College of Idaho - Trail Yearbook (Caldwell, ID)

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12 The TRAIL THE FIRST DORMITORY eflicient method of cataloging. Mr. and Mrs. Strahorn also started the equipment of a physical laboratory with some five pieces of electrical appa- ratus. In 1899 a much needed dormitory was built and in 1901 an assembly hall was added to the college buildings. In 1899 our beloved Miss Finney began teaching, and for twenty years she devoted her life to the college, giving of her time and money, and opening up her home to the students' activities. In the fall of 1906, the first class to take advantage of the college courses offered by the faculty entered, consisting of Fletcher C. Groome, Boyd B. Kuder and Esther Sterling. During the winter Esther Sterling became Mrs. James H. Gipson, and the next year the Sophomore class con- sisted of Cleve Groome. The first class to graduate from the collegiate department received their degrees in 1911. They were Cleve Groome, Fannie Kimbrough, Dan banks, and Ralph Trowbridge. Since that year the Senior classes have steadily grown, the largest beings the Class of '18, which contained 21. members. The Southwest Idaho Debating League was established in 1905. It was reorganized in 1911, called the Southern Idaho Conference and included the College of Idaho, Albion Normal and Pocatello Technical Institute. In 1912 the Conference purchased a loving cup which was immediately won by the College of Idaho and kept there until it passed into the hands of

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The TRAIL 11 There were 19 students who met under Dr. Boone in the little Presby- terian church that winter and how proud the little town of Caldwell must have been of that first institution of higher learning in the state of Idaho. There was evidently much budding oratorical and literary talent among the 19 students for on Oct. 16, just a few days after the opening of school a literary society, the first of its kind in the state, was organized in the parlor of the church. This s-ociety was called the Lowell Literary Society in honor of James Russell Lowell who had recently died. Rev. W. J. Boone was chairman of the first meeting and John T. Morrison was the first Low-ell president. H. H. Hayman was one of the early members whose debating powers has come down to us in history. The debate question discussed at the first regular meeting was Resolved, That Compulsory Education is Contrary to the Constitution of the United States. The school year ended with the first closing exercises June 15, 1892. In the spring of 1892 the Presbytery ordered that the 52,000 prom- ised by the citizens of Caldwell be used to construct a suitable building and during the summer the old administration building on Albany Street was erected, completed and furnished at a cost of S2,401.68, and on Monday, Oct. 10, 1892, the school moved from the little town in the church to the new building. The board of managers now became the board of trustees, Rev. J. H. Barton, President, Boise, Rev. W. J. Boone, Vice-Pres., Cald- well, H. D. Blatchley, Treasurer, Caldwell, Rev. R. P. Boyd, Paris, Hon. J. M. Jones, Nampag I-Ion. J. C. Straughn, Boise, S. S. Foote, Middleton, Wm. Kincaid, Caldwell, and Frank Steunenberg, Caldwell. This board brought about the legal incorporation of the College, April 26, 1893. The other important event of this year was the founding of the Annual Decla- mation Contest April 28, 1893. This contest has taken place every year since during Commencement Week. When the school incorporated as a college it expected to do college work and outlined college courses but no students werre prepared to enter for over ten years. The first class from the academy was graduated in 1894 and since that date a class has graduated from that department every year until the growth of the collegiate department and the splendid high schools of the state made it seem wise to discontinue the preparatory work in 1919. Oct. 4, 1895, under the auspices of Abbie H. Hull, a prominent instructor of that time, the Columbian Literary Society was founded. The charter members were taken from the Lowell Society. Keen competition was established between the two societies and the first annual Lowell-Columbian contest was held March 30, 1898. The informal contests between the two societies on the occasion of their annual receptions to new members has often splashed with gore the pages of history. A library was early established in the school, Caldwell friends giving 55300 and Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Strahorn a fine set of the Century Dictionary. ln 1915 H. D. Blatchley and others added 300 volumes to its well-stocked shelves. The library and reading room have always been one of the best features of the school, and now is doubly helpful with Prof. Murphy's i l

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The TRAIL 13 1., . 1. , .ww - TI-IE FIRST LABORATORY Gooding College in 1920, Gooding having been admitted to the Conference in 1919 and Ricks in 1920. 'In 1901 the College Club was established, composed of the wives of the college faculty. -uni GENERAL VIEW OF FIRST COLLEGE BUILDINGS On May 25, 1908, was held the first annual Bletchley Oratorical Con- test. Mr. James Ruark was the successful orator, carrying off the prize of