Northland College - Wedge Yearbook (Ashland, WI)

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HISTORY OF NORTHLAND In the middle of the 19th century the mid-western states were flooded with settlers who, after building homes, establishing churches, and organizing into some form of government, began to dot the prairie states with colleges. But up here among the huge pine forests were few settlers. It was the devel- opment of the lumbering industry that brought settlers and industry to the great North region and along with them men for leadership like Charles H. Pratt, Rev. Wa1ter Ellis, and Missionary E. P. Wheeler. By the 90's this north region was mature enough in its organization to think of its education. PRESIDENT M. J. FENENGA Charles H. Pratt of Grandview, which was then known as Pratt, was promoting the idea of a school to educate the youth of this new region. Walter M. Ellis, pastor at Tomahawk, made a statement that he had talked with E. P. Wheeler of Ashland and Mr. Pratt about the possibility of a school. Mr. Wheeler wrote to A. W. Burr of Beloit in the spring of 1891 stating that Mr. Pratt had sug- gested the founding in the river bottom of the White River a school in which students might earn most of their way. Mr. Burr made a trip to that place in the summer but returned home shortly feeling that it was not a very pos- sib1e project in the Bay region. Mr. Wheeier was undaunted and continued to promote the idea of establishing an academy 1ike the one at Beloit. On August 5, 1891, a committee appointed by the Northwestern and Winnebaga Conventions ot Congregational Churches to canvas the matter, met at Pratt in response to the enthusiastic invitation of C. H. Pratt. Approxi-

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Books Leave Old Library Bottle Neck at Library Door? Books Ready to be Stacked

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HISTORY OF NORTH LANDhCominued mately forty delegates met in the gospel tent of the Wisconsin Congregational Conference. Mr. Wheeler described the location of the tent as high on the brow of a hill overlooking the great valley. The door of the tent was covered by a huge bear skin, the bear having been killed and skinned only a few days before. Mr. Ellis told of a 321 pound rutabaga in the tent which was presented as evidence of the great fertility 01 Pratt tor a location. This dele- gation heard numerous addresses by old settlers, ministers, and educators from other schools. Their one aim was to establish a thoroughly Christian academy in order to develop the highest type of young manhod. While they DR. J. D. BROWNELL wished to prepare young people for a thorough college course, they also wished to incorporate industrial and commercial features into the proposed program. The institution was to be co-educational and open to all races. Thus these men prepared the way which led to the Articles of Incorporation, which, signed on October 1, 1891, and recorded on October 8th, made the North Wisconsin Academy a legal entity. The location had not been decided on, however. Mr, Pratt wished it to be located at Pratt, but that invitation seems to have been dropped as tact- fully as possible. The site at the head of Ellis Avenue across a great ravine was finally selected and a sum of $30,000 for buildings was to be provided as well as the site by May 19, 1892. The tirst-year classes were held in the old Ashland bank building which is now occupied by the Lake Superior District Power Company. By Septem- ber, 1893, Wheeler Hall was ready for occupancy The next seven years were hectic ones. The panic of 1893 had hit Ashland, then a great center of lumbering activity, and the surrounding region so badly that the contributors to the Academy could no longer keep up their subscriptions. In 1899 M. 1. Fenenga was installed as principal of the Academy faced by a deficit of $21,000, which he cleared up by 1900. A great Jubilee was held that year to celebrate the burning of the mortgage. The enrollment had been down to six men when Mr. Fenenga had come to the rescue and now it was all of 70.