Ohio Wesleyan University - Le Bijou Yearbook (Delaware, OH)

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i-. 4-.1 V , The Past Delaware is generally thought of as an old city, but there are few people who realize that the seat of Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the oldest ten communities in the state. The little city of Delaware came into existence in 1805 around the sulphur spring at the end of the campus, main walk when Joseph Barber erected a small log cabin in its vicinity and opened up a little trading station. And today, despite the passage of over a century many of the Univer- sity's and city's ehoicest memories gather about that historic spring. From its genesis, for a quarter of a century Delaware grew apace as a result of the many mills which were built along the Olentangy river. It served as a natural trading center for a considerable portion of central Ohio. A new era was entered in 1833 when two of Delaware's most progressive citizens, recognizing the medicinal properties of the Sulphur and Odevene springs conceived the idea of establishing a watering place and health resort. A ten acre plot of ground surrounding the spring was immediately purchased and a hotel later known as the Mansion House was erected. The project was quite successful for a time but failed during the financial crisis of Van Buren's adminstration. About the same time and from the same cause the two denominational schools then under the control of the Ohio Conference, Augusta College at Augusta, Kentucky, and Norwalk Seminary at Norwalk, Ohio, failed. For four years the members of the Ohio Conference cast about for a site suitable for another Method- ist institution of learning. Finally in 18411, Adam Poe, the pastor of the Williams Street Church recommended the Sulphur Spring property. After securing the approval of the Conference the citizens of Delaware raised 310,000 by popular subscription and purchased the abandoned Mansion Housev and presented it with a surrounding five acre plot of ground to the Methodist Church for Seminary founding purposes. A charter was granted to the infant college in 184-2 and one of the first acts of the now legally constituted University was the election of Ed- ward Thomson as the first president of Ohio Wesleyan University. The necessary endowment funds came in very slowly, however, and the new college did not be- gin its first session until November 13, 1844-. At this first meeting we find a stu dent body composed of twenty-nine men presided over by a faculty of five. And so, amid these humble yet' inspiring surroundings Ohio Wesleyan had her genesis, We will pass over the ensuing eleven years when we find ourselves viewing the founding under the auspices of the Ohio and North Ohio Conferences on a seven acre plot in west Delaware, of the Ohio Wesleyan Female College. These two- in- stitutions iof learning existed side by side for a period of twenty years when the two were merged into one and the Ohio Wesleyan of today came into being. Such is a short sketch of our University told as simply as possibly. The re- cord of these few bare facts grows in meaning and significance when the energy and zeal, enthusiasm and unselfish effort, high idealism and religious spirit which made the Ohio Wesleyan of today possible is slowly pondered over. Twenty-three -- ,b41l12DI94 e --

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Vx. I lub JYDA X!! 4 r V -I I l l l 1 l l . ls 7 The Future May 1, 1918 which marked the successful close of Ohio Wesleyan's great Diamond Jubilee Campaign will always be a red letter day in the history of the institution. On that day the scope of the University's horizon was indefinitely broadened and the field of her opportunity greatly extended. Ohio Wesleyan had reached that point in her career where the necessary endowment was absolutely essential for the fulfilment of her mission. The men whose lives were wrapped up in the University realized her need and the great campaign launched in October, 1917, in collaboration with three other Ohio colleges was pressed with such zeal and enthusiasm that there could be no doubt as to the outcome. Wesleyan's Jubilee unit was 581,000,000 of which the University already possessed 5B200,000 in the form of estate notes and annuities. The unusually difficult conditions under which the officials of the University labored, however, made the extension of the time limit originally set absolutely necessary. The General Education Board subscribed 8150.000 -in a lump sum on the condition that the University should produce cash or pledged subscriptions totalling ElS450.000. For a period of well over six months President Hoffman assisted by Executive Secretary Ehnes and Alumni Secretary Thornburg gave their time and energy unceasingly to the campaign. The entire citizenry of Delaware as well as the student body was interested in the outcome and the gradual rise in the mercury of the big thermometers erected on the campus and in Gray Chapel was watched with breathless interest. The final dollar was subscribed on the afternoon of May 1 and the larger and better Wesleyan was a reality. The Diamond Jubilee Campaign was planned as a means of celebrating the seventy-fifth year in the founding of the University and the erection of the build- ings whose need fostered the campaign was to begin at once. War conditions, however, necessitated the postponement of their erection indefinitely. In' the meantime a number of architects have been working on plans for the new build- ings which are to include: a woman's gymnaisum, a men's building, a chemistry building, an administration building, and a general heat and power plant. Now that the armistice has been signed and the declaration of an official peace in the near future is assured, work on the new buildings will soon be under way as the officials of the University have already begun to select sites. The importance of these new buildings in the future progress of Ohio Wesley- an cannot be underestimated. For many years their lack had been keenly felt but it has been only during the past few years that the University had come to suffer in any material way from their absence. Now that they have become a reality, Ohio Wesleyan can hold her own with any other similar institution in the country. The ideals and standards which, in years past, have become an integral part of Ohio Wesleyan have never been questioned but her facilities for working out these ideals in the lives of her students have been somewhat limited. Now that that handicap has been overcome. there ought be no limit to the good which our University may accomplish. Twenty-four 7 ft . .5-f1l1zII1P4 e.