USA > Ohio > Ross County > Chillicothe > Ohio centennial anniversary celebration at Chillicothe, May 20-21, 1903 : under the auspices of the Ohio State Archaelogical and Historical Society : complete proceedings > Part 43
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18. BUCHTEL COLLEGE, AKRON, SUMMIT COUNTY, FOUNDED 1870.
The Ohio State Convention of Universalists in 1867 adopted a report looking to the founding of a seminary. In 1868 a report was unanimously adopted to establish an academy. In 1869 the action was reconsidered and a movement to organize a college authorized. The board of the convention and the committee on education in joint session in Columbus, February 16, 1870, fixed the location at Akron, provided the sum of $60,000 was legally secured to the convention. May 31, 1870,
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the report was made that the money had been secured. After the necessary preliminary steps had been taken, Buchtel Col- lege, named in honor of Hon. John R. Buchtel, whose gen- erous gifts had made the college possible, was incorporated. The organization provided that the original incorporators should elect a board of eighteen trustees, five of whom should always be residents of Summit County, and that after the first elec- tion of trustees the Ohio State Convention of Universalists should annually nominate at least fifteen persons, from whom the acting trustees should fill vacancies. The board at present consists of eighteen members in three classes, elected for the term of three years.
Upon completing the organization steps were taken for the erection of a suitable building and the cornerstone was laid July 4, 1871, the principal address being delivered by Horace Greeley. On September 22, 1872, Rev. S. H. McCallister was inaugurated the first president and the college opened with an enrollment in all departments for the year of 217. From the beginning Buchtel has been a co-educational institution and experience has produced no substantial argument for abandon- ing the practice. The college maintains collegiate and academic departments with a school of music and a school of art.
Hon. John R. Buchtel repeatedly expressed his faith in the college by large gifts of money and real estate. Other friends have followed in his course generously. The college announces six endowed professorships, fifty-two perpetual scholarships and other memorial funds. In 1889 the college suffered severe loss by fire, but new and more modern buildings soon replaced the old ones. The college now has six buildings and is well equipped for collegiate instruction.
19 WILMINGTON COLLEGE, WILMINGTON, CLINTON COUNTY, FOUNDED 1870.
Wilmington College was the outgrowth of a movement to establish a college at Tuppers Plains, Meigs County, to be known as Franklin College, which was afterward removed to Wilmington. The meeting to establish Franklin College in Meigs County was in January, 1863, where a constitution was
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drafted. In 1863 Franklin College was incorporated under the auspices of gentlemen representing the Christian denomination. In 1865 a proposal to remove the college to Wilmington was received from certain citizens of that place in which a suitable building was promised. The offer was accepted. In Febru- ary, 1866, the present site of Wilmington College was pur- chased for the sum of $3,881.25. By the following December the building was so near completion that plans were made for opening the school. The Garvin brothers took charge, looking to receipts from tuition alone for compensation. The school continued with reasonable success until 1868, when the man- agers, unable to complete the building, were obliged to let it go to sale to meet the indebtedness.
At this point some friends of the Center Quarterly Meet- ing having been interested in the movement, proposed to pur- chase the property and establish a college under the manage- ment of the three quarterly meetings, constituting the Wilming- ton Yearly Meeting. This resulted in the purchase of the property, the repair of the buildings and the appointment of three trustees by each of the three quarterly meetings, viz .: Fairfield, Center and Miami, and a board of managers of six from each of the above quarterly meetings. The board of managers were to have charge under the direction of the quar- terly meetings, and have power to employ teachers and have general oversight of the school. At the same time the name was changed to Wilmington College. Under this management the building was completed and the school opened April IIth, 1871, under the leadership of Lewis A. Estes. The first year 148 students were enrolled. The college was incorporated in 1875.
At present the college is under the government of the board of managers and the board of trustees as a joint board of control. Although Wilmington Yearly Meeting has no legal relation, nevertheless the reports of the college are read and the interests considered at the annual meeting, which gives its cordial support to the enterprise. The college is free from debt and has accumulated some endowment.
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20. RIO GRANDE COLLEGE, RIO GRANDE, GALLIA COUNTY, FOUNDED 1876.
This institution owes its existence to the benevolence of Mr. Nehemiah Atwood and his wife, Parmelia Atwood. These people married in 1819, spent their entire lives in the vicinity of the college which they established. After becoming iden- tified with the Free Will Baptist Church and interested in the church enterprises the thought of giving their fortune to found a college for the church became increasingly attractive. Being without children, both felt that an opportunity was before them to perpetuate the usefulness of what they had accumulated. Mr. Atwood's death occurred in December, 1869, before the plans had been matured. Mrs. Atwood, however, did not desert the plan, but developed it. A campus was selected and the first building was erected at a cost of about $17,000.00.
On November 1, 1875, a meeting was held at Gallipolis for the purpose of legal organization. In the articles adopted they declare their belief "that a sound education, based upon Christian principles and ethics, is necessary to the development and support of our religious institutions and the present and future welfare of our race," and resolve "to establish an in- stitution of learning at Rio Grande, in Gallia County and State of Ohio, and having received pledges from Mrs. Parmelia Wood to the amount of over $50,000 and the positive payment of over $20,000 from the same party, do hereby adopt the fol- lowing articles of association." Another article declared the college was founded "to promote Christian education" and to give under Christian influence a scientific, literary and clas- sical education. The charter requires that two-thirds of the members of the board of trustees shall be members of the Free Will Baptist Church and forbids any change in the consti- tution that would alter its denominational control. The college has full denominational recognition and standing, having been en- dorsed by the Ohio River Yearly Meeting and by the Free Communion Baptist Association of Ohio. After the adoption of the articles referred to above the college was incorporated.
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Finding that a dormitory was needed, Mrs. Wood (the widow had married Mr. Harrison Wood) provided a dormitory at an expense of $13,000, and during her life pledged herself to pay the salaries of instructors as they were needed. In her will, dated August 15, 1876, she gave her entire estate to the college as an endowment fund. Her death occurred March 9, 1885, when the institution came into possession of the estate.
The college was opened September 13, 1876. The attend- ance has never been large, averaging something more than one hundred. The constituency in the denomination not being large, it is not to be expected that attendance will greatly in- crease. Here as elsewhere, however, the college has had a large and beneficent influence upon the vicinity. Students who have served in important places have been discovered through the work of the college, that otherwise might have lived with- out the help or stimulus of education.
2I. ASHLAND UNIVERSITY, ASHLAND COUNTY, FOUNDED 1878.
The legal title of this institution is Ashland University,. although for some years the catalogue has been issued as of Ashland College, doubtless for the purpose of more accurately setting forth the work in which the institution is engaged. The college was founded by a denomination known as the German Baptist or Dunkard Church. There was not general agreement in the church as to the need of higher education and in 1881 there was a division in the denomination as the outgrowth of a dispute in the annual conference of 1881. Ashland College had been chartered in February, 1878. After the division one branch of the church came to the relief of the school and char- tered Ashland University in July, 1888. The government is by a board of twelve trustees, provision being made that Ash- land County shall have three members and any supporting con- ference in a state entitles the state to a representation on the board much after the plan of Wittenberg College.
Collegiate, preparatory, normal, commercial and musical de- partments are provided. The college was hindered in the be- ginning by adverse sentiment, but is now overcoming that and
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gives prospect of leading the church into increased activity. The attendance has reached about two hundred students. The fac- ulty in all departments numbers fourteen.
22. FINDLAY COLLEGE, FINDLAY, HANCOCK COUNTY, FOUNDED 1882.
Findlay College was organized by the Church of God and incorporated January 28, 1882. Its aim was to furnish educa- tion that should not be sectarian, but under the influences of the church to all irrespective of sex, race or color. In the earlier years the financial struggle was trying, but since 1897 the college has lived within its income and added to its en- dowment until it has reached $100,000, while the debt is merely nominal. The college has a faculty of sixteen members and maintains collegiate, preparatory, normal, musical, commercial, oratorical, art and theological departments. The ownership and control is in the church and exercised through a board of fifteen trustees. The location of the college is fortunate and it gives promise of large usefulness.
23. DEFIANCE COLLEGE, DEFIANCE COUNTY, FOUNDED 1884.
The legislature of Ohio chartered Defiance Female Sem- inary March 23, 1850. Articles of incorporation of Defiance College are filed in the office of the secretary of state under date of July 10, 1903. The catalogue of the College for 1901-02 is called the "Fourteenth Annual Announcement and Catalogue of Defiance College." It further states that it was chartered by the legislature of Ohio, March 23, 1850; that the buildings were erected in 1884; that reorganization took place in 1896. There is a board of five trustees. Fourteen persons constitute the faculty. The catalogue announces that the charter provides against anything of a sectarian character, but no announcement is made concerning the relation of the church to the college. It has been understood to be under the foster care of the de- nomination known as Christians. The organization includes classical, scientific, philosophical courses and schools of peda-
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gogy, commerce, shorthand, music, oratory, art, and theology .. The college announces twenty-five scholarships.
24. ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE, CLEVELAND, CUYAHOGA COUNTY, FOUNDED 1886.
St. Ignatius College, like St. Xavier's, is conducted by the- Fathers of the Society of Jesus. It was opened for scholars on September 6, 1886. The incorporation was December 29, 1890. The institution at this time offers only a classical course and some preparatory studies looking to the classical course. It is the. belief of the management as expressed in the catalogue of 1901- 1902, that "It has been found by long experience that this is the only course which harmoniously and fully develops all the fac- ulties of the mind, exercises the memory, cultivates a habit of reflecting, forms a correct taste and teaches the student the best: use of his powers." The course as provided, comprises Chris- tian doctrine, the Latin, Greek and English languages ; rhetoric, poetry, elocution and English literature ; mathematics, physics. and chemistry ; history and geography ; bookkeeping and penman- ship.
25. LIMA COLLEGE, LIMA, ALLEN COUNTY, FOUNDED 1893.
Lima College is an institution for the Christian education of young men and women. It was founded in 1893, when the cornerstone of the beautiful college building was laid, and has. since been in successful operation. Its curriculum, besides the. preparatory course of three years, offers a choice of four regular courses of study - the classical, the scientific, literary, and normal together with special courses in music, elocution and business. The college is under the control of "The Lima Lutheran Edu- cational Association," formed and incorporated under the laws of Ohio in 1889. The membership of the association consists. of pastors and laymen of Ohio, Indiana and Western Pennsylva- nia. The faculty consists of eleven members.
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26. CEDARVILLE COLLEGE, CEDARVILLE, GREENE COUNTY, FOUNDED 1894.
The late William Gibson, of Cincinnati, provided in his will that the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars should be given for the endowment of a college at Cedarville, Greene County, Ohio. In May, 1885, during the sessions of the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Rev. David Steele, D. D., LL. D., offered a resolution to found a literary institution of learning at Cedarville. This resolution was adopted. In January, 1887, the college was chartered by the state of Ohio. An effort to raise funds was made, and about ten thousand dollars subscribed. Little more was done until May, 1894, when the General Synod ·elected Rev. David Mckinney, D. D., of Cincinnati, the first president. In the following September the college was opened with its classes in the building formerly used by Rev. Hugh Mac- millan, D. D., as an academy. It began with thirty-seven students. During 1895 a commodious building was erected and dedicated by the General Synod in May, 1896. The students now number over one hundred. The graduates have already found place in pursuing advanced work in universities and in useful citizenship. Cedarville has started out as a denominational college with the avowed purpose of confining itself to the work of a small col- lege, and with the purpose of emphasizing the importance of Christianity in education. The denomination in the country is small but active, and the constituency of the college is largely from the church and the immediate vicinity. This is the only ·college of the denomination in America.
IV. THE CITY UNIVERSITY.
I. THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI, CINCINNATI, HAMILTON COUNTY, FOUNDED 1870.
The University of Cincinnati is unique among educational institutions in that it enjoys the distinction of being the only city university in the state. Although established by law as late as 1870, at least one of the colleges now incorporated by law with the university was organized as early as 1819. A char-
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ter for a university in Cincinnati was granted in 1818. Later, organizations were effected, and now these local movements have, in the main, been in some form consolidated with the University of Cincinnati. The university thus gathers up tradition and history united with present comprehensive plans, and looks to the future for the realization of long cherished desires. In car- rying these forward generously disposed citizens have contrib- uted toward buildings and equipment, and the city, as authorized by law, levies an annual tax for the support of the university in the same way it provides for the expenses of the public schools.
The history of the organization is substantially as follows : The general assembly of Ohio passed an act entitled "An act to enable cities of the first class to aid and promote education." This became a law April 16, 1870. On March 14, 1871, the com- mon council of Cincinnati passed an ordinance to provide for the university. The first section, which refers to the transfer of control and management, is as follows :
SEC. 1. Be it enacted, etc., That the board of directors established by the ordinance passed December 12, A. D., 1859, entitled "An ordinance to provide for the devise of Charles McMicken to the city of Cincinnati," are hereby authorized and directed to transfer and deliver over all the estate, property, funds and claims held or controlled by them, and all books and papers, relating to the same, to the board of directors estab- lished by said act, passed April 16, 1870, and elected by said common council, December, 1870, and the custody, management and entire ad- ministration and control thereof shall henceforth be entrusted to said last-mentioned board, subject to the provisions of the last will of the said Charles McMicken and of the act aforesaid.
Owing to some losses and shrinkage it became evident that the McMicken estate would not fully meet the conditions con- templated in the will. After a period of accumulation the city council appointed a committee to report as to the practicability of the union of the various educational trusts in Cincinnati - notably the Cincinnati College, the Mechanics' Institute and the McMicken University. This movement met with approval, and resulted in the passage of the act of April 16, 1870. Under the provisions of this act instruction was begun by the teachers of Woodward High School in September, 1873, and in 1874 the
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academic department was opened. In 1872 the Cincinnati As- tronomical Society, founded in 1842, surrendered its property to the city for the university. In June, 1895, steps were taken looking to a medical department, which resulted in bringing the Medical College of Ohio, founded in 1819, into organic relation to the university, and an act authorizing such relation was passed by the legislature of Ohio May 1, 1896. Next came the organi- zation of the department of law, and on June 14, 1897, the final terms of the contract were agreed to by which the Cincinnati Law School became a part of the university. Two other schools are affiliated with the university - the Clinical and Pathological School of the Cincinnati Hospital in 1887, and the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in 1888.
The appointment of trustees by the act of 1870 was vested in the city council with the provision that six should be appointed from persons nominated by the board of education. Some changes in the mode of appointment were made until in Febru- ary 18, 1892, an act was passed that provided for the appoint- ment "by the judge or judges of the Superior Court of such cities where the same have such a court; otherwise, by the judge or judges of the Common Pleas Court of the county in which such cities are located."
After twenty years of occupancy of the building on Mc- Micken avenue, it was found unsuitable for university purposes. It became necessary to remove if the purpose of the McMicken will was to be fulfilled. A petition was presented to the council, and authority given to remove to Burnet woods. The authority for such removal was a matter of doubt, and a friendly suit was instituted to determine the question. This resulted in a decision of the Circuit Court affirming the right of removal. This was affirmed by the Supreme Court in March, 1893. Thus the most important question was forever settled. On September 22, 1894, the cornerstone of McMicken Hall was laid, and the building was ready for use September, 1895. In 1895 Henry Hanna gave $50,000 for the erection of Hanna Hall for chemistry and civil engineering. In 1889 Mr. Briggs S. Cunningham erected Cun- ningham Hall for physics and biology at a cost of $60,000. In 1898 Asa Van Wormer gave $50,000 for the Van Wormer Li-
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brary. In 1901, through Hon. M. E. Ingalls, an anonymous ben- efactor gave $22,500 for the construction of a shop for the Col- lege of Engineering. Other benefactors have come forward with provision for needs. The endowment fund of $100,000 given by David Sinton is an encouraging fund. The property and endow- ment now represent substantially a million dollars, exclusive of the annual income. The government is by a board of eighteen directors appointed by the Superior Court, in six classes, for the term of six years. The mayor of the city is ex-officio a member of the board.
V. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED BY THE MORRILL ACT AND THE STATUTES OF OHIO.
I. THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, COLUMBUS, FRANKLIN COUNTY, FOUNDED 1870.
This institution differs from all other educational institu- tions of the state in a number of particulars. In the first place, unlike all others, it is not a corporation. Its trustees, seven in number, are appointed by the governor, for the term of seven years, and confirmed by the Senate. Their powers and duties are all prescribed by law. Among other limitations they may not in- cur an indebtedness except by the consent of the legislature and as provided for by law. The ownership of the property is vested in the state of Ohio. There are advantages and disadvantages in this method. It insures a conservative management and ex- penditure of funds. This is important to state institutions of all kinds. Inasmuch as all appropriations must be provided by the Legislature the university is held to a careful regard for the intelligent public opinion of the state. There being no corporate rights to be forfeited the Legislature might, at any time, change the character, alter the methods or entirely abolish the institu- tion. On the other hand, the limitations of the State University are such as to hinder it from meeting emergencies as they arise, or devising plans looking far into the future. There is a limit to the resources available from the state, and this limits as well what may be undertaken.
In origin the institution is unlike all others in the state, as will appear from the following sketch:
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What is now commonly known as the Morrill Act was a land grant made by the United States under an act approved by President Lincoln, July 2, 1862, which provided that there should be granted to each state an amount of public land equal to thirty thousand acres for each senator and representative to which the state was entitled by the apportionment of the census of 1860. The proceeds under this act were to constitute a perpetual fund, the capital of which was to remain forever undiminished, and the interest of the same was to be inviolably applied by each state which should take and claim the benefits of the act to the endow- ment, support and maintenance of at least one "college where the leading objects shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the me- chanic arts, in such a manner as the legislature of the states may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pur- suits and professions of life."
Under this law Ohio received in 1864 certificates of scrip for 630,000 acres after the legislature had formally accepted the conditions of the trust. The auditor of state, the treasurer of state and the secretary of state were made a commission to adver- tise for and receive proposals for the purchase of the scrip. The greater portion of the scrip sold at fifty-three cents an acre. The receipts amounted in all to $340,906.80. By law this became a part of the irreducible debt of the state, on which six per cent. interest is paid. As the school was not opened until 1873, the in- terest was from time to time added to the principal. In 1871 Congress gave to the state of Ohio all unpatented surveys within the Virginia Military District, and in 1872 the state gave these lands to the university. These lands have been sold from time to time, and the proceeds turned into the state treasury as part of the irreducible debt of the state, constituting an endowment fund for the university. This fund now amounts to something more than $550,000.
Governor Tod, in November, 1862, brought the subject of accepting the Morrill grant before the State Board of Agriculture, and later, to the attention, of the legislature. In January, 1864,
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Hon. Columbus Delano introduced a bill accepting it. This be- came a law February 9th, 1864, and pledged the faith of the state to the performance of all the conditions and provisions contained therein. In 1866 an act, introduced by Hon. J. T. Brooks, was passed, which provided for the establishment of the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, but the provisions were not carried into effect, and a second act, introduced by Hon. R. P. Cameron, was passed in 1870, entitled "An act to establish and maintain an Agricultural and Mechanical College in Ohio." Under the provisions of this act the institution was located in Columbus, and the board proceeded to the organization of the college and the election of a faculty of instruction, and the insti- tution was opened for the reception of students on the seven- teenth day of September, 1873.
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