Swarthmore College - Halcyon Yearbook (Swarthmore, PA)

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easily recognized, as is also a firm determination to make the new institution a college of high standing and not a mere school, as was first suggested. The work on the necessary buildings was so far completed that the college was opened for students on November 8, 1869, with a registry of twenty students in the Freshman class and 1 50 in the Preparatory School. Two days later the formal opening took place. The growth of the institution from this time forward, with the various details of its history, would make an interesting volume, and can be but briefly touched upon here. The growth of the student sentiment with the founding of the literary societies, ath- letic organizations and fraternities is spoken of elsewhere, and the interesting tales of the old days and times before the fire are best enjoyed when dropped from the store of recollection of those who were with the college during the formative stage of its exist- ence. The addition, one by one, of the several departments and the gradual broadening of the scope of the institution can only be treated as fully as they deserve when the long-promised history of the college appears. In 1 87 1 President Parrish resigned after two years service at the head of the faculty, and in the same year Edward H. Magill, A. M., who had previously borne the title of Principal, was elected and m- augurated with appropriate ceremonies. The year 1 872 was marked by the death of p:x-President Parrish, the founding of two of the literary societies and the erection of a gymnasium. The Alumni held their first re-union in 1876 and organized some time later. The first regular athletic sports were held on a cinder-road near the college on May 11, 1878, and although the records made and the appliances used would be amusing to the Swarthmore athlete of 1890, the latter may thank the energetic men of the early days for much that is now enjoyed in the way of athletic privileges. In 1879 the Meeting House was built through the generosity of a friend of the college, and Science Hall was well under way in

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N the stormy years of public peril Avhen the great Civil War was at its height and educational movements throughout the country were involved in the general uncertainty of the times, the Friends, with their char- acteristic love for the better pursuits of life, made their greatest step in the direction of advanced learning, and Swarthmore College, strange to say, dates its inception to the days of the Rebellion. The movement to establish a college, ' although such a thing had been more or less agitated since the time of the separation, pre- vious to 1830, first made itself felt in the several Yearly Meetings about 1 86 1, but it was not until two years later that it took any well- defined shape. Meanwhile a number of prominent persons identified themselves with the project, foremost among them being Edward Parrish, who, by means of public speeches, correspondence and the publication of a book, Education in the Society of Friends, did perhaps, more in the way of effort than any one other person to awaken interest in the matter. In 1863 a stock company w as formed and shares were taken in large and small blocks by hundreds of Friends. In 1864 a charter was granted the corporation, and this may be taken as the legal date of the founding of the college. The work of collecting money and making preparations for the erection of the buildings, like other great undertakings, moved slowly, and it was not until May 10, 1866, that the corner-stone of the main hall was laid. This was a great occa- sion and a large number of interested persons were present. Samuel Willets, of New York, who afterwards became the college ' s greatest benefactor, was chosen to preside, and Edward Parrish, who had already been elected President of the college, led the cere- monies. From the speeches on this occasion a firm belief in the feasibility of the then almost untried experiment of co-education is

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1 88 1, when the advances of the last few prosperous years were given a great set-back by the total destruction of the main building, which was burned September 25, 1881, with its valuable library, museum and collections of teaching appliances. This calamity, discouraging as it was, seemed to inspire new interest in Swarth- more, and in a day or two the liberal managers and patriotic alumni and alumnae had recovered from the shock and were already devising ways and means to restore the great loss. So successful were their efforts that work was begun on a new and improved building within a short time and over a quarter of a mil- lion dollars Avere raised for its needs. During the construction of the new building the classes were held in the Chestnut Grove and Gayley Houses, at Media, and many and varied are the stories told by those w ho went through that memorable session. The restored college building, with the new scientific building, was ready for occupancy in the Fall of 1882, and the opening took place on the anniversary of the fire. Although the number of students in the college was temporarily reduced by the general discouragement following this great reverse, the progress since that time has been very rapid and all effects of the misfortune have long since ceased to be felt. The last few years have been prosperous in a measure beyond the anticipation of the founders of the college, and the great additions to the endowment, the building and equip- ment of the observatory, and other substantial acquisitions which have come within the recollection of those now in college, are encouraging to the utmost. The past year, which has been signalized by the resignation of Dr. Magill, who had guided the affairs of the college through two decades of its successful career, the election of our popular Pro- fessor Appleton to the vacant presidency, and his subsequent de- cision to decline the honor, has been a most eventful one, and with the great step made in the abolition of the Preparatory School, will form a convenient starting place for the historians of future years.