USA > Ohio > Ohio's progressive sons; a history of the state; sketches of those who have helped to build up the commonwealth > Part 26
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The obvious advantages to the university are: I. Prestige. 2. Practical training of our students. 3. The sure increase of our collections. 4. It should extend the influence and usefulness of the university."
The selection of Sandusky as the location of the laboratory was due to a careful examina- tion of various points and the recognition by Prof. Kellicott of this situation as especially favorable. He says :
"I think it would be difficult, if not impossible to find, anywhere about the Great Lakes, a more suitable place for such a station than at some point near Sandusky. I may say that I spent the greater part of the time from June 23 to August 1, last, at Sandusky, Toledo and about the islands and found the whole region unsurpassed in richness of material and advan- tages for study."
His estimate for the facilities desired show a distinct appreciation of the necessities of a station devoted especially to research and used by a few individuals.
"The plant that I consider necessary for success in this undertaking may be briefly out- lined as follows : I. The main thing is a building that shall give shelter and security to the investigators and their outfit. This could be constructed in the simplest manner; the size should be sufficient to accommodate from six to ten men, say 24x30 feet, with two floors ; the lower for the storage of boats and apparatus, and for the coarser operations of "preparing;" the upper for tables and aquaria. 2. The necessary furniture for convenience in work (apparatus, books, etc., could be moved up from the university and returned annually). 3. Boats, nets and aquaria."
Unfortunately, the development of the laboratory under Prof. Kellicott's direction was cut short by his untimely death, he having spent the summers of 1895, 1896 and 1897 in work at the station. The results of his studies appear in the papers upon the Rotifera of Sandusky Bay, and also in various records of other animals observed there, especially upon the Odonata. Dr. Kellicott died in the spring of 1898, and, as his successor was not
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elected until late in June, and could not assume charge there that season, the summer of 1898 passed without any work being done at the laboratory. In 1899, the present Director took charge of the laboratory, and, with several students and associates, devoted the sum- mer to studies upon the fauna of the locality. As a result of this summer's work, and especially on account of consultation with various teachers of Biology, who expressed the desire to secure instruction along the lines followed at the laboratory, it was determined to broaden the scope of the laboratory by opening courses of instruction. This later was taken up by the Board of Trustees and provision made for certain courses for the summer of 1900. The work was still carried on, as it had been in previous years, in rooms that had been provided by building a two-story addition to the State Fish Hatchery Building, located near the Water Works in Sandusky. The number of students who attended made it necessary, however, to seek additional room, and this was accomplished for the two following sum- mers by occupying portions of the Hatchery in the lower part of the building. It was soon manifest that these rooms were inadequate for the growth of the laboratorv. and especially for the provision of both investigation and instruction work. A movement, therefore, began in 1901 to secure a larger building, especially planned for the purposes of the summer work. A recommendation was made by President Thompson to the Board of Trustees in 1902, and on the 16th of June of that year the Board of Trustees appropriated $2,500 for this purpose. A change of location from the narrow quarters next to the Water Works, where the work was somewhat hampered by the din and smoke of factories, and by the necessity of long trips in the pursuit of material, was made convenient by the gen- erous grant of a site upon Cedar Point by the Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company. The erection of the building did not begin until the spring of 1903, and it was finished in the latter part of June and occupied for the summer courses of that year. The pres- ent building, located about three-fourths of a mile from the docks of the Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company, is one of excep- tional advantage, since it provides on one side quiet water of a small cove, giving con- venient harborage for small boats, a dock and excellent collecting grounds in the still waters of the bay and swamp; while on the other side, but a short distance away, is the magnificent beach of Cedar Point, with its fine outlook upon Lake Erie. Moreover, there is close to the building quite a dense native forest, and in the other direction extended sand dunes, so that within a few feet of the laboratory tables one may secure representatives of life from a great variety of conditions. The build- ing is about one hundred feet long by fifty feet through the center, and will accommodate about one hundred students and investigators. The equipment of tables, dark room, boats, collecting apparatus, etc., provides for all varieties of laboratory and field work. The instruction staff is made up of members of the State University force, but the plan of the organization is to select instructors from various institutions as they may be available for special subjects.
LAKE LABORATORY, OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY CEDAR POINT, OHIO
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The formal opening of the laboratory building occurred on July 2, 1903, at which repre- sentatives from different institutions were present, and addresses were given by Prof. C. J. Herrick, representing the science organizations of the State; Hon. John T. Mack, for the citi- zens of Sandusky and Trustees; Prof. J. V. Denney, for the Arts College: Captain Cope, Secretary of the Board, whose address consisted of a history of the laboratory, and remarks by the Director. The following extracts from Prof. Herrick's address indicate the relation of the laboratory to the scientific workers of the State:
"It is a source of congratulation to us, the members of this laboratory, that these liberal principles are clearly at the foundation of our present organization. Our Director has made it very plain, not only by word of mouth, but much more forcibly in practical ways, that it is to be the policy of our laboratory to secure the widest co-operation among all the men of science of our State. To this, as a representative of organized science in Ohio, I have pleasure in responding with equal cordiality that it will be our purpose to share in this great work here established to the full extent of our ability, by attendance when pos- sible, and by sympathetic interest at all times. While we are gainers by this liberal hospi- tality offered by the laboratory, it is certain that the laboratory in thus casting its bread upon the waters will find it again after many days."
The policy of the laboratory is indicated by the following extract from the Director's 1 emarks :
"It is our hope and aim to make the laboratory of service to any student in any phase of biology that can be profitably studied under the conditions here. To make this as broad and emphatic as possible, we may say that it will be our policy to assist to the extent of our ability any competent scientific worker from any institution or locality in the prosecution of any investigation which our locality and equipment will permit. I believe this represents the spirit of the Board of Trustees, the President and all officially connected with the labor- atory. I believe this to be fully shown by the equipment already furnished and the attitude shown in making these facilities equally accessible to all who may desire to use them. We hope educators and scientific workers in our own and adjacent States especially will find it a profitable meeting ground and feel that its opportunities are open on the most liberal basis to all."
In recent years students and investigators have been enrolled who represent some twenty different colleges and universities, scattered from Massachusetts to California, and one from Argentina, South America. Papers giving results of investigations have been pub- lished in various scientific journals and Society Proceedings, and the work now in progress on the animals and plants of the locality will result in a much better knowledge of the life of the Great Lakes.
University of Cincinnati
Highest in the series of Cincinnati's free educational institutions is the University, an organic part of the public school system. The desire to have a University for the city of Cincinnati dates back to 1806, when in that city a school association was formed, which was incorporated in 1807 for the purpose of establishing an institution of higher learning. The endowments "were not exactly correspondent to its elevated title," consisting only of mod- erate contributions. An application was made to the Legislature for permission to raise money by lottery, which was granted. The lottery was a complete failure, although many tickets were sold; no drawing was ever had, and-perhaps as a matter of retribution-the building erected for university purposes was blown down by a tornado on Sunday, the 28th- of May, 1809. This ended the first "University of Cincinnati."
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The present University of Cincinnati owes its existence to the generosity of Charles McMicken, a native of Pennsylvania, who came to Cincinnati in 1803, accumulated a large fortune and died in 1858. By the terms of his will, he bequeathed to the city of Cincinnati almost the whole of his estate, valued at about $1,000,000, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining "two colleges for the education of white boys and girls." He had "long cherished the desire to found an institution where white boys and girls might be taught not only a knowledge of their duties to their Creator and their fellow-men, but also receive the benefit of a sound, thorough and practical English education, and such as might fit them for the active duties of life, as well as instruction in the higher branches of knowledge, except denominational theology, to the extent that the same are now or may hereafter be taught in any of the secular colleges or universities of the highest grade in the country." Nearly half of the property devised by Mr. McMicken was situated in the State of Louisiana. This was entirely lost, in 1860, by a decision of the Supreme Court of that State annulling that part of the devise. The court refused to recognize the validity of bequests of real estate to insti- tutions controlled by non-resident trustees upon perpetual trusts. The remainder of the
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI CINCINNATI, OHIO
Photo by Young & Carl, Cincinnati, O.
property, lying in Cincinnati and its vicinity, did not yield a sufficient income to warrant the establishment of the proposed colleges. For ten years, therefore, the revenue derived from the estate was applied to its improvement.
In 1869 the trustees provided for a School of Design, which they maintained, with aid from Joseph Longworth, until 1884, when they transferred it to the Cincinnati Museum Association. Meanwhile, an attempt was made to unite the various educational trusts in Cin- cinnati. In April, 1870, the General Assembly of Ohio passed an act to enable cities of the first class to aid and promote education, under which the city of Cincinnati accepted the bequest of Charles McMicken and proceeded to establish the University of Cincinnati. Aca- demic instruction was actually begun in 1873, in the building and by the teachers of the Woodward High School, and the University was formally organized in 1874, by the appoint- ment of professors of Mathematical and Civil Engineering, of Latin and Greek and Physics and Chemistry. During the academic year 1874-1875 instruction was given by these pro-
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fessors in the Woodward High School Building, but at the beginning of the year 1875-1876 possession was taken of the new building then erected on the site adjoining the McMicken homestead in 1842.
The effort to unite other trust funds with those given by Charles McMicken having failed, the income remained long inadequate to the needs of such an institution as he had intended to found. At length the city undertook to support the University in part by pub- lic taxation, the tax for this purpose being limited to three-tenths of one mill. In the course of time additional funds for the maintenance of the institution were provided by individual citizens, the most important being the bequest of property valued at $130,000 by Matthew Thoms in 1890, and the gift of $100,000 by David Sinton in 1899.
New departments were also added. In 1872 the Cincinnati Astronomical Society. (founded in 1842) transferred its property on Mt. Adams to the city, which agreed, as a condition of the gift, to sustain, in connection with the University, on a new site provided by John Kilgour, an Observatory, to be built with funds given by him. For this purpose the city levies annually a special tax of one-twentieth of one mill. In 1896 the Medical Col- lege of Ohio (founded in 1819) became the Medical Department of the University, though still retaining its original title conjointly with its new one. In the same year a Law Depart- ment was established, and six professors of law were appointed, and gave instruction at first in rooms on Fourth street. But, in 1897, by a contract with the Law School of the Cin- cinnati College (founded in 1833), a union was effected. The Law Department of the Uni- versity was to be known as the Cincinnati Law School, and the degree of Bachelor of Laws was to be conferred by the concurrent action of the Board of Directors of the University and the Trustees of the Cincinnati College.
Out of a professorship of Civil Engineering in the Academic Department has developed the College of Engineering. It was organized under that name in 1900, and became a dis- tinct department in 1904.
Since its organization, in 1887, the Clinical and Pathological School of the Cincinnati Hospital has been affiliated with the University, being designated as the Medical Depart- ment, until 1896, and afterwards as the Department of Clinical Medicine. The Ohio College of Dental Surgery (founded in 1845) has been affiliated with the University since 1888.
From 1875 to 1895 the Academic Department occupied the building erected on the grounds of the McMicken homestead, as required by the will of the founder. This site prov- ing altogether unsatisfactory, application was made to the courts for permission to remove to a more suitable location in Burnet Woods Park. The desired permission having been granted by the court of last resort in March, 1893, steps were immediately taken for the con- struction of a main building, called McMicken Hall, which was completed in two years. This building stands on high ground at the southern end of the park, forty-three acres having been set apart as a site for the University. During 1895-1896 the north wing, known as Hanna Hall, was built for the departments of Chemistry and Engineering, with funds amounting to about $70,000, provided by Henry Hanna. The south wing, called Cunning- ham Hall, was built in 1898-1899 by Briggs S. Cunningham, at a cost of $60,000. This wing is occupied by the departments of Physics and Biology. The Van Wormer Library, costing about $60,000, the gift of Asa Van Wormer, was built during 1898-1900.
A friend of technical education, whose name was not made known, gave the sum of $22,500 in 1901, to provide a building for the Technical School. The Observatory, built in 1873 with $10,000 given by John Kilgour, stands on Mt. Lookout, at a distance of several miles from the other University buildings. A smaller structure, the O. M. Mitchell Build- ing, was added in 1904 to house the old telescope. Since 1896 the building on the McMicken
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homestead site has been used by the Medical Department. A dispensary, erected in that year, is situated on the lower part of the grounds. The Law Department, on Ninth street, occupies a new building, which was completed in 1902.
The charter of the Medical College of Ohio was granted by the Legislature of Ohio in 1819. This institution is, therefore, much the senior of any medical college west of the Alleghenies. Annual courses of lectures have been delivered by the faculty with unvarying regularity during the eighty-six years of the existence of the school. With the beginning of the session of 1895-96, attendance upon four annual courses of lectures was required ; the entire system was carefully graded, and more detailed, direct and vigilant supervision was brought to bear upon the individual student. In 1896 its Board of Trustees transferred its
G.H. NEWS
OLD COLLEGE HALL CINCINNATI
charter to the Board of Directors of the University of Cincinnati, thus constituting it the Medical Department of the university, though still retaining its original conjointly with its new title.
The college is located on the McMicken homestead lot, on McMicken avenue, at the head of Elm street. This lot has a frontage of three hundred feet, extending back about the same distance to Clifton avenue. The Lecture and Laboratory Building is four stories above the basement, which is itself above ground level, and is constructed of cut stone and brick, with iron stairways and internal finish of the most substantial character.
On the basement floor are small lecture or demonstration rooms, students' sitting room, lockers, and the dark room for photographic work. On the first floor are the Registrar's
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office, the Faculty room, museum and students' reading room. The second floor contains the laboratories of bacteriology, of normal and pathological histology, and of physiology, all thoroughly equipped with modern apparatus. On the third floor are two large lecture rooms, furnished with comfortable opera chairs with table arms; a special room for the Roentgen or X-ray apparatus is also located here. The fourth floor is occupied by a large dissecting room and chemical laboratory. In immediate connection with these is a lecture room for demonstrations in chemistry and anatomy. The surgical laboratory is also located on this floor.
The Dispensary Building is a one-story brick structure on the lower extremity of the lot on McMicken avenue. Its dimensions are 123 by 50 feet. It contains eight small lecture rooms, each with an adjoining waiting room for patients, a dispensing drug room, and a
OBSERVATORY, UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI CINCINNATI, OHIO
room for necessary chemical and microscopical investigation of the cases daily presenting themselves for treatment.
Although in the center of a densely populated district that affords an immense clinical field, the site of the college building is, nevertheless, upon high ground, commanding a fine view of the greater portion of the city. Ventilation is perfect, and each room is so well lighted as to permit all laboratory work to be done by day, even in cloudy weather, with- out artificial illumination.
The Law Department of the University of Cincinnati was organized in June, 1896, and received its first class in October of the same year. It was the purpose of the Board of Directors to make it truly a university law school, and the faculty therefore established a rule requiring every applicant for admission to the school to pass an examination, or to
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exhibit a diploma at least equivalent to that received from a high school. In the conduct of the school the faculty decided that the wisest course would be to follow, as closely as cir- cumstances would permit, the method of study known as the "case" system, and in nearly all the subjects the instructors have adopted this system. The Law School of the Cincin- nati College was founded in May, 1833. It was the first law school established west of the Allegheny Mountains. The first term began on October 7, 1833. In 1835 the Law School was incorporated with the Cincinnati College, a literary and academic institution, founded in 1819 ;- and from that time it was conducted under the name of the "Law School of the Cincinnati Col- lege." As such, it became perma- nently located in the college build- ing, on Walnut street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, in the city THE CINCINNATI LAW SCHOOL of Cincinnati. It has enjoyed the benefit of a substantial endowment, and has acquired a large law library. In May, 1897, steps were taken by the Board of Directors of the Cin- cinnati College to bring about a union of the Law Department of the university and the Law School of the Cincinnati College. A contract. drawn up by a joint committee rep- resenting the Board of Directors of the University of Cincinnati and the trustees of the Cincinnati College, was ratified by both bodies. By this contract it was provided that the faculty of the Law Department, to- gether with certain members of the faculty of the Law School of the Cincinnati College, should be the faculty of the new school, and that the degree of Bachelor of Laws should, by the concurrent action of the Board of Directors of the Uni- versity of Cincinnati, and the trus- tees of the Cincinnati College, be CINCINNATI LAW SCHOOL CINCINNATI conferred upon those passing satis- factory examinations in the new school. The benefit to the cause of thorough legal education arising from the union was substantial. The University of Cin- cinnati thus acquired a substantial endowment fund and a law library, now numbering over 7,500 volumes, for the use of its Law Department, together with the advantage of the good will of the Law School for the Cincinnati College, and of its honorable history of more than half a century. The course and methods of study in the new school are the same as those marked out by the faculty of the Law Department of the university before the union. The
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endowment enables the new school to enlarge the course of study, and to make the work more thorough than would have been possible had the two schools continued separate.
The government of the University of Cincinnati is by a board of nine directors, appointed by the Mayor of Cincinnati.
Franklin College
The cause of education in Ohio is encouraged by the constitution of the State, and the statutes provide for the incorporation of colleges and universities. It has always been the cus- tom to relieve property devoted to education from taxation. A number of the colleges incor- porated in the Buckeye State are under private control. They are what is known as close corporations; the trustees elect their own successors and thus definitely and permanently fix the character and policy of the institutions. While in the strict sense of the word they are free from any ecclesiastical control, they are, nevertheless, usually governed by trustees unwilling to separate the interests of religion from those of education. At first they were regarded as denominational institutions, but as the idea of demoninational support and con- trol was developed, they were less closely related to the church, and depended upon indi- viduals for endowment. Some of these institutions have flourished, while others have lan- guished, as religious people gradually attached themselves to the denominational colleges, giving them their support and patronage. The oldest college under private control, Franklin College, was founded in 1825. The institution is situated at New Athens, Harrison County. It is the outgrowth of a school known as Alma Academy. In 1825 the name was changed to Alma College, and one year later to Franklin College. The founders of this college were chiefly of the Scotch-Irish stock that settied in Western Pennsylvania and East- ern Ohio. Many of the early trustees were of the Calvinistic faith and belonged to the sev- eral branches of the Presbyterian communion. The college became involved in the slavery agitation and finally divided so that New Athens had the distinction of two colleges-one proslavery and the other antislavery. Providence College, which was proslavery, soon lan- guished, and its property was bought by the other. These stirring days with their slavery debates produced some vigorous men. Able and learned men were in the faculty, and the alumni roll contains such names as George W. McCook, John A. Bingham, William Ken -. non, member of Congress; John Welch, of the Supreme Court of Ohio; Joseph Ray, author of the arithmetics so long in popular use in Ohio and adjoining States, and many others of equal fame. The war, as in many other colleges, practically emptied the class rooms, so that during one year of that period as few as twelve students were enrolled. In recent years the college has lacked funds to expand in response to the demands upon higher edu- cation. This has resulted in a limited attendance and the relative decline of the college as compared to earlier days.
Western Reserve University
One of the most flourishing universities in Ohio is the Western Reserve University, founded in the year 1826, and located at Cleveland. The university embraces six organiza- tions, all of which are under the general management and control of the Board of Trustees. Adelbert College, formerly Western Reserve College, located at Hudson, was of New England origin and type. In 1801 certain residents of the Western Reserve petitioned the Territorial Legislature for a charter for a college, to be located in that region. Their peti- tion was refused, but two years later, after the admission of Ohio into the Union as a State,
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