Blackburn College - Beaver Tales Yearbook (Carlinville, IL)

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Blackburn’s Faculty of 1870: Robert Minton, Math; John Conley, Science; John Soule, Latin and Greek; John Bai- ley, President, Hebrew and Theology.

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Ww Universitas Blackburntana “The university is located at Carlinville, Macoupin County, Illinois, on the Chicago, Alton and St. Louis Railroad, fifty-nine miles north of St. Louis, in the midst of a beautiful and healthful country. The build- ings of the institution are surrounced by spacious grounds, including a beautiful park of native oaks.” Catalogue, 1869 The physical plant of Blackburn in 1869 consisted of one building, University Hall. Old Main, as it was called until it burned in 1927, housed the men’s resi- dence hall, a library of several hunzred volumes, offices and “recitation” rooms, and a cafeteria in the base- ment. Old Main was erected in two units. The first, begun in 1858, was built at a cost of $12,000. The second unit was begun in 1867. Blackburn has been a coeducational institution from its beginning. Women have been admitted to all courses and have been considered for the same degrees. A note of interest here is that, now as well as then, there are fewer women than men. Of the seven 1870 graduates, one was a woman — Orrie Dawes. Women were housed with private families in Carlinville. A

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-[ special study room was provided in Old Main for the sole use of female students. This room was under the constant supervision of a teacher. “When they have completed their daily recitations, they return to their own rooms. By this arrangement parents are enabled to educate their sons and daughters at the same insti- tution, and secure for each the same means for the attainment of knowledge, mental discipline and cul- ture.” (Catalogue, 1869) Blackburn has always operated at a relatively low cost to the student. Hlowever, prices have increased over the years. In 1869, total costs to the student per year came to $150. Included in this sum were board, tuition, room-rent and fuel. In 1869 the college was operating on what we would call today a trimester plan. The fall term lasted sixteen weeks at a rate of nine dollars in tuition. The winter and spring terms were each eleven weeks in length at a rate of six dol- lars tuition. The rooms in Old Main were small, each heated by a coal-burning stove stoked by the occupant B.U. romance in the early Twentieth Century.