Carthage College - Driftwood / Crimson Rambler Yearbook (Kenosha, WI)

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CRIMSON RAMBI.HR History of Carthage College As the number 01' Lutherans in the MississimJi Valley grew larger, the leaders of the Church saw that the progress and grmvth of the Lutheran Church in that territory de- pended upon the estahlishlllent of a Lutheran College. where the young people could be educated. Some of the m'ly at- tempts to establish an institution of this kind were failures. but the church leaders continued to hope and work for the realizatimi at their ambitions. On June 9. 1869. the question of establishing a- Luth- eran College was presented to the Synod of Central Illinois at Hillshm'n. Rev. Conrad Knhl. of Carthage, the Presi- dent of the Synod, was authorized to em'reslmnd with the Synnds of Northern Illinois and Iowa. As a result of this correspondence, representatives from four synods met at Dixon on August 315t. Three commissioners were ap- pointed by each Synod to select a location for a college which was to be controlled by the Lutheran Church of the Bliddle XVest. The cmnmissimiers decided to meet at Carthage 011 De- cember 28th. Four days before the meeting of the emnmis- sinners, the people of Carthage held a meeting and decided to try to induce the commissimiers to locate the college at Carthage. They offered to furnish the grounds and building if the Lutheran Church would furnish the endowment and operate the college. This proposition was accepted by the commissioners. The people of Carthage held a 111eeting on December 315i? and decided to Organize a- stock cmnpany. Each share in this company entitled the holder to a vote at the election of Trustees. By February 10th, 1870, $15,000 had been subscribed, and 011 March 5th, a Board of Trustees was elected. A short time later, plans for a college huilding Were adopted and the contract was let. W'ork 011 the new building was begun in July. 1870, and 011 May 10, 1871, the corner stone was laid. A short time after work on the college huilding was he- gun the connnissioners met at. Carthage and elected Pm- fessor L. F. M. Eastenlay t0 the position of Principal of the Classical School at Carthage, Illinois. Mr. Easterday at'- High!

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37 I 3711'. 'I' F. EN T H I R '1' 1-: I5 N- 3'Jn Memnriam i5. EH. 1913. Eaatvrhag Earn Qrtnhrr 21. 1339 E19?! Efrhrnarg 1?, 1913 First teacher of Carthage Cllllt'gt'. :md llcr uvcrluyul friL-nd. 0m: who was: YL-l'y olum-ly :mmwi:1tct1 with the curly: history of thu colicgc. :md to whom the. thoughts of :111 that knew him. turn must kindly. Swe n

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NINETEEN THIRTEEN eepted the position and arrived at Carthage 1111 1-111g115t 18, 1870. School opened 1111 Septemher 5, 1870, in 11 1111111111111 1111 the south side 01' tlle square, and sixteen pupils were e11- 1'1111e1l. The roll increased to fiftv- eiu'ht hv the end 111' the 311111201111111-311 Lite1 1111'1' Societv 1111.5 organized 1111 tvednes- 11111'111'te1'11111111, Septe111he1'28th.18 '0, 111111 1.11.131 11 1111511131111- 17.1311 about a 1'8: 11' later. Ahuut the 1111111111: 111' the 111' st 1' ear. the 511111111 was moved to 11 1111111111113; West 111 the Hancock L111111tv National Bank I11 Septe111he1',1871,11131111111 1113111111 111 .1 building 1111 the west side 111 the squale and eighty- four students 11 etc e111 oiled On 11111131111101 13, 1871, the .5'eh11111 was 111111'ed 1:11 the two west basement 1'0111115' 111' the new college building. When the third year began. 5111111: 111' the classes were moved to the 5131301111 story and Rev. D. L. '1'1'esslel', 111' Lena, 1111111115, came to assist P101 . Eastel'day. 011 February 211', 1873, Rev. Tressler was e1ectetl President 111' Carthage College. Prof. Eastertlav 11'15 letained as Professor 111' Mathematics and Ast1'1111111111' 111111 t1111 11e11' 111'1 11e.55111'5' 11-e1'e electe11.Colleo'e opened with one hundred sixtv students 111 Septe111be1', 1873. New 111011.551018111118 11 em created as the need for them grew. The laek 111' funds often threatened the existence of the school, but the difficulties Were always 111'e1'e0111e, and the school was 111ai11taine11. The first e0111111e11ee111e11t occurred in 1875, when a class 111' four was graduated. The 11111111111111: year there were fourteen graduates. The public 11ti1111 111' the Carthaginian, a 111011thly 111agazine devoted to the interests 01' the 11111111111, was hegun 111 September. 1877'. In later years it was replaced by the Carthage Collegian. which still ex- ists. There Were few changes in the 111en111el-ship 111' the fac- 111t1' before the death 01' President Tresslel', which occurred on February 20, 1880. After President Tressler's death, Prof. Easterday took charge 111' aft'airs until the election in 1881, 111' Rev. J. A. Kunkelman t0 the presidency. Financial troubles arose, and the resignation of the whole faculty fol- lowed in 1883. A new faculty with Rev. J. S. Detweiler at its 11121111 was elected, but the troubles 1:1'111tinued, and during the 101101111111 1'ea1' President Det11-eile1'a1'1d the 11tl1e1'111e111- here 111 the faeuItx' 1'e5ig11e11. Ill 1881, Rev. 111. F. Bartholomew was elected President .N'I'nc