Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-01-04
Our GdufatipuaI gustitatipus.
STEWART COLLEGE.

M. Stewart, who devised liberal things
for it, and then served it as professor
and president for number of years.
and always without remuneration.
Owing to some divisions among the
original founders the institution was
not as successful as was anticipated.
It was therefore sold to certain liberal
gentleman of the city who furnished
the money and took the titles In the
name of the Presbyterian church.
AT the reorganization DR.. McMullen
of hallowed memory became the presi-
dent and drew around him compe-
tent corps of teachers. This was about
1856. He secured a subscription to
the permanent endowment fund of
about $4,000.
He and his corps were achieving an
initial success when the war came on
and blighted all their prospects. The
citizens remember the desolations of
the war, the utter dismantling of the
builings, destruction of enclosures. the
scattering of the libraries, the remoy-
al of apparatus and cabinets with
which the institution had been hand
somely provided by the liberality of
Prof. Stewart. Nothing was left but
the bare walls and part of the floors.
Matters were in this condition for two
or three years after the war. Then
the buildings were partially repaired
and school was conducted in the build
ing by DIR. Wardlaw, afterward by
Prof. ID. NJ. Quarles. About three
years ago the buildings were put in
thorough repair, at an expense Of
some S 5000, for which we are indebt-
ed to the generous aid of many friends
out Of GAINESVILLE as well as in it. In
July, 1870, the Board of Trustees Sc
cured the services of Rev. J. B.
Shearer, ID. d., as president and or
ganized the Faculty. About $4,000
of the original endowment remains,
yielding 6 per cent. This, and the
patronage of the institution and the
liberality of intelligent friends have
secured the present cheering success
of the institution. The building is
now furnished with seats, desks, black
boards philosophical and chemical APP
paratGs and other appliances of sue
cessful work.
The literary societies, the Stewart
and the Washington Irving, are full of
generous rivalry and are beginning to
fit up their halls, and are rapidly gath
ing libraries in the place of those lost
by the war. The people here will re-
member the signal success of their
orators at their anniversary in June
last Visitors from abroad stated free
ly that they never heard their efforts
surpassed on such occasions and sell
dom equalled. We anticipate for
them a high career of usefulness and
success. If any of our citizens in
looking over their libraries happen to
find a volume marked with the name
of either society, they will know where
to send it. And many of our people
may have volumes they can spare from
their own shelves for the libraries of
the societies. They are frequently
receiving just such favors.
Therei movement on foot for con-
centrating the Presbyterian church in
the Southwest on one school, and if
the efforts succeeds, it will be the
planting of noble institution. Many
of those who seem best informed on
the subject expect this concentration
will be effected on the nucleus of this
institution. If this can be accom-
plished it will be of great value to
GAINESVILLE in every point of view.
Other places will, no doubt, bid high
for the location of such a school; but
there is no reason why GAINESVILLE,
with the nucleus of her present school
and her known liberality, may not
outstrip them all. As for suitableness
of location in all respects, those who
know anything of our city, do not need
single word of endorsement from
us.
The number of students the first
year reached 100, and last year l24, of
whom about one half were from
abroad. And the reputation of the
institution is rapidly increasing. This
is Just as it ought to be when We con-
slider the material out of which the
faculty is composed, and the method of
instruction adopted by the institution.
The faculty consists of six men !;
of whom five are young and active
men of indomitable perseverance and
energy. The honOred name of Prof.
VIM. NJ. Stewart is retained as pro-
fessor emeritus, but the infrmities of
age preclude his doing more than to
aid his colleagues with his counsel.
There is no man in our community who
is more highly esteemed for his vir-
tues, and honored for his worth, than
this distinguished professor and nat
uralist. May he yet live long to bless
his generation.
The other gentlemen of the facul-
ty are between the ages of 33 and 40,
in the very vigor and prime of mature
manhood. They are vigorous, earnest
educators, who have made teaching
their profession, and whose ambition
is to place it in the very front rank of
the learned professions. We.need not
say that they are succeeding as they
Justly deserve. Give us a born teach
err, proud of his calling, a teacher by
choice, devoted to his work, polite,
cultivated, refined and genial withal, a
man who feels that he is doing work
for time and eternity both, that he
molds and fashions the man, and
whose noblest ambition is to leave the
impress ola high intellectual and moral
culture, if not of true greatness, on
the minds and hearts of the pupil.
Such are the men who compose the
faculty of Stewart College; and it will
not be their fault if they do not sue
coed in their highest aspirations.
And they are succeeding. For no man,
who sees the students passing along
| our streets and marks their never fail
/ ing modesty and courtesy coupled with
| a genuine manliness, can fail to I'M
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