Westminster College - Blue Jay Yearbook (Fulton, MO)

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W 6517721th C 0!! egg By CHARLES F. LAMK1N Q99 Cmtmnial Ilijiorian On a September day, 1849, the Presbytery of Missouri Was meeting in the Old Auxvasse church, quite unaware that its session that day was foreordained to the most momentous in the history of the Presbyterian church in Missouri. In the course of the deliberations of the Pres- bytery Rev. XV. XV. Robertson, pastor of the Fulton church, moved that the Moderator appoint a committee to con- sider the advisability of memoralizing Synod concerning the necessity of establishing an institution of learning. Fulton Prz'J'byIM'z'an Churrlz The resolution being adopted. the Klodcrator appointed Reverends th XV. Robertson and Wt G. Fell with Elder Preston B. Reed of the Fulton church. No action was taken by the Synod in 1849 or 1850. Dr Robertson, how- ever, induced the Elders of the Fulton church to organize a college. being convinced that When the Synod finally did act that a Hcollege in being, would have priority. February 18, 1851, as a result of Robertsonls insistence, Fulton Col- lege was chartered, it being carefully stipulated in the charter that llin case the college is adopted by the Synodl, the Trustees named in that charter should be replaced in an orderly manner by others chosen by the Synod. The hrst session of the college opened on the first Monday in October, 1851, with Professor Van Doren as its entire faculty. The college building was a two-story frame house standing near where Washington W'est House now stands. HARDLY had Fulton College begun to function when the Synod of Missouri formally declared itself iI1 favor of the establishment of an institution of higher learning under its direction and adopted the famous resolution that iWVe rise up and buildfl Nine commissioners were appointed to inspect suitable sites with directions to report at the 1852 meeting of Synod held at Fulton. Four towns, Fulton, Richmond, Boonville and St. Charles, offered sites and cash donations. On the hrst and only ballot thirty-two of the lifty-seven members of Synod present voted for Fulton. XVithin four months after this synodical action Fulton College ceased to exist and XVestminster College took over; the same buildings being used; the Philologic Society con- tinued its activities uninterruptedly and Professor Van Doren, assisted by N. C. Kouns. composing the faculty. The hrst faculty was composed of William Van Doren, AAL; Rev. Samuel S. llawst AAL; Thomas D. Baird, AAL; and James Smith, Tutor. The first commencement was in Klune, 1855, and at that time the Trustees elected Rev. Samuel S. Laws :15 its first President. President Laws quickly assembled 2111 outstanding faculty including M, M. Fisher, Frederick T. Kemper, William Van Doren, I. T. Hughes and T. P. Barbour, an assistant. President Laws embarked on a campaign for endowment through scholar- ships; four years later his success was proclaimed through the newspapers that the endowment funds of the college amounted to $102,898.78. President Lawsl success was little short of spectacular. XVcstminster's endowment com- pared favorably with eastern schools and its enrollment was fourth in all the colleges of the Presbyterian Church. SAMUEL S. LAWS Page 12

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The old campus The modern campus

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OF outstanding ability as a minister, teacher and administrator President Laws was of a dominating per- sonality brooking no interference. Coming in confiict with the Trustees over matters of discipline, he resigned in the fall of 1861 just as the War between the States broke out. The faculty fell apart; the scholarships tdue to wartime conditionQ became practically valueless, the student body diminished until at time there were probably not more than twentyehve in attendance, yet the college carried on during the whole time of the war. The faculty was reduced to two men, the next year increased to five with a sixth man, designated as Tutor, This appointment in 1863 started the career of John Harvey Scott who was to serve as Professor of AMathematics for sixty-fwe consecutive years, a tenure unequalled in the annals of American col- leges. The enrollment in 1862-63 was only 89. The critical financial situation was recognized by the Trustees and they sought an outstanding man to conduct the affairs of the college; Rev. John Montgomery was elected Presi- dent and served for two years, 1864-65. To add to the woes of the college the Synod of Blissouri was outlawed by the United States military forces because of failure of members to take the oath. and expelled from the General Assembly because its members adhered to the Declaration and Testimony. Its campus and buildings were sold to satisfy a long standing debt. Thus in 1867 iVestminster faced the future without any real endowment; without title to its buildings and campus. For seven years the Missouri Synod existed as an independent body until it joined the Southern Synod. AULD LANG SYNE. Andante moderato. , '1 z 1 . . 1 . 1 . r : . a Dr. Nathan L. Rice was elected President in 1868 and began an energetic campaign to improve the financial position of the college. He established a theological school and, by his ability and personality, attracted in- creasing numbers of students. Dr. Rice was the first president to be formally inaugurated. Dr. Rice was suc- ceeded by Rev. NI. NI. Fisher who served from 1874-77. Financial troubles grew worse; in fact so little were the de- voted professors paid that these seven years were called the ttstarving time . On President Fishefs resignation the Trustees elected an alumnus, Charles C. Hersrnan7 as President of the college and Professor of Greek. During his incumbency the crushing load of debt was largely lifted; the campus and buildings restored to the Trustees; the endowment substantially increased. The enrollment grew and a second eHort was made to induce the northern Synod to join in support of the college. IN JUNE, 1887, Dr. Hersman was succeeded by Rev. William H. NIarquess, then pastor of the Fulton church. Drs Marquess attempted to serve as pastor, teach courses in the Bible and act as President. Such labor was too great even for a man of his strength and energy. He was about to resign when a bequest of about $125,000 from the estate of William Sausser to the college made it desirable that he remain as President until the Sausser estate was settled. Rev, Edward Clifford Gordon Was elected Vice- President and Professor of Bible and became President in 1894. Alarmed over the constantly shrinking enrollment Dr. Gordon resigned in 1897 and for two years Dr. John J. Scam r. g 4- 1. Should auld acquaintance be for- got, Ami, nev- erlgrought to L,.. 4;. a. ,. .. 7.1 -11 t i ' ' 8 ..W Memorial to Dr. Scott Page 13