Muhlenberg College - Ciarla Yearbook (Allentown, PA)

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history of utylenberg C° e S e ' T?T is a matter of no little difficulty to compress into the few pages, dkk allotted to this article, the history of an institution which has ex- isted for twenty-five years. This article can, in the nature of the case, be a mere outline of the history of our Alma Mater. Muhlenberg College was founded in the year 1867, and is the suc- cessor of Allentown Seminary, founded in 1848, and Allentown Col- legiate Academy and Military Institute, founded in 1864. Long before the Institution was established, the Lutheran Church in Eastern Penn- sylvania had felt the necessity of having an institution of a high grade on its extensive and ever-widening territory; but not until the year 1867 could it see its way clear to carry its long-cherished plans into effect. From the beginning of the existence of Allentown Seminary, many of the clerical and lay members of the Ministerium of Pennsyl- vania were its warmest friends and most hearty supporters. The at- tention of the Ministerium was frequently directed to the Institution, with a view of securing it for the Lutheran Church. The necessity for such an institution became all the more apparent after the estab- lishment of the Theological Seminary in Philadelphia in 1864. Early in the year 1867 a stock company was formed for the purchase of the valuable property of the Institute, with a view of reorganizing it into a college, and for the management of the new Institution by a Board of Trustees, one-third of whom were to be elected by the Ministerium of Pennsylvania. The new Board of Trustees took charge of the College on April 4, 1867; but the old arrangement of studies con- tinued until the close of the scholastic year, when the Military Insti- tute ceased to exist.

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1 fecial lectures for 1891 -’92. % Prof. E. T. HOUSTON, A.M., “ Physical Geography.” Rev. J. F. OHL, A.M , 11 Sacred Music.” Rev. T. E. SCHMAUK, A.M., “ Ideals of Education.” H. H. HERBST, A.M., M.D., (’78.) “ Hygiene.”

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■Ill I! Il f! Sill Sllli III! ili llllli ill llil: li llllllllll! lilll III: 1111 .1 ' llllll llli Hill:; in mu a .Hum .hi i imiimiiiuiD, nr .IK ini I mi li i mi inini mil mi mini. in urn iiiiiiiM i iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii i ii i iiBiiiii : iiiii imii i:iiiiii n m i iiiiiiiiiini i iiii;; m iiiiiiii The first action of the new Board was the election of a President of the College, which resulted in the unanimous choice of Rev. Fred- erick A. Muhlenberg, D.D., Professor of Ancient Languages in Penn- sylvania College. His acceptance of the position was exceedingly grat- ifying to the friends of the new enterprise. It gave prominence and character to the Institution from the very beginning. His ripe and accurate scholarship, his long and successful experience in teaching for twelve years in Franklin College, at Lancaster, and seventeen years in Pennsylvania College, at Gettysburg, his eminent personal character, exhibiting the noble qualities of an honorable Christian gentleman, his kind but firm disposition and the fact that he was a worthy son of noble ancestors with a name distinguished in the history of our coun- try and Church, marked him out as the man for the place, capable not only of occupying, but also of dignifying the position. The name of Muhlenberg was given to the College, in honor of the Rev. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, who was the first pastor sent from Germany to labor among the Lutherans in Pennsylvania, and who organized the Church in this and other States and was instrumen- tal in organizing the first Lutheran Synod, under whose auspices the new College, bearing his honored name, was about to begin its exist- ence. As soon as possible after the establishment of the College, the Board of Trustees began the work of arranging the buildings for the larger field of usefulness to which they were in future to be devoted. The buildings were enlarged, united and a large wing added, so that it presented a front of one hundred and thirty feet, the central building being four and each of the wings three stories high. Arrangements were also made for the erection of a new building one hundred feet long and five stories high, to be attached to the central building. On September 4, 1867, the corner-stone of the new building was laid by President Muhlenberg with appropriate ceremonies, the services con- nected with it being attended by a large concourse of people.