USA > Pennsylvania > Crawford County > Our country and its people. A historical and memorial record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania. > Part 26
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inside of the tomb of Virgil-nothing is said about the morality of such a gift; sundry seashells from the coast of Carthage; marble broken from a pillar, which tradition states to have belonged to Dido's temple, perhaps a token of the'love of ÆEneas; of caxa, the current coin of the Chinese Em- pire, ten of which are equal to a Massachusetts penny; a quarter of a dollar, with the head of the ex-King, Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte, dated 1813, etc., etc.
In the meantime the subscriptions here at home to the books of Treas- urer Reynolds went bravely on. These were in cash: Hon. William B. Grif- fith and John B. Wallace, $1,000; Roger Alden, $500; H. J. Huidekoper, Daniel Bemus, Daniel Le Fevre, General Mead, Jesse Moore, John Rey- nolds and Jared Shattuck, $300 each; Patrick Farrelly, Samuel B. Magaw, Colonel Ralph Marlin and James White, $200 each; Samuel Torbett, $150, and Jared Shattuck, Timothy Alden, $120; Joseph T. Cummings & Co., $II0; Thomas Atkinson, Henry Hurst, $100 each, and smaller sums from Moses Allen, Eliphalett Betts, David Compton, John Cotton, Hugh Cotton, Jr. and Sr., James Foster, James Hamilton, Robert and John Johnston, Alexander McDowell, Joseph Morrison, Lewis Neill. Daniel Perkins, Alex- ander Power, Noah Wade and William W. White. Samuel Lord and Dan- iel Le Fevre presented 225 acres of land, valued at $450. The total of the Meadville subscriptions was $5,685, which, with the foreign contributions, made a grand total of $9.788.30, with which to start the college.
The matter of securing a charter was vigorously pushed; but such is almost always the delay in securing general legislation, the bill was not read in place till the 12th of December, 1816, and was not finally acted on until the 24th of March, 1817, when it became a law. The Governor, Chief Jus- tice and Attorney-General of the commonwealth were constituted trustees, ex-officio. Two thousand dollars were appropriated, to be paid in three equal annual installments. A shade of disappointment can be detected in President Alden's announcement of the passage of the act, for the appro- priation was reduced from three thousand dollars, which was contained in the original bill, to two, and the section granting all undrawn sections of land in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth donation districts was stricken out entirely. But he speaks in that gracious, hopeful way which, under all circumstances, seemed to characterize him. "It is to be remarked," he says, "that the Legislature of the extensive, opulent and rapidly increasing
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commonwealth of Pennsylvania has taken this infant seminary under its fos- tering care. and has granted a charter predicated on as liberal principles as could reasonably have been desired. by the warmest friends of the institu- tion. The pecuniary appropriation actually made, in connection with the aid of private munificence, is sufficient for a commencement of operation; and it would be unbecoming to doubt the future disposition of the honorable Legislature more than the ability of the State, which is richer in funds than any other in the Union-to do everything proper to build up this college, now under its patronage, so as to render it a blessing to present and future generations."
The charter having been finally secured, on the 28th of July following (1817), amid much ceremony, the Rev. Timothy Alden was inaugurated president of the faculty and professor of the Oriental languages, ecclesiasti- cal history and theology of Allegheny College, at the old log courthouse in Meadville. It will astonish the conceited scholars of to-day, who think they have made great advances in learning over that of this benighted pe- riod, to read the programme of exercises on this occasion:
I. "An address in Latin, to the president and professor-elect, an- nouncing his appointment to these offices, by Patrick Farrelly, Esq." Scholarship was in repute in those days in courthouses.
2. "A reply in Latin, by Mr. Alden, declaring his acceptance of these offices."
3. "A prayer, by Mr. Alden."
"Sacred musick by a choir of singers unde . the direction of Colonel 4. Robert Stockton and Mr. John Bowman."
5. "Inaugural oration in Latin, by Mr. Alden. "
6. "A Hebrew oration, a Latin oration, an English oration, a Latin dialogue, a Greek dialogue, an English dialogue and an English oration, by the probationers of Allegheny College." You will observe that even the probationers only occasionally condescended to speak in their mother tongue.
7. "Sacred musick, probably in English, though not so stated."
8. "An address in English, in reference to the occasion, by Mr. Al- den." This was probably for the ears of the groundlings. But the most marvelous part of this programme is to come. To be sure, the college was, in law, only about two hours old; but it proceeded to cast around over the 17
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United States its honorary degrees of LL. D., D. D., S. T. D., with all the grace and dignity of the most venerable seat of learning. It may be with quite as wise discrimination as many of the later day.
9. "The degree of LL.D. was conferred upon Ebenezer Pemberton, Esq., of Boston, and the Hon. James Winthrop of Cambridge, and that of S. T. D. upon the Rev. Joseph McKean, successor to his excellency, John Quincy Adams, in the professorship of rhetorick and oratory in Harvard University; and the Rev. Alexander Gunn, one of the ministers of the Re- formed Dutch Church, in the city of New York."
It is not surprising that the historian, Day, in noticing this programme. should declare that "Mr. Alden was inaugurated amid an astonishing dis- play of the dead languages." It should be observed that the lower story of the courthouse was used for a jail, and that the prisoners must have got the benefit of these intellectual pyrotechnics. But though these proceedings may appear mirth-provoking to the uninitiated, yet there was a "method in the madness," and certain munificent bequests which followed hard upon is proof of the forecast and wisdom of this world in Dr. Alden's proced- ure. Besides, he was exceptionally fond of the Oriental languages, and in presenting so strong an array of such learning in this public way he meant to convince people that his college was to be no two-penny affair; but that the highest order of scholarship was to form the substratum, and that he was abundantly able to impart it. and form his scholars after his mould. There is hardly on record a case of such abounding faith and resolution, and of moving straight forward to success in the face of unbounded difficul- ties and discouragements. As illustrative of his passion for the languages, Dr. Hamnett. in his lecture on the college, mentions the fact that at the commencement at Harvard, on the occasion of the graduation of the class to which Dr. Alden belonged, his oration was written in the Syriac lan- guage, and that "when he submitted his paper to the president for his ap- proval, the president, being altogether ignorant of the language, said: 'Come, Alden, sit down and construe it for me.' When reduced to the form of good Anglo-Saxon it was heartily approved."
President Alden's untiring zeal and enterprise convinced people that his project would succeed, and that it was worthy of their benefactions. The first large contribution to the college was bequeathed by the will of the Rev. Dr. William Bentley, a Unitarian clergyman of Salem, Mass., "who," says
1
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the historian, Day, "had spent his life in amassing one of the most rare col- lections of theological works in the country. Harvard University had set her eyes upon this collection, and having bestowed the preliminary plum in the shape of an LL.D diploma, patiently awaited the doctor's demise. She occupied, however, the situation of Esau before Isaac, for Mr. Alden had previously prepared the savory dish and received the boon; and the name Bentley Hall now records the gratitude of Allegheny College." This collection embraced all his theological works, said to contain such a treas- ure of the ancient Latin and Greek Fathers of the church as few of the colleges of the United States possessed, all his lexicons, dictionaries and Bibles, and was valued at $3,000. Isaiah Thomas, LL.D., of Worcester, the founder and president of the American Antiquarian Society, also do- nated a considerable collection of miscellaneous literature. Then came the most important bequest of all. that of Hon. James Winthrop, LL.D., of Cambridge, Mass., who, as the Boston Patriot of that day said, has be- queathed his library, one of the best private libraries in the Union, to the Allegheny College, at Meadville, where the late learned and reverend, and we will add uniformly patriotic, Dr. Bentley, sent a part of his very valuable collection." These books were characterized as most rare and valuable, and were valued at $6,400. When all the donations were collected and ar- ranged a catalogue was made (Catalogus Bibliothecae Collegii Alleghenien- sis, etypis Thomas Atkinson et Losii, opud Meadville, 1823, pages 136), a copy of which was sent to President Jefferson, which drew from him a letter of thanks, in which he says: "Mr. Winthrop's donation is inappre- ciable for the variety of branches of science to which it extends, and for the rare and precious works it possesses in each branch. I had not expected there was such a private collection in the United States. We are just com- mencing the establishment of an university in Virginia, but cannot flatter ourselves with the hope of such donations as have been bestowed on you. I avail myself of this occasion of tendering to yours, from our institution, fraternal and cordial embraces, of assuring you that we wish it to prosper and become great, and that our only emulation in this honorable race shall be the virtuous one of trying which can do the most good." President Madi- son responded in a similar vein: "The trustees," he says, "were not mis- taken in the belief that it would give me pleasure to know that a learned in- stitution had been so promptly reared in so favorable a position, and under
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such happy auspices. No one who regards public liberty as essential to pub- lic happiness can fail to rejoice at every new source of that intellectual and moral instruction, without which liberty can neither last long nor be fruitful of its proper blessings while it does last. This college may be very justly congratulated on the number and value of the books, so munificently con- tributed to its infant library."
The location selected for the college buildings, out of the tract donated by Samuel Lord, upon the northern hillside, giving a southern exposure, with the whole broad valley spread out at its foot, the river, skirted by ven- erable shades winding through it like a thread of silver, with bold head lands towering up on every hand, interspersed with pleasing variety of meadow and forest, and the city seated in queenly beauty-such a situation is not excelled for natural advantage by the site of any college in the land, if at all equaled. The main building was well planned and substantially con- structed, and reflects honor upon the broad and liberal views of the gener- ation which conceived it.
In the history of the Presbytery of Erie is mentioned the fact that the trustees, in gratitude to Mr. Lord for his valuable gift of the campus, upon the execution of the legal papers of transfer, caused to be procured at an outlay of fifteen dollars, a handsome Canton crape dress, and presented to Mrs. Lord.
The laws of the college, adopted on the 4th of July, 1817, are very full and explicit. The qualifications for admission to the freshman class were an ability to construe and parse the select orations of Cicero, the Æneid of Virgil and the Greek Testament, and to write Latin grammatically. The freshman class was required to study Horace, Sallust, Homer's Iliad, Xeno- phon's Anabasis and the rules of prosody, with their application. They were also to write exercises in Latin and Greek, and review the Greek Tes- tament and study the Hebrew, French and German languages, English grammar, rhetoric, chronology and arithmetic: the sophomores, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French and German languages, English composition, logic, geography, mensuration and algebra; the juniors, Latin, Greek, Hebrew and other Oriental languages, metaphysics, ethics, algebra, geometry, trig- onometry, conic sections, surveying, book-keeping, mensurations of heights and distances, navigation, English composition and systematic theology; and the seniors, the ancient and modern foreign languages, such portion
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of the time, not exceeding two days a week, as the prudential committee may direct; belles-lettres, English composition, universal grammar, ele- ments of natural and political law, ancient and modern history, dialling, pro- jection of the sphere, spherick geometry and trigonometry, with their appli- cation to astronomical problems, natural philosophy and theology." It must be confessed that this was no milk and water diet, but good, strong meat, and abundance of it, and, considering the fact that there were only two professors, at most, during the early years of the college, the wonder is how all this load of learning was imparted. It was good to set up a high standard; but does it not appear, considering the sparseness of population and the lack of primary training, that the mark was overshot? It appears from the official records that there were graduated with the degree of A. B. the following numbers during President Alden's administration: 1821, 4; 1822, 0; 1823, 0; 1824, 1: 1825, 0; 1826, 5: 1827, 0; 1828, 0; 1829, 0; 1830, 0; 1831, 2: 1832, 0; 1833, 0-a period from that memorable July day when, with the artillery of Latin, Greek and Hebrew, the birth of the col- lege was heralded, to the close of his labors of fifteen years, with only twelve graduates, less than one a year. But the number of graduates by no means represents the actual work done by the college. The course of study, as we have seen, was a severe one, and a high standard of scholarship was faith- fully maintained. The consequence was that, while few held out to the end, numbers received limited training. In 1829 an attempt was made to change the character of the institution and make it a military school. An expe- rienced officer, a pupil of the then celebrated teacher of tactics, Captain Partridge, was employed to take charge of the institution and introduce the military system of his master. To this procedure Dr. Alden raised his sol- emn protest, and he could with propriety have adopted the language of Dan- iel Webster in the Dartmouth College case, argued before the Supreme Court at Washington: "It is, sir, as I have said, a small college. And yet there are those who love it. . Sir, I know not how others may feel, but for myself when I see my Alma Mater surrounded, like Cæsar in the Senate House, by those who are reiterating stab upon stab. I would not for this right hand have her turn to me and say, 'Et tu, quoque, mi fili!' " President Alden finally became discouraged. Having spent the best years of his life in, to a large extent, unappreciated service, having labors im- posed upon him till they became irksome and a drudgery, he was moved to
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resign, which he did in 1832. It may seem strange, but I am informed by a member of that body, that when Dr. Alden asked of the Erie Presbytery, the religious organization to which he belonged, and for which he zealously labored all his life, for a letter of recommendation to enable him to solicit money for the college it was denied him, many of the ministers of the Presbytery having been graduates of either Washington or Jefferson, and desiring to throw all their influence in favor of these institutions, even though to the choking out of one of kindred faith. He left the college in 1832, and spent the remainder of his days in preaching, but devoting some time still to teaching, having been settled near Pittsburg, where he died in 1839 at the age of sixty-eight years.
After an interregnum of one year, during which time the college was turned over to the Pittsburg Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, embracing in its bounds a portion of western New York, western Pennsyl- vania, eastern Ohio, and western Virginia, since separated into the Erie Con- ference, the Pittsburg Conference and the West Virginia Conference, the college was again opened, under the presidency of the Rev. Martin Ruter, D. D., assisted by the Rev. Homer J. Clark, vice-president and professor of mathematics, and A. B. Rutter, A. M., professor of languages. In 1836-7, by the indefatigable labors of Dr. Burrowes, then at the head of the State Department, quite full and complete reports were made from all the col- leges of the State, and from these. fortunately in my possession, we learn that in 1836-37 ---
The whole number of students was. .. 120
Chemical apparatus $ 400
44 Volumes in library .8,000 Number entered
Number to teach 35
Valuc of same .$24,000
Price of tuition 18
Value of whole property. .$46.800
Annual expense 140
Proportion paid by labor. 30
Annual receipts lecture room. .$ 1.700
Acres of land
60
Expenditures $ 2.500
Valued at
$ 2,400
Received from the state.
$19,000
Buildings .$20.000
Debt .$ 3.800
These figures doubtless show the actual status of the college at this period pretty accurately. It appears that a college in those days had a debt just as now, and I presume just as disagreeable and hard to manage. It ap- pears from this statement that the college had received in money from the State treasury $19,000, which had doubtless been employed in completing the building and in making up deficiencies in salaries, and this sum exactly co- incides with the provisions of law which I have taken the pains to look up.
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By the act of March, 1817, it received $2,000 in three annual installments. Building of brick, trimmings of stone, 100 ft. long, 38 ft. wide. By act of January Ist, 1820, $1,000 per annum for five years, $5,000; May Ist. 1834, $2,000 annually for four years, equal $8,oco. A general law was passed in 1838 giving to all colleges which had four professors and one hundred stu- dents $1,000 annually for ten years. But in 1844, at the end of six years, this law was repealed, and that, if I mistake not, was the end of State aid to col- leges. By the act of 1835 the use of the Arsenal was granted, probably with the intention of fitting up dormitories therein, but was never carried out. By the act of 1843 the college was prohibited from transferring any of its property of any kind, evidently to prevent debts from becoming a lien upon it.
The report of Dr. Burrowes furnishes some interesting notes respecting the then status of the college. The course of study was somewhat modified from that originally prescribed. It embraced : 1. A thorough course in Latin and Greek, and, when desired, Hebrew, French and German. 2. In mathematics, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, mensuration, navigation, surveying and conic sections, and, when desired, fluxions and civil engineer- ing. 3. In natural sciences, philosophy, chemistry, botany, mineralogy and geology. 4. Moral and mental philosophy, elements of criticism, universal history. rhetoric, logic, natural theology, political economy and national law. Under the head of improvements: Completed, one college building: in prog- ress, finishing dormitories; yet required, a fire-proof building for library, and an addition for the preparatory department. The government is by trustees. The faculty consists of a president, who is professor of moral science: vice-president, professor of natural philosophy and chemistry; a professor of Latin and Greek, and one tutor.
· Under the head of future prospects: "It is, perhaps, proper to remark that heretofore the available funds of the institution have been necessarily expended in the purchase of lands, with a view to a manual labor depart- ment, in the erection of buildings and in making other necessary improve- ments; also, to meet a part of the current expenses, which the receipts from tuition, etc., were not entirely sufficient to defray. The trustees and faculty strongly feel the importance of a permanent fund invested in some produc- tive stock, the avails of which, with the tuition moneys, may in future cover all the expenses of the college. To accomplish which they are making
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vigorous efforts. through traveling agents, to bring to their assistance in- dividual benevolence. But after three or four years of trial, it is manifest to them that the amount which can be raised by this method will be entirely in- sufficient to secure the proposed end. Their ultimate reliance for success is, therefore, on the patronage of the Legislature. The location of Allegheny College places it among the most important in the State. All the north- western part of the State could more conveniently send to this college than to any other, which renders it important that it should be furnished with the necessary advantages. At present the institution labors under serious embarrassment, from want of complete apparatus for the illustration of the various subjects of natural philosophy and chemistry with a suitable cabinet of natural history, a branch of education daily growing in public estimation. The library, extensive and valuable as it already is, requires the addition of a few hundred volumes, of modern and recent productions, to bring it up with the present state of literature. One additional professor is immediately needed to fill necessary departments."
The note under the head of the college in 1837, is: "The improvements in progress are dormitories for sixty-eight students; $3,000 are required to make all improvements complete. Hitherto the income has been less than the expenditure. The deficiencies have been paid by subscriptions. Faculty of instruction are five professors, including president and vice-president."
Dr. Ruter was a man of large attainments and had some experience in working up infant educational institutions at .Augusta, Kentucky. He was seconded by Rev. Homer J. Clark, who had also seen service in similar labor at Madison College, in Fayette County, Pa., who was vice-president. A Roberts professorship, named in honor of Bishop Roberts, was endowed. which. together with tuition of pupils and rents, gave a more liberal support than it had before enjoyed. The number of graduates during his presi- dency were: 1834. 3: 1835. 4: 1836. 1: 1837. 6: and in that year Dr. Ruter was succeeded by the vice-president, Dr. Clark. Through the powerful ap- peals of Thaddeus Stevens, who, in behalf of higher education, as he had done in 1835 for the common schools, had put his shoulder to the wheel, a law was passed in 1838 giving to each college which had four professors and one hundred students, $1,000 annually for ten years. At the end of six years that law was repealed. During the period from 1838 to 1844, in which State aid was regularly received, there was a good degree of prosperity; but upon
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the withdrawal of that, it was seen that the college could not be supported without some other means than the uncertain amounts received from tuition of students. Accordingly the college was for a time, from 1844 to '46, closed and the president went forth among the friends and patrons of the college to solicit endowment funds. As a result of his exertions a hundred thousand dollars were subscribed, of which ($60,000) sixty thousand dollars were col- lected and invested. The plan of the endowment was by the purchase of scholarships, which practically cut off all hope of revenue from tuition. "Any person subscribing and paying $35 to the Centenary Fund Society of either the Pittsburg or Erie Conference secured a perpetual scholarship in the college. The two Centenary Fund Societies were regularly incorporated and, through their boards, elected annually by the Conferences, one having its seat in Pittsburg and the other in Meadville, received and invested the funds and collected and applied the proceeds. For the funds invested security was taken on productive real estate to three times the amount loaned. The interest, when collected, was paid over to the college treasurer to defray the expenses of the instruction. Thus, by a large permanent and productive endowment, the salaries of the professors were paid and tuition offered with- out charge."
During the ten years in which Dr. Clark presided, from 1837 to '47, the number of graduates was as follows: 1838, 6: 1839, 10: 1840, 15: 1841. 15: 1842. 9: 1843, 4: 1844, 0; 1845. 2: 1846. 4: 1847, 10. He appears to have been a man with the real missionary spirit and accomplished a great good for the college. Whether the plan of endowment was the most judicious form in which aid could have been secured is susceptible of question, but it is probable that in the straitened circumstances of those who were disposed to give and the scarcity of money it was the only practical plan.
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