Oberlin College - Hi-O-Hi Yearbook (Oberlin, OH)

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In memoriam

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PRESIDENT JAMES H. FAIRCHILD, D.D., LL.D. A Sketch by President Iolm Henry Barrows. existed Thus said President Fairchild 111 his memorial sermon june 30, 1876. We may 11ow add that if james H. Fairchild had not lived and labored, Oberlin would 1lOt have been what it was and is. No other life is so completely identified with the history of the College. He is not only the last of the great pioneers, but the wise master-builder of this academic structure. As one names over those who have been the pow- erful friends and leaders of Oberlin, he realizes very clearly that among all these a peculiar and preeminent place belongs to President Fairchild. He came to Oberlin in 1834, a boy of sixteen, only a year after the first settlement here, and before Finney and Mahan had set foot in the town. He died in his eighty-iifth year, revered and beloved by the College and the community with a reverence and love that are rarely given to any one. He was of New England parentage, born in the beautiful town of Stockbridge, made famous by the distinguished Field and Hopkins families. He was brought by his parents to Brownhelm when only one year of age. As a boy he walked to the classical school a half a mile away from his father's house 3 he began Latin at the age of thirteen, and for two years studied in the Elyria High School. When he entered Oberlin in 1834, it was without the slightest anticipation that his was to be the great life in the history of the College. Young Fairchild worked his way through Oberlin College, paying his tuition by toiling in a saw-mill four hours a day for live cents an hour. He entered the seminary under the tuition of Finney, Morgan and Cowles. While a student he taught the freshman classes in Latin a11d Greek, and became instructor in Hebrew. He occupied the Chair of Languages from I842 until 1847, the Chair of Mathelnatics from 1847 to 18583 a11d the Chair of Theology and Moral Philosophy for more than forty years. He was President of Oberlin from 1866 until 1889, and then resigned, though continuing his instruction in ethics and theology several years longer. His qualifications for the College presidency were almost ideal. With his wide knowledge in several great departmentsg with his love of clear thinking, with his invariable refinement, with his patience and willingness to waitg with his disposition to do justice to all sides of a complex question 3 he made an ideal administrator in a period of change. Dr. Lucien C. Warner writes: He is the best instructor that I ever had. Ex-President W. G. Ballantine, who was associated with him for F Charles G. Finney had not lived and labored, Oberlin could not have 33