Denison University - Adytum Yearbook (Granville, OH)

Page 12 text:

IN the year 1830 at a convention held in Lebanon, Ohio, it was deemed expedient that a Literary and Theological Seminary under the patronage of the regular Baptist denomination of Christians be established in the State of Ohio. In consequence of this, a society was formed for the carrying out of the plan. In October of the same year, a consti- tution was adopted, providing for the organization of an institution for literary and theological instruction which should be located as centrally as possible in Ohio, and inviting propositions and subscriptions for the purpose. When it came to the selection of a site for the institution, some difficulty arose, but Granville was finally selected. Elder Allen Darrow and Charles Sawyer of Granville took upon themselves the responsibility of offering a farm site near this village for the institution, although the funds for the purpose had not nearly all been subscribed. This eligible offer, the central location and the New England characteristics of Granville turned the scale decidedly in favor of that location. The farm site selected for the Granville Literary and Theological Institution, as it was first named, is situated about one mile southwest of Granville on the Columbus road. A large brick dwelling house on the premises was subjected to repairs and some additions put to it and this was to serve as the first college building. Such was the beginning of our college. With its slender resources and primitive equipment, it had a wealth of potential manhood and a fine spirit of achievement. A great crisis came in the college affairs with the burning of the college building in the Spring of 1832. When the fire swept away the nearly completed building they were not merely without a college building and without insurance, but had even a deficit of twenty-three hundred dollars in payment for the farm which had been thought wholly provided for But what made the affair particularly heart-breaking was the conviction which was generally held by the trustees that the origin was incendiary. Fortunately, however, the college was again put on its feet by subscriptions which helped it to start anew. In 1854 the name of the college was changed to that of Denison University, in honor of William S. Denison, donor of ten thousand dollars. Two years later this institution was removed from the farm to the present site on College Hil . That same year saw the building of the west dormitory known as Marsh H all, at a cost of twenty-five thousand dol- lars The year 1864 was an eventful one in the history of the college also. At this time, the university was re-incor- porated, thirty-six trustees to be members of good standing in Ohio Baptist churches. Between 1864 and 186 . the first permanent endowment, one hundred thousand dollars, was raised through the leadership of Ebenezer 1 hresher of Dayton.

Page 11 text:

Page Five Denison University, Cranville, Ohio lllllllllllli roreword BEHOLD, we present to you the finished product of all our efforts. The Adytum of 1914. To all its readers we send greetings and hope it will meet all expectations. We have done our best in trying to make it represent every phase of college in both work and play. May it recall to the alumnus happy days spent in his Alma Mater. May the Senior who is gomg away from us receive help and inspiration to great things in life and may he always reflect glory on old Denison. Let the Faculty take this as an appreciation of their efforts in assisting us in the prepara- tion for life ' s battles in the bleak and cruel world. May all who read this book gain some pleasure and enjoyment from it. We have made our mistakes. Try not to judge them harshly. We do not boast of our success, but ask that, in reading this book through, you see the true spirit behind the work and then give us our just deserts. CONTENTS Book I. Faculty and Classes Book 11. Athletics Book IIL Organizations iiiiiiiiiiiiiii Hill mill iiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiii mil iiiiii I iiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii nil iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy iiiiiiiiiiiiiii inn ii i iiiiiii i i mil iiiiniiiiin miiiii niiniiiiiiin i mi mmimimmmimmimmimmimmmimmimmmimi iiimimmimmim

Page 13 text:

Page Seven Denison Universil]}, Cranville, Ohio At first the curriculum of our college embodied the studies of Greek, Latin, and Mathematics, with a smattermg of English, a little Philosophy, mental and natural. Such studies as these were the walls, pillars, and the roof of every higher educational mstitution m that day. In 1 866 the study of modern languages was introduced, closely followed by the introduction of Zoology and Geology. The rapid expansion of scientific lines of activity and research and the increased endowment, led to a division of the chair of Natural Sciences, with that of Geology and Natural History occupied by Professor Hicks, and Chemistry and Physics. We find also in the curriculum, a professorship of History and Political Science, one for Botany, and another for Civil Engineering. Taking a retrospect of the last seventy-five years, we find a revolution wrought in almost every activity of life. But when we turn to the educational world, to the college world, we observe our almost incredible advance. And to make the observation, we need go no farther than the limits of our own institution.