Cornell College - Royal Purple Yearbook (Mount Vernon, IA)

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COLLEGE HISTORY. rx: Try Of all the pioneers, who in an early day, crossed the Mississippi and made their homes in Iowa, few were as progressive, intelligent and religious as those who established themselves near the present site of Mount Vernon and Cornell College. They not only labored to develope material resources, but they also desired to promote intellectual and religious growth. The Methodist itinerant soon commenced his labors among them, regular preaching places were established, revivals occurred, churches were built, andthe need of a school where their children might have the advantages of higher education under religious iniiuences, was deeply felt. In this condition of affairs Rev. G. B. Bowman, and those living in the vicinity, decided that the elevation on which the buildings of Cornell College now stand, should be consecrated to purposes of Chris- tian education. Iowa Conference Seminary was projected, and in I852 two terms of school were taught in the old Methodist Episcopal Church, of Mount Vernon, by Miss C. A. Fortner. On the completion of the Seminary building, in November, 1853, the school was more formally opened. The school thus began was well sustained as a Seminary four years. The Principal, Rev. S. M. Fellows, and the Preceptress, Miss C. A. Fortner, were the only teachers connected with the Seminary dur- ing its entire history. Both were earnest, able teachers. Prof. D. H. Wheeler, who later was a Professorin the College, and who is now President of the Alleghany College, was the first Professor of Languages. He remained but one year, and was succeeded by Revs. W. H. Barnes and B. Wilson Smith. The name of Rev. Stephen N. Fellows, A. B., appears in the second catalogue as Professor of Mathematics and Natural Science. Other teachers were employed for short periods, as they could be obtained, or as the wants of the school required. After four years of work of Seminary grade, a new building was commenced and the orig- inal charter was so amended as to make the institution one of collegiate rank. In the fall of 1857

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the first term of Cornell College began with a Faculty of the Presidentand Preceptress, three Profess- ors and three lady teachers. Q Thus the work of founding Cornell College was carried on. It required talent, toil and prayer, for people were poor and the other enterprises of the new State had to be sustained. Railroads had hardly begun to stretch their iron arms across the State and all the pine lumber and hardware, with other materials in the first two buildings, were hauled on wagons from the Missis- sippi river. Many who could not give money donated teaming, or personal services, and no man was considered so poor that he could not do something. Only religious zeal, under good leadership, could have accomplished such a result. It is a matter of congratulation and tbankfulness to God, that Cornell College commenced her work on the foundation of self-sacrifice and heroism, which in- corporated and sustained Iowa Conference Seminary. The site of the college was originally chosen on account of its great beauty, and the character of the people living about it. Time has proven the wisdom of the choice. Town and college are located on an elevated plateau from which stretch away broad valleys in every direction, and these in the distance are bounded by hillsiwhere the earth and sky seem to meet. Bishop Gilbert Haven in a letter to the New York Afizforafe said: Never have I seen a lovlier landscape than that which stretches out from Mount Vernon, the site of Cornell College. From that open or that shaded top your eye takes in the loveliest lay of land that any college in America looks upon 5 at least any that I have seen. Bishop Foster in a recent address said he had seen but two colleges as beautifully lo- cated, one being near Constantinople overlooking the Bosphorus.. The original seminary building was, after the erection of the main college building, in 1857, used as a ladies boarding hall until the fall of 1885, when Bowman Hall was made ready for occu- pancy. Since that time it has been fitted up so as to afford excellent accomodations for the com- mercial department, the conservatory of music, recitation rooms in history and science, and for the chemical laboratory which occupies a large part of the upper story. The college building proper contains on the first two floors recitation rooms, while on the third Hoor are found the halls of the literary societies. Art Hall, familiarly known as the C. B. A., erected in 1873, contains the halls of the art de- partment, Prof. Cumming's studio, and a number of rooms which are rented to gentlemen students. The Chapel building, the finest structure of its kind in the State, was erected in 1876. It is of stone, and contains in the lower story the library, museum, and morning assembly room, and in the