Concordia College - Spire / Concordian Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

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And what did Concor- dia College find here in Fort Wayne? The campus at that time consisted of approximately fif- teen and one half acres. Some ten additional acres were pur- chased subsequently, to the north all along Washington Street and to the west where Oak Grove was procured later. The buildings consisted of the old Wines home and the Wolter building, then the pride of Concordia, which was de- dicated in 1857. Housing facilities were inadequate; in fact, they were much worse than they had been in St. Louis. The English Academy building (the present administra- tion building) was too crowded to serve all pur- poses. Professors Lange and Schick lived with their families in the eastern wing where the col- lege offices are now, while President Saxer lived with his family in the western wing, now occupied by the Dean’s office. The seventy-eight students lived in the central portion, where all classrooms were also located. The move to Fort Wayne was not as easily carried out as it might seem on the sur- face. Before Concordia College could move in, ‘‘We are growing up!”’ Hanser Hall, finished in 1870. space had to be provided by vacating the cam- pus which was at that time occupied by three educational i nstitutions, each separate and dis- tinct from the other. The oldest was a practical seminary founded in 1846. This is now Concor- dia Seminary in Springfield, Illinois. The second school was a teachers seminary, which had come to the campus in 1857, and is now located at River Forest, Illinois. The third school was known as the English Academy. This school passed out of existence as Concordia moved in. Prof. Crull modeling the latest in beachwear. 3 1833 02616 0066 — Gta omen ee a

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In 1855, the seminary and the college departments were separated, and Prof. Adolf Biewend was installed as director of the college division. He thus became the first ‘“‘president’’ of Concordia College. Installed with him was Rector George Schick, who taught at Concordia College until 1914, and thus became the ‘‘grand old man”’ of whom the alumni speak so much. The Wines home. The Concordia College Campus in 1861. There were no annual graduatian ex- ercises while the college was in St. Louis. Due to the urgent need of ministers, the candidates were released as they completed the prescribed courses. The largest group, consisting of ten, was released in 1860. Moving day! Rol- lers, long boards, and a team of horses bring the college from Dresden to Altenburg, Mo. In 1861, Concordia College was twenty-one years old, and once more it was moving time! After spirited arguments, the Syno- dical Convention of 1860 finally passed the mo- mentous resolution. Dr. Wilhelm Sihler of St. Paul’s Church in Fort Wayne, issued a 39 page pamphlet listing all points favorable to the move. Thus, Concordia College was officially transferred from St. Louis to Fort Wayne, and the entire Concordia family was moved, including the faculty and the student body. In September of 1861, the seventy-eight stu- dents assembled in St. Louis were brought to Fort Wayne on a special coach of the Wa- bash Railroad. August Crull, president of the student body and later German professor for many years was in charge as Primus Omnium. The train left St. Louis at noon and ar- rived in Fort Wayne on the evening of the following day. What a trip! The boys had more fun than a barrel of mon- keys. Once in Fort Wayne, the students were limbered up by being marched over the dusty roads to the college grounds for some real eating and much needed scrubbing down.

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The first years in Fort Wayne w ere not easy years. In 1862 and 1863, the two up- per classes were sent back to St. Louis, because the Indiana conscription laws would have drawn students into the service if they were over se- venteen years old. Classes have been graduated annually since 1865. Disaster struck on Decem- ber 28, 1869—fortunately it was vacation time —when fire gutted the English Academy build- ing. The next semester found facilities more in- adequate than ever before. Relief came with the construction of Hanser Hall and other buildings. By 1872, the campus assumed its maximum size and present shape. Hanser Hall, the first large structure, was erected in 1869-70. Schick Hall began to serve Concordia in 1905. The twin dormitories came in the mid-twenties. Sihler Hall, the older, cost This band played from original Sousa manuscripts. PER cant “Home run!—Right over Washington Blvd.” The athletic field before Crull Hall. $123,250. Crull Hall cost less because certain economies were observed. Th groundbreaking ceremonies for Sihler Hall were held on March 2, 1924. What a cold, wintry day that was! Crull Hall was dedicated on September 20, 1925. The four faculty resi- dences on the East Drive were oc- cupied in January and February, 1926. Thus, by the middle of the twenties, our campus acquired its present profile.