Union College - Garnet Yearbook (Schenectady, NY)

Page 15 text:

T1-IE GARNET, 1910 9 A Mlimpav intn 1Hnin11'a limit Eg Samurai 11151. Glnuvrt, 'III 'M 'p EARLY one hundred and fourteen years ago there was founded in ' 1 the old Dutch city of Schenectady, known as H The Gateway of the Mohawk, the' first college ever founded in America on a f X fb non-sectarian yet Christian basis. ln keeping with this funda- mental idea in the founding of the college the name H Union was given to her, signifying that all who should gather here, of what- 1 urxnyw ever sect or creed, should be one in the broad principles of Christian unity. A Forlsixteen years after the stormy days of the Revolution A and even while the strife for independence was still in progress, the citizens of the Mohawk Valley had been untiring in their earnest efforts to have a college founded there, until in 1795 their toil was crowned with success. Schenectady and Albany were rival claimants for the location of the prospective college. Albany was larger and had better facilities, but the deci- sion was Hnally in favor of Schenectady, partly because her citizens were more enthusiastic supporters of the plan for a new college, and partly because of the influence of General Philip Schuyler, who, although himself a resident of Albany, yet saw clearly that her sister city would be likely to prove a more favorable location. The first home ofgUnion College was one little building that stood at the corner of Union and Ferry streets. Rev. Joseph Sweetman, D. D., the vale- dictorian of the class of three that was the first class graduated from Union, has told of the event of the transformation when this old building became the home of the college. l-le writes, H I-lad you been there, you would have witnessed a joyful night, when the old academy was metamorphosed into Union College. Bells were rung. On all sides there were demonstrations of joy. The whole city rejoiced at the glad tidings that there was to be an institution of higher learning in her midst. Small, indeed, were the beginnings of the college. One instructor seems to have comprised the entire faculty. The students during the first year were only nineteen in number.

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MU Nfl 7 hitnrial HE colleg year of 1908 l909 opened up with bright prospects for Old Union The entering class was the largest in the history of the college Union spirit was stronger than ever before D to this spirit 1n less than two hours approximately nine thousand fund Our progress has not all been spiritual 'Xxflth the Hrst signs of spring work was started on the construction of the new engineering building It is expected that this building will be completed by October l l909 I , , , ' VIPQ' . . dollars was subscribed by the student body for the new gymnaslum , , . The most important event of the yearwas the election of our new president, Dr. Charles Alexander Richmond. Under his able guidance, we feel confident that Old Union will continue to prosper and will become one of the best known universities in the country.

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IO TI-IE GARNET. 1910 During the first nine years of her life Union had three presidents, all noted divines and able scholars, John Blair Smith, Jonathan Edwards and Jonathan Maxcy. In 1804 there came to the presidency a young Presbyterian clergy- man, Eliphalet Nott, who had already become nationally famous through his wonderful sermon on the death of Hamilton at the hands of Burr. Dr. Nott was a man of almost unparalleled executive ability. When he came to the college, it was still in a very weak condition, but his work as pres- ident soon made it the foremost college in the land. As early as 1825 Union had outstripped even Yale and Harvard in number of students and in educational advantages yielded the palm to none. Dr. Nott had a wonderful insight in dealing with men, for his was a wonderful personality. He was the first college president to put students on their honor regarding personal conduct. He believed in trusting men. He even went so far as to admit to Union students expelled from other colleges. An anecdote is told of him that well illustrates his ideas along this line. When asked one day by a friend, H But what do you do with the scalawags? Dr. Nott replied, Make men of them, sir. And the history of the college shows that he did make men of them. During his long presidency of sixty-two years, Dr. Nott had a Wonder- ful influence in moulding the lives of the young men who came into contact with him. It is right that we should revere the name of him who has justly been called H The Nestor of College Presidents. Moreover, it was Dr. Nott that picked out our beautiful campus. He was the first to see in that delightful stretch of land an ideal home for the college. He realized that the brook, the bit of woodland, the rows of stately elms, and the view of the gently gliding Mohawk in the distance would add charms of delight to any college campus. It was in 1812 that this site was chosen, for the college, and a year later a plan for grounds and buildings was adopted. The design was the work of a Frenchman, Jacques Ramee, the most noted landscape architect then in this co t . H 1 ' ' U un ry e rad previously been employed by the United States government in planning fortifications and in developing the city of Washington It was in accordance with his plan that the two old gray buildings North .Coll d . , , ege an South College, were built. During Dr. Nott's declining years the active work of the college was in the hands of Dr. Laurens P. Hickok, who became president at Dr. N ottis death. Dr. H1ckok's ability w th f ' as. at o a deep scholar. By his work as teacher and author he has profoundly influenced some of our co untry's greatest thinkers, and