THE PIONEER SCHOOL AUSTEN K. DE BLOIS LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE BENJAMIN SHURTLEFF. THE Pioneer School A History of Shurtleff College, the Oldest Educational Institu- tion in the West : : : : : BY AUSTEN KENNEDY DE BLOIS, PH.D., LL.D. PRESIDENT OF SHURTLEFF COLLEGE, 1894-1899 Fleming H. Revell Company Chicago New York 1900 Toronto Copyright 1900 By Fleming H. Revell Company To The Memory of JOHN MASON PECK, The Pioneer Preacher and Teacher Who laid the foundation of Shurtleff College, and of WASHINGTON and WARREN LEVERETT, Those two scholarly and saintly men Who developed year by year in the consecration of love The rich inner life and spirit of the School, This Record is Inscribed. PREFACE. Much is said in our day of "the passing of the smaller college." It seems to be pretty well agreed among educators that the day of its usefulness is done. I can hardly bring myself to share such a view. Considering the commanding position and rapidly growing power of the great university establishments, the func- tion of the denominational college cannot, in the very nature of the case, be one of very large influence or importance in the com- ing time. Nevertheless, as a centre for Christian activities, as a local rallying point for educational forces and ideals, and as a place of resort for students of slender means and limited op- portunities, there certainly still remain for it a purpose and a mission. Apart from these questions, however, the chief interest of the smaller denominational college consists in its heritage of honor- able history. It was my privilege for a period of five years to direct the affairs of one of these worthy institutions. It is today neither heavily endowed nor completely equipped, yet it is a venerable institution, judged by the standard of age in the West; it has rich and fragrant associations for a multitude of old students, serving now in many places and in many profes- sions; and during its three and seventy years of history it has numbered a host of rare and noble souls in the ranks of its teachers and friends. The story of this pioneer school I have written here. The work has been a labor of love, for I have been deeply in- terested in the task of tracing through the records the develop- ing life of the college. A very large amount of time has been spent in careful investigation of printed and written records, newspaper files, and letters and other documents, in order that the history might not only be complete in a general and super- PREFACE. ficial way, but that it might possess a real historic value for all friends of the College and of Christian education. I am in- debted to the Reverend A. A. Kendrick, LL.D., the president of Shurtleff for more than twenty years, for his courtesy in reading and re-reading the manuscript, and suggesting certain changes and additions. Not simply in the compilation of this volume, but in many matters of administrative detail in the course of the last five years, I have been favored by Dr. Kendrick's helpful counsel, never obtrusively offered, yet always cheerfully given. The manuscript has also been carefully examined by Mr. H. M. Carr, of Alton, a student of Shurtleff in the sixties, and now a member of the board of trustees, and by Mr. John Leverett, the son of Professor Warren Leverett. Dr. Justus Bulkley read all of the earlier chapters a few weeks before his death, and gave me considerable information that I could have obtained from no other source. The kindness of these friends I have deeply ap- preciated. It is fitting that I should refer also to the recent action of the members of the board of trustees, indorsing the work by a cordial and unanimous vote, and making, most gen- erously and unexpectedly, a large appropriation from their funds to assist in defraying the expenses of publication. This action is quite in keeping with the many other favors which I have enjoyed at their hands from time to time. The president of the board, Dr. Myron W. Haynes, of Chicago, has been espe- cially kind, and has given me valuable aid in the work of com- pilation. If those who love the little college by the Mississippi, if those who think of "old Shurtleff" tenderly, and speak her name rever- ently, will welcome this record as an aid to memory or a spur to loyalty, I shall be abundantly repaid for the labor of setting to- gether the scattered narratives of her life-history. AUSTEN K. DE BLOIS. ELGIN, ILL., April 9, 1900. CONTENTS. CHAP. I. EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS IN ILLINOIS n Early settlements Social and religious conditions Pioneer preachers and churches John Mason Peck Establishment of the Western Mission Mr. Peck's jour- ney St. Louis in 1818 The First Baptist Church beyond the Mississippi General work in education Alton in 1819 Mr. Peck's removal to Illinois His mission to New England The birth of the Pioneer School CHAP. II. THE ROCK SPRING SEMINARY, 1827-1831 29 The conference of organization Building and preparing The school opened Joshua Bradley The school and its scholars Mr. Peck's varied labors Rock Spring : a student's view The seminary suspended CHAP. III. THE ALTON SEMINARY, 1832-1835 48 Better prospects A strategic location Principal Hubbel Loomis An important conference Transfer of property Beginning at Alton John Russell A charter with restrictions Academic Hall Bela Jacobs' report Mr. Peck's proposal The work of Alton Seminary CHAP. IV. ALTON COLLEGE, 1835-1836 65 A new charter Two schools with one head Mr. Peck's embassy In New York In New England A notable gift Dr. Benjamin Shurtleff The Pioneer's return Lewis Colby Washington Leverett Unfulfilled plans CHAP. V. THE EARLY YEARS OF SHURTLEFF COLLEGE, 1836- 1841 78 The rise of other Baptist schools The Illinois Education Society The first faculty meeting School routine Wanted : a president A lax official Plans for a build- ing College and academy Principal Warren Leverett Two schools become one The medical department Found : a president Gideon B. Perry and his ways CHAP. VI. THE PRESIDENCY OF ADIEL SHERWOOD, 1841-1845. 97 The new president The college without and within A literary society Degrees and honors Hard times CONTENTS. Death of Professor Newman Failing numbers Dr. Sherwood resigns CHAP. VII. TIMES OF PERIL AND UNCERTAINTY, 1845-1850. . 104 A small faculty Removal of Dr. Edwards Isaac D. Newell as college agent The class of 1847 Prosperous times College societies Rumors many and grave A conference of enquiry The skies clear CHAP. VIII. THE PRESIDENCY OF NORMAN N. WOOD, 1851- 1855 H3 Dr. Wood : his life and character Shurtleff's increase in numbers Its inner development President Wood dis- covers Elijah Gove The advent of rival schools Ill- advised utterances Faculty changes The dormitory finished A strict administration College and people Agency work Trouble in the faculty Theological com- plications The "Northerners" CHAP. IX. THE PRESIDENCY OF DANIEL READ, 1856-1865 133 A strong staff of teachers Dr. Peck's last board meeting The adventures of Horace Pierce Mr. Field as agent Dr. Steenstra's tribute The religious life The war and its demands Enlargement : spiritual and scholastic Planning amid perils An urgent appeal Mr. and Mrs. Gove come to the rescue Their noble gift CHAP. X. THE PRESIDENCY OF DANIEL READ, 1865-1870.... 154 A corner-stone Repairs Financial ups and downs Agents many Almira College The education of women Signs of progress A resignation and a protest The Leveretts' withdrawal The "Band of Faith" President Read resigns His later life CHAP. XL THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF, 1827-1839 172 Religious leaders in the pioneer days Aims of the Rock Spring School The battle for ministerial culture The "hardshells" : their words and methods A missionary convention formed Its plea for an educated ministry The Alton Theological Seminary Mr. Colby's excellent work The Illinois Baptist Education Society organized Aid societies, ancient and modern CHAP. XII. THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF, 1839-1899 193 Lack of leaders in theological work The Bible in the curriculum Ruinous inactivity An embassy to Mis- souri The period of silence Dr. Read the champion CONTENTS. of theological instruction Effect of the new impulse A strong school Financial plans An overturning Dr. Pattison Dr. Mitchell Theology in later years CHAP. XIII. TRANSITION YEARS, 1870-1872 210 "Gove University" Tokens of progress Co-education President Kendrick The inauguration The Commence- ment festivities of 1872 CHAP. XIV. THE PRESIDENCY OF ADIN A. KENDRICK, 1872- 1877 219 The loss of two faithful friends A notable class Inno- vations Kendall Institute The enrollment grows Chi- cago University A lecture course Renovations Faculty changes Spiritual blessings The "Centennial offering" Dr. Johnson and his great work CHAP. XV. THE PRESIDENCY OF ADIN A. KENDRICK, 1877- 1889 241 The financial outlook Hard-working teachers Student government Ups and downs The school discipline Town and gown The new chapel Deficits Exit the Chicago University The College Review The library Class day The college band Martha Wood Cottage CHAP. XVI. THE PRESIDENCY OF ADIN A. KENDRICK, 1889- 1894 264 The Ladies' Education Society Numerical growth Washington Leverett The Leveretts and their work A tragic event : Beginnings of a laboratory The new gymnasium Losses by death The pro rata system Orlando L. Castle The "New Endowment" CHAP. XVII. THE PRESIDENCY OF AUSTEN K. DE BLOIS, 1894- 1899 278 State schools Buildings and grounds The Lend-a-Hand Society Charles Fairman Policy of the new adminis- tration Financial readjustment The faculty strength- ened The seventieth commencement The teaching force Chapel lectures Athletics Chicago Alumni Associa- tion A financial campaign History of Alpha Zeta Bible study introduced Success of "The Review" Growth : scholastic and numerical Justus Bulkley Place and worth of the smaller college APPENDICES 309 CHAPTER I. EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS IN ILLINOIS. Early Settlements Social and religious conditions Pioneer preachers and churches John Mason Peck Establishment of the Western Mission Mr. Peck's journey St. Louis in 1818 The First Baptist Church beyond the Mis- sissippi General work in education Alton in 1819 Mr. Peck's removal to Illinois His Mission to New England The birth of the Pioneer School. While the people of the East were contending to the death for larger rights and the boon of free and inde- pendent sovereignty, the West lay still untraversed and unknown. A few French families, whose ancestors had emigrated from Canada, were living in the squalid vil- lages of Kaskaskia and Cahokia, in the southern portion of the country which afterward became the territory of Illinois. Disputes and battles between French and In- dians, and French and English, alone marked the pas- sage of the years for upward of a century. The Fourth of July has a double significance for every son of Illi- nois, for on that memorable day, exactly two years after the Declaration of Independence was given to the world, the gallant soldier, George Rogers Clark, captured the village of Kaskaskia, and, without losing a man or firing a gun, took possession of the Illinois country in the name of Virginia and the Republic. The fair and fertile land that lies between the Ohio and the Missis- sippi became then a part of the Northwest Territory. In the years that followed a few scattered settlements were made by emigrants from Kentucky and Virginia. At the close of the Revolutionary War the population of ii 12 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. this region was less than two hundred. The moral and social condition of the people was disheartening. The refining agencies of education and culture were un- known. The influence of religion was entirely absent. There were no Protestant churches and no Protestant Christians. In the United States at that time there were about fifty thousand Baptist church members, less than one-half as many as are resident today in the state of Illinois. There were only two Baptist churches in the entire valley of the Mississippi, and they were small and weak. In 1787 James Smith, a Baptist preacher, came over from Kentucky and made a tour among- the settle- ments. His visit resulted in several conversions, and thus the foundations of Protestant Christianity were laid in this section of the country. Twice did Elder Smith return to the infant interest, and then he was captured by the Indians. The people to whom he had preached evinced a genuine gratitude by raising one hundred and seventy dollars and securing his release by payment of this amount as a ransom. Several years later the converts in Illinois were visited by another pioneer preacher from Kentucky, Elder Josiah Dodge, who baptized James Lemen, Sr., his wife, John Gibons, and Isaac Enochs, in February, 1794. On the twenty-eighth day of May, two years later, the New Design Baptist Church was organ- ized with a membership of thirty-eight. At the beginning of the present century the Northwest Territory, embracing the entire domain north of the Ohio river, had a population of fifty thousand, and the coun- try now known as the state of Illinois contained about three thousand inhabitants. Not more than one hundred of these were communicants in Baptist churches, and only three regular churches existed, the largest being that at New Design. In 1807 five churches formed themselves EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS. 13 into an association called the "Illinois Union." This body soon dissolved on account of disagreement with reference to the question of slavery. On all other *points of doctrine and practice they remained in full accord with each other for a time at least. Those who favored slavery reorganized themselves into the "Illinois United Baptist Association," the three associations which were hostile to the South assuming the title of "Friends of Humanity." The growth of the churches was not rapid, for the con- dition of the country presented obstacles to every sort of progress. The strong tide of emigration from the South and East was just beginning to set in. The marauding spirit of the Indians, the large tracts of uncultivated land which separated the different communities, the lack of schools and general culture, and the thousand inconven- iences of pioneer life, retarded the development of relig- ious work among the people. In 1819 the United Baptist Association numbered ten churches and one hundred and ninety-four members, while the reports of the "Friends of Humanity" showed four churches and one hundred and eighty-six members within the boundaries of their or- ganization. At this critical time, when many forces were co-operating to develop a distinctive type of social life and character, the power of a strong and splendid personality gave a new impetus to the work of the denomination in the West. John Mason Peck was born in the town of Litchfield, in Connecticut, on the 3ist of October, 1789. The days of his childhood and youth passed uneventfully. He attended the common schools and obtained there a scanty and superficial education. His parents and friends were Congregationalists, but at the age of twenty-three he united with the Baptist church at New Dunham in the 14 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. state of New York, whither he and his young wife had just removed their residence. Immediately the idea of the ministry took possession of his thoughts and he soon began preaching to feeble churches in the vicinity of his home. His vigorous and somewhat restive disposi- tion led him to undertake evangelistic tours, even while he was nominally a settled pastor, and gradually within his mind there grew and strengthened an intense desire for labor in a wider field. By contact and correspondence with that remarkable man, Luther Rice, he found fuel for inspiration. He felt keenly the need of careful training and thorough preparation for the service to which he had now resolved to dedicate his life. So though many obstacles opposed him he resigned his pastorate in order to enter upon a course of study. In the city of Phila- delphia, under the guidance of the eminent Dr. Staugh- ton, he carried forward an extended course of reading and study, residing in the home of his teacher, and giv- ing his days, and even his nights as well, to an ardent and consecrated improvement of the opportunity which his own determined energy had created. In this embryo theological seminary he remained for exactly one year. During this time he enjoyed the friendship of many of the denominational leaders of the day, and came into imme- diate relations with new and suggestive influences. His zeal grew more intense and fervid, while his dreams of missionary service became more vivid and more real. His mind for several years had been to some extent occu- pied with the needs of the vast and newly-settled sections of his own country; and in the progress of that eventful year of study the decision was finally made, and he resolved to dedicate his entire life to labor in the West. The Triennial Convention, which cared for the foreign missionary interests of the Baptist body in the United EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS. 15 States, met at Philadelphia in May, 1817. The records of this meeting will be noteworthy forever in the annals of American Baptists. During its sessions the matter of the establishment of a "domestic mission'' in the Mis- souri territory came under discussion, largely as a result of the persistency of Mr. Peck and his friends. Before the adjournment a most important step was taken. The western mission was established, and Messrs. Peck and Welch, in answer to their own urgent request, were chosen as its pioneer missionaries. With special serv- ices of prayer and praise these men of God were given to the work. Among those who were present at the solemn exercises of dedication were Dr. Furman, the founder of Furman University, who preached from the text, ''Separate me Saul and Barnabas for the work where- unto I have called them ;" Rev. Jesse Mercer, the founder of Mercer University, who gave the charge to the young men; and Luther Rice, the indefatigable sec- retary and financial agent of the Columbian Univer- sity at Washington. Dr. Staughton of Philadelphia, Mr. Peck's counsellor and teacher, afterward president of the Columbian University, gave the right hand of fel- lowship to the candidates. Thus with prayer and admo- nition,' in humility and faith, the Baptist missionary enter- prise in the far West was inaugurated. The work of education has always been linked by a bond indissoluble with the highest forms of missionary activity. The establishment of schools has been a part of the plan of every home or foreign missionary who has accomplished a large and successful work. In one of his earliest let- ters to Luther Rice, Mr. Peck wrote: "Is it contem- plated to form a permanent mission station in the West ?" and "Would it be best to have schools connected with our mission ?" He thus set forth clearly his own concep- 1 6 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. tion of the value of educational agencies and their intimate connection with missionary activities. Both of these queries Mr. Rice answered with an emphatic "Yes." Although John M. Peck, at "the age of eighteen, found it a laborious task to read or write, and although his acquaintance with academic and theological instruction was limited to the few months which he had spent under the tutelage of Dr. Staughton, he applied himself so devotedly to the acquisition of knowledge that in later years he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divin- ity from Harvard University, the most venerable institu- tion of learning in the country, in recognition of his distinguished attainments. He clearly apprehended the inestimable value of a higher education, and did not hesitate to express his strong convictions on the subject. In February, 1819, soon after his arrival in the West, he wrote : "It had been in our plan at first, even before we left Philadelphia for this region, to establish a semi- nary for the common and higher branches of education ; and especially for the training of school teachers and aiding of preachers now in office, or who may hereafter be brought forth in the schools. The education of the ministry is of primary importance in all new countries." These sentences embody the worthy and workable ideals with which the sturdy young warrior entered upon his life-long campaign. 1 It was a period of intellectual quickening among the Baptists of the older States. Brown University was the only institution claiming college rank, but beginnings had been made in other parts of the Union. "The Lit- erary and Theological Institution of Maine" commenced regular instruction in July, 1818, under the direction of Professor Chapin. Just one year previous the Baptist 'See also American Baptist Magazine and Missionary Intelligencer , New Series ; Volume i, September, 1817. EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS. 17 Education Society in Philadelphia undertook the founda- tion of a classical and theological seminary, and Dr. Staughton was appointed principal of the institution. On the tenth of August, 1818, a meeting of the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions was held in the city of New York, called chiefly for the purpose of consulting "on the best measures to promote an institution for improv- ing the education of pious young men who are called to the gospel ministry." This effort had its outcome in the establishment of the Columbian College at Wash- ington. Between the time of his appointment and the date of his departure for his future field Mr. Peck labored loy- ally in the interest of the Western Mission, visiting associations, addressing religious gatherings, soliciting subscriptions, founding mite societies, and engaging in much personal work. It was the beginning of a heroic service which continued without cessation to the close of his long and self-denying life. Three months after his appointment, John Mason Peck bade farewell to the home and friends of his youth, and began his long journey to the Missouri territory, to him the land of radiant promise. As the July day drew on to its close a covered wagon rumbled out of the town of Litch- field in the state of Connecticut, bearing the missionary, his wife, and three children, to their new home in "the regions beyond." Their route carried them first to Phila- delphia, then over the Alleghanies to Pittsburg, through Ohio to Chillicothe, across the Ohio river, down to Louisville in Kentucky, and north through Indiana, then rejoicing in the newly-given dignity of statehood. Long after the glories of the summer had departed, when the short and gloomy days drew on toward winter, on the evening of the sixth of November, the old caravan wagon, 1 8 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. battered and mud-begrimed, recrossed the Ohio and entered the wretched village of Shawneetown, in the territory of Illinois. In this most unpromising locality the missionary was detained for several days by rains and floods, and at last made his way to St. Louis in a keel-boat, spending much of his time in the six-by-ten cabin, as the weather was alternately rainy, windy, and cold. On the first of December, after twenty-two days of 'river travel, he landed in the remote and unattractive French village of St. Louis. Weariness and exposure had brought on a fever, and consumption threatened. Every house, indeed almost every room in the village, was occu- pied, but at last he and his family succeeded in renting a single room formerly used as a business office. Here amid the most miserable surroundings Mr. Peck lay dangerously ill for two months. Such was his introduction to the scene of his future labors. In a half-humorous way he was accustomed to speak of himself as "the Pioneer," and in later years as "the Old Pioneer." The title was surely most appropriate! The sufferings and trials of pioneer life did not long delay their coming. Even before his complete recovery Mr. Peck, with his colleague Mr. Welch, established a school and a church, and began the double service of teaching and preaching. This school in St. Louis was the beginning of Baptist educational work in the West. It was opened on the first of January, 1818, just one month from the time of Mr. Peck's arrival in the frontier town. The condi- tion was anything but favorable, for St. Louis was "a land of darkness, one of the dark places of the earth, full of the habitations of cruelty." Vice of all kinds reigned without check or hindrance, while error and superstition controlled the minds of the more serious among the people. Nevertheless the school prospered. EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS. 19 Twenty-five pupils were enrolled on the first day. Each of these agreed to pay a fee of five or six dollars a quar- ter. The people were curious concerning the energetic movements of the new missionaries. Some were thor- oughly interested, others were suspicious, the Catholic priests were jealous and hostile. Although the school required considerable attention and care the more vital concerns of the spiritual life were not neglected. On the eighth of February eleven persons entered into solemn covenant engagements as a regular church of Christ, the first Baptist church beyond the Mississippi. At the pub- lic examination of the school held on the twenty-seventh of March the "students performed remarkably well." 1 The work of the missionaries was already commanding atten- tion, and several gentlemen of the village were begin- ning to interest themselves in the cause. As the weeks went by the plans for the school were changed and enlarged. The power of system and the value of regu- lar organization were appearing even thus early in the efforts of the pioneers. The somewhat dignified title of "Western Mission Academy" was bestowed upon the infant institution, and three distinct departments were established. One of these was for "paid" scholars, who at the outset numbered forty. Another, limited to ten scholars, was for the children of poor French Catholic families and the tuition was free. In the third department, which was neither more nor less than an African Sunday-school, there were nearly one hundred pupils registered, their ages running the wide range from five to forty years. In this branch of the institution the principal object was religious instruction, although the rudiments of a solid English education were also imparted. *The Latter Day Luminary, May, 1818: Letter fron Messrs. Peck and Welch. 20 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. It soon became evident to the frugal and far-seeing missionaries that St. Louis was not the place for a per- manent seminary of learning. The expense of living, the high rents, and the impossibility of purchasing and cultivating a large tract of land in the vicinity of the school buildings, led to the removal of the main school to the town of St. Charles. This was not the result of a momentary impulse or a hasty decision. Excursions were made to several points within a radius of fifty miles from St. Louis, and in the course of exploration the very locality which was afterward chosen as the site of Shurt- leff College was visited. That Upper Alton and its sur- roundings were by no means charming or attractive in that early day appears clearly in the following account from the pen of Mr. Peck : "The late Hon. Rufus Easton, of St. Louis, who had become interested in the landed property, projected as the site of Alton city, exacted the promise that we should not decide on our location until we had visited and explored that site or rather the village now known as Upper Alton, two and a half miles in the rear, and on elevated and healthy ground. . . . "We (singly not our colleague) left St. Charles on February 23, 1819, and rode down to the 'Point' toward Smeltzer's ferry, then located about three miles above the site of the city. Here we crossed the river a little after sunset, and had five miles to ride to the inhabited village. For three miles the pathway lay along the brink of the low water of the river and under the cliffs. Not far from the present site of the Alton House, there was a building, but whether a rough frame or log house it was too dark to perceive. (There were four cabins on the town site.) Here we obtained directions how to find and follow the dubious pathway through the brush EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS. 21 and forest, up a long hill to the village. It was cloudy and dark, but on emerging from the forest we found on every side the appearance of camp-fires. Log heaps, piles of brush, old stumps and other combustible mate- rials were glowing with heat, and spreading an illumina- tion over the plateau. "Inquiry was made for a tavern or boarding-house, and we were directed to a long, low, ill-looking log house. It was about forty feet in length and probably sixteen feet wide, the doorway for entrance at the west end, and the dining-room, as it seemed to be used for eating pur- poses, was the first room entered. Our readers are aware we had been in some dirty places. The table was sup- ported by forks driven in the ground, on which rough, newly sawed boards extended perhaps twenty feet. An old cloth, filthy like the rest of the establishment, cov- ered a portion of the table. A supply of dirty dishes indicated that several boarders might have had a late supper. The part from which the dishes and cloth had been removed was occupied by three parties with cards, or something resembling spotted pieces of pasteboard; all in harmony with the rest, for the cards and men were the dirtiest objects I had seen since our pilgrimage in the Boone's Lick country. On inquiring for the landlord, a shock-head, begrimed features, and soiled garment that appeared to belong to a 'human/ came in. ... "It did not take many minutes to frame and carry into effect a resolution to find better quarters. While living in St. Louis the preceding year, I had formed a slight acquaintance with the family of Doctor Erastus Brown, who in autumn had removed to Upper Alton. Offering a dirty, ragged boy a dime to pilot me to Dr. Brown's, slinging my saddlebags on the arm, and climb- 22 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ing over stumps and logs, brought us to the snug, neat, newly-built log house no, we will call it a 'cottage' where we found the doctor, his lady, and two or three little ones, in as comfortable quarters as any decent folks deserved to have in those frontier times. . . . "Both declared a hearty welcome, and regretted I did not call on them on my first arrival. I told the good lady not to get supper, for I had eaten a late dinner, and it was drawing toward bed time, but in the quick- est time she had the tea made and the table spread. I told her I was used to sleeping on the floor with my saddle for a pillow and saddle blanket for covering; but I was ushered into a neat little room with a bed and covering fit for a prince. In all my wanderings I never experienced as great and sudden a transition from wretch- edness and filth to comfort and happiness. "In the morning, after an early breakfast, in company with my friend, Dr. B., I made an exploration through the town, was introduced to several citizens, and learned all that was necessary of Upper Alton at that time as the site for a seminary of learning. "There were on the spot between forty and fifty families, living in log-cabins, shanties, covered wagons, and camps. I found a school of some twenty-five or thirty boys and girls was taught by some backwoods fellow, but the chance for a boarding-school was small indeed. There was the old settlement about the forks of Wood river and Rattan's prairie that might furnish a few scholars. The Macoupin settlement real frontier row- dies was thirty miles north, of a dozen families; then, three families had ventured over Apple creek. The emi- grants to the Sangamon county w r ent there the preceding winter. Peoria, on the Illinois river, was an old French village of twenty-five cabins. Morgan, Cass, Scott, and EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS. 23 all those counties along the Illinois river were the hunting grounds of the Indians. The late Major Wadsworth and half a dozen families had made their pitch in Calhoun county. All the country to the east and north was one vast wilderness. Where could scholars be found to fill a seminary at Upper Alton ? After deciding all such ques- tions, I gave a fellow a quarter to clean the mud from my horse, paid for his fare, received a hearty invitation from Dr. and Mrs. Brown to call on them the next time I vis- ited Alton, and made my way by another path back to Smeltzer's ferry. It was three or four years before I again visited Upper Alton, during which time quite a town had sprung up." Under such conditions Alton was not worthy of serious attention as the site for the proposed seminary, though it is interesting to notice that the claims of this place were urged at the very inception of the educational un- dertaking which afterward bore its full fruitage in "Shurtleff College of Alton, Illinois." In the autumn of 1818 the Reverend James Craig had removed his residence from Ohio to the west shore of the Mississippi, and started a school at St. Charles. It was a healthful and central locality. Hearing of this new ven- ture Mr. Peck entered into immediate negotiations with Mr. Craig, and soon arrangements were completed for the establishment of a seminary and boarding school, while the main school at St. Louis was discontinued. It was thought that a twofold object would thus be gained the mission would become largely self-supporting, through the income from the school, and the general work of the mission would be promoted by the presence of such an institution of learning in its midst. Mr. Welch remained in St. Louis and continued a school in that place, while Mr. Peck removed his family 24 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. to St. Charles. Two other schools were established in the Missouri Territory under the auspices of the mis- sionaries. The teachers were earnest Christian workers and depended wholly for their remuneration upon the tui- tion fees of the pupils. In reference to the ordinary dis- trict schools which were scattered through the territory Mr. Peck our Pioneer of higher education says : "The object, never lost sight of in my travels, was to examine into the condition of these schools ; and I found at least three-fourths of all the masters and schools were public nuisances, and ought to have been indicted by the Grand Jury." 1 In the June which followed his dreary landing at St. Louis Mr. Peck had made his first visit to Illinois, just two months before that territory, having secured the need- ful forty thousand inhabitants, became a state. Madison county, in which Alton was situated, was one of the three most northerly counties. The region beyond was a wil- derness, and one-half of the territory was thought to be uninhabitable. In this new state of Illinois it was or- dained that the future years of the missionary's life should be passed. In 1820 the Western Mission was closed, chiefly on account of the lack of available funds for its continuance. Mr. Welch was requested to remain in St. Louis "as a private minister and not as a mission- ary," while Mr. Peck was directed to return to Fort Wayne and give his life to labor among the Indians. His full consciousness that a rich harvest was waiting to be garnered in the destitute regions about him led the worthy "Pioneer" to secure release from the positive direction of the Board, and to continue in the Missouri territory at his own expense for nearly two years. He was then ap- 1 Memoir of John Mason Peck, D. D., by Rufus Babcock, p. 99. EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS. 2$ pointed by the Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Society as missionary at large for Missouri and Illinois, and forthwith he removed his family to the eastern shore of the Mississippi. In April, 1822, he took up his residence at Rock Spring, in the county of St. Clair, eighteen miles from St. Louis on the principal stage road to Vincennes. Mr. Peck said of it that "it offered no claim to rank as a village or town. It is in the midst of a tract of barrens, with only a few families within two miles. ... It possesses the advantages of being removed from the con- taminating influences . of a village, is unquestionably healthy, has an abundance of excellent water, and a back country range for stock." 1 Here the pioneer preacher made his home till his work on earth was done. Illinois was not in every way a promising locality at that time. Illiteracy and irreligion prevailed. However, the desire for schools and for the advantages of higher education was not altogether lacking. When Ohio and Indiana were admitted to the privileges of statehood it was arranged that the funds arising from the sale of public lands should be used for the making of roads leading into the respective states. In Illinois, on the other hand, this entire fund was applied "to the encour- agement of learning." 2 The Honorable Nathaniel Pope was largely responsible for this important provision, which met the full approval of the people throughout the state. Perhaps the bitterest opposition to the establishment of schools and colleges came from the ranks of those who should have been foremost in their advocacy. That ec- centric body of Christians who are known as "Anti-Mis- sionary Baptists" or "Hardshells," fought with all the >J. M. Peck's A Guide for Emigrants, pp. 291 ff. 2 See Ford's History of Illinois, p. 20. 26 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. force of their nature against every attempt to found ancl foster institutions of learning in the "Prairie State." Truly they have their reward, for to-day this people is weaker, more shiftless, more helpless, and more densely ignorant and fanatical than any other body of believers. Amid Mr. Peck's many taxing and often tedious labors he never for an instant forgot the educational needs of the people. So when the time for decided action came he was ready. Late in the winter of 1826, pursuant to a long cher- ished plan, he took his way across the prairies and over the mountains to the Eastern states, with a mighty message burning in his heart. After visiting Dr. Staughton at the Columbian University, and attending the meeting of the Triennial Convention in New York, he hurried on to Boston, and laid before the Massachusetts Baptist Mis- sionary Society his plans for future work in the West. This plan embraced two very important features the establishment of a system of circuit missions and the founding of a theological school. In his circular letter to the Missionary Society, in his affecting and conclusively eloquent address before that body, and in his appeals to the churches throughout the line of his pilgrimage, he urged the needs of the preach- ers in the frontier states. The demand for an institu- tion that should qualify such men for larger responsi- bilities and usefulness \vas imperatively necessary. He was willing to house the school for the time being in a rough cabin or log hut. He was ready to carry for- ward any plan which would satisfactorily unite manual labor with study on the part of the pupils. He promised to observe the rules of rigid economy. But under any consideration, at all risks, in face of every difficulty, the school must be established, and immediately. Therefore he pleaded for funds sufficient to enable him to make a EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS. *7 successful beginning. The Society gave him its hearty good wishes, and many of its members made large per- sonal contributions to the work. More than this he could hardly expect, for in the nature of the case the Society could assume no direct control of the institution and could undertake no particular responsibility in its behalf. At the meeting in Boston the Board earnestly recom- mended the school "to generous support, as one of the most effectual, although an indirect, means of promoting the cause of domestic missions, and advancing the true interest of the Baptist denomination over a vast extent of territory." 1 In commenting upon this clause of the report of the Board, Professor Ripley of the Newton Theological Institute said : "The aid also which has been indirectly furnished toward the foundation of the literary and theological institution for the benefit of the Western country, will essentially contribute to the tem- poral and eternal well-being of a rapidly increasing popu- lation. A foundation is laid and a superstructure will be reared, in which we trust thousands and millions will have reason to rejoice." Thus, while the Newton Semi- nary, born in the month of May one year previous, was making loud and emphatic appeals for aid for theological education in cultured New England, the voice of the frontier missionary was crying out for help, in behalf of struggling and needy young preachers in the West ; and thus the representatives of Newton were commend- ing in the spirit of cordial fellowship the plans of their brethren for Illinois and the West. Now, with lip and pen tuned to a theme well learned, Mr. Peck travelled by wise and rapid journeys, awaken- 1 Report of the Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society of Massachusetts^ 1826-27. 28 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ing the interest, enlisting the sympathies, and obtaining the substantial and efficient aid of the Baptist people in the Atlantic states. His petitions were often answered after a somewhat curious fashion, yet he gladly and thankfully received, not only money and books, but crock- ery, tinware and many other articles of practical utility. The enthusiasm which greeted his words, and the gifts which he received, strengthened his own faith and aroused new courage in his heart. He returned to his family and friends in the far-off Illinois country with a quickened and resolute purpose. His importunate prayers had been answered. The hope of years was about to be fulfilled. The school was no longer a vision, but a reality. CHAPTER II. THE ROCK SPRING SEMINARY, 1827-1831. The Conference of organization Building and preparing The School opened Joshua Bradley The school and its scholars Mr. Peck's varied labors Rock Spring: a student's view The seminary suspended. Appreciating fully the importance of the undertaking to which he had set his hand, Mr. Peck began without delay the work of organization. In November he arrived again in Rock Spring. About five weeks later, on the first day of January, 1827, he gathered about him certain men who had shown themselves favorable to the new enterprise, and in earnest conference they laid the founda- tions of the Pioneer School of the West. In order to prepare the way for further deliberations, they declared by a unanimous vote their intention to establish an edu- cational institution, designed primarily for the training of ministers of the gospel, but likewise embracing a gen- eral course of instruction for all students in the ordinary or higher branches of science and literature. The ques- tion of location was next considered. It was necessary that certain conditions should be met. Where could a large piece of land be obtained at reasonable rates? Where was there a thoroughly healthful situation ? What locality would be conveniently near to St. Louis, the steadily growing metropolis of the southwestern country, and already an important centre for trade and commerce ? What position would be in every way strategic, in relation 29 30 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. to the whole of Illinois and the entire Mississippi valley? After mature deliberation it was ordered this time also by a unanimous vote that the school should be located in the Rock Spring settlement, as that seemed to fulfill the conditions most perfectly. In view of the decisions thus reached it was not difficult to secure a name nor to indicate the twofold design of the school. It was to be known as "The Rock Spring Theolog- ical and High School," and it was to embrace two depart- ments. In -the first of these any person approved by his church and giving satisfactory evidence of true piety and promising talents, would be admitted to such instruction as should be provided in biblical literature, Christian theol- ogy, and subjects of general educational value. The other department was to be a scientific and literary seminary for the benefit of any class of students of approved character. The intention was to conduct it after the fashion of the high schools of the eastern states. Several vital problems concerning management, disci- pline and endowment remained to be solved. The position of superintendent of buildings and improvements naturally fell to the lot of Mr. Peck. He was also appointed general agent and empowered to raise funds and to select sub- agents to co-operate with him in this work. The Con- ference now organized by its own act into a Board of Trustees for control of the school, with Rev. James Lemen as president and Mr. Peck as secretary and treasurer proceeded to authorize the issuance of a strong appeal to the public for aid in the erection of buildings and the im- provement of land. It was decided that every subscription of ten dollars would entitle the contributor to one share of stock in the institution. Each subscriber would have the privilege of paying for his pledge in cash, provisions, cattle, labor, materials for buildings, books, or furniture, ROCK SPRING SEMINARY. 3 1 appraisement to be made according to the regular market prices. In the election of trustees each share would be the equivalent of one vote, under such restrictions as the stockholders themselves might impose at their first meet- ing, which it was arranged should be held at the time of the opening of the seminary. Each stockholder would be allowed the privilege of sending his children to school without charge for room rent or for the use of the library. Those persons who had already contributed would be en- titled to the full privilege of stockholders, receiving one share and one vote for every ten dollars which they had given. It was expected that manual labor would be a nec- essary part of the students' training, so before the Con- ference adjourned its members had agreed that a farm should be connected with the institution. Thus in the tilling of the soil the young men were to be given the opportunity to labor "for the preservation of their health, for the purpose of gaining useful instruction in agriculture and domestic economy, and lessening expense in board and tuition." Preliminary arrangements were made for the establish- ment of two professorships. The Conference decided that from the very commencement of the institution there should be a professor of Christian Theology and a pro- fessor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. The first of these should be invariably a regular minister of the gospel, of the Baptist denomination, sound in the faith, of exemplary piety and Christian character, trained in scholarly habits of thought, apt to teach and skillful in the administration of discipline. Should he be found, after appointment or in the course of service, to lack any of these requisite qualifications, he should be instantly dismissed and a competent person elected in his room and 32 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. stead. The other professor, in addition to the duties of instruction, should act as principal of the high school department, and, until the appointment of additional pro- fessors and tutors, should direct the study of the lan- guages. The amount of work accomplished by the Conference at its single session was prodigious. A spirit of deep devotion was manifest from the first word to the last. Every plan was carefully discussed, every conclusion thoughtfully reached, every resolution adopted with the full and hearty concurrence of all who were present. In a communication dated at Rock Spring on the fifth of January, Mr. Peck says : "We commenced the New Year by the meeting of a number of brethren at my house, on the subject of our Theological School. A Board of Trustees was organized, the site of the institution located near my residence, and a general plan of operations agreed upon, all with great harmony and unanimity. The institution is to be known and designated by the name of 'The Rock Spring Theological and High School,' to commence with two professors, and to embrace two departments. . . . We propose to raise in this country $1,000 in cattle, produce, labor, or materials for building, by subscription of loo shares at $10 each. The Trustees have appointed me superintendent of buildings and general agent to raise the funds. This, with my other engagements, will throw a greater burden upon me than I can well sustain. Some of my time will be devoted to hard labor with hired men getting out timber." 1 In the early records the literary and theological, or high school and theological, departments were constantly ^Christian Watchman, February 23, 1827. Article, "New. Seminan,- in the Western Country." ROCK SPRING SEMINARY. 33 differentiated, though often the distinction was formal rather than real. The twofold purpose that has dominated the school throughout the entire range of its long and eventful history has been true to the ideal of its founders. The aim has always been to provide a general literary training on the one hand and for a certain class of students, and to furnish also special preparatory instruc- tion for young men with the ministry in view. After the noteworthy first meeting the task of building and the general preparations for the opening of the sem- inary at once began. There was every evidence of pru- dence and foresight in the prosecution of the work. Log cabins were the order of the day in many localities, but it was found that frame buildings covered with clap- boards, with the walls filled in with brick and plastered over, would be cheaper at the outset, so an edifice of this kind was put up with a frame twenty by thirty feet, two stories high, and having on each side a twelve by fourteen feet wing. In the main building the lower story was used for a public hall and general school-room, while the upper story was occupied by lodging rooms for the students. The right wing contained the library and the principal's room ; the left the reading-room and class-rooms. Much of the labor which under ordinary circumstances fell within the province of lumberman and mason and carpenter, the dauntless pioneer preacher performed with his own hands, that the expense of the undertaking might be lessened. An example of his devotion, and as well of the inspiration which seemed ever to attend his words, is thus related. "One day a young Presbyterian minister, Rev. John M. Ellis, a graduate of the Andover Theolog- ical Seminary, and who had then recently come into Illinois, was riding on horseback in 'the Sangamon coun- try/ as the central portion of the state was then called. 34 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. As he was making his way over the lonely prairies^. inter- spersed here and there with patches of 'timber,' he came to a clearing in the midst of hazels and black jacks, and was arrested in his progress by the sound of an ax. Observing the woodman near by, he called to him with the question, 'What are you doing here, stranger?' 'I am building a theological seminary,' was the reply. 'What, in these barrens?' 'Yes, I am planting the seed.' The woodman was John M. Peck, and the 'seed' he planted sprang and grew as the Rock Spring Seminary, trans- planted subsequently to Alton, and is now flourishing and fruitful as Shurtleff College. But Mr. Peck was plant- ing seed for even more than he himself knew ; for the thoughts suggested by this interview grew in the mind of Mr. Ellis himself and resulted in the formation of Illinois College at Jacksonville." 1 In the face of jealous hostility on the part of his "brethren," the anti-missionary Baptists, and amid the doubts of well-wishing but weak-kneed disciples, he wenf forward with his work. Slowly arose the walls of the building, humble and even mean in appearance, but great in historic significance for the Baptists of the western world. By the end of May the structure was completed. In September a log-cabin boarding-house stood beside it. A third building was soon added, designed for a carpen- ter's shop, but used as a printing office and tract depos- itory. The upper rooms of the seminary and boarding- house were not finished until after the school was suspended, but these rooms were nevertheless occupied by needy students who found shelter from rain and pro- tection from cold, although the luxuries of ease and ele- l TAe Baptists and the National Centenary (Philadelphia, 1877), p. 161. ROCK SPRING SEMINARY. 35 ganee were conspicuously absent. There was an excellent library of some twelve hundred volumes, together with maps, globes and other apparatus. Twenty-five acres of land about the school buildings were owned by the insti- tution, besides two sections of one hundred and sixty acres each on the military tract. On the first day of November, in the presence of a large concourse of people, the members of the faculty were inducted into office. The first principal of the school was Rev. Joshua Bradley, A. M., a man whose unconquerable energy seemed to fit him in a peculiar manner for the onerous work to which he was called. He was born in pov- erty and learned the trade of a cobbler. Totally destitute of even the beginnings of an education, he toiled at the work bench until his nineteenth year, when he passed through the fiery furnace of a torturing spiritual experience into the peace of Jesus Christ. At once he began to read, to study, and to plan for work in a broader field. As the professional requirements were not stringent at that time, he succeeded after a little while in finding employment as a singing-master and school-teacher. By dint of extreme devotion to his books in every period of leisure he secured a good elementary education, and afterward worked his way through Brown University, graduating with honors in 1799. He was then twenty-six years of age, rugged in body, and ready for pioneer labor of the severest char- acter. For nearly sixty years, from the time of his gradu- ation till his death in 1855, he carried forward two important lines of work in seventeen different states. He established churches and founded schools of learning. Constantly moving from place to place, he bore about with him an atmosphere of intense activity. It was his habit to make his home in a town, gather young people about him, and start a seminary. The fees of the pupils 36 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. gave him support, while he spent his spare time and effort in collecting scattered Baptist people, preaching the gospel to them, and uniting them into regular bodies. Churches were established by him in such centres as New Haven, Albany and Pittsburg, while several of his schools grew into flourishing academies and colleges. At the time of his death he. was Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Minnesota. When he received the call to Rock Spring Mr. Brad- ley was in the vigor of mid-life. He had already won a very considerable reputation as a teacher and educator. According to his own account he was "earnestly solic- ited" by Mr. Peck to leave his large school and church in Pittsburg and "take charge of a new seminary at Rock Spring, which subsequently grew into Shurtleff College at Upper Alton." 1 When the Rock Spring Seminary was founded there were one hundred and fifty-five clergymen of all denom- inations in the state of Illinois, of whom fifty-eight were of the Baptist faith. The majority of these men were wholly destitute of educational advantages, while many of them were bitterly opposed to the establishment of colleges, and even of high schools and seminaries. They were accustomed to devote their time during the week to farming or other secular employment and on Sun- day they would enter the pulpit to "exhort" according to their ability. The first five days of its history brought to the Rock Spring Seminary twenty boarding students, besides sev- eral day scholars from the neighboring settlements. The boarders were not inclined to be over-critical. Most of * Annals of the American Baptist Pulpit. Article, "Joshua Bradley" (autobio- craphical sketch). ROCK SPRING SEMINARY. 37 them slept on straw, but Mr. Peck sent an urgent appeal to his friends in Boston for "covering and coarse ticking" for the beds, and many of the good sisters in the East re- sponded heartily to the call, as was evident from the some- what unusual items which appeared in the reports of the Missionary Board from time to time. The expenses of a young man for a year, including clothing, amounted to fifty dollars in cases where the tuition was free (which it usually was) and the style of the boarding economical. Nearly all of the students were poor, and their previous education was of the most slender character imaginable, yet they expected to be turned out from the school after a few months finished products, brilliant scholars, and polished gentlemen. They came from the whole country round about, until, after a few weeks, upward of a hun- dred had gathered at Rock Spring. The success exceeded the loftiest dreams of the founders. "It led probably to some extravagant expectations which could not be real- ized, and as this mortifying disappointment met them in the face, some of their associates were discouraged and turned back. In these various alternations it is most cheering to witness the steadfast zeal of the chief founder never for a moment did he waver, but in sunshine and storm, when all was hopeful or when reverses came thick and aggravatingly upon them, he yielded to no discour- agements, but held on his vigorous, enterprising, persistent course. To this alone, or almost alone, was it owing that the Seminary was made for years successful and emi- nently useful, until its removal to another locality and its enlargement to a college was its culminating triumph." 1 After the establishment of the school Mr. Peck remained active in every good word and work. His devotion to ^Memoir of John Mason Peck, D. )., By Rufus Babcock, pp. 229-30. 38 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. other interests lessened not one whit. He went every- where preaching, baptizing, establishing and confirming churches. In 1818, chiefly through his agency, there had been founded a "United Society for the Spread of the Gospel." In 1825 he was instrumental in bringing about the foundation of "The General Sunday School Union for Missouri and Illinois." He also did a large work dur- ing these years for the American Bible Society. He was a leader in the undertakings of the Colonization Society, and though not active in support of the anti-slavery cru- sade his strong views on the question were well known. He was present at the organization of the first temper- ance society in the state of Illinois, and championed the cause of total abstinence whenever opportunity offered. But Mr. Peck was not only the father of the Baptist Home Missionary enterprise, of Baptist education, and of organized Sunday-school work in Illinois and the West; he was also the pioneer in Western religious journalism. Toward the close of the year 1828, with the aid of Rev. T. P. Green, he issued a prospectus and on the twenty-fifth of the following April the first issue of "The Pioneer of the Valley of the Mississippi" made its appearance. It was hoped that the profits of the paper would help the Seminary on its somewhat uncertain course, but profits there were none, and debts there were many. Neverthe- less the editor and publisher assumed without groan or complaint each annual deficit of two hundred dollars, and continued week after week and year after year for twelve years to issue the paper. There can be no doubt that the circulation of this pe'riodical in the homes of the people served to keep constantly in their view the interest and needs of the school, so that the venture was in no worthy sense a failure. Besides, both educationally and denomi- nationally, the paper was a power in the land on its own account. ROCK SPRING SEMINARY. 39 Rock Spring, with its, newspaper and school, soon be- came a beacon to the Baptists of the state. The excellent service of the teachers gave the seminary a good reputa- tion. After the excitement in connection with its open- ing had subsided it settled down to earnest and effective work. During the second year of its existence it was visited by a gracious revival, the forerunner of the many in all the later years which have made this "school of the prophets" a sacred place to multitudes of men and women. The number of the pupils was about fifty in the early years, although at one time the enrollment reached one hundred and thirty. The school was in operation for forty- four weeks in the year. A vacation of seven weeks in the summer, and another of one week at Christmas time, afforded the hard-working pupils a brief breathing space. A part of the original Students' Record is still pre- served. In the list of those who enrolled themselves at the opening of the seminary is the name "of William H. Rider, written in a boyish hand. Mr. Rider is still living, at an advanced age, in Los Angeles, and is hale and strong in spite of the weight of years. This sole survivor of the earliest days of ShurtlefFs history supplies the following account of the school, and adds some interesting words in reference to the person and work of Dr. Peck : "Seventy-two years have passed since I, a boy in my twelfth year, left Carrollton, Greene county, for Rock Spring, St. Clair county, in company with Jordan Howard and Clarinda Pierson, to enter as a student at the opening of the Rock Spring Seminary the latter part of October, 1827. My father, Justus Rider, was one of the trustees of the theological seminary part of the school. I had graduated from the log school house with its oiled paper windows, and this was the only opportunity to take a step higher. 40 ROCK SPRING SEMINARY. "The school opened with a fair attendance the num- ber I cannot recall. The building was a large two-story frame, with one-story wings on each side, with fireplaces opposite each other in the main building to accommodate the wings. There was always a contest between the two as to which could draw the most smoke from the other, and as that could not be decided, the only way to settle it was to close one of them. The second story was used as a dormitory, and the smaller boys (without bed- steads) slept on straw beds on the floor; after the mis- chievous ones quieted down, we slept as only tired boys can. "There was another building where the young lady stu- dents roomed with the family that attended to the wants of the hungry boarders. It was kept the first year by a Mr. Leonard and family, who came from Morgan county, and afterward lived in Rushville. I was nearly if not quite the youngest pupil in the school, and I boarded most of the time with Mr. Peck. Rev. J. T. Bradley was the first principal of the school ; he was a preacher of more than ordinary power, and as a disciplinarian he was very- strict. The only expulsion from the school that I recollect occurred under his administration. The second year the institution was under the charge of Mr. Peck. The mathe- matical department was taught by Mr. John Messinger. He gave me Latin grammar and algebra to conquer before I was half through common arithmetic and the English grammar. "Many of the students who attended the school while 1 was there became afterward men of celebrity ; among them Ninian Ed wards, late of Springfield, son of Governor Edwards, and William and Miss Penelope Pope, son and daughter of Judge Pope, of Kaskaskia. William Pope was afterward clerk of the United States District Court, WILLIAM H. RIDER. THE PIONEER SCHOOL. 41 of which his father was Judge, and Miss Penelope became the wife of Dr. Hope, of Alton. The late Don Morrison, of Belleville, was a student, and one of the teachers was Ebenezer Marsh, later druggist and banker of Alton. George Stacey was for a time tutor and student, and afterward for a number of years preached in Illinois. I was too young to be on terms of intimacy with any except a few of the students, but in after years I renewed school days' acquaintance with some of the above named and other fellow-students. "I \vas most of the time in Mr. Peck's family. He was one of the most industrious men I ever knew. When not engaged in out-door duties he was always in his study. As a public speaker he was one of the strongest I have ever heard. I do not remember that on any occasion I saw him using notes or having a written sermon. At association or upon special occasions he would often preach sermons of two or three hours in length, as for instance in his answer to certain infidels and skeptics on the validity of the Scriptures, early in the '305 in Car- rollton. There were no church buildings in the town, so services were held in private houses or in the Court- house. The Baptists had an appointment for Mr. Peck at the same hour that the Freethinkers' Society had ar- ranged for their meeting, and both claimed the house. So Mr. Peck advised the Society to go ahead, and he would attend and answer their speaker. Mr. Hopson was a well educated Englishman. He spoke between one and two hours, Mr. Peck in the judge's stand with him. It was rather embarrassing, knowing what was to follow, but Mr. Hopson returned the compliment and remained in the stand during the three hours' sermon of Mr. Peck, which was listened to by the entire audience, more than half of whom were obliged to stand for lack of seats. Mr. 42 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Peck closed by taking a vote on the merits of the question, which was mainly upon the authority of the Bible. The vote was nearly a unanimous 'aye.' Most of the free- thinking friends refrained from voting, but one good old English lady had the courage of her convictions and called out 'no.' That was the last of their public meetings in the village, but they were continued for a time in the coun- try, though finally they ceased altogether, and some were afterward converted and joined the Baptist Church. About that time two Mormon elders came and were threat- ening the disruption of the church. Mr. Peck took them in hand and they left for pastures new. "After one of his powerful efforts, without manuscript or notes, he was asked 'how long it took him to prepare that sermon.' His answer was 'forty years.' He was also a very prominent factor in preventing the state from becoming a slave state. Where he was unknown he was often taken for a judge of the Supreme Court, as when addressing the people on the subject of calling a conven- tion to alter the Constitution to admit the slave." After a year of service Mr. Bradley resigned the prin- cipalship, and was succeeded by John Russell, LL.D., who had been teaching in the school since its foundation. Soon, however, it became evident that the strong hand and the master mind were needed at the helm, for the craft was in dangerous waters. The lack of financial support, the absence of endowment, the poverty of the students, the forebodings of timorous souls, the hostility of the be- nighted, and the full realization on the part of its friends of the unfavorableness of its location, wrought a crisis in the affairs of the institution. Its founder came to its rescue, assuming full control of its activities, in addition to the thousand and one other labors and responsibilities that pressed him on every hand. His multitudinous cares, ROCK SPRING SEMINARY. 43 with the added duties of teaching and supervising, at last threatened to wreck his life. The school could not be dis- continued, for he had staked too much upon it, he had worked too heroically in its behalf, he had placed too great faith in its future, ever to abandon it. Besides, he had enlisted a host of friends, East and West, in its welfare. Times without number he had asserted that the school was a necessity. Such a man, under such conditions, could not change the purpose of years, confess failure, throw aside the work which had begun so auspiciously a short while before, and for the continuance of which he saw an imperative and growing need. Yet what was to be done? How could the obstacles be overmatched? How could the school be saved ? As so often happens, the time of crisis became the golden hour of opportunity. Shortly before the close of the academic year, in June, 1831, the Pioneer received a visit from Rev. Jonathan Going, with whom he had held an extended correspondence since his own visit to the East, and who had been commissioned by the Missionary Society "to explore the conditions of the Baptists in the West." Out of the conversations, the plans, and the travels of those two wise and good men during the few weeks that followed there emerged the ''Baptist Home Missionary Society." During that period also the whole question of the seminary and its future was debated long and earnestly. Together the two men "reconnoitered the very spot in Upper Alton, subse- quently purchased as the site for a new and more imposing institution. During the following year that eligible site was purchased, designed for both Illinois and Missouri, and therefore placed opposite to the Missouri and Missis- sippi rivers, and measures set on foot for erecting durable 44 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. edifices, and the transfer of the school to that locality." 1 It was deemed wise to suspend the operations of the school for a few months, while the question of future location was pending. The founder of the school had no idea of abandoning it, or of closing it permanently. In his Guide for Emigrants, published in 1831, he says that "owing to the failure of the health of the late prin- cipal it is suspended for the present season; but its friends are about to adopt measures to revive it and raise it to a higher rank as a literary institution." 2 There seems to have been some question in the mind of Mr. Peck, even after his conversations with Dr. Going, in reference to the advisability of removing the school to Upper Alton ; but his convictions in regard to the necessity of continu- ing its work never wavered. He at last gave his full consent to the change of location, and so, to use his own words, "the school closed with the view of its removal to Upper Alton as the commencement of a college." Dr. B. F. Edwards, who was successively a member of the governing boards of Rock Spring Seminary and Al- ton Seminary, commenting upon this period in the history of the institution, has said : "Rock Spring Seminary was removed to Upper Alton and there continued as Alton Seminary, and it was definitely understood because of a previous agreement to remove that it was to be done when the new location at Upper Alton was decided upon, and the new organization was then formed." 3 At the close of his tour of inspection Dr. Going carried back to the friends of the school in the East the news of its pro- *Memoir, etc., by Rufus Babcock, pp. 250, 2.51. "*A Guide for Emigrants, containing sketches of Illinois, Missouri and the ad- jacent parts by J. M. Peck (Boston, 1831). ^Jubilee Memorial. Address of Samuel Baker. ROCK SPRING SEMINARY. 45 jected removal, and notices appeared in the public prints to the effect that "the seminary at Rock Spring has been or is to be removed to Alton, and placed under the super- intendence of Rev. Hubbel Loomis." 1 R. S. Duncan, in an account of the life of J. M. Peck in his History of the Baptists in Missouri, says that "Mr. Peck continued his itinerant work in Missouri till 1821, when he removed to Rock Spring, 111., and established the Rock Spring Sem- inary, which . . . became Shurtleff College." The words of Dr. Going himself with regard to the transfer are interesting, confirming as they do the above statements with reference to the transfer of location, and the continuance of the Rock Spring school as Alton Sem- inary. Writing from Edwardsville under date of June 28, 1831, he says : "At the date of my last I had just reached Rock Spring, where, you know, we have a seminary, to look into the circumstances of which constituted a dis- tinct part of my object in this state. It was a part, too, which I considered the most delicate of any part of my business. I am of the opinion, however, that it will be accomplished with less difficulty than I apprehended." Eight days later, having returned to Rock Spring, he writes : "You would smile to see me mounted on a stunted pony, alongside of Brother Peck, the pioneer, and scour- ing the woods and crossing the prairies. One day last week I was four hours on horseback, and all the time in the woods, looking out a location for a Baptist College . . I find no small difficulty in determining, in my own mind, \vhether it is expedient to attempt the re- moval of the seminary from this place ; and, if so, to what place ; though I think the balance in favor of Alton." With 'Professor Knowles' address on Importance of Theological Instruction, p. 1 (also see p. 6). Published by Lincoln & Edwards, Boston, 1832,. 46 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. reference to the conferences of these two men, and the decision that they finally reached, Dr. J. G. Warren says : "My impression is that Going was the only living man that could have prevailed with Mr. Peck to remove the college from his favorite Rock Spring. Both were giants of about equal powers, taken all in all, and it needed a giant in this case to conquer a giant." Judged by our ordinary standard the school at Rock Spring was not a success. Its financial experiences were troublesome and disheartening. The number of students was small after the first year. The management was never wholly satisfactory. Somewhat elaborate plans were made for theological training, yet only eleven of the stu- dents of the school gave their lives to the work of the gospel ministry, including those who were licensed to preach before entering the seminary, and those who after- ward became preachers. Nevertheless, a great work was done at Rock Spring. There were several gracious re- vivals of religion, and the seal of divine approval was again and again set upon the unselfish labors of the in- structors. 1 Thirty-three students professed conversion while in attendance at the seminary, and others who were converted after their school-days had passed, attributed the work of grace to the influences which had surrounded them during the days of their student life at Rock Spring. An educational beginning was made by the Baptists of the state, and the results of that humble beginning are being felt today throughout the western country. A stand \vas taken, a policy was outlined, suggestions were set in motion, a principle was enunciated. To men of clear vision the work of the institution in its earlier history was quite as important in its place as any period of its later 'See Allen's Baptist Register for 1836, p. 83. ROCK SPRING SEMINARY. 47 life has been. The ground was made ready, the seed was planted, the duty of the laborers was pressed home upon their hearts. The pioneers set in motion many efforts and agencies, whose effective force continues today, and whose power will extend and enlarge through all the com- ing generations. CHAPTER III. THE ALTON SEMINARY, 1832-1835. Better prospects. A strategic location Principal Hubbel Loomis An important conference Transfer of property Beginnings at Alton John Russell A Charter with restrictions Academic Hall Bela Jacobs' Report Mr. Peck's proposal The work of Alton Seminary. The hopes and plans of the heroic pioneer missionary were neither fruitless nor vain. The day of the removal of the Rock Spring Seminary to Upper Alton was a day of promise as well as of triumph. The people were becoming interested in educational affairs, and the problem of the location being at last and forever settled, the school began to go forward in the way of outward and practical progress. Its object remained unchanged except that the courses were to be more lengthy, and would advance the student to a higher grade of scholarship. Theological training was still to be a prominent feature in the work of the institution. It is interesting to notice how thoroughly in sympathy with the new life of the school were the desires and ideals of Mr. Peck. At the first annual meeting of the Illinois branch of the American Educational Society, which was held in Jacksonville in August, 1832, he closed a succinct and vigorous address with an appeal for men and the training of men. "We must have men," he said, ''of thorough education both literary and theological. Our re- sources for means must be, to a considerable extent, in the 48 ALTON SEMINARY. 49 liberality of our brethren in the old states, through the channel of the American Education Society, and other kin- dred institutions. But we must put forth a helping hand, and do all we can to aid the cause. The churches must look up and bring forward young men of piety and talents in every denomination, who evince a call to the ministry. The Education Society must aid them in means of support, and our colleges and schools must furnish the education they need. Thus will this new and rapidly populating region, which is ere long destined to occupy an important place in our nation's history, be supplied with able ministers of the New Testament." 1 Mr. Loomis, the newly elected principal of Alton Semi- nary, was present at the meeting at which these senti- ments were uttered. They- furnish a key to the life pur- pose of both John M. Peck and Hubbel Loomis. Of the events which connect themselves with the continuance of the Rock Spring School as Alton Seminary, and with the appointment of Mr. Loomis, it is necessary now to speak. In words which they could not forget, Dr. Going had appealed to the citizens of Alton and vicinity, imploring them to pwt their shoulders to the wheel and promising aid from Boston and other parts of New England to the extent of twenty thousand dollars if they would contribute from eight hundred dollars to one thousand dollars for a building. His suggestions were fruitful of good, and nearly the exact amounts which he named were afterward pledged by the residents of Alton and vicinity on the one hand,, and by the Baptists of New England on the other, as will appear in the sequel. Dr. Going held the unwavering conviction that Upper Alton was the most 1 First Annual Report of the Directors of the Illinois Branch of the American.' Educational Society (Jacksonville 1832), p. 17. 50 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. desirable site for the Seminary building, and his views soon came to be shared by the people in general. The district was situated on a plateau, one hundred and fifty feet above the level of the river. It was very nearly in the exact geographical centre of the "Great Western Valley." It was near the junction of the three mighty rivers, the Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Illinois. As steamboat travel was the most rapid mode of conveyance, Upper Alton was readily accessible from every Western state, and from the Southern states that bordered upon any of the rivers emptying into the Mississippi or its sister streams. Besides these considerations, the climate was healthful, the land in a fair state of cultivation, the country rich and fertile, the surroundings pleasant, and the moral atmosphere free from any harmful or con- taminating influence. By virtue of these many advan- tages its claims were decisive. Whatever and wherever the site, however, it was neces- sary that some strong man should be chosen to carry for- ward the various phases of the work. Serious counsels were held, and with these Dr. B. F. Edwards and Mr. George Smith were most intimately identified. At last a decision was reached. In the midst of a driving storm of rain and sleet, on the 28th and 29th of February, 1832, Mr. Peck rode- many miles through the deep mud, from Alton to Kaskaskia, for the purpose of persuading the Rev. Hubbel Loomis to relinquish his teaching at that place, and undertake the establishment of a school in Up- per Alton or its vicinity. The Pioneer felt that an imme- diate move in an educational direction was absolutely necessary. It was his hope that Mr. Loomis' efforts in beginning a school and gathering pupils together would prove to be the wisest method of conserving those interests which were most vitally involved. The plans which had HUBBEL LOOMIS. I ALTON SEMINARY. 5 1 already been set in motion at Rock Spring would be carried forward without any long intermission. The conduct of such a school would also prepare the way for the college work. It would prevent the lapse of the educational idea in the minds of the people, by keeping ever before them the fact of the school's existence, with its open door of privilege for all their youth. Besides this, Mr. Loomis would be on the ground, and ready to assume the duties of principal as soon as the building then projected should be made ready. 1 Mr. Loomis had come from New England not long be- fore'. He was excellently well qualified for the respons- ibilities of the principalship, and was thoroughly inter- ested in educational concerns. He was born in Colches- ter, in the state of Connecticut, on the 3ist of May, 1775, in the days w'hen the rush and turmoil of the Revolu- tionary struggle were kindling vast purposes in the hearts of the Colonial settlers, and awakening the genius of a new nation. At the age of sixteen he became a Christian, and instantly therewith a consecrated student of the Bible. For more than eighty years beyond that time he was con- stantly in communion with the Holy Book. After his ordination to the ministry in 1804 he was called to the pastorate of the Congregational Church at Willington in his native state. Soon thereafter, at a considerable sac- rifice of social and pecuniary interests, and of honored ecclesiastical relations, he became a Baptist, entering the ministry of that denomination some years later. The strength of early manhood and middle life was spent in goodly service in the East. Soon after he reached the age of fifty-five he emigrated to Illinois. When Mr. Peck discovered him he had been for a year and a half a 'See article, " Shurtleff College," in Alton Courier for July 13, 1854. 52 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. resident of the town of Kaskaskia, busily occupied in con- ducting the school which his energy had founded. The visit of Mr. Peck was not altogether a surprise to him, for in the course of the preceding year he had conferred with Dr. Going, and had been urged by that gentleman to take * prominent part in the educational enterprise. He had also attended the meetings in Rock Spring and Edwards- ville, at which the question of the removal of the seminary was thoroughly canvassed. After some further corre- spondence Mr. Loomis closed his school at Kaskaskia, and in April he removed with his family to Upper Alton. Finding the outlook for the establishment of a school rather gloomy, he went on to Edwardsville, and, at the urgent request of Dr. Edwards and others, commenced a school in that town. Edwardsville and Alton were both anxious for the seminary, and very insistent in their re- spective claims ; but at last Dr. Edwards, with the courtesy and generosity for which he was everywhere beloved, yielded to the demands of the Alton people, and thus the question of location was definitely settled. The next problem that demanded solution was by no means a new one, even in the short history of Baptist educational work in the Prairie State. A company of five gentlemen met at the house of Mr. William Manning in Alton on the fourth of June, and grappled with the ever- recurring question of financial support. Before the meet- ing closed they had decided to pledge a loan of one hundred dollars each, to secure the immediate success of the plan for the reorganized school. This amount was afterward increased to one hundred and twenty-five dol- lars each. Arrangements were also made for the purchase of one hundred and twenty-two acres of land, constituting the tract which Mr. Peck and Dr. Going had inspected with such care a few months before, and which had been ALTON SEMINARY. 53 under consideration in the intervening period. Plans for a building became more definite and a building com- mittee was appointed with instructions to have an Aca- demic Hall completed by the first of December. Articles of agreement had been prepared by Mr. Loomis, and were signed by all present. These articles provided that a new Board of Trustees should be appointed, consisting of the gentlemen present at the meeting, and six others, three of whom might be named by the Union Meeting of the Baptists in the state of Illinois, and the other three by the Northern Baptist Education Society. .They provided further that two-thirds of the trustees should be members in good standing of the Baptist Church. They also in- cluded the financial clause already indicated. 1 At the close of the regular quarterly session, Mr. Loomis gave up his school in Edwardsville, and in Sep- tember he started a school in the town-house at Upper Alton, in accordance with the previous suggestion of Mr. Peck. It began in, a modest and humble fashion, but soon received a well-merited recognition from the Union Meet- ing of Baptists, at which a committee, appointed to in- quire into the condition of the "Literary and Theological Seminary at Alton," reported that "the institution at Alton was opened with encouraging prospects." The transfer- rence of the material equipment from Rock Spring to Up- per Alton was made without difficulty. The story of the transfer is briefly and simply told in a circular which was 'The men who "set their hands and seals" to the agreement were Benjamin F. Edwards, Baptist, Edwardsville; Hubbel Loomis, Baptist, Edwardsville; Enoch Long, Presbyterian, Upper Alton; William Manning, Jr., Baptist, Lower Alton, and Stephen Griggs, Baptist, Lower Alton. Two others, George Smith, Baptist, Alton, and Cyrus Edwards, near Alton, signed the agreement subsequently. In accordance with the provision of the agreement, the members of the Union Meet- ing of Baptists, which convened in Winchester in October, 1832, elected J. M. Peck, Justus Rider and Dr. Peck's noble-hearted and lifelong friend, James Lemen, to represent their body on the Board of Trustees. 54 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. issued in 1835, "To the Friends of Education and those who desire the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ in the West." Therein we have the statement of Mr. Peck, at that time the financial agent. After giving an account of the work of the Rock Spring Seminary, the writer says : "In 1830, from various circumstances combined, the public mind in Illinois was directed to the town of Alton as a commercial depot for an extensive portion of the state. . . . Upon the visit of the Rev. Mr. Going to this country in 1831, a proposition was made by a number of friends to remove the location of the seminary from Rock Spring to Alton. After due con- sideration, the proposition was accepted, and the books, bed clothing and other movable property were trans- ferred under the name of a loan till such time as the affairs of the old institution could be adjusted, the build- ings sold, and the avails transferred to Alton" 1 Although the seminary building was not ready for occupancy the pupils were lacking neither in ingenuity nor determina- tion. In consequence of a petition on their part the trustees resolved "that the scholars be permitted to cut their fire- wood off of the seminary land, if they will take none but wood that is lying down on the ground, and that they be permitted to put up cabins on the land for their use, and to cut the timber on the land for the cabins under the direction of the building committee." 2 Whether any of the students availed themselves of this courteous and liberal provision is uncertain, although it is probable that several of these cabins were erected by poor but ambitious young men, and occupied by them fdr a longer or shorter period. 'See Appendix I, at the close of this volume, which contains the full text of the circular. 2 Manuscript Records of the Trustees of Alton Seminary, 1832, p. 7. ALTON SEMINARY. 55 When the Board reassembled it was found that the members of the building committee had gone no farther with their work, that the plans of the finance committee had failed, and that everything was at a standstill. As a result of careful deliberation it was again decided that the seminary building should be finished, this time by the first of June, and that each trustee should furnish an equal quota of the expense, these amounts to be re- funded from the first subscriptions received, and the whole expense not to exceed three hundred and twenty dollars. At the same time a despairing appeal was for- warded to Dr. Going, asking him to appoint some suit- able person to act as agent for the College as it had already begun to be called and to furnish this agent with such facts and instructions as would enable him to lay the whole subject with advantage and success before the public. As soon as a reply had been received, containing words of reassurance and sympathy, but no definite plan of action, it was thought best that Mr. Loomis should make a journey to the East as the special agent of the school. He was to be paid at the rate of four hundred dollars per annum, and all his travelling expenses; and he was authorized, if his expedition were successful, to confer with Dr. Going in regard to the employment of additional instruction, and to engage one or two teachers, if thought expedient. About two weeks after this action of the Board the operations of the seminary were suspended on account of an epidemic of cholera. Mr. Loomis left in June on his mission to the East, and two months later the Board commissioned him to continue his efforts for as long a period as he deemed practicable, and appointed Mr. John Russell, who had been principal at Rock Spring, to the principalship of the seminary for six months. 56 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Mr. Russell was a native of Vermont, a graduate of Middlebury College, and a teacher by profession. The sphere of his labors was not circumscribed, for he taught at different times in Vermont, Georgia, Louisiana and Missouri. After Mr. Loomis' return from the East Mr. Russell and he had a slight disagreement, so they parted company. Mr. Russell started a private school in Upper Alton, which soon received a substantial patronage. Quite a number of students followed their instructor, severing their connection with the college. No two men could have been much more unlike than Father Loomis and Mr. Russell. The one was precise and dignified, a terror to evil-doers, a strict disciplinarian, an indefatigable student. The other was impulsive and genial, full of friendship for men, of sprightly wit, never unduly concerned about the demands of exact learning. His pupils loved him dearly, though he did not always take the trouble to transform them into profound scholars. He enjoyed the work of composing, frequently wrote short stories and poems, and in later years became the editor of The Backzvoodsman, a weekly journal which he established at Grafton, near Al- ton. He also published several books, among them "The Worm of the Still," and "The Serpent Uncoiled." The latter was a diatribe against the Universalists, of whom there were many in the section of country where he was living at the time the book was written. With all of his generosity and geniality Mr. Russell was very much of a doctrinaire, enjoying debate and entering with zest into every "defense of the faith," which he felt called upon to undertake. During Mr. Russell's temporary conduct of the Alton school there was entire harmony on every hand, though the number of students was small. An important step had been taken in the early part of the year before Mr. Loomis' departure in his quest for ALTON SEMINARY. 57 funds which requires special notice. During the winter of 1828-29 Mr. Peck had spent several weeks in Vandalia, then the capital of the state, seeking to obtain an act of incorporation for the school at Rock Spring. So thoroughly did he canvass the matter and so highly was he respected by the leaders of the political life of the state, that the act passed the lower house without diffi- culty. In the Senate it met humiliation and defeat through the malevolent spite and sly manoeuvring of an anti-missionary Baptist, who was an influential member of the body. Mr. Peck returned to his home disappointed, and with perhaps a little less faith in human nature than he had had before. He had been wounded in the house of those whom he hoped were his friends. Again in 1832 an application was made for an act of incorpora- tion for Alton College, and this time the act passed the Senate without difficulty or opposition. On the 22nd of February it came before the House of Repre- sentatives, where it was very materially modified by the introduction of an amendment, which provided that no professor of theology should ever be employed as a teacher in the college, that no theological department should ever be connected therewith, or in any manner attached thereto, and that if the terms of this proviso were violated the act should be null and void. As thus amended the act passed the House by a vote of twenty-five to twenty. When they came together in June the trustees were undecided with reference to the wisdom of acknowledging or formally ac- cepting such a charter, and after some discussion they left the matter for settlement at some future meeting, and for this settlement it still waits. It was the first charter granted to any college in the State of Illinois, or in fact in any section of the country west of Indiana. The antagonism that was developed in both of the contests just indicated, 58 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. and that manifested itself in prejudice in the one case and suspicion in the other, is a fair index to the general conditions with which educators had constantly to con- tend in their battle for a broader culture and a higher learning. In December Mr. Loomis returned from the East, but his success had not been noteworthy. After deducting the amount of his salary and expenses there remained only four hundred and ninety dollars. This was used to liquidate in part a note for eight hundred dollars, about to fall due at the branch bank in St. Louis. The Academic Hall was now ready for occupancy. It was two stories in height and constructed of brick. On the ground floor were the library and chapel hall, ?.nd above were two rows of dormitories. The accommoda- tions for students were in no wise luxurious, for, accord- ing to the descriptions given, the dormitories were small, dark, ill-conditioned, and poorly ventilated. The heating apparatus was novel if not admirable in its conception. Each room had a stove, and all the pipes from the sev- eral stoves passed into a single pipe, which extended hor- izontally the entire length of the building, over the hall separating the dormitories, and entered a single flue at the extremity of the building. Of course the smoke from these several pipes entering a single channel of egress re- sembled the smoke of a furnace. On days when wind and weather were unfavorable the distressing results can readily be imagined. The building was afterward changed and improved. It stands still upon its ancient site, with the additions that have been made to it from time to time. In its present form it affords a local habita- tion for the library and laboratories. Mr. Loomis was now authorized by the Board of Trustees to take charge of the Alton Seminary, and to ALTON SEMINARY. 59 open the school as soon as convenient. He was empow- ered to employ an assistant, and was guaranteed an amount not to exceed four hundred dollars per year for himself, and the same for his assistant, in case the tuition fees of the students fell below the sum of these amounts. The terms of tuition were fixed at three dollars per quar- ter for the English branches and four dollars for the higher branches. Even the most critical soul could cer- tainly found no charge of extortionate demands on the basis of the fees that were exacted from the students. To an ordinary observer the prospects must have seemed anything but brilliant, after Mr. Loomis' six months of almost fruitless work abroad, and the accu- mulation of liabilities at home. The Board, however, with characteristic hopefulness, decided to solicit subscriptions to the amount of five hundred dollars or more, in order to build a boarding-house and workshop. They further di- rected the building committee to put up an addition to the boarding-house. It seems almost as though the faith of the fathers led them to overmatch financial difficulties and lim- itations by broadening their plans and increasing their ex- penditures. This, indeed, has been the history of almost every institution that has struggled and triumphed under denominational auspices. It is only just to say that the addition to the boarding-house could hardly have been attended with a very large amount of expense, for the edi- fice which bore the altogether respectable title of "board- ing-house" was in reality a plain log cabin, entirely sim- ple, and destitute of external splendor. Just at this time, when every effort that was made for the betterment of the school only added to its weight of indebtedness, and its friends were looking anxiously for some ray of hope to illumine the future, a series of events was taking place which resulted in the sure and permanent estab- lishment of the institution. 60 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. In the previous year, through the exertions of that noble character, Rev. Jonathan Going, there had been or- ganized in the city of Boston the Western Baptist Edu- cational Association, for the purpose of helping to pre- serve the West by educating its inhabitants and teaching them the fear of the Lord. An efficient corresponding secretary was found in the person of Rev. Bela Jacobs, who immediately undertook a tour of inspection through the Western States. Upon his return he published an account of his trip, in the course of which he called atten- tion to the needs of Illinois in the following words. "The Baptists are commencing a literary and theological insti- tution at Upper Alton, a place most happily situated in the very center of operations, not only in relation to this state, but also the immense state of Missouri. The trus- tees have purchased a farm of between three hundred and four hundred acres, and erected a small edifice of sufficient magnitude for present purposes, but are entirely destitute of funds. The prospect is that could this institution but go into operation with several competent teachers it would soon have a number of young men in training for teachers for this destitute region, and for preachers of the gospel." 1 Thus clearly and forcibly did Mr. Jacobs bring before the Baptist people of Massachusetts the needs of that western state for whose religious and educational ad- vancement their sympathies and endeavors had already been enlisted. But Mr. Jacobs was not simply a traveller, nor was he ever a mere enthusiast or visionary. Upon his return home he communicated by letter with the Board of Trustees in regard to the raising of funds for the sem- inary, strongly advising that an efficient western agent be ^A Voice from the West : Rev. Bela Jacob's report of his tour in the western states, performed in the spring and summer of 1833. (Boston : J. Howe, 1833), p. 15. ALTON SEMINARY. 61 appointed to visit the churches in the East, and recom- mending the selection of Mr. Peck for that responsible service. In January, 1835, fi ye months after these encour- aging suggestions were made, the figure of the grand old Pioneer appears again in the forefront of the conflict. He proposes that the Board of Trustees "proceed at once, through two competent agents, to raise $25,000; $10,000 for buildings ; $7,500, or its full income, for salaries of professors; and $7,500, or its avails, for the support of beneficiary theological students." Willing enough to fol- low the lead of this proposal, the Board appointed Mr. Joel Sweet to represent the seminary in Illinois and the adjacent state, and Mr. Peck, at a salary of five hundred dollars a year and travelling expenses, to solicit contribu- tions in the East. The spirit of the heroic man of God is as strong and hopeful as in the earliest days of his ministry. In brave and resolute fashion he accepts the burden that is thrust upon him by his brethren. The plan for another financial cam- paign in the East was probably suggested to him, not only by the letter of Mr. Jacobs, but as well by conference with men whom he met at the Convention of Western Baptists which assembled in Cincinnati in November. At this noteworthy gathering Dr. Going and several other gentlemen who were deeply interested in all the affairs of the Kingdom in the West considered with him. and very carefully, the whole situation. He writes in his journal that "all gave as their decided opinion that I should go to the Atlantic states in the spring, spend the summer, and collect funds for the Alton Seminary and for the Home Mission." He adds that such an undertak- ing would require him to make an entirely new arrange- ment of his business and other affairs ; but that he is anx- ious to submit to the order of Divine Providence, in spite 62 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. of the self-devotion and arduous toil that such a step would involve. This sacrifice of his personal interests meant the resignation of the office of general superintendent of the Sunday-school work in the states of Missouri and Illinois ; the abandonment of his plans for the preparation of cer- tain important historical articles ; a long separation from home and family; the exposure 'and risk of his health, which was at that time very precarious ; besides the heavy responsibilities connected with the mission itself, and the attempt to secure an amount of money far greater than either he or Mr. Loomis had succeeded in obtaining on their previous expeditions. Yet the school was at a grave crisis in its history. To retreat meant disgrace. To advance without funds for the necessary expenses meant disaster and ruin. The problem was in every way a crit- ical one. How could it be solved ? Mr. Peck at this time had little of the rashness of youth. He cherished no rose-colored fancies of outpour- ing wealth in answer to suave suggestions. His pilgrim- age he well knew would be no triumphal procession. With a full understanding of the vast importance and the tireless labor which his task involved, he decided to assume the responsibilities of the journey. More than this, he resolved to bear the brunt of the burden at the outset, by assuming four-fifths of the entire amount to be raised as his share of the work, while Mr. Sweet sought to obtain the remaining five thousand dollars in the West. In April, 1835, Mr. Peck started on his mission, not, how- ever, as the agent of "Alton Seminary," but of "Alton College," for the school had been raised, a few weeks pre- vious, to the full dignity and privilege of charter rights. The history of the school as Alton Seminary closes there- fore at this point. During the three years of its checkejed course which ALTON SEMINARY. 63 have just been traced, the school was subjected to every sort of trial, and new difficulties were constantly threat- ening, while failure reared ever its menacing form in the path of progress. To the persevering labor of the prin- cipal, Rev. Hubbel Loomis, the continuance of the life of the school was chiefly due. He was cheered by the loyal co-operation and constant sympathy of men like Hon. Cyrus Edwards and his brother, B. F. Edwards, M. D., whose practical judgment and knowledge of men and affairs were effective in shaping the policy of the institu- tion. Mr. Loomis in several instances was the peer of his associates in far-sighted sagacity. His emphatic and reiterated counsel to invest largely in lands was not heeded sufficiently by the other members of the Board. Previous to the first of December, 1835, thirty-five hun- dred dollars had been realized by the sale of college lands. Had Mr. Loomis' advice been followed and more land entered in the early '305, the endowment of the college today would be very much larger than it is. So confident was he of the wisdom of the plan that at the outset he ad- vanced three hundred dollars for the purchase of two 1 hundred and forty acres, which he held in trust for the col- lege. He kept in reserve six hundred dollars more, which he offered to loan to the college at the customary rate of interest, in order that by this means other lands might be purchased and held until the sure advance in the price of property should come. The trustees unfortunately failed to take advantage of this fair and generous proposition. Mr. Loomis gathered about him a goodly number of students, the average number in each year being about seventy-five. By rigid methods and insistence upon faithful work, he not only strengthened their intellectual life, but gave the school an excellent reputation for thoroughness and scholarship. 04 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Among the students of the school in its earliest days at Alton may be mentioned the now well-known names of Hon. Samuel Buckmaster, Prof. John C. Loomis, Chief Justice Hugh Murray, Rev. Elihu J. Palmer and Gen. John M. Palmer. The last-named gen- tleman, enjoying now a hale and vigorous old age, has won a worthy place as one of Illinois' most honored sons. While a student at Alton his means were exceedingly limited, and he speaks today with placid satisfaction of his early struggles to obtain an education. The follow- ing extract from the minutes of the Board of Trustees shows something of his spirit and energy : "Resolved, That the sum of $20 be appropriated for the purpose of assisting Mr. Palmer, a student, in erecting a cooper's shop on the college grounds, under the supervision of Mr. E. Long, a lien to hold on the said property as secur- ity." Though undoubtedly giving evidence of rare gifts, perhaps no one would have dreamed that the poor boy struggling thus with stern adversity would one day be- come a general in the service of the United States army, Military Governor of Kentucky, Governor of Illi- nois, United States Senator, and at last the candidate of the National Democratic party for the highest office in the gift of the people, the Presidency of the Republic. It is surely pardonable to mention with respect and pride the names of men who have filled so large and honorable a place in the annals of their country. HON. JOHN M. PALMER. CHAPTER IV. ALTON COLLEGE, 1835-1836. A new charter Two schools with one head Mr. Peck's embassy In New York In New England A notable gift Dr. Benjamin Shurtleff The Pioneer's return Lewis Colby Washington Leverett -Unfulfilled plans. It was not the custom sixty years ago for colleges or universities to spring into life full-grown and grandly equipped. The times and the fashions have changed. Shurtleff' s period of early development was a long and tedious one. On four several occasions the school was named, yet the process of naming and re-naming had no perceptible effect upon its progress, and many a year elapsed before it grew to independent and sturdy pro- portions. Three applications were made for a charter. The first attempt failed, the second brought unsatisfac- tory results, the third was more successful, although the conditions of acceptance were bound by an arbitrary restriction. The college was to establish no theological department, under penalty of forfeiture of its charter. The legislature was not inherently irreligious or uncul- tured. This very charter, with its caveat theologia, in graceful and generous words gave the corporation full permission "to add as ability should increase, and the interest of the community shall require, additional departments for the' study of any or all liberal profes- sions." Only the gospel ministry was regarded as illib- 65 66 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. eral, and was therefore set under the ban. Yet, though they knew it not, the suggestion of these wise law-mak- ers has a peculiar value for the student of history, and furnishes a striking commentary on the undeniable "illib- erality" of certain members of the profession whose right it denies. In the ministry of that day in the West many of the clergymen in all denominations were decidedly narrow and short-sighted, although by the strength of their influence they were able to permeate the minds of legis- lators with their ideas and desires. The more liberal- minded and large-hearted members of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist denominations, waited together at the bar of legislative favor, praying a wise decree for their respective institutions at Lebanon, Jackson- ville and Upper Alton. Hon. Cyrus Edwards waged a battle royal for the Baptist forces, and at last the verdict was published, granting yet withholding. Both sides had won and the charter was a curious compro- mise. "Alton College of Illinois" had been created, and thus far all was well, but theological instruction of every sort was ruthlessly interdicted. Therefore, as the train- ing of the rising ministry was an essential element in the purpose of the founders and friends, and could not be abandoned without an entire change of policy, it was necessary to carry forward two separate schools, under distinct governments, and with separate instruction. The Board of Trustees of Alton Seminary surrendered to the Board of Trustees of Alton College (precisely identical in its personnel) its entire property; the old Board of Trus- tees became the Board of Trustees of the Alton Theologi- cal Seminary; and Mr. Loomis was elected to the presi- dency of the two schools. In spite of the apathy of cer- tain ultra-conservative Baptists, and the evil disposition ALTON COLLEGE. 67 of "hard-shell" preachers, the Alton School had many warm friends and the number of these increased steadily. Sympathy and vague endorsement are always more or less plentiful in the life of a religious or philanthropic institution. A kindly and charitable attitude is comfort- able, convenient, and not by any means costly. But Alton College had more than mere empty expressions of praise from its friends. In view of the strife of opposing elements in Illinois the resolutions and recommendations which were passed from time to time were heartily sin- cere. Perhaps the most loyal expression of sympathy at this time came from the Illinois Baptist Convention, a body which had superseded the "General Union Meet- ing," while its purpose and scope were broader. At the first meeting of this convention in October, 1835, the college and seminary at Alton were "recommended to the prayers and patronage of churches and the benev- olent public," and the formation of an educational soci- ety was strongly advised. 1 Cheered by many such assurances of deepening inter- est on the part of the leaders of the denomination in Illinois, Mr. Peck followed his journey toward the sun- rise. He laid the object of his quest before many con- gregations, he addressed churches and conventions, he pleaded with individuals of wealth in every city that he visited. He secured the passage of resolutions endors- ing the school, in several associations, and in the annual meeting of the American Baptist Home Mission Soci- ety, whose sessions he attended. On the 22nd of June he sent to Dr. Haskell, the treasurer of the college, a 1 First report of the Executive Committee of the Illinois Baptist Convention, -with the proceedings of the First Annual Meeting (Carrollton, 1835),"^. 4. 68 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. draft for one hundred dollars, and four weeks later he forwarded three hundred dollars more. Nearly all of this money he obtained in New York City. Also, several business men there and in Brooklyn proposed to enter into a speculation. They offered to buy any or all of the lots owned by the college, at a fair value, and also to authorize Mr. Peck to purchase other lots and lands, either adjoining Alton or elsewhere in Illinois. They were willing to give to the college all the rise in value, when they should be sold again, after the prin- cipal and interest at six per cent should be deducted. This seemed a profitable plan, both for the investors and the college. It failed of accomplishment largely because of the inactivity of the trustees. Mr. Peck wrote most urgently, requesting them to meet and give tc-. him the power of attorney should they deem it expe- dient to accept the offer. The trustees took no notice of his appeal. It was a time of commercial prosperity in the East. Business of all kinds was in splendid con- dition. An era of great building operations was in progress. Lands and lots in Illinois and adjoining states were "all the rage." Hundreds of thousands of dollars in western lands were passing from hand to hand each day in Wall street. Of cash subscriptions the Pioneer received less than he had anticipated; of trustworthy pledges more. He also had much freer access to the churches and people than he had expected would be the case. Upon the completion of his canvass in New York he made his way in midsummer to New England. After less than a month of labor in Boston he had collected and for- warded four hundred dollars in cash ; he had also secured conditional subscriptions, some for large amounts. "It takes a good while," he says in the course of a private ALTON COLLEGE. 69 letter, "to get these Yankees started. They move slowly at first, but they hang on and move heavy when once on the track, and persevere. The Kentuckians start quick, but fly the track, or fly off at the first difficulty." Although he saw very clearly the need of twenty-five thousand dol- lars to establish the college on a permanent basis, his pub- lished appeals to his eastern brethren called for only ten thousand. 1 In the very nature of the case he met with varying success ; but in the last days of his tour the weariness and work of many years received their glorious issue, and all his toil was crowned with victory. On the i8th of September he sent a draft for one thousand dollars to Dr. Haskell, and a little later another for three hundred dollars more which Mr. Colby had collected. The interest everywhere had intensified. President Edward Beecher and Dr. Blackburn were also in Boston seek- ing to raise from the Congregationalists and Presby- terians an endowment fund of fifty thousand dollars for Illinois College, but Mr. Peck reported with con- siderable satisfaction that he was succeeding better than they. He had reason for such expressions. In the let- ter which accompanied his thousand-dollar enclosure he gave the first intimation of the crowning event of his vigorous campaign. He writes : "Our prospects are brightening. Some very important negotiations are going forward, which I hope will be successful, but they are not concluded. What would you and the trustees think of having the name Alton College exchanged for the name of some respectable man which you know the legislature would readily do if we requested it upon supposition five or ten thousand dollars were given thus to name it? I am not at liberty to make disclos- 'See Christian Watchman (Boston), issue of July 24, 1835. 70 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ures. Besides, all may vanish in smoke, only I wish not to have you surprised should such an event occur. I wish nothing said of this I leave in a few minutes for Portland, Maine." Matters moved forward most auspiciously. On the seventh of October Mr. Peck 'writes again from Boston to Dr. Haskell : "One thing you will be under necessity of applying to the legislature to alter the name of the College. It must be called 'Shitrtleff College' hereafter. I have taken the responsibility in this matter and made a bargain, in which I doubt not every trustee will con- cur. As I like to put you all on a wonder I will not be very particular now but only observe that Divine Providence has already more than answered our expec- tations." There was little that was underhand or evasive in the character of the Pioneer. Overjoyed at the suc- cess which he had won he was preparing a surprise for the trustees on his return ; but a comparison of his two letters revealed the sum and substance of his secret. In the person of Dr. Benjamin ShurtlefF, of Boston, he had obtained the promise of a most generous donation to the needy western school, to be given under certain conditions which were easily fulfilled. The record runs thus in Mr. Peck's journal, under date of October 6, 1835. "I held a conversation with Dr. Shurtleff on the subject of the College. He proposed to give $10,000 on the follow- ing conditions : Five thousand dollars for building pur- poses, the college to be named Shurtleff College, the other five thousand to establish a professorship of rhetoric and elocution." Princely gifts to educational founda- tions were of very rare occurrence sixty years ago. Such an act of munificence as that of Dr. Shurtleff would have called forth expressions of gratitude and congratulation, ALTON COLLEGE. 7 1 even if the beneficiary had been an old and well-established eastern institution. For the feeble and struggling school on the banks of the Mississippi it meant new life and equipment for splendid service. Dr. Shurtleff was a physician, resident in the city of Boston, a man of scholarly tastes and a graduate of Brown University in the class of 1796. He was born at Carver, Mass., in the year 1774. His medical studies were pursued at Harvard University, where he received the degree of Bachelor of Medicine in 1802, and that of Doctor of Medicine in 1811. He became a prominent and wealthy citizen of the old Bay State, and was always known as a friend and patron of higher education. He died in Boston on the I2th of April, 1847. His son, Nathaniel Bradstreet Shurtleff, a man of fine literary attainments and the author of several valuable historical works, was the mayor of Boston from 1868 to 1870. Several other members of the family have attained positions of considerable eminence. So the name of Shurtleff is a familiar one in the East as well as in the West. Benjamin Shurtleff was a loyal American and a firm believer in Christian education, but was unhampered by narrow sectarian principles. These facts very readily appear in the stipulation connected with his gift of five thousand dollars toward the endow- ment of a professorship, that the incumbent of the chair should be "an able man of good morals, who is a friend to the Christian religion, without regard to his pecu- liar Christian sentiments, the college from which he may have graduated, or the country that gave him birth, pro- vided he be a citizen of the United States." The agent of the college was assisted in his solici- tations by Mr. Lewis Colby, whom by virtue of the authority entrusted to him he had selected as profes- 7 2 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. sor of theology in the newly-established seminary at Upper Alton. Together they succeeded in obtaining, by donations, collections, and subscriptions, upwards of twenty thousand dollars, the entire amount for which the Board had planned and hoped. It was a great achievement. In November the sturdy Pioneer came for the third time from the East to Illinois, having travelled with all his swift journey ings to and fro in New Eng- land and the Middle States almost six thousand miles within less than eight months. Nearly all of his tour, both going and returning, was made on horseback, over rough roads, and in every kind of weather. But the method of travel meant little to the Pioneer if the ends he aimed at could be gained. In November, 1817, John M. Peck brought Baptist Home Missions to Illinois. In November, 1826, exactly nine years later, he returned from an eventful trip in the eastern states, bringing with him the Rock Spring Seminary. Exactly nine years later, in November, 1835, he returned with Shurtleff College. On his passage through the state of Ohio he attended the second anniversary of the General Convention of Western Baptists at Cincinnati. At this meeting Dr. Going proposed a resolution expressing satisfaction at the success attending the efforts of the trustees and the agency. In an announcement in the minutes of the convention the policy and work of the college were out- lined. According to this statement, which was probably inserted at the instance of Dr. Peck, the course of study was designed to be as thorough and as extended as that of any college in the United States. The preparatory department, open to students of any age and acquire- ments, \vas intended to fit boys for college or to pre- pare them directly for the business of life. Opportuni- ALTON COLLEGE. 73 ties were to be provided for both a classical and an English education. The entire expenses were not to exceed eighty dollars per annum. After tarrying for a portion of one day at his home in Rock Spring, Air. Peck made his way to Upper Alton. Affairs had "moved with slow, uneven step" at the col- lege during his absence. The trustees had been rest- ing in hope. For years their labors had been onerous and perplexing, and they had every confidence in the agent who was pushing their interests with such zeal. So they folded their hands and awaited his return with tranquil expectancy. They had held not a single meeting during his absence, but they convened on the day of his home coming. The committee which had been appointed to arrange the terms of compact between the seminary and college boards was not ready to report. The committee to prepare by-laws for the seminary board had done nothing. The west- ern agent had won no laurels and his work had been to all intents and purposes a failure. The building com- mittee had stood still, though in letter after letter the Pioneer had entreated them to push the work, and have all the rooms ready for occupancy at the opening of the autumn term. The spirit of inaction held sway. Noth- ing daunted, Mr. Peck laid before the members of the Board a full report of his work and renewed their hearts by his spirited words. Into all plans and under- takings he immediately entered with all his wonderful energy, taking up his residence for the time in the log cabin boarding-house, and directing all branches of the institution. His biographer says of his labors at this time : "One day he records himself as engaged in pre- paring for the boarding-house of the college, and arrang- ing the buildings and improvements ; drawing plans for 74 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. outbuildings, etc. The next he was making out an approximation toward what must be charged for the board of the students. . . . With forming rules for the preparatory department and getting with diffi- culty a quorum of the trustees to act on matters of most pressing importance, as well as an engagement to supply the church in Alton three Sabbaths in the month, and strive to arouse them and call back a scattered con- gregation, occupied the chief of his time and efforts during the closing weeks of the year 1835. "* Mr. Loomis and Mr. Colby were associated in the conduct of both the college and theological seminary throughout the remainder of the academic year, while Rev. Zenas B. Newman assisted in the preparatory department of the college. The employment of Mr. Colby was in every way fortunate. Mr. Peck pronounced him "exactly the right sort of a man for the position," and the history of his service at Alton abundantly cor- roborated this opinion. He was a young man of more than ordinary culture. . He was small in stature, but sturdy in mental and moral character. Beyond this he was an active, wide-awake, driving fellow, who could bring things to pass. He had served for one year as agent of the Massachusetts Sunday-school Union. Mr, Peck had engaged him only after careful consultation with many friends of education, and with the members of the Newton faculty. It was arranged that his sal- ary should be four hundred dollars a year. In addition he and his wife were to receive their board and the rental of two rooms in the building then being erected, together with necessary fuel. His duties were to be fourfold. He was to give special attention to the ^Memoir, etc., by Rufus Babcock, pp. 267-268. ALTON COLLEGE. 75 instruction of students for the ministry in theological subjects; to superintend the general religious training of all pupils of the college; to conduct such classes as should not be otherwise provided for; and to super- vise the discipline of the school, with the aid of the other professors. His salary was to be raised time by time as the institution prospered. Again and again the Pioneer wrote to the trustees requesting them to con- firm this agreement. They gave consent by their silence : after his return and the arrival of Mr. Colby they con- firmed the action by formal vote. In January, 1836, a young man was called to the professorship of mathematics and natural philosophy whose life was destined to be closely intertwined with the history and experiences of the College for more than half a century. In a letter which he wrote from Bos- ton in the summer preceding Mr. Peck had said : "A stu- dent at Newton by the name of Leverett, brother of Rev. Mr. Leverett of Roxbury, is recommended to me for professor of mathematics. He has been a tutor in Brown University and stands high as a scholar and teacher. He is very modest and retiring." When Washington Leverett came to Alton from his boyhood home in New England he was thirty-one years of age,, and in the flush and prime of his vigorous young manhood. He had graduated at Brown University in the class of 1832, taking the highest honors of his class, and had afterwards completed the regular course of study at the Newton Theological Institution, where he also distinguished himself as a student. In the period between his academic and theological courses he had taught for one year in Brown University and for the same length of time in the Columbian College at Wash- ington. He brought to the service of the College the 76 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. double gift of sound scholarship and exalted Christian character. The customary salary of four hundred dollars was attached to the professorship which Mr. Leverett was invited to fill. At about the same time a resolute effort was made to obtain the services of Rev. Baron Stow as presi- dent. The trustees of the college addressed a respect- ful, earnest, and Christian appeal to the Second Baptist Church of Boston, requesting their consent to the removal of their pastor; but the appeal and the effort failed of their purpose. In the same month in which Mr. Lev- erett was called, the charter of the institution was amended, and "Alton College of Illinois" became "Shurt- leff College." Two features in the plan of the trustees of Alton Col- lege were never brought into full working order. As in the case of many similar ventures in other schools, the manual labor department, allowed by the charter for the purpose of lessening the expense of education and promoting the health of the students, proved to be more feasible in theory than in fact. It was decided by the authorities that the labor should take the form of horti- culture, and such other occupations as might be found convenient and profitable. It was explicitly decreed that no student should receive aid from the beneficiary fund who did not earn at least one-half the amount of his grant by personal effort. This compromise was a worry to the students and caused increasing dissatisfaction among them. It was an unaccustomed burden and an additional perplexity to the trustees who planned the scheme, and a course of tremendous anxiety and respons- ibility to the already overworked professors, whose duty it became to guide the needy students in the way of "horticulture and mechanical arts." Those who asked ALTON COLLEGE. 77 for bread were given manual labor, under the direction of men whose experience in agricultural and horticul- tural pursuits was limited for the most part to the dig- ging of Greek and Latin roots. In view of the many obstacles which the plan presented the attempt to carry- forward the manual labor idea was abandoned at once and forever. Previous to the change in the name of the institution a strong effort was made to establish a school that should meet the increasing demand in certain quarters for the education of women. Accordingly the gentlemen who had led in the management of Alton College were incor- porated as the trustees of the Alton Female Institute. 1 At Upper Alton, in the county of Madison, under the wing of the College and the theological seminary, the new school was to have its home. Not for many a year, however, did either a school for women or co-educational advantages in the College form a part of the practical workings of the Alton institutions. 1 For the Charter in full form see Laws of Illinois, (Vandalia, 1836), pp. 178-189. CHAPTER V. THE EARLY YEARS OF SHURTLEFF COLLEGE, 1836-1841. The rise of other Baptist schools The Illinois Education Society The first fac- ulty meeting School routine Wanted: a President A lax official Plans for a building College and Academy Principal Warren Leverett Two schools become one The Medical Department Found: a President Gideon B. Perry and his ways. The territory that was tributary to Shurtleff College in its specific function as a Baptist educational institu- tion, comprised the entire country west of the Ohio river. The largest support was expected from the prosperous states of Illinois and Missouri. When the seminary at Rock Spring was established there was no vestige of a Baptist college or of a Baptist school of any sort or rendition between the western boundary of the state of New York and the Pacific slope. In December, 1831, the Granville Literary and Theo- logical Institution, founded by the Ohio Baptist Edu- cational Society, began operations at Granville. It was afterward incorporated as a college, and in 1835 instruc- tion to sophomores and freshmen was commenced. In Indiana the beginnings of Baptist educational work were made on the fifth of June, 1834. A number of friends of higher education gathered at the Baptist meeting- house in Indianapolis,- discussed the pressing needs of the times, and appointed a committee to draft a consti- tution and select a site for a school. Thus began the 78 SHURTLEFF COLLEGE: EARLY YEARS. 79 Indiana Baptist Institution, which was incorporated in 1835 as the Indiana Baptist Manual Labor Institute, and was rechartered ten years later as Franklin College. No Baptist college was established west of Illinois until Dr. William Jewell like Benjamin Shurtleff a "beloved physi- cian" gave ten thousand dollars for the endowment of the College which bears his name, and which received its charter in 1849 from the legislature of Missouri. Thus, with its financial affairs in excellent condition, with a fair field and no sturdy rivals to contend its pas- sage onward and upward, Shurtleff became a child of promise and the hope of the denomination in the state. At this time also there arose a new and powerful allv. Just before Mr. Peck's journey to the East the Baptist Convention of Illinois had recommended the College to the prayers and patronage of the churches. In the fol- lowing year a special meeting of the convention was called in Springfield, and in connection with its ses- sions there was organized the Illinois Baptist Education Society. During all the years the work of this body has been of great value to the school. It has been instru- mental in promoting the interests, not only of the theo- logical department, but of Shurtleff College in all its schools and in all its activities. In June, 1836, Mr. Loomis resigned his position as principal of Alton College, after having served the insti- tution faithfully and well for a period of nearly four years. With the opening of the autumn term Professor Washington Leverett and Mr. Newman were in their places and ready for work. Mr. Leverett was acting- president of the college and Messrs. Colby and New- man had charge of the other departments. The earliest regular meeting of the reorganized faculty was held on the second of November. The first matter that came before 8o THE 'PIONEER SCHOOL. that body for adjustment was a question of discipline. That some boys were rough and unruly sixty years ago appears clearly from the story of the unpleasant occur- rence which first called the faculty of Shurtleff together. A disturbance arose between two of the boys over the possession of a chair, which each claimed as his own property. One resisted the other's claims by attacking him with the chair and he retaliated by threatening to stab his friend. After examining several students who witnessed the affair, and considering the matter in its various phases, the faculty decided to administer a "pri- vate admonition" to one and a "public admonition" to the other. It is worthy of notice that both young men were honorable enough to confess their fault on the simple demand of the faculty, without the necessity of parley or threat on the part of the latter body. The work of the school was carefully planned and sys- tematically arranged. The regular school exercises be- gan each morning at eight and continued until twelve. In the afternoon they extended from two until five. The bell for evening study-hours rang at seven, and during the two succeeding hours no student was allowed to leave his room. Attendance at morning prayers was compulsory, and a monitor was appointed 'every Monday morning to report absences from this religious service during the ensuing week. The question of discipline was thus an important feature in the life of the college. By formal laws, announced and emphasized from time to time, the students were forbidden to throw any ball or other mis- sile within one hundred yards of the college buildings, to abstract food from the kitchen, or to assemble in the public streets for purposes of amusement; and they were required to make their beds and sweep their rooms every morning before nine o'clock. They were allowed "to SHURTLEFF COLLEGE: EARLY YEARS. 8l bathe in Wood river or elsewhere three times each week, but not oftener." The teachers took charge of the admin- istration of discipline in regular rotation and bound them- selves to visit each student's room at least once every evening, except Sunday. These routine duties were doubtless distasteful, yet the faithfulness of the faculty, in the least things and in the greatest, in discipline and teaching and general administration, was the bulwark and life of the school in all this period. They were animated by a genuine love of the work and of the students. Their salaries were meagre and their chief source of support the fees of the pupils. There were no scholarships in that early day, but in April, 1837, the College Board voted to grant free tuition to all beneficiaries who were prepar- ing for the gospel ministry. This rule has continued in force ever since, although it was first made in con- sideration of services rendered to Shurtleff College by the professor in the Alton Theological Seminary. At this time also a valuable piece of real estate, situated in Upper Alton and comprising one hundred acres, was donated to the college by the Hon. Cyrus Edwards. This property yielded a rental of one hundred and forty dollars per annum. After a second fruitless effort to secure the services of Dr. Stow as president the thoughts of the trustees turned longingly toward the man who had shown so deep an interest in the earlier history of their educa- tional work. They accordingly extended a call to Rev. Jonathan Going, of New York, urging him to assume the duties of the presidency, at a salary of six hundred dollars, besides his expenses Altonwards. A supplemental salary was arranged, with a view to his work as a teacher in the school of theology. Fearful of his 82 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. refusal Dr. Peck buttressed the official communication from the Board with the following urgent words. "You have heard from the proper organ, our secre- tary, that you have been unanimously elected president of Shurtleff College, and professor of Christian theology of Alton Theological Seminary Salary $600.00 for the presidency and $400.00 for professorship the latter secured for five years, the former will be paid promptly each quarter. The college out of debt, or notes enough to pay all existing contracts valuable landed property. The Shurtleff fund $5,000.00 for building, $5,000.00 for professorship, interest accumulating the principal a valuable landed property valued $10,000.00 given by Hon. Cyrus Edwards, which will sell as soon as business revives. Students coming in for complete course as many as we have room to accommodate. Several now connected with the institution and that need your imme- diate labors to train them for the ministry. Many prom- ising young men recently converted in the blessed revivals now prevailing through Missouri and Illinois, whose minds are inquiring for the path of duty our churches in both states manifesting every month increasing inter- est in the college and in ministerial education a pow- erful revival at Upper Alton and between forty and fifty baptized these and a great many more considerations press on my mind that you are called in Providence to this field, and ought to accept and come out this fall. The people everywhere will be highly gratified. We do not expect you will need to perform much of the usual literary services of president. But we need greatly your influence, weight of character, and skill in planning, shaping up and building up both institutions. In the theological concern we need immediate service not in the regular and advanced studies, for our boys will not SHURTLEFF COLLEGE: EARLY YEARS. 83 get there for some time but in moulding, training, and keeping up a strong, decided religious influence. We need greatly your aid in our mission and education oper- ations. Our convention much needs an efficient chair- man of its committee at Alton. And you will be sur- prised at the rapid advances our churches and people are making in every good work." It was a most favorable time for the commencement of a progressive upbuilding at ShurtlefF. The presence of a commanding mind was essential to the fullest real- ization of the opportunities which day by day presented themselves. But another call which he had just received seemed more urgent, so _after earnest deliberation he declined the invitation of the Alton trustees. His prin- cipal reason, he explained, "is the conviction that the condition of Shurtleff College is far more eligible than that of the Granville Literary and Theological Institu- tion, and that there will be much less difficulty in sup- plying the place in the former than in the latter. A suitable man may be obtained for Alton, but unless I go to Granville I greatly fear that the place will remain vacant, perhaps the Institution go down a calamity greatly to be deprecated, and one which my conscience will not allow me to witness if any labor or sacrifice of mine can prevent it." That the decision which Dr. Going finally made was not easily reached is conclusively shown by the statement of Professor Warren Leverett, who called upon him in New York, just before his departure, and who afterward said : "I found him with his books and furniture all packed, and sitting in their midst, waiting for the Lord to tell him whether to go to Shurtleff or Granville." When the decision was announced at Alton the trustees were disheartened, Mr. Peck crestfallen, the friends of the school very grievously disappointed. 84 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. The College was suffering daily for lack of an official head. At a meeting of the Board in March, 1838, it was decided wise to appoint the Rev. Dwight Ives to visit the Baptist Convention at New York in May and endeavor to procure a suitable man for the vacant office. Mr. Ives had recently come to the pastorate of the Bap- tist Church at Alton, and was a pillar of strength to the College. He obeyed the voice of the trustees and attended the convention, but met with no success in his special mission. So for the three following years as for the two preceding Shurtleff remained without a chief. During this entire period the duties of admin- istration were borne by Professor Leverett, in addition to his other labors in the school. He performed cheer- fully and well, with characteristically unselfish devotion, the work of two ordinary men. Under such conditions it was impossible for him, bound as he was by his class- room duties, to represent the College throughout the state, yet such representation was at that time the greatest and most pressing need. There were difficulties within the Board which caused perplexity and dissatisfaction at this time, owing to the careless methods of bookkeeping followed by the treas- urer. There was evidently no misappropriation of funds or intentional inaccuracy, but simply inattention and lack of business acumen, producing confusion and threaten- ing disaster. The treasurer was asked to appoint a competent person to examine, arrange, and audit his accounts, and show in succinct and careful fashion the number and extent of the lots and lands which had been sold by the College, the prices at which they had been sold, the sums that had been paid and those that were still due, the species of security for every debt, the amount of subscriptions, collections and donations that SHURTLEFF COLLEGE: EARLY YEARS. 85 had been received, with the names of the donors, and the objects for which their gifts had been made or pledged, together with all other items connected with the financial condition and management of the institu- tion, including the amounts received from tuition bills and the boarding department, and paid for salaries and all other purposes. The treasurer entirely ignored the directions which were given him. At the end of another year the Board took matters into its own hands and appointed an auditor; but no report was ever made by him, and it is not probable that he ever examined the accounts. On the 24th of April, 1839, ^e governing body decided to erect a sightly and commodious building that should serve the growing needs of the College for many years. The movement which resulted at once in the inauguration of a plan for the erection of the Dormitory was a direct and immediate outcome of a suggestion of the Pioneer. Less than a week before the meeting just referred to he had written to the president of the Board, expressing his views in plain language. He saw two prime necessities in the work at the juncture to which it had come an agent and a building. The agent was the means, the building the end. The provision for students' needs was insuffi- cient. Preparations should be made "this season" to put up a college building. With characteristic energy he demands decisive action at once. The lumber, he goes on to explain, should be purchased on the Allegheny or Ohio river. It should be brought to Alton and placed for seasoning, in readiness for use the following win- ter. The question of material should be settled without delay. If the lot should fall in favor of brick a large kiln should be made near the premises. If stone should be preferred it ought to be quarried as speedily as possible 86 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. and hauled to the College grounds. Economy would probably suggest to the trustees the advantage of import- ing mechanics and laborers from the eastern states. Thus in the mind of the Pioneer the scheme of a building, which the trustees had only dreamed about, and that in a vague and casual way, immediately became a workable plan, and clothed itself with practical reality. In a similarly indefinite way the trustees had been talking about the advisability of selling lots of land in order to secure funds to pay their debts and prosecute their work. Thereupon, to the incidental remark, "I understand that you have resolved to sell $5,000 worth of lots," the Pioneer adds the pregnant question, "How ?" Without waiting for an answer he transforms ideality into tangibility by tracing in large relief a plan of cam- paign. He speaks, in effect, as follows, and his words are sledge-hammer blows, driving firmly and deeply the thoughts which form the outline of his policy : "Employ an agent. Apply through him to gentlemen in Alton and this country for donations in lots and other property. Give this agent full power of attorney to make sales of lots owned by the College. Send him to the Atlantic states. Let him get a lithographic print of the tw r o Altons and surrounding country, with the College property carefully indicated. Let him secure certificates of responsible parties, attesting the quality and value of the lands. Thus armed and equipped, let the agent visit those persons of wealth to whom under ordinary circum- stances he would apply for donations. He will find plenty of persons ready to buy these lots at good figures. He should arrange such terms as one-third cash, one- third of balance in six months and one-third in twelve months." After going further into detail, Mr. Peck returns SHURTLEFF COLLEGE: EARLY YEARS. 87 to the elemental question, saying: "You need $15,000 for a building. You have $5,000 in the Shurtleff fund. You must raise $10,000. You must provide it this season. You cannot do it without an agent. Then you will need an agent every moment the building is going forward. A building committee will not, cannot superintend 'the business as it should be done. Sound economy, rigid economy, requires an agent. This agent also by personal visits and correspondence should bring in scholars." The writer is not seeking to secure a place for himself, al- though, as experience had proved, no person could better perform the duties of an agent for the College. He has in mind Professor Colby. Very reluctantly, but at last very positively, he had come to the conclusion that this gentle- man should relinquish his teaching labors valuable as they were in the theological department, and enter upon an arduous canvass. He admired the business sagacity which Mr. Colby had displayed when associated with him in the previous campaign for funds. He therefore recom- mended him strongly. Had the Board followed the more minute directions of the Pioneer, as well as his general suggestion with regard to the construction of a building, it would have been better in the end. As it was, they did what College Boards are prone to do they decided to build, made plans in a general way to defray the expense of the same, but failed to enter into a resolute, carefully planned, strong- willed effort to obtain the amount necessary to erect the large and expensive structure which they decided at once to begin. Mr. Peck, much to his regret, was unable to be present at the meeting. His plan, in body and bulk, with sails and masts, was launched with great eclat, but the anchor and rudder, upon whose importance he had also strenuously insisted, were left out of the account. 88 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. It was not carelessness or rashness, but short-sighted- ness, on the part of the Board, that led them to arise with hopeful courage and begin to build, without arrang- ing to defray the cost of building. These men were devoted to their College and its progress, yet they lacked ability to forecast the future. The building went forward slowly; the debt went forward rapidly. So at the end of two years the president of the Board addresses the trustees with reference to "the resuscitation of our pros- trate institution," and goes on to say that "the want of funds, of buildings, of suitable apparatus, but, above all, proper organization, is alike sensibly felt by us all. How to supply these deficiencies and to remedy these evils is an inquiry which must engage the anxious thoughts of a Board which lias been for so many years identified with the institution, and which has manfully struggled for its advancement." The materials used in construction were the best avail- able and the workmanship was conscientious throughout. The process of building was slow, and the framework was done long before the interior was completed, rooms being finished as they were needed. This edifice, known always as "The Dormitory," is still, after so great a lapse of time, the largest, most commodious and most convenient build- ing on the campus. Three months after the decision to begin a building the trustees resolved to enter on a work of internal construc- tion, more important in its way than the gathering togeth- er of stones and bricks. They arranged to establish a reg ular college class. Candidates for admission were to be at least fourteen years of age, and were to present testimon- ials of good character. It was necessary that they should have an elementary knowledge of the English and Greek grammars, of geography and of arithmetic. But these sub- SHURTLEFF COLLEGE: EARLY YEARS. 89 jects were after all of somewhat secondary importance. The chief emphasis was laid upon a sound knowledge of the Latin language. It was required of the candidate that he should understand the Commentaries of Caesar, the Aeneid of Virgil and the Orations of Cicero, and be able to translate at sight and parse correctly any portion which might be assigned by the examiner. Having passed all tests successfully the candidate might proceed with the work of the freshman year, which had been carefully outlined. Students wishing to 'pursue a partial course were also allowed to enter the freshman class and they without any preliminary examination. 1 The earliest attempt to organize a college department, and to differentiate its work from that of the more ele- mentary classes, made other changes necessary. Not the least among these was the clearer definition and integration of the preparatory school. This was now erected into an academic department, to be under the special care and charge of a principal, who should serve as scholastic and administrative head. In the selection of a man to occupy this responsible post the trustees were led by a wise Providence. They had learned to love and admire the man who was at that time their acting president, and who had been a leader in their councils for upward of two years. Their choice for an incumbent of the new office fell therefore upon Mr. Warren Leverett, the twin-brother of Prof. Washington Leverett. Principal Leverett had graduated at Brown University in 1832, and had studied theology at New- ton, but was prevented through ill health from com- pleting his studies there. He spent some time in the 'For an outline of the work pursued in the freshman and sophomore classes, in 1840, see Appendix II. 90 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Southland, battling with a severe lung difficulty. When the vigor of life came again he turned northward and westward. After teaching in Lawrenceburg, Ind., for a time, he went to Franklin, where he was largely instrumental in the permanent establishment of the insti- tution which now for a long time has been known and recognized as the Baptist College of that state. On the day of his marriage, in October, 1837, he started with his bride for Illinois, the home of all his future labors. He conducted a private school in Greenville until his removal to Alton. It soon became clear that the choice of Professor Leverett for the headship of the academic department was a wise piece of policy, for his conduct of its activities was uniformly judicious and productive of excellent results. The enthusiasm of the opening at Rock Spring in 1827 had brought five score of eager students to the new school. The number had soon dwindled, however, and not again until 1840 did the enrollment pass beyond the century mark. In that year the attendance in the col- lege and classical preparatory school reached forty-eight, and in all departments one hundred and one. The year 1841 was one of the most noteworthy in the history of Shurtleff. In March the Alton Theological Seminary became part and parcel of Shurtleff College, with the title of "The Theological Department of Shurtleff Col- lege," by the amendment of the College charter. At the same time there was organized a Medical Depart- ment, and Gideon B. Perry, M. D., was appointed presi- dent. He was to be assisted in the duties of admin- istration by four censors, who with him constituted partly a teaching and chiefly an examining board. The censors who were elected as Dr. Perry's associates were B. F. Edwards, B. K. Hart, A. E. Casey, and E. C. PROFESSOR WARREN LEVERETT. SHURTLEFF COLLEGE: EARLY YEARS. 9 1 Park, all of whom were physicians in regular standing, engaged in active practice. The medical school by a special arrangement with the officers was to be self-sustaining, and the fees of the students were to remunerate the president and cen- sors and defray all general expenses. Nearly all of its work was to be conducted by correspondence. The medical students were to pursue their studies in absentia, undergoing examinations from time to time, and receiv- ing their diplomas upon the completion of the brief course of study. Dr. Perry prided himself upon the fact that he was the originator of this non-resident method of work. It has become very popular in more recent years in connection with the ''paper universities" and "diploma mills," against which a crusade has within the past two years been organized in this state of Illinois. There were thus in full swing five schools, the English or Elementary, the Preparatory, the Collegiate, the Theo- logical, and the Medical. Two rooms in the new dor- mitory were finished and furnished by the medical school, and were ready for occupancy in November. The com- pletion of the exterior of this new dormitory was another important happening of the year. Few buildings in all the West were so substantial, so commodious, or so imposing. The work was finished in the early summer, and the Board passed a strong resolution to the effect "that the new College Edifice for quality of materials, neat and substantial workmanship, and architectural beauty, is not excelled by any edifice within the knowl- edge of this Board, and reflects great credit on the talents, industry, skill and fidelity of the contractors." The test of time has emphasized the value of this verdict. Though the style of architecture seems plain and severe to the eye of the critic in this later day, the building 92 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. stands as staunch and substantial as when it was first erected, with walls like iron. Constructed of brick, with heavy foundations of stone, it occupies a prominent place in the centre of the campus. It is four stories in height and contains sixty-four rooms, although these were not partitioned off at the time of the passage by the Board of its commendatory resolution. An even more significant event than the amalgama- tion of the College and theological seminary, or the establishment of the medical department, or the erec- tion of the new building, was the calling and coming of a new president, the first full and regular incumbent of the office. Election after election had taken place dur- ing the five preceding years. Rev. Baron Stow, Dr. Jonathan Going, Rev. R. B. C. Howell, D. D., Rev. Howard Malcolm, and Rev. Isaac Taylor Hinton were successively called, and successively declined the call. Mr. Hinton was the pastor of the Baptist Church in Chicago and a warm friend of Mr. Peck. His call was conditioned by a request that he act as agent in the field before assuming the specific duties of his office, and that he raise by such means an endowment of ten thousand dollars for the chair he was asked to fill. It is not surprising that the invitation, thus unhappily ham- pered, was promptly declined. In May, 1841, a com- mittee previously appointed by the Board, of which Cyrus Edwards was chairman, recommended the name of Rev. Adiel Sherwood, A. M., of Georgia, a well-known leader in the educational affairs of the South, for the presidency. In November Dr. Sherwood's acceptance of the position was formally announced, and also the encouraging news that he was ready to enter at once upon his duties as president of Shurtleff College and as professor of Theology and Mental and Moral Philosophy. SHURTLEFF COLLEGE: EARLY YEARS. 93 Owing to the careful supervision exercised by Professor Leverett, in addition to the ordinary duties of his pro- fessorship, the internal affairs of the school were in a most prosperous condition. The library had grown steadily and numbered at this time about eight hundred volumes, most of which w r ere theological in their character. As might be supposed from the spirit of progress that was so rapidly developing within the school, the cele- bration of the annual commencement was somewhat more elaborate than usual. Rev. Henry W. Dodge, the pastor of the Springfield Baptist Church, delivered an oration on the evening of Tuesday, the twenty-seventh of July, and on Wednesday evening Rev. G. B. Perry, M.D., the newly- elected President of the Medical Department, gave a "very able, lucid, impressive and eloquent address" on the "Importance of an Elevated Education to the Views of Pure Morality." The honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred for the first time at this auspicious commencement, the recipients of the favor being the worthy founder of the school, Rev. J. M. Peck, together with Rev. I. T. Hinton of Chicago, Rev. G. B. Perry, M. D., of Alton, and Rev. Levi Tucker, of Cleveland, Ohio, a friend of Dr. Perry. On commencement day, however, no announcement was made concerning these degrees, and thereby hangs a tale. Its hero was no less a personage than the head of the Medical Depart- ment. Both in the matter of accommodations for his school and in that of degrees for himself Dr. Perry became for the trustees "a thorn in the flesh." He was doubly a professional man, being both a clergyman and a physician, yet he caused the college a deal of trouble in his time. His conduct suffers by contrast with the devotion of the patient professors. When his medical 94 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. school was established, with its Board of Censors, its elaborate curriculum, and its plan of non-resident study, two rooms in the dormitory were assigned to him at his own request for use as an office. These rooms were bare even of lath and plaster, so it was stipulated that the doctor should bear the expense of finishing and furnishing them, while in return he should enjoy the use of them without any charge for rental, as long as his school should continue to exist. It was agreed further that if the school should erect a building for its own use t and at its own expense the college should refund to Dr. Perry the amount expended on the two rooms in question. The rooms were completed in due season, and were occupied by Dr. Perry for some time. But, when several years had come and gone, long after *the department had ceased to live or breathe, a bill for two hundred and seventy-two dollars, the cost of finishing the two rooms, was presented by Dr. Perry to the Board, and immediate payment requested. Discussion of the matter was not limited to weeks or months, but recurred at intervals for more than ten years, until finally the amount, with accrued interest, was paid in full. Another trial of Dr. Perry's life became a burden to the Board. Criticism and counter-criticism ran riot. It seems that on the seventh of July, 1841, at Dr. Perry's sug- gestion, the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him and upon his friend, Mr. Tucker of Cleveland, as already indicated. The proceedings of the meeting at which this action was taken were recorded, as usual, on a loose sheet of paper. The secretary was accustomed to enter no minutes upon his books until after they had been sanctioned at a subsequent session of the Board. At the next meeting, which was held on the twenty-eighth of July, the trustees amended the minutes of the seventh SHURTLEFF COLLEGE: EARLY YEARS. 95 by omitting the resolution with regard to Dr. Perry and the other three gentlemen whom they had intended to honor with degrees. As no public announcements had been made it was thought that no harm could result from such a procedure. However, when the president of the Medical School ascertained the facts in the case, he entered at once upon a campaign of reconstruction. He claimed that he had written to his friend, Mr. Tucker, informing him that the degrees had been conferred in due order, and contended that the new action of the Board had the effect of falsifying his word. He therefore per- suaded certain of the trustees to assemble in special ses- sion in order to indorse their earlier resolution. They came together and agreed that a note should be inserted in the margin of the record book asserting all the facts in the case. The secretary, who was an ardent cham- pion of Dr. Perry, inserted the notice of the motion granting the degrees, but failed to indicate in any way that the motion was rescinded at the following session. For a year contentions multiplied and the Board was divided into two camps. Then by a vote of four to three, at a meeting when a bare quorum was in attend- ance, the president of the College was directed to issue diplomas to Dr. Perry and the other three gentlemen. This Dr. Sherwood refused to do on the ground that he was not connected with the College when the degrees were conferred ; that the vote had been rescinded ; that the College, having never graduated a regular class, was too young to confer such honors; and that he had no knowledge of the qualifications of the candidates. At later meetings of the Board this position of Dr. Sher- wood was approved, especially in view of the fact that Dr. Perry had sought another sort of redress by carrying his wrongs into the columns of the religious press, caus- 96 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ing embarrassment to the College as well as its governing body. Dr. Peck succeeded in complicating matters con- siderably by replying to these communications. In his blunt fashion he accused Dr. Perry of being a troublesome man and a schemer. He also paid his compliments to the secretary of the Board, who had in the meantime taken matters in his own hands by announcing in his official capacity, through the public prints, that the degrees had been conferred in due and regular order. By way of reply the secretary sought for months, in many resolutions which he submitted, to compel the Board to inflict censure upon the Pioneer. Though not one of these resolutions ever carried, the secretary entered them each and all upon his minutes, where they stand today. The Board finally approved the course of Presi- dent . Sherwood "in resisting the repeated importunities of Mr. Perry to issue diplomas." This action the secre- tary was forced to record, though he did so only under protest, following it with a foot-note of his own, in which he sought to throw doubts upon the validity of this final expression of the sentiments of the trustees. Viewed from a distance of time this discussion may seem to have been very trifling. It was by no means so. It lasted for more than five years. It engaged well-nigh the entire attention of the trustees at session after ses- sion. A vast amount of energy and time were con- sumed. Important plans for the development of the school were side-tracked in order that this issue might be settled. An intense bitterness of feeling was engen- dered. Whether Gideon B. Perry was a Doctor of Divinity or not, at the end of all the strife, is an open question. But there is no question that his overweening desire for personal emolument became a source of serious injury to the institution which he so ardently desired should confer her honors upon him. CHAPTER VI- THE PRESIDENCY OF ADIEL SHERWOOD, 1841-1845. The new President The College without and within A literary society Degrees and honors Hard times Death of Professor Newman Failing numbers Dr. Sherwood resigns. The man whom the Board of Trustees had called to the presidency was admirably qualified for the place. Dr. Sherwood was remarkable for the depth and genuine- ness of his consecration, and as well for the breadth of the field in which his life's labors were cast. He was born at Fort Edward in the state of New York. His father was an officer in the War of the Revolution and a personal friend of Washington. He took a prolonged course of study at Middlebury College, Union College, and Andover Theological Seminary, and then removed to Georgia, where he was ordained. After a period of remarkable success as a preacher and teacher, an evan- gelist and leader, among the Baptists of Georgia, he became president of Marshall College in that state. He was also associated at different times with Mercer Uni- versity and the Columbian University. He had just passed his fiftieth birthday when he entered upon his duties at Shurtleff. His strong personality made a marked impression at the outset. Reserved in manner, tall and dignified in presence, clear and sententious in speech, he was withal a sound scholar and a courteous gentleman. 97 98 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. President Sherwood came to. Upper Alton in November and entered upon his work immediately. During the four years of his official connection with the college the work went forward quietly. The trustees were rather inactive. They were not in full sympathy with each other, and their lack of harmony not only grieved the president but hindered him in the execution of his plans. The new building was finished bit by bit, and room by room was made ready for occupancy, as necessity required or financial conditions allowed. One by one also the lots of land owned by the College were sold and the proceeds applied to pay salaries or general expenses. The College boarding-house and farm during these four years were operated and controlled by the Professors Leverett, to whom they were leased for two hundred dol- lars a year. This arrangement relieved the trustees of many responsibilities of detail. In the month following Mr. Sherwood's arrival a Sunday-school was organized in connection with the institution, and both boarders and day pupils were required to attend this exercise at nine o'clock each Sunday morning in Academic Hall. Attendance on church service, Sunday-school and daily prayers was obligatory, and absences from regular class exer- cises were punished by the levy of a fine of five cents in the year following increased to ten cents for each offense. Immediately after the prayer service on school days, three students gave declamations and three read compositions. This duty must have occupied a full half hour, at the least hazard, but the professors resigned themselves to listen to these exhibitions in order that the students might be helped and disciplined by the task. The professors' turn came time by time, however, for on Wednesdays, at a quarter past one, they delivered ex- DR. SHERWOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. 99 pository lectures, beginning with Genesis; and these lec- tures the students were obliged to attend. The chapel declamations were apparently a source of suggestion and inspiration, for before long the Lyceum, or debating society, which had been in existence for some time, rose to a larger dignity and through reorgan- ization became the Philomethian Society; and in Febru- ary, 1842, by petition to the trustees, this society obtained the "use of the room in the northwest corner of the second story of the new college building for its meet- ings. Only a few of the other rooms were finished, as the cost of the carpenter work was rather more than the college could afford. In face of the delay in providing comfortable accommodations the number of students fell away, and only eighty-six were enrolled during the entire year. Exactly one-half of these were members of the collegiate and classical preparatory departments, while half were taking the English studies. Only thirteen were from Alton, a lamentably small proportion. This lack of interest on the part of the people who should have been the most ardent patrons of the school it is difficult to understand. Though the children from Alton could receive their education for little beside the tuition fees, or for one-fourth of the expense which they would incur at a college distant from their homes, their parents and friends showed little interest in the progress of the institution. At the close of the year Mr. Hiram A. Gardiner, who had studied for five years at the Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution, and for two years at Shurtleff, was given the degree of Bachelor of Arts after a thor- ough final examination. Mr. Gardiner became thus the first regular graduate of the institution. Rev. John McGilton and Chapin A. Harris of Baltimore, and Rev. 100 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Wm. B. Maxon of Brooklyn, N. Y., received the degree of Master of Arts, in accordance with the provisions of a resolution presented to the Board of Trustees by Presi- dent Sherwood to the effect that "in order to bring into notice men of real worth and good scholarship who have not enjoyed the advantages of a collegiate course, but who have made attainments in the sciences equal to those of graduates, such persons on examination and on the credit of vouchers satisfactory to the examining com- mittee and approved by the trustees may be admitted to the first and second degrees in the Arts course, and regarded as regular graduates; provided, they shall pay the fees of graduation and an amount equal to the regular college bills for tuition." In addition to the aforemen- tioned, the degree of Bachelor of Arts was conferred upon Rev. Samuel H. Baker of Kentucky and Rev. Noah Flood of Missouri, both of whom were former students of the College, and the degree of Master of Arts upon Rev. Isaac D. Newell and Thomas Powell. Thus the commencement of 1842 must ever be famous in the history of Shurtleff College as an occasion of abundant degree giving. The times were stringent. The endowment of the College amounted to absolutely nothing. The value of the buildings and grounds in Upper Alton was estimated at thirty thousand dollars, the library at twelve hundred dollars and the scientific apparatus at seven hundred dol- lars. The only income was the two hundred dollars per year which was received for the rent of the boarding house and farm. In this condition of things the professors were compelled to suffer a "readjustment" of salaries. President Sherwood agreed to work half time for one-half his pre- vious salary, and Professor Newman's meagre stipend was reduced. Major George W. Long, a graduate of West DR. SHERWOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. IOI Point Military Academy, and subsequently assistant professor of physics and mathematics in that institution and for several years chief engineer of Louisiana, had been elected professor of civil engineering and French, but in the financial stress which came upon the College the trustees found it necessary to cancel his appointment. During the years that followed troubles increased and the outlook became more gloomy. The shadows were ignored or were not known by the public at large, however, so the commencement of '45 was one of un- usual brightness and joy. The programme was an elaborate one. Among the prize winners appears the name of Mr. Justus Bulkley, who captured the silver medal for excellence in mathematical studies. The presi- dent roused the hearts of the people by his stirring appeal to them on Commencement Day to support the College by all means in their power. He urged this duty with special emphasis upon the citizens of the Altons. The Illinois Literary and Historical Society was organized during the anniversary exercises, with Hon. Cyrus Edwards as president. The entire proceedings closed with a levee at the house of the president of the College. A gentleman who wrote for the Alton Telegraph an account of the commencement says that this event now established by custom of more than half a century was "deserving of something more than a passing notice, being probably the first 'president's levee' that has ever been given in Illinois. It was attended by nearly two hundred ladies and gentlemen, who, coming from nearly every state in the Union, made up that agreeable variety of conversational talent that is seldom met with in the older states. The company separated at an early hour, highly gratified with the politeness and urbanity of the president and his lady, and for the opportunity that had 102 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. been enjoyed for social intercourse." Thus happily closed the commencement of 1845. But the wolf was at the door, and counsels for self- preservation were long and serious. The subject of dis- pensing with the services of one of the professors was under serious consideration, when President Sherwood submitted to the Board a magnanimous proposition, in which he offered to continue his services as president and professor for one year without any remuneration. It is needless to say that this generous gift of gratuitous labor was joyfully accepted. Thus it became possible for all three of the professors, Washington and Warren Leverett and Zenas B. Newman, to continue their valu- able teaching services. For five years this trio of de- voted men had stood shoulder to shoulder amid severe and toilsome duties. Before the next school year had reached its close Zenas B. Newman was called to the higher service. During the last term of the year he could do no teaching on account of the sure progress of the dread disease which slew him at last. He died on the 1 9th of Juty, 1844, one week before the annual com- mencement. He taught at Shurtleff as tutor and pro- fessor for nine years, and they were stern and arduous and self-denying years. Rev. Rufus W. Griswold, of Philadelphia, was elected to fill his place as professor of rhetoric, oratory, and belles lettres, but no sufficient financial guarantee could be given, so Mr. Griswold never entered upon the active duties of the office. The Messrs. Leverett taught during the year that followed with no remuneration save the tuition fees of the students, and President Sherwood with less than this for tangible compensation. Those were dark days ! The number of students had decreased from one hundred and one in the school year PRESIDENT ADIEL SHERWOOD. DR. SHERWOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. 103 ending in July, 1840, and from ninety-six in July, 1841, to eighty-six in 1842, to sixty in 1843, to fifty in 1844, and to thirty-eight in 1845. The low-water mark was reached in the last of these years. In the spring President Sherwood visited New England on a canvassing tour and returned with two hundred volumes for the library and three hundred and thirty-eight dollars in cash, of which nearly one hundred dollars was returned to him for travelling expenses. The result of the trip was discour- aging. It was evident that the days of effective appeals to the East were gone forever. At the close of the year President Sherwood resigned. Without the sup- port of his unselfish efforts and the stimulus of his constant devotion the school would undoubtedly have been obliged to close its doors in the years of terrible depression through which it had been passing. It is to be regretted that he did not continue his connection with the institution for a longer period, but the dis- mal outlook seemed to overmaster even his strong spirit. He served several years as a trustee, attending faithfully the meetings of the Board. He also became deeply interested in William Jewell College and gave time and strength to the advocacy of its interests. The most of his life, however, after leaving Shurtleff, was spent in the South. There he received universal and well-merited recognition as a leader gifted with high qual- ities of wisdom and manhood. CHAPTER VII. , TIMES OF PERIL AND UNCERTAINTY, 1845-1850. A small faculty Removal of Dr. Edwards Isaac D. Newell as College Agent The Class of 1847 Prosperous times College societies Rumors many and grave A conference of enquiry The skies clear. When the autumn of 1845 brought the students again together after their vacation there were many new faces, and the entire number was greater by a score than in the previous year. But the school was once more with- out a president. The teaching staff, for both College and preparatory school, consisted of Washington and Warren Leverett, the former acting also as the chief executive officer of the institution. Mr. Justus Bnlkley, then a member of the junior class in College, had been appointed a "temporary tutor." The medical depart- ment had disappeared some time before this, after a pre- carious existence of twenty-four months. In April of the academic year 1845-46 Dr. Benjamin F. Edwards removed his residence from Illinois and resigned the presidency of the Board of Trustees, an office which he had held uninterruptedly for a period of nine years. He had been one of the ardent supporters of the school from its very inception and was closely identified with its beginnings at Rock Spring. His brother, Hon. Cyrus Edwards, was elected to fill his place as president of the Board. 104 TIMES OF PERIL. 105 It was becoming more and more apparent that a strenuous effort for an adequate productive endowment was essential to the future vitality and growth of the school. The lands owned by the College had been sold lot by lot or turned over to the professors in lieu of cash payment of salaries until the situation became serious and even alarming. Such a policy could not longer be followed with safety, so the Board appointed Rev. Isaac D. Newell as the permanent financial agent to secure contributions throughout the state and in other states if possible. He entered upon his duties on the first of November, 1846. Three months later, relying doubt- less on the success which they hoped would crown his labors, the trustees called Mr. Erastus Adkins to the chair of oratory, rhetoric and belles lettres. For some months prior to his election Mr. Adkins had held the principalship of a seminary for young ladies which had been recently founded at Peoria under the direction of the Baptist General Association of Illinois, and which owed its establishment very largely to the influence and advocacy of the Rev. H. G. Weston, the successor of Mr. Newell in the pastorate of the Peoria Baptist Church, but afterward and at the present time the president of the Crozer Theological Seminary at Upland, Pa. The hopes of the Shurtleff Board were neither vain nor visionary, for in less than one year after his appointment Mr. Newell had collected, in cash and pledged subscriptions, upward of six thousand dollars. Many of the subscrip- tions became difficult of collection afterward, but during Mr. Ne well's term of service he turned into the college treasury an average of from one to two thousand dollars each year. This increase of revenue had a marked and most cheering effect upon all college interests. At the annual commencement in 1847 Rev. J. M. Peck 106 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. was present and delivered an address on "The Life and Character of Dr. Benjamin Shurtleff," in honor of the worthy man who had befriended the school in its earlier days and who had recently died. The graduates of the year were Justus Bulkley, Edward L. Baker and Wil- liam Cunningham, all three of whom survived the fiftieth anniversary of their graduation. Dr. Bulkley's name was intimately associated with the history of the College and of the Baptist denomination in the state of Illinois during all of this lengthy period. As president for many years of the State Convention, of the Illinois Baptist Educa- tion Society, and of the Board of State Missions, his influence was widely recognized and respected, while the beauty and sweet sincerity of his life won for him" the affectionate devotion of his friends and endeared him to the people everywhere in this broad land. Mr. Baker became Consul at Buenos Ayres and served the govern- ment for many years in that capacity. He purposed returning home for a needed rest in the spring of 1897, and hoped to be present at the jubilee celebration in honor of his classmate, Dr. Bulkley. His plans were unfortunately delayed, however, and in the course of his return journey in June he was injured in a railway collision and died in a few weeks. Mr. Cunningham taught the preparatory department of Shurtleff College for some years. He afterward taught in Greenville, and in other places in southern Illinois. His life was a laborious and useful one. For many years he was a lay elder in the Presbyterian Church. Both Dr. Bulkley and Mr. Baker died within two years after the golden anni- versary of their graduation. The College was enjoying greater prosperity than ever before in its history. The number of students in 1848-49 was one hundred and twenty-one, thus exceeding the TIMES OF PERIL. 107 enrollment in any previous year. They were for the most part young men of high character and excellent habits. Work on the interior of the new building had proceeded with cautious wisdom, and at this time two stories, containing thirty-two rooms, had been fully com- pleted. The basement of the Baptist Church was par- tially furnished for the use of the preparatory depart- ment, but was never occupied. For a dozen years the church had owed the College the sum of two thousand dol- lars, and being unable to return this amount, which had been borrowed, an agreement was made by which the Col- lege waived its claim to the debt and the church in return granted to the College the use of the basement of the building for whatever purpose they might designate, and the further use of the auditorium for the commence- ment exercises, perpetually. At the opening of the autumn term in 1848 the rooms in the second story of the dormitory \vere ready for occupancy and on the return of the students they were assigned in accordance with the rule of seniority, the first choice being given to "regular" members of the classical college course, and after them in order to the English collegiate, the collegiate preparatory, the English preparatory, and the "irregulars." The Philomethian Society, which had been organized the year previous, was granted the privilege of a reading- room in the building. This society appears in the records a few months later under the name which it still holds, that of "Alpha Zeta." Among its charter members were Professor Bulkley and Mr. Cunningham. Its literary work was of a high order and its presence was felt by the faculty to be helpful and stimulating. A Society of Inquiry had also been constituted, and had furnished and equipped a library and reading-room of its own. It met once in 108 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. two weeks in formal session, and occupied itself on alternate evenings in general discussions and in reading and hearing reports prepared by its members on the moral and religious condition of the world. Its aim was distinctly religious, as that of the Alpha Zeta Society was primarily literary and social in its character. For four years after the resignation of Dr. Sherwood no effort was made to secure a president. Then the experience of earlier years was repeated. Rev. Howard Malcolm, who had just concluded a term of service as president of Georgetown College in Kentucky, and Rev. Rufus Babcock, D. D., of New Bedford, Mass., were each asked to occupy the vacant post, but they both declined. After several months of waiting the Board called Norman Nelson Wood, of Zanesville, Ohio, to the presidency and to the chair of Mental and Moral Philosophy and Christian Theology. Mr. Wood visited the College, made a careful examination of its conditions and needs, and decided to accept the invitation which was unanimously extended. Dr. Sherwood, who had re- mained in close sympathy with the institution since his retirement from the presidency, and had continued as an active member of the Board of Trustees, was the chair- man of the committee which was appointed to inform Mr. Wood of his election. The new president arrived in Upper Alton on the evening of the last day of the year 1^50 and entered upon his official duties a few days later. Just at this time a series of events of critical moment, which bore with great force upon the work and prospects of the college, was brought to a satisfactory conclusion. For some two or three years certain rumors derogatory to the influence of the school had been afloat in differ- ent parts of the state. The president of the Board TIMES OF PERIL. 109 was accused of using his official position to undermine the denominational tendencies which had been strong in the earlier years. It was further said that the charter made no provision for the continuance of the school under strictly Baptist auspices. Many other grave charges were uttered. They flew from lip to lip and grew greater in their flight. At last the Baptist General Asso- ciation of Illinois gave attention to the matter, and after earnest debate a committee of seven was named and authorized to visit the college and to confer with the trustees and faculty "on the best interests of the col- lege and its connection with the denomination." The Baptist Convention of Southern Illinois, at that time a distinct and separate body, had appointed a similar com- mittee. These chosen representatives met with the trus- tees on the fourth and fifth of December, 1850. One or ' two members of the faculty were also present. The visiting delegation had formulated their inquiries, and presented them in the form of the following questions : "Is the charter of Shurtleff College in such a form as to secure to the Baptist denomination the property belonging to the corporation? Do the members of the Board of Trustees regard the College as a Baptist insti- tution and feel themselves to be the agents of the denom- ination and willing to carry out its wishes, both literary and religious? Is the programme of studies as an- nounced in the annual catalogue rigidly pursued? What is the moral and religious influence exerted in the col- lege? Is it such as to create a healthful atmosphere for candidates for the ministry? At what price and for how long a time are the farm and boarding house rented ? In letting jobs of work is it the practice to submit proposals to different workmen and obtain the lowest bids, so as to be economical ? Is the interest on the 110 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Shurtleir fund paid annually or oftener, so as to secure the use of the money to that professorship. Are all the professors paid alike promptly? Is it the deter- mination of the Board to make an effort to have the number of trustees increased at the next Legislature? During the last four months, or since the last com- mencement, what amount has been paid to the financial agent and how much has he raised for the college?" After mature deliberation and prolonged consultation throngh a committee with the members of the visiting delegation, the Board of Trustees adopted the following schema of explanations and vindications, in answer to the inquiries which had been made. This "defense" gives an excellent view, and one that might not otherwise be obtained, of the policy and methods of the men who were charged with the duties of teaching and government. Its main positions may be indicated as follows : The charter cannot secure directly "to the Baptist denomination the property belonging to the corporation." It simply secures the property to the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is a self-perpetuating body. It ever has been, now is, and doubtless ever will be com- posed almost exclusively of members of Baptist churches. Hence the benefit of the property belonging to the cor- poration is secured, as far probably as it can be secured, to the Baptist denomination. In other words the property and the school are not bound, legally or formally, to the Baptist denomination, nor to any Baptist church or group of churches. But sentiment, custom and history have so bound it by strong and living bonds. Further than this, the members of the Board of Trustees, without exception, regard the college as a Baptist institution, and they are disposed, in all honesty, to carry out the wishes of the denomination so far as these and the means for this purpose are furnished. TIMES OF PERIL. 1 1 1 Every student, on entering either the preparatory or the collegiate department, is required to pursue, in the prescribed order, the studies of either the English course or the classical course. The programme of studies as announced in the annual catalogue is pursued most rigidly. The professors aim to exert, both by precept and example, the influence of correct moral principles. The stated religious exercises in the college consist of the reading of the Scriptures and singing from the Psalmist, with prayer, morning and evening. Both of these serv- ices all the students are required to attend. Whenever the pressure of other duties in the College has per- mitted it the members of the faculty have given weekly expository lectures to the students, en- deavoring to explain the Scriptures and to enforce the moral and religious duties therein enjoined. One of the professors teaches a Bible class on the Sabbath composed of those students who are disposed to attend. All are invited, though none are compelled to enter the class. A weekly evening prayer meeting and a Sabbath morning prayer meeting are held under the direction of the students. All pupils of the institution are urged to attend these, and the month- ly concert for prayer is observed. The students also have the privilege of attending religious meetings in town, either statedly or occasionally; and all are required to attend public worship in the forenoon and afternoon of each Lord's day. The College boarding house and farm were leased in January, 1847, f r "the term of six years, with the privilege (to the lessee) of holding the same four years longer, unless some dissatisfaction should arise on the part of the trustees." The lessee is bound to make during this period, at his own cost, a variety of repairs and improvements, amounting to several hundred dol- 112 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. lars, and to pay semi-annually at the rate of one hundred dollars per annum. The letting of jobs of work for the college is intrusted to a standing committee, whose invari- able practice has been to contract with such workmen as would do the work at the lowest price and in the best manner. The Shurtleff Professorship Fund was a special dona- tion which in November, 1835, was five thousand dollars. According to the terms of the donor, the interest was to be added to the principal annually, until it should accu- mulate a sufficient amount to endow the professorship of oratory, rhetoric and belles lettres. This .process was carried, on until July, 1841, when the professorship was filled by the appointment of the late Rev. Zenas B. New- man. The fund at that time was seven thousand dollars Since that date, the interest (four hundred and twenty dollars per annum) has been paid regularly to the incum- bent of the chair, and in July last provision was made for the payment of the same semi-annually to the professor in charge of that department. By an arrangement of the board previous to the ap- pointment of the third professor (Mr. Adkins), the other two professors, with the tutor, or principal of the pre- paratory department, were to receive the income from the "Term Bills" toward the payment of their salaries. The last year this income exceeded the amount of their salaries by about two hundred and fifty dollars, besides the incidental expenses of the College. Of this excess, one hundred and fifty dollars has been paid to the third professor since July last, and the remainder will be paid to him as soon and as fast as it can be collected. When the third professor was appointed, the Board of Trustees supposed they could safely rely upon funds for the prompt payment of his salary from a different source. In this they have been disappointed. They are now in- TIMES OF PERIL. H3 debted to him some five or six hundred dollars, for the payment of which they rely upon the income from term bills in part, and for the rest they have confidence in the liberality of the friends of the College. In July, 1847, the Board of Trustees appointed a com- mittee to present to the legislature a petition for a change in the College charter, extending the number of the trustees to thirty-one. For reasons satisfactory to the Board the committee did not present the petition to the legislature at its session subsequent to their appointment. The Board in July last appointed another committee to present the petition at the approaching session of the legislature, and they hope the petition will be granted. The amount of the salary of the agent since the last commencement, up to the tenth of December, has been two hundred and fifty-seven dollars and eighty-nine cents. This is paid. According to the report of the agent, presented this day, he has raised a little more than t\vice this amount, in more exact language, five hundred and forty-eight dollars and ninety-two cents. Such in brief was the substance of the reply of the Board. The visitors were thoroughly satisfied, and the meeting closed with a general and informal conference on the best means of promoting the progress and influence cf the school. The president of the Board, Hon. Cyrus Edwards, had resigned his office on the day preceding the above con- ference, but at the urgent request of his co-laborers he withdrew his resignation. The agent of the College con- cluded his work, and went out of office a few days after the meeting, and Rev. D. L. Phillips was appointed to succeed him. Such was the breeze that blew over the College, and threatened for a time to damage its influence and even destroy its existence. And in such fashion was the way prepared for the advent of the new president. CHAPTER VIII. THE PRESIDENCY OF NORMAN N. WOOD, 1851-1855. Dr. Wood: his life and charadter Shurtleff's increase in numbers Its inner development President Wood discovers Elijah Gove The advent of rival schools Ill-advised utterances Faculty changes The dormitory finished A strict administration College and people Agency work -Trouble in the faculty Theological Complications The "Northerners". The College had secured, in the person of its new president, a man of cultivated mind and sound judg- ment. Though frail in body he was sturdy in intellect and strong in power of practical achievement. Born at Fairfax, in the state of Vermont, on the first day of May, 1808, he had been coming gradually westward. After his graduation at Middlebury College in 1835, he became principal of an academy at Black River, in his native state. He began his theological studies at the seminary in Hamilton, New York, but discontinued them when a few months had passed, on account of rapidly failing health. He afterward held several pastorates, coming from Ohio to Alton. In June of the year in which he ar- rived in Illinois, he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Granville College, and during the summer he was married to Miss Emily Dunlap, the daughter of Colonel James Dunlap, of Jacksonville, a friend and sup- porter of Shurtleff. After his four years in the work of the presidency Dr. Wood moved on westward, taking the pastorate of the Baptist Church at Palmyra, Mis- 114 PRESIDENT NORMAN N. WOOD. DR. WOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. 1 15 souri. This was his only pastoral charge after leaving Alton. At the commencement of the civil war he became a chaplain in the army, and at the close of the rebellion he settled in Jacksonville, devoting the remaining nine years of his life to scholastic and literary labors. Dur- ing a part of this period he taught in the young ladies' seminary in that city. Dr. Wood was a good example of a thoroughly educated man. His mind was singularly clear, his habit of thought severely analytical, his conversation enriched by the use of choice language, and marked by a natural elegance of expression. Though in later years he became more and more of a solitary student, less and less a man among men, in the days of his prime he possessed an ag- gressive power of action which made his work successful and productive. He was not, however, at any time in life, a man of free and easy ways. He was nervous and very sensitive to criticism, though by nature a critic him- self. The shafts of his sarcasm, when he hurled them forth, struck deep and rankled long. So he made enemies as well as friends. He was not always thoroughly understood by his associates, or the real underlying great- ness of his character would have been appreciated more perfectly. He was genuinely sincere and truly noble of heart. His dignified manner was rather the quiet re- serve of true manhood than the conceit of pedantry or arrogance. So far as the internal condition of the school was con- cerned Dr. Wood's administration began under favorable auspices. In the first year of his presidency there were one hundred and thirty students enrolled. Forty-five of these were members of the College proper, twenty- two taking the classical, and twenty-three the Eng- lish, course. There were eleven freshmen, seven tl6 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. sophomores, three juniors and one senior. The num- ber of students was considerably increased by the establishment of an elementary course, styled the "Junior Preparatory Department." This included be- tween thirty and forty young boys, almost all of whom were residents of Alton and Upper Alton. Owing to the differences of age and advancement which were thus introduced into the school, the student body was divided into two classes, which met for chapel services and other exercises at different hours and in different buildings. The smaller boys were under the special supervision of Tutor Cunningham. The classical course in the preparatory department in- cluded two terms of English grammar, two of arithmetic, two of bookkeeping and one of algebra ; two years of Latin and one of Greek; together with two terms of classical geography and written translations. Plane geometry was begun in the freshman year in College, and the work in algebra was continued in the sophomore year. The requirements were well abreast of those in the best western colleges of the day. In the junior and senior years in College the students were required to follow courses of text-book work in anatomy and physiology ; in chemistry, mineralogy and geology ; in natural philosophy and the philosophy of natural history; in botany and astronomy. The religious element was never and no- where neglected. The seniors, juniors and English course students of the second and third years recited in Paley's "Evidences of Christianity" throughout one full year; the sophomores, freshmen and English course men of the first year constituted a class in Paley's "Natural Theology," running through one year; while all mem- bers of the preparatory department studied Nevins' "Biblical Antiquities." These courses were all obligatory. DR. WOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. 1 1? Almost at the beginning of his administration, Presi- dent Wood made a tour through the northern part of the state, in the course of which he secured a donation of two hundred and fifty dollars from Mr. Elijah Gove, of Quincy, and the pledge of a further amount of five thousand dollars. To discover such a man as Elijah Gove, and elicit his cordial sympathy in behalf of the school, were in themselves very gratifying results. To secure a donation, with the sure promise of yet larger gifts, and to leave the benefactor feeling deeply interested in the cause to which he had been asked to contribute, were notable achievements. All of these ends Dr. Wood accomplished. He also, with vigorous voice, urged and emphasized the necessity for larger productive endow- ments, so it was determined to inaugurate at once a plan of campaign, with the object of securing one hundred thousand dollars, the first fifteen thousand of which should be devoted to the endowment of the president's chair. Mr. Edwards having again presented his resignation, and insisted upon its acceptance, the president of the College was elected to serve also as the president of the Board of Trustees. The building committee, in whose hands, for many years, large powers of executive con- trol had been vested, was discharged ; and in its stead a finance committee and an executive committee were ap- pointed. The members of the former were directed to take charge of the financial interests of the College, and incidentally to accomplish the revision of the by-laws, while to the latter was committed the general supervision of the affairs of the College in the intervals between the sessions of the Board. The executive committee, as originally constituted, consisted of Mr. Orleans M. Adams, Major George W. Long and Rev. J. N. Tolman. Il8 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. They were appointed on the twenty- fourth of September, 1852, and twelve clays later they held their first meeting for the transaction of business. To their prudent super- vision, together with the excellent financial and adminis- trative ability possessed by President Wood, was largely due the increased prosperity of the College in the years immediately succeeding. The friends of education were full of courage. One of them writes of the school that "it has passed in a series of years, varying in changes and vicissitudes, through an ordeal of trouble and well-nigh utter desolation, ever wavering betwixt hope and despair, until it has come to stand upon a perfectly safe and per- manent basis ; its present and prospective condition is truly flattering." 1 This prosperity was won in the face of divisive tend- encies, and the advent of competitive schools. An educa- tional inspiration had seized the people. For twenty-three years the Baptists of Illinois had concentrated their efforts and their gifts in the institution founded by John M. Peck. Then a half dozen rival schools sprang into being almost in a night. At the same meeting of the General Associa- tion in which the injurious reports concerning Shurt- leff were discussed and the committee of investigation adopted, resolutions were adopted, commending the Mt. Palatine Academy, an incorporated institution chartered "to the Baptist denomination" and under the joint prin- cipalship of Rev. O. Fisher and Rev. C. M. Wright ; the P'emale Institute at Springfield, under the direction of Rev. T. C. Teasdale ; the Female Institution at Canton, of which Rev. C. Davidson was the official head, and the Academy at Carrollton, in charge of Dr. John Russell, formerly principal at Rock Spring. Mention was also 'Letter in Alton Daily Morning Courier, December 13, 1852. DR. WOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. 1 19 made of the Peoria Female Seminary, and of a literary and theological institution, about to be established in the northern part of the state. In the following year the Rock Island High School and Female Seminary was . opened, under the care of J. W. Denison and Professor A. Briggs, and a large brick building was reported to be in process of construction. In the face of all this competition, and in part be- cause of the stimulus which the fact of rivalry excited, Shurtleff was steadily forging forward. She continued to enlist friends new and old in her service, though now and then an unfortunate happening caused her to lose a little ground. At the anniversary exercises in 1853 a momentary ripple raised a world of talk. The orator of the year, in a stalwart defense of Christian education, took occasion to let loose the vials of his wrath upon the Roman Catholics, in a manner and with a zeal "uncalled for," "unexpected" and "unjustifiable." His address was regarded as a most violent philippic, and directly discour- teous to those patrons of the school who belonged to the Romish faith. Besides, the speaker had stirred the emo- tions of many people in the audience who were not Bap- tists, by his assertion that "the Baptists alone circulated the Bible, the whole Bible." The good people went forth from the meeting to say, and to reiterate with no stint of emphasis, that not only love for the truth, but an ordinary respect for motives of policy, should have led the orator to be more guarded in his words. The sensa- tional statements of narrow-minded men often bring harm to the cause they champion. In the summer of 1853 there were changes manifold in the ranks of the faculty. Professors Washington and Warren Leverett resigned their respective positions in spite of the vigorous protest of the Board. As appears later in the narrative this severance of relations was only 120 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. temporary. Rev. Justus Bulkley, then pastor of the Baptist Church at Jerseyville, was elected to the chair of mathe- matics and natural philosophy, to succeed Professor Washington Leverett; while Mr. Orlando L. Castle, A. M., of Ohio, was called to the professorship of ora- tory, rhetoric and belles Icttres, which had been filled for six years by Professor Adkins. The department of Latin and Greek, until then conducted by Professor Warren Leverett, was transferred to the care of Mr. Adkins, while Mr. Bulkley undertook the duties of librarian, as Profes- sor Washington Leverett's successor. Mr. James R. Kay, a graduate of ShurtlefF in the class of 1852, became principal of the preparatory department, in place of Mr. Philip P. Brown, and Dr. Alexander Ansman assumed the duties of lecturer in chemistry. These changes were startling and radical upheavals, yet the faith of the trustees remained firm, and they set in motion at this very time a plan for enlargement. Through the executive committee they agreed to a proposition of J. H. Teasdale, of St. Louis, to complete the interior of the dormitory, including the thirty-two unfinished rooms, the halls, and the stairways, for three thousand two hund- red dollars. Rev. John Teasdale was appointed to collect funds to meet this proposed outlay, while Rev. Z. B. Lawson was also appointed as an agent, and each of these gentlemen was guaranteed a salary of one thousand dollars a year and travelling expenses. In order that the work of interior construction might begin immediately, Mr. Teasdale the agent suggested that one thousand dollars be borrowed by the College, but the trustees very promptly and emphatically refused to sanction such a step. As a mat- ter of fact they were considerably embarrassed by the claims of teachers for unpaid salaries, and were arranging to sell a number of lots of land in order to secure the men- DR. WOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. 121 eys necessary to meet these demands. The contractors went forward with the work, and before Christmas time the dormitory was entirely finished, and every room, from garret to cellar, was ready for occupancy. The Alpha Zeta Society was given possession of "a spacious hall, fitted up and furnished in good taste," on the fourth story. The rooms reserved for students were almost all engaged at the outset, and no less than seventy young men took up their residence in the building at the opening of the second term, on the nineteenth of December, 1853. Eight of these were day-roomers, having their homes in Alton or Upper Alton ; the others were all from a distance. The charge for room-rent was only two dollars per term for each student, but this amount covered merely the cost of the bare room, as the College provided no furniture, fuel or light. Good board was supplied at the boarding house near by, and in private families, at from one dollar and sixty cents to one dollar and seventy-five cents per week. Washing cost from fifty to seventy-five cents for a dozen pieces; wood was from two dollars to three dollars per cord ; while the entire expense of a careful student, exclu- sive of clothes and pocket money, was about one hundred and twenty dollars. The discipline of the school, in Dr. Wood's day, was firmly and even rigorously administered. Distant and somewhat cold in his manner, seclusive in his habits, strict and scholarly in his teaching, the president insisted on faithful work in the class-room and blameless behavior abroad, in the case of all students who were placed under his direction. He was respected and feared rather than loved by those who acknowledged his superiority. In- temperance and profanity were more or less common in the school, and these vices were dealt with by severe and uncompromising methods. Even in the annual catalogue 122 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. the stigma of expulsion was publicly affixed to the names of two students. The laws of the college were posted and published conspicuously, and obedience and diligence were insisted upon. A regular scale of credits and charges was kept, all delinquencies were faithfully recorded, and tardiness or absence from recitations, be- sides all graver offenses, affected the standing of the stu- dent and influenced the assignment of scholastic honors. The College gained surely and steadily under this strong government, and the number of students in the advanced classes increased more rapidly than in any previous period. Nearly forty young men were enrolled in the undergradu- ate classes. Though the loss of the older professors was deeply felt the College had a most competent staff of zealous teachers, consisting of Messrs. Wood, Adkins, Bulkley, Castle, Ansman and Kay. They gave their whole thought and care to their pupils. Among the members of the brilliant a*nd vigorous student body were a number of young men who have since attained distinction. The mere mention of the names of Judge David J. Baker, Judge Thomas A. Sherwood, of the Supreme Court of Missouri, Dr. John B. Jackson, Hon. George A. Smith, Dr. Cyrus F. Tolman, and Prof. R. P. Rider, will indi- cate the character of the student-group which gathered day by day in the class-rooms of "old Shurtleff" in the early fifties. Nevertheless, a feeling was abroad, and was growing stronger each year, that the College in all of its work was unduly isolated. Its professors were quiet men, who went about their own business, mingling little in the affairs of the denomination. The trustees were a self-perpetuating body, and were regarded in some quarters as a sort of mutual admiration society, re-electing themselves to office in a courteous way year after year, but doing little by in- DR. WOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. 123 tense and heroic effort to lift the College to a plane of larger influence. The General Association of the state sought to remedy the dangers of the situation by calling upon the trustees of the College to allow the Education Society to nominate each year a certain proportion of the College trustees. By this means the connection between the school and the churches would be strengthened. Also, the gifts of the churches to the young ministers in at- tendance at the school would be fittingly reciprocated, ac- cording to the new scheme, by the granting of power to the representatives of these churches to control the ap- pointment of certain members of the governing body of the College, through the medium of the Education So- ciety. The general association promised to aid the work of the institution and to co-operate in securing a greatly increased endowment, if their request were favorably con- sidered. After some discussion the trustees gave their consent to the new plan, and for several years thereafter its conditions were observed. It should have been prose- cuted more energetically, for it provided an unequalled opportunity. It opened the doors of the churches more widely than ever before to college influence. Since the Education Society and the State Association met each year at the same time and in the same place, the new movement brought into intimate relationship the interests and aims of the College, and the plans and ideals of the churches. Had the advantage which it provided been properly used the denomination would soon have under- stood its responsibility, while the school would have felt the thrill of a richer life. At the present day, on account of the rival claims of various colleges, it is impossible for any one of these to secure the loyal co-operation and un- divided sympathy of the churches at large. Anything 124 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. more than a flat, stale, and unprofitable general endorse- ment from the association of churches representing the state, is not expected ; and when, as on several occasions in very recent years, either a local association or the state body has ventured upon a more definite recognition of any school, to a partial or entire disregard of the others, a war of words, straining heavily upon the bond of diplomatic courtesy and Christian comity, has ensued. When Shurtleff was alone in the field the way was cleared, by the state association itself, for a closer union of interests and work than has ever in point of fact been accom- plished; but, after the resignation of Dr. Wood, and in consequence of the lack of a sufficient number of vigorous leaders on the College side, the nomination of trustees became a mere formal affair, so in a short time the rule was abandoned and the earlier method of election was revived. The labors of the agents soon began to bear fruit in in- creased endowments and pledges of further aid. Mr. Lawson and Mr. Teasdale spent only a short time in the service of the College, but a standing committee on agencies was appointed, and commissioned to district the state, assign to the agents their respective fields, direct their itineraries, and maintain a vigorous system of agency service. Four agents were at once employed at the sug- gestion of the committee, and two of these, Professor Bulkley and Rev. I. D. Newell, entered upon their duties at once. Mr. Newell had been employed during the three previous months. During the summer of 1854 Professor Bulkley wrought with unremitting energy. He first vis- isted Chicago; but that city was being devastated by the cholera scourge and business was almost at a standstill. He spent the remainder of his time within the limits of the Ouincy Association. Although hindered by the execs- DR. WOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. 125 sive heat and his own ill -health, he Obtained notes and pledges to the amount of sixteen hundred dollars. lie also secured the five thousand dollars previously pledged by Mr. Elijah Gove to Dr. Wood on condition that forty- five thousand dollars of permanent and available funds should be added to the endowment within five years. This was a truly great work for a single summer. The College owed at this time to teachers, contractors and other cred- itors nearly seven thousand dollars, upward of thirty-five hundred of which was due to professors and ex-professors. The campus and buildings, together with lots and land owned by the College, were valued at thirty-seven thou- sand five hundred dollars, while the interest-bearing notes in the hands of the treasurer aggregated a little less than twenty thousand, one-third of which amount was fully secured. An additional six thousand had recently been subscribed in Chicago, the interest upon which would be payable as soon as the amount of the subscription should reach fifty thousand dollars. Thus the financial outlook was becoming rather more encouraging. The sky seemed bright with hope, yet already, sad to say, the cloud that overspread the sky with darkness was above the horizon's edge. In 1854-55 there were a few slight changes in the per- sonnel of the faculty. Mr. Ebenezer Marsh, Jr., suc- ceeded Dr. Ansman as lecturer in chemistry, mineralogy and geology, and Rev. Elihu J. Palmer became principal of the preparatory department. President Wood and the three senior professors continued in office. That the work of these three men was regarded as eminently satisfac- tory appears from the fact that their salaries, in answer to their own petition, had been increased to eight hundred dollars each at the close of the year preceding. This increase of salary is the more significant from the 126 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. fact that it was made before the work of the agents had rendered the financial condition of the school more promising. It was hardly a safe move, and it was resolutely opposed by the wise and faith- ful veteran, Dr. Peck, who declared, in the course of a private letter to Mr. Tolman, that "if the salaries of the professors are raised this year the College is hopelessly gone. The annual expenses of that department are now $3,280 per annum, of which $3,000 are for teachers' salaries. The income from all sources is less than $2,000. I will make a supplement to the report, which will show the true cause of our embarrassments, and the only means of relief." The fulfillment of Dr. Peck's prophecy was hindered by the energetic labors of Dr. Bulkley as the collecting agent. But other dangers threatened the Col- lege with collapse and ruin. In spite of the efficient and praiseworthy labors of the teachers, grumblings and mutterings had been vexing the air, and trouble was brewing. In the spring an un- fortunate difference had arisen between the president and his co-laborers. There was lack of harmony in the management of College affairs, the executive duties being left almost entirely with the professors, while the presi- dent lived at a distance from the school, and refrained from bringing himself into close and sympathetic rela- tions with either the teachers or the students. The pro- fessors approached the trustees in reference to the mat- ter, and a committee was appointed to adjust the difficulty, which they succeeded in doing after some delay. The schism was bridged rather than healed, however, for another complaint soon came from Mr. Adkins (who was charged with the collection of the term bills), endorsed by his colleagues on the faculty, in reference to the unjust apportionment of salaries. The tuition bills had been DR. WOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. I2/ divided pro rata among the professors, excluding the president, but according to a new rule, made by the trustees, President Wood was permitted to share in this arrangement, and thus the amount of cash payments to the other professors was diminished. As President Wood received a portion of his salary from the interest on cer- tain endowments, he was manifestly at an advantage over the others. In addition to these other troubles the income from tui- tion fees and interest on endowment and interest-bearing notes was not sufficient to pay the balance of the salaries of the faculty, and such a situation was a constant embar- rassment. A theological reason loomed also, and mightily, in the background. Some of the members of the teaching staff had the hardihood to declare themselves in sympathy with the movement for the revision of the Scriptures, known as the "Bible Union Version," and thus brought upon themselves the censure of certain friends of the school. This combination of untoward circumstances led the trustees to suggest to the professors the wisdom of their resignation. A committee, consisting of Rev. J. A. Smith, of Chicago, the editor of the "Christian Times," and Rev. S. Y. McMasters, had called upon the profes- sors, and performed the delicate task of advising them to sever their connection with the College. They complied with courteous promptitude, and without protest or com- plaint. When the fact of the resignations became known the students added to the general confusion by passing a set of .resolutions, expressing their confidence in the pro- fessors, and begging for their reappointment. The gov- erning body paid little attention to this well-meaning but rather alarming attempt of the undergraduates to direct their affairs and dictate their policy. At the close of the academic year the College was left without a president and without a faculty. 128 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. The trustees distinctly repudiated the charge that the opinions of any members of the faculty on the subject of Bible revision had influenced them in urging the resignation of the teaching staff, claiming that private differences among members of the faculty, and pecu- niary difficulties, were alone responsible for their ac- tion. In spite of this protest, however, there seems lit- tle doubt that the exploitation of the theological episode among the Baptist people of the state brought matters to a crisis. At the time of the appointment of Mr. Palmer to a position in the College a prominent pastor had written to one of the members of the faculty : "Will you be kind enough to inform me who employed Rev. E. J. Palmer as principal of the preparatory department? I regard it as a peculiarly unfortunate movement to place another Bible Union man on the Board of the institution. . . . The great obstacle in the way of endowment is the jealousy of the friends of the American and Foreign Bible Society." Dr. Peck urged the Board to pass a reso- lution prohibiting any member of the faculty from taking any public part in the revision question. He affirmed that a pledge on the part of each teacher to keep aloof from the vexed questions of the day, that of revision among the rest, would solve the difficulty. The leader of the forces which practically deposed the faculty was Rev. J. C. Burroughs, D. D.', afterward the first president of the old University of Chicago. He sought in various ways to prevent the re-election of the professors, and strongly advocated the appointment of Dr. McMasters as acting president. After numerous meetings and extended deliberations Dr. Burroughs was called to the presidency of Shurtleff, and, as he desired time to consider the question, Rev. S. Y. McMasters, LL. D., the rector of St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal DR. WOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. 129 Church in Alton, was elected acting president of the College, and the Board associated with him Oscar Howes as professor of Greek and Latin, Washington Leverett as professor of mathematics and natural philosophy, Ebenezer Marsh, Jr., as professor of chemistry, miner- alogy and geology, and William A. Castle as principal of the preparatory department ; while O. L. Castle was re- appointed to the chair of oratory and belles lettres. In the February following Mr. Marsh was released from his duties in order to prosecute his studies in Europe. The other arrangements continued throughout the year, and the services of Dr. McMasters were highly valued. Meanwhile Dr. Burroughs was being strongly urged by his friends to accept the presidency, and the Baptists of Chicago had promised to endow the president's chair, "if the right man could be found." The "right man" in their estimation was Dr. Burroughs, for they regarded him as "eminently adapted to that place," while they had "no patience with" Dr. Wood. The gentleman who had been laboring for some months as the financial agent of the College, and who had been in the thick of the battle against the revisionist professors, refused to continue his labors unless Dr. Burroughs should accept the presidency, although he was perfectly willing to attend to the suit against the College which Professor Adkins had already commenced for arrears of salary. When June arrived Dr. Burroughs was still undecided, and refused to answer the trustees, either by a definite acceptance or a definite rejection of their appointment. Being urged for a de- cision, however, he declined the office, but almost imme- diately afterward asked for a reconsideration, which was refused. He therefore resigned his seat on the govern- ing board, and one or two of his friends did the same, The real reason of Dr. Burroughs' temporizing policy was 130 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. the fact that he was straining every nerve to establish a University at Chicago; but, fearing that he might be unsuccessful in this effort, he wished to hold the oppor- tunity at Shurtleff in reserve. 1 With sad lack of courtesy the trustees closed the door which had been conveniently left open at Alton for one entire year. A short time after they tendered the presi- dency of the College to Rev. J. A. Smith, of Chicago, who at once declined the honor. It was a time of peril indeed and suspicions were rife on every hand. The Old Pioneer was thoroughly aroused. His righteous soul burned with indignation, for he feared that certain de- struction menaced. He writes after the following fashion concerning "the Chicago clique," as he terms them : "It is just as I expected. The Chicago and northern folks are cunning and adroit. They are resolved to hang on to the paper, the General Association, the Educational Society, and the College, all to answer their sectional pur- poses. They make no direct attack on the College, wish it well, but their policy is to keep it embarrassed, and to keep the good folks in the middle section of the state from having any confidence in its success as a College. They are quite willing we should have a school, a Seminary, but their aim is to bring the main body of the denomination through the state to work in their Great University project. I think I have a plan that will effectually coun- teract them and rally all the friends to build up Shurtleff, and get rid of the North without a pitched battle. Mr. Phillips was at my house last Saturday and he accords with my views and says the south end can be aroused to help. . . . I write now in haste to make a sugges- tion. We must have a president, one who can be relied 'See the Manuscript Records of the proceedings of the Board of Trustees of Shurtleff College, Vol. II. pp. 171, ff. DR. WOOD'S ADMINISTRATION. I3 1 upon, one who knows all about the College and its diffi- culties. I suggest your pastor, Rev. R. R. Coon. He is a first-rate critical scholar, well-qualified, and (if I am not mistaken) has had experience in teaching and gov- ernment. He has adaptation to such a position. And if your church is not ready to give him up, arrangements can be made for him to take a general supervision only for the first year, and continue his pastoral relation a while, until your church can find a good successor. You can find ten good pastors where you will find one good president suited for Shurtleff College. Think of it, and if you think proper talk a little with members of the Board and Mr. Coon. I hope and expect to get to your Board meeting of the 3Oth." Acting promptly upon the suggestion contained in this letter the trustees tendered the presidency to Mr. Coon, and he, acting promptly upon his knowledge of existing conditions in and about the College, decided to remain in the ministry. The letter of the Pioneer sounds some- what harsh, when read without knowledge of the context. Apart from any attempt to justify the strong language that is used it is well to call attention to two facts. Dr. Peck was devoted heart and soul to the College. He was far more jealous of its welfare than of any personal interests. Also, he saw serious peril for the institution in the methods that some of its "Northern" supporters were following. He was sure that such a policy as was being attempted would result either in the closing of the doors of the College, or in its reduction to the rank of a secondary school, tributary to a great university. Be- sides that, the old man was nearing the end of life; he was never free from pain ; his ills were many. Therefore in Board meetings when he was able to attend them and doubtless also in conversation with the northern men 132 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. themselves, he spoke just as vehemently as he wrote in his private letters. In September the Board called to the presidency Rev. Daniel Read, of St. Louis, who accepted the appointment, and entered at once upon the duties of his office. The early days of struggle had been followed by storms and strife. The weary labors of the pioneers were vastly more noble and infinitely more to be desired than the bit- terness and heartburnings of the years from '50 to '56. In quick succession came the rumors of disloyalty to the denomination ; the charge of incompetency within the ranks of the faculty ; the personal recriminations and dis- putes of men and brethren in the Board ; the unpopu- larity of the. president of the College with the students and the general public ; the differences between the presi- dent and his professors ; the anti-Bible-Union crusade ; and the ardent attempt in certain quarters to secure the abandonment of the school at Upper Alton for a larger and grander institution at Chicago. Among the events which show the singular inconsistencies of human nature may be mentioned the action of the zealous "defenders of the faith," who secured the resignation of the profes- sors on theological grounds, and then insisted upon the election of an Episcopal clergyman as acting president of the school. Among the pleasant things to remember is the fidelity with which that clergyman performed the perplexing duties of his office. Indeed, at the very time when an ex-professor and a good Baptist was instituting a lawsuit against .the College, this broad-minded and large-hearted priest of the Anglican faith was serving that College without fee or reward, and fitting it to ac- complish a larger mission for the Baptist people of the West. CHAPTER IX. THE PRESIDENCY OF DANIEL READ, 1856-1865. A strong staff of teachers Dr. Peck's last Board meeting The adventures of Horace Pierce Mr. Field as agent Dr. Steenstra's tribute The religious life The war and its demands Enlargement: spiritual and scholastic Plan- ning amid perils An urgent appeal Mr. and Mrs. Gove come to the rescue Their noble gift. One of the first acts of the Board of Trustees after the election of Dr. Read was the appointment of Prof. Warren Leverett as principal of the Preparatory Depart- ment.. The salaries of the professors were advanced from eight hundred to one thousand dollars, and the salary of the president was fixed at fifteen hundred dollars. The faculty as reorganized consisted of Messrs. Read, Howes, Castle, Marsh, and Washington and Warren Leverett. These six men held their respec- tive positions and carried all the work of the College and the preparatory school for nine years ; and- for three fur- ther years they continued to serve as active members of the faculty, although other teachers were added to the staff. In sympathetic co-operation they wrought in the interests of Shurtleff. During the dark and troublous days of the war of the rebellion they stood at their post, though the Institution was threatened with ruin, and colleges in all sections of the country were closing their doors. These men save the Leveretts had recently come to the work; but the new friends were not less loyal than 133 134 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. the old. Dr. McMasters, the president of the Board of Trustees, being absent from the session at which Dr. Read was called to the headship of the College, his place was filled temporarily by Dr. Peck, who on that occa- sion paid his farewell visit to the school whose welfare, in its varying fortunes, he had borne upon his heart through all the years. In stating the motion and declaring the vote which authorized the committee on the presidency to inform Dr. Read of his election, he performed his last public duty as an official of the College, although he remained a member of the Board, and took an eager interest in its plans and work until his death, eighteen months later. 1 Soon after the beginning of Dr. Read's administration he addressed the Board with the request that the new president be permitted to visit him in his home at Rock Spring for the purpose of selecting, arrang- ing and estimating the value of certain books which he intended donating to the College library. His request was readily granted, and as a result the College received at his death four hundred and eighty-two volumes, a most valuable addition to its collection of theological works. As the months went by his strength gradually declined, and in December he closed a business letter to Mr. H. N. Kendall, the treasurer of the College, with 1 A singular confusion of dates and events in the closing days of the life of Dr. Peck appears in the pages of Dr. Babcock's biographical volume. According to that account the history of two years is compressed into one. The biographer states that "near the end of June he was once more able to attend the commence- ment at Alton, and took an important part in the deliberations of the Board of Trustees of the College," and makes this visit, with a trip to Galena and Chicago, the events of the summer and autumn preceding his demise. It is true that these were amongst the closing passages of his active life ; but he lived for more than a year beyond this time, suffering great weariness of body, but strong and patient in spirit until the end. The last entries in his journal, quoted by Dr. Babcock, are attributed erroneously to the year 1857. They were written in 1856. PRESIDENT DANIEL READ. DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 135 the words, "My health is gone forever. I am worn out." These phrases indicate a feeble body weary of its bur- dens, yet the tone of the letter itself is sturdy and virile, its expression clear, its purpose definite. In the last days of his life he was engaged in preparing a defense of the College against certain charges which had been circulated to its grave detriment by those who had been its professed friends. Concerning this document he writes, five weeks before his death: Rock Spring, O'Fallon Depot P. O., 111., Feb. 5, 1858. H. N. Kendall, Esq. Dear Sir By request of H. Pieree, Esq., I sent to him, care of Doctor E. Marsh, a package of manuscripts extracts from my own journals and comments thereon all pertaining to the course pursued by the northern folks, in their "pledges" and "promises," about the College and other collateral subjects. I wrote and sent them by Mr. Pierce's request, understanding from him that some of the trustees, probably Hon. Cyrus Edwards, was about preparing a document to correct various statements made by Messrs. Burroughs, Olcott and others, to the damage of our College. Not knowing what particulars might be wanted I pre- pared, of extracts and comments thereon, about 32 cap. pages that the compiler might use only such as he, or the trustees, might deem necessary. In the "Watchman" of yesterday I see the notice of the Executive Commit- tee that Mr. Pierce is no longer College agent ! I know nothing of the circumstances that produced this disso- lution, but it is evident he has no use for my manuscripts. They were not intended for publication, only such parts as a judicious compiler might use. I suppose Mr. Pierce is a man of honor, and will make no use of the docu- ment either publicly or privately. But the papers ought not to be where any short-sighted person can get access 136 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. to them and use them to the damage of the College, or to my injury. The package was sent (Jan. 19) "care of Doctor E. Marsh" with the name of Mr. Pierce on it. I have written Doctor M. if it is still in his hands to keep it to my order. I am entirely ignorant of the present condition of the agency affairs of the College. The notice, in the form given in the "Watchman" looks as though the agent and the Committee were "at odds." Did Mr. Pierce furnish you with a copy of the printed report on finances of 1850? Yours respectfully, J. M. PECK. This letter of Dr. Peck indirectly introduces one of the most serious problems in the history of the smaller college that of financial agents and financial agencies. But in the entire realm of college agency work the his- tory of Mr. Horace Pierce, to whom Dr. Peck refers, is probably unique. It is certainly interesting. Rev. B. B. Hamilton had been appointed agent of the Col- lege in 1857, and had bravely held the fort through the dark days of "the panic." He probably rendered a larger service than any other man could have rendered at that time, for he combined the rare traits of a cul- tured mind and great practical energy; yet he wrote that he had determined to resign, for, said he, "I can earn money and endow the College faster with my own labor than I can make it up on the field." This view of the situation strikingly accords with the opinion of Dr. Peck, expressed in his blunt fashion several years before, when in the course of a letter to Mr. Tolman he asserted that "preaching agents have cost the Board from 44 to 60 per cent on all their collections. Who will give the College $100.00 when he knows that one half of it goes into the agent's pocket? . . . Do not DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 137 think it strange that I do not go for such a preposter- ous mode of doing business." It were surely wiser, though, to appoint a worthy minister with good intentions and limited financial abil- ity than a layman with excellent business qualifications and questionable character. Soon after the election of President Read the Board contracted with Horace Pierce, Esq., of New York, for agency service in the state of Illinois, and guaranteed him a salary of fifteen hundred dollars a year and all travelling expenses, on condition that he w r ould endeavor to collect old notes, provide addi- tional endowments and obtain ten thousand dollars for the repair of the College buildings and other improve- ments. Within six months after this agreement was made Mr. Pierce was summarily dismissed and notice of the fact was sent to the religious papers. It appeared that the agent of the College had lost his watch in con- sequence of a bet which he had made on board of the steamer Martha Jewett, that he had written an anony- mous letter to Dr. Read in which he magnified his own importance as an agent and collector, and that he had repeatedly and wantonly disobeyed the instructions of the Board. When the question of a financial settlement between the two parties was broached there was natu- rally a wide divergence of opinion. In fruitless discus- sion of. the points at issue a year and a half slipped swiftly by. Misunderstandings multiplied and intensi- fied, until at last the matter was submitted to a board of arbitration, consisting of three St. Louis lawyers. By the decision of this board the College was obliged to pay to Mr. Pierce, not only the full amount of salary for one year, but interest at six per cent on the same from the expiration of the year of service during which the agent had not served, until the date of the meeting 138 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. of the arbitrators. Further, the College was required to pay ten per cent interest from the latter date until the whole amount should be paid. Still further, all costs attending the arbitration were to be met by the College. On the other hand the arbitrators agreed that, for the scandal which his conduct had brought upon the institu- tion, Mr. Pierce should not be reimbursed for time, trou- ble and money which he had expended in attempts to collect the amount of his claim from the trustees ! It might be unfair to suggest that bribery and corruption played a possible part in the startling verdict of the board of arbitration, but there seems to be a sad lack of even-handed justice in the deliverances of these able and equitable attorneys. Mr. Pierce's successor in the agency work was Rev. H. L. Field, a recent graduate of Shurtleff and a young man of excellent promise. He wrote, soon after his can- vassing had begun, that there was sympathy without subscriptions. The people were strongly favorable to the school, but in the central part of the state money was hard to get and everywhere he was greeted with such remarks as, "Well, Brother Field, so far as Central Illinois is concerned, you might as well hang up the fiddle." In the north it was "worse and worse." The crops for two years had been nearly a total failure, and all classes farmers, merchants, tradesmen, and preach- ers had only the same sad tale to tell. The agent could not even collect the interest on notes previously given. In the two following years the conditions were better and the outlook brighter. Collections were made more readily, although new subscriptions were difficult to obtain. Then the war days drew on, the College agency was abandoned, hopeful hearts grew heavy, and dark- ness was over all the land. DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 139 Of the work of the faculty during these early years of President Read's administration too much can hardly be spoken in way of eulogy. Dr. Peter H. Steenstra, the professor of Old Testament Exegesis in the Episcopal Divinity School at Cambridge, Mass., and a graduate of Shurtleff in the class of 1858, writes graphically of this period in the following words. "If I were to say that it was a small college, located in a small village, and working through its day of small things, I should tell truth, but leave the larger truth untold. The College was small; its classes were small and usually grew smaller as the course proceeded ; the faculty was small and overworked ; and the curriculum was limited. Pres- ident Read, the students' friend and brother mine at all events taught philosophy, ethics, political economy and 'evidences.' Prof. Howes struggled single handed with the classical languages and literatures. Prof. Castle represented logic, rhetoric, and 'belles lettres.' Prof. Washington Leverett carried the men through a rather unusually full course of mathematics, pure and applied, and yet was always ready to teach anybody anything he wished to learn. Prof. Warren Leverett had charge of the 'Academic Department,' which embraced more than half the number of students assembled in Upper Alton. The field of natural sciences, since then grown so vast and varied, was represented by one teacher, who in my time was not on duty. Modern languages and lit- eratures found no place at all in the course of study. Neither did history, except incidentally. The course was decidedly circumscribed. But so it was everywhere, not excepting the largest of our 'universities,' not one of which at that time was fairly entitled to that name. The one point where Shurtleff was incontestably infe- rior was the library, so named, I verily think, on the 140 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. principle of Incus a non lucendo. Dr. John M. Peck promised us his considerable collection of books. And I well remember the pleasure with which I set off one morning to help him get it ready for boxing. I passed a most instructive day. Every volume handled called forth a lecture, now on the use of books, now on some theological topic, on this or that author, on incidents in the early history of evangelization in the West, on every conceivable subject. The next morning the sturdy old pioneer was unable to leave his bed and I went back to College, not altogether sorry to escape further service. The books I believe came, but not in my day, nor until after the donor's decease. "But to return to my subject. Shurtleff, in the '503, was still in her day of small things. Nevertheless the College offered abundant opportunity for mental train- ing and development, i. e., for education in the true sense of the word. The teaching chairs were not occupied by tutors and instructors just graduated and appointed for one year or five, who, however able to teach what they knew, lacked maturity and wisdom to educate. The faculty were tried and wise as well as able men; and the student came into very close contact with them. And though the College did not openly offer 'electives,' sym- pathy, instruction, and direction were not wanting for those who gave themselves largely to extra-curriculum studies, especially if they were theological. It was in that way that I myself termed my junior and senior years theological seminary rather than college years. I doubt whether I passed one-half of Prof. Leverett's examinations in mathematics, for which I had no great liking; but the Hebrew he taught me, gratuitously and unofficially, was tacitly accepted as an equivalent. The College system was administered on the principle that PROFESSOR PETER H. STEENSTRA. DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 14* it was made for the student, not the student for the system. It had the elasticity of life, with just enough of restraint to prevent waste of time and energy. "Moreover the college was Upper Alton rather than in Upper Alton. The village was small but it had in it a good deal of unassuming scholarship and social refinement, all of which was unconsciously at work in training and shaping the often rather rude student body that formed its center. The names of several gracious gentlewomen might be written, who were as effectively part of the faculty as the professors whom the students met in the lecture-rooms. There were also a number of professional and business men whom the local conditions unavoidably converted into members of the College corps. Prominent among them, so far as I was personally con- cerned, were two whom I must name. One was the truly Reverend Hubbell Loomis. He was well stricken in years; but his enthusiasm for scholarship was ever glowing and ready to embrace any young man in whom he thought he found the spirit of inquiry. I shall never forget how one summer day, when I was passing his house, he called me in and said, 'I hear you are inter- ested in New Testament textual criticism.' After a long talk he sent me away, stimulated and determined, with a book or two to help me. The other was the Rev. Mr. Barnes, pastor of the Upper Alton Presbyterian Church. He captivated me by his doctrinal preaching. He had only a small congregation; but such sermons, on such themes, *so clearly reasoned and so intensely expressed. I have seldom heard. Many of them I talked over with him on week days, while he stood leaning on his spade or hoe for he had a great love for the 'mother earth' of his kitchen garden. "Nor was the student body itself an insignificant ele- H2 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ment of the educating force. Take them altogether they were a body of earnest, vigorous, manly young men. Col- lected in a place where the civil power was scarcely rep- resented, subjected to hardly any other than moral restraint, they almost insensibly learned self-government. 'College pranks' were rare never to my knowledge seri- ously harmful. The Alpha Zeta literary society was a most valuable instrument of culture. "I cannot think of Upper Alton and its quiet natural beauties without wishing 'long life to the country col- lege.' Present tendencies are all in favor of large uni- versity establishments in great centers of population. And for many very important purposes these are highly desirable. But for the average run of undergraduate students the great universities offer no real advantages over the smaller colleges, provided the latter are prop- erly equipped for their work. The country college is far more likely to send forth its men into rural life, and by their means bring the bone and isinew of the nation into closer contact with the highest intellectual and moral life of the world. Rural existence unquestionably needs to be vitalized, varied, and lifted above the dull plane of mere living to work and working to live ; but this can never be done without the constant influx and distribu- tion of persons in touch with the world's broadest life, and yet in hearty sympathy with the essential conditions of life in the country. In a word, the country college has now, in my opinion, the additional mission of coun- teracting the cityward flo\v of masses of people who do not benefit the town, but bereave the country, and too often lose themselves." At the beginning of the academic year 1861-62, the affairs of the College were moving forward with unex- ampled harmony and success. The president had won DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 143 for himself the warm and devoted affection of the stu- dents, and the cordial co-operation of his colleagues on the staff of instruction. His unworldly spirit com- manded the respect of the entire College community. Seasons of spiritual power had been experienced and many of the young men had been brought into fel- lowship with Jesus Christ. A daily prayer-meeting was established and conducted by the students under the auspices of the students. Year after year for five and thirty years, as successive generations of students have come and gone, this service of prayer and praise has marked the beginning of each day's activities for the Christian students, and it has proved to be a most important feature in the religious life of the school. The moral tone was also sweet and pure. By the suggestion of President Read, and through the agency of Hon. Cyrus Edwards, an amendment to the College charter had been secured in the previous year from the general assembly of the state. This amendment pro- vided that no gambling establishment, no liquor or beer saloon, and no house of ill-fame, should be allowed within the distance of one mile from the college buildings. This withdrawal of the source of temptation had freed the at- mosphere from danger of moral pollution for all time to follow. On account of this and other wise measures the confidence of the people had waxed strong and they had come to look to Shurtleff with pride and veneration. The number of students in the four undergraduate classes reached a total of forty-two during the year, and nearly all of these were pursuing a full classical course. In spite of the scourge and terror of the war, which held the whole land in its deadly grip and threatened and crippled all enterprises, Dr. Read held together the school and its work and guided 144 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. all affairs and interests in the way of power. Before the year was over symptoms of uneasiness had deepened into dark forebodings and actual danger. The issue of the conflict was extremely uncertain. North and South were alike conscientious and alike determined. Already one hundred thousand soldiers had fallen on the field of blood. These heroes were the hope of the nation and the flower of her youth. Several of the students had volunteered for service in the army; and the ranks of the classes were thinned and depleted. The enrollment fell in the following year to eighty-seven, the smallest since 1847. Even this number was soon lessened. Twelve out of the thirty- four college students joined the army, while eight of the members of the preparatory school responded also to the call. Many others, stirred by a spirit of high purpose, went in later months to the field of conflict, and the starred names in the annual catalogues speak in silent eloquence of the brave college boys who sleep in patriots' graves, far from the happy shades of dear old Shurtleff. Six of the members of the class of 1867, who had shared together the toils and victories of student life, left college before the completion of the freshman year, that they might join the struggle which brought victory at so terrible a cost. Ere long the sad news came that three of the six, Charles Ives, Harlow Street and David Wear, had met death for their common country. In all, nearly two hundred of Shurtleff's students, in- cluding those who were formerly members of the Institu- tion, took up arms in defense of the Union. Among these were Major-General Palmer, Major-General Pope, Brevet Brigadier-General Brown, Brigadier-General John Cook, Col. John E. Moore, Col. A. F. Rodgers, Col. John P. Baker, Major Wm. Vandevere, Major Bailhache, Major DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 145 Franklin Moore, Major Joseph S. Smith, Major Henry L. Field, Captain H. S. Spaulding, Captain John Trible, Captain E. D. Keirsey, Captain Calvin A. Pease, Cap- tain Francis W. Fox, Captain William R. Wright, and Captain George E. Clayton. Throughout the entire pro- gress of the war the faculty and students seem to have been a unit in their support of the Northern armies, though the Southland was so near. In spite of the depressing and unsettled conditions which prevailed on every hand the College opened its doors in the autumn of 1863 with an enrollment larger than any in its previous history one hundred and forty-six. There were fifty-five in the college classes alone. Thirty-eight of the students were planning to enter the Christian ministry. A theological department had been established, and a dozen young men had enrolled themselves therein. The truth of the Savior's Evangel wrought mightily among the students, and of the entire student body only twelve proved persistently careless or stubborn in their resist- ance to the appeals of their friends and the invitations of the blessed gospel. An effectual work of grace had brought a score of the unconverted members of the Insti- tution into the light of a living faith in Christ. This was not a novel or unprecedented occurrence. During almost every year of the history of Shurtleff some stu- dents had been converted. The number of professing Christians had always exceeded that of the thoughtless and indifferent. Many characters had been fixed, many spirits chastened and glorified, and many lives consecrated without reserve to the service of the Most High. In six at least of the earlier years the school had witnessed similar outpourings of the Holy Spirit and thus the- prayers of the Fathers and the labors of friends andi supporters had received the seal of the divine favor. 146 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Spiritually and intellectually the College was on a high plane. Though so large a number of students obeyed the summons to the field of battle, the indefati- gable efforts of the president sustained the interest of the people throughout the state. Franklin College in Indiana and William Jewell College in Missouri had closed their doors; 1 but Shurtleff, though hard driven, refrained from following the example of her neighbors on the east and on the west. With the termination of the academic year in 1864, Dr. Read completed eight years of faithful work in the presidency. The average attendance during these years had been one hundred and twelve. About one-third of the entire number enrolled had been students for the ministry. The College was dismissed at the close of the year without any commencement exercises. All the members of the graduating class, with a large number of the under- graduates, had enlisted as three months' volunteers, at the call of the governor of Illinois. In September the enrollment had fallen to one hundred and nineteen, and the number in the college from fifty-five to twenty-one. This was perhaps the gloomiest year of all, for the affairs of the nation were in bondage, and the issue of the war was extremely uncertain. During this single year, as far as can be ascertained, one hundred and forty of Shurtleff's students and ex-students were in the United States service. Within the school there was perfect harmony and a beautiful spirit regnant. The discipline was so admirable that not a single severe reprimand was administered by the faculty. Though the income from tuition fees had decreased, though the interest on the productive endow- ment was difficult of collection and though the increase 1 See Historical sketches of Franklin, and William Jewell Colleges. DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 147 of financial resources seemed well-nigh impossible, the trustees at this time advanced the salary of each of the professors to twelve hundred and fifty dollars, and planned the erection of a new and spacious college edifice. Work on the cellar and foundation was immediately commenced and by the close of the school year an expense of upward of five thousand dollars had been incurred in making the excavation and building the seven feet of foundation wall. In February, 1864, the Board had invited Rev. Z. B. Lawson, who had previously acted as an agent of the College, to enter the. work again, in order to secure the amount necessary to put up the building, and any addi- tional .endowments which he might be able to obtain. In reply Mr. Lawson agreed to enter upon such labor as the Board desired, on th first of September, on con- dition that the trustees should procure in Madison county and in St. Louis the sum of twenty thousand dollars prior to that date. Mr. Lawson reasoned that if this amount could not be raised in the home of the College and its im- mediate vicinity, it would be a waste of energy, of time and of money, to seek for help throughout the state. The condition was accepted and an attempt made to comply with its terms, but the task was much more difficult than had been supposed. In April the effort was abandoned, and Mr. Lawson was released from his engagement. As the agent of the theological department, recently resusci- tated, Rev. E. C. Mitchell had been procuring quite a large number of pledges and cash subscriptions toward the endowment of a chair of Biblical Studies and Sacred Rhetoric. But these subscriptions would not pay for the cellar which had been dug nor the building which was about to be built. An earnest and mighty appeal must be made to the Baptists of Illinois! With this end in view the executive committee issued on the fifth of Octo- 148 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ber, 1864, a circular which contained the very inspiring news that the College was entirely free from debt, and had an endowment fund of fifty-three thousand dollars. This circular, however, apparently ignored the building debts which had already been contracted and the arrear- ages of salary due the professors. The announcement was also made that the Rev. Harrison K. Daniels, of New York, had been engaged as financial agent, and on the first of August had begun to solicit new sub- scriptions toward a further endowment of fifty thou- sand dollars, and to complete the collections of funds for the erection of the new building, while Mr. Lawson had been asked to secure the payment of notes and pledges already made. The early results of Mr. Daniels' work were astounding, for in less than nine months after his appointment he had accomplished an almost unbelievable achievement in raising twenty-eight thousand dollars in subscriptions for the erection of the building. The noteworthy feature of the canvass was the receipt of a most generous donation from Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Gove, of Quincy. Theirs was a princely gift in those dark days, as it was also the largest contribution that has ever been made to the College at one time. It came unex- pectedly, but was not on that account any the less joy- fully received. Elijah Gove was ShurtlefFs greatest benefactor. His gifts to the College, together with those of his wife, Renewa Gove, in one form and another, at one time and another, amounted to fifty-nine thousand two hundred and eighty-five dollars. Soon after his first conditional gift of five thousand dollars, Mr. Gove had se- cured to the college that amount, although the conditions which he specified had not been fulfilled. Some years later he added a second five thousand dollars and the two amounts were consolidated as the foundation of the "Gove ELIJAH GOVE. DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 149 Professorship of Latin and Greek Languages and Litera- tures.'' During Mr. Daniels' year of special effort, and through the agency of himself and Dr. Bulkley, then pas- tor of the Baptist Church in Upper Alton and a warm friend of Mr. Gove, that gentleman was induced to open his heart again and contribute to the cause of Christian education yet more nobly than before. The visit of those two men to Quincy was a memorable event and the story of it runs as follows. Nearly all of the students had enlisted in the army. The classes at the school were small. The receipts from tuition were small. The income from invested funds was small. But the expenses of living were higher than ever before. So all salaries had of necessity been increased, for it was vitally important that all the pro- fessors should be retained. A new building seemed a desideratum. The old buildings were in a sad state of disrepair. Thus all along the line the financial problem became daily a deeper perplexity. These were the con- ditions under which Mr. Daniels began his work. Very soon he had learned of the gifts which had previously been made by Mr. Gove. It occurred to him that more might be obtained from the same source. So he persuaded Dr. Bulkley to call with him upon Mr. Gove in order to present the state of affairs to his thoughtful consideration and to ask him to add five thousand dollars to the endowment of the Chair of Greek. Accordingly they left Alton by the Missis- sippi river boat one evening and reached Quincy the next morning, shortly after dawn. On their way through the streets of the town they met Mr. Gove himself, and then and there laid before him the object of their quest. He cut them short by saying: "Gentlemen, I am too busy to give you audience now, but if you can interest your- selves about town through the day I shall be pleased to 150 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. have you spend the night at my house and we will talk things over." The entire evening was given to the con- sideration of the College and its needs. Mr. Gove made many inquiries but few comments. At bedtime he said : "You have called upon me at exactly the right time. Had you come to Quincy twenty-four hours earlier I could not have helped you. I have just made such changes in my business that I am in a position to assist the College in its financial embarrassment. I always consult Mrs. Gove in such matters. I will talk with her and let you know the result tomorrow." Much encouraged by the conversation Dr. Bulkley declared to his friend, when they both had retired to rest, his confident belief that a donation of five thousand dollars would be the outcome of their trip. In the morning, after breakfast and family worship, Mr. Gove sat down at his desk and bade the others draw their chairs near and sit beside him. Then he explained to them some of the secrets of his business affairs and methods. He showed them an inventory of his prop- erty, footing up one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. He then told them, in a simple straightfor- ward way, how at the time of his conversion he had consecrated his entire life, with all he should be and have, to Jesus Christ. He looked upon him- self as a steward, under obligation to use, according as the Divine will should direct, all the money that God enabled him to make. He resolved that he would give to the Lord's cause ten per cent of his income until he reached a certain figure, that .beyond that he would increase the proportion to fifteen per cent, then to twenty, and so on until he should be worth fifty thousand dollars. This amount he would look upon as the vanishing point of his ability to control, and after he had reached it he would DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. I5 1 give away all of his income, save what was necessary for the maintenance of his family. At the time he entered into this covenant he had a few thousand dollars in money but no business. He tried to get into business, but for months he failed. God seemed to hedge up his way on every side. He visited several cities, but finally returned to Quincy disheart- ened, almost distrusting Providence. One day while walking the street in Quincy, he met Deacon Pomeroy of the First Baptist Church, who asked him if he did not wish to purchase a one-third interest in the "Eagle Mills" in Quincy, which could be obtained for six thou- sand dollars. The purchase would make him a partner and he could be employed by the company at a salary to purchase wheat, etc. He thought a moment and was im- pressed with the idea that his opportunity had come. He accepted it. That investment for several years produced for him one hundred per cent, six thousand dollars per year. This accumulation was large for those days. He soon reached his fifty thousand dollars. He then thought that possibly he had made a mistake and that he was capa- ble of controlling one hundred thousand dollars. After prayer and deliberation he increased the amount to that sum. He had followed this plan faithfully throughout the years, and by so doing had been able to contribute large sums to benevolent enterprises. Reminding his guests of the inventory of his property values which they had just seen, Mr. Gove stated that twenty thousand dollars then in his hands must be devoted at once to the Lord's cause, and that he and Mrs. Gove had decided to dispose of it that morning. As he and his wife had begun life together without property she shared equally with him the possession of all that God gave to them. After this very promising introduction he went 152 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. on to say that he had decided to give five thousand dollars to the Vermont Street Baptist Church in Quincy, of which he was a member, and the remaining five thou- sand dollars to Shurtleff College, to be added to his previous ten thousand dollars for the endowment of the Chair of Greek. "Mrs. Gove," he said further, "is at liberty to do as she will with her share." Actu- ated doubtless by her love for the school as well as by her husband's example, that good lady made some search- ing inquiries with regard to financial conditions and needs, and then announced her intention of contributing five thousand dollars for the painting and repair of the buildings. The remaining five thousand dollars, at Dr. Bulkley's suggestion, she decided should be given to the College for investment, with the proviso that the interest should be devoted to the purchase of books for the theo- logical students. Thus Mr. and Mrs. Gove by their happy habit of systematic beneficence surprised their guests with a donation thrice as great as their highest hopes had dared to suggest to them. While these good people were consecrating their work and their wealth to the cause of the College in its days of uncertain life, many students of the earlier and later years were learning stern lessons in the school of patriot- ism. Wars and rumors of wars filled the land. At this time Major Field with great personal effort and con- siderable expense secured for the museum a large collec- tion of confederate shells and solid shot from Vicksburg, as a memorial of the siege and capture of that important stronghold. This collection was the more valuable from the fact that many men of Illinois had fought at Vicks- burg and had exhibited soldierly daring and gallantry in the fight. In fitting recognition of the heroic labors of the man whom Illinois most dearly loved to honor, the College at that time placed a large oil-painting of Abra- REV. FRAXK M. ELLIS, D. D. DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 153 ham Lincoln in its assembly hall. It was the work of a brilliant man and talented artist, Mr. Conant of St. Louis. For a third of a century, as they have assembled day by day for chapel service and class exercises, the sons and daughters of Shurtleff have looked into the face of the great emancipator, and have borrowed help and inspira- tion from the view. During the war period and the years immediately pre- ceding, several young men of exceptional promise were attending the College. We may cite instances from three successive classes. Among the graduates of 1856 were John Pope Baker and Nathaniel Wilson. Colonel Baker fought through the Civil War and was advanced in rank again and again for gallant and meritorious service. Dr. Wilson, whose home for nearly thirty years has been in the city of Washington, was for a lengthy period District Attorney for the District of Columbia, and as well judge advocate and special counsel for the navy department. To the class of 1857 belonged such men as Professor George B. Dodge, Dr. J. C. Maple and Dr. Frank M. Ellis. By his many important labors in the east and in the west, by his success in prominent pastorates in Chicago, Balti- more and Brooklyn, and by his strong leadership for sev- eral years of the great church which worships in the Tre- mont Temple, Boston, Dr. Ellis won a place of command- ing influence. Two- members of the class of 1858 have gained also a worthy distinction. Mr. Robert B. Smith is a resident of Chicago a man of great wealth and connected with large business interests. Dr. Peter H. Steenstra of Cam- bridge, Mass., is well known as a teacher, theologian, and author. Thus, though the College was in many ways feeble, and the classes very small, the proportion of vig- orous and promising students was encouragingly large. CHAPTER X. THE PRESIDENCY OF DANIEL READ, 1865-1870. A corner-stone Repairs Financial ups and downs Agents many Almira Col- lege The education of women Signs of progress A resignation and a pro- test The Leveretts' withdrawal The "Band of Faith" President Read resigns His later life. Though the war excitement had prevented the cele- bration of any formal anniversary exercises in the sum- mer of 1864, the glories and grandeur of the succeeding commencement season were sufficient to atone for a dozen such omissions. The corner stone of the new Col- lege building was laid with due and elaborate ceremonies. A large concourse of people assembled on the campus on the afternoon of Commencement Day, and for three hours gave interested and sympathetic attention to the programme of exercises. The service opened with prayer by Rev. Hubbel Loomis, whose presence on that auspicious occasion brought memories of the Alton Semi- nary of three and thirty years before, to the minds of the elder generation. Although he had resigned the principalship of the Seminary in 1836, on account of im- paired health and advancing years, he was still hale and sturdy at the age of ninety. The historical address was delivered by Dr. Bulkley, and a discourse, on "Christian Colleges their Importance and Promise" by President Read. Professor E. C. Mitchell of the theological department then deposited 154 DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 155 a number of documents, historical and otherwise, in a metallic box, for preservation in the corner stone, and the ceremony of laying the stone was performed by Mr. H. N. Kendall. After prayer by Dr. Pattison, the pro- fessor of systematic theology and history of doctrine, an original hymn, composed by Prof. O. L. Castle, was sung, beginning, "O Thou that makest wars to cease ! Thou God of Battles, Prince of Peace; Our peaceful monument we raise, And consecrate it to Thy praise." These impressive exercises closed with the benediction by Dr. Read. The building was designed to be much larger, more commodious, and more in harmony with the architec- tural taste of the time than the dormitory then no longer new. It was to be one hundred and eighty-five feet in length and eighty-one feet in width. It was to be four stories in height. It was to consist of two wings, and a great central hall, connecting these, and suitable for assembly purposes. It was to be constructed of Alton limestone, as fine and durable a material as could be found in the entire Mississippi valley. While preparations were moving rapidly forward for the erection of the new College edifice the older building was not forgotten. It had been put in excellent condi- tion within and without, and was thought to present a better taste and finish than when first completed. A new roof covered it, and a renewed cupola crowned it. The chimneys had been retopped, new gutters and pipes pro- vided, and the walls adorned with three coats of paint. Within, the woodwork had been painted, the doors grained, and the rooms and corridors neatly papered. 156 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Nor had the chapel been neglected. This structure was as staunch as when it was built in the pioneer days. It had now undergone an artistic transformation, having been painted, papered, wainscoted, seated, and thor- oughly refitted. In addition, a furnace had been put in the basement. The cost of these repairs and improvements was up- ward of five thousand dollars. The deficit on the cur- rent expenses of the College for the year was two thousand dollars. These two amounts combined to bring to bear upon the trustees a heavy financial pressure. Besides, the most of the cash subscriptions to the new buildi ig had been used in digging the cellar and setting the founda- tion. The trustees determined to make temporary pro- vision for the payment of deficits and repairs and to push forward the agency work as rapidly as possible. Accord- ingly Dr. Bulkley was persuaded to enter at once upon a summer canvass for the building fund, and Mr. Daniels was requested to concentrate all his efforts in the same direction. President Read, Mr. Edwards and Mr. Ken- dall acted meanwhile as volunteer agents without com- pensation. In December there had been received from all sources nearly ten thousand dollars in cash for the new building and upward of twenty-three thousand in uncol- lected subscriptions. Taking all these things into consideration, the condi- tion of the building fund was encouraging, and there was fair promise of the successful completion of the undertaking in which the trustees had embarked. But within six months the aspect of affairs had entirely changed. The country was in the throes of a most alarm- ing financial crisis. The building agency was discon- tinued. Major Field was appointed to secure endowment funds at a salary of one hundred dollars per month and DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 157 travelling expenses; but at the end of three months he was obliged to confess failure, having secured not a cent of cash, and only one new note, which was given by Levi Mitchell, of Gillespie, for the sum of one hundred dollars. In view of the facts the agent refused to accept any remuneration for his labors. The College had run behind on the current expense account for the year some two thousand five hundred dollars, and was obliged to issue additional obligations to its friends in order to meet these deficiencies. No work had been done on the new building, and the cellar foundation waited, as for many and many a year it was destined to wait, for the superstructure. Just at this time and in order to provide needed room for increasing necessities a two-story addition to the chapel was built. There was no money in the treas- ury, however, to pay the bills incurred in this new under- taking, so a loan of two thousand dollars was nego- tiated, with interest at ten per cent. At the same time Mr. Daniels was instructed to devote himself for several weeks to a special effort to secure money for this object, with the understanding that he collect funds already pledged to the new building never, alas ! to be built and apply the same, with the consent of the donors, to the chapel addition. He was not particularly successful in this attempt, and soon after resigned. A year and a half before Mr. Lawson, who knew the field, the people, and the demands of the agency service, had uttered prophetic words. In a letter to Mr. Kendall he had asked, "How is Brother Daniels succeeding?" and "had continued, "I fear he will not succeed as well as he anticipated. The fact is our Western folks want a different kind of tact or method of approach to induce them to good works of this character from our Eastern 158 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. brethren. A Western man or one accustomed to West- ern habits, like Brother French, for instance, will be more likely to accomplish the object." The very man whom Mr. Lawson had men- tioned, who had never before been connected in any way with the College, was now appointed agent. Whether this "western man" would have succeeded better than his eastern brother the fates will never reveal, for he declined to serve, and thus the truth of the prediction in this respect was never put to the test. In his stead Mr. B. H. Mills was elected, and instructed by the Board to raise an endowment for the chair of systematic theology, while Mr. Daniels was re-elected and continued his work for the general endowment. Both of the agents were empow- ered to sell any number of perpetual scholarships at one thousand dollars each. Their work during 1867 was wearisome and bore little fruit. Besides this, the notes and pledges secured by Dr. Bulkley in and about the town of Greenville were returned to the original subscribers at his request. The sums were pledged by various residents of the place on condition that the friends of Almira College, situated at Green- ville, might be allowed to make a similar canvass in the interests of their school in and about Upper Alton. After the lapse of two years, when the question was presented to the executive committee of the College, it was not thought advisable to encourage such a canvass, and so the notes were returned to the donors. Almira College was an institution for the education of young ladies and had been in successful operation since 1858. The colleges and academies founded or planned in the earlier years had all passed into oblivion. Shurtleff alone had survived, but there had come into being other schools under Baptist auspices, and of these DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 159 the Chicago University and Almira College were the prin- cipal representatives in 1867. Both of them afterward died. Schools for the education of young ladies had also been established at Warrenville and Mt. Carroll, but they were quite feebly sustained. Rev. John B. White, the first president of the college at Greenville, had labored earnestly to bring its character and work into harmony with the highest educational ideals. The presence of so many seminaries of learning in the state may have been a suggestion and a spur to a newer and more liberal policy at Shurtleff. Certain it is that in the spring of 1867 Miss Tolman was sent by the executive committee as a special agent to Oberlin College to examine its plans and workings, with a view to the contemplated opening of the doors of Shurtleff to women on an equal footing with men. It is probable that Oberlin was selected as the college to be visited on account of its having been the pioneer in co-educational enterprise. As early as 1837 Oberlin offered to women the full advantages of her curriculum. Four young ladies took immediate advan- tage of the opportunity, and three of them followed the entire course and graduated in 1841. The expenses of Miss Tolman's journey were defrayed by the treasurer of Shurtleff out of College funds. The visit itself caused little comment and excited little interest, yet it was the beginning of an agitation, more or less determined, which ended in the admission of young women to full privileges with the young men. Long before the advent of co-education, however, serious attention was paid to the matter of the culture and training of young women by interested par- ties at Upper Alton. Just one year after Miss Tolman's trip to Oberlin there was established at Rural Park, almost within a stone's throw of the College 160 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. campus, a first-class ladies' seminary. The building which was utilized for the new school was the beautiful mansion of H. N. Kendall, the treasurer of the College. It had been much enlarged, carefully rearranged, lighted with gas, and furnished with all the modern conveniences. Ample accommodations were provided for fifty boarding pupils and as many more day students. The new school was under the principalship of the Rev. S. Adams. In addition to a staff of six teachers, instruction was given in certain branches by the pro- fessors of Shurtleff College, although the institution was under separate management. The opening was most auspicious, but at the end of two years the school passed out of existence, and the beautiful Rural Park, with its fifty acres of richly cultivated land, its groves of oak and willow, its attractive walks and drives, its gardens and vineyard, was advertised for sale. It was an ideal location for such a school, but through lack of patronage the doors were closed. During the year which preceded the establishment of the ladies' seminary the College had enjoyed great prosperity. There were two hundred and twenty- three students. The theological department was in a thriving condition. In addition to the two College literary societies, a preparatory society, the Alpha Sigma, had been organized with a member- ship of about fifty. The ministerial students founded during the year a theological society. Each of the older societies had a glee club, and excellent public exhibitions were given by the students of these rival societies every term. A college journal, the "Qui Vive," made its initial appearance on the first of January, 1868, and continued thereafter as a monthly publication. It was most credit- able in appearance and contents. The first board of DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. l6l editors consisted of Messrs. J. H. Wilderman of the senior class, C. A. Hobbs and W. A. Smith of the junior class, I. D. Foulon of the sophomore class, and B. H. Evans of the freshman class, together with Mr. N. L. Rigby, Ph. B., of the theological department, who was graduate editor. On the faculty of instruction were Dr. Read, Prof. Howes, Prof. Washington Leverett, Prof. Castle, Dr. Marsh, Prof. E. C. Mitchell, Dr. R. E. Pattison, Prof. Warren Leverett, Dr. Bulkley, Dr. Hodge, Prof. E. A. Haight, Mr. L. C. Donaldson, and Rev. O. L. Barler. Each of the professors received a salary of twelve hun- dred and fifty dollars, while the president received two thousand. In consequence, the College found itself with a deficit of six thousand dollars at the close of the year. Just at this critical time, Dr. Read resigned the presidency to accept a hearty call to the pastorate of the Baptist Church in Bloomington. He was urged by the trustees to reconsider his decision, and while they with the faculty were engaged in the discussion of the matter they received word that the students had pre- pared a memorial upon the subject and were anxious to submit the same to their consideration. They there- fore adjourned en masse to the chapel, where the stu- dents were assembled. The memorial was presented, received by the Board and put into the hands of the committee which had been appointed to confer with Dr. Read, and Mr. James M. Stifler, from the student body, was added to the committee. In due time the committee reported to the Board that Dr. Read had not withdrawn his resignation, but that in their opinion such a with- drawal was possible, provided that certain financial' affairs could be adjusted. Just at this juncture a tele- gram arrived from Elijah Gove, saying that if the trus- 162 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. tees would allow him to use the funds which he expected to furnish and had already promised to the College he would see Dr. Read's salary paid promptly during- the ensuing five years, if he should live. He pledged him- self also to do as much more as he possibly could. The trustees agreed willingly to the terms of this offer and raised the president's salary to two thousand five hundred dollars. This was a goodly stipend, but certainly none too much for so strong a teacher, so inspiring a preacher, so lovable a man as Dr. Read. 1 Though the services of President Read were thus retained for a little longer the College lost two , members of its teaching staff who had done yeoman's service in the cause of Christian education. The resig- nation of the brothers Leverett was an event of deep significance. For a period of seventeen years, following his arrival at Alton in 1836, Professor Washington Lev- erett had directed the class work in mathematics and natural philosophy; and again from 1855, for a period of thirteen years. Professor Warren Leverett had served for the same length of time, save that he came to the work three years later than his brother. Their retirement from the ranks of the faculty meant the severance of a tie which had bound the old Shurtleff with the new, the days of early struggle with the later years of achievement and progress. A distinctly new feature in the life o'f the College was inaugurated in the autumn of 1868. This was no less an event than the establishment of a "Band of Faith." J It is interesting to note that at that time the salaries of the presidents of some of the larger institutions were little in advance of that paid at Shurtleff. Union College, New York, paid $2,500 and house; Hamilton College, New York, $1,500; the University of Virginia, $2,500; the University of Iowa; $2,500; Middlebury College, Vermont, $2,000, and Amherst College, $3,000. PROFESSOR WASHINGTON LEVERETT. DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 163 A description of this somewhat remarkable movement was given soon after its inception by a gentleman who was heartily in sympathy with its efforts and aims, as follows : "For several years past the providences of God toward some of our fellow students have been very marked and peculiar, evidently intended to prepare them for a life of faith. They have gone forth during their vaca- tions to labor for Christ, not knowing always whither they should go, and taking neither purse nor scrip, and yet they have been guided by the Spirit and their labors greatly blessed, and upon returning have testified, as the seventy did, 'they have lacked nothing.' Money for traveling expenses, for the purchase of tracts and Bibles, and for their personal use has been furnished to them without their asking any one but God, and often without their knowing whence it came. And the expenses of the young men during term time have been provided for by their Lord and Master- in ways equally remarkable. "Most of them, previous to this year, have boarded themselves, often on plain and scanty fare, but with a joyful spirit. At the beginning of this session several of these students felt that it was desirable to have these kindred elements organized, both for the purpose of pro- moting their common interests and in order to prosecute Christian labor more successfully. Accordingly they sought for some Christian family with views and feelings like their own where they could board in common, hold a special prayer meeting for the daily supply of their wants, and encourage and cheer one another by mutual sympathy and religious conversation. Such a family was soon found among the married students of the theolog- ical department. By the common contributions and common labors of all those who entered into this new 1 64 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. movement, nineteen in all, the house of this student was enlarged so as to afford room for twenty boarders, and they soon entered their new quarters and began opera- tions. And from the very first they have had most marked tokens of Divine favor. Many signal instances of special answer to prayer have occurred, and although they have asked no one but their Heavenly Father for such things as they needed, contributions have been sent in frequently, many of them from unknown sources, and their wants have all been supplied. They feel that they are seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteous- ness, and hence that they can safely rely upon the promise of Jesus, that all tiiese things shall be added unto them, for their Heavenly Father knoweth that they have need of these things. This is a life of faith; and we hail this movement as one which we believe is in the right direction, and which we hope may grow into such dimensions as to constitute a glorious monument of God's power and willingness to answer prayer a proof that ours is a Living God." The "Band" was organized on the third of October, 1868, and three months later a pamphlet was published by the members of the new organization with the title, "A Record of God's Dealings with the Band of Faith of Shurtleff College." The introduction was written by President Read, who was deeply interested in the new movement and had given it his personal sanction and support from the start. The pamphlet contained the journals of the treasurer and steward of the club, show- ing in detail what had been received day by day by the members in the way of food, money, and sundries in answer to prayer. From Dr. Read's introduction it appears that in the autumn of 1866 one of the young men in DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 165 the College, a student for the ministry, found him- self without the funds necessary to complete his course a condition by no means unique in the history of ShurtlefFs students. A query arose in his mind as to whether he should go on with his class or go out and earn money. He decided to remain at school and to trust God for his daily needs. Soon after this decision was made he received an invitation to preach on a certain Sunday at a country place one hundred miles from the College. He was given in return for his services a few dollars over and above his travelling expenses. Thus was provided at a critical moment and by providential interposition, as it seemed to him in his anxiety and stress, the first installment of the sum which was neces- sary to carry him safely through the year. But more! A reckless young man, in one of the families of the church, was attracted to the student, and by him was persuaded to attend college. Out of gratitude for his kindness to their boy, amid his follies and attempts at reformation, the parents gave to the young student money and clothing, as well as furniture for his room. Deeply impressed by this prompt and seemingly most definite and certainly most satisfactory reply to his prayer, he gave himself up fully to the "life of faith." In this he was soon joined by his room-mate, and throughout the year their wants were supplied. Instead of spending the summer that followed in labor for wages these two students held children's meet- ings in different parts of Missouri and through their instrumentality one hundred and thirty-five people professed conversion. Though they asked no aid from any one, they suffered no lack or privation. Inspired by their example, several other students spent their next summer vacation in similar fashion. On returning to 1 66 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. college again these young men formed the nucleus of the group of students who soon came together under the name of the Faith Band. They adopted three very simple rules : To ask no one but God for their supplies ; never to contract debts for these supplies; to be con- tented with what God gave them. The students who composed the new association seem to have been deeply spiritual and full of good works. In the three months which followed their organization they had according to their published report "preached 102 sermons, held 41 prayer meetings, con- ducted 114 Sunday-school sessions, paid 357 religious visits, traveled on foot 1,145 m il es an d by rail 1,873 miles, and distributed 11,000 tracts." They had all things in common in their club, and a box in the dining-room receiving the offerings of the members. Although rations were sometimes very low, and both box and larder were frequently almost entirely empty, the mem- bers of the "Band" were never discouraged, and they bore themselves always cheerfully and buoyantly among their fellows. In the first seven months of its existence the club had received in cash six hundred and twenty dol- lars and provisions to the value of four hundred and fifty, making a total of more than one thousand dollars. In the eighth and last month the amount was still further increased. Thus ended the college year. All were in good health; none were in debt; the year of study was successfully completed. In spite of all this, the motives of the young men were, according to their own claim, misjudged and misrepresented. They were freely criticised by people of the town , by their fellow students, and even by certain members of the faculty. It was charged that they neglected God's appointed means for DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. 167 procuring daily blessings by not engaging in manual labor; that they were "Fourierists" and "Socialists;" that their published records were in reality appeals for aid, and that their attitude toward their fellows was one of pride and pharisaism. President Read was so stirred by these charges that he published a justification of the methods of the "Band" in a second number of the "Record," which was issued at commencement time in 1869. In this defense he affirmed that he did not know that "these brethren are any more likely to indulge in pride on account of their faith than others who oppose them are to take the flattering unction of self-righteous- ness to their own souls on account of opposing what seems to themselves a mistake." It requires to be said, however, in strict justice to the rational as well as the sentimental side of the question, that the attitude of the disciples of the life of faith was not always that of the "faith that worketh by love." In the conduct of certain benevolent or missionary enter- prises the "Mueller doctrine," so enthusiastically adopted by the "Band" at Alton, may be entirely legitimate, scrip- tural and commendable. But in ordinary conditions no doctrine is more dangerous and none is a graver menace to the development of a normal, virile, well-rounded and evenly-balanced Christian character. It creates a craving for vagaries and a contempt for the God-ordained means of spiritual culture and discipline. It promotes, save in men of finely-tempered judgment, a refined but no less harmful form of selfishness ; while it fosters a habit of self-complacent joy and pride, involving often a censorious bitterness which sits in arbitrary judgment upon the actions of other men. These elements were perhaps not altogether wanting at Shurtleff. At any rate, the "Band" and its work became a source of disharmony and even of discord among the students and professors. 1 68 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. After a time it became a subject of discussion in the ses- sions of the Board of Trustees and bred divisions there. It must ever be kept in mind that the debate with refer- ence to the methods of the Faith Band was in essence a doctrinal one. Both sides were certain of the correctness of their views from a theological and biblical standpoint. Now, Dr. Pattison had been a beloved confrere and friend of Dr. Francis Wayland of Brown University. He was a man of singularly clear theological views, and his righteous soul was greatly vexed at the views of the members and defenders of the Faith Band, which he con- sidered crude and visionary. Dr. Read was a man of essentially different mould and cast of thought. Rather spiritual than logical, rather dreamy than practical, he was one of the best of men, yet liable to be fascinated by unusual and extreme religious opinions. His ardent sup- port of the Faith movement was no less a perplexity than a grief to many among his multitude of admirers and friends. When he sought to complete the building, whose cellar had been excavated on the campus some time- before, by resort to this theory of prayer and faith, dissension became rife in the Board. The upshot of all the turmoil was the retiracy of Dr. Pattison from the faculty, a step which was hastened and in part compelled by the failure of the trustees to agree to the plan of him- self and others for the separation of the Theological School from the Arts Department of the College. The subsequent resignation of President Read closed the entire discussion, so far as the. College life was concerned. Notwithstanding these facts the last full year of Presi- dent Read's administration was in some respects the most brilliant that the College had ever-known. There was an excellent attendance of students. The class work was exceptionally good. The spirit of, healthful, rivalry among the classes was stronger than any unpleasant DR. READ'S- ADMINISTRATION. 169 society jealousies. The College paper was under judi- cious editorship and had become a permanent feature of the life of the College. A collection of valuable speci- mens from New Zealand and Singapore was donated to the museum. A lecture course was instituted early in the year, and the students had the privilege of listening to- Dr. Edwards, president of the State Normal Univer- sity; Miss Phoebe Couzins of St. Louis, and Rev. A. H. Burlingham, D. D., of St. Louis. Miss Couzins was a student of the Law School in Washington University, and her address on woman's suffrage created quite a breeze in the college community. She was afterward United States marshal for the city of St. Louis. The school as a whole was well managed, and acts of insubordination were few and far between. The chapel exercises occupied half an hour each morning and were greatly enjoyed by the students. Dr. Read seemed always to choose the Scripture lesson which was especially needed, and his explanations of the selected passages were uniformly impressive and uplifting. His prayers were touching and thrilling. The professors, with the exception of the president, were not in the habit of attending chapel, and their absence awakened some comment and criticism on the part of the students. The reading-room was one of the best in the country and almost all of the more important periodicals were to be found there. The library underwent a transforma- tion in the early part of the year, under the direction of the librarian, Professor Washington Leverett. A new and complete classification of the books was made and a chart constructed, showing the classes and their respec- tive positions on the shelves. The personnel of the faculty continued to be encourag- ingly strong. The College had been fortunate in the preceding winter in securing the services of Dr. Charles 170 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Fairman, of New York state, in the department of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. After he had been with his classes a few weeks the universal verdict found expression in the emphatic declaration that "he infuses an enthusiasm into his recitations equal to that in recitations of the Aeneid and Iliad." Now after another year further changes occurred in the teaching staff. In addition to the resignation of Professor Pattison from the theological department an event of great consequence Professor Haight resigned the principalship of the preparatory department, and Mr. George B. Dodge was elected in his stead. Mr. Haight had served for four years and a half, and resigned to ac- cept the position of assistant in the Normal department of the University of Missouri. Mr. Haight is still actively engaged in educational work, and for many years past has had charge of a flourishing military academy at Kirk- wood, Missouri. The critical event of the year, however, was the resig- nation of President Read, which he submitted at the March meeting of the Board. In April he went to Winona, Minn., where he had accepted the pastorate of the Baptist Church. After laboring with conse- crated energy in Bloomington, in Brooklyn, N. Y., and in other important cities, Dr. Read removed to California, where he became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Los Angeles. There he remained through several years of noble service and was then granted a comfortable salary for the remaining years of his life by the church, which reluctantly accepted his resignation. But the end was near. Soon after he relinquished his pastorate his wife was smitten with severe illness, and in a few days was taken from him. Stricken and alone, he undertook a tedious journey east- ward, intending to visit for a time among old friends WILLARD A. SMITH. DR. READ'S ADMINISTRATION. I? I in different parts of the country, but he was brought low by sickness at the home of his son-in-law in Kansas, and on the twenty-seventh of May, 1898, he followed his wife to the spirit land. Amongst the students during Dr. Read's last years at the College was Mr. Fred T. Dubois of Springfield, who entered the College in 1865 and remained for three years, going then to Yale for the completion of his course. As a United States Senator and as the leader of the "Silver Republicans" in the last presidential campaign, Mr. Du- bois became prominent in the life of the nation. Mr. Willard A. Smith, now Chief of the Department of Transportation at the Paris Exposition, under appoint- ment of President McKinley, was a graduate of Shurtleff in the class of '69. He has published for years past "The Railway Review" and "The Railway ?vlaster Mechanic." During the World's Fair in Chicago he was Chief of Transportation. He is a singularly strong and gifted man. The large majority of the students in Dr. Read's time were looking forward to the work of the gospel min- istry. Among all of these none has earned a fairer fame than Philip S. Moxom. After his theological course he became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Cleveland, and seven^ years later he accepted the pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Boston, where he remained for nearly eight years, resigning in 1893. He is now pastor of the South Congregational Church of Springfield, Mass. As an author he is widely known. For many years he has been the president of the Browning Society of Bos- ton, and of the Anti-Tenement House League. He has also been a delegate to several of the International Peace congresses. As a preacher he has been an inspiration to multitudes, for he speaks a message which thrills the heart and quickens the understanding and arouses the will. CHAPTER XI. THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF, 1827-1839. Religious leaders in the pioneer days Aims of the Rock Spring School The battle for ministerial culture The "hardshells" : their words and methods A missionary convention formed Its plea for an educated ministry The Alton Theological Seminary Mr. Colby's excellent work The Illinois Baptist Education Society organized Aid societies, ancient and modern. When the Rock Spring Seminary was founded not a single Baptist minister was settled as the regular pastor of one church in the entire state of Illinois. The major- ity of the churches had preaching once a month "quarter time ;" those that were more highly favored assembled for religious services twice a month "half time ;" while the rest depended chiefly on the periodical visits of itiner- ant missionaries who lived in the saddle, and spent their time in riding from settlement to settlement, staying in each place just long enough to hold a meeting or series of meetings. These ministers and evangelists were men of the people. Possessed in many cases of fine native ability, direct in method, fervid in manner, forceful in appeal, making the doctrine of the atonement pivotal in their preaching, they wielded a powerful influence over the hearts and consciences of their hearers. They were thor- oughly practical in all their efforts. They had been humbly born themselves. They had no wealth and seemed to desire none. They were loved and respected 172 THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 173 by the people, with whom they entered into relations of cordial sympathy. Books and schools being few, the criteria of judgment in matters intellectual were neither lofty nor clearly defined, so that these ignorant but conse- crated preachers were admired for their effectiveness in "exhorting," and were thus empowered to accomplish comparatively large results. Many of these men were narrow in their views; their prejudices were often ex- ceedingly strong. They lacked, however, the bitterness of the "hardshells." Theoretically at least they believed in educational and missionary enterprises. Mr. Peck became their wise counsellor and staunch friend. He greatly enjoyed his association with them. He honored them for their sincere devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But he saw that their day was surely passing. A new life would demand a new class of religious leaders, not less earnest than the old, but more amply equipped, more thoroughly trained. Therefore he faithfully wrought for the future; therefore he built his school. The Rock Spring Seminary was established as a "theo- logical and high school." The needs of the rising minis- try in the state and throughout the West were the source of special and primary regard. Yet the aim in this respect was not unduly ambitious. The chief object of the school was not to provide theological instruction for ministerial students, but rather to secure a sound and practical preliminary training, chiefly in the English branches, for young men having in view the clerical vocation. It may, therefore, be said that its entire aim was twofold. It sought to give a general elementary edu- cation to young ministers, and as well to offer a common- school course of study, with training in the Latin and Greek languages, to all comers. There was little differ- ence in the arrangement of work in the case of the two 174 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. departments. Doubtless a more definite differentiation would have taken place, if the school had continued its work without interruption for a longer period. There were of course certain subjects in which the theological students were especially interested, and which were fol- lowed eagerly by them and shunned by the student body at large. Such were the classes in theology and Bible study which Mr. Peck conducted. These two subjects really constituted the sum and substance of the distinct- ively theological instruction. Thus the greater part of the work which was done in behalf of the students of this department contributed directly to their general culture, while next to nothing in the way of professional training was attempted. More than this is also true. Though the primary aim of the school was avowedly to furnish a basal equipment for young ministers, the secondary motive soon became a more prominent one. Candidates for the ministry were few and far between, and the number was still less of those who felt deeply the need of an education, and were not misled by the idea that they had but "to open their mouth and the Lord would fill it," giving words and wisdom. Indeed, out of the entire enrollment of one hundred and forty-two, during the four years at Rock Spring, only eleven became pastors of churches, and this number includes those who were licensed to preach dur- ing their school days or before, and also those who after- ward decided to enter the ministry. That this percentage was so small was certainly not the fault of the founder of the school. Above all else he desired the promotion and extension of theological instruction. He most clearly discerned the need of trained leadership in the churches, and made every possi- ble effort to supply the need. In his practical wisdom THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. I?5 he predicted the growth of conditions which at that time were inchoate and but vaguely defined. He saw that new and perilous problems attend the course of enlarging life. He foretold the disintegrating influence of strange peoples, the strife of rivalry, the greed of gain, the per- plexities and difficulties of a rapidly growing and intricate civilization. In the interest of the highest ethical and Christian development of the West he prayed without ceasing and toiled without respite and pleaded with impassioned earnestness. But how could the religious life be fostered, how could the people hear the Word aright and follow its teachings, without the guidance of wise men, filled with the Spirit? And how could such men be properly taught and disciplined without the aid of schools, without the uplifting influence of godly teach- ers? There was no theological seminary, no college, no high school, west of Indiana; and no Baptist institution west of the state of New York. In spite of the lack of educational advantage on his own part, and in great measure by very reason of this lack and a consciousness of the disabilities which it imposed, the Pioneer laid the foundations at Rock Spring. He championed a noble cause in the midst of a rancorous opposition and a bitter- ness of feeling which often amounted to the worst form of persecution. In this day it is not easy to imagine to what extent their jealous and unreasonable spirit carried many of the old-time ministers. That their associates and followers should be blessed with a broader culture than they them- selves possessed was a thought intolerable. They there- fore compelled their consciences into alliance with preju- dice. They insisted that what had been must still be. They sought refuge from the shafts which the apostles of progress levelled against them by hiding behind curtain 176 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. texts of Scripture which seemed to belittle educational advantage. These they used and abused in the service of their narrow illiberality. Darkening knowledge and re- fusing enlightenment, they sought to cast upon the Lord the responsibility for their own uncharitableness. The truth of these strong statements may be readily corroborated by a reference to the transactions of the associational gatherings which these people held from time to time. Their '.'circular letter" for 1824 contains the following heroic sentiments : "If we look at the fruits of the pretended reformation under Luther and Calvin, the multiplicity of societies that have arisen, each striving to be greatest, their zeal breaking over all bounds, hath established the missionary plan, and calls this a day of wonders, striving for power and money to send the gospel to the heathen nations. Thus Zion is astonished at their unbounded cravings, wherefore pray daily to be delivered from such impositions." 1 This graceful and perspicuous statement was followed by many of like character. In another annual letter it is announced that "we hesitate not to say that the new- fangled plan of missionary institutions, and the going out of missionaries, are made absolutely to depend on the moneys which can be collected together, and hence it will appear that money is their foundation, and human schemes are the means employed to establish that foun- dation. . . . Let the people withhold the moneyed support, and it will soon be seen that these institutions will totter and fall, and those well-dressed beggars who are traveling to and fro in search of money will grow scarcer and scarcer. We believe that the missionary spirit which is abroad in the land is the same spirit that 1 Circular letter of the Illinois United Baptist dissociation, 1824. THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. T?7 pervaded the church in the apostle's day and which he calls 'the mystery of iniquity.' J?1 Considering the ignorance and calumny which consti- tute the tissue of this formal published address, the style of innuendo and abuse which proceeded from the lips of these "United" Baptists on private and semi-public occa- sions can to some extent be conceived. "Elder" Jacob Bower, usually called "Father" Bower, was a co-worker \vith Dr. Peck for many years. This man was a type of the consecrated old-time preacher which has been before described. On account of a severe accident he was dis- qualified for manual labor for the rest of his life. During his illness both Dr. Peck and Dr. Edwards visited him and advised him to spend his time as an evangelist, under the direction of the American Baptist Home Mission Society. Upon receiving his consent these two good brethren secured a commission for him from the society, with a first installment of one hundred dollars for sal- ary and expenses. The church of which he was a member regarded the sending of the commission as an insult and commanded him to return it, together with the money. This he did, {hough he and his family were almost starving for lack of the necessities of life. It soon came back to him from the society, however, and this time he resolved to act under its directions, without the church's knowledge. There were inquisitive spirits and tattling tongues abroad, so soon the battle began. He was placed on trial before the church. He was harassed and bitterly arraigned. The controversy was long and unpleasant. At last, by the exercise of a Christ- like and courageous spirit, the heretic preacher succeeded in convincing the church, with the exception of a few ^Circular letter of the Illinois United Baptist Association, 1828. 178 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. members, that missions were not anti-scriptural. That was in 1833. ^ n the following year Father Bower was dismissed from the pastorate of the Sandy Creek Church, because he was a missionary; and the same church declared by formal resolution that neither he nor any person holding similar views should be allowed the privileges of fellowship or be admitted into their com- munion. The outcries of these people against the establishment of schools were even more strenuous than their denun- ciation of the missionary enterprise, for the work of enlightenment through the medium of educational agen- cies affected their personal prestige more directly. Some of them had political influence which they used repeatedly to defeat the aims so ardently sought by the promoters of educational interests. A lady who was residing in Mr. Peck's family in the pioneer days, and who afterward became Mrs. M. P. Lemen, used to relate an incident which is thoroughly characteristic of the type of men which we have described. When application was made to the State Legislature for a charter for the Rock Spring Seminary the failure to secure the measure proposed was directly due to the intriguing influence of the Lieutenant Governor, who on Sundays, and when not occupied with political affairs, was a hardshell Baptist preacher. The granting of such a charter, he argued, would be a source of grave danger to the state. "Those Yankees," he vigorously affirmed, "are moving into this state very rap- idly, and if we give them a charter for all these monopo- lies our liberties will all soon be gone." 1 Some of the members of this strange "sect within a sect" did not hesi- tate to declare their belief that the higher education, and 'See Historical Address of Rev. Samuel Baker, D. D., on The Progress of Civilization. Religion and Education in the Central Valley of the Mississippi, p. 84. THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 1/9 especially the training of ministers, was a device of the devil for separating man from man and hindering the progress of the Gospel by means of learned "babblings and opposition of science falsely so called." To the liberal-minded and large-hearted Baptists of the state a cordial fellowship with these men became increas- ingly difficult. To advocate missions, education, Sunday- schools and a salaried ministry meant unworthy criticism from brethren of a common name, who professed a com- mon faith in the same Lord and Master. To be silent in order to secure peace at any price meant stagnation in Christian work and a constant reproach of conscience on account of inactivity. So a meeting composed of "ministers and private brethren" convened at Winches- ter on the twelfth of October, 1832, to consider the advisa- bility of forming "a Baptist convention for missionary purposes." The meeting continued in session for several days, and at its close a committee was appointed, with Mr. Peck at its head, to prepare an address, setting forth the needs and the objects of the new organization. This address, both excellent in spirit and positive in tone, was written and published before the end of October, and circulated freely through the state in the course of the following months. Just one year later a meeting was held at Upper Alton and a form of constitution was submitted. After full discussion this also was printed and sent broadcast among the churches, while a further year was taken for deliberation. On the ninth of October, 1834, twelve clergy- men and eight laymen who had wended their way across the lonely prairies gathered at the village of Whitehall, "ten miles north of Carrollton, in Green county," and} formally organized the Baptist Convention of Illinois. The constitution proposed in the year preceding was l8o THE PIONEER SCHOOL. adopted. According to this document the convention was pledged, for all the years of the future, to support among other important interests, "the cause of ministerial education, and especially aid in promoting education in general." A lengthy report on ministerial education was presented before the session closed. It was a strong and intelligent paper, proceeding throughout upon the principle that the subject which it considered was of vital moment and essential to the permanent prosperity of any denomination. Its chief positions were as follows : "In the infancy of our settlements an uneducated min- istry may be eminently useful in the conversion of sinners and gathering together of churches, but after settlements have become permanent, schools established, periodicals perused and various other stores of intelligence opened, there is demand for sound and judicious instruction from the ambassador of Christ. . . . Such knowl- edge is obtained in a variety of ways. Most of the preachers of our order in the West have been self-taught. They have pressed their way through difficulties that would have paralyzed most men, and gathered a stock of useful information for the edification of the churches. But the numbers are comparatively few of those who com- mence the ministry of the gospel with minds uninformed, and make any considerable advances in the knowledge of the gospel which they profess to teach. A foundation should be laid before the work of preaching is fully entered upon. But this cannot be done without suitable instruction and competent teachers. Seminaries should be established with such facilities as will enable our young brethren in the ministry to pursue a regular course of study. . . . It is true that by efforts to educate our young brethren in the ministry we may be instru- mental in introducing lights in the candlesticks that may * THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 181 far, very far, outshine ourselves. But what minister of Christ would not rejoice to be thus eclipsed? A father might as consistently envy the growing promise of his son, for whose education he had liberally provided, for fear of being outshone by him, as we the growing prom- ise of those whom we have prayed for, counseled and aided. "You are already apprised that a few brethren in Alton and vicinity have founded an institution of learning, partly with a view to the rising ministry. A school has been sustained there for more than a year, a building erected, and about 360 acres of land purchased. There are now seven young men, members of Baptist churches, pursuing their studies at that place, the greater part of whom, if not all, have their minds directed to the gospel ministry, and some have commenced preaching. These facts afford your committee great satisfaction. But the expense hitherto incurred has been borne chiefly by a few brethren and friends. In conclusion, your committee would commend the subject of ministerial education and the Alton Seminary to the prayerful consideration of this body, and would urge upon the brethren generally the claims that institution has upon their prayers and bounty." When the Reverend Alvin Bailey, the chairman of the committee, had finished reading the report a number of animated addresses were given by the ministers who were present. Then Mr. Loomis was called for. Coming forward, he interested the audience deeply by his account of the conditions and prospects of the seminary, and by his delineation of its pressing needs. It was a great day for the little school down by the Mississippi, with its seven theological students, its handful of ardent friends, its limited means and its large desires ! 1 82 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. A feeling of hope with reference to another matter pervaded the meeting and contributed to the growing enthusiasm. The General Convention of Western Bap- tists had been busily debating a question of no small import. It concerned the establishment of a complete and well-equipped theological seminary at some strategic point. The annual session of the convention, soon to be held in Cincinnati, was to decide upon a location for the proposed school. Toward the close of the Whitehall meeting, therefore, the delegates adopted a resolution urging the General Convention to make Alton the site of the new seminary, and pledging themselves in event of such action to use all their influence to advance its interests, to do all that might lie in their power to obtain funds for its sustenance, and to contribute from their own means to its support. Representatives were ap- pointed to visit the convention and to support the resolu- tion by their best efforts and most earnest words. Though the delegation carried out to the letter the instructions thus received, and urged with vigorous argument the claims of Alton and of Illinois, the majority prevailed against them. The Ohio Baptists, and especially the people of Cincinnati, succeeded in capturing the sentiment of, the convention, and the convention city or rather its immediate neighborhood became the location of the school. The failure of their embassy by no means discouraged the Baptists of the Prairie State, for the West was a wide world in that day, and an abundant field remained directly tributary to the Alton Seminary. Besides this it had the advantage in point of age, and the number of its friends was increasing day by day. A slight difficulty which arose at this time, and which for a brief season threatened serious trouble, only deep- THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 183 ened the loyalty of the school's supporters, at home and afar. When Alton College received its charter and it was found that by its provisions all theological instruc- tion was rigorously excluded, the trustees were sorely perplexed. That the purpose of the founders of the school might ever be kept in mind was the earnest desire of all the men who were planning for its future. So after some anxious deliberations Mr. Peck introduced a resolution in the meeting of the Board on the sixth of March, 1835, stating that "in accordance with the orig- inal compact entered into by the trustees . . . it is and shall ever continue to be a prominent object to aid in the education of young men of genuine piety designed for the gospel ministry in this section of the valley of the Mississippi, and the principles of this com- pact shall remain inviolable." It was decided further that the strictly academic work could not be abandoned, and that, in order to retain the charter, its conditions must be complied with. This necessitated the separation of College and theological seminary. It debarred theo- logical instruction, except in so far as such instruction could be carried forward under new and independent auspices. It was agreed, however, that as soon as means could be obtained the trustees of the seminary should provide competent instruction and other facilities for the carrying forward of ministerial education. On the day following the Board of Trustees of the unchartered Alton Seminary surrendered to the Board of Trustees of the newly chartered Alton College "all lands, improve- ments, books and other property belonging to the semi- nary," on condition that the College Board would assume all its debts and liabilities. The Alton Seminary was thus broken into two parts, one of which continued its existence as Alton College, 1 84 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. the other as Alton Theological Seminary. Tffe seminary began its new life unhampered by debts and unblessed by endowments or other property. There was, however, a saving clause in the deed of transfer. The Seminary Board reserved the right of receiving from the College Board a title in trust for so much of the land as might be needed (not to exceed fifty acres) for the education of ministers, with such donations as had been made for this specific object. According to the terms of this pro- vision the Seminary Board at a meeting "after dark" the same evening voted to appropriate ten acres directly opposite the College grounds as a part of the fifty acres to which they were entitled. On the eventful visit which he made to the eastern states in 1835, the Pioneer had not only secured the con- tribution of Dr. Shurtleff ; he had also laid the real foun- dation of the theological enterprise by engaging the services of Mr. Lewis Colby, of Boston, as professor of theology, and had obtained several donations to this branch of the work. Beside this, he was constantly think- ing of the young men who might be induced to enter upon courses of study with the ministry in view. His letters from the East indicate this interest very clearly. He wrote from Boston in August that he wished meas- ures taken to bring to the school as many preachers as possible, both young and old. Missouri as well as Illinois should be canvassed for this class of students ; they should be told that they might obtain at Alton just the kind of training that they needed ; and everywhere through the two states the news should be heralded that every preacher who would come to Alton could secure instruction. To make good this declaration the trustees should leave no stone unturned. They should provide free tuition. They should put up three or four houses, THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 183 in which these students and their families might find accommodation without expense to themselves. Con- cerning further aid Mr. Peck wrote: "I will provide funds. I can get money to educate preachers, and every one that can be persuaded to come for a few months must be provided for." Soon after his coming Professor Colby drew up a code of rules and regulations for the government of the semi- nary. Each candidate was required, after suitable exami- nation, to subscribe to the pledge : "I declare it to be my conviction that it is my duty to devote myself to the work of the gospel ministry, and, relying on the aid of Divine grace, I solemnly promise that so long as I shall be a member of this institution I will endeavor to make use of its advantages and observe its laws in a faithful and Christian manner; to pay due respect and obedience to- the guardians, professors and teachers, and to conduct myself toward my fellow students as brethren and toward all men as becometh the gospel of Christ." The evidence of genuine piety and a call to the ministry was also required of every candidate, as well as the pres- entation of an endorsement from the church to which he belonged. Ideally, on the printed programmes, the course of study consisted of biblical literature, ecclesi- astical history, theology and pastoral duties. Owing to the lack of provision for teaching, on the one hand, and of advanced and well-qualified students, on the other, the real course was quite elementary in its character. Ap- plicants were advised to ground themselves thoroughly in the ordinary English branches, though in addition to- these Professor Colby gave them careful attention in developing a knowledge of such subjects as biblical geog- raphy, pastoral duties and the general principles of bib- lical interpretation. 186 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. The students in this department received such special consideration at the hands of the authorities that they were charged nothing for tuition, for room rent or for the use of the library. Their rooms were neat and com- fortable, and they were not taxed for the use of the fur- niture and fittings. Under the direction of the College faculty they were allowed to preach from time to time in the surrounding settlements. The professors consti- tuted, in fact, a bureau of recommendation, and churches desiring a supply were requested to correspond with them rather than directly with the students. While Mr. Colby and his associates were thus laboring in the cause of sound culture and in behalf of the general welfare of their students, they were receiving a welcome co-operation abroad. The State Convention, now fully organized and already entering upon an aggressive policy, took a new step forward at its second annual session in recommending that an education society be formed for the purpose of aiding such students for the ministry as should prove to be both needy and deserving. The rec- ommendation was acted upon at a special meeting of the convention, which convened at Springfield in the course of the following summer. 1 The step was taken at exactly the proper time. The agency work in behalf of the schools at Upper Alton had been a gratifying success. Shurtleff College had arisen in her dignity and a regular theological seminary had been established. Professor Colby had already awakened interest and enthusiasm in his important position as professor of theology. Pro- fessor Leverett would soon enter upon his duties. Pro- fessor Zenas B. Newman had been chosen as teacher in ^or a full report of this meeting see the Western Pioneer for September 2, 1836. The special session met on Friday, August, 19, 1836, and continued its deliberations for three days. THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 187 the preparatory department, Mr. Peck was urging the claims of the school with ardor and eloquence. The sec- ond building upon the college campus was nearing com- pletion. It was a substantial stone building, two stories high, besides basement and attic. It would cost forty- three hundred dollars, and the money was ready to pay carpenter and mason when the work should be completed. These many tokens of enlargement and advance con- strained the leaders of the Baptist State Convention at their special meeting to thrust home the fact of present duty and to urge the claims of Shurtleff College in words that called upon the members of the body to employ their most faithful and untiring exertions to sustain the school. The effect of this appeal was immediate and emphatic. The sessions of the convention were suspended, and the Baptist Education Society of the State of Illinois was organized then and there. A constitution was submitted, amended and adopted. Mr. Peck was present, and as soon as the committee on a form of constitution had reported he rose to speak. Taking the Bible which lay on the pulpit before him, he read passage after passage, which to his clear vision served to emphasize the supreme importance of trained leadership in the churches of Jesus Christ. He expounded, illustrated, argued, with unan- swerable logic and frequently with intense emotion. The prayers and hopes of many years seemed to vibrate in his voice. The present plea and the teachings of his whole period of missionary endeavor were thoroughly consistent. The soul, the conscience and the purpose of the man spoke in his words and thrilled his hearers' hearts. It was not the mere formal advocacy of a new measure in the interest of denominational progress. It was the assembling and outpouring of many currents of thought and feeling in a flood of convincing eloquence. 188 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Little wonder was it that at the close of such an address the large congregation was in tears ! Then spoke other hardy pioneer preachers men who had grown old in the service of God, who knew little of school life, little of culture, less of ease, still less of luxury, but who burned with desire for the ongoing and enlargement of the king- dom. Their appeal was not so much for money or for an organization to disburse the same, as for men, for means of culture, for a deeper consecration on the part of the people. The number of strong men in the min- istry and the number of young men pressing forward into the work were lamentably few. Looking forward a little, it appears from the second annual report of the Education Society that only six students had been re- ceived as beneficiaries. One of these had soon entered the active pastorate, four others had been transferred to the patronage of other education societies, and only two were obtaining aid from the Illinois Board. 1 The report adds: "If the number of our beneficiaries is small it is because no more have applied for aid, for as yet we have received every applicant." In view of this fact it declares the necessity of spreading abroad a knowledge of the correct scriptural principles in reference to the subject of the Christian ministry, and of encouraging and helping every young man who should give genuine evidence of a Divine call. At the close of the remarkable meeting in which the Education Society had its birth, Mr. Henry Headly of Peoria was examined, and recommended as a bene- J Of the three thus "transferred" one was aided by an organization having its headquarters in Massachusetts, while the others were helped by the Northern Bap- tist Education Society, which had recently offered to pay thirty dollars annually to each one of a limited number of students at Alton who should need assistance. See the ffestern Pioneer for September 9, 1836. THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 189 ficiary. Fifty-four dollars were at once subscribed, and the young man was directed to enter the theological seminary at Alton as soon as possible. The spirit of harmony and deep Christian fellowship which had pre- vailed expressed itself in the season of handshaking which followed the adjournment. Another memorable meeting which went far to establish the Alton schools in the affections of their constituents was held in connection with the sessions of the Blue River Association during the course of the same year. The Pioneer was present, and accompanied the reading of the preamble and constitution of the Education Society with some very earnest words of explanation and exhor- tation. Following this "Elder" J. Bower addressed the body. He lamented exceedingly his own deficiencies. He was conscious of his lack of that early ministerial culture whose importance had been urged so forcibly by the previous speaker. But he would stand in no one's way. He would help forward the good work by- every means that he could employ. He had already given his mite to aid a young brother to obtain an education at the seminary, and he rejoiced in the work that was then being done by teachers and pupils. At this point the good old man became so deeply affected that he could not continue speaking, so with tears rolling down his cheeks he took his seat. Then Elder Greenleaf related the anecdote of an old minister in one of the Eastern states who had once said on a similar occasion that he would be avenged on his own ignorance by helping in every way possible to educate his younger and more fortunate brethren. After several others had spoken, and all in the same grand and unselfish strain, Elder Parks called especial attention to the fact that nearly all of those who had taken part in the discussion were men 190 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. of little or no education themselves. "This," he con- tinued, "is of itself sufficient evidence of the goodness of the cause." And it was ! Many of these true friends of education were gifted with fine native powers. They could speak with rude eloquence, and they used in con- scientious fashion the noteworthy influence which they exerted in the pioneer days. Their kindly hearts desired for their followers the blessing and the privilege which they had been denied. The spirit of these worthy "fathers in the ministry" has been the real strength of our denominational colleges both East and West through- out their years of struggle and of early growth. Though the occasions just described related especially to the foun- dation of an educational aid society, they undoubtedly had a tremendous effect upon the general life of the Col- lege, an effect which could not but issue in a large fruit- age of deepened interest and more ardent loyalty. The creation of a new society for helping young min- isters in their efforts to procure an education would cause much hostile criticism today. There may or may not be truth in the judgment that special privileges, money grants, and perquisites, in the case of a particular class of Students, tend to lower the dignity of the profession and to rob the youth of his self-respect and independence. If true, however, the criticism applies almost wholly to the largely endowed graduate schools of theology, where the students have already had years of academic culture and discipline, and should be able to make their own way without the pampering and petting which beneficiary funds in such cases provide. But whatever may be the proper solution of the problem of special aid to minis- terial students in our day and generation, and in flourish- ing educational establishments, its entire legitimacy at the period and under the conditions which we have been THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 191 studying cannot for a moment be questioned. When we take into account the splendid scholastic advantages which adorn the richer life of today ; when we regard the num- berless privileges which attend the student life, the mul- tiplication of opportunities for self-help, and the universal emphasis of educational values ; especially when we con- sider the increased emoluments of the clerical profession, with its many and manifest temporal rewards, the gen- erous grants of the great education societies to their bene- ficiaries seem to partake of the character of an unneces- sary premium to those who enter the ministry or an unworthy bribe to those who may by this means be induced to enter. The whole aspect of a problem frequently changes with the change of environment. The Illinois preachers of five and sixty years ago did not tread a path of roses. There was little inducement and every kind of sacrifice in a ministerial career. The aid which the new society might be able to bestow would be paltry at best. Its justification would lie largely in its necessity in the cases where it would be given. Here it would prevent the increase of debt. There it would hinder the forced interruption of the course of study. Again it would permit the purchase of a few sorely needed books. In many cases it would save the half-fed and scantily-clad student from hunger and possibly from disease. This through the years has been the history of the Illinois Bap- tist Education Society. Though imposture and deceit have robbed it now and then of its funds, it has afforded sub- stantial help at critical periods in a multitude of cases. The same is true today. There are many very needy, yet most worthy and promising, students for the ministry, who are pursuing their studies at Shurtleff in these later days, who are denying themselves the abundant honors which they might win in other professions and who richly i$2 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. deserve the slight aid which the Education Society is able to provide through the liberality of the churches. The society has always been closely identified with the interests of the ministerial students at Alton. A wise move was made at its inception by embodying in its con- stitution a provision that its meetings should be held at the time of the assembling of the State Convention. By this means the general work of the denomination throughout the state and the educational enterprise were more closely bound together, while at every yearly gather- ing the needs of both theological and collegiate depart- ments were brought prominently before the people. Yet it is doubtful whether the Education Society would have continued to exist during years of financial stress if its affairs had not been carried forward with most earnest persistence by two men whose names stand today for solid worth and faithful zeal in the development of Shurtleffs life history. The brothers Leverett were the principal officers of the society for many years. Professor Washington Leverett was the secretary, and his annual presentation of facts and needs kept the society in its proper place, at the forefront of denominational interest and regard. Professor Warren Leverett, in his position as treasurer, was even more intimately identified with the work. In his relation to the trials and struggles of the ministerial students he was the kindest of friends. With admirable judgment he disbursed the funds committed to his care, and not less by his ever-ready sympathy than by the substantial aid which from time to time he was able to give, did he win the loving and loyal allegiance of the students. When the treasury was empty he fre- quently supplied by a personal gift some pressing need which appealed to his generous heart, expecting and receiving no return, save the grateful thanks of the one whom he had helped. CHAPTER XII. THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF, 1849-1899. Lack of leaders in theological work The Bible in the curriculum Ruinous inactivity An embassy to Missouri The period of silence Dr. Read the champion of theological instruction Effect of the new impulse A strong school Financial plans An overturning Dr. Pattison Dr. Mitchell Theology in later years. Had Dr. Going accepted the call to the presidency of the College the seminary would undoubtedly have re- ceived a large share of his thoughtful attention. He was no less anxious than Dr. Peck for the promotion of min- isterial culture. One of his friends said of him that more education, in the ministry was eternally his theme. As one of the founders of the Newton Theological Seminary he aided materially in the development of that institution. He was identified with the interests of sev- eral other schools of higher learning, and in every case he directed the weight of his influence toward the im- provement of courses for ministerial students. Had he cast in his lot with the Alton school he would certainly have advocated with vigor the enlargement of the meagre work already begun in the department of theology. As it was, the regular classes of the academic curriculum claimed the full and constant attention of the, teachers, while theology lagged and limped. The call of Dr. Going had been all the more urgent on account of the resignation of Professor Colby, wha 193 194 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. had superintended the work of the seminary for three years. In the absence of any president or theological teacher Professor Washington Leverett took under his personal direction the young men who were looking for- ward to the ministry. Courses in the study of the Bible were conducted, as well as a general class in Christian theology ; but these were regarded as supplemental to the routine work. When in 1839 the collegiate department was instituted, a knowledge of the historical portion of the Greek New Testament was named as one of the requirements for admission. Not long afterward the trustees, by a formal vote, decided that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments should be a text-book in both the College proper and in the preparatory department. This measure was taken in the interests of a liberal culture, as the statement clearly shows : "The design of the above reso- lution is that the Scriptures and the grand pieces of the Christian religion may be studied, which cannot be taken to advocate the peculiar tenets of any evangelical sect. The extremes of sectarian bigotry and infidel neglect \vill be avoided." In 1840 the affairs of the theological department were in a sad state, bordering on total collapse. For five years liabilities had been accumulating. Professors' sal- aries and agency expenses for the first two years of the five made it imperative that money should be borrowed, and this money, with interest accruing at the rate of twelve per cent per annum, remained unpaid. There was no productive endowment, and only a feeble and fluctuating income, dependent wholly upon such spas- modic acts of generosity as visited from time to time certain well-disposed churches and individuals. On the twentieth of September, 1837, Mr. Colby had resigned his REV. PHILIP S. MOXOM, D. D. THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 195 professorship of Christian theology, and returned with his family to the East. His resignation was accepted on the twenty-ninth of July, 1840. During the three years in- tervening, the board of control held not a single meeting. Thus the theological department, moribund, professorless, without income, and governed by an overdeliberate and very drowsy Board of Trustees, needed a severe shock of some sort to arouse it to a career of dutiful energy. The immediate cause of its revival and survival was a movement which its friends found to be in course of active prosecution in the neighboring state of Missouri for the founding of a theological seminary in that section. Had the school awakened from its lethargy a year or two" earlier the denomination in both states, and possibly in several other western states, would in all probability have settled upon Alton as a site for a theological insti- tution to which all the West would have been tributary. As it was, quick and resolute measures were taken. Mr. Rodgers, the pastor at Upper Alton, was appointed to visit the educational convention and general associa- tion, soon to meet in the sister state, and to procure the co-operation of the churches represented in those bodies, in the full establishment of a theological seminary that should serve the needs of both states, but that should be located at Upper Alton. In the favorable and attractive propositions with which the members of the Alton Board hedged about and buttressed this request they showed commendable discretion. Mr. Rodgers was empowered to say that if Missouri should fall into line, and if the amalgamated interests should agree upon Upper Alton as the site for the school, many concessions would be granted. The name was to be "The Baptist Theological Seminary of Illinois and Missouri." The denomination in Missouri was to have the privilege of appointing one- 196 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. half of the trustees. The Alton Board would transfer to the new management their lands, buildings, library and other property. If the Missouri Baptists would agree to raise ten thousand dollars for the endowment of a chair of Christian theology they might choose the professor who should occupy the same, provided they should select "a Baptist minister of sufficient literary and theological acquirements, sound in the faith and of good standing in the churches." It was also to be stipulated that if for any reason the brethren across the border should in course of time deem it expedient to erect an institution of their own, the partnership between the two states should forth- with be dissolved. In such event Missouri should have its own full quota of endowment, together with its pro- portionate share of any property which might have come into the possession of the trustees during the period of co-operative work. After acting upon Mr. Colby's resignation, and draw- ing up with much care the foregoing propositions, the Board adjourned for supper. In the evening they, with a large audience of College people and townsfolk, met in the Baptist Church and listened to an address on "Education" by Dr. John Russell, then of Bluffdale, whose interest in the College had not abated, though he no longer taught in its classrooms. The substance of the overtures of Illinois for a closer union in the conduct of theological instruction seemed eminently fair and honorable. But alas for human plan- ning! Mr. Rodgers went forth with hope and returned in sorrow. He found the Missouri brethren radiant with the boundless enthusiasm of a new undertaking, which seemed to promise magnificent returns. They were absolutely loyal to the doctrine of state rights. They were intensely devoted to the idea of church inde- THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 1 97 pendency. They were anxious neither to sell their birth- right nor to barter their opportunity. They received the ambassador with great respect and allowed him ample time for the presentation of his cause. They then declined, both speedily and courteously, to entertain for a single moment the idea of union. They had already formed an education society, and they had fully decided to establish a seminary of their own. Does it not always take two willing ones to make a fair bargain? And in this case one was quite unwilling, so all negotiations came abruptly and at once to a conclusion. The agitation in Missouri had operated well, however, in starting the Alton Seminary from its protracted slum- ber, and though it still went on its way wearily, though it still limped in weak and halting fashion, it had been saved from utter extinction. In the course of the very meeting at which Mr. Rodgers submitted the report of his visit and announced the failure of his mission, Pro- fessors Leverett and Newman were appointed to give regular theological instruction to any students desiring it. In the year following, which was the first year of Dr. Sherwood's presidency, the legislative restriction which had divorced the arts department from the semi- nary w ? as removed, thus allowing the theological course to be made an integral part of the College work. The president filled the chair of theology, and during the year four students enrolled themselves in the department. In the following year none of these returned to continue their studies and although a dozen ministerial students were enrolled, not a single one was qualified to enter upon the distinctively theological course. And now for sixteen years hardly a whisper is heard concerning a school or department of theology at Shurt- leff. All instruction is limited to certain classroom work 198 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. in theology, given as an extra subject, and without tui- tion charges, to whatever students should decide to undertake it. In the second year of Dr. Read's incum- bency the long silence is broken by the announcement that the president has arranged with eminent clergymen from different parts of the state to deliver lectures to the young ministers during the winter term. For five years these lectures, with such special instruction in sys- tematic theology and the general study of the English Bible as the president could find time to give, consti- tuted the alpha and omega of the work in the depart- ment; but it reaffirmed a half- forgotten policy, while it prepared the way for enlargement of effort in the future. Dr. Read was a man of deep spiritual insight, pro- foundly interested in the growth of the religious life of the state, solicitous ever for the welfare of the churches. Quietly and without intermittence he advocated the inter- ests of theological instruction during all the early years of his administration. His labors, with the increasing demand of the people for a wiser and more competent leadership in spiritual matters, forced at last the enun- ciation of a positive policy. The way was open and the times were ripe for decisive action. The theological undertaking in Missouri had long since given up the ghost. Within a radius of two hundred and fifty miles from Alton there was no Baptist school for the training of ministers, while in this territory there were one hun- dred and twenty thousand Baptists. The population had grown with marvellous rapidity. Illinois alone con- tained two million people within its borders. The cities of St. Louis and Chicago were fast becoming the centres of a many-sided metropolitan activity. Shurtleff seemed eminently fitted to lead in the new movement. The aim of its founders, in seeking to provide for the THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 199 proper training of young ministers, had been woefully neglected. But the school was now in a healthy state and able to supply the lack which had hitherto existed. For eight years the average attendance of students in College and academy had been one hundred and twelve, of whom nearly one-third were expect- ing to enter the ministry of the Baptist churches. Thirty of these young ministers were now study- ing at the institution. The professors were and had always been devout men, and with one exception had been adherents of the Baptist faith. There was, therefore, room for a strong appeal to the constituency, based on the needs of the hour, the present strength of the school, its too long neglected but fundamental aim, and its undeviating loyalty to denominational interests. On the third of January, 1863, the trustees bowed to the weight of accumulating argument and bravely took up arms against the difficulties which opposed their path. In a series of resolutions they affirmed the urgent need of adequate theological instruction and declared their intention of establishing at once a professorship of Bib- lical Studies and Sacred Rhetoric. The resolutions embodied also a call to Rev. E. C. Mitchell to assume the incumbency of the new chair, his active duties to begin just as soon as a permanent endowment of fifteen thou- sand dollars had been secured for the support of the department. Mr. Mitchell went into the field immedi- ately as a special agent of the College to collect this endowment. He was granted a salary of sixteen dollars a week and travelling expenses, but all of this save the first one hundred dollars was to be paid from the amounts which he should obtain in the course of his canvass. Thus the College had little responsibility, the bulk of the burden falling upon Mr. Mitchell's shoul- 200 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ders. In August the Rev. Harrison Daniels, of New York, was engaged as College agent at a stipulated salary of fifteen hundred dollars a year, though Mr. Mitchell was expected to continue his services. When the autumn of 1863 arrived a number of young men surprised the authorities by presenting themselves as candidates for theological studies. What should be done with them? The situation was perplexing. It seemed unwise to turn them away, so Mr. Mitchell solved the problem by agreeing to begin the work of instruction at once, and devote his spare time to the prosecution of his share of the agency work. The permanent endow- ment still being in large part unsecured, the trustees at stated intervals of three months, and their executive committee between whiles, aided by the active co-opera- tion of the two agents, wrestled with the problem of ways and means. Quite liberal contributions were made by friends in Illinois and a few donations were received from New England, so that one year and eight months after the passage of the resolution establishing the chair the announcement was made that seven thousand dollars had been obtained, outside of all the expenses of collec- tion. The work of the year in the classroom had been highly gratifying. The students were enthusiastic over the new departure. Professor Mitchell had won the love and confidence of the people. Yet the situation was not in every way encouraging. One chair was less than half endowed. Perilous conditions in the political life of the time added anxiety and tri^l to the consideration of edu- cational as of all other questions. Should the College retrench or advance? It was decided, and very emphati- cally, under Dr. Read's leadership, that retreat meant ruin, and that enlargement was the only wise course. THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 2OL Consequently Professor Mitchell's services were retained, and Rev. Robert E. Pattison, D. D., then of Worces- ter, Mass., but previously president of Colby Uni- versity, was called to the professorship of system- atic theology. He replied that he would come if his support for five years could be guaranteed. Again through Dr. Read's instrumentality Mr. Elijah Gove, of Quincy, consented to become responsible for the amount of one thousand dollars a year for five years, and Dr. Pattison became a member of the faculty. His coming was an event indeed. He had passed a little beyond middle life, but hfwas full of energy and hopeful- ness. His years of distinguished service in eastern schools and his wide acquaintance with men and affairs in the denomination fitted him in an eminent degree for the important work to which he came. There seemed promise now that the school of theology at Shurtleff would become the rallying place and the train- ing ground for all the Baptist ministerial students of the West. It was the only institution of the kind in the entire Mississippi valley. The Missouri theological venture had vanished into thin air years before, after various vicissi- tudes. It was succeeded, when war times were over, by a school or department which was little better than a name. The seminary at Covington, established as a result of the meeting of western Baptists in 1834, grew to great pro- portions quickly. Being in Kentucky, it had the South behind it; being but a stone's throw from Cincinnati, it received the stalwart support of Ohio and the North. Its location was in every way strategic. Its lands grew rapidly in value. It was highly favored in the character of its faculty. For thirteen years following 1840, the date of its charter, it accomplished a good and ever- widening work. There was a straining at the cords, 202 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. however. North and South were drifting apart. The tension became greater and greater. A school in which North and South were bound together could not remain long in harmony with itself or with its mutually antag* onistic constituents. Dissensions multiplied; the bond of union snapped asunder; and the school was wrecked. Funds, lands and equipment were divided between the Northern and Southern representatives on the Board of Trustees. The Northerners invested their share in the Fairmont Theological Seminary, long since extinct. The Southerners used their portion in the foundation of the Western Baptist Theological Institute at Georgetown, Ky., a school which at a later day became a department of Georgetown College. Thus there was free for the new department at Shurt- leff an extended field of operations. It was strong in its faculty at home, strong in its opportunities abroad. In Dr. Pattison's first year at the College there were eight students in the middle class and thirteen in the junior class. Eight of these were full college graduates, and six others had taken more or less work in regular College classes. President Read and Dr. Bulkley were giving a large part of their time to instruction in theology, so that the department had four instructors, while there were six in the College proper. During the two following years the theological school enjoyed its period of greatest popularity. Its standards were high, its teachers inspiring, its students industrious, its outlook promising. As is often the case when the best work is being done, there is little to employ the pen of the historian. The agencies which quietly and effect- ively were making manhood and preparing a goodly body of youth for active ministerial service, were under the control of a most efficient corps of professors. The stu- THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 205 dents of that prosperous period today are scattered from Maine to California, and afar in missionary lands. The number who had the ministry in view, in all departments, reached at one time during the course of those two years a total of seventy-five, more than had ever before enrolled themselves or have ever done so since in any single year. The summer of 1867 was signalized by two incidents in the history of the College, which gave promise of still further enlargement of the work and a comparative assurance of its permanency. One of these was the decision communicated to Dr. Mitchell by the Hon. J. Warren Merrill, of Cambridge, Mass., that upon certain conditions he would furnish an endowment of twenty thousand dollars for the chair of biblical interpreta- tion. The other was an understanding between these two gentlemen Dr. Mitchell and Mr. Merrill and the Rev. Baron Stow, D. D., of Boston, the distinguished pastor of the Rowe Street Baptist Church, that he would accept an invitation to become professor of pas- toral duties in the theological seminary, with a pledge on the part of Hezekiah S. Chase and Charles S. Ken- dall that they, with other members of Rcrvve Street Church, would provide twenty thousand dollars for the endowment of his chair. The correspondence which followed on this subject developed a very strong inclina- tion on the part of Dr. Stow to accept the position, and a full expression on his part of his ideas and wishes respecting the conduct of the school and his hopes for the future. Later, however, obstacles appeared in con- nection with domestic affairs which finally defeated the project, and Dr. Stow's death occurred within a short time. It was not more than a year after this that a new possibility opened, which seemed to promise a great 204 fHE PIONEER SCHOOL. future for the theological work. Through the influence of Mr. Merrill and Dr. Stow the trustees of the College had decided to give the theological department an inde- pendent existence by obtaining for it a separate charter under the laws of the state of Illinois and by organizing a separate Board of Trustees. The motive of this change of policy was, in the main, to give the theological seminary a broader scope without removing its working centre from Upper AJton, and to enlist in its support the Baptist strength of St. Louis and Missouri for a con- solidation with Illinois of its theological department. The latter object was very similar to that which had been undertaken in the earlier period without success. While these matters were under consideration Dr. Mitchell received an invitation from the Hon. William McPherson, of Missouri, to come and meet Dr. J. B. Jeter, of Virginia, at his office in St. Louis. In that interview Mr. McPher- son read to the others a letter from himself addressed to the Rev. Dr. Broadus, then of the theological school at Greenville, S. C., in which he expressed the wish that Dr. Broadus would come and join them in the enterprise of forming one central theological seminary for the West, and offering to furnish a quarter of a million dollars for its endowment. His proposal, it is needless to say, was gladly approved and its terms gratefully accepted so far as Dr. Jeter and Dr. Mitchell could personally exercise any influence upon it. Shortly after this interview the exigencies of financial needs required Dr. Mitchell's presence in the East, and he finally devoted the whole school year to financial efforts which were fairly successful, securing pledges in money and property of about ten thousand dollars. After ac- complishing this he spent the remainder of the spring and summer in a trip in Egypt and Palestine, for purposes of THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 205 study, and to fit himself better for his life's work. No communications reached him which were very informing with regard to the progress of things at Alton during his absence. It was not until he reached home in September, 1869, that there came to his knowledge the extraordinary change which had come over the theological enterprise ; a change which illustrated in a signal manner the contrast which sometimes appears between the shapings of the best-cherished purpose under the guidance of human wis- dom and the imperative orderings of Divine Providence. Under the advice of one in whose wise and efficient leadership they had ever been accustomed to place im- plicit confidence, the Board of Trustees of the College were induced to rescind the action taken the previous year, which authorized the separation of the theological school from the collegiate department. By this procedure they forfeited the conditional pledge of an endowment fund from Mr. Merrill, and compelled the resignation of Dr. Pattison and five active members of the Board. These events also brought about the retirement of President Read himself and resulted in the practical close of the Theological Seminary and the transfer later of Professors Mitchell and Pattison to the newly organized Theological Seminary at Chicago. It is far from probable that there is anything to be regretted in the purpose or the methods by which that incipient work at Alton was prosecuted. That there was pressing need of a theological school in the West at the time this was begun, cannot be doubted. It is equally plain that at that time no other opportunity or position for such a school was open. Careful consultation with the leading men of Chicago in 1863 satisfied every one that the attempt then was impossible. No help could have been expected from the leading Baptists of that 206 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. city. As things afterward turned in the fortunes of Chicago University, it is obvious that five or even ten years later they might not have been prepared to take any such steps. The inauguration of the enterprise at Alton, with its rapid growth and apparent promise, un- doubtedly had an influence in hastening the foundation of a similar school in Chicago. The days of Dr. Pattison and Dr. Mitchell were days of strength, days long to be remembered. Even today the very name of Robert E. Pattison suggests sound learning and sturdy leadership in Baptist educational en- terprises. It is singular to notice that he prepared for college under the tutelage of two men who were inti- mately identified with Rock Spring and Shurtleff in the earliest years Rev. Joshua Bradley, then principal of Middlebury Academy, and Rev. Jonathan Going, then pastor at Worcester, Mass. Dr. Pattison was born in Benson, Vermont, in August, 1800; he graduated at Amherst College in 1826; he taught for a year at Colum- bian College in Washington, and in 1828 he became pro- fessor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Water- ville College, in Maine. A year later he accepted a call to take charge of the Baptist Church at Salem, Mass., and from there, in the following year, he went to the pas- torate of the First Church, Providence, the oldest and, in in many respects, the most famous Baptist church in America. Six years later he went to the presidency of Waterville College. Twice he occupied that position ; twice he was pastor of the First Church in Providence; for some time he was home secretary of the Missionary Union. He had also been a professor at Newton and the president of the Theological Institution at Covington. Warned by impaired health, he had sought rest with his family in Worcester, Mass., after the close of his THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 2O/ second period of service at Waterville. Then the call came to him from the West, very strongly bulwarked by the urgent appeals of many men who were friends alike of himself and ShurtleiT. The matter was put in a way that reached his heart. The theological department had no funds, no buildings, but a great opportunity. There were twelve students, who had finished a year of study under Dr. Mitchell and were now anxious to begin the study of systematic theology. At so critical a time it was necessary that the strongest man available should be obtained. The future of the department would thus be insured. Would he not allow them to extend a call to him? Would he not even make a sacrifice to meet their great need? He decided that he would, and the sacrifice was a really severe one. He came to a meagre and uncertain stipend, leaving cherished friends and comfortable circumstances. He was by no means a young man, having passed the age of sixty-four, but he loved the Lord's work, he was youthful in spirit, and he had an irrepressible activity. He wrought royally at Shurtleff. His presence was a source of enthusiasm, his words an enkindling flame, his classroom a central fire, where every earnest student found both light and heat for intellect and heart. After his four grand years of labor he went to the Chicago University, where he was for a time acting president. He died in 1874. Dr. Mitchell was also a man of marked personality and untiring energy. He graduated at Waterville and at New- ton and held pastorates at Calais, Me., Brockport, N. Y., and Rockford, 111., before coming to Shurtleff. After teaching for seven years in Chicago, he became professor of Hebrew in Regent's Park College, London. He was afterward president of the Baptist Theological College in 208 ' THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Paris, France, and returned to America in 1882 to assume the presidency of Roger Williams University, at Nashville. From there he went to New Orleans, as president of Leland University, remaining there for the last thirteen years of his life. He was chosen as the lecturer before the Lowell Institute, Boston, in 1884. He published sev- eral valuable volumes, amongst them "The Critical Handbook," which has been widely used as a textbook in colleges and theological seminaries for many years. Though Dr. Read opposed the policy of erecting the theological department into a distinct and separate insti- tution, it must never be forgotten that this branch of the work owed its renewal of life to his interest and zeal. He was also ready at every opportunity to emphasize the larger life of the institution, and in a quiet way, by constantly extending his circle of acquaintances and friends, he caused the college in all its activities to assume life and being in the minds of the people. He filled a large place in the denomination. The development of the theological department has been traced at this stage in the history of events be- cause it was under the administration of President Read that its work was most "prosperous and its importance most widely recognized. Nevertheless the removal of Dr. Pattison and Dr. Mitchell and the subsequent with- drawal of Dr. Read, though a severe and stunning blow, by no means caused a total collapse of all activities. A re- action soon set in. Friends of the school throughout Cen- tral and Southern Illinois, sincerely anxious that the hopes of the fathers should not go unfulfilled, rallied their forces right nobly. The faculty was reorganized. Dr. Bulk- ley taught church history ; Rev. N. M. Wood, the pastor of the Upper Alton Baptist Church, took Dr. Pattison's place as professor of systematic theology, and Rev. J. M. THEOLOGY AT SHURTLEFF. 209 Stifler succeeded Dr. Mitchell in the department of bibli- cal literature and interpretation. For several years most excellent work was done. After the resignation of Dr. Wood and Professor Stifler, Dr. Kendrick's policy was simply to use, in a wise and conscientious manner, the trust funds which had been expressly designated for theological purposes, in furtherance of the best interests of the ministerial students. Classes have been held with- out the intermission of a single year, and at least one of the professors has always devoted the most of his time to the instruction of students in this department. By this means a large number of students, who were denied the privilege of attending a theological seminary, have received sound instruction in branches of knowl- edge quite necessary for a clergyman to understand, dur- ing the progress of their academic training. Others, again, have been introduced in a helpful way to the study of subjects which they have followed more exhaustively in their years of graduate work at a fully equipped theological school. CHAPTER XIII. TRANSITION YEARS, 1870-1872. "Gove University" Tokens of progress Co-education President Kendrick - The inauguration The commencement festivities of 1872. Apart from the swift decline of the theological work, Shurtleff was in a prosperous condition when Dr. Read left. This is seen in the fact that the trustees were maturing plans for the elevation of the College into a university. Numerous conferences were held with the retiring president before his departure, and a plan was published and circulated at the June meeting of the Board. According to this plan it was deemed feasible and advisable to adopt a university organization similar to that in vogue at Cornell and elsewhere, arranged in several colleges, each embracing a different department, with its separate dean and faculty, but all under the government of one president, one chancellor or regent and one Board of Trustees. In view of the munificent benefactions of Elijah Gove, it was recommended that the new organization be known as "Gove University." It was intended that it should embrace the Shurtleff College of Arts and Sciences ; the Female College of Arts and Sciences; the College of the Bible, to include the theological department; the College of Law, to embrace the law school which had been advocated by Hon. Cyrus Edwards ; the Industrial College and the Academy. With the example of Cornell still before him, the chairman 210 TRANSITION YEARS. 211 of the committee on the proposed university, Mr. W. C. Flagg, affirmed in his report that "the time has passed by, I hope and believe, when it is necessary to rely upon sectarian feeling to build up and support colleges or universities for the promotion of liberal culture. Ad- mitting the gratitude due to the denominations that have nurtured these institutions through a period when no general benefactions would have given them support, I still submit that a wise and liberal policy demands that we should not be tenacious of their sectarian allegiance." The plan very wisely called attention to the necessity for the widening of the courses in the natural sciences. The advisability of establishing colleges of agriculture and business were also considered. The introduction of the elective system in an extreme form was advocated. Finally and emphatically, the need of an immediate effort to secure an endowment of one million dollars was por- trayed. The report concluded with the exhortation and warning that "in this pleasant town and beneath these academic shades, if we build not the future home of a uni- versity as broad and catholic as the political creed of our country, it will be because we are not equal to the occa- sion." The idea of a university with many departments and schools was not altogether a new one at Shurtleff. Mr. Edwards had hoped and labored for some time to establish a law department, and to make such a department the initiatory step in the development of a full-fledged uni- versity. It had been ascertained in the previous year that a large building in Alton could be purchased on very favorable terms and that able lawyers and jurists in the vicinity were willing to accept professorships on condi- tion that suitable quarters could be secured. Mr. Ed- wards, though much advanced in years, was persuaded 212 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. to undertake an agency in behalf of the new department, in which he had shown so deep an interest. For various reasons the entire movement failed of success, and neither a law school nor a university with many colleges greeted the vision of the hopeful friends of Shurtleff . The scheme was Utopian and chimerical. It never received the hearty endorsement of the majority of the prudent business men on the Board, yet it afforded a vivid illustration of the glorious dreams which sometimes captivate the minds of those who live in an unreal future rather than in a practical present. These dreams paid no pressing debt. Instead of advancing steadily and safely, step by step, at this important juncture, when things in general were in excellent condition for a quiet, but energetic, forward movement, the trustees gave their time and thought to the visionary scheme of a great university, which appar- ently was to spring, full-grown, into splendid being. By their course in this matter, as well as by their opposition to the full integration of the theological school, they alien- ated the sympathy of some of the strongest members of their body. These men preferred to resign their official position rather than undertake a plan, which at that period seemed to them but a "Castle in Spain." It is easy to build universities on paper. Immediately upon the withdrawal of Dr. Read the Board appointed Dr. Bulkley acting president. The need for ampler endowments led him almost immediately after his appointment to enter the field in search of contribu- tions. In this effort he was seconded by Rev. Harrison Daniels, the agent of earlier vears. Dr. Fairman was appointed to administer the affairs of the School at home, with the title of president pro tempore, while Dr. Bulkley sought to advance its interests abroad. The number of students and the quality of their work gave every cause TRANSITION YEARS. 213 for encouragement. The academy curriculum was strengthened. A good lecture course was sustained. The number of general literary exercises was increased. The college students were brought together on Saturday mornings for drill in rhetorical work. In addition, the seniors delivered two orations each week in the chapel in the presence of their fellow students. These ordeals were heroic, but helpful, and, together with the wordy battles which the debates in the society meetings called forth, they contributed greatly to the students' training for pul- pit and platform duties in the years beyond. The class of '71 had organized, and at the close of the year its members carried out an interesting class- day programme, the first of the kind that had been given at Shurtleff. When September threw open the doors of the school for another year of study, young ladies, as well as young men, responded to the call of the college bell. Shurtleff had become a co-educational in- stitution. This liberal policy was due to the enterprise of the acting president, who had been a leader in the advance movements of the school sinre his first official connection with it. His own daughter, Miss Sarah E. Bulkley, sharing his love of learning and zeal for broad culture, became the first lady graduate of the College, taking her degree in 1873. She had followed the studies of the class with which she graduated although denied the privilege of equal rights with the young men in the College so when the barrier was broken down she was prepared to enter the junior year. For several months, in answer to her earnest petition, the special concession had been granted her of sitting in the classrooms day by day and listening to the recitations of the young men and the lectures of the professors. One of Dr. Read's daughters had kept pace with the regular college 214 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. class in a similar manner for two years, but ill health in her case prevented the completion of the full course of study. In seeking a successor to President Read the trustees pursued a quite conservative and thoroughly wise policy. It was felt that the new president of Shurtleff should combine in himself the best elements of the scholar, the teacher, the administrator and the financier. Both the successes and the failures of the past had taught that the leader of the literary and scholastic activities of the College should be a man of thoughtful habits and schol- arly accomplishments. The large burden of classroom work, which it was still necessary for the president to carry, made pedagogical skill a desideratum. The gift of executive force and discretion were never more greatly needed. And in the gradual transition which was already taking place, from the classical type of col- lege president to the wide-awake business man type, the possession of farseeing financial ability was of great importance. Under these circumstances the trustees were fortunate in securing, after two years of persevering enquiry, the services of Rev. A. A. Kendrick, the pastor of Beaumont Street Church, St. Louis. Mr. Kendrick came of a family of eminent educators. In addition to his undergraduate and theological equipment he had had a full legal training. He was born in New York thirty- six years before the beginning of his work at Shurtleff. He had studied in the East while his active work had been chiefly in the West. He had held successful pas- torates in Chicago and St. Louis. Thus he seemed to be. well fitted for the work upon which he was now to enter. Although his active administration of affairs did not begin until September, he accepted the duties of his office in the spring of 1872. A goodly part of the TRANSITION YEARS. 215 time which intervened before the opening of the College year in the autumn he spent in acquainting himself well and thoroughly with the needs and requirements of his new position. In this way he was not by any means a stranger to the College or its constituency when the stu- dents and teachers reassembled. Of course the great event of the anniversary season of 1872 was the inaugural dissertation of the new presi- dent. It was upon the very practical theme, "The Loca- tion, Mission and Needs of Shurtleff College." The location he considered ideal. Had it not all the advan- tages which a rural situation supplies, such as cheapness of living, absence of adventitious excitements, freedom from the temptations which throng in the city, and seclu- sion for study and intellectual development ? On the other hand, was it not in the vicinage of a mighty city, holding in its grasp the life and activity of this central Missis- sippi valley; and might it not make its lawful levies upon the resources of thought, intelligence, and treasure that centre there ? The mission of the College the presi- dent stated succinctly to be the advancement of the rause of Christianity, especially as represented by the Baptist denomination. This ideal a college gains by means of the education which it furnishes, the culture which it imparts, the science which it advances, the edu- cation which it gives, and the literature which it creates. The end should ever be to make men and women more Christly. The cause of Christ is advanced by all culture, and so, through ministerial education, should be carefully fostered. Shurtleff, as a Christian College, could not afford to neglect the education of the lawyer and physi- cian, the editor and lecturer, the farmer and mechanic ; in fact, all persons who were looking forward to life. Academic and preparatory instruction was necessary at 2l6 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Shurtleff, as at most other western colleges, in order that the College might be supplied with students, and that the chasm still existing between the public schools and the colleges might be adequately bridged. Coedu- cation was still something of an experiment ; but it should be faithfully tested. Special departments and profes- sional schools would be added as the Providence of God should lead the way. Passing to consider the needs of the College, President Kendrick insisted that an ample and well-secured endowment was indispensable, and called attention to the efforts in that direction that were being made by the trustees. Subordinate to this great central need were others. There should be at once a chemical laboratory, a museum, and a library arranged to minister to the efficiency of every department of instruction. The new president closed with the follow- ing earnest exhortation : "Friends of Shurtleff College! This is the grave moment of my life. I venture to say that, in accepting the honorable trust extended to me by the Board of Trustees of Shurtleff College, I have risked everything dear to me as a minister and as a man. What I may have done heretofore for Christ's cause is as nothing compared with what I ought to do hereafter with God's blessing. I see before me many cherished friends with whom I have been associated in years past as a minister of the Gospel. Some of you have told me in words that your sympathies follow me in this new and untried field of service. May I not ask all of these old friends nay, all friends of the cause of Christ and Christian education here assembled, to join their sympathies, their contribu- tions, their efforts and their prayers with mine, that Shurtleff College may speedily become eminently pros- perous, honored and useful?" PRESIDENT ADIN A. KENDRICK. TRANSITION YEARS. The commencement season which was dignified by the presence and words of the new president was also graced by the public appearance of the young ladies of the insti- tution, who for the first time took their place in th; pro- cession of alumni and students. Among the graduates Mr. Solomon Draper was the first honor man, and there- fore valedictorian. Mr. Benjamin S. Sawyer, who had attained second honors, delivered the Latin salutatory; he also won the scholarship gold medal. Mr. John B. English, who had gained a worthy reputation as a debater and platform speaker during the four years of his col- legiate career, received the prize medal for % excellence in rhetorical studies. The exercises as a whole were of a high order, and, better still, a hopeful spirit pervaded them. A special train had brought a large delegation of Mr. Kendrick's friends from St. Louis, and at the meeting of the trustees several St. Louis gentlemen were added to the Board. It was the general feeling in every direction that the Baptist people of the metropolis of the Southwest would rise to the new occasion, make it a new duty, and enlist heartily in the advocacy and support of ShurtlefT College. In addition to the commencement proper there were many exercises of importance during the week. Among these there were the reunion of the literary societies on Monday evening, the prize exhibitions of the freshmen and sophomores on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings respectively, the happy and harmonious session of the Board of Trustees, the lecture by Dr. W. Pope Yeaman, and by no means least the Alumni meeting, which was a notable feature in the week's programme. Previous alumni gatherings had fallen far short of triumphant success, for they had usually been left to take care of themselves, while the other exercises of the week had 2l8 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. been carefully planned. The reproach was taken away in '72, for an elaborate dinner was served, an evening was spent in heartiest social intercourse, old memories were recalled, happy friendships renewed and limitless enthusiasms enkindled. Arrangements were made for an annual banquet, and a committee was appointed to secure the due and dignified observance of the same. This pioneer dinner, the progenitor of many yet to come, was held in the chapel, with Professor Dodge as the toastmaster. He extended a welcome to the class of '72, and this was acknowledged in a graceful speech by Mr. W. S. Robert^. Then short and inspiring addresses were given by Revs. J. L. M. Young of '67, G. P. Guild of '56, W. H. Stedman of '69, and Professor I. D. Foulon of '70; after which Professor E. A. Haight of '67, Mr. R. A. Haight of '75 and Mr. E. W. Pattison delighted the audience with the famous college song, "Upidee." After refreshments had been enjoyed, short and pithy speeches were made by several old students. The meet- ing gave large promise of reawakened loyalty on the part of the alumni and former students. Thus closed the memorable commencement of 1872. Thus brightest auguries of future growth enticed with their fair dreams the hearts of all the people. And thus with joy and glad acclaim the friends of Shurtleff greeted their new Pres- ident and introduced him to his future field of labor. CHAPTER XIV. THE PRESIDENCY OF ADIN A. KENDRICK, 1872-1877. The loss of two faithful friends A notable class Innovations Kendall Institute The enrollment grows Chicago University A lecture course Renova- tions Faculty changes Spiritual blessing The "Centennial Offering "- Dr. Johnson and his great work. During the first year of Dr. Kendrick's presidency two men who had labored in support of the school in its earlier years, Warren Leverett and Hubbel Loomis, passed to their reward. Professor Leverett had resigned his position on the faculty in 1868, but had continued to be identified, though more indirectly than before, with the interests and work of the institution. On Monday, the 4th of November, 1872, he was exposed to a severe storm which was raging on that day, and contracted typhoid pneumonia, which caused his death four days later. His life had been full of good deeds, strong in pure purposes, abounding in self-sacrificing labors. In the beauty of his character he was a model for young men to imitate, and his influence during the thirty-five years of his life at Upper Alton was wholly noble and uplifting. He was born in Brookline, near Boston, on the iQth of December, 1805, He was pre-eminently a man with a single purpose. His life was spent in the service of the young manhood of the West. He was always a teacher and his heart was in the work of teaching. In 1853 ne resigned his professorship and for 219 22u THE PIONEER SCHOOL. two years remained out of the College ; but even during that interval he was conducting in the town an academy of high grade, which occupied a place not filled at that day by any department of the public school system. This work he only relinquished when urgently recalled to duty in the college. He had a noble helpmeet in his wife. Be- fore her marriage Mrs. Leverett was the preceptress of a seminary for young ladies at Townsend, Massachusetts. Her literary attainments, with her gentleness of manner and sweet kindliness of disposition, endeared her to the hearts of all the students, to whom both she and her hus- band so cheerfully gave their thoughts, their labors, and their lives. Mrs. Leverett still resides in Upper Alton, the only representative of the College management of the earliest days. At the age of eighty-seven she retains her deep interest in the College with which her life has been linked for upward of sixty years. For a long time it had been the custom of the pro- fessors and students to pay an annual visit to "Father" Loomis on the occasion of his birthday, the 3ist of May. The last visit of this kind was made in the spring of 1872, a few days before the auspicious commencement at which Dr. Kendrick's administration was inaugurated. The veteran had reached the ninety-seventh milestone, in his earthly course, yet he seemed hale and vigorous. After giving him their greetings, listening to his words of counsel, and receiving his benediction, the students came forward and shook hands with him, as the custom had always been. Then each of the young ladies brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers and laid this floral offering by the good man's side, until he was nearly hidden in a bower of roses. After this his son-in-law, Hon. Cyrus Edwards, himself an aged man, renewed his invitation, often before extended, to all the young visitors, to attend DR. KEN BRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 221 the dinner to be given by him to the students of Shurtleff on "Father" Loomis' one hundredth birthday. With happy congratulations the students took their departure. Just a week from the day of Profess'or Leverett's death the message came to the venerated patriarch and found him ready for the change. Those who gathered in joy to hail his anniversary and listen to his words of cheer a little while before assembled now again with many other friends and citizens to pay their last tribute to his memory. Mr. Loomis was an honest and conscientious man. His hold upon principles was firm ; his devotion to truth unflagging. His mind was well disciplined, and his entire life was consecrated to study. Long after he had reached his ninetieth year he purchased the "Ante- Nicene Library" and studied its pages with avidity until almost the hour of his death. Had it not been for his keen interest in the topics of the day and the movements of the later time he would have been looked upon as a mere lonely survivor of a dead and half-forgotten age. He was older than the Declaration of Independence. He was known by the reverent title of "Father" Loomis as far back as the early '303. Yet in heart and Spirit he was always young. In his later years his figure was a familiar and picturesque one, as he took his way each morning down the village street, walking very slowly, his sturdy form bowed by the stress of his great age, his hand grasping the long staff which he always carried. He would stop every now and then in the course of this daily journey, and, holding his staff now with both hands, leaning heavily upon it for support, he would rest for a time, exchanging kindly greetings with every busy man or bright-eyed child or happy youth who passed him in the way. When at length his summons to the higher 222 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. service came, many missed the cordial morning welcome and mourned sincerely his departure. Numerically, as well as in other ways, the College was prospering. The enrollment of students had reached one hundred and fifty-two in the last year of Dr. Bulk- ley's administration. This was the largest number of students the College had ever known, but in the following year, the first of Dr. Kendrick's presidency, one hundred and ninety-four were registered. Of the one hundred and thirty-nine preparator, students thirty-seven, or slightly more than one-fourth, were young ladies. The freshman class numbered thirty-two, the largest in the entire history of the College, until 1898, when thirty-three enrolled themselves. Eleven of its members were young ladies. 1 In presence of this gigantic class of thirty- two the rest of the College appeared quite insignificant. There were three seniors, four juniors and nine sopho- mores, so that thus in the aggregate the members of the three upper classes numbered only one-half as many as the freshman class alone. The fact that so large a body of young people had matriculated into college gave a fresh impetus to all branches of the work. The sopho- more and junior classes were composed entirely of young men. Miss Bulkley was in the senior class, and was its only lady member, as Miss Read had through illness been obliged to discontinue her studies. Among the fresh- men were several students whose names have added lustre to the fame of their Alma Mater. Mr. Lucius M. Castle, a son of Professor O. L. Castle, has been promi- nently identified with the public school system of the 'It may be interesting to know that the young lady members of this famous freshman class were Misses Mary Elida Barret, of Shelbyville; Mary J. Rennick, of Bismarck, Mo.; Gertrude M. Rowe, of Lake Mills, Wis., and Frances Bulkley, Emma Gray, Katie G. Joslyn and Ruth C. Mills, of Upper Alton. DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 223 State of Illinois and is at present connected with the High School at Springfield. Otis Humphrey is United States District Attorney for Southern Illinois, and for a num- ber of years has been prominently identified with the political affairs of the state and the nation. Miss Ruth Mills was for some years principal of Almira College at Greenville, and afterward taught in Shurtleff College, holding at the same time the position of preceptress of the ladies' department. Clarence S. Spalding is a Congre- gational pastor in St. Louis who is widely known and honored. The class held together fairly well, and grad- uated fourteen regular members in 1876. On account of the increase in the number of students the recitation rooms in the second story of the dormitory which had been occupied for recitation purposes, except that of Dr. Fairman, were removed to the ground floor, and these new rooms were freshly papered and painted. One society hall was still on the fourth floor. The museum and library were in the same building. Several young men who arrived after the College had opened were obliged to take rooms in the town. The students were deeply interested in the welfare oi the school. This was clearly evinced in the loyal attitude of the College Journal, the "Qui Vive." But how was it with the alumni? A movement was set on foot early in the year for the establishment of an alumni library to be known as the department of Standard English Literature, in connection with the library of the College. Professor George B. Dodge, the president of the Alumni Associa- tion, sent out circulars to all graduates urging them to contribute to the fund, but the movement was not at- tended with much success and was soon abandoned. The policy of the new president was commendably cautious. During his first year of service several new 224 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. and helpful features were introduced into the life of the school. One of the strongest factors in its religious development was the course of Sunday afternoon chapel talks which was carried forward by Dr. Kendrick. These addresses were very stimulating, and doubtless left their impress upon the minds and hearts of the students. On several occasions men from abroad were present and addressed the gatherings. The principal innovations in the literary programme of commencement week were the delivery of a master's oration by Willard A. Smith of St. Louis and an oration before the alumni by the Rev. J. C. Maple of Spring- field, Mo. Both of these were given on Thursday morn- ing, after the three members of the graduating class had concluded their part of the programme. In the confer- ring of degrees the Latin language, used on all previous commencements, gave place to the English. The salu- tatory oration was in Latin, as of yore, and was delivered by the first of ShurtlefFs lady graduates, Miss Sarah E. Bulkley. The trustees at their annual meeting were somewhat perplexed over a floating debt of eight thou- sand dollars, which had accrued; so a strong plea was made during the commencement exercises and four thousand dollars in subscriptions were received in the brave response which the people gave. In the consideration of another important matter a deci- sion of more than ordinary moment was reached. It involved a new line of policy and considerable risk. A proposition was submitted by Mr. H. N. Kendall, in which he offered to sell his elegant private residence to the College for the special use of the ladies' department. The building was the same that had been occupied by the students of the Rural Park Seminary, and it was DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 225 admirably adapted and arranged for school purposes. The seminary had not been a financial success, on account of the lack of judicious enterprise on the part of its executive officers. Some of the members of the College Board were strenuously opposed to the large outlay and great risk involved in the purchase of the estate. Their counsels were overruled in the end, and the building, with ten acres of land surrounding, was bought for twenty thousand dollars. One-half of this amount was contributed by Mr. Gove, while the remaining ten thou- sand constituted the sum of the subscriptions made by Mr. Kendall to the college, and included the original seventy-five hundred which he had pledged toward the endowment of the president's chair. The trustees intended that the new plan of coeduca- tion should be thoroughly advertised, and its advantages heralded abroad. Such a vigorous presentation of its claims would give rise to the constant and urgent ques- tion : What provision have you made for the safety and oversight of the young ladies whom you urge to seek learning at your doors? Parents would certainly insist that their daughters should be under the immediate supervision of competent college authorities. Unless such supervision were expressly guaranteed these young ladies would be sent to other schools, possessing a sys- tem of discipline more complete. Now this careful con- trol and wise oversight would be provided by the pur- chase of the Kendall property and the establishment of a ladies' dormitory. All the pleasures and all the safe- guards of the home would surround the pupils. Such sound logic early showed that theoretically at least the investment was a necessity. Arguing thus, the trustees determined to seize the 226 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. opportunity now presenting itself, and almost at the very inception of the coeducational life of the school to pro- vide a delightful home for the lady students. It was supposed that a large majority of them would enter the classes of the college or academy, but for the benefit of those who might find it impracticable to fulfill the demands of the regular curriculum a special course of study was arranged. It was to cover four years and on its completion the candidate would receive the diploma of "Kendall Institute." The more advanced classes in the course were under the direction of the College professors. A department of vocal and instrumental music was also started, and several young ladies from abroad entered at once upon their musical studies. In the autumn of the year 1873 the Kendall Institute opened with an excellent attendance, and, on the whole, the year was one of the most successful that the College has ever enjoyed. All departments were in good condi- tion, although the loss of Dr. Fairman from the ranks of the faculty was deeply regretted. His place was most acceptably filled by Mr. T. M. Stewart, a scholarly young man who had just graduated from the College. Above all, the year was characterized by earnest devotion to study, and by the deep spiritual life which pervaded the entire institution. Many of the students dedicated their lives to the service of Christ, and quite a number of noble young men were led to enter the Christian ministry. The good work began in the Alton and Upper Alton churches, which had united in extending an invitation to the Rev. E. P. Hammond, an evangelist, to carry orr a series of revival meetings. Mr. Hammond's manner was unpleas- ant and his methods were peculiar and rambling, but he had the love of God in his heart, the power of arousing DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 227 Christians and setting them at work, and, above all, an intense zeal for souls. More than five hundred persons in the Altons professed Christ during the meetings. Among these were many students. One of the interesting fea- tures was an all-day service of fasting and prayer on the day before the Day of Prayer for Colleges. As a result of the humble and heart-searching spirit which prevailed an even richer blessing was poured out upon the people. On the following day two services were held at which strong sermons were preached by Dr. Kendrick and Prof. Stifler. Considering the prayerful prepara- tion which had been made, it is little wonder that all hearts were deeply moved. Among those who con- fessed the name of Jesus for the first time during this revival was Governor Cyrus Edwards, then in his eighty- first year. His wonderful experience and his baptism had a marked effect upon the community, both within and beyond the College. The enthusiasm of numbers was also abroad in the school. Two hundred and thirty-seven students were enrolled in all departments. The redoubtable freshman class of thirty-two had fallen to twenty, but the sifting process had not been injurious to the character of the body, for the fittest had survived. A class of three had graduated, while the freshmen numbered twenty-seven, so the College enrollment had risen from forty-eight to fifty-nine. This was for a very long time the banner year for 'the College in point of numbers. Between the years 1827 and 1896 the number of College students never ex- ceeded the high-water mark which was reached in the second year of Dr. Kendrick's presidency. This progress was won through the earnestness and vigor of the new administration, and in the face of the growing strength of Chicago University, a strength 228 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. developed by the path of peril and difficulty. This insti- tition was becoming a formidable rival to Shurtleff in the very field which had been occupied by the latter for many years. An effort was made just at this time by the metropolitan institution to reduce Shurtleff and other colleges in the vicinity of Chicago to the rank of acad- emies and feeders of the University. In the case of Shurtleff the idea was never seriously entertained by the authorities. The competition between the two schools was becoming quite sharp, although their conditions and surroundings were very dissimilar. The periodic tribu- lations of the University and the presence of able administrators and teachers in the College intensified a rivalry which would hardly have been noticeable if the College in the rural town had been weak or if the Uni- versity in the great city had occupied a commanding posi- tion. President Burroughs resigned at Chicago after many hostile fortunes had vexed his soul and tried his faith. Senator J. R. Doolittle was chosen to succeed him, but his position was chiefly an honorary one. The organ of the University students felt called upon to remark, in reference to the presidency, that "it should not satisfy the friends of this institution to see it merely keep abreast of sundry colleges and so-called universities, situated in the backwoods or in country villages. ... In the light of what the University of Chicago should become and can be made, it ought to be able to call to its head a man whose reputation as a man of energy and execu- tive ability, as a man of trust and a man begetting con- fidence, would assure beyond peradventure the attainment of this success." The editors of the "Qui Vive" drew to their own doors the insinuations contained in this and other paragraphs, and so the war of words went merrily forward. The rivalry, at times generous, at times bitter, DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 229 did not cease until the university finally closed its doors in 1882. At the annual meeting of the Board of Counsellors of the American Baptist Educational Commission, held in Albany in May, 1872, it had been decided that a move- ment should be inaugurated for the purpose of raising a Centennial Fund of ten million dollars for the enlarge- ment of the endowments of the denominational schools of the country. The amount was to be in hand before the completion of the year 1876, and each school was urged to prosecute with vigor the canvass for its quota of the entire sum. The new president of Shurtleff succeeded in rousing the friends of the College to the importance of this plan, and a strong committee was appointed by the trustees to undertake the burden of collection. A stirring appeal was issued by the committee in Decem- ber, 1873, calling upon the friends of the College to give the subject of a greatly increased endowment their special and earnest consideration, since "a larger faculty, a better library, new buildings and more complete appointments for instruction generally" were a necessary condition of future success. Along with other indications of sound progress dur- ing the second year of Dr. Kendrick's administration was the institution of a more liberal policy than had prevailed in the matter of the general culture of the student life. Several lecturers visited the College at the request of the president and a series of addresses were given by Rev. J. C. C. Clarke of St. Louis on Com- parative Philology. Mr. Clarke had been a friend and classmate of President Kendrick at the Rochester Theo- logical Seminary and was his successor in the pastorate of the Beaumont Street Church, St. Louis. At the open- ing of the College year in the autumn of 1875 he became 230 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Gove professor of Greek and Latin, a position which he held for eleven years. Two of the most eminent of the sons of Shurtleff re- turned to their Alma Mater with words of inspiration and counsel at the commencement of 1874. Dr. Henry M. Gallaher, the brilliant and versatile Irishman, whose eloquence was often seriously compared with that of Henry Ward Beecher, came from his home in New Jersey to address the alumni on "The Law of Com- pensation." Dr. Frank M. Ellis, who had lately gone from a successful pastorate in Kansas City to the pas- torate of the Michigan Avenue Baptist Church in Chi- cago, made several short addresses during the exercises of the week and by his presence added to the interest of the occasion. The master's oration was delivered by Mr. Henry E. Mills, of St. Louis, another graduate whose fame was rapidly growing and whose work on "Eminent Domain," published soon after, attracted wide attention and became an authority on the subject which it treated. Altogether the commencement was pronounced "the best from first to last that Shurtleff had ever had." A successful year and a splendid commencement were followed by a busy summer. A general renovation took place. The dormitory halls shone resplendent in a coat of new paint, and windows and doors were carefully repaired. The chapel was refitted, the seats were renewed and a new and energetic stove succeeded the smoky and eccentric furnace which had won for itself an unenviable notoriety. The valuable library of Dr. Pattisor. was temporarily placed in charge of the College and its books were available for the use of the students. But while the external appearance of the College had been greatly improved a misfortune had befallen it in its inner life. This was no less an event than the loss DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 231 of Professor Oscar Howes, who resigned his position in order to accept the chair of Latin and Modern Languages at Madison University. He was a man of fine scholar- ship and liberal culture. On two occasions he had been granted leave of absence from the College to pursue his' studies abroad. He was an efficient teacher and most painstaking and thorough in his methods. His labors were of inestimable worth. Owing to a financial panic which convulsed the country, the school opened with a decreased attendance, and the enrollment for the year in all departments fell from t\vo hundred and thirty-seven to two hundred and four, and in the College from fifty-nine to fifty-three. The year went by without any event of startling moment. Its close brought both trial and advantage, for Professors Marsh, Stifler and Stewart severed their connection with the school, while Professor Clarke was added to the teaching force and the beloved Dr. Fairman returned from the principalship of Cook Academy to the scene of his earlier labors. For a period of twenty-one years, or from 1854 to 1875, Dr. Ebenezer Marsh had been connected with Shurtleff College as professor of natural science. He was once absent for two years in Europe, pursuing his studies, and he resigned from the faculty in 1871, remain- ing out for another two years. With these exceptions his service was continuous. His father, also by name Dr. Ebenezer Marsh, had taught for a short time in the Rock Spring Seminary, and at a later period had been a trustee of Shurtleff, acting in that capacity for a quarter of a century. Grand, faithful, self-forgetting labors were the gift of both father and son to the College that they loved. The prudent counsels and farsighted busi- ness acumen of the elder man were of great value in many an emergency. . By his superior mental endow- 232 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ments and high scholastic attainments the younger man won the respect and confidence of the College community. Professor Marsh was a graduate of Shurtleff in the class of 1852. He afterward studied at Harvard University and in Germany, receiving the degree of Doctor of Phi- losophy from the University of Goettingen in 1855. He returned to give the best of his life, in patient and con- secrated effort, to the College where he had received the foundations of his training and which rejoiced in the honors which he had so worthily won. He proved abundantly in the years of his efficient teaching service that he possessed not only the aptitudes of the true scientist, but also a deep reverence for the essential principles of revealed religion. Thus he was an apostle of character as well as of culture. Thus he was a strong, safe guide to the eager feet of youth amid the ofttimes dangerous paths of scientific investigation. Such men deserve the highest meed of praise. Mr. Stifler had long been identified with the College, and his departure was deeply lamented. The names of the two brothers, James and William Stifler, are insep- arably linked with the history of Shurtleff College. Indefatigable as students, they became industrious work- ers in the world's activities. Mr. James Stifler entered the senior class of the Academy in 1861, his brother being at that time a sophomore in College. They both graduated from the College in 1866, and from the theo- logical department in 1869. Mr. James Stifler was at once elected to a position on the Board of Examiners of the theological department. In the following year he became a member of Board of Trustees, and the next year he was called to the chair of Biblical Literature and Interpretation. This was but two years after the com- pletion of his studies. He taught for four years at PROFESSOR JAMES M. STIFLER. DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 233 Shurtleff, accepting then a call to the pastorate of the Baptist Church at Hamilton, New York, which was followed by a pastorate in New Haven. He resigned to enter upon the duties of the professorship of New Testament Exegesis in Crozer Theological Seminary, a position which he has filled with honor for many years. In recognition of the value of his services and the ac- curacy of his scholarship the College conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity at the time of his removal to the East. The number of students at Kendall Institute was decreasing, and the expense of its maintenance varied in inverse ratio with its numerical status. Heroic action was necessary, so measures were adopted which looked to its reorganization as a young ladies' seminary, pure and simple. This idea was soon abandoned, and a year later the property was sold to Edward Wyman, LL. D., of St. Louis, who founded a boys' school under the name of "Wyman Institute," and conducted it for several years with varying success. It then passed into the hands of Colonel Willis Brown, and by him was sold to Messrs. Jackson, Eaton, and H. P. Wyman. At the present time it is used for the purposes of a military academy. Several new buildings have been erected and under the superintendency of Professor Albert M. Jack- son and Professor Eaton the institution is enjoying a period of great prosperity. In addition to the changes and appointments already noticed, one of the College seniors, Mr. J. Otis Humphrey, was chosen as an assistant teacher in the academy. He had made an excellent record as a student and was popular with all classes of college society. In the pre- vious year an intercollegiate oratorical association had been formed by several of the colleges of the state and 234 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. at the second annual meeting in Jacksonville, in October, 1875, the second prize, amounting to fifty dollars, was won by Mr. Humphrey. That the honors thus early won were well deserved has been abundantly proved by the sub- sequent career of the young orator and teacher. At the National Convention of the Republican party in the year 1896, the speech of Mr. Humphrey nominating Mr. Hobart for the vice-presidency of the United States, was one of the most able and brilliant that was delivered during the sessions of that memorable assembly. Many an old student remembers today with a tender interest the spiritual quickening which thrilled and vital- ized the school in the spring of 1876. The community as well as the College was affected, and very deeply. There was little outward excitement. The cdventitious aids to the acceptance of the Christian life, under condi- tions of high pressure and intense enthusiasm, were scarcely perceptible at any time in the history of the work. No evangelist was present. No unusual methods were used. Simple gospel talks were made at evening meet- ings by the pastor of the village church or by one of the professors, prayers and testimonies following. The Holy Spirit wrought manifestly, in grace and power. Class prayer meetings, largely attended, were held each day. Although in church or college there were meetings every evening and often through the day, the recitations went forward without interruption and good work was done. The relations between teacher and student became more sacred and affectionate than ever before. Few of the students stood aloof; none made light of the things which they saw. There were many conversions. One gifted young man, who had been known as a sneering skeptic, was brought into fellowship with the spirit of Christ; he has now been for many years a devoted mis- DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 235 sionary among the Hakkas, in China. Others whose lives were changed at that time have stood nobly in defense of truth through the intervening years, while occupying positions of influence in every part of our country. With a strong faculty and many evidences of internal prosperity the College could now afford to spare Presi- dent Kendrick for a time from the work -of internal administration in order that he might devote himself to the enlargement of the endowment. The plan which had been suggested more than three years before by the Educational Commission was undertaken in earnest and energetic fashion. Dr. Kendrick spent some months in a preliminary canvass, relinquishing for that purpose his regular work at the College. Dr. G. J. Johnson, who had been connected with the American Baptist Publi- cation Society as its district secretary in St. Louis, was appointed to undertake the leadership of the campaign. His signal success in carrying the work to a successful issue abundantly justified the choice. It was proposed to obtain one hundred thousand dollars during the cen- tennial year. In order to stimulate gifts a number of lists were opened, the "Dollar Roll," the "Ladies' Professor- ship Roll," the "Ministers' Roll" and the "General Cen- tennial Roll." Every effort was made to popularize the undertaking, and friends of the College were admonished and exhorted to co-operate in cordial sympathy and to add tangible gifts to verbal expressions of loyalty. Dr. Johnson very wisely began his work by testing the sentiment of the people at the home of the College. Ac- cordingly he presented the matter in the Baptist Church of Upper Alton in February, 1876, and at the close of the service took up a collection which amounted to more than five hundred dollars. Encouraged by this proof of Intel- 236 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ligeiit devotion to the school Dr. Johnson carried his can- vass far and wide, and in conjunction with Dr. Kendrick and Dr. Bulkley he succeeded in securing pledges to the amount of forty-four thousand dollars in the four months that followed. At commencement time two enthusiastic meetings were held in the interest of the movement and at the close of the year 1876 about seventy- five thousand dollars had been pledged. As many of the subscriptions were conditional on the raising of the entire amount aimed at in the beginning, the position was a critical and perplexing one. The time for collec- tion had expired, the Centennial year had gone forever, and the end in view had not been reached. In a moment of inspiration a way of escape suggested itself. As the year 1877 marked the fiftieth milestone of Shurtleff's history, an additional year of service would be secured to the agents by making the new endowment pledges a Jubilee instead of a Centennial offering. This new plan would extend the time limit to the last day of the year 1877. The idea was a good one, and in bringing it before the people Dr. Johnson made an ardent plea in the follow- ing language : "Ought not such a College, enjoying the pre-eminence of being the oldest institution of learning in the Missis- sippi valley, and in fact in all the West, in a territory embracing fully three-fourths of the area of the Ameri- can Union, a college that has already done the good this has, and is so favorably situated to do the good this is, and now celebrating its Jubilee year, to be liberally pro- vided for by its friends? What possibly could we do that was becoming and do less for it than, as a Jubilee offering, to raise $50,000 in its behalf, including what may be necessary to complete fully the Centennial effort, so far advanced, to raise $100,000? Let it be done." DR. KEN BRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 237 The spur of the new appeal had a breezy and stirring effect throughout the state, and Dr. Johnson was able to bring to the commencement the good news that upward of thirty-five thousand dollars had been received in sub- scriptions, cash and pledges. More than six months remained for the gathering of the additional fifteen thou- sand dollars, and the promoters of the movement felt confident that success would crown their efforts. The jubilee was celebrated with the most elaborate public exercises that the college had ever known. Students, teachers, alumni, friends and strangers gath- ered to the feast. From the text, "For Thine is the King- dom," Dr. Kendrick opened the programme of the week with an impressive sermon. On Sunday evening Dr. Galusha Anderson delivered the annual sermon before the Education Society. On Tuesday and Wednesday the trustees were in session. The report of the financial agent was carefully considered, and in view of the extreme stringency in money matters throughout the country his success was looked upon as most cheering. He was urged to continue in the work until he had rounded out the full one hundred thousand dollars. On Tuesday evening a large assembly listened to the Rev. Samuel Baker, D. D., of Russelville, Ky., who had been a student of Shurtleff in the '305. He delivered a historical address which presented an epitomized account of the progress of civilization in the central valley of the Mississippi. On Tuesday evening the crowds again gathered, this time to hear an oration before the literary society by ex-President Dr. Daniel Read, and a poem by Rev. C. A. Hobbs, D. D., of the class of 1868. Wednesday was Jubilee day. The spirit of enthusiasm reigned. The air breathed gladness. Words of good 238 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. cheer were carried from lip to lip. Many a loyal heart was beating in happiest response to the joy and hope which everywhere abounded. Dr. Johnson acted as the presiding officer. He gave the opening address, in which he sketched the origin and development of the school. He also displayed some relics of bygone years, which a dili- gent search in archives and odd corners had brought forth. Among these was a copy of Dr. Peck's paper, "The Pioneer," "the first newspaper ever published in the State of Illinois, and printed upon the first printing press ever set upon Illinois soil." Dr. S. H. Ford, editor of "The Chris- tian Repository," and in early days a classmate of Dr. Ba- ker at Shurtleff, followed with an interesting account of the life, character and educational work of Dr. Peck. Then Mrs. M. P. Lemen, of Salem, who had been a member of Dr. Peck's family at Rock Spring, and had afterward con- ducted a private school in the seminary building, pictured in graphic words the scenes and labors of the pioneer period. Three other Rock Spring students spoke, Lewis H. Scanland, William H. Rider and Professor Whitney, of Granville, Ohio. Forty-seven years before, Mr. Whitney had travelled from Boston, eighteen hundred miles away, in order to attend the seminary. A part of the distance he had jour- neyed on foot, and the obstacles in his way were many, yet he persevered in his self-appointed task. Just why he should have turned his back upon historic Boston, the home of superabundant culture, and have battled with a host of difficulties that he might possess the crude, and imperfect educational equipment which the pioneer school provided in that day, away to the westward, in the wilder- ness of Illinois, does not appear from the context, and is quite incomprehensible to our critical modern mind, but the fact remains the young man did it and rejoiced in the doing of it. DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 239 After the reading of a paper on "The Educational Serv- ices of Dr. Jonathan Going," which was prepared by Rev. Frank B. Cressey of Detroit, a grandson of Dr. Going, the audience adjourned to the college campus, where din- ner was served to all comers in hospitable fashion. In the afternoon the people came, still unwearied and eager, to hear the eloquent addresses of Cyrus Edwards, Adiel Sherwood, Daniel Read, and Justus Bulkley. Mr. Ed- wards made a pointed and practical speech, in which he offered to add one thousand dollars to his former dona- tions, in order to assist in completing the jubilee and cen- tennial pledges. Dr. Sherwood, though bowed beneath the burden of six and eighty years, spoke words of encourage- ment and benediction. Several other friends added inter- est to the occasion by the loyal sentiments which they expressed, and letters of congratulation from many of the absent graduates were read. In the evening an alumni reunion was presided over by Willard A. Smith, of Chi- cago, and followed by a banquet and reception. On Thurs- day morning the members of the senior class presented their orations and received their diplomas \vith due pomp and ceremony. A jubilee poem, by Dr. William C. Rich- ards, closed the exercises of ShurtlerFs fiftieth anniver- sary. This poem, bright and suggestive throughout, closed w-ith the words : Fifty years of hope and toil, Fifty years of toil and faith, Great the labor, rich the spoil, So each grateful toiler saith ; Many voices sweet there be, Mingling in our jubilee. Some grown dumb of mortal speech, Sing in tones we may not hear, Though we strive in vain to catch. 240 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Some soft cadence haply near; Oh, the rapture if but we Heard their song in jubilee. All along the fifty years, Silence fell on sainted lips, Folding earthly hopes and fears, In the gloom of life's eclipse; Now they sing more sweet than we On this day of jubilee. What a throng upon the earth, What a group in Paradise, Join today in sacred mirth, Blending songs of earth and skies. Never earthly strain can be Sweeter than our jubilee. Other tongues than ours will sing Fifty years from this glad day, When Centennial shouts shall ring ^ O'er our unawakened clay; But from sin and sorrow free We shall keep heaven's jubilee. CHAPTER XV. THE PRESIDENCY OF ADIN A. KENDRICK, 1877-1889. The financial outlook Hard-working teachers Student government Ups and downs The school discipline Town and gown The new Chapel Deficits Exit of the Chicago University The College Review The Library Class Day The College Band Martha Wood Cottage. When the jubilee year ended Dr. Johnson had accom- plished the great work to which he dedicated two of the best years of his long and active life. He had received subscriptions aggregating one hundred and twenty- three thousand dollars and forty-seven thousand dollars of this magnificent amount had been paid. His able con- duct of the enterprise was recognized by the trustees, and his portrait was hung with those of the founders and fath- ers in Chapel Hall. Further than this, he was elected to the newly-created office of Chancellor of the College, though he never entered upon the active duties of the position. As too often happens in such large efforts, a considerable part of the amount subscribed was never paid, and a large part of the amount paid was applied to the cancellation of the many debts which had perplexed the college officers and hampered their work. Notwithstand- ing these facts, and in itself considered, the effort of Dr. Johnson was phenomenal, and great praise cannot be withheld for his devoted and self-sacrificing labor. It added tremendously to the avails and opportunities of the school. i The years immediately following were charac- terized by even and scholarly work on the part 241 242 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. of the teachers and steady devotion on the part of the students. The finances were in better condition than ever before, owing to the increase in the en- dowment fund, and the payment of outstanding obligations. The professors were doing a vast amount of classroom work and sacrificing literary and scholastic ambitions in order to meet the severe demands of the school. Dr. Fairman was teaching all of the mathematics required in the College classes, and carrying in addition the work in natural philosophy, chemistry, geology and mineralogy. Professor Clarke had full charge of the Greek, the French and the German languages, and inci- dentally gave instruction in Biblical literature and inter- pretation. In spite of their herculean labors they were dealt with after a very human and seemingly heartless fashion, and their salaries were a fluctuating and uncer- tain quantity. At about this time a large reduction was made \vith extreme suddenness, yet with aggravating equanimity, by the trustees. The number of students in all departments for the year ending with June, 1878, was one hundred and sixty-four. In the following year there was a decrease of about forty, though the College attend- ance rose from fifty-five to fifty-eight. At the beginning of the latter year an interesting special feature was introduced and has continued in vogue ever since. Realizing that many of the new students came for the first time from their homes, and were unaccustomed to college life and inclined to loneliness, the two literary societies instituted a "joint sociable," which all teachers and pupils were cordially urged to attend. The success of this plan for the introduction of new students and the establishment of happy and fraternal relations among all members of the institution, has caused its perpetuation. DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 243 The Y. M. C. A. organization has recognized the value of this idea and has made it a prominent feature in con- nection with its work in the American colleges ; but the plan was in active operation at Shurtleff long before the Christian associations began to emphasize its importance. The chief event of the year was the introduction of an entirely ne\v scheme of discipline. With the full consent and hearty good wishes of the trustees and faculty, the students organized themselves into a General Assembly, This august body adopted a constitution, elected officers, chose a senate of fifteen members, and established a court consisting of a chief justice and two associate justices. 1 Under the constitution certain laws were enacted by the senate, which became valid with the sanction of the presi- dent of the College, but without his approval were null and void. All offenses were tried before the student court and punished by fines which varied according to the char- acter of the offenses. Cases requiring expulsion from college, and like severe penalties were referred to the faculty. If a student rebelled against the judgment of his peers, and refused to pay any fine which the court imposed, he was straightway turned over to the faculty for discipline. By these terms the students were not only put upon their honor, but the responsibility for the good government of the school rested with peculiar weight upon "those who served as members of the senate and court. During the first year of its history the new plan worked excellently, and the organization rendered valuable aid ! The officers of the Student Government during the first year of its existence were as follows: President of the General Assembly, Frank I. Merchant; Vice- President, E. B. Black; Secretary and Treasurer, J. F. Baker; Marshal, Justus L. Bulkley; Prosecuting Attorney, Rush English; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, R. S. Wade; Associate Justices, S. J. Ghee and G. L. Morrill. 244 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. to the faculty in the administration of discipline and in the protection of the buildings, the furniture and the other property of the institution. The students learned lessons of self-control and character-building through the medium of the new charge set upon their shoulders ; while the faculty acted wisely in confirming the decisions of the court and in refusing to investigate or entertain "appeals." The principal weakness was the natural leniency of the student- judges in passing sentence upon their fellows. This policy led in the course of the second year to an atti- tude of indifference toward the findings of the court, and instead of regarding his position as a keen disgrace the student who was taxed or punished was often inclined to bear it patiently, and to treat the whole matter as a joke when he had nonchalantly fulfilled the requirement of the judges. In a reaction from this condition of things certain measures were inaugurated that were much more drastic in their tendency. The effect was not encouraging to the authorities. From every quarter came loud com- plainings, and very soon the dormitory was nearly de- serted, the students finding themselves less firmly bound by the regulations of the senate while they were occupy- ing rooms in town. At the opening of the term in the autumn of 1880 some of the restless spirits determined to test gently the quality and temper of the newly-elected court, so they made an attack upon the panels in the fence which had just been erected in front of the College. Further than this, they displaced several rods of sidewalk, and overturned the stile. To their own immense satisfaction the criminals were acquitted by the court. Critics and croakers held up their hands in holy horror. Surely such leniency was unpardonable. Law and order were at an end. Discipline would be impossible. Anarchy would hold full sway. DR. KEXD RICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 245 But strangely enough the inevitable did not happen. The unruly element made obeisance to the mild judgment of their peers. The complacent and liberal spirit in which the student-court met the test which the rebellious faction had made, produced a happy effect, and tranquillity and good order reigned in the school during the winter months. At the close of the year, however, the system of student-government was abandoned. The ideal was most excellent, but in the practical outworking of the scheme the inexperience and youth of the responsible parties, to- gether with the strength and bias of personal friendships and college rivalries, made even-handed justice and unprejudiced decisions well-nigh impossible. The year 1879-80 was marked on the one hand by one of the most helpful experiences, and on the other by one of the most serious conflicts in the life of the College. A genuine inspiration was received in the series of meetings which w r ere held during February and March. The preaching was done almost exclusively by President Ken- drick and Dr. Bulkley. The convincing logic of the one and the affectionate appeals of the other of these two men were abundantly blessed. Though the work of the College went forward without interruption, the meetings contin- ued with unabated interest for five weeks, and forty per- sons were added to the Baptist Church. Without undue excitement, but with deep and tender expressions of the love of Jesus Christ, many of the students were brought into the Kingdom of God. It was a season of genuine refreshing. The little unpleasantness came earlier in the year, and before the College had settled down to its customary steady method of work. In October a clash occurred between the seniors and the faculty, which boded ill for a time. The entire senior class was suspended for a week 246 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. or more, and it required several faculty meetings, several student caucuses, and several conferences between the contending parties to reach a satisfactory adjustment of difficulties. But while the class, like Mahomet's coffin, hung between heaven and earth, one of its members un- wittingly dealt the College a severe blow. He had been appointed as a delegate to the intercollegiate oratorical contest, which was about to convene in its third annual meeting. As the class at that time was under censure, and not attending recitations, the student who had been appointed to represent Shurtleff as orator considered that he was not a bona fide member of the College, and that therefore he could not compete in the contest. Conse- quently he remained at home. Now, the rules of the Association provided that if the representative of any college should fail to put in an appearance at the contest, the institution to which he belonged should straightway forfeit all rights of membership in the body. Conse- quently the relations of Shurtleff to the Association were severed by the action of her chosen representative. At the beginning of the following year the students deter- mined to apply for readmission, but through lack of a vig- orous and systematic canvass of the question they lost the golden opportunity, although Monmouth and Illinois col- leges and the Illinois Industrial University had practi- cally pledged their hearty support, and readmission could probably have been obtained with little difficulty. Not for four years after the forfeiture of membership was a resolute effort made to regain admission to the Associa- tion. In 1883 two of the students, Harry H. Tilbe and Edgar B. Roach, visited Rockford, where the annual meeting was in session, and pressed Shurtleff's claim most earnestly. They were unsuccessful in their mission, and though other attempts were made in later years, the DR. KEN BRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 247 College has never been readmitted to full membership. The intercollegiate association in the '8os was strong and influential, so that ShurtlefFs self-banishment was a most unfortunate circumstance. The Chicago," Northwestern and Illinois Universities were constituent members of the organization. All of these schools afterward withdrew, and today the association is in charge of a few of the smaller colleges, and divides its energies between athletic and oratorical contests. Missteps and mistakes Avill now and then occur, even in the best regulated schools. The faculty were certainly in no way blameworthy, for the members of the teaching-body at Shurtleff were zealous for the general interests of their pupils, and as well for their moral and religious culture. Every student was obliged to attend divine worship each Sunday morning. In the evening all might follow their own pleasure. Many of them remained in their rooms ; some went to the reg- ular preaching service at the church ; some made social calls, while others attended the students' Sunday evening meetings, which were held in the chapel. These meetings were exceedingly valuable to the young people, combining as they did in a most helpful fashion the intellectual and the spiritual elements. They were frequently conducted by the president or one of the professors, who added to their interest by a thoughtful exposition of Scripture or a short address of direct and practical worth. Though attendance at these gatherings was purely voluntary, the number present was usually quite large. All of the students were required to attend the College chapel each week-day morning. On these occasions the seniors and juniors presented orations, but the professors were seldom to be seen. In former years the full faculty had graced these occasions of mingled duties, devotional 248 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. and rhetorical, with their constant presence, and had criti- cised with much care the efforts of the speakers ; but now the president conducted the religious exercises, and he and the students constituted the Board of Examination and Criticism on the orations which followed. That there was no shirking of duty on the part of the president is evident from the fact that on more than one occasion he required the author of an oration to revise and rewrite it com- pletely, after presentation. The task of appearing before the full student-body, and of delivering a discourse of his own composition in presence of that usually attentive and critical audience, was a severe ordeal, but a good discipline. Under the guidance of President Kendrick these exercises were fruitful of positive and gratifying results. In the autumn of 1881 the number of students had increased to one hundred and forty-three, and fifty-seven of these were young women. The apt- ness and ability of the latter made literary and scholastic competition more brisk, and added a real inspiration to the work of all the classes. There were seventy students from the Altons, about one-half of the entire registration and a wholly unprecedented condi- tion of affairs. Ordinarily the numerical contribution of the city of Alton to the enrollment lists of the College has been quite insignificant, and the interest of the great body of its citizens in the welfare of the school has been surprisingly slight. Perhaps this is true in almost every college town ; perhaps not. Perhaps, also, there is usually a considerable amount of jealousy between village nnd college, or "town and gown." Such a feeling, though often manifest, is probably independent of the question of numerical patronage. However this may be it is inter- esting to notice that in the case before us the year which DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 249 saw so large an influx of students from the vicinity of the school witnessed several outbreaks that threatened the peace of all concerned. The fracas began by the molesta- tion of some of the students on their return from the post- office in the evening. The incident developed a habit, and soon stones and other articles were thrown out of the darkness at the young men on their way from the office, after the opening of the evening mail. As life and limb were endangered by this habit of the town boys the students fell into an equally reprehensible habit of carry- ing firearms, and of discharging pistols into the air now and then. This silenced the enemy for a time; but one evening a party of roughs pounced upon an unoffending student, and attacked him with knives and rocks. He for- tunately escaped with his life, but his fellows and friends immediately appealed to the "village fathers" to obtain redress. These worthies expressed the fullest sympathy with the student who had been molested, but refused to move a hand in the enforcement of justice. After seek- ing vainly for redress from this source, the students, at their own expense, prqcured the arrest of the ringleader and had him tried by a magistrate outside the corporate limits of Upper Alton. He was found guilty and received a well-deserved punishment. By this means order was restored and an outward appearance of peace once more possessed the community. A revolutionary movement was now made. By the introduction of special departments and schools Pres- ident Kendrick inaugurated a new scheme of work, and enlarged and broadened the historic purpose of the school. Thus in 1882 the business course and the teachers' course were announced; in 1885 the art school came into being; in 1887 the school of music was started ; in 1888 the post- graduate department, with courses of nonresident study 250 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. for the degrees of doctor of philosophy and doctor of laws, was instituted. At the close of the tenth year of Dr. Kendrick's pres- idency an effort was inaugurated for the erec- tion of a new chapel. For half a century the chapel exercises had been held morning by morn- ing in the original brick building which the energy of the early friends of the school had reared. The chapel and the dormitory still stood alone in their glory, as they had for one and forty years, while well-nigh a dozen generations of students had frequented their corridors and classrooms. Dr. Kendrick made a quiet but vigor- ous canvass during the year, and secured several thousand dollars in subscriptions. At the meeting of the trustees in June plans and specifications were adopted, and soon after the excitment of commencement ceased the noise of building began. The executive committee, with Dr. Kendrick at their head, proceeded with commendable cau- tion in their work, resolving neither to incur an indebted- ness nor to encroach upon the endowment funds. The outside work was completed and the entire edifice ready for occupancy at the end of the college year, at which time appropriate dedicatory services were held. Hon. Daniel B. Gillham, the president of the Board of Trustees, occupied the chair, and Rev. P. S. Henson, of Chicago, delivered the address, speaking on "A Plea for the Old." In the presence of the new and imposing structure Dr. Henson recalled the age of the College, and, continuing, made an eloquent appeal for devotion to "the Old Faith, the Old People, and the Old Book." The building had cost about thirteen thousand dollars, nine thousand of which had been paid. The additional amount was obtained shortly afterward, so that no debt has ever rested upon it. Though not elegant or showy in DR. KEN BRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 251 its architecture the new chapel was substantial in its appearance and convenient in its appointments. The four large recitation rooms on the ground floor, and a spacious, well-lighted and airy audience room on the second story, added greatly to the comfort and working facilities of the College. The opening exercises of the academic year 1883-84 were held in the new chapel, the inaugural address being delivered by Professor Clarke. The financial necessities of the College were kept steadily before the people. The productive endowment at this time amounted to less than sixty-six thousand dollars. The year was a good one. In the course of the previous year Rev. J. G. Lemen. had been employed for some months as the financial agent. He had used his time in collecting unpaid pledges and in furthering at the same time the interests of the Education Society. Now, in his room and stead, and in consequence of his resigna- tion, Rev. H. W. Thiele assumed the duties of the office. He carried forward his work quietly and persistently, pre- senting the claims of the School in such a way that he set men thinking, and gave offense to none, although the amounts which he secured in cash were not large. The most liberal donation of the year was made by Mr. Robert Latham, of Jerseyville, through whose generosity the College received one thousand dollars. The en- tire increase of endowment during the year was just double that amount. But to counterbalance this addition of two thousand dollars to the permanent funds there was a deficit in current expenses of rather more than that amount. It was not a new experience, for in no year of the history of the College, from 1827 to 1899, has the annual deficit failed to appear. It has been even more permanent and ubiquitous than any other 252 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. feature of the college life. Commencement was omitted on one occasion the deficit never. Yet these regularly recurring financial worries may have been in some par- ticulars a blessing in disguise. They have frequently indi- cated growth and enlargement of facilities, while a blame- less balance-sheet might have meant stagnation. Expen- diture often mears progress and attention to necessary improvements. Other schools were suffering much more severely than Shurtleff. The trustees of Kalamazoo College, in Mich- igan, resolved at about this time to close the doors of the institution temporarily, thus stopping all expenses, and allowing the income of invested funds to accumulate until the formidable indebtedness, which had carried sor- row of heart, should be entirely canceled. This peri- lous policy was avoided by a prompt and fortunate action. Rev. Myron W. Haynes (now the president of the Board of Trustees of Shurtleff College) went out into the state to solicit funds, and as a result of his labors the debt of eighteen thousand dollars was blotted out, the sum of fifty thousand dollars was added to the endowment and the school was saved. Chicago University was also in trouble over the ques- tion of debts and deficits. Brave men, true and loyal to their trust, struggled in vain to bear the burden, which grew greater with each year that passed. The end was near, and the final act in the drama was the sale of the property by the United States marshal for two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. The sale was made under judgment of the court for three hundred and ten thousand dollars, so an indebtedness still remained, though to all intents and purposes the institution no longer existed. The comment of President Kendrick upon this termination DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 253 of an unfortunate career was characteristically wise and discriminating. He said that the facts detailed "display the necessity of conservative financiering in the man- agement of colleges. The temptation to make large out- lay is almost irresistible. It is easy to go forward, relying upon paper endowment. We do not always distinguish between 'promises to pay' and 'payments.' In benevolent enterprises, however, we are sorry to say the distinction is abysmal. In the financial revulsions which are sure to follow periodically upon the business methods of the world, the promises of the best of men often become worthless, but the debts survive the promises upon the basis of which they were incurred. It is plain that an institution is absolutely safe in its expenditures only when it has invested assets sufficient to produce the needed income. The endeavor should therefore be constantly made to increase the assets while rigidly retrenching the expenditures. It is easy enough to state the rule, but there is difficulty in the application. There is a point below which expenditures cannot go. One may retrench a college out of existence. Retrenchment must not go so far as seriously to impair the work for which the college exists. A certain extent of expenditure is needful in order to maintain the reputation and carry on the work of the institution. To find that point which is at the same time the minimum of expenditure and the maximum of possible retrenchment is a difficult problem before the college financier." The death of the university removed Shurtleff's most formidable competitor. She herself suffered a loss in the resignation of Mr. Frank I. Merchant, who had taught for five years with great acceptance. Mr. Merchant class. After his successful career as a teacher in his alma 254 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. mater, he went to Germany, where in 1890 he. received the degree of doctor of philosophy at the University of Berlin. Since then he has held the professorship of Latin in the State University of South Dakota. His superior methods of teaching and his zeal for high scholarship are referred to with enthusiasm by those who studied under his charge at Shurtleff in the early eighties. Mr. Merchant and his classmate, John L. Pearson, had been the first editors of the new College publication. The initial number of the "Qui Vive" had appeared in 1868, and the paper had suspended publication in 1876. Its sus- pension was due to the fact that it had become rather a "free lance," and its references to persons and events had not always been complimentary in character. Now, after the lapse of three years the first number of "The College Review" made its appearance, as the "publication author- ized by the Board of Trustees-." Merchant and Pearson were just the right men for the editorial task, and under their watch and guard the "Review" took its place at once among the foremost college journals of the day. In the au- tumn of 1885 a printing establishment was introduced at the College, and for several years thereafter the whole work of editing, publishing and printing was done within the limits of the campus. A large amount of job printing was also done, and thus the cost of bills for programmes and circulars was lessened. The printing office served a further purpose by affording employment to students who might otherwise have been compelled to discontinue their studies for lack of funds. That one - wise move may have many fortunate out- growths was proved in other affairs of the College at the time of which we write. When the new chapel was built the old one was shorn of its glory. Even the portraits which adorned its walls were removed to the statelier PROFESSOR FRANK I. MERCHANT. DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 255 structure across the campus. Then the library in its turn was transferred from the dormitory, and the shelves and hook cases were placed in the old chapel. At once the question of the proper arrangement of the books pre- sented itself, while on the other hand the spacious room to which the library had been brought seemed all too vast for its needs. So two very commendable decisions were reached that the books should be classified and indexed, and the size of the library increased. Mr. Henry E. Mills and Mr. Augustus L. Abbott were accordingly commis- sioned to arrange and recatalogue the books, and through the kindness of Mr. Lewis E. Kline, the secretary of the St. Louis branch of the American Baptist Publication Society, the printing was done without expense to the College. Mr. Kline also made a valuable donation of books, and his example was followed by many other frien/ls of the school, so that about five hundred volumes were added in the course of the year. Some of these were purchased with the income of the student's literary fund, and nearly all were standard works, so that the gain to the College was by no means insignificant. The library of a denominational school is usually composed very largely of patent office reports and the dilapidated remains of theological and mis- cellaneous collections, donated by well-meaning ministers. The elements of scholarship and lit- erary merit are lacking. Such libraries are collected, not selected. They have variety without living interest, and their chief claim to regard lies in their heterogeneity of titles, though the theological complexion predominates. Such books, dry as dust, with worn covers and in gloomy bindings, weighing down the shelves and filling the al- coves, are suggestive only of forbidding mustiness. In the agony of the many pressing financial burdens which 256 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. harrass the life of the small college, the library is too often treated as a last and least important interest. In consequence, both teachers and students suffer immeas- urably. At some distance from great centres, they are forced to depend upon the small and insufficient collection of archaic volumes which is near them. Is it any wonder that they "fossilize" and fall behind the times? From these dangers Shurtleff was to some extent relieved by the provision for regular library fees which was made, and by careful investment of the same in valuable volumes. The number of upper classmen at the opening of the year 1885-86 seemed alarmingly insignificant. There had been thirty-six college students during the previous year, and the number now fell to twenty-three. The decrease was largely owing, however, to the fact that no class had matric- ulated from the preparatory department. By a change which had been made in the curriculum of the department three years before, the course of study was lengthened from six to nine terms, and the effect of this regulation was now felt. The decrease was, therefore, not a sign of weakness, but an indication of definite and healthful progress. In spite of the change the freshman class was by no means a cipher, for three students presented them- selves for enrollment at the beginning of the autumn term. The change that had been made was wholly in the interests of good scholarship. It applied to both classical and scientific courses, and it received the indorsement and hearty approval of the students as well as the friends of the school. Though this rearrangement of the curriculum con- ferred honor and dignity, it did not materially affect finan- cial conditions and needs. So in December, 1885, Dr. Kendrick made a strong appeal to the Board to increase the endowments, and drew attention to the constantly- DR. KEN BRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 257 recurring deficits in the current expense account. The College was doing a large business with an insufficient capital. The amount of business could not be diminished without self-annihilation. It was therefore imperative that the capital should be increased. The president there- fore pleaded for the adoption of a plan looking to the addition of fifty thousand dollars to the funds by obtain- ing subscriptions to the endowment bonds. 1 The Board considered the proposition gravely, commended it in warm though general terms and adjourned. After con- sulting with Dr. Kendrick, however, the financial agent determined to seek by all possible means to carry forward the plan. His toil and time brought small reward, for the trustees failed to co-operate actively in the undertaking. In spite of this apathetic spirit the president had by no means lost hope, nor did he relinquish the idea of a larger permanent endowment. Mr. Thiele had resigned and Rev. E. S. Graham had succeeded him as financial officer. The College was well equipped, well attended, well admin- istered. The rival school in Chicago was a thing of the past. The General Association of Illinois had just given its specific endorsement to the College, now fairly entered upon its sixtieth year of history, and had commended it to the interest and support of the people. A year had gone since the former appeal to the Board. And so again, with utmost earnestness, the needs of the College were set 'The endowments of the College, including unadjusted claims and unpaid sub- scriptions were: In 1882 - $59,823.52 " 1883 ----- 65,789.42 " 1884 - 67,838.38 " 1885 ----- 70,889.19 " 1886 - - - - 70,149.77 The buildings and grounds were valued at $42,054.19, which brought the entire assets of the College, in 1886, to a total of $ 1 14,204. 52. The liabilities were about $8,000.00. 258 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. before the governing body, and they were besought to use their influence and personal effort to secure the pay- ment of the floating debt, the increase of the endowment, and the erection of a new building that should serve as a home for the young lady students. As a building is tangi- ble and endowment often seems intangible, the trustees took the last suggestion first, and commissioned the finan- cial secretary to go forth into highways and byways, and obtain sufficient money to build a ladies' hall. Incidentally he was to labor for the other objects. Mr. Graham was no idler. After a few weeks' work he reported five hun- dred dollars promised toward the building fund and five hundred dollars toward the endowment, besides three thousand dollars conditionally pledged for a young men's clubhouse. The contributions to the endowment kept gathering volume until fifteen thousand dollars had been subscribed; then they ceased. The clubhouse never ma- terialized. The five hundred dollars for the ladies' hall were pledged by Charles F. Mills, of Springfield, and con- stituted the real commencement of the canvass, which bore fruitage in the very handsome "Martha Wood Cot- tage," which has afforded a pleasant and happy home for the daughters of Shurtleff for a dozen years past. June closed a bright year. "The best in the history of the College" was the off-hand verdict of many, and this verdict was confirmed by a member of the faculty who had known the varying fortunes of the school through many years of stress and triumph. The num- ber of students was not greater than it had been during the preceding five years. But a wholesome and stimu- lating spirit had thrilled and permeated the school life, and the students had responded cordially to the efforts of the teachers in their behalf. Not least among the events of the year was the establishment of an important DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 259 social function. By way of experiment Washington's birthday was celebrated as the College Class-Day. A programme consisting of patriotic orations by represen- tatives of the various classes and music by the College band, was the feature of the afternoon ; and in the even- ing a banquet was given and good nature and kindly feelings held full sway. So successful was the occasion that it became the progenitor of the annual class day, which is now the chief sociel event of the college year. In the celebration of this "day of days" the literary societies have loyally joined their forces and their efforts, laboring for the common happiness of all. It is inter- esting to notice in this connection that the year which heralded the college class day pronounced the requiem of the Society contests. For three years, beginning in 1885, these oratorical encounters were held. 1 The well known rivalry of "Alpha Zeta," and "Sigma Phi" brought to the meeting-place hosts of eager and enthusiastic friends. On the occasion of the first contest President Kendrick was obliged to utter a word of caution relative to "possible attempts of partisans to influence the deci- sion of the judges." In all three contests the Sigma Phi Society was triumphant, although both parties achieved honor by the superior character of their productions and representations. The cheers of the victorious party at the close of the third annual contest will surely never be forgotten by those who participated, but some very bitter feelings were engendered, so it became necessary to dis- continue this intensely exciting feature of society life. 'The programme in every case consisted of two declamations, two papers, two orations and an extemporaneous debate. In the first contest the Sigma Phi Society won ten points out of a possible 1 eleven. In the second, under a different method of marking, Sigma Phi scored 275% and Alpha Zeta 264. In the third the final averaging gave Sigma Phi 264 and Alpha Zeta 260. 260 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. At the last of the annual contests an interesting part of the programme was the rendition of martial music by the College band. Faithfully and well, since September's hot and dusty days, fifteen of the students who were musically gifted had been struggling through their ini- tial experiences as members of the Shurtleff Brass Band. They had practised twice each week under the leadership of Mr. Edgar B. Roach, at that time an instruc- tor in the preparatory department. The band covered it- self and the College with glory on several occasions in the latter part of the year. Its music was highly appreciated ; its enlivening strains quickened the interest of both stu- dents and teachers in musical matters; and all circum- stances combined with these to enforce the value of musi- cal training. So at the opening of the next academic year a department of music made its appearance, and before the year closed it had enrolled thirty-nine ambi- tious pupils. But the impetus which created it had its birth in the year preceding, and the band played into existence that vigorous and successful School of Music which has been a source of social and cultural strength to the College for more than a dozen years. Thus mem- ories of 'S/'s Commencement bring thoughts of a year of "sweetness and light," with suggestions of the pioneer class day banquet, the beginning of the ladies' hall, the last great literary contest, the nearly organized orches- tra, and the inauguration of the school of music, to say nothing of the baseball team, which won laurels in its victories over Blackburn University and other hapless contestants. The topics of engrossing interest throughout the year that followed were at first the progress of the ladies' building fund and then the progress of the ladies' build- ing. Undaunted by the forlorn history of Ken- DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 261 dall Institute Mr. Graham by the middle of September had started a movement to secure from the women of the state the money necessary to furnish the rooms in the ladies' home. Eight associations responded with gener- ous gifts. In December Mr. Graham came before the Board with the encouraging statement that he had secured fifteen thousand dollars' worth of subscriptions to the endowment, as the result of his first year's work in the service of the College. He was commended for his zeal and authorized to undertake the collection of funds for the new ladies' hall. The work now moved forward rap- idly. In March it was announced that Hon. Samuel Wood, of Pisgah, a member of the Board, had pledged one thousand dollars as a tribute to the memory of his wife, who had recently died. In April six thou- sand dollars had been promised; the contract for the building had been let ; ground had been broken ; the walls were rising. In June the trustees met and named the new building "The Martha Wood Cottage." In Septem- ber it was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. On the afternoon of the sixth day of the month a reception was held in the parlors of the new building and in the evening the formal exercises took place in the chapel. The "Cottage" was a handsome three-story structure, with a pleasant outlook, and furnished rooms for twenty young ladies. A still larger number might be accom- modated in case of necessity. On the first floor were the reception parlors, the music rooms and the apart- ments of the lady teachers. The second floor contained the rooms for the students. The third floor was reserved for future use as a gymnasium ; it has never been fin- ished. A brick building of eight rooms in close prox- imity to the new building had been purchased by the College some years before. This "Annex," as it was 262 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. called, was utilized as the matron's department, and in it the kitchen and dining-room were located. The entire arrangement of cottage and annex was most admirable and a model of convenience. The cost of erecting the cottage was eleven thousand dollars, while the subscrip- tions aggregated nine thousand. Secretary Graham nott went forth to secure the balance. In this undertaking he failed to succeed and a large part of the amount which he had before secured in subscriptions was never paid. A year later the treasurer stated that a debt of six thousand dollars still remained on the building, and although this sum has decreased, the College is still paying some two hundred and fifty dollars a year in the way of interest. The number of lady students has never been very great. The children of wealthy parents in our western land go to Vassar, Wellesley and other women's colleges in the East; or they follow shorter and more popular courses in seminaries and finishing schools. On the other hand, most of the college girls as well as a majority of the col- lege boys who study in the small institutions are not bred in affluence; they cannot therefore command the advan- tages and privileges which a women's dormitory usually provides. A boy's room may be bare and cheerless ; a girl's room, if the college furnish it, must be roomy and attrac- tive, and its rental must therefore be higher. Being un- able to offer the excellent and even elegant accommoda- tions of the Martha Wood Cottage at a rate below that of the ordinary boarding house, the patronage in this department has never been large enough to fill the build- ing. Other incidents occurred to retard the growth at the very beginning. At the time that the ladies' hall was built a school in the northern part of the state was claim- ing a goodly share of public attention. Mrs. Shimer, the DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 263 owner and superintendent of the Mt. Carroll Seminary, had offered the establishment to the ladies of the Bap- tist denomination, and they were considering very seri- ously the question of accepting the trust, and endowing the school as a Baptist college for women. Though the negotiations failed they had the effect of bringing the institution prominently before the minds of the people. After a successful career Mt. Carroll has recently been given to the University of Chicago and, rechristened as "The Francis Shimer Academy," it enters upon a career of enlarged usefulness. During the dozen years which followed the Jubilee celebration the College classes were discouragingly small. Nor have many of the students of that period attained a noteworthy distinction, though they have almost without exception led stalwart and useful lives. In 1878 the longest list of graduates appears, the number for that year being thirteen. The roll contains the name of one now Hon. Francis W. Parker of Chicago whose bril- liant career has been watched with peculiar interest by all friends of Shurtleff. After the completion of his course in law Mr. Parker was for two years an examiner in the patent office at Washington. He was a member of the Illinois legislature for some time, serving as the representative from the first district of Chicago. For years he has been one of the most widely known of the younger men in the legal profession in the West. He has offices -in Chicago and in London, spending half of his time abroad. Not only because of his worthily-won success, but because of his splendid Christian manhood, and his loyal devotion to his Alma Mater, the College re- joices in his honorable achievements. CHAPTER XVI. THE PRESIDENCY OF ADIN A. KENDRICK, 1889-1894. The Ladies' Education Society Numerical growth Washington Leverett The Leveretts and their work A tragic event Beginning of a laboratory The new Gymnasium Losses by death The pro rata system Orlando L. Castle The " New Endowment. " Two commodious buildings had been erected within six years and the spirit of progress was still active. The president now emphasized the desirability of renovating completely the dormitory and raising an additional endowment of one hundred thousand dollars. The last suggestion by its magnitude somewhat startled the trustees and they treated it with delicate caution. In connection with the proposed improvements in the dormitory a ladies' educa- tion society was organized, with Mrs. H. C. First as president, Mrs. E. S. Graham as secretary, and a board of directors consisting of fifteen members. Most of the ladies were residents of the Altons. Their initial effort in behalf of the College was the inauguration of the Dor- mitory Club, at which satisfactory board was furnished at a minimum of expense. Many ladies in different parts of the state contributed funds or food, and the club was energetically conducted for a time. It was then found to be rather a thankless burden; so the ladies turned their attention to the equipment and repair of the dor- 264 DR. KEN D RICK'S ADMINISTRATION. zO5 mitory itself. In this work Mrs. John Leverett and others were worthily active, and as a result the rooms from cellar to garret were papered and painted and their appearance greatly improved. The College was growing in numbers steadily and surely. The addition of the new schools of music, art, business and graduate study swelled the enrollment and thus proved the popularity of the new policy. In the years between '86 and '91 the numbers in attendance were respectively 149, .177, 209, 228 and 272, including the non-resident students in the graduate department. On the morning of Friday, December 13, 1889, the College was 'deprived of one of its staunchest friends. The death of Washington Leverett removed a man who had been identified with the school for a period of fifty- three years. He held at one time or another during this period the offices of principal of the preparatory school, professor in the College, acting president of the College, trustee, treasurer and librarian. As a teacher he was painstaking and exact, as an administrator cautious and diligent, as a man sincere in character and true in friend- ship. Companionship with him was a delight. He came to Shurtleff full of the hope and vigor of youth. He died at the ripe age of eighty-four. In the early strug- gles of the College, when her men were obliged to make bricks without straw, his scholarship and consecration were an inestimable boon. In later days his kindly face and wise counsel were a benediction to teachers and stu- dents alike. Those who are most thoroughly conversant with the religious and intellectual development of Shurtleff Col- lege honor with deepest and most reverent affection the names of the twin brothers, Washington and Warren Leverett. Alike in culture of soul and charm of personal- 260 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ity they were in no sense mere counterparts or copies of each other. One felt in each the force of an original and vigorous individual life, Washington, the elder, was perhaps more technical and precise, a trifle sterner in manner, with peculiar gifts as an administrator. War- ren, the younger, was rather in 'mental mould the classi- cist, in manner easier of approach, very near and dear to every student's heart. The secret forces that make for power wrought might- ily in these two men. Their fame is not widely known in the high places of our land. Theirs were the larger and deeper things of life. Theirs the serene yet stupendous influence that enters the heart, that shapes men, that settles sound convictions in young minds, that safeguards great principles, that serves steadily in the place of duty, that lifts other eager souls to seats of eminence. Each bore without abuse "the grand old name of gen- tleman." And what elements go to make the gentle- man? Shall we say strength? These men were strong with undying majesty of character. Shall we say cour- tesy? These men were models of kindly graciousness. Shall we say selflessness? These man gave long years of toil and rich treasure of affectionate self-denial to their pupils, and by them to the world. Not in records of boards, nor in financial campaigns, nor in brilliant pub- lic appeals, did they blazon their names in the annals of ShurtlefFs developing life. They writ their names not large but deep. They built for eternity. They wrought in the love of God for the Christian manhood of the future. Theirs therefore the highest wisdom and theirs the worthiest praise. Both Washington and Warren 'Leverett were identified with the College in every period of crisis through which it passed, and to their heroic devotion in times of great DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 267 danger and stress is due the very existence of the insti- tution today. They were not mere lecturers, mere in- structors, mere disciplinarians. They possessed the spirit and instincts of the true educator. They understood the use of the personal factor. They entered into the lives of their students as a directing force. They were wise counsellors. They knew thoroughly the needs and the ambitions that centre in the life of the ardent seeker after truth. They could guard the impet- uous steps and inspire the vague yearnings of youth. They were in close and vital sympathy with student ideals, being students themselves as well as teachers. They were consulted freely and often on all manner of subjects, and their response was ever hearty and helpful. Such men, in positions of responsible influence, guiding the destinies of young manhood, were in themselves a triumphant jus- tification of the place and worth of "the smaller college." They were scholarly men. Their years of successful study at Brown and at Newton had laid a goodly foun- dation, and imparted a zeal for knowledge. Their minds were well disciplined and thoroughly cultivated. Had they followed the bent of their own inclinations they would doubtless have become specialists in the depart- ments of mathematics and classics, respectively. But the demands were so varied, the pressure so strong, the labor- ers so few, that they were obliged to abandon any such pleasant dreams and undertake many and diverse duties. For years nearly all of the teaching in the College was done by these two honored men. Yet the eager verdict of the army of students who sat under their instruction, rising in a single and unanimous voice, attests the care- fulness of their teaching, the skill of their methods, the exactness of their knowledge. Above all they were Christian men and this accounts 268 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. for all else. Their willingness to serve their pupils and their love for genuine scholarship were qualities which found their focus in a loyal devotion to the truth, as revealed in the teachings and character of Christ. Con- cerning the spirit which ruled their lives the Hon. Thomas Dinnmock, of St. Louis, a student of the '405, writes : "During its darkest days they literally carried Shurtleff on their shoulders, and bore the heavy load without a whisper of complaint brave, true men that they were. My old College never has had, never will have, braver and truer ones, if it lives a thousand years." The char- acter and work of such men are indeed "a sweet savor of life unto life." Less than three months after the death of Professor Leverett the even tenor of the College life was disturbed by a sad and startling event. The house of Hon. D. B. Gillham, the president of the Board of Trustees of the College, was entered by burglars, and in his effort to resist them Mr. Gillham was fatally wounded. He died on the sixth day of April, and his funeral was attended by the students and faculty in a body, by the governor of Illinois and by many distinguished men from various parts of the state. His death removed from the College a vigorous ally and a wise leader. His prominence in political and agricultural circles had a distinct bearing upon the welfare of the College, and played a consider- able part in enlarging the sphere of its activities. Though the removal of Dr. Leverett and Mr. Gillham was a severe blow, new friends and old were planning for its future growth. On New Year's day Mr. W. E. Hayward, of Pana, had sent a check for four hundred dol- lars to Dr. Fairman, to be used in the purchase of appa- ratus for the department of physics. This was practically the beginning of the physical laboratory, for the equip- DR. KEN D RICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 269 ment prior to the time of this unexpected gift was exceed- ingly scant. Mr. Hayward has been a generous benefactor of the School during the past decade, and on many occa- sions has contributed to its needs. He had recently made the acquaintance of Dr. Fairman, and was so deeply impressed with the worth and devotion of the man that he began the new year by a generous donation to the department over which he presided. The College had had a gymnasium once upon a time, but it was a lean and hungry affair, so at last it was torn down by the students themselves. As it had served the purpose of a barn and stable for horses, as well as that of a home for physical culture, its destruction was un- doubtedly a blessing without disguise. A larger and more complete equipment became a necessity. So in the course of the winter months of '89 and '90 a movement began among the students looking to the establishment of a gymnasium worthy of the name. As sentiment would not build it and money was not plentiful, the boys made an appeal to the governing powers. The Board of Trus- tees, according to custom, pleaded interest but inability. President Kendrick, however, took hold of the matter with a strong hand. On class day, when of all times in the year college spirit and patriotic zeal run high, he proposed that a gymnasium be built. A representative audience had gathered in Chapel Hall. The orations and declama- tions of the undergraduates had been given. The propo- sition was made without previous warning, but the time and the occasion were opportune, and within fifteen min- utes five hundred dollars had been subscribed. A general committee of students was at once organized and went to work with fine spirit. In June the executive committee of the trustees were authorized to break ground for the building, but memories of the corner stone laying of 1865 270 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. and its sorry sequel caused them to move prudently, so break ground they did not. After a few personal inter- views, however, and a few urgent letters, the trustees brought victory into view. The gift of one thousand dollars from David Pierson, of Carrollton, made the gymnasium a realizable quantity. Its walls went up rapidly and in November it was ready for occupancy. Dr. J. W. Ford, the pastor of the Second Bap- tist Church, St. Louis, and the successor of Mr. Gill- ham as president of the Board, delivered the address at the opening. Professor O. P. Seward, the new instructor in physical culture, entered upon his duties at once. Little by little during the years the amount of apparatus has been increased, until an excellent provision for the requirements of the department has been reached. Larger and more important plans were gradually ma- turing. The announcement was made in February, 1891, that the American Baptist Education Society had prom- ised to the College a gift of ten thousand dollars on condi- tion that an additional forty thousand dollars should be secured in the field. In order that the success of the un- dertaking might be ensured, Dr. Kendrick was asked to relinquish his duties at the College and devote his time to a canvass for the funds necessary to meet the conditional pledge of the Education Society. As soon as the com- mencement season was over the active canvass was begun. There was just one year in which to secure the desired amount and it was therefore necessary to obtain an aver- age of nearly one thousand dollars per week. Dr. Ken- drick was aided during a part of the time by Dr. Bulkley, but he carried forward unaided much of the planning, travelling and pleading. During the summer the sub- scription list rose to eight thousand dollars. The real work began at that point, for those who gave first were DR.. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 271 chiefly those who were most deeply interested or who found it most easy to contribute. The College had recently suffered a severe affliction in the death of one of its tried friends, whose knowl- edge of business affairs would have been of great service in the campaign for endowment. The loss of Professor George B. Dodge was an even more serious event. He was struck by an express train as he was crossing the tracks at the Upper Alton railway station and was instantly killed. No sadder event has occurred in the history of the School. He was an alum- nus of the College in the class of 1857, the principal of Shurtleff Academy from 1870 to 1882, a member of the Board of Trustees from 1882 to 1889, and treasurer of the College from 1888 until his death on the sixth of February, 1891. He had also held positions of respons- ibility in other institutions. Immediately upon gradu- ating he went to teach in the asylum for deaf-mutes at Jacksonville. After filling that position for several years he enjoyed a period of foreign travel, and returned to assume the chair of Greek at Illinois College. He had also had some years' experience as principal of important public schools before his call to his Alma Mater. Coming again in the fulness of his vigor, and with a natural culture enriched by his years of study and travel, he brought both power and enthusiasm to the school. To a thoroughly disciplined intellect and fine ability as a teacher and leader of youth he joined a wonderfully genial disposition, and as well a sound judgment in all practical affairs. His loss was deeply and widely mourned. During quite a lengthy period both he and his accomplished wife were members of the faculty, and their influence over the lives of the students was most healthful and inspiring. Though deprived of the counsel of Dr. Leverett, Mr. 272 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. Gillham, Mr. Dodge and Mr. Pierson, all of whom had been his fellow-counsellors in earlier years, Dr. Kendrick carried forward his canvass with a zeal that was con- tagious. The College itself was in a promising condition. The boys' dormitory had been completely renovated by the ladies of Upper Alton during the summer. Before the autumn term was ten days old nearly one hundred new students had presented themselves. In the previous school year the enrollment had reached two hundred and seventy-two, the largest since the founding of the school. Most of these were registered in the many special schools. The instructors were interested in their teaching, although by the operation of the pro rata system of pay- ment their salaries were a somewhat uncertain quantity, and they could never expect to have them paid in full, unless the College should run absolutely without deficit. This plan, which had been in force for five years, although heroic in the extreme, in its bearing upon the personal life of the professor, as a matter of financial policy was quite beyond criticism. It was heartily approved by the trustees, who stated in definite terms that "the burden which it imposes upon the members of the faculty is much more than counterbalanced by its merit, in that it rescues the College from the insupportable burden of accumulat- ing debt." 1 According to the provisions of the pro rata rule the amounts received in the way of interest and the term-bills of students were divided into three parts. One of these, consisting of the lecture and library fees, was reserved for the payment of lectures and for the 'An unprejudiced observer, if he happened to be in a critical mood, might say that this arrangement, translated into open language, meant that "the burden of deficits is henceforth to be shifted from the shoulders of the trustees to the shoulders of the long-suffering professors. ' ' DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 273 librarian's salary. Another part, consisting of seven- teen hundred and fifty dollars annually, was desig- nated for the payment of general college expenses. All that remained in the way of income was applied on the salary account, payment being made to each member of the faculty in proportion to the amount of his nominal salary. The nominal salaries were small, the real salaries were smaller, and the exact amount which each man would receive was absolutely uncertain until the end of the year. If by any chance the balance of income should exceed the. nominal salaries of the pro- fessors, the surplus was to be used for general college expenses, not applied as a bonus to the overworked teachers. But such an event never occurred. It might be objected to the pro rata plan that, with its arbitrary provisions and the uncertainties which it involved, no men of high scholarship could be induced to come under its ruling or submit to its terms. As a matter of fact, however, the men who were serving the College at the time that this rule was in force were strong teachers who were ready to sacrifice many personal ambitions for the sake of the school which they loved. One of these grand men was called home on Saturday, the 3Oth of January, 1892, after an illness of four days. The passing from Shurtleff of Orlando L. Castle was an event of large significance. Through every sort of experience the College had taken its uneven course. Trials, bondage, happy deliverances, had marked the suc- cessive stages in the evolution of its history. This quiet man had continued his conscientious class-room labors day by day, year in, year out, for nearly forty years. Like the Leveretts, Loomis, Colby, Newman, Peck, Rus- sell, Bradley, Wooc 1 Fairman, and Kendrick almost all of the strong leaders of Shurtleff s life he was a native 274 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. of New England. He was born in the Green Mountain State in 1822. Throughout the days of his childhood he led the hardy outdoor life of a farmer boy. A mid- winter journey in an open sleigh, when he was ten years old, brought him with his parents from Vermont to Ohio. Here, in the humble fashion of the pioneer, the family lived for some time in a rude log cabin, containing but a single room. Consumed by a burning desire to enter the teaching profession, he entered the preparatory depart- ment of Granville College, expecting that a single term of study would be all that his limited means would allow him to take, and hoping to secure in that time such a training in elemental subjects as would enable him to begin his chosen work. The one term lengthened into several years. He followed his studies steadily and with- out interruption until his graduation, with the honors of his class, in 1846. After a year as tutor in his Alma Mater, and a period of excellent service as chief of the public school system of Zanesville, Ohio, he came to Shurtlefr" as professor of rhetoric and belles letfres, retaining that position until the day of his death. Also for many years he had entire charge of the classes in the department of Latin. Three characteristics stand forth clear and luminous in his life. He was modest and unassuming to the last degree; he was a scholar, using the term in its specific as well as in its broader sense; he bowed with loving reverence before the sovereign majesty of the Christian faith. Accurate almost to the point of punctiliousness, insisting upon sound and straightforward work on the part of all his pupils, sparing no sluggard, giving no quarter to sloth or to voluble self-confidence, his criticisms were often severe though always just. But fear was overcome by love, and even the students who dreaded PROFESSOR ORLANDO L. CASTLE. DR. KEN BRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. ' 275 his keen thrusts at shallow or imperfect work recognized his undeviating zeal in their interest, his devotion to principle, his purity of soul. Noble in mind and in heart, his chaste character glorified his worthful labor as a teacher and his patient and continued research as a scholar. In the happy serenity of his home life he found a sweet refuge from the cares which his taxing profes- sional duties laid upon him. That he preserved the spirit of the genuine scholar among the innumerable duties which weigh upon the teacher in the small college is a matter for wonder. He was identified in a vital way with the College for thirty-nine consecutive years, a longer period of continuous service than that of any other professor who has ever taught in the school. Rev. W. H. H. Avery, the Baptist pastor at Jersey- ville, had been called to assume Dr. Kendrick's duties as professor of intellectual and moral science and acting professor of systematic theology. Thus the president was free to spend more of his time in the field. In October eleven thousand dollars had been subscribed and in No- vember the amount had increased to fifteen thousand. In Springfield Mr. Humphrey gathered together a dozen of the alumni and friends of the College, and after a sump- tuous banquet at the Leland Hotel, Dr. Kendrick made a stirring plea, and twelve hundred dollars came freely forth from those present in the way of response. In De- cember the president reported to the semi-annual meeting, of the Board that twenty-five thousand dollars still remained unsecured, although the year w r as half over. Then began the tug-of-war. In January the list had risen to eighteen thousand dollars, with still five months, of opportunity. In March twenty-five thousand dollars, had been pledged, and in April twenty-eight thousand,, with only eight weeks remaining. In May the total had 2/6 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. reached thirty-one thousand dollars. To collect nine thousand dollars in thirty-one days meant an average of nearly two hundred dollars per day. Franklin and William Jewell Colleges had secured their amounts, fifty thousand dollars and forty thousand dollars, respectively. Their period of probation expired on the first of May, and that day found them with a list fully completed. Their success was largely due, however, to the appointment of special agents, who gave their whole time to the labor of collecting. In ShurtlefFs case the services of the presi- dent w-ere constantly demanded at the College. The steady progress which he made in his undertaking was therefore the more remarkable. With June came the crowning. The fateful tenth of June was a day of rejoicing, for on that day was heralded the triumphant tidings that not alone the necessary forty thousand dollars had been pledged, but some twenty- two hundred and fifty dollars extra to cover possible shrinkages and deficiencies. It was a grand work, well planned and nobly executed. But Dr. Kendrick was by no means satisfied. Even in the midst of his arduous canvass he had taken occasion to insist again and again that success did not mean inertia and indifference for the future ; but that an effort should immediately be put forth to obtain other sums for inci- dental purposes, such as the erection of two new buildings and the liquidation of debts already incurred. During the winter and spring he issued several strong appeals for an additional fifty thousand dollars for new buildings and needed improvements. In March he announced that over six hundred dollars had been received, and additional amounts were soon added. A wise use was made of this money as it came in. Electric lights were put in the dormitory halls; a system of drainage was secured, and DR. KENDRICK'S ADMINISTRATION. 277 the chapel was renovated and made very attractive. That the full amount asked for was not contributed was due to the lethargy of the supporters of the school. The subscriptions that had been made on the new endowment list were being paid promptly,, owing to the careful oversight of the president of the College, and by June, 1893, one year after the completion of the list, more than sixteen thousand dollars in cash had been paid by subscribers in the field, and the proportionate four thousand dollars had been received from the Education Society, making a distinct addition to the endowment funds of the College of upward of twenty thousand dol- lars. It is worthy of notice that this amount consisted wholly of cash. Even with this welcome addition the productive funds were lamentably small. The autumn of 1893 began the twenty-second year of Dr. Kendrick's presidency. At the following commence- ment he resigned his position to accept the pastorate of the Immanuel Baptist Church in St. Louis. In spite of the sincere regrets of the many friends of the College, he felt it his duty to press his resignation, in order that he might resume the labors of pastor and preacher. By his quiet persistence Dr. Kendrick had kept Shurtleff in the path of progress. By his native acumen and his years of legal training he had secured an equipment for the per- formance of every executive task. By the force of his teaching and the example of his Christian manhood he had inspired the soundest ideals in the minds of the youth whom he trained. He was succeeded in the presidency by Mr. Austen K. de Blois, who had been for two years the principal of the Union Baptist Seminary at St. Martins, New Brunswick. CHAPTER XVII. THE PRESIDENCY OF AUSTEN K. DE BLOIS, 1894-1899. State Schools Buildings and Grounds The Lend - a - Hand Society Charles Fairman Policy of the new Administration Financial re-adjustment The Faculty strengthened The Seventieth Commencement The teaching, force Chapel lectures Athletics Chicago Alumni Association A financial cam- paign History of Alpha Zeta Bible study introduced Success of " The Review" Growth: Scholastic and numerical Justus Bulkley Place and worth of the smaller College. The progress of the smaller college was slow, while its trials and conflicts were legion, in the days when rival schools were few and far between. Within recent years its perplexities have increased. A most powerful com- petitor has entered the field, and by a policy of affiliation and centralization is seeking to bind to itself all educa- tional activities and agencies. The State School is indeed a force to be reckoned with. During the past ten years the University of Illinois has gained in enrollment more than five hundred per cent, having now about two thousand students. The last appropriation of the legisla- ture for its needs was four hundred thousand dollars. In other words, the annual grant of this school, now just in process of early development, is more than three times as great as the entire productive endowment of Shurtleff College, with its seventy years of life ! In the last decade no State University in America has expe- rienced such a rapid advance as the University of Illinois. 278 PRESIDENT AUSTEN K. DE BLOIS. SHl'RTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 279 Besides, there are four State Normal Universities, thronged with students, and another is soon to be estab- lished. Though the wonderful growth of these schools is a cause for sincere congratulation on the part of every right-thinking citizen of the commonwealth, it makes the place of the denominational college increasingly perilous. Shurtleff has suffered, during the last few years, in consequence of the presence of these new conditions. Yet she has had vigorous teachers in her class-rooms, faithful students following her courses of instruction, loyal friends desiring and promoting her prosperity. Nor have indications of progress been lacking. In the autumn of 1895 the buildings and grounds were in need of attention. Already the \vork of change and renewal had begun, under the direction of the retiring president. The painting and thorough repair of the dormitory; the renovation of the museum and physical science laboratory, without and within; the reclassifica- tion of the books in the library ; the introduction of a complete system of hot- water heating in the dormitory, and the overhauling and refurnishing of the boarding halls, were the earliest acts in the history of the new administration. The ladies of Upper Alton, entering nobly into the spirit of the time, formed an organization for the purpose of carrying forward under their own auspices the work which had just been begun. Thus came into being the "Shurtleff Lend-a-Hand Society." A series of concerts and entertainments was held during the winter months, the programmes for the sev- eral occasions being furnished and the arrangements made by special committees appointed for the purpose. The proceeds, amounting in all to some six or seven hun- dred dollars, were wisely spent in the beautifying of the 280 . THE PIONEER SCHOOL. campus. The most important undertaking upon which the ladies entered was the transformation of the ancient cellar which for thirty years had been an eyesore to the beholder. When in 1865 the trustees indulged in bold planning, but fell short in victorious achieving, they laid the corner- stone of a building that was never built. Thousands of dollars were spent in excavating an immense cellar, which remained through all the years a yawning and dangerous pit, aiding and abetting the abundant gro\vth of weeds and collecting the refuse of stoves and storerooms. Act- ing under the advice of the superintendent of Shaw's Gardens in St. Louis, the society decided that the cellar, instead of being filled and levelled off, should be carefully graded at the sides, 'traversed by a winding walk, and adorned with flowers and costly urns containing plants and vines. The stone stairways and rustic seats added to the attractiveness of the old cellar, now transformed into a garden spot. Owing doubtless to the retirement of Dr. Kendrick from the presidency, and the uncertainty which usually attends the opening of a new administration, the year's work was not in every way a success. There was a per- ceptible lack of energy among the students. Though the enrollment reached a maximum of two hundred for the year, several of those were partial-course theological stu- dents, many were pursuing a brief business course, and aboat twenty were following graduate courses out of resi- dence. In the first term there were thirty-three regular college students, of whom about two-thirds were young ladies. In the second term the number fell to twenty-nine. There was only one professor devoting his entire time to the instruction of college classes. This one, Dr. Charles Fainnan, possessed rare abilities as a teacher. To the sorrow of every friend of Shurtleff, far and near, this SHVRTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 281 venerated Christian scholar and educator was smitten on the ninth of February with an attack of pneumonia, and died five days later. Dr. Fairman had taught at Shurtleff continuously for nearly twenty years, and during that lengthy period had never been absent from a regular recitation of any of his classes. His life had been essentially that of a scholar and student. He was born in Northfield, Mass., and at the age of twenty-seven he graduated from Water- ville College in Maine. He at once began teaching, accepting the principalship of the Institute at Litchfield, Maine, as soon as his studies were completed and remain- ing there for three years. He was also principal suc- cessively of Yates Academy, Medina Academy, Xunda Academy, and Cook Academy, all of them in the state of New York. The rest of his active life was spent at Upper Alton. He was especially famous among his students for the accuracy of his knowledge and for his rare skill as a teacher. One of his pupils says of him that he was in love with knowledge, and that knowledge was a part of his life ; that he ever maintained an attitude of deepest reverence toward all truth, and that he had the instinct of the true teacher in conveying to his pupil's mind the same zeal for knowledge and intense devotion to truth which characterized his own life. He was exceedingly humble and absolutely faithful in the noble discharge of every duty that came to his hand to perform. His death was universally mourned. The teachers had lost their distinguished colaborer, the students their beloved teacher, the church one of its very staunchest advisers, the community an energetic citizen, who had entered into its counsels with unselfish devotion. His presence had gone far in holding the interest of the alumni in their Alma Mater after their departure from 282 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. college halls. His judicious temper had done much to strengthen the bonds between church and college and between town and college. It seemed now as though a death darkness were settling over the school. Before the opening of the academic year the trustees had directed that the preparatory department should henceforth be conducted as an independent institution, under the name and title of "The Shurtleff College Academy." Professor H. H. Tilbe, a graduate of Shurt- leff, who had recently returned from India, where he had labored as a missionary, had been chosen as principal. The academy remained under the general control of the president of the College, but all affairs of specific admin- istration were committed to the charge of the principal. The chapel services of the two departments were held at different hours. On the dreary winter's morning which followed the day of Dr. Fairman's death the little company of college students very few and very disconsolate came strag- gling in and took their places at the far end of the chapel. A great gulf intervened between the students and the faculty a wilderness of empty seats. Dr. Fairman's accustomed place was vacant ; his chair was draped in black. Gloom reigned without and within. None of those who were present on that day will ever forget the sad weariness of spirit which hung like a pall over the little group assembled for worship, and which wrapped in its chill wraith-mist the entire life of the school. The vacancy now left in the teaching staff was not easy to fill. To find a man who would conduct successfully all the work of the two important departments of mathe- matics and natural science was by no means a kinder- garten task, especially in such a day of specialists. After patient consideration it was decided that two new pro- PROFESSOR CHARLES FAIRMAN. SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 283 fessors should be appointed instead of one, the depart- ments being differentiated and integrated to that extent. The chair of mathematics was to be filled at once, and the chair of science at the close of the academic year. After an extended correspondence, the trustees succeeded in securing Mr. J. Archy Smith, a specialist in mathe- matics, to take charge of that branch of instruction. Mr. Smith had taught in several schools with unquali- fied success. For three years previous to his coming to Shurtleff he had held a fellowship in the University of Chicago. In connection with his university work he had given instruction to graduate students, conducting for some time a class composed largely of professors and teachers of mathematics from various parts of the Union who were pursuing advanced courses of study at Chicago. He began his duties at the College within a month after the death of Dr. Fairman. He brought with him vigor and enthusiasm. At the close of the year a deficit of some three thousand dollars on the year's expenses faced the trustees. Further retrenchment meant the extinction of the school, in so far as the work of the higher classes was concerned, so a plan of enlargement was prepared by the president of the College and submitted to the Board. It was considered most seriously at successive meetings of the trustees and executive committee, and was finally adopted, though some of its provisions and recommendations were not put into formal shape or acted upon in a definite way until later. This plan, which embodied the policy of the administration during the four following years, and which was carried forward usually with the hearty and unanimous support of the Board, albeit at times in the face of the opposition of one or two of its members, may be brien}- summarized as follows : 284 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. The College professorships should be filled by scholarly men, apt in teaching and specialists in their respective departments. The elective system should be introduced, and its privileges should be open, under proper restric- tions, to the members of the three upper classes. The science laboratories should be better equipped with appa- ratus. The aim of instructors and trustees alike should be the development of the College and the Academy, the promotion of the interests of the students in the four college classes being regarded as primary in importance. The English theological school, the post-graduate school, the school of art, the normal department, and the busi- ness college, however important they might be in them- selves, should be discontinued, unless the work of any of them could be carried on through a policy of affiliation, relieving the trustees of all responsibility for their finan- cial and especially for their scholastic conduct. A vigor- ous canvass for students should be initiated, and should be continued through the summer months of each year. In connection with this plan, personal letters, circulars and advertising material should be sent broadcast through- out the state. This general policy seemed to be consistent with the demands of sound scholarship. It was at any rate a plain and workable plan, and it promised to promote the effi- ciency of the school and the enlargement of its sphere of influence. It did not, however, solve in any direct or satisfactory way the financial problem that was pressing and perplexing the trustees. A further plan was there- fore outlined and adopted, having in view the adjustment of affairs in this department. By an arrangement with the Alton National Bank bonds were issued for twenty- five thousand dollars, and by the sale of these the many floating debts, with the several mortgages on grounds and buildings, were cancelled. Also, in order to meet any de- SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 285 ficiencies that might appear in the current expense account during the years immediately succeeding, a large number of special pledges were obtained from men of means who were friendly to the school. These pledges were payable annually and they proved to be a most welcome and substantial addition to the income of the school. The new policy required a larger teaching staff than had before been employed, and time and labor were necessary in order to secure the right men for the various positions. Those who were chosen soon proved by abun- dant evidence their qualifications for the work in hand. Mr. George E. Chipman became principal of the Acad- emy, succeeding Mr. Tilbe, who had resigned. He also undertook the establishment of a department of social and political science, which at once became exceedingly popular with the students. By several years of success- ful experience as a teacher and by extended courses of graduate study at Harvard University, where he had just been offered an instructorship, Mr. Chipman had pre- pared himself for his new duties. During his four years at Shurtleff the effect of his influence was felt very power- fully throughout the School. His zeal for high scholar- ship, his wonderful gifts as a teacher, and his deep and genuine love for young men made every member of the College community his loyal friend, and created for him a chivalrous and enthusiastic devotion on the part of the entire student body. Two other new members of the faculty were Mr. Samuel E. Swartz, who came to the chair of natural science, and Mr. Thomas W. Todd, who took charge of the English literature and elocution. Mr. Swartz had been a public school man for many years and had filled important positions. During the three years preceding the commencement of his professorship he had held a fellowship at the University of Chicago, where he 286 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. had specialized in the departments of chemistry and physics. From that institution he soon after obtained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. He was not only thoroughly conversant with the needs and work of his department, but had proved his ability as a teacher. Mr. Todd was a graduate of Acadia College in Nova Scotia. He had studied at the Boston School of Expression and had taught for some time. Professor Smith had returned, after spending the summer in teaching and study at the University of Chicago, and Dr. Bulkley and Professor Cloran were in readiness to take up the duties of their respective departments. The faculty throughout was able, wideawake and efficient. Thus Dr. Fairman's work had been divided between two strong men, and the courses of study in each of the two departments had been broadened. One new and very important department had been established. Beyond this the necessity for additional apparatus for use in the science course was now supplied. The president had stated in a meeting of the Board the fact of weakness at this point and almost instantly one of the members of the body Mr. W. E. Hayward had bidden him "ob- tain the necessary equipment and send the bills to me." This injunction was obeyed and with alacrity. The presi- dent and two members of the faculty had spent the sum- mer in an active canvass for students, so that when the sessions of the next school year began there was a large accession of new students. With the enlargement of the science laboratories, the strengthening of the faculty, and the increase in student enrollment, the year began auspiciously. It ran through to the close very quietly, swiftly, and successfully. The next year was equally prosperous. The number of col- lege students again increased, while the faculty remained SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 287 the same, except that Mr. Robert E. P. Kline took the place of Mr. Todd as instructor in English and elocution. At the close of the year the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the College was celebrated with quite elaborate exercises. The occasion was also made deeply interesting by the fact that fifty years had gone since the graduation of Dr. Justus Bulkley, the professor of history. A special "jubilee" service in his honor was held on Wednesday evening of commencement week. A great congregation, composed of trustees, teachers, stu- dents, alumni from far and near, citizens of the Altons and visitors, gathered in the Baptist church to do honor to the "oldest living graduate." In the month of Sep- tember, 1841, Justus Bulkley had landed from a river boat at "lower town," on his way to obtain an education. Finding that the school was three miles distant, and that a fee was charged for transportation thither, he shouldered the small trunk that contained all his earthly belongings and walked to the College over the rough and hilly road that led to the upper town. Six years later he received his bachelor's degree from the College. At the jubilee a series of commemorative addresses were given by speakers who represented the various decades in the history of the school. Rev. Howard R. Chapman of Rochester, N. Y., spoke for "Shurtleff in the '905," referring in touching terms to Professors Castle and Fairman, the memory of whose lives was a constant stimulus to high endeavor. Rev. Robert C. Denison, of Janesville, Wisconsin, represented the '8os; Rev. E. C. Sage, Ph. D., of New Haven, Conn., the '705, and Rev. H. H. Branch, of Carbondale, "the theologues." Dr. Sage's reverent words were echoed with a full-voiced "amen" from several old graduates in the audience as he said : "After a lapse of nineteen years I stand upon 288 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ground every foot of which is sacred with the memory of the brightest years that come to mortal man. I come to lay my tribute of undying love upon the shrine known here and everywhere by the fond name of 'Old Shurt- Leff .' " It happened very happily that Mrs. C. B. Roberts, a daughter of Dr. Bulkley and the first lady graduate of Shurtleff, was present at the anniversaries. She made a charming address in which she recalled the repeated and urgent petitions which she and Miss Read had presented to the lawfully constituted authorities, begging to be allowed to enter upon the regular college course, and the reluctant consent which at last they succeeded in securing. She contrasted the strict proprieties of those days with the privilege and freedom of the present, show- ing the steady growth of the coeducational idea in the quarter of a century which had elapsed since Shurtleff threw down her barriers and opened wide her doors. Mr. H. M. Carr responded for the '6os, dwelling to the delight and edification of his hearers upon the exciting days of the war and the progress of the College under the able leadership of Dr. Read and in spite of toil and trouble. Rev. J. C. Maple, D. D., of Keokuk, Iowa, for "Shurtleff Ante-Bellum" and Rev. J. B. Jackson, D. D., of Chicago, for the '505, carried the audience far back through the years to that well-nigh forgotten period of ShurtlefFs far-away youth. Many names of students and teachers were unfamiliar, many were known to have gone to their rest long since, and tears came to the eyes and an ache to the heart as these men of the older genera- tion spoke of their school-boy days. Dr. Bulkley himself spoke for the '405. In a few words and with deep feeling he referred to the changes which half a century had wrought ; then with bowed head he thanked the SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 289 speakers and friends for their testimonies of esteem, declaring with characteristic modesty his own unworthi- ness of any such honors. The end of the line had not yet been reached. No more witty or sparkling address was given through the evening than that of the veteran editor of the St. Louis "Christian Repository," Dr. S. H. Ford, who told of men and things at Shurtleff in the '305. The congregation was melted alternately to laughter and to tears by the pathos and ardor of the address of this old warrior, and the dramatic effect was heightened by the rolling thunder, the vivid lightning and the pouring rain ; for the length of the programme or the enthusiasm of the hour had very seriously disturbed the elemental forces of nature, and a fierce storm was raging without. The roll call of the graduates was then read. Dr. Bulk- ley, of the class of '47, was the first to respond, but as the names for succeeding years were called one rose here, and another yonder, and all remained standing until upward of fifty of the sons and daughters of Shurtleff, representing the various epochs in the long half century, and every period of life from youth to old age, had risen to their feet and were standing in different parts of the great congregation. It was an impressive rallying of forces. The president read also a large number of letters from absent alumni, filled with cordial greetings and happy reminiscences. The two ex-presidents of the College were then heard from, the one, Dr. Read, in a long and affectionate letter containing all sorts of kindly messages ; the other, Dr. Kendrick, in a helpful address, which was listened to with great attention. He spoke of his intimate association with Dr. Bulkley and expressed his conviction that the latter, in the course of his lengthy pilgrimages in behalf of the College, had somewhere 290 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. discovered the fabled "fountain of youth." These words were a preliminary to the unveiling of a life-size vignette portrait of Dr. Bulkley, upon which Mr. Paul E. Harney, an artist of superior skill, had been engaged for some time. The appearance of the portrait was a signal for hearty and long-continued applause. This was closely followed by a series of class and college yells, and finally by three rousing cheers, led by the president and par- ticipated in by all present. A reception at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Bulkley, which, in spite of the lateness of the hour, was attended by a host of friends, closed the "Bulkley Jubilee Celebration." There were ten public meetings during the commence- ment season. About fifty different speakers were on the programme, of whom all except three met their appointments promptly. The address before the literary societies was given by Rev. P. S. Henson, D. D., of Chicago, and the sermon before the religious organiza- tions by Rev. W. W. Boyd, D. D., of St. Louis. On Tuesday evening a mass meeting was held in the interests of higher education, and addresses were given by prom- inent educators, representing both State and Christian institutions. The next day a denominational rally brought together many of the leaders in the various departments of church activity. Thursday was a typical commencement day. Soft breezes and happy sunshine, with the gentle rustling of the mighty oaks on the college campus, gave a touch of dreamy beauty to the scene. The important items in the programme of exercises for the morning were the addresses by the Hon. Francis W. Parker of Chicago on "Greater America," and by Dr. Bulkley on "Shurtleff's Seventy Years of History." At the alumni dinner a poem, well befitting the occasion and replete with loyal SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 291 sentiments concerning the past and ardent faith for the future, was read by Rev. C. A. Hobbs, D. D., of Delavan, Wisconsin. The anniversary of 1897, the "Septuagesima" of Shurtleff, thus drew to a joyful close. Its like had never been known before. Seventy of the full graduates of the College were in attendance at one time or another dur- ing the week, while upward of two hundred old students, including graduates and those who left school before the completion of their course, aided by their presence the interchange of sacred and joyous reminiscences. Messages were received from almost every living gradu- ate. The return to their Alma Mater of so many men of "the older age" lent a spirit of indescribable interest to all the exercises, while the presence of so large a number of eminent speakers gave dignity to the occasion. With June of 1897 there closed two years of foundation laying. The devising of plans and the inauguration of new methods of work had taken time and toil. There followed two years of large achievement, through the devoted labors of the members of the teaching staff and the growing co-operation of churches and friends in the central and northern portions of the state. The success of the seventieth commencement was also a pow- erful factor in the forward movement, so widely was it reported and discussed. The College attendance became greater each year, and although the class of 1897 was the largest that had ever graduated from the College and its outgoing made thus a heavy inroad upon the school numerically, the autumn opening found a larger attendance gathered than at any previous period in the history of the institution. The gain in the grade of scholarship and the quality of the work done in the class- room were even more noticeable than the gratifying in- crease in the number of students. 292 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. A few changes were made in the faculty. Mr. Goran and Mr. Smith having resigned, the College was fortu- nate enough to obtain, in their place Mr. Charles H. Day, M. A., as professor of modern languages and Mr. Victor L. Duke, B. A., as professor of mathematics. Mr. Day had taken extended graduate courses at Brown Uni- versity and in the University of Berlin. Because of his fine culture and genuine Christian manhood he soon won the admiration and love of the student body. The lofty character of the man was in itself an ennobling influence. His elective courses were exceedingly popular. Mr. Duke had previously been an instructor in the Academy. To a thorough devotion to' scholarly ideals he added exceptional gifts as a teacher and a genius for mathematical study. Mr. David G. Ray, M. A., who had long been known to the friends of the College as a conscientious and most successful teacher, returned to the chair of Greek. It is impossible to esti- mate the worth of such splendid service as Professor Ray has rendered to the College. Quietly and with persistent faithfulness he has performed a truly great work through- out the years. Thus strengthened in its faculty, the old College began the seventy-first year of its history. Two new features added a decided inspiration to the life of the College. The first of these was the establishment of a course of chapel addresses, one of which was given each Friday at the close of the morning class work. The other was the enkindling of a spirit of enthusiasm for athletic sports. The great university in the great city and quite as truly the great university in the smaller town have the vigor of life and the diversity of interests which are a very necessary element in the education of a bright youth in our aggressive times. As a consequence their graduates are entering upon careers of public service in ever increas- SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 293 ing numbers. The small college in the rural neighbor- hood enjoys no such advantage. Those who have worked within its walls know only too well the lack which usually prevails in this regard. Its influence is too apt to be distinctly narrowing and its character provincial. Its students imperatively need the force of the broader and more robust life, creating the intenser ambition and pre- paring not simply for the professor's chair and the pas- tor's study, but as well for the more rigorous tasks of public life. For one lawyer or legislator Shurtleff has sent out five preachers and teachers. Though the nar- rowing influence of the small college in the retired locality can never be wholly overcome, the two features which have already been indicated were introduced and strongly encouraged in order that in part this tendency might be remedied. In the chapel lecture course the best available speakers were secured, the most of them being men of eminent attainments in their respective vocations. The very pres- ence of those who have made a success of life and been leaders of men or of movements quickens desire in the hearts of the young. In this case the weight of their helpful counsels was added. The spell of their words caused many a heart to thrill with the vision of a grander life and urged many a sleepy soul to begin the fulfillment of a higher destiny. Coming as they did at the close of- the week of study, when the minds of the students were somewhat weary, the confident and inspiring tones in which these addresses were commonly given were a fresh spur to flagging purpose. 1 1 As a result of the introduction of these chapel lectures, together with the more extended programme of speakers at commencement time in these latest years, the students have had the privilege of listening to such men as Rabbi Leon Harri- son; Dr. Albion W. Small, President C. A. Blanchard; Frank H. Handy, Esq., architect, of Chicago; Jenkin Lloyd Jones, secretary of the World's Parliament of Religion Hon. Lee Meriweather; Lieutenant-Governor Northcote; Dr. Galusha 294 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. The athletic interests were fostered by various agen- cies. A new rule of the trustees required all students to take regular physical exercise in the gymnasium, under the direction of the competent instructors whom the Board had provided. Through a very special effort the services of Mr. John R. Richards had been secured as director of the boys' gymnasium. In addition to this indoor work he acted as coach for the football team. He had himself been the captain of the University of Wiscon- sin football eleven for three years and president of the University Athletic Association for one year. He was a member of the all-America football eleven at the time of his appointment at Shurtleff and was well known as a track athlete. Under his spirited leadership the College football team became invincible among the smaller col- leges, and, though contending often against representa- tive teams from the larger universities, it met defeat only on one occasion in the course of two seasons of play. Mr. Richards remained for one year, and his place was then taken by Mr. David H. Jackson, who had been a member of the Cornell University football team and was famous as an athlete. Physical culture classes were also provided for the young ladies, under the direction of Miss Annette Griggs, who had fitted herself for this work by thorough courses of study. Anderson; Superintendent E. Benjamin Andrews; Rev. Wayland Hoyt, D. D. , of Philadelphia; Hon. S. H. Inglis, State Superintendent of Education; Dr. Franklin Johnson, of the University of Chicago; Rev. P. S. Henson; Professor John R. Sampey, of Louisville, Ky. ; Dean W. L. Curtis, of the Law Depart- ment of Washington University; Dean R. B. Kinky, of the University of Illinois; Dean Eri B. Hulbert, of the Divinity School of the University of Chi- cago; Mr. W. L. Sheldon, lecturer of the Ethical Society, St. Louis; Rt. Rev. George F. Seymour, D.D., Bishop of the Springfield Diocese of the Prot. Epis. Church; M. T. Chestnut, of the Chestnut and Stephens Mining Exchange, Denver; President John W. Cook, LL. D.; Rev. F. A. Hosmer, pastor of the Church of Unity, St. Louis; Prof. W. O. Krohn, Ph. D.; Senator T. A. Chapman; Hon. Francis W. Parker; Dr. John A. Hamilton, Surgeon-General of the United States Marine Hospital Service; Dr. William M. Lawrence; Presi- dent A. Gaylord Slocum; President William R. Harper, and many others. HON. FRANCIS W. PARKER. SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 295 The two years of enthusiasm over athletics were also years of marked achievement in the classroom. The character of the work performed was in every way supe- rior. ' The faculty directed that no student whose class standing was low should be allowed to enter any field contest, either in football or track athletics. But this rule was useful only as a safeguard against a possible shirking of tasks. In point of fact it was quite unnecessary. The football player does not usually make a lazy or indifferent student. There is too much virility in his nature and training. At Shurtleff the men who were most deeply interested in athletics w r ere, almost without exception, men who stood well in their studies. Among minor matters in connection with the school life during these latest years the formation of the Chicago branch of the Shurtleff Alumni Association has been by no means the least important. Largely through the efforts of Mr. Francis W. Parker the whereabouts of upward of eighty graduates and former students of the College were ascertained, and those of this number who were willing-hearted were formed into a regular organi- zation. Two annual banquets have been held in Chicago, each of which has drawn into deeper fellowship the alumni who previously w r ere scattered abroad and in many cases were wholly unknown to one another. Also with the idea of bringing the College and its alumni into closer sympathy, the president instituted a campaign of correspondence, so establishing a relation between the College and its sons and daughters in all parts of the land. In connection with this plan he secured data regarding the life history and work of almost every grad- uate. Brief summaries of these were given in a publica- tion of some fifty pages, which was bound with the annual catalogue and issued at the same time. 296 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. In the winter of 1897-8 a financial problem of great importance confronted the College Board. Some seven years before as has already been indicated the Amer- ican Baptist Education Society had very generously of- fered to donate ten thousand dollars to the College on con- dition that forty thousand dollars more should be raised in the field within a stipulated time. President Ken- drick, with the help of Dr. Bulkley and others, had suc- ceeded in obtaining the necessary amount in notes and pledges within the time covered by the conditions. The subscriptions were to be paid in five equal annual install- ments, and the society agreed to pay their proportion in a similar way. The three first installments were secured many persons paying the whole amount of their pledges at the time of the first call and these, with the proportional amounts received from the society, aggre- gated thirty thousand dollars. The last of these install- ments was secured just before the new administration began. In the year beginning with September, 1895, Rev. William Rhoads, one of the staunchest friends of the College, succeeded in collecting about two thousand dollars more under adverse conditions. Being a man uni- versally respected and beloved, he aroused a fine enthusi- asm in behalf of the school and its work wherever he went. The five year limit expired in June, 1896, but through the courtesy of the society the time was extended for two years that is, till the tenth of June, 1898. Again and again the president had called attention to the urgency of the matter and the necessity for a vigorous canvass for funds to make up the alarming shrinkage which appeared. In June, 1896, the Board appointed Rev. L. A. Abbott, D. D., who had been for many years the honored pastor of the Alton Baptist Church, as College comptroller, giv- ing into his hands the collection and payment of bills, the SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 297 oversight of the buildings and grounds, and other local matters, and directing that he should devote at least one- half of his time to an active canvass for funds in different parts of the state. On account of advancing years and the presence of many duties in connection with the man- agement of financial and other affairs at the College, he found it impossible, after the lapse of a few weeks, to comply with this latter demand, so no attempt was made to collect the balance of the endowment until January, 1898. Then the president of the College was urged to take the field and collect the unpaid subscriptions or to solicit -a sufficient number of additional cash contribu- tions to make up the deficiency. After a few weeks of work he succeeded in securing the amount necessary to complete the fourth installment. On receiving due notice the Education Society forwarded the two thousand dollars which constituted its quota. The greatest effort remained still to be made. The bal- ance of the old subscriptions were practically worthless. June was drawing very near and ten thousand dollars had yet to be obtained. For five years the stress of "hard times" had held the country in its grip. The outlook was very dubious. Early in April the president dropped all his work at the College and entered upon an aggressive can- vass. He visited most of the principal towns of the state, and made use of the acquaintanceship with the old stu- dents of the school which, fortunately enough, he had already obtained through his plan of correspondence. As a result of the. canvass the amount required was secured when the eventful tenth of June arrived. During the last six weeks of the canvass, by rapid railway journeys and by the utilization of both day and night sleep being caught between whiles by snatches an average amount of more than two hundred dollars a day was obtained. 298 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. By the success of this undertaking, after many of the friends of the College had given up all hope, the honor of the institution was saved and disgrace averted. 1 The closing year of the last administration the aca- demic year 1898-99 is perhaps deserving of some partic- ular attention. The success of every department of col- lege work and life was a cause for deep gratitude. Dur- ing the summer the spirit of energetic progress which was rife in the school expressed itself through a new channel. The Alpha Zeta Society had been for some months prepar- ing and now published a complete history of its fifty years of active life as an organization. The book was a hand- some volume of nearly four hundred pages, pro- fusely illustrated with portraits of professors and pupils of the earlier and later years. The work of compilation and authorship was done by Mr. William W. Greene, a member of the junior class in College and a grandson of Prof. Warren Leverett. Written in the sparkling and attractive style of college journalism, this history was read with deep interest by many an old student, whose mind was carried back by the perusal to the memory of long-forgotten pranks and episodes of college life. l The following exhibit indicates the aggregate amounts of trust and endowment funds at the commencement of the last administration in 1894 and in the five suc- ceeding years. It is taken from the last annual report of Mr. A. L. Abbott, the Treasurer of the trust and endowment funds: 1894 - - $ 99,832.47 1895 109,928.60 1896 ----- 112,527.15 1897 117,852.36 1898 - - - - - 119,352.04 1899 129,145.44 It will be seen from this official statement that nearly 17,000.00 has been added to the productive endowment of the College within the past three years and nearly $30,000.00 within five years. SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 299 The new president of the Board of Trustees, Rev. Myron W. Haynes, D. D., of Chicago, entered at once as a personal force of great power into the problems and plans of the governing body. The faculty was strengthened by the coming of Mr. James P. Whyte, B. A., to the chair of English literature and oratory. Professor Whyte soon proved himself a master of his work. His courses were stimulating, and to him belongs the honor of having introduced the study of the Bible as literature into the College. Bible study in one form or another had been a part of the curriculum, or an optional extra-curriculum class, during all the years of Shurtleff's history. But the method of teaching had been either predominantly theological or predominantly devotional. The new method was a success ; it opened fresh treasures of riches to the students. The "College Review," under the editorial direc- tion of Mr. Leonard C. Trent, became a journal of great merit. The promptness with which it was issued each month a rare virtue in college journal- ism is hardly less to be commended than the fine liter- ary character which it displayed from the first number to the last throughout the year. The work of the Christian associations also broadened considerably, and the various classes in Bible study, together with the course of ad- dresses on religious themes, were carried forward with enthusiasm. The series of receptions for the members of each of the four College classes, instituted by the presi- dent and his wife, was a new feature in the realm of the social activities. The 'victories of the students in athletic contests and in intercollegiate debate inspired a splendid loyalty and cemented the student body in a unity of pur- pose and desire for the welfare of "old Shurtleff." But far beyond these extra-scholastic achieve- 300 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. ments the year 1898-99 will be memorable for the thoroughness of the teachers' class work and the surprising strength of the College department. In the three previous years the enrollment in the four under- graduate classes had risen from thirty-four to fifty-four, thence to seventy, and from that to seventy-seven. It was thought by many that a pause must come in this rapid growth of the higher classes. But to the intense delight of all who loved the school and were eager for its prosperity, the number again advanced. Ninety students were enrolled in the College classes, making a gain of more than two hundred per cent over the attendance at any one time in the first year of the latest administration. The freshman class had thirty-three members and the sopho- more class twenty-two, these being the largest numbers ever enrolled in these respective classes. This quite remarkable growth, exceeding anything that the College had known before, was made during four years of finan- cial depression, as severe and trying, perhaps, as any that our country has ever experienced, and while most of the other smaller colleges were barely holding their own and many were steadily losing ground. For more than half a century the face and form of Justus Bulkley were familiar to the friends and patrons of the College. Ever ready with his loyal help when Shurtleff was disheartened, ever vigorous and noble in his advocacy of her cause, his hand and heart, his life and strength were through and through enlisted in her service. Rounding the eightieth milestone of his honor- able pilgrimage, yet hale and hearty as a man of half his years, he entered on the labors of the winter term of '98 and '99 in perfect health. Teaching four classes each school day, and planning still for the enlargement and development of his department, nearly a month ran PROFESSOR JUSTUS BULKLEY. SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 301 by. Then suddenly the summons came, and Shurtleff's friends throughout the Union, and her children every- where throughout the world, bowed their heads sadly. The "grand old man" had in the midst of loving toils received a message which he could not disregard. So, laying down his duties, he followed the messenger into the unseen world. Thus glory and the larger life came to him. Dr. Bulkley was the sole survivor in the faculty of the honored band of men who were lovingly termed the "old professors." He had not of course known the College in the earliest period of its history. Yet he had been more or less actively associated with all of the makers of Shurtleff, with John M. Peck and Father Loomis, with Dr. Marsh and Ebenezer Rodgers, with Washington and Warren Leverett, with Cyrus Edwards and Adiel Sher- wood. He was a confrere of Read and Adkins, of Marsh and Howes, of Pattison and Mitchell, of Dodge and Castle and Fairman. The career of this man was bound up with the history of a rural western college. His entire working life, as student and pastor and teacher, was spent within one day's walking distance of Upper Alton. Nevertheless the force of his personality struck deep and far. At his "jubilee" he bore himself with the dignity of a true gentleman, while his admirers and fellow workers sought to give him due honor by their words of gratitude and praise. Though disdaining fulsome eulogy, he was deeply moved by the affectionate remembrances of former stu- dents, confessing that "out of more than fifty commence- ments which he had attended the last had been the best and brightest of all." He only lived to see one more. He was a man whom it was indeed a delight to honpr. He was modest to the last degree. Of his deep humility 302 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. and sweet sincerity a thousand tongues can speak. He was the little children's tried and trusted friend. Though exceedingly strong in his convictions, he was never un- pleasantly insistent, never arbitrary or contentious. He was an open-minded truth-seeker, holding the positions he reached, but never resting in his progress toward larger revelations. His mind seemed always alert, virile, intense. He gave himself to great thoughts, to great themes, in a spirit of irrepressible and eager activity. Though revering his years and the wisdom they had brought, one never looked in vain for the hopeful mes- sage, the courage of youth, the thrill of a quenchless ardor. Shurtleff was impoverished when Justus Bulkley died. Such men have made the smaller college illustrious throughout the past history of our country. Such men were its very raison d'etre. Today the great univer- sity, with its prodigious equipments, its extensive laboratories, its faculties of cultured specialists, its host of students, has become the representative of the educational life of the age. Even its religious activities are becoming noteworthy, for the splendid work of the Young Men's Christian Association and similar organiza- tions provide for its students a deep and thorough Chris- tian culture. Beyond this, its annual income exceeds three or four fold the entire endowment of the denom- inational college. It is regarded as the crown and com- pletion of the public school system. By a hundred ties it has linked its interests with those of the high schools in almost every one of our western stales. Under these conditions- the chief hope for the rural college, with its long history of faithful and self-denying service, lies in the intensification of the spirit of denominational loy- alty. But denominationalism is becoming less and less a SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 3 3 factor in our life; fraternity and fellowship among re- ligious bodies are becoming more and more a sign of the times and a promise of the future. It is therefore doubtful whether any illustrious work will be achieved by the smaller colleges in the coming years. They can cer- tainly occupy no such place as in the past it has been their privilege and mission to fill. They will do a quiet work in a quiet way. Having no great resources or great revenues, and little possibility of obtaining these, they can reach but a very limited number of the throngs of students who are pressing forward into academic life. By a policy of affiliation they may become helpers and feeders to the universities. But their influence on the scholarship and progress of the age can only be meagre at the best. Under these circumstances it is well to record and remember the lives of the men who have given so grand a gift to the students of the earlier generations. They gave themselves, their every talent, their abounding zeal. And they were cast in a heroic mould. They were builders of character, makers of men. They had religious fervor. They had spiritual insight. They labored for the intellectual development of their students, but they paused not there ; they yearned for the salvation of their souls. Who that heard him can forget the impassioned appeals of Dr. Bulkley, Shurtleff's "grand old man," in the series of meetings which he addressed a few months before he died? Every word rang with intense desire. Every syllable came, quick with life, from a warm and loving heart. The story of the Pioneer School is the story of many a Christian college. Its value and its glory appear in its deification of character. Its teachers have known their students intimately, entering deeply into their life plans ; 304 THE PIONEER SCHOOL. these teachers have been men of genuine consecration, approving themselves constantly as worthy guides; all intellectual activities have been permeated and inter- penetrated by the spirit of the gospel, by the message from the cross. It is now as it has always been. The very at- mosphere about the College seems surcharged with spirit- uality. Religion is felt to be more than a belief ; it is a life. New students entering the school soon feel the pervasive influence of the highest ideals. It is not meant that no worldliness is found. There is even, at times, out- breaking sin. But there is, with it all, and constantly present, the consciousness that for no kind of unworthy or evil indulgence has the College any room or place or sympathy. The spiritual influences bear down upon the students with great weight. In the case of those who have welcomed the message of the Master they encourage in the way of noble service. To the reckless they become an irritant of conscience, and to many a regenerating force. In the five years of the last adminis- tration every student, in each of the successive graduating classes, had professed the name of Jesus Christ; there was not a single exception. A short time before his death Dr. Bulkley said, with grave emphasis, that he had never known the religious life of the College to be deeper or stronger than it was just at that time. Yet there were no great revival meetings, no ecstasies, no outbursts of enthusiasm. There are calls for "a new evangelism." Perhaps we need it ; perhaps not. We certainly need the pure gospel of the Son of God. The evangel of Jesus is not outworn. The men of tomorrow need the virile touch of the man of Galilee. The college student. of today, who will plan and think for the people of the coming years, should SHURTLEFF'S LATEST YEARS. 35 ponder day by day, and very deeply, the life and teachings of the Perfect Man. Those who desire great things for our nation; who dare to hope that it may become a re- deemed nation, that it may be baptized with the Holy Spirit of the living God, are asking Him that He will bind each school of learning into reverent fellowship with Him in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And they forget not in the quiet hour to thank Him for the Christian schools whose heritage is, one of self-denying labor in His name. APPENDICES. APPENDIX I. The following is a copy of the circular issued by Mr. Peck in the summer of 1835, in connection with his appeal for funds for Alton College in Boston and throughout New England. He dis- tributed several thousand copies of this circular at the public meetings which he addressed and through other agencies. ALTON SEMINARY AND COLLEGE. To the Friends of Education and those who desire the advance- ment of the Kingdom of Christ in the West. As the agent of ALTON SEMINARY AND COLLEGE, the undersigned addresses you on the origin, location, objects, plan and wants of this institution. L ORIGIN. For many years past individuals in the "far West" have per- ceived and deeply felt the necessity of an institution for ministerial and general education in connection with the Baptist denomina- tion, and of adopting seasonable measures for the attainment of that object. In 1826 an individual made the attempt, raised about $750 in the eastern states, with books, various articles of bed clothing, etc., and with further aid received in Illinois, put up some cheap buildings, and the institution at Rock Spring, St. Clair county, Illinois, was opened in November, 1827. It contin- ued in operation, with ordinary vacations, till May, 1831, when it was closed from the ill health of the person then in charge of it. This incipient effort, carried forward without adequate funds, without permanent provision for competent instruction, furnished proof that a well regulated literary institution, properly conducted, would prove of immense service in this country to the cause of religion, and have a direct influence upon other measures designed to promote the well being of society. 309 3*0 APPENDICES. During the continuance of the Rock Spring Seminary, 242 youths, male and female, attended as students for various periods of time. Of these thirty-three professed to be converted while at the seminary and twenty more after they had left it, many of whom dated their first serious impressions at that institution. Including such students as have since commenced the gospel ministry, with those who were licened preachers when they entered the seminary, and the number is eleven. Of this class one is deceased, one has been silenced and excluded from the church, but is now restored, two belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church and the remainder to the Baptists. One of these is occupying a most important missionary field in Louisiana, under the patronage of the American Baptist Home Mission Society. Many others of the former students of Rock Spring Seminary have been and continue to be useful teachers or superintendents in Sabbath Schools. Out of the whole number sixteen are known to be dead, of which ten gave hopeful evidences of piety. In 1830, from various circumstances combined, the public mind in Illinois was directed to the town of Alton as a commercial depot for an extensive portion of the state. Two town sites had been previously located, one on the river called Lower Alton, the other on elevated ground two miles and a half in the rear. Upon the visit of the Rev. Mr. Going to this country in 1831, a proposition was made by a number of friends to remove the loca- tion of the Seminary from Rock Spring to Alton. After due consideration the proposition was accepted, and the books, bed clothing and other movable property were transferred under the name of a loan, till such time as the affairs of the old institution could be adjusted, the buildings sold and the avails transferred to Alton. At a meeting held in Alton, June 4, 1832, seven gentlemen formed a compact, and entered into a written obligation to ad- vance each $100 (which they subsequently increased to $125), and to become jointly obligated for a loan of $800 more. With a part of this sum they purchased a valuable tract of land adjoining Alton of 122 acres for $400, and entered in the land office at gov- ernment price ($1.25 per acre) 240 acres more in the rear of their first purchase. APPENDICES. 3 11 Some subscriptions were then obtained from the citizens, and a two-story brick building, 40 feet by 32, with a stone basement story, was erected and nearly finished. The cost of this building has been $1,625. They have sustained within it a respectable school for the common and higher branches of education, having had from twenty-five to sixty scholars, from December, 1833, to the present time. Of the present number, which exceed fifty, seven are young men of promising talents, members of the Baptist Church, three of whom are licensed preachers, and others are contemplating this work. II. LOCATION. A single glance upon a map of the country bordering on the Mississippi will show to a stranger the importance of this position as the site for the contemplated institution for the purposes de- signed. To those who are acquainted with important positions in the West, forming centers of business, and radiating points of influence, nothing need be said to prove the superiority of this place as the site of such an institution. It will gather students along the "Far-off Waters," from the Falls of St. Anthony to the Gulf of Mexico, and its influence may be sent back and extended over this whole region. This opinion is deliberately and unanimously sustained by the "General Convention of Western Baptists," held at Cincinnati in November, 1834, in the following RESOLUTION. RESOLVED, That from its position in an important section of the Great Valley, its proximity to the stronghold of Roman Catholic influence and their large institutions, and the bearing it may have upon the whole country bordering upon the Mississippi, this con- vention regards with deep interest the Baptist institution at Alton, Illinois, and rejoice in the disposition of our brethren there to make it a respectable seminary, bearing prominently on education for the ministry, and cordially recommend it to the confidence and support of the denomination in both the eastern and western states. The "section of the Great Valley" denominated "important" in the foregoing resolution includes the whole line of states and ter- ritories immediately bordering on the Mississippi river, which 3 12 APPENDICES. contain 500,000 square miles, and a population at this time of J,375>ooo. Allow only the same proportions to increase for the next fifteen years, as has been for the last twenty-five years, and the population of this district will be 4,000,000, of which Illinois will include 1,000,000. The number of communicants in Baptist churches in this por- tion of the valley is now about 24,000. Let them increase with the ratio of increase of population the next brief period of fifteen years, and in 1850 they will number 70,000. EVANGELICAL EDUCATION. In this district of country, the means of education directed by evangelical influence, above that of Sunday-school instruction, are extremely limited and disproportionate. The Illinois College, at Jacksonville, under the patronage of Presbyterians and Congrega- tionalists, will doubtless exert an evangelical influence proportion- ate to its ample resources. The Methodist denomination has provided a building and estab- lished a Seminary, which they intend to rear into a College, at Lebanon, St. Clair county. A college charter has been granted, and a school commenced among a body of Seceders and Covenanters in the southern part of the state. A company of Presbyterians in Marion county, Missouri, have commenced the establishment of a college and a theological school on the manual labor plan, 140 miles northwest from St. Louis. A building has been erected, and the preparatory department of a college has been opened at Columbia, Boone county, Mo., but not connected with any religious denomination. In the lower part of Kentucky, but not within the district we are now surveying, the Cumberland Presbyterians have a colle- giate institution, with 60 or 70 students, which will exert a salu- tary influence. Recently an effort has been made to establish a college on evan- gelical principles in Mississippi. A few select schools, sustained by individual enterprise and effort merely, and a few academies, without funds, or provision for permanency, are scattered through this region, like glimmer- ing tapers amidst the forest gloom of night. It is true that the general government, in preparing for the sales of its lands, has made provision, to a limited extent, for purposes APPENDICES. 313 of education. But a large proportion consists in wild lands, en- tirely unavailable for the present generation. The remainder be- longs to the townships in which it is located for common school purposes, or is under the control of the state legislature, to be applied to purposes purely literary, and cannot, as it ought not, be brought to bear directly upon the sustenation and diffusion of evangelical principles, and training the rising generation to the fear and love of God. And should any .unforeseen circumstance ever throw these funds into the hands of those who would give them a different direction, they are far more liable to be applied to sustain and diffuse the principles of infidelity, or the dogmas and delusions of a corrupt and debasing system of religion. All that the friends of evangelical education will do in relation to public funds is to guard them with untiring vigilance, that they may not become an instrument in the hands of the designing and crafty, and have them applied to purposes of primary education. MEASURES IN TRAIN TO PREVENT LIBERAL EDUCATION. But should evangelical Christians neglect to provide promptly and liberally the means of evangelical education, let none suppose the youth of this valley will be neglected. Though thousands, doubtless, in that case will remain destitute of the elements of education in the primary school, enough will receive a species of education sufficient to fit them for the purposes of designing men. Broad and deep are the foundations now laying in this sec- tion of the great valley. An influence efficient and controlling will soon be exerted over the millions that will swell the tide of population along this river, unless counteracting measures, on a liberal and enlarged scale, are speedily commenced. Let Christians slumber on the subject of colleges, seminaries and theological institutions, and soon very soon ample means will be in operation to effect certain purposes. We do not regard mere infidelity as fruitful in its plans and re- sources to build up literary institutions, especially when exhibited in the brutal and heartless form of undisguised atheism. The world has yet to see a specimen of liberal, philanthropic and per- severing effort to build up colleges and schools on principles of avowed infidelity. The most it can do, as it has already done, is to wither and crush such institutions as come within its grasp. Its icy touch produces not life, but death. 3*4 APPENDICES. But infidelity in this section of the valley is closely allied to a more imposing and formidable enemy. And should the fearful contest for the preservation of all we hold dear ever come on, infidelity and popery will be found speaking the same voice and promoting the same measures. Let the friends of Christ neglect to rear up colleges and other literary institutions, and we feel assured the country will not remain destitute. Austria, Italy and other Catholic countries of Europe, as they are now doing, will continue to pour upon us their treasures. The indifferent, the careless, the infidel and the mere man of the world will meet them with liberal contributions. Jesuits, and monks of every order, and priests of every grade, will come in. Massive buildings of stone and brick will arise as by magic, where infidel principles will be artfully instilled into the minds of sons of nominally protestant parents ; and nunneries with fashionable boarding schools in every form, and surrounded with every fas- cination, and under the special charge of every order of the Holy Sisterhood will mold the feelings and morals of the daughters, that, when they become mothers, they may teach all the little ones, male and female, of the next generation to be good and loyal sub- jects of His Holiness at Rome! ! ! ! ! This is not wild conjecture. The universities, colleges, sem- inaries, academies, athenaeums, nunneries, boarding schools and select schools are already organized. The stone, and brick, and mortar already exists in stately edifices. Every year brings an accession of men, and women, and money. In Missouri, the St. Louis University, on the suburbs of that city a noble pile of buildings erected partly by Protestant sub- scriptions controlled by Jesuits with 150 students, and even in this early stage, applying to Congress for lands, and to the legis- lature of Missouri for state funds ! In Perry county, twenty miles south of St. Genevieve, is St. Mary's University a seminary for the education of priests a nunnery and female boarding school, a primary school for the children in the settlement, containing in these various departments more than 300 teachers and students. Several nunneries upon an extensive plan are in operation in that state, and more are projected. A nunnery and ladies boarding school is at Kaskaskia, in Illi- nois, established in 1832, and an extensive literary institution con- templated in the very heart of the state. Cast your eye now on the APPENDICES. 3 J 5 map, and see if the projected institution at Alton is not in the "proximity to the stronghold of Roman Catholic influence, and their large institutions," as affirmed by the Cincinnati Convention. Pass down the Mississippi, and on both sides of this great river to the Gulf of Mexico you will find the same measures in train. The same plans to control the interests of education are laying. Another fact not to be overlooked in this hasty view of the loca- tion of Alton Institution is the influx of Austrian and German emigrants, a large portion of whom are under the influence of HIM at Rome. Directly opposite, in Missouri, they have spread over the counties of St. Charles, Lincoln, Warren, and the western portion of St. Louis. Already the American population of St. Clair county, in Illinois, is obliged to recede. And accord- ing to the statements of those who have arrived, they will multi- ply by hundreds and by thousands. Fifty thousand, it is said by those who have come, are preparing to follow to this district. Ill OBJECTS. Three objects in particular have engaged the attention of the projectors of this institution. First. The education of all classes in the English and other branches of education, and eventually to organize regular college classes, where to such as can pursue a full course the instruction and facilities shall be equal to any similar institution, but still to maintain a large department for those who do not graduate. Secondly. The education of teachers of common schools, and by this means extend the blessings of education to every settle- ment. Thirdly. To provide facilities for a suitable education to the ministry of the gospel, especially in that course of studies directly connected with the work of the ministry. In aiming to the accomplishment of these objects, it is our fixed determination to pay direct attention to the cultivation of the morals and the heart, and to inculcate the principles of revealed religion. The Holy Scriptures will ever be a prominent text book in every department. IV. PLAN OF THE INSTITUTION. The plan is to provide commodious and substantial buildings, able instructors for the various departments books for a library 3 l6 APPENDICES. accommodations for boarding on reasonable terms, and facilities for manual labor for those students who may desire to pay a part of their expenditures by devoting two or three hours a day to mechanical business or farming. At the late session of the legislature a liberal charter was granted, under the title of "The Trustees of Alton College of Illi- nois," with full powers to organize, whenever needed, departments for the liberal professions. The only department which the char- ; ter does not cover is a theological department. No prohibition exists to the full education of ministers of the gospel in any or every branch of study, with other students. The education of the ministry, however, being a prominent object in the original de- sign, and knowing it would be preferable to have a department for that specific purpose distinct from the College, the "Trustees of Alton Seminary," upon the entire principles of the original compact, have secured by deed of trust fifty acres of valuable land, on which a permanent and commodious building, for a seminary hall and refectory and rooms for professors and students, is about to be erected. The first object of the trustees of Alton College is to provide accommodations for a large number of students in what may be called the Preparatory Department of the institution. For such as may choose to go through a full course, college classes will be organized, whenever circumstances require it. At the same time the education of the ministry, especially in those branches pertaining more immediately to the ministerial office, will be promoted to the utmost extent of our means by the Trustees of Alton Seminary, which is distinct from the College. A broad, deep and permanent foundation is thus laid for the promotion of the education of every class, and especially that of the ministry of reconciliation. Both Boards of Trustees are per- petuated by filling vacancies themselves in their own body. V. PRESENT WANTS. After an investigation of the facts and principles exhibited, nothing need be said to urge the great importance of this institu- tion. It only remains to exhibit briefly its PRESENT WANTS. Those who have paid attention to the state of society, the exist- ing difficulties, and the want of means on the part of those who feel constrained to build up institutions for the promotion of APPENDICES. 3 1 / evangelical education in this section of the great valley, Already know that our chief dependence is upon aid from abroad. This we must have or our enterprise fails. Yet we mean to "help our- selves" to our utmost ability. Already by a judicious selection of lands, and by suffering temporary embarrassments, the founda- tion has been laid for a valuable property that will be of material service to the future wants of the institution. A plat of ground has been laid out in town, and out lots, of which thirty-five have been sold at public auction for $2,453. Thus less than twenty-five acres has produced more than treble the cost of the whole 262 acres in 1832. Some of the more valuable lots have been reserved from sale till their value becomes greatly enhanced. It would be bad economy to dispose of these for present wants. A portion of the amount to be realized from the late sales must be applied to cancel the debts already contracted. The remainder will be ap- plied to aid in the erection of the contemplated buildings. An agent is now engaged in Illinois and vicinity, in procuring sub- scriptions for the institution, and awakening the attention of the people, and especially our denomination, to its great interest. One thousand dollars were subscribed by a few individuals before the undersigned left the state. We have no doubt of having as many students as can be provided for, soon as we can procure suitable buildings and competent instructors. TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. The following resolution, adopted by the trustees of Alton Sem- inary, after due deliberation, January isth, 1835, exhibits a full view of this branch of the subject: "Resolved, That in view of the immediate wants, as well as the permanency and prosperity of the Alton Seminary, it is necessary and highly expedient that measures be adopted to raise $25,000 for the following purposes : $10,000 for buildings ; $7,500, or its full value, for the salaries of professors ; $7,500, or its avails, for the support of beneficiary theological students the last two items to be considered as filled if an income of $1.500 per annum is provided for seven years." Without buildings we cannot receive students nor employ com- petent instructors. Ten thousand dollars, expended in the most economical and judicious manner, in buildings, in addition to the present building, is as small an amount as we ought to calculate. 3*8 APPENDICES. The remaining $15,000, divided equally for two definite and most necessary objects, is temporary capital for seven years, and is proposed to be raised by the annual payments of definite sums for that period. Thus were seventy-five persons to contribute annually ten dollars each for seven years, to aid beneficiary students, it would be equal to ten per cent interest on a capital of $7,500 for that period. This income, with the manual labor sys- tem appended (as is intended to be in all cases of students for the ministry) would support twenty students for the whole time, or two classess of twenty each, for the period of three and a half years to each class. The same general principles will apply to the other branch of this hypothecated capital. It may be fairly presumed that at the expiration of seven years this capital may be renewed with far less difficulty than in this stage of the effort. SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Three propositions have been made by individuals in Boston and vicinity to provide special subscriptions for a term of years, equal to $15,000. 1. It is proposed to support a professor of theology for seven years, by ten shares of $50 each for seven years. This is now nearly filled. 2. A gentleman proposes to pay $100 a year for ten years, pro- vided nine other shares, or an equal amount for ten years, is sub- scribed in New England within six months. 3. Another individual proposes to pay $100 per annum for ten years to support a professor of mathematics and natural philos- ophy, provided four other shares of equal amount are subscribed for the same object. CONCLUSION. With this development of the origin, location, objects, plan and wants of both the College and the Seminary, the undersigned, on behalf of the trustees, appeals to the friends of Christ, of our country, and of mankind for aid. He solicits each person who may read this address to decide in his own conscience, by the light of eternal things, how much of that bounty, which God ha> entrusted to his stewardship, he will consecrate to this most im- portant design. On behalf of the trustees of both the Seminary and the College. J. M. PECK, Agent. APPENDICES. 3 X 9 CREDENTIALS. NO. I. FROM THE TRUSTEES. The Trustees of Alton College of Illinois have appointed the Rev. J. M. Peck their agent, to exhibit the plan and wants of their institution, and to receive the subscriptions and donations of the liberal and philanthropic. Reposing entire confidence in his experience and knowledge of every particular concerning the institution, after commending him to God, they commend him, while journeying in the United States, to the attention and confidence of the friends of literature, of Christ, and of their country. HUBBEL LOOMIS, President of the Board of Trustees. STEPHEN GRIGGS, Secretary. Alton College, April i, 1835. NO. II. FROM THE CONFERENCE OF BAPTIST MINISTERS IN NEW YORK. At a meeting of the New York City Conference of Baptist Min- isters, held at the Baptist Home Mission Rooms, Clinton Hall, on Monday, May i8th, 1835, the following resolution was unani- mously adopted : Resolved, That this meeting regard with great interest the Sem- inary established at Alton, Illinois; renew, with much solicitude, their recommendation of it to the liberality of the churches in this region, and would bespeak for its agent, the Rev. John M. Peck, the attention and liberal aid of our brethren throughout the middle and eastern states, but especially in this city and its vicinity. W. R. WILLIAMS, Secretary. New York City Conference of Baptist Ministers. Mr. Lewis Colby, late of Newton Institution, and who has ac- cepted a professorship in the institution, is authorized to receive subscriptions and donations. J. M. PECK. August 20, 1835. APPENDIX II. COURSE OF STUDIES ADOPTED AUGUST 28, 1839. First Term Algebra Davies' First Lessons Latin Prose Folsom's Livy Third Term Exercises during the first year in writing translations of Latin and Greek into English and of English into Latin and Greek, also of composing in Latin and Greek and in declamation. Greek Prose Xenophon Exercises during the second year in English Composition and Second Term Geometry, Plane and Solid Davies' Legendre Latin Prose Livy or Tacitus Greek Prose Xenophon Declamation. Geometry (finished), Algebra Davies' Bourdon Latin Prose Tacitus Greek Prose Herodotus Sophomore Class. First Term Trigonometry, Plane and Spherical Davies' Legendre Latin Poetry . . .Horace Rhetoric Newman Second Term Application of Algebra to Geometry (conic sections).. Davies Latin Poetry Horace Rhetoric Campbell Third Term Surveying, Descriptive Geometry Davies Greek Poetry Homer Logic, Moral Evidence Gambier 320 APPENDIX III. The following statement represents quite fully the financial and general condition of the College in the year 1850, just half a cen- tury ago. A FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF SHURTLEFF COLLEGE, ALTON, ILLINOIS. Adopted at the Annual Meeting, July 24, 1850, and ordered tn published. At a special meeting of the trustees of Shurtleff College, held in the College edifice, in Upper Alton, 111., July 17, the president, Hon. Cyrus Edwards, in the chair, on motion, Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed, with the treasurer, to whom shall be referred the report of the treasurer, and the report of the agent, with instructions to determine the actual financial condition of the College the situation of the bhurtleff Professorship Fund, and all other special funds belong- ing to the College. 321 322 APPENDICES. The chair appointed Messrs. J. M. Peck, O. M. Adams, A. Sherwood, and the treasurer, George Smith, Esq. The subject of the endowment of scholarships, and provision for a president, were referred to the same committee. WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 1850. At the annual meeting of the board, Mr. Edwards in the chair, the committee made report on the various subjects referred to them, of which the following was ordered to be printed : REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF SHURT- LEFF COLLEGE. After a careful and laborious investigation of the topics referred to them the amount and condition of the special trust funds for professorships, the debts owed from the general fund to each of these special trusts ; the debts owed to others ; the resources pres- ent and prospective to meet these claims; the agency system, with the receipts and expeditures of that department your com- mittee present their report. I. SPECIAL TRUST FUNDS. These are the Shurtleff Professorship Fund, the Edwards Pro- fessorship Fund, and the Pulliam Beneficiary Fund. THE SHURTLEFF PROFESSORSHIP FUND. This was a special donation from the late Dr. Benjamin Shurt- leff, of Boston, Mass., and in November, 1835, was $5,000. According to the terms of the donor, the interest was to be added to the principal annually until it accumulated to a sufficient amount to endow the professorship of oratory, rhetoric and belles lettres. This process was carried on until July, 1841, when the professorship was filled by the appointment of the late Rev. Zenas B. Newman. The fund at that time was $7,000, and the income, at six per cent, $420 per annum. This fund originally was included in a note, signed by certain gentlemen as trustees of Illinois College, secured by mortgage on their premises, and drawing interest at six per cent per annum. APPENDICES. 323 On the 28th of July, 1840, 'during the pecuniary embarrass- ment of our country, and the pressure on the trustees to meet contracts on the new building, and with the consent, in writing, of the late Dr. Shurtleff, and, in accordance with a provision in the by-laws under the charter, this fund was loaned to the build- ing committee, and invested in the building fund, where it remains. The only defect your committee discover in relation to this fund is the neglect in providing means specifically to pay the interest semi-annually to the salary of the professor. The com- mittee suppose the payments have been made, and they recom- mend that credits be entered on the treasurer's books in favor of each professorship, and charges made against these trust funds. In the endowment of professorships the committee suggests what is known by their chairman as the sentiment of the late Dr. Shurtleff, and it accords *vith the opinions of distinguished men, experienced in collegiate affairs, that it is not advisable to have the full support of a professor derived from the income of the endowment. A stimulus should be presented from an additional perquisite from the students in his department, and his salary should be graduated by the income from that source. The income from the endowment should be sufficient to sustain the board of instruction under the fluctuations to which all colleges are liable. THE EDWARDS PROFESSORSHIP FUND. The committee finds, on examination of the records of the trustees, that July 6, 1842, there was recognized, by note, as due from the general fund to this professorship fund, $937, at twelve per cent interest per annum. On the I7th of March, 1843, an ar- rangement was made with Mr. Edwards, in accordance with his proposition, for an exchange of property, but this amount of the special fund, by consent of the donor, was loaned to the general fund, and the interest, at six per cent, to be added to the principal, in the same manner as the Shurtleff fund, and they have calcu- lated it accordingly. This fund was to endow the professorship of mathematics and natural philosophy; and although the chair has been occupied, they find no appropriation made from this fund to sustain it ; and as all parties are present it is conceded that the interest should be added to the principal to the first of this month. The committee 3^4 APPENDICES. have reckoned the interest on the bond at twelve per cent, until the property was exchanged, and six per cent from that period, adding interest to principal annually. The amount is $1,840, the interest $110.40. Belonging to this fund there are 680 acres of land in the vicinity of Woodburn, which, if sold at the lowest rate, would realize, in the aggregate, $4,080. This would increase the fund to $5,920. It may be assumed that this fund is worth at least $6,000. Should the land realize in cash what it ought, and what it will in two or three years, this fund will be $7,000. Your Committee recommend that, with the consent of the donor, the interest in the cash branch of this fund be applied toward sus- taining the professorship, with the belief that the avails of the land will make this endowment equal to the Shurtleff fund. THE PULLIAM BENEFICIARY FUND. Elder James Pulliam, of Belleville, 111., has given $1,000 for a perpetual fund, the interest of which is to be applied semi-an- nnally for the sole purpose of paying tuition fees of beneficiary students who are recognized as preachers of the gospel in the Baptist churches. Of this $100 was paid two years and a half since, and the interest added to the principal, making $115. The balance of this fund is secured by a note, which is not available until after the decease of the donor; but he has made the trustees a proposal to exchange this note for another note on a gentleman for state script, by which some gain will be made to the principal, and interest be received annually. The committee recommend this exchange to be made, and further, that in ac- cordance with the wish of the donor, the interest on the $115 and the interest that may be realized from the balance of this fund be regularly applied to the expense of tuition fees of such students as may be pursuing a regular course of study for the ministry. The income of these trust funds, now available, will be : For the Shurtleff fund $420.00 For the Edwards fund 1 10.40 For the Pulliam fund 6.90 Amount $537-3o The committee recommend that from this time provision be made for this amount of interest to be paid semi-annually and APPENDICES. 3 2 5 credited to these funds and appropriated as so much income for tl : purposes designed. [This report was acted on separately, and all the suggestions adopted unanimously and ordered to be carried aut] ENDOWMENT OF SCHOLARSHIPS. The committee to whom this subject was referred report that, in their opinion, the endowment fund for a perpetual scholarship should be $1,000, and the income be fixed at $75 per annum. Adopted unanimously. ON THE TEMPORARY ENDOWMENT OF THE PRESIDENCY AND SECURING A PRESIDENT. The committee reported the following resolution, which was adopted : Resolved, That a private effort be made, without agency ex- pense, through a committee of the Board, by correspondence and personal efforts, to obtain the obligations of ten responsible per- sons, each for $100, for five consecutive years, to sustain a presi- dent and also that the committee be instructed to correspond and find out some person with the requisite qualifications for the office, and who (if elected) would accept the same, and report his name to the trustees. Resolved, That to the presidency be appended the professor- ship of mental and moral science and of Christian Theology. The committee appointed on the subject of the foregoing reso- lution were Professor Washington Leverett, Adiel Sherwood, D. D., and J. M. Peck. GENERAL FINANCES. . The treasury is indebted (notes given) to sundry individuals for cash loaned, labor and materials on buildings, and salaries in an ears to the members of the board of instruction, to the aggre- gate of $3,453. The interest on this sum at six per cent is $207.18 per annum. About $1,000 of this amount must be met before Christmas. Due the Shurtleff, Edwards and Pulliam special funds, $8,955, on which interest must be paid semi-annually of $537.30. Due creditors as above, $3453, making the whole College debts $12,408. 326 APPENDICES. AVAILABLE RESOURCES. The buildings, campus and farm of fifty acres are not reckoned as "available resources." . They may be reckoned in value, at the lowest rate, at $25,000, and constitute the capital of the institution. The proper "available resources" to pay debts and replace the special trust funds are the following: Notes and subscriptions unpaid, received by the agent, and due at various times $6,651 Various lands and town lots estimated at a low price as cash 2,600 Amount $9,251 There are some old notes and subscriptions of several years' standing, on which something may be realized ; and there are some tuition bills due. But in collecting the^ notes and subscriptions in the hands of the agent there will be some lost. Your committee report, therefore, a deficiency in resources an amount equal to $3,5oo. For a while they must rely on the future liberality of the friends of the College. Then about $500 are indispensable to repair the Seminary Hall and fit up the basement of the chapel for the preparatory school. To meet the pressure of the debts already referred to, and pro- vide this expense, the committee recommend that an urgent ap- peal be made to their friends through the agent to provide at least $1,500 early in autumn. In conclusion, your committee would add that they have exam- ined the treasurer's books, the records of the Board, and the notes and subscriptions in the hands of the agent, with the utmost scrutiny and care, and have produced the result in this report. They see nothing discouraging in the financial condition of the College. It will require strenuous effort, promptitude in payments, close economy and untiring perseverance, as it does in all such business, to place this College on the elevated position it is destined to attain. All of which is respectfully submitted by order of the com- mittee. J. M. PECK, Chairman. APPENDICES. 327 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM. OF SHURT- LEFF COLLEGE TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDING JULY 26, 1850. The whole number of students during the past year has been 117. The number in attendance each term has been as follows: First term, 89; second term, 91; third term, 83. In the classical course n In the English course ' 16 In the classical preparatory course 28 In the English preparatory course 27 In the junior preparatory school. 42 Total number in the two classical departments 39 Total in the two English departments 43 Total in the j unior school 42 Several were pursuing Eaglish studies a portion of the year. Such are reported in both courses. The attendance of students to their academical exercises, with one exception, has been "regu- lar." With few exceptions their application to their studies has been commendable, and their progress quite creditable. Also, with few exceptions, their deportment has been worthy of appro- bation. Three have merited an "admonition" before their fellow students, one a "suspension" for a period of seven months, and one a "suspension" for a period of one year. The aoccessions to the library have been small, consisting mostly of miscellaneous pamphlets and maps of the coast surveys conducted under the direction of the national government, pre- sented by different officers of government and by friends of the College. Four large maps have been purchased at an expense of $20. To the philosophical and chemical apparatus no additions have been made. The cabinet has been increased by the addition of a considerable number of mineralogical specimens from different localities in several states of the Union. Henry S. Spaulding has deposited some twenty specimens, collected mostly in Arkansas. Miss Mary J. Smith has deposited a box of gold dust received from Cali- fornia. Very respectfully submitted, WASHINGTON LEVERETT. 328 APPENDICES. THE COLLEGE AGENCY. [The committee in the discharge of their duty investigated the agency system and referred the whole subject to the Board. After full deliberation and consultation with the agent through a special committee they unanimously decided that the agency was in- dispensable, and with equal unanimity reappointed Rev. Isaac D. Newell, at a salary of $600, with the expectation that the friends of the College in every part of the state will cordially co-operate. J, M. P.] APPENDIX IV. PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTIONS IN RELATION TO A SPECIAL CONVENTION. WHEREAS,, a correspondence has been held with Baptists throughout Southern and Middle Illinois, and a response made in favor of holding a Special Convention this season, for mutual consultation in respect to Shurtleff College, and our other denom- inational interests in common; and, WHEREAS, an expression has been made that this Association, the oldest in the state, should take the lead in giving this call ; and, WHEREAS, the churches in Alton and Upper Alton have kindly and generously proffered their hospitality in entertaining a con- vention ; therefore Resolved, That a committee of twelve brethren be appointed to take the subject under consideration and prepare a circular, to be sent to the Association and Churches, requesting them to send Messengers; and that brethren generally, who desire to co- operate in the objects specified, be also invited to attend said convention. The Committee, to which was referred the Preamble and Reso- lutions calling for a Convention, respectfully report the following: CIRCULAR ADDRESS. To Baptist Associations, Churches and Brethren in Middle and Southern Illinois, and to All Others Whom It May Concern: The undersigned Committee, in the name and on behalf of the Southern District Baptist Association, held at Bethel, St. Clair county, Illinois, on September 4th, and following days, 1856, make this Address to their Brethren: After repeated attempts to co-operate with the brethren in the northern section of the state, in sustaining and endowing Shurt- 329 330 APPENDICES. leff College, and in other denominational interests, our brethren in 'the Middle and Southern sections have only met with disap- pointment. Within a few months, the brethren North, and especially in Chicago, have organized and begun to build a University, and, of course, it is in vain for us to look for aid from that part of the state ; and being specially desirous to avoid all future disagreement and unpleasant collision with our brethren in the north, and to promote union, harmony and mutual co-operation throughout the Association and Churches in Middle and Southern Illinois, and with all other Baptists who will cordially co-operate in the most simple, efficient and economical measures for promoting the inter- ests of the College, and of Ministerial Education ; also, aiding feeble churches, providing missionary help in destitute towns and settlements, and in every other good work. Mutual consultation as to the best measures to gain these objects, we suppose, will be prominent in the Convention. It is not for this Committee, nor even this Association, to indi- cate what the brethren interested in this movement ought To do. It is for the assembled people, th'at come together for consultation, co-operation and union, to lay out their own proceedings. We all hope, and expect, that the brethren who thus assemble will be of one heart and one mind in all the principles of action ; that they will come without jealousy, rivalship or sectional partialities give no occasion for debate and strife and in the true spirit of love to our Divine Master, and confidence in one another, be pre- pared to do His work, as the finger of Providence may* indicate. We can truly say, that the prospects of Shurtleff College have not been so encouraging for many years; that from the sale of property no longer needed for College purposes, at an advanced price, since the commencement of June 26th, funds have been ob- tained more than sufficient to pay off all outstanding debts; and that, before the time of the Convention, a plan will be matured, and laid before that body, to provide an ample endowment, with- out a burdensome expense for agents. We are assured from our brethren in the Southern counties, that manage the "Baptist Convention of Southern Illinois." that they are heart and hand with us, and will be prepared to co- operate, in the most cordial and effective manner, with the brethren in Middle Illinois, and as far North as may be desired, as soon as arrangements can be made. APPENDICES. 331 The new paper, called "The Illinois Baptist," recently started at Benton, by their enterprise and liberality, will advocate union and mutual co-operation among us, and bids fair to become a strong ally in all our measures. We ask the Associations who receive this Circular in season to send Messengers to the Convention ; also any and all the Churches where brethren feel disposed to attend. Brethren who affiliate with us in the objects indicated in this Circular will find a cordial welcome as members. And to our brethren in Missouri, who feel an interest in Shurtleff College, we say come, and give us your counsel and prayers. We have assurances that the Churches of Alton and Upper Alton, with their accustomed hospitality, will bid welcome to their houses and hearts all who may come, and that other citizens will participate in these generous efforts. The time of the Convention to be the last Wednesday in Oc- tober and the following days (29th, 3Oth and 3ist), the place of meeting the Baptist Church-house in Upper Alton, to commence the first day at 10 o'clock A. M. Elders: JAMES LEMEN, SR., Chairman. J. M. PECK, Secretary. JOSEPH LEMEN, T. A. MORTON, JOHN PADON, Lay Brethren: JAMES H. LEMEN, LEVI BROWNING (Benton, 111.), CHARLES B. STREET, SILVAN us HARLOW, J. P. HAYS. [Two members of the Committee (E. J. Palmer and T. B. White) declined to vote in the affirmative in the report to the Association ; but on a slight amendment they voted for it in the Association, making the call unanimous.] SECRETARY. Bethel, 111., Sept. 6, 1856. APPENDIX V. THE FACULTY AT IMPORTANT PERIODS. IN 1829. JOHN RUSSELL, Principal. REV. JOHN M. PECK, Theology. JOHN MESSENGER, Mathematics, Etc. IN 1839- President and Professor of Moral Philosophy. REV. WASHINGTON LEVERETT, A. M., Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. Professor of Oratory, Rhetoric and Belles Lettres. Professor of Ancient Languages. REV. WARREN LEVERETT, A. M., Principal of the Preparatory Department. REV. ZENAS B. NEWMAN, Assistant English and Classical Tutor. 332 APPENDICES. 333 IN 1849. President and Professor of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy. REV. WASHINGTON LEVERETT, A. M., Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. REV. WARREN LEVERETT, A. M., Professor of the Latin and Greek Languages. ERASTUS ADKINS, A. M., Professor of Oratory, Rhetoric and Belles Lettres. Professor of Chemistry and Mineralogy. REV. JUSTUS BULKLEY, A. B., and WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, A. B., Tutors and Principals of the Preparatory Department. IN 1869. REV. DANIEL READ, LL. D., PRESIDENT, Kendall and Hancock Professor of Mental and Moral Science. OSCAR HOWES, A. M., Gave Professor of Latin and Greek Languages and Literature. CHARLES F AIRMAN, A. M., Edwards Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. ORLANDO L. CASTLE, A. M., Shurtleff Professor of Oratory, Rhetoric and Belles Lettres. EBENEZER MARSH, JR., A. M. PH. D., Hunter Lecturer on Chemistry, Geology and Mineralogy. EDWARD A. HAIGHT, A. B., Principal of Preparatory Department. 334 APPENDICES. THEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. REV. EDWARD C. MITCHELL, A. M.. Professor of Biblical Literature and Interpretation. REV. ROBERT E. PATTISON, D. D., Professor of Systematic Theology and History of Doctrine. REV. JUSTUS BULKLEY, D. D., Professor of Church History and Church Polity. Professor of Pastoral Theology. IN 1889. REV. A. A. KENDRICK, D. D., PRESIDENT, Acting Professor of Systematic Theology. ORLANDO L. CASTLE, LL. D., Shurtleff Professor of Oratory, Rhetoric and Belles Lettres. REV. JUSTUS BULKLEY, D. D., Professor of Church History and Church Polity. Professor of Biblical Literature and Interpretation. CHARLES FAIRMAN, LL. D., Edwards Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, Hunter Lecturer on Chemistry, Geology and Mineralogy. DAVID G. RAY, A. M., Gove Professor of Latin and Greek Languages and Literature. L. F. SCHUSSLER, M. D., Instructor in Physiology. * The duties of this chair are performed by Dr. Bulkley and Professor Ray. APPENDICES. 335 IN 1899. AUSTEN KENNEDY DE BLOIS, PH. D., LL. D., PRESIDENT, Professor of Psychology and Ethics. REV. JUSTUS BULKLEY, D. D., LL. D., Professor of History. GEORGE ERNEST CHIPMAN, A. M., LL. B., Professor of Political and Social Science. SAMUEL ELLIS SWARTZ, PH. D., Professor of the Natural Sciences. DAVID GEORGE RAY, A. M., Professor of Latin and Greek. CHARLES HOBEN DAY, A. M., Professor of Modern Languages. VICTOR LEROY DUKE, A. B., Professor of Mathematics. DAVID H. JACKSON, B. L., Instructor in Physiology; Director of Physical Culture. JAMES PRIMROSE WHYTE, A. B., Instructor in English Literature and Oratory. EDWARD C. LEMEN, A. M., M. D., Medical Examiner. APPENDIX VI. TABLE SHOWING THE ENROLLMENT OF COLLEGE STUDENTS FOR A PERIOD OF FIFTY YEARS 1849-1899. Year. Freshmen. Soph' 1849-50 2 1850-51 11 7 1851-52 1852-53 4 10 1853-54 9 9 1854-55 6 11 1855-56 11 10 1856-57 16 13 1857-58 22 19 1858-59 14 12 1859-60 9 7 1860-61 13 14 1861-62 13 17 1862-63 14 9 1863-64 19 18 1864-65 5 4 1865-66 8 15 1866-67 13 11 1867-68 19 12 1868-69 10 11 1869-70 15 7 1870-71 9 11 1871-72 12 6 1872-73 32 9 1873-74 27 20 1874-75 16 12 1875-76 20 9 1876-77 10 18 1877-78 , 20 12 1878-79 19 14 1879-80 15 14 1880-81 16 6 1881-82 13 11 1882-83 10 8 1883-84 16 >< 1884-85 9 1885-86 3 4 1886-87 17 3 1887-88 : 10 14 1888-89 14 8 1889-90 12 6 1890-91 13 9 1891-92 13 14 1892-93 11 11 1893-94 13 11 1894-95 11 8 1895-96 18 8 1896-97 18 19 1897-98 30 14 1898-99 33 22 Thus the average annual attendance upon College classes during the presidency of Dr. Wood (1850 to 1855) was 23.5; during that of Dr. Read (1856 to 1870), 37.5; during that of Dr. Bulkley (acting presi- dent, 1870-72), 39 ; during that of Dr. Kendrick (1872-94), 42.9 : during that of Dr. De Blois (1894-99), 65. 336 Juniors. Seniors. Special. Total. 2 4 3 1 22 4 - 6 3 23 1 4 23 3 1 21 10 7 38 5 9 43 6 4 51 14 1 41 8 6 30 6 7 38 5 7 42 7 4 34 12 6 55 8 4 21 6 5 34 6 1 31 7 4 42 5 7 33 9 3 34 6 8 34 6 6 30 4 3 48 9 3 59 13 9 3 53 7 14 4 54 5 6 9 48 8 9 6 55 8 9 8 58 8 9 10 56 10 7 9 48 5 10 10 49 5 6 11 40 6 5 9 45 7 6 6 36 5 7 4 23 4 5 4 33 2 4 2 32 10 1 33 6 8 8 40 8 5 6 41 8 7 4 46 11 6 5 44 7 11 10 o2 7 4 4 34 12 8 8 54 9 15 9 70 15 10 S 77 12 15 8 90 INDEX. Abbott, A. L. : catalogues library, 255 ; report of, as treasurer, 298. Abbott, Dr. L. A. : appointed comptroller, 296. Academic Hall: completed, 58; renovated, 156; addition to, 157. Adams, Orleans M., 117. Adams, Principal S., 160. Adkins, Prof. E. : appointed, 105 ; enters a complaint, 126 ; sues the College, 129. Agency : of Mr. Peck, 26-28 ; of Mr. Loomis, 55-58 ; second, of Mr. Peck, 62-70; proposed, 86; of Dr. Sherwood, 103; of Mr. Newell, 105; of Dr. Bulkley and Mr. Newell, 124; of B. B. Hamilton, 136; of Horace Pierce, 137; of H. L. Field, 138; of H. K. Daniels, 148, 157; of H. L. Field, 156; of Mills and Daniels, 158; of Dr. Mitchell, 199; of Dr. Johnson, 235 ; of J. G. Lemen, 251 ; of H. W. Thiele, 251 ; of E. S. Graham, 257-262; of Dr. Kendrick, 272, 275-6; of Dr. de Blois, 297. Almira College, 158. Alpha Sigma Society, 160. Alpha Zeta Society : its beginnings, 107 ; place of meeting, 121 ; tribute to, 142 ; contests with Sigma Phi Society, 253 ; his- tory of, published, 298. Alton: in 1819, 20; patronage of College from, 248; as location for a college, 309. Alton Female Institute: chartered, 77. Alton Seminary: beginnings of, 53; building for, projected, 53 ; embarrassments of, 59 ; students at, 64 ; origin of, 309 ; objects of, 312; needs of, 313-15- Alton Theological Seminary: established, 66, 313; becomes branch of College, 90; work of, 184-6; rules and pledge in, 185; students of, 185-6. 337 338 INDEX. Alumni: meeting of, 217; banquet, 218; banquets in Chicago, 295- American Bap. Education Society: pledge of, 270; pays its share of endowment, 277; extends time limit, 296; for- wards its quota, 297. American Bible Society, 38. American Educational Society, Illinois branch of, 48. Anderson, Dr. Galusha, 237. Annex, The, 261-2. Ansman, Dr. Alexander, 120. Ante-Nicene Library, 221. Anti-missionary Baptists: oppose education, 25, 34, 57; their bit- terness, 175-179. Appeal for aid : to establish a school, 26 ; by Dr. Going for Alton Seminary, 49; by Mr. Loomis in the East, 55, 58; by Mr. Peck for Alton College, 67; for money to build, 147; to cancel debt, 224; for larger endowments, 229; by Dr. Johnson, 236; by Dr. Kendrick to Board, 256-8. Articles of agreement, inaugurating Alton Seminary, 53. Art School : instituted, 249. Athletics : enthusiasm for, 294 ; victories in, 299. Auditor : appointed, 85. Avery, Prof. W. H. H., 275. Babcock, Dr. Rufus : called to presidency, 108. Bailey, Rev. Alvin, 181. Bailhache, Major, 144. Baker, Col. J. P., 144, 153- Baker, Edward L., 106. % . Baker, Judge David J., 122. Baker, Rev. S. H., 100, 237. "Band of Faith" : established, 162 ; description of, 163-6 ; at- tacked, 166 ; Dr. Read defends, 167 ; estimate of, 168. Baptist: Board of Foreign Missions, 17; church, first beyond the Mississippi, 18; Convention of Illinois, formed, 179; Convention of Southern Illinois, 109; Ed. Society of Phil- adelphia, 17; General Association of Illinois, 109, 118, 123; Home Miss. Society founded, 43; Theological College at Paris, 208. Baptists: in U. S. in 1776, 12; in Illinois in 1800, 12; in Illinois in 1827, 36." INDEX. 339 Barnes, Rev. Mr., 141. Beecher, President Edward, 69. Bible, The : made a text-book, 194 ; literary study of, intro- duced, 299. Bible Union Version of the Scriptures, 127. Birthday of "Father" Loomis, 220. Blackburn, Dr., 69. Blackburn University, 260. Blue River Association, 189. Board, charge for, 121. Boarding-house, College : rent of, 100 ; explanations concerning, in. Boarding students, at Rock Spring, 36. Board of Trustees : organization of, 53 ; authorize opening of Seminary, 58-9; double identity of, 66; inactivity of, 73; difficulties in, 84; decide to build, 85; dissensions in, 95, 98; vindication of, no; criticism of, 122; Bible Revision and, 128; Faith Band and, 168; plan a University, 210; per- plexed over debts, 224; purchase Kendall Institute, 225-6; self-perpetuating, 313; financial report of, 318-23. Book Fund, for theological students, 152. Bookkeeping, careless, 84. Bower, Elder Jacob: and the "Hardshells," 177; address on Education, 189. Boyd, Dr. W. W., 290. Bradley, Joshua: his life, 35; principal at Rock Spring, 36; his administration, 40; he resigns, 42; teacher of Dr. Pat- tison, 206. Branch, Rev. H. H., 287. Briggs, Prof. A., 119. Broadus, Dr. J. A., 204. Brown, Dr. Erastus, 21. Brown, Gen. P. P., 144. Brown University, 16, 61. Building, New: planned, 155; to be finished by faith, 168. Buckmaster, Hon. Samuel, 54. Bulkley, Dr. Justus : a prize-winner, 101 ; temporary tutor, 104 ; graduation, 106; becomes professor, 120; as College agent, 124; acting president, 212; speaks at Jubilee, 239; jubilee of graduation celebrated, 287-90 ; death of, 300-1 ; char- acter of, 301-3. 34 INDEX. Bulkley, Sarah E., 213, 222, 288. Burlingame, Rev. A. H., 169. Burroughs, Dr. J. C, 128, 129, 228. Business course, introduced, 249. Cahokia, n. Canton Female Institution, 118. Carr, H. M., 288. Carrollton Academy, 118. Castle, Lucius M., 222. Castle, Prof. O. L. : called to Shurtleff, 120 ; re-appointed, 129 ; his teaching, 139; hymn at corner-stone laying, 155; death of, 273 ; life and character, 273-5. Castle, W. A., 129. Cellar, the old, 280. Centennial Fund : suggested, 229. Chancellor : Dr. Johnson elected, 241. Chapel, new, built, 250. Chapin, Professor, 16. Chapman, H. R., 287. Charges, against the College, 108, 109. Charter : sought for Rock Spring Seminary, 57 ; granted to Alton College, 57 ; second, to Alton College, 65 ; amended to include Theol. Dept, 90; as guardian of denominational interests, 109, no; amendment to, regarding saloons, etc., 143- Chase, H. S., 203. Chicago Alumni Association formed, 295. Chicago University: proposed, 130; growth of, 227; competes with Shurtleff, 228; closes its doors, 252. Chipman, Prof G. E., 285. Cholera epidemic, 55. Churches, the and the College : plan for bringing together, 123. Civil War, the : its effect on the College, 143-145 ; Shurtleffs representatives in, 144, 146. Clark, George Rogers, u. Clarke, Prof. J. C. C. : gives lectures, 229 ; duties of, 242 ; gives address, 251. Class-day established, 259. Clayton, Capt. G. E., 145. INDEX. 341 Cloran, Prof. T., 286. Co-education; investigated, 159; secured, 213; growth of idea of. 288. Colby, Prof. L. : agency work of, 69, 71 ; character of, 74 ; ap- pointment of, 75 ; duties of, 74 ; proposed as agent, 87 ; work of professor of theology, 184-186; resigns, 193; resignation accepted, 195. Colby University: its beginnings, 16. College band, 260. College class established, 88. College president, requirements for a, 214. "College Review": established, 254; success of, 299. Colonization Society, 38. Columbian University, 15, 17, 75, 97, 206. Comptroller : office of, established, 296. Conference at Rock Spring, 29-32; at the College, 109. Contests, Society, 259. Coon, R. R. : declines presidency, 131. Commencement Exercises: in 1841, 93; in 1845, 101 ; in 1865, 154; in 1872, 215-218; in 1874, 230; at Jubilee, 237-240; in 1897, 287-91. Consecration of wealth, 150. Convention of Western Baptists : first session, 61 ; second ses- sion, 72. Cook, Brig, Gen. John, 144. Cook Academy, 231. Couzins, Miss Phoebe, 169. Covington, Seminary at: founded, 182; its career, 201, 202; Dr. Pattison and, 206. Craig, Rev. James, 23. Credentials: of Mr. Peck, 317. Crozer Theological Seminary, 105, 233. Cunningham, William : graduation of, 106 ; charter member of Alpha Zeta Society, 107. Curriculum: in 1839, 89, 317; in Dr. Wood's time, 116; in D r . Read's time, 139; lengthened, 256. Daily prayer-meeting established, 143. Daniels, Rev. H. K. : appointed, 200; success as agent, 148; visits Mr. Gove, 149; resigns, 157. Davidson, Prof. C, 118. 342 INDEX. Day, Prof. C. H., 292. De Blois, President Austen K., 277. Debt: of College, 125; floating, 224. Dedication of Martha Wood Cottage, 261. Deficiency pledges, 285. Deficit: in 1865, 157; in 1868, 161 ; in 1884, 251; in 1894, 283. Degrees: conferred in 1841, 93; dispute about, 94-96. Denison, J. W., 119. Denison, Rev. R. C, 287. Departments, new, instituted, 249. Dimmock, Hon. Thos., 268. Discipline: in the early days, 80;. under Dr. Wood, 121; under Dr. Read, 146; new scheme of, 243. Dodge, Josiah, 12. Dodge, Prof. G. B. : a graduate of 1857, called to Shurtleff, 170; early labors, 170; presides at dinner, 218; work for alumni library, 223 ; death of, 271 ; his services, 271. Dodge, Rev. Henry W., 93. "Domestic Mission" established, 15. Doolittle, Senator J. R., 228. Dormitory : planned, 85 ; exterior completed, 91 ; work on in- terior, 94, 98, 107; interior completed, 121; renovated, 264-5 ; renovated, 272. Draper, Solomon, 217. Dubois, Senator Fred T., 170. Duke, Prof. V. L., 292. Duncan, R. S.'s History of Baptists in Missouri, 45. Dunlap, Col. James, 114. Early Settlements in Illinois, n. Eaton, Prof., 233. Education: missions and, 15; in the West, i6~, zeal for, 118; op- position to, 178; advocacy of, 180; evangelical, 310; Roman Catholics and, 311-313. Education, ministerial : report on, 180. Educational Commission, Am. Bap., 229, 235. Edwards, Dr. Benjamin F. : comment on removal of School, 44; interest in Alton Seminary, 63; removal from Illinois, 104. Edwards, Governor, 40. INDEX. 343 Edwards, Hon. Cyrus : interest in Alton Seminary, 63 ; gift to College, 81, 82; president 111. Lit. and Hist. Society, 101 ; president Board of Trustees, 104; resigns, 117; advocates Law Dept, 211; and "Father" Loomis, 220; speaks at Jubilee, 239. Edwards' professorship fund, 320-1. Ellis, Dr. Frank M., 153, 230. Ellis, John M., 33. Endorsement : of Alton College, 67. Endowment : in 1864, 148 ; in years 1882-6, 257 ; subscriptions to new, 277. English, Dr. J. B., 217.. Enochs, Isaac, 13. Enlargement, Plan of, 283. Enrollment of Students : at Rock Spring, 37, 46 ; in 1840, 90 ; in 1842, 99; decrease in, 102-3; in 1848-49, 106; in 1850, 325; in 1851, 115; in war times, 144, 145, 146; of theology, 203; in 1871-3, 222; in 1873-4, 22 7 '> decreases, 231; in college department decreases, 256; general, grows, 265; in 1894, 280; growth of, 291-2, 300. Entrance requirements raised, 256. Evans, B. H., 161. Executive Committee: appointed, 117; first meeting, 118. Expenses: at Rock Spring, 37; in 1853, 121. Faculty: faithfulness of, 81, 102; changes in, 119; strength of, 122 ; resign, 127 ; under Dr. Read, 133 ; strength of, 161, 285-6 ; changes in, 292 ; at important periods, 330. Faculty meeting, first, 79. Fairman, Dr. Charles: comes to Shurtleff, 170; president pro tempore, 212; resigns, 226; returns, 231; duties of, 242; death of, 281 ; life and work, 281-2. Fairmount Theological Seminary, 202. Field, Major H. L. : as College agent, 138; as soldier, 144; do- nates 'war relics, 152. Financial crisis, 156. Financial problems : at inception of Alton Seminary, 52, 55 ; in 1835, 62; in 1842, ioo; in 1865, 156; in 1897-8, 296; report in 1850, 319-324- Fines, for absence from class, 98. First lady graduate, 213, 288. 344 INDEX. First, Mrs. H. C, 264. Fisher, Principal O., 118. Flagg, W. C., 211. Flood, Rev. Noah, 100. Ford, Dr. J. W., 270. Ford, Dr. S. H., 238, 289. Foulon, I. D., 161, 218. Fox, Capt. Francis W., 145. Frances Shinier Academy, 263. Franklin College: chartered, 79; and Warren Leverett, 90; sus- pended, 146. Free tuition to theological students, 81. Freshman class : of 1873, 222 ; the largest, 300. "Friends of Humanity" : organized, 13 ; condition in 1819, 13. Furman, Dr., 16. Gallaher, Dr. H. M., 230. Gardiner, Hiram A., 99. General Convention of Western Baptists. 182. Georgetown College, 108, 202. Gibons, John, 12. Gift: of Dr. Shurtleff, 70; of Hon. C. Edwards, 81, 82; of Mr. Gove, 117; of Mr. and Mrs. Gove, 148-152; of Mr. Wood, 261 ; of Mr. Hayward, 268 ; of Mr. Pierson, 270. Gillham, Hon. D. B. : presides at dedication, 250; assassination of, 268. Going, Dr. Jonathan : visits the West, 43 ; his reference to the School, 45 ; his aid asked, 55 ; founds Educational Associa- tion, 60; called to presidency, 81, 82; aids ministerial cul- ture, 193; teacher of Dr. Pattison, 206; paper concerning, at Jubilee, 239. Gove, Elijah: President Wood visits, 117; gives to Prof. Bulk- ley, 125; his greatest gift, 148-152; telegraphs help, 161. Gove, Mrs. E. : gifts of, 148, 151, 152. "Gove University" proposed, 210. Graduating class of 1864 enlist, 146. Graham, Mrs. E. S., 264. Graham, Rev. E. S. : as agent, 257-262. Granville Lit. and Theol. Institution : founded, 78 ; Dr. Going accepts presidency of, 83 ; President Wood receives degree from, 114; Dr. Castle a graduate of, 274. INDEX. 345 Greenleaf, Elder, 189. Green, Rev. T. P., 38. Greene, W. W., 298. Griggs, Miss Annette, 294. Griswold, Rev. R. W., 102. Guild, Rev. G. P., 218. Gymnasium : proposed, 269 ; built, 270. Haight, Prof. E. A., 170, 218. Haight, R. A., 218. Hamilton, B. B., 136. Hamilton Lit. and Theol. Inst., 99, 114. Hammond, Rev. E. P., Revivalist, 226. Harris, Chapin A., 99. "Hardshells" : See Anti-missionary Baptists. Harney, Paul E., 290. Haskell, Dr., 67. Haynes, Dr. Myron W. : service for Kalamazoo College, 252 ; president of Shurtleff Board of Trustees, 299. Hayward, W. E., 268, 286. Henson, Dr. P. S. : address at dedication, 250 ; address before literary societies, 290. Hinton, Rev. I. T. : called to presidency, 92 ; given a degree, 93. Historical address: at corner-stone laying, 154; at Jubilee, 237. "History of the Alpha Zeta Society," 298. Hobbs, C. A. : an editor of "Qui Vive," 161 ; poem at Jubilee, 237; poem at seventieth anniversary, 291. Howard, Jordan, 39. Howell, Rev. R. B. C., 92. Howes, Prof. Oscar : appointed, 129 ; his teaching, 139 ; he re- signs, 231. Humphrey, Hon. J. Otis : member of class o* '76, 223 ; teacher in prep dept, 233 ; wins oratorical prizt, 224 ; helps en- dowment canvass, 275. Illinois: won from the French, n; population of, 12; condition of, in 1776, 12; in 1822, 25; school fund of, 25; 310-11; population in 1863, 198. "Illinois Baptist," The, 328. Illinois Baptist Convention, 67. 346 INDEX. Illinois Baptist Education Society : an ally of the College, 79 ; nominates trustees, 123; formation of, 187; work of, 191; relation of, to State Convention, 192. Illinois College: seeking a charter, 66; agency of, 69; Mr. Dodge a teacher in, 170; supports Shurtleff, 246; an evangelical school, 310. Illinois Industrial University, 246. Illinois Union formed, 13. Illinois United Baptist Association : formed, 13 ; condition in 1819, 13 ; statements of, denouncing missions, 176. Inaugural address of Dr. Kendrick, 215, 216. Income from trust funds in 1850, 322. Indiana : a new state, 17 ; use of public funds, 25 ; educational beginnings in, 78. Indiana Baptist Institute, 79. Infidelity: debate on, 41. Isolation of the College, 122. Ives, Charles, 144. Ives, Rev. Dwight, 84. Jacobs, Rev. Bela: his tour in the West, 60; refers \? Alton Seminary, 60; urges an agency, 60. Jackson, David H., 294. Jackson, Dr. J. B., 122, 288. Jackson, Prof. A. M., 233. Jeter, Dr. J. B., 204. Jewell, Dr. William, 79. Johnson, Dr. G. J. : undertakes canvass, 235; his appeal. 236; address at Jubilee, 238; concludes his canvass, 241. "Joint Sociable" instituted, 242. Jubilee: exercises, 237-240; poem, 239-240. Jubilee of Dr. Bulkley's graduation, celebrated, 287-290. Junior Preparatory Dept., 116. Kalamazoo College, 252. Kaskaskia, n. Kay, James R., 120. Keirsey, Capt. E. D., 145. Kendall, Charles S., 203. Kendall, H. N. : letter to, 134; lays corner-stone, 155; home becomes ladies' school, 160; sells home to College, 224-226. INDEX. 347 Kendall Institute : opened, 226 ; closed, 233. Kendrick, President A. A. : policy in theological instruction, 209; election of, 214; earlier life, 214; establishes lectures, 229; undertakes canvass, 235; opens Jubilee programme, 237 ; preaching of, 245 ; directs rhetorical exercises, 248 : adds new departments, 249; secures money for chapel, 250; comments on college financiering, 253 ; begins canvass for endowment, 270; success of his canvass, 275-6; resigna- tion of, 277. Kline, Lewis E., 255. Kline, R. E. R., 287. Lady students : home for, 225 ; fewness of, 262. Land: speculation proposed, 68; sale of, proposed, 86. Latham, Mr. Robert, 251. Law Department proposed, 211. Lawson, Z. B. : as agent, 120; his wise stipulation, 147; words concerning agents, 157. Lectures: expository, 98, in; course of, instituted, 169; to young ministers, 198; course of, 213; course by Prof Clarke, 229; chapel course established, 292-4; Leland Uni- versity, 208. Lemen, James, Jr., 30. Lemen, James, Sr., 2. Lemen, Mrs. M. P., 178, 238. Lemen, Rev. J. G., 251. "Lend a Hand Society," The, 279. Leverett, Dr. Washington : election as professor, 75 ; early days, 75; acting president, 79, 84; services of, 102; acting presi- dent, 104; resigns, 119; his teaching, 139; resigns, 162; re- classifies library, 169; relation to Education Society, 192; has theological classes, 194 ; death of, 265 ; character of, 266-8. Leverett, Mrs. M. A., 220. Leverett, Mrs. J., 265. Leverett, Prof. Warren: visits Dr. Going, 83; principal of preparatory dept., 89; early years, 89, 90; services of, 102; resigns, 119; reappointed, 133; his teaching, 139; resigns, 162; relation to Education Society, 192; death of, 219; character of, 266-8. 348 INDEX. Library: at Rock Spring, 35; transferred to Alton, 54; growth of, 93; additions to, 103; Dr. Peck's legacy to, 134; char- acter of, in 1858, 139; rearranged by Dr. Leverett, 169; alumni, suggested, 223 ; arranged and catalogued, 255 ; ac- cessions in 1850, 325. Lincoln, Abraham, portrait of, 153. "Location, Mission and Needs of Shurtleff College," 215. Log-cabin boarding house : at Rock Spring, 34 ; at Upper Alton, 59- Log-cabins : for students, 54. Long, Major George W., 100, 117. Loomis, Hubbel : principal of Alton Seminary, 40 ; Mr. Peck's visit to him, 50; his early life, 51; removes from Kas- kaskia, 52; his school at Edwardsville, 52; begins school at Upper Alton, 53 ; visits the East, 55 ; devotion to the School, 63 ; president of both College and Theological Seminary, 66; resigns, 79; tribute to, 141; in old age, 154; birthday of, 220; death of, 221; character of, 221. Loomis, Prof. John C, 64. Macoupin Settlement, 22. Malcolm, Howard, 92, 108. Manning, William, 52. Manual labor: at Rock Spring, 31; at Alton College, 76. Maple, Dr. J. C, 153, 288. Marsh, Dr. Ebenezer, Sr. : teacher at Rock Spring, 41 ; services of, 231. Marsh, Dr. E., Jr.: appointed, 125; goes abroad, 129; resigns, 231 ; labors of, 232. Marshall College, 97. Martha Wood Cottage : proposed, 258 ; built, 261 ; described, 261-2. Massachusetts Bap. Missionary Society, 25, 26. Maxon, Rev. W. B., 100. McGilton, Rev. John, 99. McMasters, Rev. S. Y., 127, 128, 132. McPherson, Hon. William, 204. Medical Department: organized, 90; its policy, 91. Mercer, Rev. Jesse, 15. Mercer University, 15, 97. INDEX. 349 Merchant, Prof. F. I. : teaches at Shurtleff, 253 ; later years of, 254; editor "College Review," 254. Merrell, Hon. J. W., 203. Mills, Charles R, 258. Mills, Henry E., 230, 255. Mills, Miss Ruth, 223. Ministerial Aid Societies, 190. Missions denounced, 176. Missouri, Theological School in : plans for, 195 ; enthusiasm for, 196; failure of, 198. Mitchell, Prof. E. C. : as agent, 147, 199; appointed a professor, 199; success as agent, 204; visits abroad, 204; his return, 205 ; his life, 207, 208. Mitchell, Levi, 157. Modern languages, teaching of, in 1858, 139. Monmouth College, 246. Moore, Col. John E., 144. Moore, Major Franklin, 144. Morrison, Don, 41. Moxom, Rev. P. S., D. D., 171. Mt. Palatine Academy, 118. Mueller Doctrine, 167. Murray, Chief Justice Hugh, 64. Museum, gift to, 169. Music Department : established, 249 ; cause of establishment, 260. New Design Church, organized, 13. "New Evangelism," A : the call for, 304. Newell, Rev. I. D. : given degree, 100 ; appointed agent, 105 ; his success, 105; he resigns, 113. Newman, Zenas B. : assistant in preparatory school, 74, 186; principal, 79; death Qf, 102; his service, 102; incumbent of Shurtleff professorship, 320. Newton Theol. Inst., 27. Northern Bap. Education Society, 53. Northwest Territory, 12. Ohio : use of public funds, 25 ; educational beginnings in, 78. Ohio Bap. Education Society, 78. Oldest living graduate, 287. 350 INDEX. Orations at chapel service, 247-8. Oratorical Association, intercollegiate : formed, 233 ; Shurtleft excluded from, 246. Palmer, Gen. John M., 64, 144. Palmer, Rev. Elihu J. : as student, 64; principal of preparatory dept., 125; objected to, 128; declines to vote on report, 328. Parker, Hon. F. W. : life and work, 263 ; address at Commence- ment, 291 ; interest in alumni, 295. Parks, Elder, 189. Pattison, Prof. R. E. : opposes Band of Faith, 168; his resigna- tion, 168, 205; call to Shurtleff, 201, 207; his life, 206; work at Shurtleff, 207. Pearson, J. L., 254. Pease, Capt. C. A., 145. Peck, John Mason : early life, 13 ; student days, 14 ; appointed a missionary, 15; zeal for education, 16; journey westward, 17, 18; establishes school, 18; visits Upper Alton, 20; re- moves to St. Charles, 23 ; appointed missionary at large, 25 ; removes to Rock Spring, 25 ; visits the East, 26-28 ; establishes Rock Spring Seminary, 29-32 ; prepares the buildings, 33, 34 ; various labors, 38 ; pen picture of, 41, 42 ; conference with Dr. Going, 43 ; address on Education, 48 ; suggestions for agency work, 61 ; trip to the East, 62 ; his success, 67-69 ; he finds Dr. Shurtleff, 70 ; his return, 72 ; work at the College, 73 ; letter to Dr. Going, 82 ; proposes a building, 85; crosses swords with Dr. Perry, 96; gives memorial address, 106; assails financial conditions, 126; attitude on Revision question, 128 ; attacks the "Chicago clique," 130; farewell visit to the College, 134; opinion of agents, 136; the preachers' friend, 173; favors theological in- struction, 174, 175, 187; founds theol. dept., 184. Peoria: in 1819, 22; Female Seminary in, 105, 119. Perpetual scholarships, 158, 323. Perry, Dr. Gideon B. : head of medical dept., 90; commencement address, 93 ; causes trouble, 93-96. Phillips, Rev. D. L. : appointed agent, 113; visits Mr. Peck, 130. Philomethian Society, 99, 107. Physical laboratory, begun, 268. INDEX. 351 Pierce, Horace : Dr. Peck writes of, 135 ; as College agent, 137 ; his misdeeds, 137; claims for salary, 137, 138. Pierson, Clarinda, 39. Pierson, David: gift of, 270; death of, 271. Pioneer preachers: in Illinois, 36; their character, 172. Plan for a University outlined, 211. Pope, Hon. Nathaniel, 25, 40. Pope, Major General, 144. Pope, Penelope, 40. Pope, William, 40. Rowell, Thomas, 100. Preachers : itinerant, 172. President's levee : instituted, 101. Printing office at College, 254. Professorships : at Rock Spring, 31. Pro rata system of salaries, 272; objection to, 273. Property, moved from Rock Spring to Alton, 54. Prosperity of the College: in 1848-49, 106; under President Wood, 118; at close of Dr. Read's presidency, 160; in 1870, 213 ; following Jubilee canvass, 242 ; in latest years, 298-300. Public service, and the small college, 293. Pulliam beneficiary fund, 321. "Qui Vive" : established, 160 ; its success, 169 ; loyal to College, 223 ; champions College, 228. Ray, Prof. D. G., 292. Read, President Daniel : accepts presidency, 132 ; visits Dr. Peck, 134; his teaching, 139; address at corner-stone lay- ing, 154; as volunteer agent, 156; resigns, 161 ; remains at increased salary, 162 ; supports Band of Faith, 167 ; resigns, 170; later years, 170; advocates theol. instruction, 198 ; speaks at Jubilee, 237 ; letter from, at Bulkley Jubilee, 289. Reading room, 169. "Record of God's dealings with the Band of Faith," 164 ; second number of, 167. Reformation, Protestant, attacked, 176. Religious awakening: at Rock Spring, 39; at Alton in 1837, 82; during the war, 145; in 1873, 226-7; m spring of 1876; in 1880, 245. 35 2 INDEX. Religious exercises in 1850, in; in 1868, 169; in 1880, 247. Religious influence of the small College, 304. Removal of school to Upper Alton considered, 43-46. Repairs: on dormitory, 155-6; on buildings, 230, 279. Report of President pro tern in 1850, 325. Resignation: of Professor Leverett, 119; of entire faculty, 127. Resolution : commending dormitory, 91 ; concerning degrees, 100; of students concerning faculty resignations, 127; con- cerning needs of Seminary, 315 ; concerning presidency, 322; concerning special convention, 326. Resources of College in 1850, ^324. Restriction on theological instruction removed, 90. Rhoads, Rev. William, 296. Rice, Luther, 14, 15. Richards, Dr. W. C, 239. Richards, J. R., 294. Rider, William H. : a student at Rock Spring. 39; his account of the school, 39-42; speaks at Jubilee, 238. Rider, Justus, 39. Rider, Prof. R. P., 122. Rigby, N. L., 161. Ripley, Prof., 27. Rival schools in Illinois, 118. Roach, E. B. : embassy to Rockford, 246. Roberts, Mrs. C. B., 288. Rock Island Seminary, 119. Rock Spring : in 1822, 25. Rock Spring Seminary : organized, 29-32 ; buildings erected, 34 ; opened for students, 35; its work, 39; its teachers, 40; its students, 40, 41 ; its difficulties, 42 ; estimate of its work, 46, 47; its aims, 173. Roberts, W. S., 218. Rochester Theol. Seminary, 229. Rodgers, Col. A. R, 144. Rodgers. Rev. E. : a delegate to Missouri Convention, 195. Roger Williams University, 208. Roll call at Bulkley Jubilee, 289. Roman Catholics attacked, 119. Room rent, charge for, 121. Rooms: for Medical Dept, 94. Rural Park Seminary established, 159. INDEX. 353 Russell, John, LL.D. : principal at Rock Spring, 42; acting principal at Alton, 55; his life, 56; principal of Carrollton Academy, 118; speaks on Education, 196. Sage, Dr. E. C, 287. Saint Charles, school at, 23. Saint Louis, in 1817, 18; University, 311. Salaries: unpaid, 120; increased, 125, 133, 147; of College presi- dents, 162; reduced, 242. Salary: of Mr. Loomis as agent, 55; as principal, 59; of Mr. Peck as agent, 61 ; of Mr. Colby, 74; readjustment of, 100; of agent, 113; of Mr. Lawson as agent, 120; of H. L. Field as agent, 156; of Dr. Read increased, 162; of Mr. Daniels as agent, 200. Saloons : charter provision against, 143. Sawyer, Benjamin S., 217. Scanland, L. H., 238. Scholarships: issued, 158; endowment oi, 322. School in St. Louis, 18. Schools in Missouri in 1818, 24. Science laboratories enlarged, 286. Sciences, teaching of, in 1858, 139. Seventieth anniversary of Shurtleff, 287-291. Shawneetown, 18. Sherwood, President Adiel : elected, 92 ; life and work, 97 ; salary reduced, 100 ; appeal of, for loyalty, 101 ; generous proposal of, 102 ; resigned, 103 ; interest in College, 108 ; attends Jubilee, 239. Shurtleff, Dr. Benjamin: his gift, 70; his life, 71. Shurtleff, N. B., 71. Shurtleff College : name suggested, 70. Shurtleff College Academy : instituted, 282. Shurtleff Fund, 82, 87, 112, 320-21. Sigma Phi Society: victor in all contests, 259. Small colleges, advantages of, 142; a disadvantage of the, 293; future of, 302-3. Smith, Elder James, 12. Smith, Hon. G. A., 122. Smith, Major J. S., 144. Smith, Prof. J. Archy, 283. 354 INDEX. Smith, Rev. J. A., D.D. : on notification committee, 127; de- clines presidency, 130. Smith, Robert B., 153. Smith, W. A. : on "Qui Vive" staff, 161 ; life since graduation, 171 ; presides at banquet, 239. Society of Inquiry, 107. Sophomore class: the largest, 300. Spalding, C. S., 223. Spaulding, Capt. H. S., 144, 325. Springfield Female Institute, 118. Stacey, George, 41. State Universities, growth and policy of, 278-9. Staughton, Dr., 14, 15. Stedman, Dr. W. H., 218. Steenstra, Dr. P. H. : description of Shurtleff, 139; visit to Dr. Peck, 140; in class of 1858, 153. Stewart, Prof. T. M., 226, 231. Stifler, Prof. James : on committee of conference, 161 ; appointed professor, 209 ; resigns, 231 ; labors of, 232-3. Stow, Dr. Baron: called to presidency, 76; a second call, 81 ; a third call planned, 203. Street, Harlow, 144. Student government, 243-5. Students : at Rock Spring, their character, 37 ; at Alton Semin- ary, 64. Sunday chapel talks, 224. Swartz, Dr. S. E., 285. . Sweet, Joel, 61. Teachers' course: instituted, 249. Teasdale, J. H., 120. Teasdale, Prof. T. C., 118. Teasdale, Rev. John, 120. "The Backwoodsman," 56. Theological instruction : in original plan of the School, 29, 30, 32; in plan of Alton Seminary, 48; debarred in charter of Alton College, 65, 183; restriction on, removed, 90; history of, at Shurtleff, 172-209; statement of principles regarding, 183; Mr. Peck's zeal for, 174, 175, 189; letters favoring, 184; students of, 186; in danger, 194; under Dr. Sher- wood, 197; Dr. Read advocates, 198; professorship in, I INDEX. 355 founded, 199; bright prospects for, 201; success of, 202; new friends of, 204; separation of, authorized, 204; action rescinded, 205 ; swift decline of, 205 ; revival of, 209 ; in later years, 209. Theological seminary for two states proposed, 195. Theological Society formed, 160. "The Pioneer of the Valley of the Mississippi, 38. Tilbe, Harry H. : embassy to Rockford, 246 ; principal of Academy, 282. Todd, T. W., 286. Tolman, Dr. Cyrus F., 122. Tolman, Miss, visits Oberlin, 159. Tolman, Rev. J. N., 117. "Town and Gown," 248-9. Trent, L. C, 299. Trible, Capt. John, 144. Tucker, Rev. Levi, 93. Tuition fees : at the Western Mission Academy, 9 ; at Alton Seminary, 59. Triennial Convention, 115. Union meeting of Baptists, 53. United Society for Spread of the Gospel, 38. University of Illinois, growth of, 278. University of Missouri, 170. Upper Alton: in 1819, 21, 22; visited by Dr. Peck and Dr. Going, 43 ; advantages for a school site, 50 ; relation to the College, 141. Upper Alton Baptist Church : its debt to College cancelled, 107 ; collection for College, 235. Vandevere, Major William, 144. Vicksburg, 152. Warren, Dr. J. G., 46. Washington University, 169. Waterville College, 206. Wayland, Francis, 168. Wear, David, 144. Welch, James: appointed a missionary, 15; conducts school in St. Louis, 23. 356 INDEX. Western Bap. Educational Association, founded, 60. Western Baptist Theol. Institute, 202. Western Mission: established, 6; closed, 24. Western Mission Academy, 19. Weston, Rev. H. G., 105. White, President John B., 159. Whitney, Prof., 238. Whyte, Prof. J. P., 299. Wilderman, J. H., 161. William Jewell College : chartered, 79 ; Dr. Sherwood and, 103 ; suspended, 146. Wilson, Hon. N., 153. Women of State furnish dormitory rooms, 261. Wood, Hon. Samuel : gift of, 261. Wood, Rev. N. M., 209. Wood, President Norman N. : becomes president, 108 ; life and character, 114, 115; his severe methods, 121; trouble with professors, 126; resignation of, 127. Wright, Captain W. R., 145. Wright, Principal C. M., 118. Wyman, E., LL.D., 233. Wyman, H. P., 233. Yankees, and Kentuckians compared, 60. Yeaman, Dr. W. Pope : lecture by, 217. Young, Rev. J. L. M. : address at dinner, 218. DATE DUE CAVLOMO PRINTED IN U S.A 525