Monmouth College - Ravelings Yearbook (Monmouth, IL)

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The Fire. rnain building ' of Monmouth College was gutted by a fire which started in the garret from a defec- tive flue Before the fire was discovered it had gained great headway and when the firemen got there they found the whole of the roof burning fiercely. In spite of the fact that hundreds of students and citizens were engaged in the work of removing books and furniture djring the progress of the blaze, but one fatality occurred. Orville Dean, a young man who had been employed by the Monmouth Telephone Co., was caught by a falling floor and crushed to death. Just how long the fir? had been bj-ning before it was discovered is not known, the first intimation being the breaking through of the fire into Prof. Bretnall ' s class room in the northwest corner of the third floor. The teacher and the members of his class immediately left the room, and the alarm was spread to the other class rooms. The students filed out quietly, and but few of them reilized there was anything seriously wrong until they were out and looked up to see the roof ablaze. As soon as it was seen that the fire would probably result in the destruction of the building, the students turned their attention to saving as much of furnishings and equipment as possible Much of the furniture was saved, as well as hundreds of volumes of valuable sc entific works and the library of the Eccritean society. Many of the students grew too daring in their e.Torts to save propety, and narrowly escaped serious injury by falling debris, several received minor injuries All of the available fire apparatus of the city was called into service, and the regular firemen, assisted by volunteers, did their best to confine the fire to the top floor but the range of the fire was too wide, and it grad- ually worked down and destroyed the ceiling of the second floor throughout nearly the whole structure and the first, second and third floors of the north wing where the fire started. At one time the fire in the north part was nearly under control when an explosion of chemicals in one of the laboratories spread the fire, and soon it was raging more fiercely than at first. Although affairs are somewhat in chaos the members of the faculty expressed the hope that they would be able to resume classes although the work will be handicapped by the lack of facilities. All of the apparatus in the laboratories was a total loss, which will keep the classes from the practical part of the workfor many weeks. Class rooms will be fixed up temporarily in the auditorium, the gymnasium, the Second United Presby- terian church and probably in the residences of some of the teachers. As to plans for reconstruction nothing definite can be told at this time, but it is the general opinion of mem- bers of the faculty that reconstruction will be started at the earliest possible time The college proper was built in 1862, and was ready for occupation early the following year, being for- mally dedicated in June that year. The original size of the building was 50x80. and contained fifteen rooms In 1876 an addition, which was the north wing, was opened, giving additional space of 54x63 feet. No fur- ther additions have been built, but the interior has several times been remodelled and improved until the building was worth far more than its original cost. That the work of the institution may not be hindered any more than could be avoided, the faculty held a meeting at which plans were made for resuming classes and arranging a scedule. — 12—

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The College Faculty. THOMAS HANNA McMICHAEL PRESIDENT. A. B.. Monmouth College, 1886; A.M., ibid. 1889; B. D„ Xenia Seminary, 1890; D. D„ Westminste r College, 1903 KUSSELL GRAHAM, VICE PKESIDENT AND PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCE. A. B, Monmouth College 1870: A. M.. ibid, 1873; B D., Xenia Theological Seminary. 1873; D D. West- minster College. 1893. JOHN HENRY McMILLAN, PROFESSOR OF LATIN. A. B., Indiana State University, 1874: A. M.. Ibid, 1877: graduate student University of Chicago. 1894; Litt. D, Western University of Penn, 1897. JOHN NESBIT SWAN, PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS. A B. Westminster College, 1886: A. M., ibid, 1889; graduate student Johns Hopkins University 1888-89: Ph. D„ ibid. 1893. LUTHER EMERSON KOBINSON. PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH. A. B„ Drury College, 1894: A. M„ ibid, 1897; graduate student University of Chicago. 1900. ALICE WINBIGLER, PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AND ASTKONOMY. S.. Mo nmcuih College, 1877; A. M.. ibid, 1894: student of Astronomy U. of Chicago. 1894; ibid. If FLORABEL PATTERSON, LAW PROFESSOR OF HISTORY. A M„ Penn. College, 1896; student in History Michigan University, 1891-92. — 14—