Taylor University - Ilium / Gem Yearbook (Upland, IN)

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Dormitory Court

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Heating. Plant

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3 5 TAYLOR UNIVERSITY A BRIEF HISTORY N a meager three-acre plot of ground in West Fort Wayne, Indiana, Taylor University, The College that Cares for the Soul, had its beginning. In the year 1846 the public-spirited people of Fort Wayne, working with the North Indiana Methodist Conference, established the Fort Wayne Female Institute. Fourteen thousand dollars was subscribed to this enterprise and a committee composed of Samuel Edsall, P. H. Taylor and William Rockhill started to prepare the building plans. The main building was a four-story brick building with stone trim- mings, having a frontage of one hundred and seventy-five feet. Though plain, it was at the same time substantial, solid, and well arranged to accommodate five hundred students. Mr. Huestis was the first president, and under his labors one hundred students were enrolled. In 1848 G. M. Round became president and the student body was somewhat enlarged, but more important, there was an increase in funds, donations, and tuition fees. Rev. Cyrus was elected president in 1849 and held that position for one year. A new department, known as the Collegiate Institute, was organized in 1850. This was a male department and was kept apart as a distinct school from the Female College. In the same year, A. C. Huestis was again made president and the attendance that year again increased as well as the funds. At this same time the first commencement was held and three students were graduated. The Thalonian Society was organized in an attempt to better the literary societies. The motto, Know Thyself, was chosen, as well as the college colors, yellow and pink, which were later changed to orange and black. Soon two smaller societies, known as the Philosophian and the Excelsior, were combined to form the El Dorado Literary Society.