Westminster College - Argo Yearbook (New Wilmington, PA)

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: : ARCO W 1912 ; men who founded it were wise to discern the needs of their own time and of the future, and so sought to provide the opportunity of education for both sexes for a large scope of country settled by Pres- byterians of various hues. Had the energy and sacrifice which en- tered into the early years of Westminster been continued during all the years oi her history it could not now be said to the shame of Western Pennsylvania, as it can be. that there is not one adequately endowed College in all her borders, notwithstanding her multiplied sources oi wealth. The principle of protection which has been so strenuously applied in the industrial world has not prevailed in the educational, since large numbers of the well-to-do citizens of all denominations have been content to educate their children as bene- hciarics on the large endowments of Eastern Institutions without making any contribution to the support of general education bv in- creasing the strength of those at home. In the face of all this West- minster with other local institutions has maintained a high grade of scholarship, anil in the breadth of curriculum and thoroughness of instruction has maintained the interests of higher education. Christian Education: From her very beginning Westminster has emphasized the fact that higher education must be essentially Christian. The promoter of Westminster College, the Rev. George C. Vincent, I). I)., was a minister of Mercer County. Most of those connected with the Faculty in the early years were ministers of the Gospel. Dr. lames Patterson served as the first President, from 1854 to 1866. Dr. Vincent, the founder, was the first Professor of Greek. Dr. W illiam Findley was for fifteen years associated with West- minster, for the larger part of the time as Professor of Latin. Dr. I). II. A. Mcl ean was Professor of Mathematics from 185? to 1856, and was succeeded by Dr. W. A. Mehard, who served as Professor of Mathematics and Hebrew for •. , :! years. The Rev. John W. Harsha was Professor of Latin and English Literature from 1853 to 1856. The first Professor of Natural Sciences was the Rev. David H. Good- vvillie serving during 1853-4. Thus from the very earliest days many of the leaders of the Church were members of Westminster ' s Faculty. In those early days the Westminster Herald, a paper devoted to the principles of faith as held bv Associate Presbyterian Church, was edited by the College Faculty, and published ostensivelv at Xew Wil- mington, though so large a paper could scarcely have been accom- modated by any local press. A copy of this paper, now in the hands of the w riter, and dated December 0, 1857, is an interesting revelation of the strong and sober thought with which students and other readers were confronted in early days. W ith the passing of time the proportion of ministerial teachers in the Faculty has decreased, it being recognized that many subjects can be best taught by those who have specialized in the direction of their departments. The aim has ever been, however, to maintain a 24

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Westminsters Mission President R. M. Russell, D. D. A College, like any other institution of society must justify its existence by a definite mission of service. A College does not exist for itself and can make no just demands for either patronage or support on any other grounds than that it is rendering an adequate service to its age. Service is the royal charter of existence, and when this ceases the charter has been revoked. Westminster has justified her past existence by service. She- has graduated 1,548 students, 1,017 men and 533 women. Of these at least 47-4 have entered the ministry, while more than 250 have served the world as teachers, either at home or in missionary lands. Her graduates have contributed to the strength of all the learned professions, a creditable number becoming the heads of other educa- tional institutions, and many winning eminence as physicians, teach- ers, lawyers, merchants, farmers and engineers. Westminster has furnished about one-third of the ministry for her own denomination, and is one of the prominent sources of future supply for both the home and foreign field of Christian work. In present equipment die College stands prepared to meet the educational needs of her large synodical constituency, and faces the future with a high hope and a very definite purpose of ministry to world need. Higher Education: The mission of Westminster is that of higher education. This was the motive for her founding, and is the inspiration of her hopes. In the year 1852, the date of her founding, those seeking higher education were entirely dependent upon institu- tions supported by the Church or individual beneficence. The High School was not vet a part of the Public School system. Universities supported by the State were not yet a prevailing feature of National life. If young people sought training for professional life the private Academy and the denominational College furnished their only lines of opportunity. The College was therefore horn ; ' ; due time. The 23

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: V -™ ; arco y 1912 ; Faculty of distinctly Christian men and women, who will teach every subject from the viewpoint of the Christian and pervade their depart- ments with an atmosphere of Christian faith. The distinct relation oi the College to Christian service was recognized in its founding when the Board of Trustees was originally appointed by the Presbyteries of Ohio and Shenango, belonging to the Associate Synod. When the Associate Church, by union with the Associate Reform Church con- stituted the United Presbyterian Church in L858, the College was placed under the care of the first synod of the West, and later under the joint control of the same synod and the synod ol Pittsburg. At the present time the College maintains this same relationship, which should he justified by both a liberal financial support and strong student patronage. A Broadening Curriculum : At the beginning of Westminsters work, the classical course was the only one attempted, and seems to have been the only one known since in one of the earlier catalogues it is spoken of as the Scientific or Collegiate Course. In this respect it did not differ from other institutions of its time. While it is still held that Latin and Greek are worthy of prominence or even pre- eminence in laying the foundations of a liberal education, the study ol the Sciences and Modern Languages has come to have a large place in the curriculum of Westminster as of other standard institutions. ' Idle study of Science had its beginning in Westminster in the work of Prof. |. I!. Cummings. of honored memory, who came to the I ol- le°e in 1858, and who for more than 25 years maintained one com- prehensive department of Natural Science, accomplishing what he could without laboratories and with a minimum of apparatus. The start of modern development in equipment was made possible by the timely gift of $500.00 by Miss Pressly, of Allegheny, in the year 1877 ' . Tut: Department ok Chemistry: The first differentiation in the realm of Science began with Chemistry in 1878, with Prof. R. O. Graham, a graduate of Amherst College, as Instructor and afterwards Professor of the department. His good services continued until 1887, when he was succeeded for one year by Prof. W. A. Frankboner; for three years by Prof. John A. Swan, now Professor of Chemistry at one year by Prof. Arthur J. Hopkins. In 1894 Prof. Charles Free- Monmouth College; for two years by Prof. E. P. Thompson, and for man. Ph. D.. a graduate of Allegheny College and graduate student of lohns-Hopkins. was elected as a head of the department, and for 17 years has maintained a high efficiency in its work by his breadth of knowledge, enthusiasm and efficiency as a teacher, with his insistence on the complete fulfillment of every task. Dr. Freeman has made the department peculiarly his own. Work done under his supervision not only commands respect at home, hut receives credit abroad in the first educational institutions of the land and in the laboratories of industry w here his students serve. The Clark Chemical Laboratory,