West Virginia Wesleyan College - Murmurmontis Yearbook (Buckhannon, WV)

Page 26 text:

alittlotiine for all to acquiesce in the ilccisi(iu of the b mrj. Three days after the location of the Seminary the board met in Buckhannon to select a site for it. They carefully examined the available and suitable land in and about the town of Buck- hannon and on the twenty-ninth day of Aufrust. 1887, they selected the beautiful plateau upon which the Seminary structvu ' e now stands, and purchased from Levi Leonard, 43 acres, 1 rood, and .3 poles at the price of .S.5,.5.57,87. The Annual Coirfer- ence at Parkersburg during October of the same -ear ratified the action oi the board and authorized them to proceed to the erection and furnishing of a suitable building for tlie Seminary, which they did. On September 3d, 1890, the main building was reatly for use, and the school was formally opened, with Rev. B. W. Hutchison, President, and Prof .F. B. Trotter, J. F. Ogden, anil Miss Enmia B. Tavenner. faculty. One month later, the Annual Conference in session at Weston, with Bishop C. 1). Foss, D.l).. LL.D., presiding, went over to Buckhannon, and formally dedicated the building, and thus the West Virginia Conference Seminary was fully and success- fully launched upon the educational sea. fUancing back over the history of the Seminary, we believe we may safely sa - tliat no one regrets any efforts or sacrifices that may have been made for it from its origin to the present time.

Page 25 text:

A M. POUNDSTONE. EsQ. contributions were in it so larg:e as ex- pected, yet we ha -e made an encouraging couunencenient and reconunend the a]i- ]i(iintnient of the foUowing as a Hoard of Trusters: Revs. A. J. I yda. L. H.Jordan, J. A. FuUerton. Samuel Steele, Iv H. trwuen, L. L. Stuart, H. J. Boatman, and . . R. Rohrbough, ministers; Huns. H. C. .McWhorter. H. K. Lisk, J. C. -Mc- Crew, Cajjt. A. M. Poundstone, B. F. Mar- tin, Judge Samuel Woods, Henry Logan, Xathan Goff, Sr., laymen. The Board thus appointed and their successors, for there were changes made at almost every Conference, spent nuich time in visiting the localities that were eager to secin ' e the Seminary. Hnckhannon, Charleston, I ' arkertburg. Klizab. th. Clarksburg. Salem, Philijipi. and Wheeling were the chi ef com- petitors. Many ministers, who b - their kbors and zeal in behalf of this insti- tution aroused the interest thus causing these places to liecome lively liidilers for it and who thereby did much towards the broad foundation upon which it was startel, may not have their names enrolleil upon the scrolls of honor among men, but they are recorded on the roll kept by the All Wise ( )ne and their faithful work has its reward. It was at the board meeting, Juh- 13th, 1887, that Buckhannon Avas declared the successful contestant. It is not proliable that anyone who took part in tliat meeting will ever liavc it blotted from iiis memory. so inttnse was the inteiest on the subject. The next thing of importance after tin- location was the securing and holding of the interest and influence awakened for the place selected, for it is well to remember that tlie ■• efforts of the friends of the Seminary through- nut the State had not only to arouse the Methodi.st people, but. as in all .Methoilist n- vivals.it became contagious ami otiier denom- inations were awakened and euthiised on the subject and certain local interests seemed for a time to endanger the greatest success of the general denominational prosperity and it took Rev Aseiury Mic ; i ■ H l l

Page 27 text:

Our First Years. Prof. F. B. Trutter. The Seminary ci|ieneil its doors for tli ' reception of students on September 3d. 1S90. with four teachers, namely : Rev. B. W. Hutch- ison, Presitlent ; J. F. ( gden. Frank B. Trotter and Miss Emma ' . Tavenner; in addition to tliese Dr. I). T. E. Casteel vohinteered his services as teacher of Ph ' siology and later of (ireek. and Mrs. Hutchison became instructor in music. Later in the term Miss Ida X. Kent was secured as instructor in music and elocution, and Miss Amelia V. Reeves as in- structor in Art. She was succeeded in a few months by Miss Maude B. McFarland, who re- mained for some years. At the opening of the spring term. Prof. I). E. Philips, now Professor of Pedagogy- in the University of Denver, was elected assistant. On the opening day fifty-two students assembled to begin work, which number increased to seventy-two before the term closeil. In the winter the number dropped to sixty-six, Ijut in the spring increased enough to make the enrollment for the year two hundred anil one. Thus began the work in the Seminary; these were tr -ing times compared with the present. ( )iu ' equipment consisted of the main building, furnished with one piano, one organ, and about three hundretl chairs. No window blinds, no tables, no office furniture, no carpet for rostrum or office, no library, no apparatus of any kind in the classrooms, no accommodations for the literary societies except the bare halls, and above all, no money. But happily the teachers were ambitious to make the new work succeed; the students were patient and industrious, and the town people especially kind and helpful. With perseverance the work was carried on, and before many months things assumed a better shape. Kind friends furnished carpet for the office and rf)strum. someone else, blinds; a book reception gave the nucleus of the librar -, first installed in the small room where the book C. W. Archbold, Esq.