Baldwin Wallace University - Grindstone Yearbook (Berea, OH)

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BALDWIN UNIVERSITY. ERE A has ever been widely known for two things: its colleges and its immense stone industries. When in 1828, John Baldwin, with his newly wedded bride, journeyed from Connecticut to Berea, he found here little more than a dense wilderness. Cleveland at this time was a modest little hamlet of less than a thousand souls. Deer and game of all kind ranged the forests. The sharp, snarling bark of the wolf and shrill cry of wild cat were sounds often heard throughout the long winter nights. The founder of Baldwin University was born in Bradford, Connecticut, Oct. 13,1799. His father was a blacksmith and had served in the war of 1776. Young Baldwin ' s education was ' of the most meager kind. At eighteen he was converted and joined the Methodist church. After this, feeling his want of edu- cation, he borrowed books, being too poor to buy them, and by hard study and persistent work managed to enter a neighboring academy, where he fitted himself for a teacher. Sixteen years after his arrival on the Western Reserve, by his untiring energy and indomitable will he developed and had in successful opera- tion what has since become one of the greatest sand-stone industries on this continent. John Baldwin had, 1th and broad acres. In 1845, we get the first inkling of what is now known to have been the great purpose of his life. In August of that year, at the session of the North Ohio Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, held at Marion, O., the minutes show that he donated to the Conference a large and valuable amount of land and property for an institution of learning. A Campus of five acres, with a building (North Hall), thirty village lots, and fifty acres of land having valuable and inexhaustible stone quarries. 11 A charter was granted December 20, 1845, and Baldwin Institute was opened April 9, 1846, with a male and female department. The premises free from debt and the settled policy of the Board of Trustees not to run the institution in debt. 11 1 1

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M. E. CHURCH AND CAMPUS.

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University powers were granted in 1855. Co-education from the first has been a prominent feature of the school. Never has the wisdom of this plan of education been brought in question. From the beginning, both sexes have been received on equal terms, reciting in the same classes, associating together at public gatherings, etc., and here at least the soundness of the doctrine of co-education has been proven by experience. One of the grand features of the University is the inducement it holds out to those worthy young men and women who desire a collegiate education above everything else, yet whose means are not quite sufficient to gain the desired end. To such, B. U. lends a helping hand. Originally, the campus contained two college buildings — North and South Halls, each three stories high and built of brick. In North Hall were the gentlemen ' s dorm itories, the chapel and recitation rooms. In South Hall were the ladies ' dormitories and the refectory. Around these old halls cling many hallowed recollections. The older graduates will tell you that it was while occupying these buildings, when the college was in its most flourishing condition and its classes filled to overflowing with students, that the dark cloud of war suddenly overspread our fair land. There was a call to arms. Sumpter had been fired upon. Books were thrown down, studies forgotten, and with few exceptions all who were eligible marched to the front. The ranks of old B. U. were greatly depleted during those dark days. Few ever came back to finish their college course. Many gave up their lives to uphold their country ' s honor, and instead of their names being enrolled among those of the alumni, they may be found engraved on the marble tablets in the beautiful Soldiers ' and Sailors ' Monumen t at Cleveland. North Hall with its sacred memories has long since passed away and in its stead arose Hulet Hall, completed in 1868. This hall was erected by. and largely the gift of the Hon. Fletcher Hulet. In 1883 was opened the elegant Ladies ' Hall, a beautiful stone structure four stories high, including the basement. In the basement is located the spacious refectory, store rooms, etc. The original campus, the quarry property and all the University buildings, with the exception of Ladies ' Hall, were sold in 1887 and in this way one hundred thousand dollars was added to the endowment fund. By the liberality of the purchasers, the University was given the use of the buildings up to the present time. The time approaches, however, when the historic old campus, with its delightful .shady walks, together 12