Illinois College - Rig Yearbook (Jacksonville, IL)

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1 1, 1, -' 'i it CENTJENNIAJL it ll G V is in speech and press and wished that the subject of slavery might be discussed dispassionately. As a result of the shooting of Lovejoy, William Herndon, then a student in the college and later Lincolnis law-partner, became so interested in the anti-slavery cause, that he was taken out of school by an irate father. Professor Turner and some of the students even were active in the underground railway system, which passed through Jacksonville. Through Dr. Post, the anti-slavery inliuence of Illinois College was carried to St. Louis. Dr. Post had been repeatedly called to a pastorate in St. Louis but was reluctant to accept because of his affection for the college and because of the slavery atmosphere in Missouri. Although the college was far in arrears with his salary he accepted only upon trial and with the express understanding that his freedom of speech concerning slavery was in no way to be restricted. In these times the college was severely criticized by St. Louis papers, the Jacksonville Journal replying once to these crit- icisms that St. Louis was jealous because of the progress of Illinois College beyond the St. Louis University. Perhaps the most gratifying thing for a student of Illinois College to know about his Alma Mater's Civil War record is the fact that President Sturtevant was sent to England to help influence public opinion there. When he departed for England, he took with him the best wishes of Presi- dent Lincoln and letters of introduction to famous men of England. Presi- dent Sturtevant was able to accomplish little except through personal contact with a few important men. But he did accomplish something in England, and upon his return to America wrote several articles upon the attitude in England, one of which was republished in that country. The iniiuence of Illinois College was also felt keenly in religious spheres. It was almost the center of the great struggle between Congrega- tionalism and Presbyterianism. Committees from the Synod sent to inves- tigate the so-called heretical opinions of various members of the faculty and the suspicions and jealousies of various factions in the state caused Presi- dent Stur'tevant no little consternation. However, the fact that Sturtevant, one of the heretics, had been elected president strengthened his position and that of his colleagues by demonstrating the confidence which the board of trustees placed in the faculty. The Synod iinally dismissed all charges and gave out the statement that it would endorse no unfavorable rumors concerning the college. About this time occurred the incident of the Blackburn lands. These lands were collected by Doctor Blackburn for the founding of a theological seminary and left, at his death, to a group of trustees for that purpose. The trustees, not being able to sell the land or obtain a satisfactory charter and scarcely able to pay the taxes, gave the lands to Illinois College for the endowment of a Blackburn Theological Professorship. Due mainly to the Panic of 1837, the college was heavily in debt at that time and even owed the faculty much back salary. Consequently, the trustees saw in the Black- al f,,J I N473 Il' '- 7-if r Z' 421. f ,,g, sg ll g .sf,,eSf-' lv. v ' , 'i 'E Q ' JIU A Twenty

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, 4 Q- ' .' I Q- 5 151, CJENTIENNHAL RIG via DA forbid students to keep firearms at college, and that the college woodpile Qwhere each student had to chop his own woodj was often the scene of altercations and sometimes of physical violence. The first graduates of Illinois College were Richard Yates, the war Governor of Illinois, and Jonathan E. Spillman, who later set the poem, Flow Gently, Sweet Afton, to music. Illinois College was the first col- lege in the state to grant a degree. Although other institutions were estab- lished about the same time as Illinois College, they were not of collegiate character and were rather preparatory schools. The Jacksonville Female Academy, established in 1833 and chartered in 1835, must be considered as closely related to Illinois College, for Samuel D. Lockwood, J. M. Sturtevant, and Mr. Ellis, prominent men in affairs of Illinois College, had a large part in the founding of the Academy. It is interesting to note that part of the furniture for the Academy was provided by the manual training department of the college. Other educational insti- tutions which members of the Yale Band helped to establish are Monticello Seminary at Godfrey and Grinnell College in Iowa. In 1843, a year before Sturtevant assumed the presidency, Illinois Col- lege founded the First medical school in the state. David Prince of Quincy was interested in the founding of the department and became a member of the faculty. Although the equipment was excellent and the number of students larger than that of the college proper, the medical department was suddenly discontinued in 1848. It is hard to be sure just why this happened. Erst, that the pressure of feeling, in the surrounding community, concerning pos- sible grave robbings was too strong, and second, that the faculty of the medical school, with the exception of Jacksonville doctors, could make more money in regular practice at home. President Rammelkamp in his Centennial History points out that the latter reason is probably the real one. The record of Illinois College with respect to the anti-slavery question is one of great interest and considerable histori- cal significance. That the college Was an important influence for the Union cause may be seen from the fact that President Beecher stood guard with Lovejoy over his press the night before Lovejoy was shot. It must not be thought from this, however, that the faculty of Illinois Col- lege were abolitionists. Most of them were, rather, advocates of freedom of There are two possible reasonsg Richard Yates .xii I Nineteen 'ii I T ff ...,.s., 7 7 I -. -. .1 A '

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. ' ,U ,A I ,lill--15 N'lFlENNllAlL RIG WED burn lands an opportunity to put the college on its feet again. After the lands had all been sold, the Supreme Court of the state decreed that the Blackburn trustees had no right to transfer the lands to Illinois College. In this case Abraham Lincoln and David A. Smith were attorneys for Illi- nois College. One can well guess that this decision caused a great deal of inconvenience for the college. During Sturtevant's presidency there occurred another catastrophe which, however, some members of the faculty were disposed to consider good fortune. This was the burning of the dormitory, Which, of course, relieved the administration of the disciplinary problems of dormitory life. A new dormitory was not built until 1876, when Dr. Sturtevant at the age ' of seventy-one years resigned his position as president, but expressed his willingness to continue as a professor. It was not until 1885 that he was released from all duty at the college. In 1879 Illinois College celebrated her fiftieth year, Dr. Sturtevant giving the commencement address. Many alumni and old friends attended. Thomas K. Beecher was present and gave the closing address of the after- noon. President Crampton's administration was a short one, and it suliices to say that intercollegiate athletics were developed during his administra- tion as they had never been before. Expressions of student life, such as the wearing of class insignia, were prevalent. When William Jennings Bryan was a junior, his class wore plug hats. In 1881 the college relieved Professor Crampton of his financial duties because of his feeble health. These duties were assumed by Edward Allen Tanner, who was elected to the presidency the next spring. Under the vigorous administration of President Tanner college finances which had been growing worse every year were improved. Part of the campus on the west side of Park Street which had been sold was retrieved, and the old osage orange hedge was grubbed out, which grubbing gave rise to the present custom of celebrating Osage Orange Day. However, in President Tanner's time the day meant much more than it does now. Athletic events, addresses, speeches by the students, a picnic lunch, and a baseball game were features of the day. Cycling and tennis became prominent sports of this period, although football developed slowly. Athletics became intercollegiate enough in character that the Western Intercollegiate Athletic Association was formed at Champaign, delegates from Illinois College being prominent in the movement. The students grew to be so interested in athletics that they started a drive for a new gymnasium and in 1892, after four years of hard work the new gymnasium was completed, one of the finest in the state and a splendid evidence of student spirit and initiative. This period seems to have been a period of organization for it witnessed the organization of a glee club, Dorm Court, several alumni associations, the incorporation of both existing literary societies, and the publishing of ,-,gf A 1 w nty one f -L. A Q. l 'J!' N . 'Tl' 3 .-firm? Q B 4 A - .4. Q. :V lf i KW mm- fl U v P' f L ' 'x