Lycoming College - Arrow Yearbook (Williamsport, PA)

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I)y Williamsporl. Thus, the quiet, small vil- lage liecame the mecca for the hip limhcr of North Ceiilral Pennsylvania. The industry jetted forward and grew to the extent lluit in 1883 the record week saw 108,226 log- herd- ed to the jaws of the mills to hecome huiliiing materials for many thriving communities. Af- ter the decline of the lumlier trade William- port continued to expand and attract indu-- tries, and in 19. 9 lioasted a population of 45,047. Against this hackground the fore- runners of Lycoming College were established and grew. The Williamsport Academy for the Ed- ucation of Youth in the English and other languages, in the Useful Arts, Science, and Literature was incorporated on April 2, 1811. The State Legislature appropriated S2,000 annually for the Academy. On the land do- nated by Michael Ross on West and Third Streets, contractors A. D. Hepburn and Jere- miah Tallman erected an octagonal two story brick building with two rooms on each floor. The Academy was founded largely under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church. The first principal was the Reverend Samuel Hen- derson, Pastor of Lycoming (Newberry) Pres- byterian Church, assisted by Thomas Grier. Henderson and Grier were followed by other competent men. However, the Acad- emy was (loomed to financial failure. In 1834 I he State Legislature passed the common school law giving state subsidies to free pub- lic schools. Because the |)ul)Iic schools were too much for the Academy, from 1835 to 18.39 the trustees rented the Academy build- ing to the Town Council for public school use for SI 5 per year. In 1839 the land and building were sold to John M. Hall for the reason that the railroad ' running to Ralston has its southern terminus near the building and therefore it is both annoying and danger- ous for the school. With the $2,392 real- ized from the sale the trustees purchased 1 and ' % acres of land just north of the borough limits. They erected a plain brick three story building which was 40 feet by 60 feet. (This still remains as the west wing of Old Main.) The Legislature discontinued aid to private schools and subsequently in 1845 the new Academy building was sold for $432. John K. Hays and Peter Vanderbelt were the pur- chasers, and Hays resold it to the Town Coun- cil for $443.68. Financial problems still con- tinued to plague the struggling school and in 1848 the property was again put up for sale. The school ' s first annual, the Log Book told the story: IV

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., „ cnuniy. arii Bgislale for .hese .«• , g fl-„ ,,i, i „ the necessi.iMofihel „,„f ,,„ ,.. . , , nnd indeed ' lie . uiink hy rt-commendins ion rams tliHt powpr. but rotision in regard to first lime Riiioe ilie seriously denied, al- n done directly or in- inn of all the territories IVxas tras annexed, tps. it will he remem- laiures, expressed sori- ion ility, hut offered no of the Union, when id, The Soath, with w threaten u4 with a on, should Congress justice, in the organ- nries. No portion of te directly b ' -nc-fitled n tlin Souih, and yet icnaced a dii solution. everyihing — all the (and two but for a tnken from the Souih WHO in I we, his ihe mnidle, to convey Um li j Uia .pearesi neighbors are 0) p ji ed to illin. This course if p- reisie J in will have a ttndancy to disTACt, and ruiri the paly. There is another tthjeci upon which I would say a few woids A correspondent over the signalura of • Wasliingion, ' approves ofwha ' hfi terms ' yoor bold and decided ground. Yot a reform of the preseni imquiioua Delenate sy«t?iii. ' The plan of n ' rurni wliich was embodied in resolution submitted by y u, at a meeting .f ihe Uenocraiic Standing Com miltee, held on Saturday the 2 ' 2d of July, will if 1 am not must egrejiiausly mist iken. meat with universal condemnation by every demo, crat throughout ihe eounty. who will take the trouble to examine and compare the new plan with the old. Your plan is to apponinn the number of Oelegaiss in proportion to the whole number of voie ' he diiTeraul lown- fore will ilie ,. • ' ■ ' X ' lK ' iVusiees nre M. ly tt announce lite orgjiiizali m o ihie in-iiliilion. I ' nr ed. I o. o — Account of Be land Wm. Oaki ' S, lulministi ships. I ' o sb plan would work, • Sir e ua more : „i let us examine il « Kiccitnn returns oi October say, - . SI off i n 18U when ' ' ' ' ' ' ( ' ' would loriu the data up.jn ! I. „;.i. u-.L ' which you would have 10 brtse Ihe apponion- iniy with nim — not i , „, i r : South to accomplish ■ ' -) ' S ' «= ■ « P ' ' ' f ' Governor, , s »e the Democracy ' ' ' ' Williamsport. Jersey Shore and ,olitionofthe South! ' •= ' ' ' ' f ' ' ' ' ' -« ' ° ««1 ' ' ' -■ oi-jo-i. Ik., majority in This issue ol uie Lycomins •• ' ' • ' ,, , -, A I- J tVB a united Gazette, vol. 1, no. 45, of , j,yi„s a ccJiiesday morning, August i districts that 9, 184B. contains the first ' f » ■aj r ' ' y- newspaper article concerning the new seminary antJ ii courses of studv. Conveni ' iof nnoiiize. an iniresls. kllmot Pri nise, and 1 legislatio and sub nun, Shrews- ikei ' a Cr ek, 1 !iid Oavid- It will rjpen nil Thursday the 14ih of estate ol Hugh IJ. Oaiie«, la Sepipmbor, 1844, with ample provision in i ouniv, deiieased. for the accoHiuiodaiion and insiruciiiin of youth — boih male and female id the do- partineits of learoing pursued in the b si Acadeniie . Ihe cour»f! will be ihorouah and exten- sive, embracing, in ad ' iiiifin to the com» inon and bii;hpi E ' ig ' i! h siiidips — the an- ciPii! and modern languages, v.ical and instrumental music and various ornament al bratiohfs- TUITION AND OTHER EXPENSES. Primary t)i-parliiieiii, • ) $2 . ' 50 ' ommon English, 3 tiO iltaher Englisl , 4 00 Ancifiit Lan; iiagpsi, 5 5it Drawing and PaiDiing, (extra ) 2 50 Music, d ) 10 |IU Lerlures, do 50 Ii. every in lance initinn rnusi ' be paid ha!( in ndvanc-. I) ..,..1 .,...1 ir.A.. v,,,,; ... . and pri comprmni. Prar 1. provided the S uih « s «• »h«iik. a ef.mhir.d VUj n.y .4 ic nominations »iih eiglnj-foor. Jersey Shore gave (•■. R. S. 47, J we have mi-givings ■ of a majuriiy— Wolf g re him 45 Acfrdinf nomination ol Gen. ; ' ' ' ' I ' ' • ' ' ' would have six !)el- egaies, and the four. To ■ A ' suld b- iujposiiioa, upon ilie ' iu.ill township. A KHAL WOLFITE. August 7, 1848. ton wliicli met , , . . ,. the adouiion o Ifiinly betrays the . . T uih- The old v hig Clay, Ihe embodi- of ihat party and he their columns to the ilaughtered ' ' by the I South, because for- lied of not favoring Daniel Webster, the ;haiiipion of Northern f muster a corporal ' s id why 1 because he lavery broadrast over touihorn iitlerests and inded the nomination ecially as the Demo- id to choose Us randi ' hat roan was General !f ' lis true, but a C it CO. Rice and Sugar ) fail to stand bv and FREE TRADE and whose ' fnr.ple farms reve.nne under a low IKES HUNDRED the peculiar insliiu- :umscribed hut ra her i brave ' oid Snntnerner. and norihero hig ' ■ T ' e in their ad- -ned. ' I ' lius has POSTSCRIHI — [ he nevts received by mail, jusi as we go to press, is Irighly impur lant. (Particulars next week.) The returns from 90 Counties in North Carolina, show a Demonra ' io gair of some 1500, since 1844, when Clay ' s inaj.jri y was 3 945 ! So much for iho popalatity ol Gen. Taylor ! MEXICO. Another con;est has t ken place between ihn governineiit forces under Ijusta ' nenie and the iiisiirueni- ci.mnanded by Paredes. in which the ! ite; was ileli ' aied I ' he Gi ' vernneiii f ' lrces had entered Guana, juaio. and II Wis Consider -ri th.it iheoppusiiion 10 ihe gorerninent was effr.rtually put do-vr;. PadtK J»rauia had been taken prisoner and immrdiaiely slot. L — ' of Ih. r.nr.,,. hers niiroll, will • . ' I ' ' • C ' j-Vi Me ' -iing on the is ' of Sept. • ' near {:,■. ' ' ; ' s. one mMe ahovrf next Liniien. an .ler and preachers ?.r A- ircuii. The friends t nr r .ily invi ed t ' l attend. CHARLES M-CLAY. 1848. M..ni ir,L — In the village .of lihnca, N. Y., on the evenin? of the 2-) in?!,, hv the Rev. H X ' -|l-lV ' , led at lh( Y and sen; pfi lor I — fu. inglv lilt ' Hiicnlion interests •■( great ohject selected i : ' ion. to V Hev. Tu R.v B. Mrs SUS- . C. CREEVRR, Principal of Female Depart-ient. Mi!.« C.VrHARlNE E- CREEVER. ail iif ivh ' HM -irB k low-i and tjijireciatpd ' Dg board ol iiisiiiic. ' rincipal. No. 6 — ccoiin ' of Clio me of ih ' execiiior ' of Snmuel Stewart, late of Ly ly, decpa pd. No. 7 — Account nfS. Sc dian ol the minor child Keibsain, lute ol Lycoming N .. 8 — .Account of Jaco Jiinas Fisher, administ ra eslaie of J-icob Bailey, Sen ci miiig count V, decea-ed. No 9 — .•Vccoiint of Ad«n iitor of ihe es ate of Peter Lycominif count v. d-cMsec J. B rORKEII Register ' s officp, VVmspi »!iiisi 9. 1848- Valuable Ceai Pro ' pllE subucriht-rs off-r foi of |r».nfl sitiiuie in Olinl i.scftiuiug i.o.nt , .till .iie ier Sh «d1y, logetler minis, ciin»i.fiiiig ol a ty acres of cleare — latf.s SJiiO acrng. b!y well calculaied • ihor irncr li.ered with i ierable culm iiKs :ilso abooM ' . i-iiiing to htu a : li will d ' l well to r lernii Ate, nop MA ' iin. VVM. A. iS 9 iSi . v, O phans i ' ourl UTill oe sijirt at the hons o ill Ihe lovviis ' ii}) ol Fiirfii bv the public as well for their unusual ' y ' l ' C ' luilng. on Si un-av, . ui quslificaiioos to impart iniiruciion to ytiuth a lor their urbanity and chrjs lian exci ' lleiice. The iooa ' iin of Hickinsoo Seminarv is unrivalled, ih«- building is p-tir ' d and -ilands on an eniinnnce cornmHiidina « wifte r.mge iil rivei and mountain scf- oar, of eiiiranrini: beauty. Tha heilih of the comoiunitv is pxnaordinarilv good. Ttifi town i.K accs ' sibh- to bv ihf ' ' anal and Ruil Roai and is among thn ■no.it beauiiiul ru ' al sei ' lemen ' s in lbs! Union. Commuiiicaiions add.-e- the »erre ' ' «r - ol the hoard wil! at 3 o ' clock P. M. ol tia d rim A Trad of La siuRto in Ci ' ira ' n tnwii hi)i, t.vc conlaiiiini: ' 100 ' res of land, wil CI.Ki Ki- I). WITH A M)G IK AND BARN lIUTe.n erei ted. f-ij diltoiis will be made kiown c day of sale. ' O ' CONNEL. A ot. B Anc- 9, 1-48 - ..Hid .i-r 5: p f ' t T iilL CoO ' t i ' yscuUi , and on

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The way in which Williamsport Dickinson Seminary came to be at all reads almost like a romance. Toivard the end of the year 1847 Rev. Benjamin H. Crever, who was himself the highest type of a broadly cultured Christian gentleman, then stationed at Milton, thirty miles east of fVilliamsport, hastened to Wil- liamsport to ascertain what might be done toward maintaining the life of the Academy or transforming it into a Methodist institution. It is au- thenticated history that he walked a large part of the weary ivay through slush and mud, fearing to lose an hour lest the opportunity might be gone. B. H. Crever had done his work well and on January 4, 1848, representatives of the Methodist Episcopal Church proposed to the Town Council and the borough of Williams- port that a Board of Trustees should be formed to found a school called Dickinson Seminary which would be auxiliary to Dickinson College at Carlisle. The Baltimore Annual Confer- ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church would supervise the school and act as patron. The Town Council accepted the propositions and when, in March of 1848, the Baltimore Con- ference agreed to extend patronage and sup- port to the school, a foresighted church be- came associated with a floundering educa- tional adventure. At the first meeting of the trustees in April, 1848, Rev. Thomas Bowman was appointed president of the school and Rev. Benjamin Crever financial agent. Rob- ert Fleming was elected secretary and Judge John Smith treasurer. An energetic program was launched. Plans for future expansion of the then existing build- ing were expressed by Rev. Bowman in a let- ter to the Rev. Mr. Crever on May 19, 1848. . . . As to the Semy. buildings I have a new plan in my head, which I think will save some money and still do well in other respects. The plan is this — to raise the present building another story and a half, and add on to the east about 70 ft. of the same height. Have lecture rooms, dining hall and the kitchen all in the basement — run a Hall on first floor east to west through the en- tire building and have rooms fitted for teacher, steward, and pupils. Leave the Chapel as it is and in the new building on the same floor have rooms for scholars. This I think would give us all the room we want — would save considerable and look very well. . . . This was the beginning of the project which ended with the completion of Old Main. On July 3, 1850, the cornerstone was laid for the east wing. In 1854, for $45,575.08 a six story building connecting the two wings was erected. This structure provided rooming accommodations for 200 students and marked the first in a long series of realities fostered by plans for future expansion. Dickinson Seminary opened its doors on September 14, 1848, and 212 students at- tended that first year. The faculty consisted of the Rev. Mr. Bowman, the Rev. and Mrs. Crever, and Miss C. E. Crever, sister of Mr. Crever. By 1850 the Seminary ' s catalogue could claim that its success has far sur- passed the most sanguine anticipations of its friends. Convenient access to the school could be had by coach or canal. The young school had a three year course of study fol- lowing which a student was prepared to teach in high schools, go into business, or continue education through college. Ambitious stu- dents found at their disposal courses such as Latin or Greek grammar, surveying and nav- igation, logic, rhetoric, astronomy, and even Xenophon ' s Anabasis. Average cost of room and board for the eleven weeks ' quarter amounted to $20,071 2 with the highest tuition (for the language course) set at $6.37V2 per quarter. The discipline of the school in 1850 was described as mild but firm, calculated to promote intellectual advancement and im- prove the heart. Perhaps a glance at some of the by-laws will give us an idea of what this policy actually meant: The hours of study shall be as follows: FALL AND WINTER TERMS 6 A.M. to 8 A.M.; 1P.M. to 5 P.M. 9A. M. tol2M. ; 7 P.M. to 9 P.M.