Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I, Part 35

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 584

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I > Part 35

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The Union Literary Society and the Washington be- gau in 1809 and 1814 respectively in Washingtou.

At the cousolidation in 1865-9 the Franklin and Wash- ington united aud the Philo and Union also became Que.

The aunual contests have been always of great interest to the student hody and an attraction aud high enter- tainment for the general public. The audience room was until recent years filled to overflowing and the excite- ment, especially on the announcement of victory, was equal to that seeu only of late on the athletic field.

There has been a decrease of interest as well as in attendance in recent years, hoth in the membership and attendance in these societies and in attendance at the contests. The privilege and high opportunities offered in the field of diseussion and oratory are overshadowed hy the excitements caused by the display of muscle.

In those days to win in a debate or contest was almost a greater satisfaction than to he honor man of one's class-the one was winning for others and having the whole society rejoice with you, the latter bore a taint of selfishness.

A little picture of history combining college polities, contests, slavery and rumblings of war is given by J. M. MeElroy, a Jefferson student of the fifties, repro- duced from the Canonsburg Notes:

"The South had hut few colleges. Youug men of wealthy families were sent North to be educated,-to Princeton, Yale, Jefferson, Oxford and Hanover. At Jefferson College in 1850 we had about 200 Northeru stu- dents, with perhaps 50 from the South.

"The politics of that day was undergoing a trans- formation; from tariff and finauce to freedom and slavery, constitutional rights and humanity. The com- promise measures then before congress were discussed at great length and with excited feeling.

"Onr college faculty and the great mass of the stu- dents were conservative, not in favor of slavery, and still less favorable to radical abolition. The Southern hoys, however, took great interest in the discussions going on at Washington. In platform required performance and in dehate in the literary societies they brought the slavery question forward at every opportunity. Extraets from the speeches of Clay, Foote, Toombs, Butler and Jeffer- son Davis were declaimed with extravagaut emphasis aud we listened quietly.

"But when an Ohio boy undertook to declaim a speech

of Horace Mann, he was interrupted and hissed and threatened. Walking with a Missouri classmate toward the recitation room he was told. 'If I had had a rock I would have knocked you off that platform!'

"In the Franklin Literary Society we had a consider- ahle list of honorary members, emineut statesmen, schol- ars, orators, who had usually heen elected hy unanimous vote. The members from the South were disposed to press the uames of their fire-eating Southerners as hon- orary members. One of them proposed Col. A. W. Atchi- son, of Missouri, resting his claim on the fact that he was the opponent of that 'old traitor, Tom Benton.' Some words of moderate protest were uttered, hut Atchi- son was elected. When the next time came for electing houorary members it was found that the first name on the list was Horace Mann's, followed by five Southerners. Mann's eleetion was violently opposed, Missouri fairly railed at him. Maryland asked, 'Would you vote for a man who you know was wanting to cut your throat?' North Carolina replied. 'That would depend on whether I had the blues or not.'

"Ohio defended Mann. He was a distinguished scholar and orator and as an educator stood in the front rank. True, he is opposed to slavery, but he is not as ultra as many others. Men's views on that question ought not to enter into their fitness for honorary mem- hership. If it can be shown that he does not possess the higher character and attainments that have all along been considered essential, his name will be withdrawn. If he is voted down because of his views on slavery, then take notice that some others may be voted down be- cause of their views.

"Virginia responded wrathfully and excitedly in the person of a sophomore by the name of Brown: 'Mr. President, I would just as leave vote for the devil as Horace Mann!' Ohio responded, 'that may be so. Peo- ple's tastes differ ; it may be that the Virginia gentleman and Old Nick are on especially intimate terms! You can vote down Horace Mann if you choose to do so. Only six negative votes are required to debar his election. But if you do so, merely because he is an anti-slavery man, then you may understand that no slaveholder need be proposed for such position. We will vote down every man of them.' And that was the result.

"At the same meeting the society elected hy ballot, as was the regular custom, two members for select debate. They were to choose their own question and have six weeks for preparation. Brown, of Virginia, and the writer of these lines were chosen. Our question was, 'Is it right for citizens of the United States to assist fugitive slaves iu escaping their masters?'

"We had a very attentive audience, including M. S. Quay, Bishop MeLoren and a hundred others. The de- hater on the affirmative did not contend that assisting fugitive slaves was any real and adequate remedy for slavery. He did not deny the constitutional obligation to refrain from any legislation to interfere with the re- elaiming of fugitives. But that there were- cases in which it was not only right but a duty to feed the hungry and elothe the naked and guide the traveler toward Canada, even though the man were black and somebody claimed him as a slave. That the slave was under no moral obligation to stay with his master, because he had never agreed to do so. That the laws of the South re- garded him as a piece of property, and that as such it was no more wrong for him to run away than for a cow or mule to do so.

The dehater on the negative was too angry and too

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much excited to do the subject justice. Ile did not attempt to follow and answer the arguments presented. Ile could little more than rave aud gesticulate. Ile aud the other younger men from the South were very much in the frame of mind in which the John Brown raid found the Virginians nine years later. Bloody insnr- rection and upheaval of society from the very founda- tions was the specter before them. They were impulsive, and ever ready for a fight. More than once tho oppor- tunity of declining a fisticuff argument with them pre- sented itself. And yet there was a frankness and mag- nanimity with them that was pleasing. Marylaud came to me afterward privately and apologized and said if you will bring up Horace Mann's name again, I will vote for him. The Missourian who wanted to knock me off the platform, afterwards said to me, 'You fellows weren't bronght up like we were. From childhood we were taught to fight. When I was a little boy, if anything displeased me, the fellows would gather around me and say, "Go for him! Fight him! Give it to him!" "'No, Tom,"' I replied, "I was not brought up that way. I never had a fight in my life and never expect to, unless some- body attacks me. I never saw a fight at home or amoug my schoolmates. My parents taught me that fighting was to be avoided, just as swearing and lying, " '

"Among themselves they practised the manly art of violence. But they did not give it the name of pugilismn. A son of Gov. Brandon, of Mississippi, made a gratuitous attack upon a very gentlemanly and exemplary classmate from Missouri. He met with a surprising response that sent him reeling to the floor. A rough Kentuckian made a murderous attack on a Mr. Shaw, of Maryland, for which he had to go into hiding and make his escape in the night to avoid criminal prosecution. That same Shaw was torn to pieces fifteen years later by a Mary- land mob. IIe was editor and proprietor of a weekly paper which indorsed and gloried in the assassination of President Lineoln, and the enraged populace, without judge or jury, put an end to his career.

"About sixty of my college associates took part in the War of the Rebellion, three-fonrths of them in the Union army and about one-fourth with the Confederates, and a majority of them as commissioned officers. Several Southern yonng wen fought in the Union army, and a still larger number of Northern men were in the rebel army. Two of these had settled in Texas. They were enlisted. They fought aud marehed with their associates all the way to the Potomae and Gettysburg, there to fall and find burial in their native state.

"The most distinguished of our number was Gen. Bristow, of Kentucky, Secretary of the Treasury under President Grant.

"The most widely known of the Confederates were Col. Greene, of North Carolina, and Col. Tom Giffin, of Mis- sissippi. The latter was one of the irreconcilables who refused to aceept the verdict of Appomattox and who migrated to South America.

"I have denominated this college politics. It was not ordinary politics. It was not a contest between the Democratic and the Whig party, nor between the Demo- crats and the Republicans, for the Republican party was not then in existence. It was slavery and freedom, Union and disunion-the early mutterings of the 'irrepressible coufliet. ' ''

Some idea of the greatness of this college is had when one learns that there have been in all 4,500 graduates.

Many others had their ambition stimulated by a partial course. Of these 1,700 were ministers, among the most prominent of whom are Rev. David Gregg, president of the Western Theological Seminary, Allegheuy City ; Rev. S. B. McCormick, Chancellor of the University of Pitts- burg; Rev. J. II. Corbett, moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church; Rev. JJ, Ross Stevenson, a Washington County boy, now occupying prominent pulpits in New York and Baltimore.

Five hundred physicians, 6 cabinet ministers, 12 gov- ernors, 12 United States senators, 66 congressinen, 230 legislators, 120 judges of the county courts, 20 judges of state supreme courts, 32 college aud uuiversity presi- dents and 32 moderators of the Presbyterian and United Presbyterian general assemblies have passed throughi Washington and Jefferson College. Still there are more to follow. Its students are of later years found all over the United States prominent in private life. One of the foremost of these is Josiah V. Thompson, banker and the most prominent coal land purchaser in America.

Washington and Jefferson College has sent ont 110 mis- sionaries, among whom were John Calvin Mater, of China; Rev. J. C. Ray Ewing, a leading educator in India, and his brother, Rev. Arthur II. Ewing, of Alla- habad.

There have been 1,100 lawyers. David T. Watson, of Pittsburg, born iu Washington, Pa., is probably the most eminent lawyer of the country today and in the city of Pittsburg alone there are six judges. Senator E. E. Robbius, of Greensburg, is another distinguished lawyer. The most eminently distinguished statesman and oue of the greatest men ever graduated from the college was Hon. James G. Blaine, who was once nomi- nated for President of the United States.

As early as 1867 baseball clubs were orgauized at Washington College. In that year the first regular college representative team, which in these modern days would be known as a varsity nine, was placed in the field. It was known as the Union Baseball Club of Washington College and was composed of 44 members. Jefferson College at Canonsburg also maintained several baseball clubs and since the rivalry between the two institutions before the war was intense, some very heated games were played between representative teams. One of the most noted college teams of the early days of baseball was that of 1875. The students leased the fair grounds as a ball field from Selden L. Wilson, Esq. The college teams continued to take honors until in the late 'nineties the college secured the reputation of turn- iug out the best baseball teams in three states. While baseball was advancing, interest in other sports did not lag. Football early was taken up by Washington and Jefferson College and in 1890 the first varsity football

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eleven was launched at that institution. From the start Washington and Jefferson placed in the field champion- ship teams. Rivals were defeated with great regnlarity and the fame of the college team spread abroad. The advance in football was continnous to 1906 and 1907 when signal defeats administered to rival institutions established the institution as the collegiate champion of Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, which titles Washington and Jefferson now holds. In recent years other forms of sport growing ont of the early desire for competition have been taken np and have pros- pered. Basketball and field sports of various kinds have been condueted with great success at Washington and Jefferson College owing to the fine gymnasium. The ancient feud between the college student and the town boys has disappeared, and the town folk are brought in closer sympathy with the students because of the annual football games.

WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON ACADEMY.

In 1787 Washington Academy was founded at Wash- ington, Pa. A charter bearing the date September 24, 1787, was obtained, and in 1787 the Academy was put into operation nnder the principalship of the Rev. Thad- dens Dodd. The eonrt honse, in the upper rooms of which the Academy was conducted, being burned about 1790, the Academy was suspended for a time, but later was reopened. In 1793 there was erected for the nse of the Academy the stone building which now stands on the campus of Washington and Jefferson College. The

Washington Academy was chartered as Washington Col- lege March 28, 1806. Thereafter Washington College, and later Washington and Jefferson College, conducted a department preparatory to college classes. The trns- tees of Washington and Jefferson College in 1899 pur- chased from the school board of Washington borongh a large building for the exclusive use of the preparatory department. The location was that of the original Union School of the Borongh. In December, 1900, they added to it the large property situated at the corner of Beau and College streets, for many years the home of Hon. William Hopkins and family. The old homestead was torn down and the erection of a fire-proof dormitory and boarding hall was begun at once, costing $76,000, which was ready for the use of the new Washington and Jefferson Academy at the opening of the winter term, 1902. The dormitory and boarding hall has been named Hays Hall, in honor of the memory of Rev. Dr. George P. Hays, deceased, the first permanent president after its removal to Washington.

The school building contains the study room, recitation rooms, the physical laboratory, work shop and the prin- cipal's office. The department, under the name of Wash- ington and Jefferson Academy, is under the general

control of the trustees and faculty of the college, and is conducted as a constituent part of the college, having access to the college gymnasinm and baths. Its object is to give students a thorough preparation for admission to the freshman class of Washington and Jefferson Col- lege, or of any other of the higher classical colleges or scientific schools. James N. Rule has been principal of the Academy almost from its opening in new quarters in 1902 and has succeeded most admirably, being well cal- culated to lead and develop youth. He has eight as- sistants.

What was formerly only a preparatory department, in- struetion being given by the college professors in the afternoon, has now become a first-class academy with its own buildings, its own principal and corps of teach- ers, with conrses of study lengthened from two years to four years. Instead of allowing boys to take such care of themselves as they might see fit, with all the liberty of the older college students, the splendid new dormitory was erected and furnished at an expense exceeding $100,000, where 60 boys can be comfortably housed and boarded in company with their instructors.

JEFFERSON ACADEMY, CANONSBURG.

Jefferson Academy was chartered in 1869, but not organized and opened nntil 1872. However, in 1869, 1870 and 1871 an nnchartered academy was conducted here by Messrs. James Dickson and James Dnnbar. Dunbar was a son of John Dunbar, of Smith Township. This school was opened and for a time condneted in the building formerly occupied by the Olome Institnte which stood on the ground now covered by the First Presby- terian Church, on North Central avenne. Later it was removed to the old Jefferson College building. Messrs. Dickson and Dunbar were bright men, and np-to-date in their ideas of school work, and they condneted an excel- lent school, which was largely patronized. After some three years Professor Dunbar's health failed. He was compelled to seek a milder climate, and the school was closed.

History informs us that Jefferson Academy was char- tered in 1869, and organized in 1872, with the following board of directors: Rev. William Smith, D. D., David C. Honston, John Hays, William G. Barnett, M. D., Jolın W. Martin, M. D., J. W. Alexander, M. D., and J. Nevin Brown. The Rev. William Ewing, Ph. D., was the first principal. Dr. Ewing associated with him as teacher Dr. W. F. Brown. The school in the years dur- ing which Dr. Ewing was principal enjoyed a large patronage, and took high rank among schools of its elass.

After having conducted the school successfully for more than ten years Dr. Ewing resigned. Dr. W. F. Brown was elected principal, accepted and continued

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WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON COLLEGE, WASHINGTON

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in charge of the school for several years. Under Dr. Brown's administration there was a large attendance of students, good work was done, and the school flour- ished. Finally, owing to the serious illness of his wife, Dr. Brown resigned. He was succeeded by Dr. Des Islets and he by Prof. Phillips, who lived but a short time after taking charge.

Prof. Anderson, of Wheeling, succeeded Prof. Phillips. He was in charge of the school two years.

R. H. Meloy succeeded Prof. Phillips, having for his assistant W. D. Inghis, now Dr. Fuglis, of Columbus, O. Prof. Meloy remained in charge of the school several years and did good work, but left to engage in practice of law in Washington. Ile was followed by Prof. Harry Irwin, also an accomplished scholar, and successful teacher.

Rev. J. A. A. Craig, of Claysville, was next in line for the principalship. He proved to have greater stay- ing qualities than a number of his predecessors. For a time he had associated with him as assistant principal J. K. Lacock, and now has for assistant Prof. W. W. Highberger. Mrs. Lanra Craig is also a successful teacher in the school. Prof. Craig has now been in charge of the school for eight years, and during that time a large number of young men and women have been enrolled as students, and have gone out, many of them to fill places of large usefulness. The present en- rollment of the school is over 50.

The grounds occupied were formerly owned by Jeffer- son College and the buildings are the same as when the college organization was removed from Canonsburg. Old Fort Job has disappeared from the lot it formerly oc- cupied about two squares away and a handsome private dwelling occupies its place. The okl college chapel is still nsed for church services and is in charge of the Central Presbyterian Congregation. The library room on the third floor has quite a large number of valuable books, many of which were retained by the loyalty of the Canonsburg people whose love for the old college re- fused to let them be carried off.

WASHINGTON SEMINARY.

The origin of the Washington Seminary can be dated to the 26th of November, 1835, when the following citi- zens of Washington met at the house of T. M. T. Me- Kennan, Esq., to take the initiatory movement toward organizing a female seminary in Washington: Rev. David Elliott, John Harter, John Wilson, James Reed, William J. Wilson, William Hunter, Jacob Slagle, Robert Officer, William Smith, David Eckert and John Koontz. A second and much larger meeting was held shortly afterward. Among those who were then present and others who later proved their devotion to the enterprise were Alexander Reed, Dr. F. J. Le Moyne, Thomas Mor-

gan, Samuel Mount, Samuel Me Farland, John Grayson, John H. Ewing, JJames Brice, John K. Wilson, Dr. James Stevens, Alexander Ramsey, James Ruple, Alexander Sweeney, William Sample, James MeCadden, John Mar- shel, Samuel Hazlet, Dr. John Wishart, Dr. Robert R. Reed, John L. Gow, Robert Wylie, Colin M. Reed, John S. Brady, Hon. Abraham Wotring, Rev. Thomas Hanna, Thomas MeKean, Vachel Ilarding and others, all of whom subscribed for stock in the institution and assisted in getting it started.

A committee consisting of Jacob Slagle, Jolin Koontz and David Eckert were appointed to find a suitable place for opening the seminary in the following spring, and having reported in favor of the Old Masonic Hall on West Maiden street, now owned by Dr. W. D. Tea- garden, were instructed to secure the same. A second committee consisting of T. M. T. MeKennan, William Hunter, John Harter, Dr. F. J. LeMoyne and Thomas Morgan were authorized to confer with Alexander Reed, Esq., on the prospect of purchasing lots for the erection of a seminary building on East Maiden street. The lots in question were promptly soll by Mr. Reed.

By the 18th of December, 1835, 85 shares of the Seminary stock had been sokl, bringing a sum of $4,250 into the treasury. The committee on securing teachers reported that they had secured Mrs. Francis Biddle to take charge of the school, and had given her authority to select an assistant. Her stipulated salary was $600, "clear of rent, fuel, furniture and incidental expenses." It is singular to note that the trustees also resolved that all excess over $600, derived from tuition, and the pay- ment of all incidental expenses, should be paid to Mrs. Biddle in addition to her salary.

On the 14th of February, 1837, the stockholders adopt- ed a new constitution, having in view the necessity of procuring an act of incorporation from the Legislature. The constitution contained the provisions and restrictions under which the seminary is still conducted. On March 1, 1838, the trustees signed a memorial to the state legislature, asking an appropriation of $500 per annum for five years, which was granted with a charter April 14, 1838.

At a meeting of the trustees hekl in 1840, it being taken into consideration that there had been a very great increase in the number of pupils attending and that the school was in a very healthy state. The board determined that it was both expedient and necessary to erect new buildings. In 1846 it was found necessary again to enlarge, and a wing was added to the main building which had been built. On the last of November. 1848, the school experienced its first disaster, a fire having destroyed the west wing buildings. The structures were not covered by insurance and it was only by borrowing money, together with stock subscriptions that the build-

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ing committee was enabled to quickly replace the dam- aged portion.

At the end of her fourth year in the seminary, Mrs. Biddle had resigned, and Miss Sarah R. Foster, theu a teacher at Cadiz, O., and formerly a pupil of Mrs. Emma Willard at Troy, N. Y., was chosen as her successor. In 1848 she was married to the Rev. Thomas Hanna, who had become pastor of what is now the First United Presbyterian Church of Washington, and in 1850, he was appointed by the trustees of the seminary as superin- tendent of that institution.

Under the administration of Mrs. Hanna, the school was conducted with wisdom and success until 1874, when, finding the duties of the now greatly enlarged attend- ance too severe for her ycars, she relinquished the office of principal. After careful inquiry and extensive corre- spoudence relative to the affair, the board of trustees chose Miss Nancy Sherrard, at that time vice-principal of the seminary at Steubenville, under the Rev. A. M. Reid, Ph. D., principal. She entered upon her duties at the beginning of the next year, September, 1874, pre- ceded by a reputation for great energy and wisdom in conducting a school and in the management of young women. For 23 years Miss Sherrard served as head of the seminary, and in that time the name of the school became each year more widely known, and its prosperity more marked. A large number of girls passed several years under her care.

In 1896 Miss Sherrard retired from her labors, and Mrs. Martha Nichols McMillan accepted the position. It was during the principalship of Mrs. McMillan that the new building fronting on Lincoln street was built. Mrs. McMillan left the school in 1901, when Miss Thomp- son and Miss McDonald became the co-principals.

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Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I, Part 35

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co. (Chicago) pbl Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 584

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 584