Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-06-26
DELAWARE'S CELEBRATION
4 REPIEU OF THE sTRUGGLEs OF
THE CULLEGE.
The Academic History OF nhe Town
Of Newark, for over Century
the seat Of Institutions of LEARN


the Seat Of IDsfitufions of Learn
Ing.
Delaware College, Newark, celebrated
the semi. centennial anniversary OF it
institution, yesterday afternoon week, a
the conclusion of the commencement exsr
oises by the graduating cl sses OF 'S4
President Purnell in connection with th,
anniversary exercises read the following
interesting paper, reviewing the history
OF the college:
For more than 100 years Newark has hat
a reputation for its schools and institutions
OF learning, At various times during thai
period the laws and resolutions OF our Gen
eral Assembly have regarded this town as
suitable location for the instruction of youth
III the arts and sciences which the constitution
makes it the duty Of the Legislature to pro.
mote by law.
Newark Academy, which WAS established
in 1867, has educated wholly or i'll part u large
number of the useful and honorable citizens
OF this State and Peninsula and not few
OF those beyond our bounds who have made
their mark for good in tho history OF the
| country. This roll of honor would readily
| extend into the thousands. The female
seminary OF 'Parson Bell'' End his SUCCESSORS
had high reputation for thorough in
structlon and careful training and furnished
| the noble wives and mothers OF many q
happy home.
| The SUCCESS of the academy stimulated the
| friends OF education to advanced efforts, and
in 1918 an act OF the Legislature provided
for raising fund, to be called the Delaware
| College fhnd to be used after il had accu-
mulated sufficiently for the establishment of
a college institution at or in the vicinity OF
| Newark. The subsequent acts OF 1921 and
| 1924 were OF Il similar character and looked
N Ial 90 ali tr.a.. IVN Al
lature granted a charter to Newark College
and appropriated to it the funds raised or to
| be raised under the provisions OF the acts OF
assembly OF 1875 1921 and 1924.
1t was provided that the board OF trustees
should consist of not more thon 80 members,
and the gentlemen named as the corporators
were among the most honored and honorable
OF the citizens of Delaware and Maryland
Included in the number were Willard Hall,
John Nj. Clayton, James H. Black Andrew
Gray the Rev. Il. w. Gilbert, Henry Whiteley,
Thomas W. Handy, Rischard II. Bayard, j Ohm
Q. Groome and benjamin q. Howard The
first meeting Of the board of trustees was
held April lst, 1888, and the Rev Il. W.
Gilbert was elected president Of the board.
In the course of the same year MIR Nathan
Munroe was elected senior professor and
principal In the government of the
college, and i'll January, 1884, John
Holmes Agnew WAS also elected professor.
On the Sth OF May, 1884, the inauguration OF
the faculty took place in the presence Of a
large and intelligent audience, and Principal
Munroe delivered an appropriate, instructive
and eloquent address. The only course Of
instruction established was that which is
known AZ the classical. The college had an
academic or preparatory department and Of
the GA students admitted all were OF that
department except one who was q sophomore.
There appears to have been good deal of
disorder III the first term as might have been
expected with 30 many youths brought sud
denly together without any prescriptiye rules
TO govern them or any older classes to set
them good example. The trustees unwisely
lnterfered between the faculty and students
On the 23d OF September. 1884, the Rev L.
W. Gilbert was elected president, but before
he would agree to accept the presidency he
required pledge from the trustees
that they would leave the govern
ment and discipline of the student
to the faculty. The board conceded this right
and DIR. Gilbert accepted the position. His
communication to the trustees on the subject
OF the relations between faculty and students
lays down the correct principles of collegiate
government without which there can be no
subordination. A faculty snuhbed and de-
graded by the trustees is soon without
respect, influence or authority with the
students. Dr. Gilbert was distinguished
divine OF the Presbyterian church, logical
thinker with keen, clear intellect he had
combatiye disposition, was Il lover OF truth
for It's own sake, and CT -. little or nothing
for popularity. He WAS essentially a contro-
verslalist and showed no quarter to his oppo-
nehts. Although OF a slight form and deli.
cate constitution he had great dignity of
presence and no one dared take any liberties
with him.
He WAS troubled by tho fact that the priuci
pal fund of the college was obtained by means
of u lottery grant. 1t was by no means uncom-
mon at that time to aid benevolent and oduca-
tional enterprises and even churches by the
use of lottery schemes. There seems u have
been a prevalent belief that although the lot
Is cast into the lap the ordering thereof is
from the Lord. But Doctor Gilbert would
not remain in the presidency unless this
mode OF providing funds was abandoned
Accordingly he Resigned and Oh the 1lth of
August, 1875, his resignation was accepted
lie WAS succeeded by the Rev. Dr. Richard s.
Mason, clergyman OF the p. L. church,
who was elected October 9th, 1885. In
November, 1896, the trustees adopted a set OF
bylaws for the government of the college,
In 1897 it Was resolved to admit to the college
Tree OF tuition not exceeding 10 students
who designed to prepare for the ministry
At the time spoken of it appears there were
or had been during the year 50 students in
the college, and III 1898 the whose number
including those III the preparatory depart
ment was n. In May 1882 the board came
to the conclusion to separate the academic
students from those OF tho college and 10
procure another building for the former
In lSi0 Dr. Mason resigned the presidency
lie was learned man, and an est!mable
Christian gentleman, but appears TO have been
deficient Ill administrative ability. Tho Rev
DIR. Gilbert was elected to succeed him.
There were at that time in the preparatory
and the collegiate departments both together
u total of ~ students
DIR. Gilbert before accepting desired
answers to certain questions /. Would the
board agree to a change in the charter hy
which the president OF the faculty should be.
come member OF the board Would the
board rellnqulsh the lottery? 8. Would it
agree to ill future vacancies in the board
with members Of his branch Of the Presby-
terIan church?
These queries having been satisfactorily
answered, the newly elected president again
became the president Of Delaware College.
During his second term ho was ably supported
in the discharge Of his duties by tho Rev
George Allen, as professor Of Greek and
Latin and William A. Norton rs professor of
mathematics Professor Allen afterwards
became professor OF Greek in the University
Of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Norton professor OF
civil engineering in the Sheffield Scientific
School of Yale College.
The college did n good work during this
period and, although the number of students
was not large,ayeraging a little more than 80,
there was much interest manifested in the
welfare OF the institution and it standing
was good. The supply of students WAS
obtained principally from Delaware,
Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. The
academy or preparatory department under
the control OF William s. Graham was i'll
tlonrishing condition and furnished the
college with an annual freshman OF class OF
| from IL to 10 members.
DIR. Gilbert resigned in the summer OF 1877
and the Rev. DR.. James Z. Wilson was elected
in his place. DIR. Wilson held the position
| until the commencement Of 1850. The doctor
| had the warm personal esteem and admira.
| ton OF all those who were brought into con-
tact with him, but the members OF the
faculty did not act harmoniously together
and the prosperity Of the college was as a
consequence seriously affected and the presl-
| dent became discouraged
Prof. Norton, the learned and able profes.
sor OF mathematics, succeeded DR.. Wilson
and acted HI president for few months but
the duties OF president We're entirely foreign
| to his taste or talents, for he WAS almost
| wholly destitute OF disciplinary power and
| gladly resigned the office. Then the Rev.
Matthew Meiggs, principal of the academy
was elected to succeed Mr.. Norton and served
until April 1851. In 1850 reorganization Of
the college and Its courses OF study WAS
proposed and the proposition after having
been changed in many Of its details
WAS finally adopted in the early part OF 1851.
A scientific department was engrafted upon
the classical course, and steps were taken to
| secure by means OF scholarships an endow-
ment of $4,000 towards the support and
| conduct Of the institution. The Rev. l. W. X.
Handy WAS elected professor of mathematics
| and authorized to act as financial agent OF
the college.