Mansfield University - Carontawan Yearbook (Mansfield, PA)

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THE HISTORY OF MANS FIELD 1857 1%7 STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE This year. Mansfield State Teachers College marks its one hundredth anniversary. One of Pennsylvania ' s state- controlled teachers colleges, with an enrollment of about seven hundred. Mansfield is recognized as one of the three state teachers colleges specializing in music education and home economics. With an extensive building program promised for the college, and the prospect of continued high enrollment in the vears ahead. Mansfield ' s future looks bright indeed. Yet. today ' s college, with its large faculty, its many student activities, and its beautiful campus, would not be what it is except for the efforts of many dedicated men and women over the years. Indeed, there would not be am college at all today except for the struggle and perseverance of its founders against almost incredible odds a centurv THE EARLY YEARS AS A SEMINARY One hundred years ago. Mansfield was perhaps the least important of all the villages in the Tioga Vallev. Its popu- lation was no more than three hundred and there were only about twenty painted buildings in the town. The edu- cational institution in Mansfield was the village school, which occupied one room. Nevertheless. Colonel Joseph S. Hoard proposed in 1854 that an institution of higher learning be located in Mansfield, and he himself donated a large strip of land for the new school. Colonel Hoard soon won others to this cause, and. in July, the project was explained to the public at a general meeting in the old Methodist Church building. The institution would be non-sectarian, but it would be under the patronage of the East Genesee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with the principal a member of that church. A stock concern was formed, with shares at fifty dollars each. As soon as subscriptions had reached five thousand dollars, an application was presented to the East Genesee Conference for recogni- tion of Mansfield as the site of the new seminary. The request was granted in November, 1954. At the first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Mansfield Classical Semi- nary, on February 15. 1855. plans were adopted for the seminary building, a brick structure to cost twelve thousand dollars. This is the design of the original seminary building. This four-story structure opened to students in January. 1857. and burned three months later.

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c v Unfortunately, the building cost more than had been anticipated, and a debt was incurred to raise the extra money. The building was finally completed. On January 7, 1857, this institution opened its doors for the first time. One hundred and five students were enrolled at the new seminary. The second term began in April with an enrollment of one hundred and fifty students. Then, disaster struck. On April 22. the building caught fire and burned to the ground. The founders were determined, however, to start anew. That same night, while the tragic blaze was still in progress, the school ' s promoters pledged four thousand dollars toward the erection of a new building. Simon B. Elliott, who was to serve the school for many years, drew the plans for a four-story brick building and construction began. Most of the building ' s first story had been completed by September. This, however, was the year of the Panic of 1857, and economic conditions grew unfavorable. One insurance company in which the seminary had invested collapsed, while another refused to pay. Because the trustees were unable to pay the contractors, con- struction ceased. There was no more construction until August of the following year. It was thought that the East Genesee Conference might help the school. The members were invited to a free dinner on August 20, 1858, on the Island (now Smythe Park I. Crowds of people came to the event on special trains, but only three members of the conference appeared. They told the school leaders that the seminary could not expect aid from the conference. Help would have to come, it was realized, from the people of Mansfield itself. When the sun set that evening, those at the dinner had subscribed over four thousand dollars to be paid in labor, board, grain, provisions, saw- ing, lumber and cattle. Construction of the building resumed immediately. The first and second stories, and a good portion of the third, were completed by the time cold weather set it. Yet, there was no money on hand; debts still totaled eight thousand dollars, and from three to four thousand dollars were needed to complete the building. Work, however, was resumed in April, 1859. It was even possible to reopen the seminary in the partially com- pleted north wing on November 23. Only thirty students enrolled. Then arrived the period in the history of the seminary when it came under the domination of men who were less concerned about the school ' s welfare than about their own monetary interests. All but four of the old officers were retired at the annual election and a new building committee was appointed. To the new general agent and manager of the institution, all assets, debts, and subscriptions were assigned. Repeatedly during the next months, the school almost came up for sheriff ' s sale. In April, 1861, however, the incumbent principal, who had been in office for nine months, resigned, and was succeeded by the Reverend Edwin E. Wildman. Most of the old officers were restored in November. Unfortunately, some of their predecessors had been financially ruined by their venture and held a number of judgments against the institution. Because of this it seemed certain that the seminary would pass into the hands of receivers. SIXTY-FOUR YEARS OF THE NORMAL SCHOOL Fordyce A. Allen was not the first principal of the Normal School, but it was he who really put the institution on a firm basis. Here he is, shown with his faculty members. At this time, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was launching a teacher-training program in accordance with the Public School Act. Two state normal schools had already been established, at Millersville and Edinboro. This promoted the idea of having the institution at Mansfield also recognized as a state normal school. Simon B. Elliott worked hard in the state legislature for the attainment of this goal during the winter of 1861- 62. On July 6, 1862, the trustees at Mansfield unanimously voted to apply to the state for normal school recognition. 1 1