Ripon College - Crimson Yearbook (Ripon, WI)

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f'1IC6 hEQiQ724 Ci11Ms0NIAQiff1swc Tl1e real beginning of The 11101211 illld inTellecTual leadership which the college new CO1llJl121111dS was marked by the CO1l1l11Q,' of The Reverend Williani E. Merri- 1112111 into The presidency. Within 21 year both buildings were completed and furnished, a11d filled wiTl1 students. Another almost miraculous aeco111plisl1111e11t of The first year of Dr. hTCl'1'l1ll?,ll17S ad111inistraTion was the complete payment of Tl1e 111Ol'T1g'E1gGS on the college property. ' -V The years following were inarked by great difficulties and inany reverses ill the growtlrof the institution. ln sjoite of thesey the C'O1lSfl7l1Cil,011 of a IICXV college building, 11ow NVest I-lall, was begun in l367.' 1 -- ' In l86S occurred The Hrst i111porTanT ,i11eide11t intl1edevelop111ent of the college. The president made applieatioii' To The iifoij The 'Promotion of Collegiate illlii Theological lCd11caTie11 inThe for irecog11itio11 and endorse- inent, and The application was acTed upon f11yo1'ably., Tlie' sehoolwas The11 aided in ifaising its scholastic standard kllld also in llw1,C1fCltlSl'1Tg l:ES LCl1dOXV1l1Cl1i-, making possible more extensive science laboratoriesjaiid 111o11111i1- 'courses of studies offered, In 1874, President Merriinan was g'l'Zl1llCLi.-il.ii.'ZlYC'4O'ii absence for six 11101113118 because of ill health, but as he was sTill llll.iliJiliX-i,O,Q'QllflTlgLlC'l1lS duties at the e11d of that time, Professor Merrell was Zl1J1DOll1i1CClJ'l1lS successor.. During PresidenT Merrell 's ad111i11istraTio11 The general policy of Tl1e college as to intellectual and nioral aiins, as well as To ccononiy, was inaintained. Large additions were inade To the library, Zllltl three 11ew buildings were added: a laboratory building, Bart- leTt Hall, a11d Dawes Cotiage. East College was rebuilt. Tl1e need of an aTl1leTie field was felt urgreiitly byboTl1 faculty and students, buT the i11iTial 111ove111ent to secure These grounds was inade by H11 aluinnus, Mr. John G. Ingalls. To supply This need in 1988, about 18 acres of ground was XV , Upper Campus A N5 501 13 gm 5 Q04 56156. H- -sss as 1 1 1 11 . 1 1 A DCU 1339 M xr ' H nan rm ...--sg? ' Page 12

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crm: 1131 T crf'iS'f1e 1024 CRIMSEATIUQT T T mn 11221. a rival town, and as never before, a eonliict arose between the old and the new towns. Gradually and happily, however, the new town, called Ripon, outdis- taneed Ccreseo, and when the post olnce was moved from Ceresco to Ripon the old connnunity appeared entirely exterininated. Then in 1858, Ueresco merged into and became a part of Ripon, and a charter was obtained lfroni the state for the city of Ripon to exist as a niunicipal corporation. The name, Cereseo, remains, however, to designate that part ot the city which lies in the valley. The Founding and Growth of Ripon College N the year 1851, two years after the construction ot the first building in what is now the city of Ripon, work was begun on the institution out olfwhich Ripon College has since grown. Money was extremely scarce for carrying out this project of providing the new town with the opportunities jlfor higher educa- tion, and only the pioneer spirit of good will which the supporters of the eiifort evinced kept the construction work progressing. Such was the urgent need for funds at one stage, that Captain P. Mapes, leader ol? the enterprise, gave outright his gold watch to advance the work. ln recognition of a financial subscription by William S. Brockway at a time when lack of inoney threatened a long delay in building, the institution was named Brockway College in his honor. Three years later, by act ot the legisla- ture, the nanie was changed to Ripon College. Twelve years elapsed before the first college classes were formed in 1863 under the administration of the Reverend Mr. NVillian1 E. Merriman. During this period the institution was a preparatory school instructing in all the higher English branches and in those classical studies necessary to tit young nien for college. For several years East Building, only partially l completed, was the only build- ' ' ing on the eainpus. The prog- ress of the school was iinped- ed, not only by eontinuec' financial embarrassment, but by difficulties in obtaining board and suitable rooms for ihe students. This need was so great that in 1855 the board of trustees voted to erect as speedily as possible a dormitory building. This building, which was for many years known as Middle Col- lege, is the present Snlifh hal' Ceresco Octagon Schoolhouse . 1 1 L.-ueffe, - + if 'E im -rs 6 if my can M 3+Q,gge+ i Page II

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,fin gg CICG'f2QgZ024CHIN1.5'0AfIln' B Q purchased and called Ingalls Park in honor of Mr, Ingalls who contributed generously to the movement. During the latter part of President Merrcll's ad- ministration the work of the college was greatly ob- structed by doctrinal and other controversiesg how- ever, the spirit with which the college was founded was nndaunted by even these new difficulties. The tireless effort and unfail- ing devotion of the presi- dents who followed, the Jf00Il1iffhl on G1-fm Lakr Reverend Rufus Flagg, Dr. R. C. Hughes, Dr. Silas E. Evans, and Dr. H. C. Culbcrtson,brought the college to the attainment of its present intellectual and moral standards, and to consequent recognition byiboth the Carnegie and Rockefeller Foundations, the Association of American Universities, the North Central Association of Colleges, and the Asso- ciation of AmericanColleges., Courses of instruction now provide completely the pre-professional require- ments in ZLg'1'lCUltUl'B,'-l'I168llCll1C, engineering, law and commerce, beside the usual college work in science and the liberal artsleading to the B.A. and BS. degrees. There is also an excellent education course affording professional training for the teaching profession: With the exception of the state university, Ripon is the only school in Wisconsin offering a four years' course in Military Science and Tactics. The collegiate activities have grown until at present they embrace forensics, journalism,dramatics and oratory. The college offers through the School of Music comlilete courses leading to the degree of Bachelor of Music and to a certificate in-.public school music. Ripon also holds a very enviable place at the head of Mfisconsin intercollegiate athletics, belonging to t.he Little Five and the Midwestern' Conferences. From an initial class of very few students, the enrollment has risen until the number new reaches four hundred and fifty. The college to date has conferred the following degrees: 717 Bachelor of Arts, 98 Bachelor of Science, 25 Bachelor of Philosophy, 61 Master ef Arts, 37 Doctor of Divinity, and 5 Doctor of Laws. coil, ibm K or W Us r '1n:1g fm gmt ,M c :v 20 Page 13