Miami University - Recensio Yearbook (Oxford, OH)

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MIAMI. UNIVERSITY A SKETCH. . BEAUTIFUL VALLEY 0f the Ohio was but beginning to 1111 with the influx of sturdy settlers from across the Alle- ghenies in 1787, when a tract of 1and,ca11ed the 8 Miami Purchase, Waspbought by John Cleves Symmes. It was proVided' that a township of land be granted to the support of a college. In 1809 the charter was granted, and the ambitions name of Miam University was given to the new institution. The men who projected the en- terprise may not haVe caught the distinction between College and univer- sity, so emphasized iri our time, or perhaps they were naming with their . hopes, seeing what might come With the growth of the new country Be that as it may, they undoubtedly knew a good place to put a school. The Univer- sity, in its beautiful campus of f1fty odd acres,1ies on the tongue of a ridge Which, from the rolling country to the north and west, runs into the valley of the F our Mile. N0 doubtmany a student in the long yearspast, When hasten- ing his steps to makechapel in the early light of mOrning has a11i111adverted upon the fact that it is huphill t0 the University from nearly every side. The first class, twelve men, was gradnated in 1826, of Whom none are 110w living. Of the. elass 'of i27 was the Honorable John W. Caldwell, Who enjoys the distinction bf being the oldest living alumnus of Miami. He was minister to Bolivia under Grant. General Robert C. Schenck was a member of the same class. ' The first president was Rev. Robert H. Bishop, D. D., who, born in Lin- lithgowshire, Scotland, came to America in 1802. Much Of the success of Miami in the years after, must be ascribed to Doctor Bishop. A graduate of Edinburg, he brought to Oxford his strong Scotch manhood, his learning, and 15

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W A M, MIAMI UNIVERSITY.

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his power. The name of our first president holds an honored place in the hearts of all who know our colleges history. Prof. R. H. Bishopfjunior, LL. D., of the class of 31, passed the greater portion of his long and useful life in the Latin chair of Miami. The Alumni of the school can testify to the affection that was Dr. Bishopis from every student who recited to him. He died in 1890. Among the long list of professors the name of Doctor McGuffey is per- haps the best known. Every smali person in this broad land, who has learned to read within the last hfty years, may be presumed to know who Doctor Mc- Guffey was. To the students of the growth of Education in the Middle West, ' however, Doctor McGuEey holds a place in the hrst rank of the able men without whose enthusiastic toil we could have had none of the development of which we are so proud. He was a professor at Miami between i26 and ,36, and the house in which he composed the famous series of readers which bear his name still stands to the south Of the campus. ' The new college grew and prospered. The rugged boys of the country side, fit descendants of the men of the Revolution, thronged to the college; eager for instruction. Poor as the facilities of education then were as compared with our own, they supplied the want with their enthusiasm. Among the men whohave gone from the class rooms of Miami to make their power felt in the stirring period of the mid-century and the great development since, can be named Robezt C. Schenck, Charles Anderson, William S. Groesbeck, Chauncey M. Olds, Samuel Shellabarger, Benjamin W. Chidlaw, David Swing, Benjamin Har- rison, Whitelaw Reid, Calvin S. Brice and many another who is worthy to rank with them. We are proud of them; proud of the fact that they have gone from our alma mater, and proud with a just pride. May the men of our . ' day approve themselves as well in their turn. Miami is the mother of fraternities. Three of the four now existing here were founded in this college : Beta Theta Pi, 1839; Phi Delta Theta, I848 ; and Sigma Chi, I8 5 5. These fraternities now are national, and to those of uswho belong to the Alphas of our respective brotherhoods, there is a quick sense of our positions and a pride in our relationship to the tifrat. The remaining chapter, Kappa of Delta Kappa Epsilon, established here 1852, is a worthy rep- resentative of the great fraternity to which it holds allegiance. We feel no hesitation in saying that not the least valuable portion of his college life to a fraternity man is his fraternity relationship. The ties then formed; the inti- mate knowledge of the hearts of men, not to be obtained in the world; the eX- change of close conhdence; the generous spirit of fraternity which is- fostered; all these are much. To the men Who hrst conceived the idea, as well as to those who planted our chapters, we look with fond gratitude and loyal tt broth- erly-feeling? . To the university the war was a blow, for it had long drawn much of its. I6