College of Wooster - Index Yearbook (Wooster, OH)

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establishing a college of its own in the State was introduced and thoroughly discussed in the Synod of Cincinnati. A Committee of twelve was appointed to examine the subject and report upon the feasibility of founding a Synodical Presbyterial College within its bounds. This was the formal opening of the movement that ended after more than a quarter of a century of discussion and effort, in the organization of W'ooster University. . Discussion of projects by this Synod was continued with Committees in 1845, '46 and '47, with appropriate resolutions. In this latter year the Synod of Ohio, covering the northern half of the State, also moved in the same direction and appointed a Committee to con- sider the question. The next year, 1848, each of these Synods appointed a Committee for joint conference in this matter. The age of Committees is the Eozoic period where the first signs of life appear. In 1849 these Committees reported inability to agree and both bodies dropped the subject and lapsed again into the Azoic age.. In 1852 the Synod of Ohio moved again for a joint Committee to which the sister, Synod responded favorably the following year. The joint Committee thus formed, after long conference, concluded that it was inexpedient to attempt the enterprise at that time, Both Synods however continued their Committees the next year, 1854. In 1855 the Synod of Cincinnati simply renewed its Committee, but the Synod of Ohio, more persistent because most of the other colleges were within its bounds, resolved that The time to commence incipient measures had come, and renewed its Committee while hearing a delegation from Bellefontaine advocating the location of the new college there. The subsequent year, 1856, the sister Synod consented to a new joint Committee, which in time received propositions from Chillicothe and West Liberty, in addition to Bellefontaine. After hearing the report of the joint Committee that year, the Synod of Cincinnati took action toward formal organization of the institution to be located at West Liberty within its own bounds. To this proposition the Synod of Ohio agreed, substituting however Chilicothe, also in the Synod of Cincinnati, in place of West Liberty. Thus the choice of locality was the main hitch. A convention of the two Synods to unite upon a site was subsequently held in Columbus, December 1856, at which West Liberty prevailed by a close vote. This action was reluctantly confirmed in 1857 by both Synods, Trustees were elected and steps taken to raise adequate funds. The next year the Synod of Cincinnati in view of the failure to secure sufficient endowment within the limited period agreed upon, moved to close up the matter on their part and the other Synod had nothing left it but acquiescence. Thus the University of West Liberty passed below the horizon. Another joint Committee was appointed CI85QD to attempt a

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terians in supporting Franklin College, founded in 1825, in the South Eastern part of the State. Two State Institutions were established by national grants of land, Ohio University at Athens, founded 1804, and Miami University at Oxford founded 1824. These had naturally fallen largely under Presbyterial control with Presbyterian Presidents and mostly Presbyterian professors of the Old School, by far the larger branch after the division, in Ohio. The names of Presi- dents McGuffey and Wilson of the former and Presidents Bishop, Junkin, McMaster, Thomas and others of Miami, indicate how firm a hold our church had upon these State institutions. This fact will doubtless account for the delay in organizing a purely Presbyterian college of the Old School in Ohio. Yet the titles and control of these two institutionS last named being vested in the State, it soon became evident that the Presbyterian grasp upon them though vigorous might not te permanent and was ever indeed precarious. Ohio University indeed has long since passed under the virtual management of the Methodist Episcopal church. Meanwhile, as early as 1826 the Protestant Episcopal church had located Kenyon College at Gambier. The Baptists in 1831 founded Denison University at Granville. The Congregationalists, slightingthe union effort at Hud- son, set up for themselves in 1835 at Oberlin. In 1845 the Lutherans located Wittenberg College at Springfield, and the Methodists established Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, the same year. Other less significant educational moves were also made at earlier or later dates. All this was accomplished before our people of the--Oki School branch began active movements in the saine direction. It is therefore no wonder, with the prospect of being left badly in the lurch in the educational Held in Ohio, that the Presbyterians of Scotch Irish descent, boasted pioneers of education, should have seen with dismay their sons being trained in collegiate institutions of other denominations, or journeying to distant regions for Presbyterian instruc- tion. No wonder that they were deeply agitated as to their duty to furnish an institution representing their own faith, to take its place of usefulness beside those of sister denominations in their rapidly growing Commonwealth. The question was opened at an early date in both the Synods of Ohio and of Cincinnati, into which the Old School church of the State was then nearly equally divided. As time ran along and it became evident that not only Presbyterian patronage but also Presbyterian benefactions, estimated by some of the fathers at nearly a million dollars, had flowed into other institutions than our own, the agitation broke out into earnest action. In 1844 the subject of

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location at Springfield, since the failure to collect funds arose in large part from dissatisfaction with .former location agreed upon. In 1860 both Synods united in the new project, the newly organized Synod of Sandusky joining in the movement. The shadow of civil war now beclouded the scene. Most of the students of colleges and many from the academies hastened to enlist in the army. In some cases whole classes organized themselves into companies, with a favorite Professor as captain. Thus the proposed Synodical college scheme Went down in the political storm, for the time being. We have detailed these facts to show how persistent and determined were the Presbyterian frends of higher education in Ohio in pushing the Synodical college idea during these early years, and what it cost to secure a University for our church in the State. And be it remembered that at that time there were only one-third as many ministers in the State as there are now and less than one-fourth as many church members, with far less material wealth. Surely some earnest, indefatigable hands were necessarily behind all these movements. Of these two names in the northern Synod stand out as preeminent. They were the venerable Drs. James Hoge of Columbus and John Robinson of Ash- land. These stood ever at the fore among the enthusiastic and resolute leaders whose determination and unflinching persistence at length secured the desired end. These two boldly advocated the project from year to year, had place on all the Synodical Committees and committees of conference and were elected Trustees for West Liberty and Springfield, after having served steadily on the committees on location. When one effort failed they inaugurated another and by their enthusiasm kept the project as were alive from the dead. It was because of this unswerving cooperateration on the part of Dr. ,Hoge in pushing this Synodical college idea that a few years later Mrs. Prof. Wormley of Columbus was induced to present to the University the admirable portrait of Dr. Hoge that hangs in the chapel. And for the same reason still later a professorship was endowed and given his name. The tablet in the hall of the University in memory of Dr. Robinson also bears permanent record of his love for the Institution to which he devoted such indefatigable labor both in its origination and in its early history for over twenty years. His part in the organization of the University however will not be adequately recognized until a professorship in the Institution shall bear the honored name of john Robinson. And now we take up the brief thread of the remaining impulses toward organization of the Synodical Univer- sity. The civil conflict had not yet closed when in 1864 the Synod of Ohio renewed its actiou under the lead of Dr.