Macalester College - Quid Nunc Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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History Victory over years of adversity is as the dawning of a new day. Macalester college, although a comparatively young institution having completed its Hrst cycle, its quarter centennial, stands out prominently among institutions of its class by having fought and won a strenuous struggle for existence. It has a history on whose pages have been written and stamped the determination, sacrifice, and enthusiasm of venerable Christian men, whose lives have been moulded into the very foundation oi' the new Macalester of today. The manifold elements that combined to create its fortunes and mis- fortunes, finally leave Macalester today in a position of security where it stands on the threshold of a new, a brighter era. Macalester College was founded by the Rev. Dr. E. D. Neill, first Pres- byterian minister in St. Paul. In the early fifties of the last century, he realized the need of providing educational facilities for the new territory, and in February, 1853, organized an institution called the Baldwin school. Out of the Baldwin school grew the college of St. Paul, which a few years later was changed into the Baldwin University, and in the year 1874 was named anew Macalester College. The name was given in honor of Charles Macalester, who was born of Scotch parentage in 1798, in Philadelphia, Pa,, and who amassed a great fortune. In his early life he moved westward to Cincinnati, Ohio, and en- tered into business. Later he became connected with the Peabody Real Estate and Speculation Company of Chicago, and still later was appointed director of the Government Bank. He then became interested in educa- tional enterprises. In the year 1873 he bequeathed a large building at St. Anthony Falls, known as the Winslow House to Macalester College, which now bears his name. This gift enabled Dr. Neill to lay the foundation of a college for young men after the type of the New England colleges. He organized a board of trustees of the Baldwin school. In 1874 the corporate name of the Bald- win institution was changed to the 'tTrustees of Macalester College by an amendatory act of the legislature, with the provision that the preparatory department should continue to be known as the Baldwin school. Lack of funds retarded the development of the now Macalester College and seeing the necessity of funds, the trustees of this non-sectarian college sought affiliation with the Presbyterians of this state. The movement met with approval in the Synod in 1880. Later in the year 1883, the old Macalester building near the Falls of St. Anthony was sold for forty thousand dollars, and a new building was erected on the present site which had been given to the college by a syn- dicate of the trustees. By June, 1884, the present east wing was com- 13 I