Westminster College - Blue Jay Yearbook (Fulton, MO)

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3x'5TBR co 0 uuxwr uma I-rorlff' o U 'ff I is . 'x if . I mann -'z, .0- 1905-6 brought 174 students. President Laws devoted a great part of his time during this year to the work of raising additional endowment. The following year C1858-9D was a memorable one in the history of West- minster. The college opened with a still greater enrollment of students. During this year 320,000 was given to endow the Charless Professorship of Physical Science. Mr. Joseph Charless, who had been one of the most promi- nent and active friends of Westminster up to this time, was assassinated in St. Louis in june, 1859. His daughter, Mrs. E. E. Le Bourgeois endowed this chair in his memory. Professor Alfred Mayer, of the university, was chosen as the first Charless Professor. In December of this year a-bell was presented to the College. It was a magnificent one and is said to have been superior to any in Central Missouri. This bell was ruined as the result of a college prank in 1875. The present bell was received in exchange for the pieces of this old one, since even these were very valuable to the manufacturers. Seven young men graduated in june. CDr.D C. C. I-Iersmann was valedictorian of this class -the largest graduating class up to this time. , VVith this year ends what we might call the ante-bellum period of West- 1ninster's history. It was now eight years since the charter had been granted andin that time the college had become one of the foremost institutions in the West. Westminster was in the zenith of her prosperity. She was now ready for great things. But just then the Civil VVar burst like a storm over the country. We quote the following: In the spring of 1861 the clouds of war began to hover over the land. The wave of trouble beginning at the presidential elec- tion of the preceding November and rolling over the whole land, stirring society to its lowest depths, had dashed overthe college also. But amid the most intense excitement pervading the whole nation, the regular exercises were continued and the students with few exceptions were kept in their places and induced, under the influence of the faculty, to give to their studies a degree of attention which under the circumstances could hardly have been eX- pected. Although the land almost trembled under the feet of thousands hurry- ing to the field of battle, but few of the students left before commencement day.' ' In 1861 President Laws resigned. The trustees met to consider whether or not it was advisable in View of the disturbed state of the country to en- deavor to keep the college open. They decided that the work of the school should go on. Though the numbers of the faculty and of the students were greatly decreased, the work done during the year was the highest quality. There were two graduates at the end of the year. 15

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'1 T -,Um :Exit ,i 195' f LW Q' , further strengthened and plans were made for securing additional endowment. The second annual commencement was held on the twenty-sixth of June, 1856. The two literary societies celebrated together their first anniversary on Monday night preceding commencement. One hundred and twenty students had been enrolled during this year. F nrther we are told that the college, hav- ing been fairly launched, was now full under way, all the regular classes were in existence and at work. Of interest in this connection is the remarkable statement made by Prof. F. T. Kemper, of Boonville. Near the close of 1856 PHYSICS LABORATORY and a few months before he accepted the chair of Physical Science at West- minster, he Wrote after a visit here, The scholarship of the students has sur- prised me much. The sophomore class would do credit to the senior class in most institutions that I have visited in the West. We can realize the high standing of Westminster College at that time, The fall session of 1857, we are told, opened With brighter prospects for the college than had been witnessed by any previous year. The attend- ance C1705 became larger than ever before,-indeed has not been equalled until ' 14 -w-,m1,....-,ff ,.x..p:.w..,....,a.... .a.aV.......,.,,r.. '

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' fmt ' in - , t .Wa A The following year C1862-35, 89 young men were in attendance. The next year Rev. john Montgomery, D.D., was elected president. He accepted, serving this year and a few months of the next. During 1865 the lack of funds was felt so keenly that it was necessary to decrease the teaching force of tl1e college, leaving only Drs. Montgomery and Fisher. A little later the services of Mr. John Harvey Scott were secured as professor of mathematics. Dr. Scott was then in the last part of his senior year at Westminster. We find that from the very first-A he was eminently successful in his department. ACROSS THE CAMPUS ' The year 186677 was marked by an attendance of 160 students-a number which up to the last two years has not been equalled, except in 1858- Con- sidering the state ofthe country at this time Qimmediately after the Civil Warj, this number was very remarkable. V In.1868 Dr. N. L. Rice was chosen president of the college. He accepted. Dr. Rice was a man of national, reputation, and friends of the college felt its future was assured when he entered on -his duties as president in the fall of that year. In September of the year following he was formally inaugurated. He was the first president thus installed. , 16