Occidental College - La Encina Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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ir c ,,..,,.. .1 ,..., Q ..,.t,AA, , . . 1 . Q , I I r i le, By Rev. Hugh K. Walker, D. D. The history of institutions is not unlike that of individuals. Occa- sionally, one is born with a gold spoon in its mouth and is promptly christened, clothed in the finest of raiment and surrounded by godfathers and godmothers galore, with the proud progenitor beaming compla- cently upon his resplendent offspring. Such 'an institution lacks nothing in the way of material equipment, and certainly starts out on its career under what seems to be a lucky star. It will be a matter of congratula- tion, however, if it is not spoiledl by its good fortune and escapes the fate of many a rich man's child. For colleges and universities, as well as men, can have their heads turned and their hearts enticed by too much money prematurely and indiscriminately bestowed. And yet it may be gratefully recorded that institutions like Johns Hopkins and Leland Stanford, with a mint of money at the very start, have gone steadily on their way and are as well-behaved as any of their sisters, whose infancy was a time of poverty and struggle, But, after all, it is rare indeed, for a college, even in the matter of material equipment, to be born great, and rarer still that greatness is thrust upon it. The achievement of greatness has been the well-nigh invarlable rule in this democratic country. In the long list of colleges, born of poor but honest parents, headed by Harvard, Yale and Prince- ton, our own Occidental proudly takes its place. Its beginnings were humble-its birth unmarked by pomp and ceremony. It came forth as the child of the many prayers and C2l.I'1lCSt longings of the faithful Pres- byterians of Los Angeles and Southern California, twenty years ago. lts early history is engraved on the hearts of many men and women, who remain unto this day as its ever loyal and enthusiastic supporters. It would be a roll call of heroes just to mention the names of those who did well their part in looking after and nurturing this child of our love. Condit, Weller, McPherron, Parkhill, Wadsworth, Gordon--names that ffare identified with the early struggles and triumph's in the management of this growing and promising daughter of the golden west. The priv- ilege of studying in Occidental's Halls was highly prized in, those old days. The students came, for the most part, by horse-car and stage- coach, happy to gather in the old building and to roam over the old ath- 15

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Srhnnl nf Munir DWIGHT C. RICE, Director: Instructor in Pianoforte Playing MRS, CATHERINE COLLETTE, Instructor in Singing. HERR OSCAR WERNER, Instructor in Violin Playing. ERSKINE H., MEAD, Instructor in Theory and Organ Playing, WILLIAM H. MEAD, Instructor in Flute Playing. JOSEPH LEE EDMISTON, Instructor in Cornet Playing. Art unh llbratnrg A MARK B. BEAL, B. O., Professor of Elocution and Oratory. NELYE M. DICKSON, Professor of Elocution and Oratory, AMELIA V. FULKERSON, Director of Art Department. Ahminiztratinn lmlirera G. S. TROWBRIDGE, Business Manager. REV. CYRUS B. HATCH, M. A., Field Secretary, illihrarian ANNA C. LATIMER, A, B., W P3594 A ix' iw P W ' mem.-,'a:? - it ', nn '51, ww 14

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letic fields on Boyle Heights, fully persuaded that their youthful Alma Mater would one day stand among the stateliest flames of the educational world. It was a great blow to these fond hopes when the fire came and robbed the growing institution of its building. Many hearts were sad that day, when the picture of the ruins on this page was taken. But after the first feeling of depression came the determined desire to rebuild and equip upon a far larger scale the college, which had already grown so dear to the good Presbyterian folk of Southern California. And if you will look upon the splendid new buildings pictured also before your eyes, you will know at once that this was no idle dream. The story of the last decade has been one of steady development and gratifying growth on the part of our fair Occidental. lt was President Wadsworth and Rev. Dr. A. A. Dinsmore who started her on the way anfhsteadied her steps for many a strenuous day. The outlook was always bright and the cheery optimism that used to thrill us when the President would an- nounce at Commencement that he believed that in two or three years we could certainly count on having one hundred students, can never be forgotten. lt would take more space than is assigned this article if the upward steps were traced. The campus more than trebled in size, the buildings increased ,almost ten-fold in value, the number of faculty and students nearly ten times as large, all in these last ten years. ln property and endowment, the increase in these ten years has been more than twen- ty-fold. VVe are proud of this growth and grateful for the loving and gen- erous hearts that have made it possible. Our benefactors are many. The register of their noble deeds would be a long one and we will not at1 tempt to give it. Like Little Tim, we can only say, God bless them, every one. 16