Wheaton Academy - Compass Yearbook (Wheaton, IL)

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Blanchard Hall as it looked in 1880 before the east wing was added. 9 .W , ,:46,,,?,, When Blanchard resigned from Knox, he was offered various important pastorates, and the presidencies of several colleges. But he chose Wheaton because in his own words, . . . I be- lieved the Lord had need of Wheaton College, to aid the way for His coming. The state of our nation at this time will explain this. lt was 1859, and the state of our nation at this time was one of dissension, fast-mounting prejudices, and hot, embittered resentment. The Civil War was in the making. After Jonathan Blanchard arrived at Wheat- on, two maior changes in the mechanism of the school were made. First, the control was changed from the auspices of the Wesleyans to that of the Congregationalists. Second, the College and Academy, by a new charter were called Wheat- on College and Wheaton College Academy. Section eleven of Charter and By-laws of Wheaton College The Charter of the 'Illinois Institute' en- acted by the legislature of the state of Illinois, and approved February 15, 1855, is hereby repealed, and the present char- ter substituted in its place, and all manner of property, privileges, and immunities, therein granted to the trustees of the 'Illin- to vest cis Institute' are hereby declared in the trustees of Wheaton College, and all of the debts, contracts, and obligations former institution are good in law against the trustees of Wheaton College. The new name came about when, after Warren L. Wheaton had made a generous gift of land to the school, a friend and trustee, Dr. A. H. Hiatt proposed that the college and acad- emy should be called Wheaton. Rev. George P. Kimball became dean of the academy in 1863, and was followed by Bartlett Hardy Weston two years later, at the end of the Civil War. The Civil War shook a nation . . .

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. . . faith took deep rout Our same anonymous alumnus, nearly a century ago, used the same kind of language which we today use in speaking of the evangelistic meetings. The north- ern part of the basement . . . was used for religious worship. During the winter there was a gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and many of the stu- dents were led to come out on the Lord's side and to trust in the Saviour . . . . Until 1855, Illinois Institute was entirely a sec- ondary school, but in September of that year the state legislature granted a collegiate charter to Illin- ois Institute from whence came Wheaton College of today. The Rev. J. A. Martling was principal of the school in 1855. But in 1856, since the newly-formed college was fast becoming the prominent part of Illinois Institute, we first hear the word president mentioned, he was the Rev. Lucius C. Matlock. Miss Cholae Merric was head of the Academy. In the national financial depression of '57 and '58, Illinois Institute contracted a debt of about six thousand dollars. At that time this was an enormous sum. To quote President Matlock, We are continu- ally doing one of two bad things, either sinking deep- er into debt or consuming the vitals of the institution by devouring the endowment fund. President Mat- lock finally became so disparaging as to the future of Illinois Institute that he gravely stated, . . . it is suggested as a last resort that the trustees make as- signments announcing the immediate suspension of the Institute. After it became evident that President Matlock had been unable to put the Institute on a sound finan- cial basis he resigned from the Board of Trustees. Immediately offers were made to Jonathan Blanchard, whose record as President of Knox College had shown great ability, inspired leadership, far-sighted vision, and, although he himself was a Congrega- tionalist, he had an intimate personal relationship with the Lord of the Wesleyans. Academy graduating class of 1894.

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. . . but Wheaton stood firm Jonathan Blanchard not only lifted Wheaton out of its financial rut, but by his great efforts, the west end of the main building of Wheaton College, now called Blanchard Hall, was com- pleted, where for many years Academy classes were held. Not only were the material resources of Wheaton strengthened during the administration of Jonathan Blanchard, but this man of God embodied a solidarity of purpose which has been so vital and unique a part of the person- ality of the academy throughout these one hundred years. During Jonathan Blanchard's Administration, he had to cope with some dif- ficult problems. At times most bitter conflicts emerged, but like America's Civil War, these conflicts were consummated in victory for the right. Under President Blanchard's positive lead- ership, opposition only served to strengthen and clarify the original position of the founding fathers. Had not this direct opposition from within and without taken place in these early years to strengthen and crystallize Wheaton's evangelical position perhaps her firm stand, For Christ and His Kingdom would have been undermined or destroyed by 1953. Built to be used as the lndustrial Building, this building housed Wheaton College Academy from 1914 to 1944. The principals of the academy up until 1872 were, Eliot Whipple - 1866-1869 Jacob Ellis - 1869-1870 W. H. Fischer - 1870-1872 In 1872, Charles A. Blanchard was asked by the president, this own fatherh to become principal of the academy. He kept this position for five years. In 1877, he became vice-president of the college, and later, when his father retired in 1882, he was elected by the trustees to the presidency. President Charles A. Blanchard, like his father, proved to be a man of great vision. Under his administration, new building plans were launched which greatly increased the fa- cilities of the College, and hence, of the Acad- emy. Until 1914, Academy and College students used the same classrooms and dormitories, at- tended the same social functions, and studied under the same faculty. But included in Presi- dent Blanchard's building plans was one ln- dustrial Building built in 1902. ln 1914, this building was designated for academy use, the first in a series of steps toward giving the acad- emy a heritage of its own.