College of Wooster - Index Yearbook (Wooster, OH)

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President Louis Edfward Holden, D. D. T was no easy-quest, that for the right man to follow Woosterls first three able and eminently successful leaders, Presidents Lord, Taylor and Scovel. After searching for more than a year, the Board of Trustees found in Rev. Louis Holden, Professor of Oratory in Beloit College, that rare combination of qualifications which they sought for the high oliice, and called him to be president of the University. President Holden was born at Rome, N. Y. 5 in 1863. He received his early education in the schools of Utica. At fourteen years of age he accepted a position with a business hrrn, in whose employment he remained for three years. Converted at seventeen, he united with the Presbyterian church at Utica and with his new ideals of life his thoughts turned toward college and the ministry. The next two years were spent in an artists' supply house in Chicago. By the kindly interest of his employer, his pastor, Dr. Kittridge, and other friends, he was led to choose Beloit as his college and to enter Beloit Academy in 1882, and the Freshman class in 1884. He graduated from the classical course in 1888. The remarkable business energy and capacity of Mr. Holden were made manifest by his supporting himself during his college course and at its close having nearly a thousand dollars in hand after all his obligations were met. - During the three years next after his graduation, Mr. Holden completed the theological course in Princeton Seminary. In the spring after both his first and his second years at Princeton he was called back to Beloit to assist President Eaton in raising funds for the college. As he returned for his senior year in the seminary, he took with him as his bride Miss Hattie E. Simmons, of Utica. At the close of his theological course in 1891, Mr. Holden was called to the chair of oratory at Beloit, the very chair -it is interesting to note - which was formerly occupied by the eminent educator, President Fiske, of the Chicago Theological Seminary, who nine years before had directed Hr. Holden to Beloit. During his eight years' service in this chair, Prof. Holden was largely instrumental in bringing the endowment of his college from a quarter of a million up to a million dollars. He was, moreover, popular as a preacher, influential in presbytery and synod, and so successful as a teacher of the Greek Testament in additim to the work proper to his chair that in 1899, shortly before his call to Woos- ter, he was offered a new chair of Biblical instruction at Beloit.

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PRESIDENT LOUIS EDWARD HOLDEN, D. D

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d ' au urated President of the University on November Entering upon his work at Wooster last September, an 1n g 1 ' ' ort and affection of the students, alumni, faculty, trustees and friends third, he has Won the enthusl astic confidence, supp ut upon its spiritual intellectual and administrative life the impress of his joyous faith, h t has reached even of the institution, has already p , forceful personality and trained business ability, and has given its material interests an impulse t a ' ' t that is to be. the stones for the builders an d that has started visions of the greater Woos er -x as N 'i' 'ice 00 S52 9 ' U . . , 1 Q. nv X - f , .U .. c 9, U l l - I .,: a wg ? fu 0' XV n .0 'sql I 'oulfjl Q' f X ' . r-I. 0 f 3 , - -.:' 1 P qc . , 9 Q N , wb!