North Central College - Spectrum Yearbook (Naperville, IL)

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rg- , AUGUSTINE. A. SMITH 6

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NORTH Wl:LS'l ERN SPECTRUM History of Northwestern College. Northwestern College had her origin in the conception of meeting a need. Like the history of most educational institutions, her inception was humble, her progress often impeded, but her purposes always have been noble and her achievements exalted. Through the initiative of the Illinois Conference, supported by three other cen- tral-state conferences of the Evangelical Association, Plainfield College, now North- western College, was founded in I86I at Plainfield, lllinois. A donation of 311,000 was given by the citizens of that city, and an effort was begun to raise a needed endowment of 550,000 A three-story frame building was erected and the first session of school opened late in the fall of l86l with a faculty of four members. During the year the total enrollment of students reached 243, mostly of Plainfield and vicinity. Professor A. A. Smith, principal of Greensburg Seminary, C-reensbury, Ohio, was elected first president of the institution, assuming his duties in the autumn of l862. The work at first was of a preparatory nature, but as demands for higher training increased, preparations were made to accommodate more advanced students. As the patronage of the school soon extended over several states, the name Plainfield Col- lege was thought too local, hence, at the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees in IS64 the name of the institution was changed to Northwestern Collegef' By this time the 550,000 endowment fund was fully made up. Also, at this annual meeting a college charter was secured. ln I863-64 the first college Freshman class of nine members appeared, and in the spring of I867 the first class of college graduates flVliss Laura Pratt, Miss Florence Simms, lVlr. B. P. Dreisbachl was sent out. Owing to the lack of railroad facilities at Plainfield the location of the college was changed in 1870 to Naperville, lllinois. The citizens of this city donated about eight acres of-ground for a campus, 325,000 in money and a large college building. At the close of the first school year H870-7U at Naperville, the college catalogue shows a faculty of nine members and an enrollment of 256 students. ln l87l-72 the faculty increased to thirteen members and the enrollment of students to 296. ln l872 three other conferences united with the four original ones in the college compact. Dur- ing the same -year the enrollment of students reached 320, and in the following year 405. Accordingly, the influence of the school steadily enlarged and more students came from abroad. Also, new departments of instruction were organized and well equipped. At the close of the year ISS3-84 President Smith, feeling the inflrmity of old age, resigned his position as president of the college, which position he had very successfully filled for twenty-two years. l-le was given the honorary title of HPresident Emeritus. Professor l-l. l-l. Rassweiler, a graduate of l868 and a professor in the college, was elected Acting President. Under this administration rapid progress was made in the development of the institution. More thorough organization was effected, improved means for financial possibilities were devised, interest was solicited, and societies were organized for the purpose of promoting educational enterprise. During the period l883-l888 excellent Work was done in the college and many large classes in all departments were graduated. Uwing to unavoidable circumstances President Rassweiler resigned his position in l887-88. lmmediately following this resignation, the college catalogue shows an abrupt decrease in the number of students. President Emeritus Smith again was chosen to assume the responsibility as chief administrator of the institution. ln l888-89, Rev. I-I. Kiekhoefer, who had been five years previously a professor in Union Biblical 8