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Page 25 text:
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Tm: PRESIDENTS. V N all the history of Asbury and DePauw, it may be fairly said that not a 1 man of mediocre talents has occupied the presidential chair, and we may look with pride upon such a distinguished succession of strong and de- voted men as Simpson, Berry, Curry, Bowman, Andrus, Martin and John. All have borne their part well in building up the institution whose policy they in large part have controlled. OUR FIRST PRESIDENT. MATTHEW SIMPSON, D. D., 1838-1848. Matthew Simpson might almost be called the founder of Indiana Asbury. It was under his regime that the immature uuniversityH began to take stand- ing as an educational institution, and it was the magic of his voice and pen that awakened among the people of Indiana a feeling of interest in the college at Greencastle. He was worth more to Asbury than any endowment could have been. His rugged simplicity and the purity of his character were ineifaceably stamped upon the university he loved and served so well, while his vigorous efforts brought friends in legion at a time of need. The details of his illustrious career-from the date of his humble birth in Cadiz, Ohio, in 1811, to the time when crowned with all the honors at great church could confer, known and felt in every land where his eloquent voice had spoken, he passed to his reward-these are known of all men who feel an interest in the 01d Asbury and the new DePauw. Dr. Simpson was called from the chair of natural sciences in Allegheny College to the presidency of Asbury University in 1838. He found the foundae tion of a college building at Greencastle, a dreary little town of seven hundred inhabitants, and fifty or sixty boys gathered for instruction in the old Academy 14
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Page 24 text:
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Relief was found in the munificence 0f 'W'ashington C. DePauw, a glass manufacturer of New Albany. Industry and honesty had made him a million- aire, beloved by every employe in the great glass factories-the largest in Amer- icaewhich he controlled. He was a capitalist who could consistently open a meeting of directors with prayer. Ile had been for years a member of the board of trustees and a warm friend of the University. About to visit Europe in 188x, he wrote a will which provided that a large portion of his great fortune should be applied to the endowment of a New Methodist University which should bear the family name. The trustees of Asbnry appealed to Mr. DePauw to devote this money to the endowment of the University at Greencastle. Gene erously, Mr. DePauw gave up his plan for a memorial university, and with an immediate gift of several hundred thousand dollars lifted Asbury from debt. The Methodist Church gave $300,000 more. In accordance with a promise made at that time, Mr. DePaqu will made provisions for the endowment of the Uni- versity with forty per cent. of his estate-an arrangement which to-day makes DePauw rank seventh in size of endowment among American universities. Against the protest of Mr. DePauw, who is termed the founder of the University, the reorganized institution received his name, the Asbury College of Liberal Arts retaining the name of the great Bishop for whom the University was first named. I 7' This sudden good fortune worked an entire transformation in the univer sity. New buildings were erected, new professofships were added, the schools of theology, law, art and music sprung into existence, while provisions were made for postgraduate work along special lines. The policy of the institution was broadened, the standard was raised. It was the good fortune of the institution to undergo this complete regeneration just at the time when a transformation was taking place in educational ideas, and radical changes were soon easily made which gave to the university a broader held of usefulness, as well as increased efhciency. The horizon widened and brightened. The family of Mr. DePauw assumed the interest he had always felt in the institution, and not only cordially ac- quiesced in the endowment of the university, but began a patronage which has sustained the institution on its more ambitious footing while awaiting the time set for the bestowal 0f the endowment by the provisions of the will. The cul- mination of the new order of things was reached whenl in 1890, John P. D. John, amid the rejoicing of the students and 'citizens of the college town, was inau- gurated President. . t 13
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