Butler University - Carillon / Drift Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY. with the college two years, and Mr. Wilson and Miss Hall for the past year only. In addition to this corps of instructors, several tutors have been employed duriDg the last year. The first faculty consisted of but four members. The recent policy of introducing a large number of elective studies and of affording opportunities of extensive graduate work is especially commendable. The outlook for the University is very encouraging. The endowment has been considerably increased by the recent zealous efforts of the financial agent, Wni. Mullendore, and the large increase in the number of students during the past year shows that the work of the school is becoming more widely, as well as more favorably, known. 10

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HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY. In the fall of 1858 S. K. Hoshour assumed the duties of President. In 1861 he was succeeded by A. R. Benton, who continued in the position until June, 1868. He was followed by O. A. Burgess, who, at this time, remained at the head of the institution only two years. W. F. Black was elected President in 1870, and served in that capacity until O. A. Burgess was recalled in 1873. President Burgess remained in charge until the spring of 1881, when he was succeeded by H. W. Everest. In 1885 the honor fell for the second time to President Ben ton, who still holds the position. In the summer of 1875 the college was removed from Indianapolis to Irvington. This was done partly for the ' sake of the endowment fund, which waTlargely increased by sale of lots from the old campus, and partly on account of the advantages of the town over the city. The citizens of Irvington donated the present campus and more than $100,000 in stock. The removal to this beautiful suburban village made an epoch in the history of the institution. Two features of the school should be specially mentioned. First, it was distinctly declared that Christianity and the morality of the Bible should be taught from the Bible itself as a part of all the college courses. But this instruction was to be entirely non-sectarian. -In this respect it was for some time peculiar among the colleges of the country. Again Butler University was, with a single exception, the first school of the country to receive women as students on the same conditions as men, the same requirements for graduation being made of each. In both these respects the projectors and managers of the institution showed themselves in advance of most of the educators of their day. Butler University has endeavored to do what she has done with great thoroughness, and is proud of the standing of her graduates generally. The number of students graduated as compared with the number in at- tendance has been gratify ingly large. The Alumni of the University number 310 from the Literary Department. Eighty-three students were graduated from the Law Department during the few years it was in operation. Of the present faculty, President Benton has had longest connection with the school, having worked in it twenty-eight years. Prof. Thrasher, with the exception of a single year, has been teaching in the college since 1864; Prof. Butler since 1871. Prof. Hay came to the University in 1880. Prof. Brown began work as tutor in 1877, taking full pro- fessorship in 1883. Prof. Garvin has been a member of the faculty since 1881; Prof. Noble since 1883. Prof. Iden began work as an in- structor in 1884. Messrs. Miller and Howe have each been connected

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Ihe Faculty £%t LLEN R. BENTON is a native of New York. He entered LqJ Bethany College in 1845, and was graduated therefrom in K? 1847. He received A. M. from his Alma Mater, and LL. D. from the N. W. C. U. When this college was organized in 1855, he was chosen Professor of Ancient Languages, and served in that position until 1868, being President of the Faculty from 1861 to 1868. He then taught for three years in Alliance College, and went in 1871 to Lincoln, Neb., where he organized the University of Nebraska, and presided over it until 1876, when he returDed to Butler, where he has since been teaching sacred history and philosophy, having been once more chosen President in 1886. William M. Thrasher went from Indiana to Bethany College in 1 853, graduating A. B. in 1854, and received soon after his A. M. After some ten years of teaching in academies, he was elected to the Chair of Mathematics in 1865, in the Northwestern Christian University, now Butler, and has taught here uninterruptedly since that time, except in 1873 and l v 74, when he spent a year in travel and study in Europe. T. J. MacAvoy was originally an Ohioan, but went in early life to Iowa, where he graduated at the Mt. Pleasant Academy. He served four years iu the war of the rebellion, and then took up the study of elocution and oratory under Kidd and Murdoch, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Oratory. Since then his life has been spent mainly in teaching and giving public readings. In 1877 he founded the Indian- apolis School of Elocution and Oratory. He has taught in various col- leges, and commenced work at Butler in the fall of 1889. Scot Butler is a native of Indianapolis. After his return from service in the Union army, from 1862 to 1865, he entered Butler, then the N. W. C. U., as a Freshman, and graduated in three years with the class of 1 68. After teaching two years in the University of Indiana, he was elected to the chair of Latin in his Alma Mater in 1871. From 1873 to 1875 he was granted leave of absence, and traveled and studied in Europe. He was a Matherian and a Sigma Chi. II