Heidelberg University - Aurora Yearbook (Tiffin, OH)

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career. The city of Tiiiiln furnished its local habitation, here, we are informed, in rooms rented in Commercial Row, the college was formally opened, November 18th, ISSO, with seven students in attendancefl For the information of the present generation, it may be well to mention that Commercial Row was situated on the west side of 'Washington Street opposite the Commercial Bank. The number of students soon increased so that the first catalogue issued CISSO-515, announced an enrolment of 149 names. In the first catalogue we notice some features worthy of mention:- 1. The number of Trustees was increased from the original ten, as elected by Synod, to twenty-six. This increase was effected by the terms of the charter allowing each of the- classes teight in numberj of which the Synod was then constituted, the privilege of electing two members. Louis Baltzell was chosen as the first President of said Board. 2. The Building Committee was increased from live to seven members, the two added being the honored names of NVilliam H. Gibson, Esq., and Rev. E. V. Gerhart. 3. Another notable feature was the announcement of a list of scholarships which had been sold during the year, aggregating in value to the amount of Jf.,z,7S5.00. 4. The first Faculty was constituted as follows:- REV. E. V. GERHART, A. M., President, and Professor of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy and of the Evidences of Christianity. REV. 1. H. Goon, A. M., Professor of Mathematics and Mechanical Philosophy. REV. S. S. RICKLY, A. M., Professor of the Theory and Practice of Teaching. REV. REUBEN Goob, A. M., Rector of the Preparatory Department. MRS. A. M. LEE, Principal of the Female Department. In addition to the above chairs,', the prospectus as announced in the first catalogue contemplated also a Professorship of the Ancient Languages and Belles Lettresg a Profess- orship of the Natural Sciences, and a Professorship of the Theory and Practice of Agricul- ture. t' It is the intention of its founders, says the prospectus, to establish Heidelberg College upon a broad and comprehensive basis. Influenced by this purpose, and especially by the circumstances of the Vtfestern States, Heidelberg College has been projected upon a plan that will afford a thorough education to all Classes of persons who will avail themselves of its advantages. 5. Courses of instruction were outlined for the following lines of work: Classical, or Collegiate, Preparatory, or Academicg Teachers', or Normal Departmentg and a Scientific and English Class. These facts certainly exhibit a promising start for the new institution, indicating extraordinary interest in the enterprise on the part of the Reformed Church in the Synod of Ohio and Adjacent States, as well as of the community in which the college had been located. Coming to the second catalogue issued, which was the catalogue for 1852, we notice further evidences of progress. The enrolment of students in all the classes was 174. The faculty of instruction, as previously announced, remained unchanged with the exception of the substitution of the name of Miss Sarah I. Thayer, as Principal of the Ladies' Depart- ment, for that of Mrs. Lee. The Professorships of the Ancient Languages, and the Natural Sciences were as yet unfilled. A special announcement was made of the progress reached in the erection of The New College Edincef' It was so far completed that the Faculty said they expect to be able to-

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Historic Heidelberg. A 4275, NASMUCH as the current year marks the Semi-Centennial Anniversary of the Im.: E E FYI 'e ' 'i 4 founding of the institution, the Editors of the present issue of the AURORA 4 , propose to give their readers a fuller historical sketch of Heidelberg than ll usual. The present story opens at the point where the writer of the narra- tive on the pre-historic period closed. The original name of the institu- tion was Tarlton College, derived from the name of the first location. At a meeting of the Synod of the Reformed Church in Ohio and Adjacent States, con- vened at Navarre, Stark County, Ohio, on the 26th of September, 1850, it was Resolved, That the proposition of the citizens of Tiiiin tendering a donation of xII,O3O, and so much more as may have been, or may hereafter be, subscribed to the object, in consideration of the location of our Literary and Theological Institutions in Tifhn, be acceplezl, and that these Institutions be, therefore, transferred from Tarlton to Tiiiinfl In connection with the above action the following resolution was also passed, bearing on the adoption of the historic name of the school: Resolved, That in accordance with the general desire of the church, the name of Heidelbeljg College be chosen for the Literary Institution. At the same session, the Synod elected jacob Kroh, Esq., of Tiffin, as the nrst Treasurer of the new institution, also elected ten trustees, five of whom were to serve for one year, and five for two years, and further ordered the holding of a General Convention ' on the 14th of December, 1850, for the purpose of more fully maturing plans of location and organization. The said convention was held, pursuant to appointment, at which time the selection of a .vile for the proposed building was determined, the committee on plans and speciicationsj' previously appointed, reported, and a Constitution and By-Laws of Heidelberg College H was adopted. By this constitution provision was ordered for tive distinct courses of instruction in Heidelberg College, to wit:- I. A Classical Course, comprising four years. 2. An English Course, comprising llzree years. 3. A Farmers' Course, comprising llzree years. 4. A Teachers' Course, comprisin g lkree years. 5. A Preparatory Course, comprising lwo years. An Act of Incorporation was also formulated, and assigned to a committee with direc- tions to obtain its passage through the General Assembly of the State of Ohio. It may also be of interest to state that the Synod in this convention devoted considerable time to an examination of eleven proposed sites, and to a discussion of their advantages and disadvantages. On the fourth ballot the site for a building was chosen, and the Board of Trustees was directed to purchase from Josiah Hedges, Esq., live acres of ground for fI,OOO, assoon as may be possible and may be considered judicious. A plan for a build- ing was adopted, and the following members of the Board of Trustees were chosen as a building committee, viz : jacob Kroh, Esq., Louis Baltzell, Robert Crum, Henry St. john, and I. I-I. Good. From these items of business which claimed the attention of the conven- tion, it may readily be seen with what earnestness and zeal the Synod determined to carry forward the work of founding a new institution of learning. Having thus given a sketch of the preliminary steps taken by the Synod in the move- ment, we come now to the formal opening of the college, and the beginning of its historical 2 Easel!

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occupy it, for the purposes of the institution, by the I5tll of December, 1852, or very shortly thereafter. Another long list of scholarships sold during the year was also announced, aggregating to the amount of 59,292.00 It may be mentioned, in this connection, that with the issue of the third catalogue tI853J the practice of publishing the number of scholarships ceased. The corner-stone for the New College Edifice was formally laid amid imposing cere- monies on the 13th of May, 1852. It bears this inscription: Heidelberg Collegeg Char- tered ISSIQ From Rev. E. Hiener, Baltimore. The occasion seems to have been one of great interest. It was estimated that four thousand persons were present. The address of the occasion was delivered by General Samuel F. Cary, of Cincinnati, on The Dignity and Importance of Labor in its Relation to the Physical, Intellectual, and Moral Develop- ment of Man. The formal act of laying the stone was performed by Major Louis Baltzell, President of the Board of Trustees. As to any formal ceremony of dedication of the building, after its completion, we have not been able to trace any notice. The occupation of the building, however, was not reached as early as had been expected. The work was delayed so that it was not ready for occupancy before the spring of 1853. The work after this went forward rather slowly for want of means. The building is estimated to have cost about ,g20,000, although, in an earlier history, it is stated that the exact amount could not be ascer- tained from the books. In -1867, three and one-third acres of land, lying between the campus and Hedges Street, were added to the original purchase. By means of this purchase the campus was greatly enlarged, so that it now contains over eight acres of ground. The original college building stood alone upon the campus for a period of sixteen years. In 1867, the President, Rev. Dr. Geo. W. VVilliard, obtained permission from the Board of Trustees to erect a dwelling-house on the campus, to be known as the President's House. With his well-known energy and activity, President Williard raised the funds for this pur- pose by special contributions, leaving the endowment of the college intact. This house, a large and commodious brick dwelling, two stories in height, was completed in 1868 at a cost of 5QC4,25o. In the year 1873. the large and commodious Ladies' Hall was built, at a cost of about g7,000. It was furnished and ready for occupancy at the opening of the college year in September, 1873, and has proven to be a great accommodation for the ladies attending from abroad. The institution had rounded out thirty years of its history when the feeling, which evidently had been growing for several years, for a new and more modern college building, culminated in a very definite and positive series of resolutions at the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees held in May, 1881. As a whereas for the proposed action it was declared that there is an imperative demand for a New and impffovfd college building, additional to the old one erected thirty years ago, which is both antiquated in style of archi- tecture and impaired by years of usageg therefore it was l?e50lzfezi, That the time has now fully come when this Board should take active measures looking to the early consummation of this much needed enterprisefl And the Board did take active measures. The Execu- tive Committee was immediately ordered to obtain plans and specifications for the building, a committee of finance for this special purpose was raised, whose duty was specifically defined to be the soliciting of the necessary funds for this purpose. The President of the College was relieved, as far as possible, from the internal work of teaching, and requested to spend a good share of his time in soliciting funds, and furthermore the Alumni were earnestly solicited to consider this project, and urged to give all possible aid in this impor- tant enterprise. This action certainly indicated the earnestness and determination of the Board in carrying forward the project. A vigorous Building Committee was appointed on