Denison University - Adytum Yearbook (Granville, OH)

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- ..,.+ - .,..,. ....-...........- -1v'.,..,,- --7-,T--5-fe.y.:. 5 A , J., .. , ...fa - ,r .... . --.,--.F . - . - I ., - -- S ,., . 1. . . , ., .1Q,.,.Q,',Z.L: ' .. Bnstorv of Denison llnwersltv 0 ' ' . - ' ' ' ionof Th first definite scheme for the establishment of a Baptist institut e kaming was adopted on May 25th, 1830 at.a meeting of the Baptist Stiati . . - cr1 t1o11 is Convention in session at Lancaster, Ohio. The first subs p amounted to 31542 and there were twelve trustees elected. . . In ursuance of this plan, The Granville Literary and Theological Insti- tute opined in December 1831 with Rev. john Pratt as sole teacher. The lace of session was the Granville Baptist Church. There were thirty-seven Students. For some time afterward the classes were heard in the Female Seminary building. Soon the faculty was increased by calling Prof. Paschal Carter to the chair of mathematics and natural philosophy. So soon as pos- sible buildings were erected on the college farm a mile or so south-west of town. It was the intention, at first, to found a manual labor institution and it is interesting to notice the decline of this idea as exhibited in the college catalogues. First manual labor was required of all, soon it was furnished to those desiring, later a few could be so accommodated and finally all men- tionof this feature was dropped. Another intention which did not last many years was a theological department, although there was a spasmodic effort to reestablish such a chair in the later sixties. Still another failure was the idea of an agricultural college with two short terms. In 1839 President Pratt resigned the presidency, although as professor of Latin and Greek, he retained connection with the institution until 1859. During the last year of President Pratt's regime the first evidence of student activity is noticeduin the formation of the Caliopean Literary Society, janu- ary 2lst, 1836. President Pratt was succeeded in office by Rev. jonathan Going who ful- filled those duties until his death in 1845. President Going had apparently little to do with the purely class room work except in the department of theology. Under President Going the students again showed some self assertion and formed in 1841 the Franklin Literary Society. About the time of Dr. Going's death the name of the institution was changed to Gran- ville Collegef' Theilie next president, Rev. Silas Bailey remained in. ofiice until 1852. were perhaps the most dreary years in the college history. At times the whole faculty resigned. In 1850 an unsuccessful endowment movement was attempted. Soon after under stress of financial troubles one lmndred and twenty-five acres of the college farm were sold. Attempts were made to move the 'college to Lebanon but the friends of Granville came to its aid and raised quite a little money by the sale of scliolztrsliips. dentO:1'g1i.g1fi1gna5io1i of Dr. Bailey, Rev. Jeremiah Hall was chosen presi- 31116 in charge until 1803. Under Dr. I-Iall's leadership the 8

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Presidents of Denison University FK vglv Rev. John Pratt, D. D., - Rev. Jonatnan Going, D. D., - Rev. Silas Bailey, D. D., L. L. D., Rev. Jereinian Hall, D. D., - Rev. Sainson Talbot, ---- Rev. Elisha Benjarnin Andrews, D. D., L. L. D Rev. Hlfred Owen, D. D., - - - - Rev. Galusna Anderson, S. T. D., L. L. D., Daniel Boardinan Purinton, Ph. D , L. L. D., QQ 7 1881 -1887 1887-1845 1846 1858 1868 -1852 -1868 -1878 1875-1879 1879-1886 1887-1889 1890-

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11st 111 1111 t11111 xx 18 sold 11111 1 p 111 ofthe present C'11llpllS pl1ICl1'lSCd 1l1e 1 111 1 xx 18 111 wxtd thtntt 11111 the old 111 1ck 11o11111tory erected Ill 1810 tl1e 11 11111 xx ls 1 1111 111 111,111 to 1lLlllSOIl 11ll1VC1Slty 111 honor of W1ll11111 Denison ot X111.l11NX111L Q1111O xxho LOlltI'11D1l1.Ct1 t11e first 31510 000 toward the endow 111111t. 111111115 tlns 13611011 the first pCllOt11C211, ' ll1e D6l11SO1l121l1,' was issued. 11 1-1111 for some years and was tl1e11 CO1I11Jl1l6d with the Collegian under the name of thc Denison Collegian. Tl1e preparatory students became aware of their need of literary training a11d organized tl1e Ciceronian Literary Society. ' X ' N if ' -. 1 1 - ' - .. . I 1 1 ' 1-1 - . . ' 4 c . c . 'U 'Q' 1' ' '11 ' -'.- . ' . .Q r' , ' . L . , ., . , U., ' X ' l - . . . , , , . . , , nl x x . 5' ' 1 c 1 Q ' ' ' X V Q v x ' - . . ' - g , . V , - x - U- ' 1 .' 3 i , .' V - va 1 . . During the stress of tl1e civil war Rev. Samson Talbot came into control. Under Preside11t Talbot 8.11 effort xvas made to raise some permanent e11dow- 111e11t. Tl1is attempt was successful 2.1161 i11 a few years there was founded a permanent endoxvment wl1icl1 although small gave sure promise of financial stability to t11e institution. In 1870 the college dormitory was built. Since this ti111e t11e CI1dOXV111Cl1t has increased with varying rapidity until it 11ow amounts to nearly a half a million dollars. Student energy seems to have increased during this period, showing it- self in the p11blicatio11 of the Collegian which was published by the college literary societies in the spring of 1866. Another evidence of student enter- prise xvas the entrance of fraternities, two of which entered the school about the same time. Sigma Chi chartered Mu Chapter in March, 1868 and Beta Theta Pi chartered, Alpha Eta Chapter Dec. 27 of the same year. On June 29th, 1873, President Talbot died at Newton Center, Mass., whither he had gone i11 search of health. President Talbot's early death was due mainly to overwork during his whole life. It may truthfully be said that considerable of the present strength and solidity of Denison Uni- versity was purchased by the life blood of Samson Talbot. During the interval between the death of President Talbot and the elec- tion of a new president, laws were passed which were aimed to kill the two fraternities then existing in the school. These two chapters had the option of suspending or precariously running sub rosa. In 1875 Dr. E. Benjamin Andrews was chosen president and retained this position until 1879. During his administration the Doane Library Hall was donated by Dr. W. H. Doane of Cincinnati and was built in 1878. Housed in this new building the University Library began a new degree of eiiiciency which yet continues to grow and expand. Dr. Andrews was succeeded by Rev. Alfred Owen who was at the head of affairs until 1886. During his incumbency the two fraternities were revived sub rosa and soon oflicially permitted to exist. Some years later in February 1885, Phi Gamma Delta chartered Lambda Deuteron Chapter at Denison. The students of the preparatory department, Cicero being too large, instituted the Irving Literary Society. In 1880 the Caliopean and Franklin Societies formed an oratorical association and Denison entered in the Ohio State Oratorical League. The first college annual appeared in 1882. This was christened the UADYTUMH and this name has belonged to the anuual ever since. In 1882 the faculty was increased by a chair of modern language. During the two years presidency of Dr. Galusha Anderson there were two noteworthy events. The first was the transformation of tl1e preparatory department into a separate institution u11der the name of Granville Academy. 9 ---- - - -7T7 ' vi 4' ' '-v-ww . -