Butler University - Carillon / Drift Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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1 1 1 ryf i L. Jf BsB V ffPH ' K lRfll B l l I A Hi ory of Butler College At a meeting of the Disciples of Christ, September 29, 1848, at the Little Flat Rock Church in Rush County, the question was asked, Shall we build a college? The answer was affirmative and at a meeting in October, 1849. resol- ution was adopted definitely naming Indianapolis as the location for the proposed school. In the laws of the State of Indiana the reader will find the charter of the Northwestern Christian University, approved January 15, 1850. Familiar names appear among the incorporators : Butler, Goodwin, Hoshour, Hopkins. Jameson, Xew, Cole, O ' Kane and many others. ' ho of the readers of this can name the first faculty ? John Young, acting President, Xatural Science and Law : A. R. Benton, Ancient Language and Literature : G. W. Hoss, Mathematics and Civil Engineering ; J. R. Challen, English and Xormal School. The institution was authorized to issue stock to the amount of $75,000 at least. The fonnal opening did not take place until 1855, though the first Board of Directors was chosen July 14. 1852, and the second Board, July 11, 1855. The building for the new institution was on the corner of what is now College Avenue and Thirteenth Street. This was out in the country at that time. The campus eventually extended to Sixteenth Street on the north and the L. E. W. tracks on the east. The sessions were held for twenty years in the one building on this ground — a structure Gothic in character and a landmark in that part of the city. The period of the Civil War was a great drain on the college, for many of the boys enlisted. Some never came back. Joe Gordon, whose portrait hangs in the college chapel, was one of these. President Scott Butler went to the colors end served three years. The record was honorable then in that time of stress, as it was in the Great War, more than a half centurv later. (. ' ■z cntceu (2)

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1 7hQ DRIFT i lutk r from tl|r Air Sixteen

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7he DRIFT I NORTHWKSTKRN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY It must be remembered that for most of these years a law school was con- ducted as a part of the college. Byron K. Elliott was the head of it for a large part of its existence. Removal to a new site became necessary and this occurred in 1875. The community of Irvington, then a suburb, gave money and ground and as a result the change was made. In recognition of the benefactions of Ovid Butler, who had served for nearly a quarter of a century as president of the board of direc- tors, the name of the institution was changed to Butler College, soon after the removal to Irvington. This official action was taken February 22, 1877. In all these years there was a preparatory department in the college corre- sponding to courses now given in high schools. The last year of this depart- ment was 1906-7, and the head of the school was Omar Wilson. During 1904-07, the college was a part of the University of Indianapolis, which existed partly on paper, but represented an ideal which some day should and will be realized. members of the faculty in Thrasher, Benton, Merrill, Former students can never forget the leading these years — Hopkins, Jordan, Anderson, Burgess, Butler and Howe. The increase in buildings continued until the last one, the new gymnasium, was added a short time ago. Irwin Field had been inclosed before this, taking the place of the limited space on the main campus. The buildings were added in about the following order : the College Residence for Women, the Gymnasium, Burgess Hall, the Observatory, the Bona Thompson Memorial Library and then the College of Missions, which, though not owned by the Butler authorities, is intimately connected in its field of operations. Nor should we overlook the cafe- teria belonging to the domestic science department. Many students of Butler College went to the colors in the Great War, and their record in all respects was honorable and inspiring. The twelve gold stars in the service flag bear silent witness to those who never came back. The recent growth in the college shows a new life and spirit, and ere many }ears have passed the historian of the institution will have quite a task to keep pace with its growth. Eighteen