Baldwin Wallace University - Grindstone Yearbook (Berea, OH)

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C3111 1337 John Baldwin helped to found a religious-education- al school which, failing, left him bankrupt. and his family, himself. and the Church disgraced Having great faith in Codis mercy and understanding he devoted an hour of each day for one month to solitaryprayer, makingacovenantwith God to donate his time and fortune to some worthy cause should he be delivered from his financial troubles. The dis- covery of sandstone Suitabie for manufacture of grindstone on his farm made him a wealthy man. thus in 1843. his debts all paid, john Baldwin sought a way in which to fulfill his covenant with God. Inspired by a sermon of Rev. Thomas Thompson, of which the text was. If anyof you lackwisdom iethim ask God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him. , he decided to establish a Methodist school dedicated to Christian ideals. This plan received the full approval and support of Elder Thompson who placed the matter before the Conference of the Methodist Episc0pal Church. Before the Conference would approve the plan. it was necessary that certain prescribed re- quirements be realized. Therefore. besides contributing five acres of his farm as campus, and the necessary building, John Baldwin donated $1500 and a grind- stone quarry with which to equip and endow the school. The Conference. as their part of the agreement, was to furnish the teaching staff and the officers for the institutions. A charter was granted for the school in 1845 by the Ohio Legislature, and consequently on April 90f the following year Baldwin In- stitute was opened with Rev. Holden Dwight acting as its first principal. The original college building, named Old North Hall, a severely plain three-story structure was made with bricks from John Baldwin's own kiln, was used as a class hali, chapel, and boys' dormitory. Eight years later. the Ohio Legislature granted a charter endowing Baldwin Institute with a university rating; thus 1855 saw the birth and organization of Baldwin University at Berea. Ohio. CAMPUS OF BALDWIN UNIVERSITY

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q 11mm manure a man posseSSing high ideals and a warm perSOnality. came to the United States as an immigrant boy from Ireland. After settling in Berea. he made a substantial fortune in the quarry business and met and married Miss Ellen Moe, an attractive student from Strongsville. He served as a trustee of Baldwin Institute from 1851-1855 and as a trustee of Baldwin University from 1856 until the time of his death in 1876. It is from this man that German Wallace took its name. In 1856 Rev. Jacob Rothweiler and Dr. Wm. Nast conferred with Dr. John Wheeler, suggesting that Baldwin University incorporate :5 Ger- man department into its curriculum. due to the influx of German Methodist stu- dents. A German department was there- fore organized in 1858 with Rev. Roth- weiler at its helm. By 1863 the German department had expanded to such an ex- tent that it was suggested the German department separate frOm Baldwin Uni- versity and start as a new and individual college. John Baldwin thoroughly ap- proved of this action and kindly con- tributed money and two buildings for its. estahlishment. in 1864, heving re- JAMES WALLACE ceived Its charter. It opened Its class- rooms to new students under the name of German Wallace College, this name being a recognition of James Wailaceis generous con- tributions to this new endeavor. Though under separate govern- ments, the colleges continued to work in friendly cooperation. Ger- man Wallace was the first German Methodist College in the United States. GERMAN WALLACE COLLEGE