw at once the propriety, the satisfaction to those on the firing line. and the true economy of the proposal for the church in the home land. Prefer- ences already established for this University, because of its declared Christian ideals, its distinctly denominational character, its central position and the lower cost of living which prevailed here, determined her to make a propo- sition conditioned upon the location at Wooster. The board of trustees passed the following minutes in June, 1892: "The board recognizes with great satisfaction the action of the executive committee in consenting to the condition on which the proposal of Mrs. William Thaw (that generous friend of the University and of missions) has been made, viz., to give five thousand dollars to provide two homes for the children of foreign missionaries at Wooster, fifteen thousand dollars to be raised in addition, and to give five hundred dollars annually for five years to support the work, one thousand five hundred dollars being also to be provided yearly for this purpose. To the pledge of free tuition to the children in these homes the board freely consents." The properties cost, with the necessary additions and modifica- tions, over thirty thousand dollars. Some contributions must still be made

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in the way of maintenance. "Each child cost the Homes, for maintenance alone," says the report of last year, "four dollars and forty-four cents per week, while the amount received per week for each child's board and home privileges is three dollars, twenty-seven and one-half cents. This weekly deficit was met by interest on endowment funds [the endowment is small] and by contributions from friends. The fiscal year closed without a debt."

The inmates of these homes are in all stages of education from primary grades to university seniors. The Westminster family (for girls and very young boys) represented last year "thirteen different homes and nine dif- ferent countries." In the Livingstone home were "nine college men, eight preparatory boys and three little boys in grammar grades." It is evident at a glance, without and within, that these homes mean comfort and kindly care, tempered with only such control as is necessary for the safeguarding of mutual interest and happiness. The health record is most gratifying. Not a single death at either of the homes has occurred among the one hundred and fifty who have been sheltered in them since 1893. The whole history of these seventeen years has been one of blessing, and many grateful as well as anxious hearts are turned toward these homes from the ends of the earth. They are not local institutions. They are the property of our whole de- nomination through its Board of Foreign Missions and they are its only property serving this noble purpose. The University redeems its pledge of free tuition and the church in general is providing slowly sufficient perma- nent scholarships to enable the institution to meet this expenditure. Main- tenance of the homes is an entirely separate matter. "No money given to the University goes to the maintenance of the homes, or vice versa." The best evidence of the divine pleasure in this enterprise is found in the number of these sons and daughters of missionaries who have returned or are pre- paring to return to foreign fields, and generally to that one in which they were born. These homes mean much to those for whom inevitable separa- tion from their children must always prove one of the sharpest trials asso- ciated with their obedience to the "great commission."

Congenial to the work just considered, and as a kind of sequent, there has arisen a desire to provide for missionaries on furlough so that their years of reinvigoration might be spent with their families about them in the locality in which their children were being educated. The first of these comfortable houses given to meet this need was presented by Mrs. Samuel Mather, of Cleveland, and bears the name of the "Julia Gleason Home," in memory of the donor's venerated mother. Mrs. Mather's unexpected death last year was recorded with sincerest grief by the board of trustees in a minute em- phasizing "its profound appreciation of her beautiful character. her many

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and generous sacrifices for this institution and her sincere loyalty to every- thing it represents. * * * She was like her blessed Master. * * * We cherish her memory as sacred." L. H. Severance, in his recent journey through the Orient, had occasion to notice yet more carefully than before the "anxiety of the missionaries about to leave for America on furlough" and was moved to provide two additional dwellings for the special purpose of allaying that anxiety. One of them is called the "Juliana Long Home," after his grand- mother, the wife of Cleveland's earliest physician. The other is named for Mrs. Sarah C. Adams, "the first lady missionary sent out by the Presbyterian church in Cleveland." Other dwellings will the more certainly be provided because a noble woman has purchased the requisite site for two or more and has conveyed it to the University to await the building thereon by some one who shared the purchaser's enthusiasm.

It is scarcely necessary to add that most of the pressure toward the provisions just noted exists in full force for home missionaries and their children. The University asks respectfully the same for each and more for both.

7. The Florence H. Severance Bible and Missionary Training School was opened September 16, 1903. It was appropriate that such a school should find its proper attachment to the Wooster stem, for in June, 1871, at the close, that is, of the University's first year, the board of trustees solemnly recog- nized the endowment of a chair of Biblical instruction according to a wish expressed and through means furnished in the will of Boyd J. Mercer, of Mansfield, Ohio. And so, early as 1873, it was resolved that a missionary professor should be elected "provided means could be raised to meet the expense, before the next meeting of the board." When Mr. Louis H. Sever- ance introduced the proposal it was immediately resolved that "such a school was needed and that preparations for opening this fall" should be made-if the expense could be met. That was settled by the offer of the same generous friend to provide for the salaries of two professors for five years. In June. 1908, in a letter to the board of deep thoughtfulness and earnestness Mr. Severance requested that one hundred thousand dollars of the one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars he had just contributed to the University should be set apart for this school and that any surplus above expenses should become a part of the principal until the total sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars should be reached. Mr. Severance expressed the conviction that the best way to bring about world-wide evangelization was "to strengthen Christian education to mould the ruling minds for successive generations." "This work," he continues, is fundamental to the life and work of the church. In this spirit this college was founded. It is a rare privilege to build on such a

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foundation and to aid in carrying out the purposes of the first board of trus- tees." Announcing his conviction that the only hope of those who sit in dark- ness "is to hear the gospel from the lips of those that know the Word and are striving faithfully to live it," he could not but see that "young men and women of our Christian colleges are needed as preachers, teachers, evangelists, lay- workers and kindergarten leaders more than ever before." "That such young men and women may be properly trained for this work in surroundings and at- mosphere meet for such service, and that the work may go on for all time and be left to no uncertainty, I donate to you the sum of one hundred thousand dol- lars for the purpose of establishing, in loving memory of my wife, Mrs. Flor- ence H. Severance, a permanent endowment fund for the Florence H. Sever- ance Bible and Missionary Training School-a department in the University of Wooster." The trust is being carefully administered by able men. Its effect is not confined to those who are exclusively connected with this department. Its varied and attractive courses are elected by numbers of regular collegiate students, and thus the influence of Bible study and mission experience, joined with study of fundamental truth and ingenious methods, gains larger power constantly. "The infiltration of distinctly religious material into liberal edu- cation at Wooster is in consequence much greater than seen in other Christian colleges. This influence is further extended by the co-operation of other departments." (Nolan R. Best, Interior, May 19, '10). The work of the de- partment appeals to at least seven different classes, "(I) Those who expect to become foreign missionaries; (2) those who design to be pastors' helpers in the larger cities; (3) those who intend any kind of city mission work; (4) those who look forward to being lay missionaries in the home field: (5) those who desire increased usefulness in any chosen sphere of activity; (6) those contemplating work in Y. M. C. A. or Y. W. C. A. associations ; and (7) students from foreign-speaking communities." All the resources of the university, so far as they can aid this work, may be freely drawn upon. and its benefits are diffusive throughout the whole university community. Those who have the work in charge are specially fitted for every phase of it by home and foreign study and experience. The department would take us deeper into the religious consciousness and progress of our race and kindle sympathy with all religions, while accenting the infinite superiority of the Christian system and of God's holy word.

X. MISCELLANY.

Under this general term there must be grouped, with brief notices of each, many matters intimately connected with the internal life of the mini-

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versity. As largely independent of each other, it will matter little in what order they are presented.

I. The conferment of honorary degrees has been in the past ( especially in America) a much-abused college function. Judging by observation and knowing something of the number of candidates who are pressed upon boards of trustees, and of the motives of various kinds which facilitate the distribu- tion of these titular ornaments, one is disposed to reckon the position of our university as rather conservative. Including 1909, there have been one hun- dred fifty-five degrees of Doctor of Divinity ; forty-five have been accorded the Doctor of Laws; twenty-three have received the Doctor of Philoso- phy ; twenty the Master of Arts and five others have been recognized each by a little used degree. The total is two hundred forty-eight. The clergy have profited (if it has been a profit ) by more than half. I have heard of no declin- atures save one. Looking over the printed list one cannot but note the many really eminent men who, like good wine, needed "no bush," and the number of excellent and useful men whom no title could make eminent but who will incon- testably have won at the great assize the plaudit. "Well done." In 1898 a committee of the board expressed its opinion concerning the faculty commenda- tion (a prerequisite according to the law of the university ) that "we are in danger of quite too freely distributing honorary degrees." Later a rule has been made requiring statements by the faculty as well as nominations and that notification of the nominations must be made at the February meeting of the board preceding the June meeting at which degrees are usually conferred. This encourages the hope of the writer, and of the negligeable number of those who hold similar opinions, that the flagrant evil of honorary degrees, though it be now the age-long practice of the educational world, will be gradually restricted to those who have no need of it and so disappear.

2. Interesting as other evidences of intellectual activity and moral char- acter in a student body may be, wise observers will attach great significance to the college publications, especially those managed mainly or wholly by students. In this respect our university must be acknowledged to have shown enterprise in the series reaching through The Collegian (published by the literary socie- ties ) ; the great blanket-sheet commencement editions ( so full of fine character- istic material for detailed history ) ; The Voice, early among college weeklies : The Christian College and The Wooster Quarterly, together with the annual Index. Two of these publications were sustained by faculty and alumni, as the Quarterly still is. Kindly co-operation of faculty and student organiza- tions created a weekly journal ( The Voice) invaluable to those who wish to keep in touch with the college life. The Quarterly is indispensable as an in-

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dex of the higher literary work of our graduates and by its ever-fresh "Round- Table," at which increasing numbers are coming to be guests. Much is yet before us in the development of the real, but largely latent, power of students, faculty and alumni in creditable literary work.

3. On the question of commencement exercises the institution has stood stanchly by the just conception that the graduating class should form the centre of interest. That day is their day and not to be given away to any adventitious aid from without. The men and women who have been receiving the training of the whole plexus of college forces are the specimens of handi- work worth exhibiting. As the classes grew larger-and as early as 1877-the faculty was requested by the board to restrict the speaking to not over twelve persons and to select these according to scholarship. Variety has been intro- duced but all the class graduating must prepare orations and the questions of how many shall speak and how they are to be selected are variously disposed of as they occur. The blanket-sheets referred to, preserve so much of the real life of the university as expressed at the great occasion of the year, that it seems a pity they could not have been preserved and bound in order. In reviewing carefully many of them I have found much to admire in the subjects chosen, the treatment given them, the constant evidence of wide-awakedness on the substantial issues of the time and even in the innocent prodding of the prophets and the affectionate (?) advice of the retiring (?) seniors to the juniors whom they affected to believe were patterns of all they ought not to be. As for stingless and good-natured college pasquinades, I would say again that I have seen many a youth ripen under them as a good apple under the sun-not even omitting the blushes.

4. Training in the fine art of expression has arrived at Wooster, dis- placing the imperfect and largely artificial thing known as elocution. There has been constant progress in this direction. J. C. Sharpe (Wooster, '83) was efficient. Byron King and Claude Davis and Miss De Voe and Chambers and Strong and Dresser did good work. But the present incumbent. Delbert E. Lean, has a university professorship to fill instead of a precarious living to make by private pupils, as was so often previously the case. The better posi- tion gives the work a broader basis. Training for forensic work of all kinds is carried forward and results are seen in the local and general contests, and especially in the vigor and power of the debating teams. Throughout the forty years Wooster has held an honorable position in oratory and just now seems with the successful debates and the winning work of our remarkably intelligent and able Chinaman P. W. Kuo, to be on the top of the wave.

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5. Naturally connected with public speaking comes into view the place and power of the literary societies. Testimonies of highest character by most distinguished men (James Blaine, for example) give them highest rank in prac- tical preparation for life's work. They stimulate and develop the independent activities of students ; they bring out talent and exhibit character ; they teach poise and self-control; they sharpen the forensic faculties and help to discern fallacies and to find the joints in an opponent's harness; they prepare for in- fluence in all deliberative assemblies by knowledge of parliamentary law ; they are great schools for mutual esteem and fine demonstrators of the democracy of talent. It is a wonder and a disappointment when any hindrance to supreme interest in their work arises. Yet Wooster has seen a very special early de- velopment in this direction yield to periods of comparative indifference and partial neglect. I regret that space cannot be afforded for a careful review of the early planting and successful operation of the odd and hardly under- stood "Alpha," with the permanent Athenaean and Irving and Willard. the Lowell and Lincoln, and the later Castalian and Orio. In all of them good work has been done; but it remains true that still better work, and that by larger numbers, may yet be done. At present writing there seems to be a dis- tinct revival of interest, and at the same time a considerable energy expended in clubs with a literary purpose, together with "Congressional," of a political cast, and the "Peace Association," with its wide affiliations and humane im- pulses. Details cannot be given, but the outlook is encouraging along the whole line. The president's report to the synod of 1909 indicates the faculty's deep interest in the work of these societies: "In order to foster their work, Friday evening has been exclusively reserved for them. The membership of these organizations consists of one hundred ten men and one hundred eight women."

6. The system of prizes and honors is closely related to the literary life of the university. This is not the place for a mature study of the problem which such a system presents in either its intellectual or ethical relationship. But it may well be questioned whether all forms of competition are not injuri- ous and all forms of co-operation helpful toward the true social ideals. That the higher motives should rule in education in view of their character-reveal- ing and character-making power, it seems a truism to observe. In a Christian college it would seem that all true ideals should rule and that is tantamount to . saying that delight in learning for itself ; experience and power gained in study and in communicating the resulting acquirements; the honor from without which comes from having done well; the honor from within with which con- science crowns those who have done their best : the value of every exact fact

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as a thought of God and a boon to our race; and the supreme satisfaction of having done all worth doing under the Master's eye, ought to be found suffi- cient to arouse the mind, to fix the attention, to stir the emotions and to de- termine the will to serious and continued endeavor. The last of these great motives or intellectual exertion might well be held first and foremost in all institutions which bear the Christian name. The time must come, if Christ's kingdom is to come, when

"Only the Master shall praise and only the Master shall blame. And no one shall work for money, and no one shall work for fame : But each for the joy of the working and each in his separate star,

Shall draw the thing as he sees it, for the God of things as they are."

Must we not have a care lest by including the lower motives we dim the power of the higher, and open the way for the construction of inferior char- acter.

However this may be, the historian must record the fact that here, too, Wooster has been conservative. Neither honors nor prizes are pushed strong- ly to the front, though both exist. They have existed in one form or another from the opening years. Commencement honors have sometimes reached the. number of six, though now there remain but two. "Summa cum laude," "Magna cum laude" and "Cum laude" are still distributed. Prizes were offered for the early society contests. In 1875 the graduating class established the Jun- ior Oratorical prize. In 1876 the two prize scholarships for Sophomore profi- ciency were established on a foundation provided by Doctor Taylor. The "trustee prizes" were continued for many years by annual contributions from members of the board and were distributed to those who came out of the preparatory department to enter the freshman class, with the highest grades. The best scholar in approved high schools may now receive a scholarship. There is the annual prize of the Oratorical Association ; and that of the Peace Association, with the new Fackler prize for debating and a prize system in the summer school. As yet no fellowships have been established to be ad- ministered upon a competitive basis.

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History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I, Part 54

Author: Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1162

Author:
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1162