Colby College - Oracle Yearbook (Waterville, ME)

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fc CIJIZSYHIQKK Qololmxcl ,EK but it was not continued after the resignation of Dr. Babcock in July, 1836, who was obliged to seek a milder climate. Rev. Robert E. Pattison, who had served as professor of mathematics in 1828-29, was chosen to succeed Dr. Babcock. Under his care the attendance was largely increased and the quality of the instruction rose to a high rank. Another effort was made to relieve the College from finan- cial embarrassment but without success. Dr. Pattison resigned the presidency in December, 1839, and several of the professors also tendered their resignations. By the influence of Prof. George W. Keely, the acting president, instruction was maintained and one more attempt made 'to Ellyn Qlnllcgc in 13511 secure funds. The citizens of Waterville responded liberally and 310,000 was at once subscribed, of which the ill-paid professors subscribed 32,000 Agents were sent out through Maine and Massachusetts and by December, 1840, subscriptions amounting to 550,000 were obtained. In August, 1841, Mr. Eliphaz Fay, an eminent teacher in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was chosen president. The recent crisis affected the attendance, reducing the number of students in 1841-42 to only seventy-six. The resig- nation of' President Fay was accepted in August, 1843, and Rev. David N. Sheldon, then pastor of the Baptist church in Waterville, was chosen his successor. Under his care and with the co-operation of an able and devoted faculty, three of whom were subsequently eminent as college presi- dents, the earlier prestige of the College was revived and students presented themselves in larger number. 22 Centennial N umbev'

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is QIJBYHIQQU Qolomaxci I-aj generally followed in all the money grants to the College made by the legislature, which only amounts to 3514,500. The collegiate character of the young seminary was definitely declared in 1821 when the name of Waterville College was adopted. In May, 1822, Rev. Jeremiah Chaplin was elected president and on August 21 the first commencement exercises were held. A large concourse of people from towns in the vicinity assembled to witness the literary exercises. The procession, which continues to be a prominent feature of the day, was led by a band of music and a company of militia in uniform. George Dana Boardman and Ephraim Tripp constituted the graduating class and both served the College as tutors. Two buildings had now been erected on the College grounds after cutting away the dense growth of trees. A dwelling house for the presi- dent had been completed in 1819 on the site now occupied by Memorial Hall. In 1821 South College was built and eighteen rooms finished, besides fitting up a part of the building for a chapel. The second dormi- tory, known as North College and now called Chaplin Hall, was built in 1822. The mason work of both college buildings was done by Mr. Peter Getchell and the carpenter work by Mr. Lemuel Dunbar. The theological department of the College was of short duration. The first triennial catalogue, issued in 1825, gives the names of fifteen gradu- ates in theology. No record of any other students in this department appears in subsequent triennials. President Chaplin resigned in 1833, leaving the College provided with two brick dormitories, two dwelling houses for college officers, a large boarding house, a farm of 180 acres, two workshops, a good chemical and philosophical apparatus obtained at a cost of SL500, and a library of about 2,000 volumes. 1 After his death in 1841 the trustees passed resolutions in grateful remembrance of the able, untiring and successful labor of the late Presi- dent Chaplin, and a memorial tablet was placed on the wall of the College chapel. Rev. Rufus Babcock, Jr., succeeded President Chaplin in 1833.' It was a critical period. The College was in debt 318,000 and could not meet more than three-fifths of its current expenses. The popularity and efficiency of the new president soon completed a subscription to pay the debt and the catalogue of 1834 recorded the names of over one hundred students. The central brick building now called Champlin Hall was erected in 1836. The basement story was divided into four recitation rooms, above which was the college chapel, reached by a broad flight of steps outside. The story above the chapel was occupied on the north side by the library and on the south by the apparatus and class room for natural philosophy. The value of the College property was now 350,000 Rev. John O. Choules returned from England in 1836 with gifts of 1,500 volumes for the library, including a set of the folio volumes of the Records Commission and the Royal observatory. An attempt was now made to resume instruction in theological studies, 21 Centennial Number

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ir: 01 ,DYHIQQQE 20Qlo1Q4xc:I.,1:-:jf Ten years passed in comparative quiet. The small income of the College was yet suflicient to meet its wants. In 1853 Dr. Sheldon retired to resume the work of the ministry, and Dr. Pattison, the beloved president of the College in 1836-1839, was recalled to the direction of its affairs. His second term of three years was marked by the intellectual vigor and devotedness of a Christian character of rare excellence. Prof. James T. Champlin, whose textbooks on the Orations of Demos- thenes were for thirty years in general use in American colleges, was pro- moted to the presidency of the College in 1857. Some efforts were made to solicit endowment funds. The classes entering in 1858 and 1859 were unusually large, but before graduation the outbreak of the War of the Rebellion had called many into the service of the nation. Only sixty-two students remained in 1864-65. Professors Smith, Lyford, Foster and Hamlin constituted the faculty of instruction. With the invested funds reduced to 315,000 and rapidly growing less, the outlook was indeed dark. The dawn of brighter days, however, was approaching. Mr. Gardner Colby of Boston, part of whose childhood had been spent in Waterville, came forward with an offer of 350,000 on condi- tion that the friends of the College raise 3100,000. Much enthusiasm was awakened by this generous offer, and Dr. Champlin, aided by members of the faculty, canvassed the state vigorously, completing the required sub- scription in about two years. In recognition of Mr. Colby's munificent gift, the trustees obtained from the legislature in 1867 an act changing the name of the College to Colby University. Mr. Colby's gift called forth other considerable gifts. Aided by the alumni, a memorial building was built of stone in 1869 at a cost of 8,550,000 Here the library found a home especially designed for its use, though its 9,000 volumes seemed lost on the spacious shelves built to contain 30,000 in the far-distant future. The new chapel accommodations wrought a marked change in the daily' services, now held at eight o'clock instead of at six in the morning and live in the afternoon. In the Memorial Hall was placed by the alumni a marble tablet inscribed with the names of twenty College men who had laid down their lives for the Union. The commencement dinner in 1870 was marked by great enthusiasm, culminating in pledges of 350,000 for a building for the department of natural sciences, then directed by Prof. Charles E. Hamlin. The building was finished in 1872 and styled Coburn Hall. The old chapel was remod- eled into convenient lecture rooms and named Champlin Hall. The early six-o'clock recitations were abandoned. Steam heating was introduced into the renovated North College now called Champlin Hall. These improvements were made under the direct supervision of President Champ- lin and paid for by subscriptions solicited mainly by him, and yet the invested funds had increased to 3S200,000. The semi-centennial of the College in 1870 was the occasion of an address by Dr. Champlin, in which he reviewed the early history of the College and its prospective and advancement. Hon. D. L. Milliken of Waterville, a trustee and benefactor of the College, was instrumental in 23 Centennial N nmbei'