Manchester College - Aurora Yearbook (North Manchester, IN)

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Prrfare HIS being the twenty-fifth anniversary of the transfer of Manches- ter College to the Church of the Brethren, it was thought expedi- ent that someone write a brief account of the growth of the school. To depict correctly all of the activities of an institution for a quarter of a century, to do justice to all concerned, to reflect the school life in all of its phases and make it real is no small task. Only those who have lived through the days can know how many things that reflect the spirit of the school elude the pen of the writer. The matter of organization in a work of this kind is a problem for the his- torian. We have found it convenient to divide the history into three periods. The first period 1895-1902, the period of Private Ownership, when the church assumed no responsibility for the financial support of the school. The second period 1902-1910, the period of Lease, when the school was owned by the church but leased to a board of management. The third period, 1910-1920, the period of Church Ownership and Control. The divisions, as all divisions in history, are arbitrary, and the plan has many objections, but it seems the most practicable for present purposes. Each period is divided into three parts — a section of Administrative History, a sec- tion of Eeligious, Literary, Social, and Athletic Activities, and thirdly a sec- tion of Contemporary Notes and Personals. A general conclusion sums up the whole matter. If Ave have succeeded in showing the main lines of activity and develop- ment of the Institution, and how it has been of use in preparing young men and women for Christian service, our purpose shall have been attained. An attempt has been made to select suggestive materials and to mention repre- sentative names. Errors may have escaped our notice due to a lack of time for verifying every statement with source materials. The writers express their appreciation for valuable source materials re- ceived from Professor I. B. Book who supplied them with an almost complete ale of College Standards; to Olive Miller, W. D. Fisher, Mrs. Otho Win- ger, D. O. Cottrell for pictures, papers and helpful suggestions. President Otho Winger and Prof. L. W. Shultz have read the manuscript and have of- fered several valuable criticisms. V. F. SCHWALM, Editor. ELIZABETH POSTMA, Assistant Editor. Page 7J

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Administrating Itatnnj (1895-1902) HE institution now called Manchester College has a history that reaches beyond its control by the church of the Brethren and its location at North Manchester. It had had a brief existence at Roanoke, Indiana, under the control of the United Brethren Church. Because of the smallness of the town and its poor loca- tion it was decided in 1889 to move the institution to North Man- chester. It was now called Manchester College and grew slowly but healthfully un- der the Presidency of Professor D. N. Howe for about five years. Professor Howe was energetic and able, a man who sacri- ficed and labored diligently to build up the school. But funds to support the school were not forthcoming as rapidly as they should have been. During the year 1894-5 the College was headed by a man named Professor Kriebel, who made large promises of endowment to the school, which he could not fulfil. At the end of the year he left and the following item appears among the Col- lege notes in the North Manchester Journal for April 18, 1895. Many hearts about the College were made sad on learning that the institution Avas likely to be sold. More so, when property worth $25,000 must be sold very low and $7,000 in notes must be sacrificed to pay a debt of $5,000. A hard pull and a pull all together will put us on solid ground again, without selling our cherished D. N. HOWE, First President of Manchester College College home. During the winter of 1894-5 Professor E. S. Young held a very successful Bible term in the North Manchester Church. He evidently must have been thinking of founding a college then. No doubt he saw that this was a strong center for the church and would prove an advantageous location for the Col- lege. On March 28, 1895, the North Manchester Journal stated that, For some time it has been generally known to the public that a Brethren College, sim- ilar to the one at Mt. Morris, Illinois, would in all probability be located in Northern Indiana during the present year. The editor then stated that two or three other towns had already taken steps to get the institution. He said North Manchester had done nothing but wish that the institution might be lo- cated here. On Friday, March 22, 1895, Rev. E. S. Young and S. S. Young, of Mt. Morris, Illinois, and David Hollinger, of Pittsburg, Ohio, as a committee, were here to look over the ground hurriedly, promising to return at some future time. The Journal is in earnest in saying that this school, conducted as Page 9J