North Central College - Spectrum Yearbook (Naperville, IL)

Page 18 text:

No1aTHwEsTEl2N SPECTRUM Peeiclent A. A. Smitlil W Corner Stone Laying at Naperville. out to neighboring farmers. Well, in 1870, on the 17th of May, the exercises of the corner stone laying were held at Naperville. Nearly all the professors Went and a few students who had some extra money. It was a Warm, sultry day and the program lasted pretty long. It was a grand building. The main part, 46x71 feet, five stories high, and a wing 442458, three stories high, was the completed building. Let ine see, I believe it eost about 532,000 Without any inside furnishment. 12

Page 17 text:

Noiaii-wvesiii-12N SPECTRUM College. The thought of my having to study instead of going out to plough was indeed a novelty. The old building? Yes--as I was about to say, it was a frame building. The front door opened intoa broad hall and led through into the chapel at the east end. Two recitation rooms were on either side of this hall. The basement was used for the singing classes conducted by Prof. H. C. Smith. Everyone had to take singing in those days but there wasn't any charge. The upstairs was used as a dormitory for the students. The First Graduating Class. The first graduating class CMiss Simms, Mr. Dreisbach, Miss Prattj went out in 1866-that was before my time, but I often heard of them. There were just three teachers when the College began, Prof. John E. Miller, Prof. J. E. Rhodes, and Miss C. M. Harlacher, all of whom have now passed beyond except Miss Harlacher, now Mrs. Schultz, who was the first preceptress. Rev. Smith of Greensbury, Ohio, was elected the first president. The number of students, you say? Well, in 1869, when I came, there were 243 students and the College building was too small, anyway it was too inconvenient to get there, and so the Board of Representatives from the different states met and decided to move the college activities to Naperville. But things are so changed around here. The new buildings on the cam- pus, the new arrangement of the-the sports, you say? Ch! we never had any College games, and yells, we never heard of them. My no! we came to college to study. In the winter we went skating and in the spring and fall we hired 11 ,.-- V f ,zv-7-l,,,Y ---1 v. -brine ,v -,. ,. F., ,.,,,,, QNX

Page 19 text:

Noiarnvvesrelm SPECTRUM-Sxaf-Hag-agasgfig 'tln September of 1871 there were ' f 120 students enrolled. The school be- . gan on the 5th of October. The build- ing was not completed, so the register- ing of students was done down in the old brick church. There was room for I some seventy students on the upper I floors of the main wing. The fifth floor was called Tower Hall, and the boys rooming there were always known as the 'Tower Hall boys.' The rest of the students rooined around in the homes of residents. We had something then that the college should have now, and that was . . . - a college parlor. It was down in the The Bul'd1 g 1 ISIO' room occupied now by the present main office. We could always entertain our visitors there. We had our receptions there too. Our office then wasn't as big as yours is now. It was in one of the small rooms in the northwest corner on the main floor. The Old College Parlor. 4'Now, you know we never had many pictures taken in those days, bust one day some of us fellows were rummaging around in the old store rooms they used to have on the top floor of the building, and here we ran across an old picture of a group of students. I can 't say just when it was taken. It must have been before 1866 though, for I remember that man Dreisbach as a mein- ber of the first graduating class, and G. W. Sindlinger graduated the year I came to school. One morning in chapel, President Smith read the rules to us and then each one of us was given a copy. I have mine yet somewhere, let me see, maybe I brought them along. He handed me a much worn, crumpled paper and these are some of the things I read: Study hours shall be as follows: 515 A. M. to breakfast, from the first bell after breakfast to 12, from 1-4 P. M. and from 7-9 during the 13 ii '2l 5 1151 if I ' ' - ' 1 - 7- 1, ,,.