Bluffton University - Ista Yearbook (Bluffton, OH)

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The History of Bluliliom College Springing from an increasingly apparent need for a church school of a particular type for youth education along religious lines, the founda- tion was laid for Bluffton college in 1896 and the subsequent years by church fathers of the Middle District Conference of Mennonites with the resolution to establish a sohool somewhere in the middle west. After deciding upon a location for the school at its present location, following heated discussions, the first. appearance of the college came to life with the laying' of the cornerstone of College Hall on Tuesday, June 19, 1900. That day, as at many other occasions, the friends of the college and Bluffton area residents responded to the financial call for a pressed Thfifrteen

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Fourteen brick front' for the sole building on the campus- and several months later, on October 31, its formal ,dedication took place. A , With the single building which had been on the campus many years as a start, Dr. N. S. Hirschy, of Wadsworth, was secured as formal head of the college. Dr.-Hirschy was selected because of his early efforts 'to establish the college. During the first year D. F. Jantzen undertook the direction of the college during Dr. Hirschy's continuance of ' his studies, having nineteen 'students at the first enrollment date, November 9, 1900, and graduating two students at the end of the year. B At its beginning the Central Mennonite college was merely an academy, or a private high school, offering special courses in Bible, music, Latin, mathematics, physiology and business. Gradually courses 'of junior college rank were introduced, finally resolving into a full-fledged college curriculum. .,,. ' With the second year came the fir-st issue of the College Record, forerunner of the Witmarsum and the Alumni Bulletin. 'This monthly publication took the placeeof the annual catalogue and for many years, written in German and later in English, served as a 'bond between the college and its constituency. Copies of a single issue numbered more than 1,000 before it ceased publicationr ' The following year found two Bluffton traditions which are still observed being carried out, with the annual Bible lectures and the bi- monthly Vesper services becoming a part of the college calendar. For the past sfix years the Sunday services -have been held only at monthly intervals, however. With the opening of the fourth year, Prof. E. J. Hirschler, currently registrar and director of the mathematics department, was added to the faculty.. He now holds the honor of being the oldest professor in length of service. A-t this time the first colored student entered the college, amid much criticism, to graduate four years later. Other topics arose for internal and external opposition among various factions. Indeed the opposition became so strong that the sixth year found a move, which was barely defeated, being made to change the location of the college. With a financial call the life of the college was reassured for another five years, even to the extent of permitting the installation of a new steam heating plant that year. The years 1908-14 mark a mile-stone in the history of -the college, being a transitory period between the small beginnings of the Central Mennonite college to the final Bluffton college of full college ranking. Dr. S. K. Mosiman accepted the presidency of the college after the