The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-01-30


left us SO unceremoniously without a
the Trustees shouldered the
work and accepted the responsibility.
Sometimes it seemed doubtful on Fri,
day evening whether there would be a
teacher or a student on the hill on the
coming Monday morning but Profes-
sors Brown and Feree were true as
steel to their duty, and with the other
members of the faculty kept off the
daily threatened catastrophe. This
is only a mere outline of the daily and
nightly toll and anxiety, and no man
needs to wish a closer acquaintance
with the business. But the school was
without 4 head, the Sheriff had sold
the lease of Prof Carver for his debts,
and all parties were hanging by the
eyelids. The Board called upon Mr..
Wickersham for advice and assistance,
and he met them on the 10Th Of De
cember 1871, at the Office of Col.
Freeze. After long and confidential
talk upon the subject, Wickersham
suggested Charles G. Barkley, Superin-
tendent of Columbia County Common,
Schools, as a proper person for Princi-
pal; and on motion of X. +. Clark,
Esq. he was unanimously elected.
The Board Of Trustees met at the
Hall the next morning, December
Goth, accompanied by Mr.. Barkley
and Mr.. Wickersham. Col. Freeze
announced to the Faculty and School
the action of the Board in the election
of Principal, and Mr.. Wickersharn
addressed them, warmly endorsing the
selection. Some changes were made
in the management and visible iul-
provement occurred.
Mr.. Barkley continued in charge Of
the school until Mar.h 27, 1879,
when at his own request he was re-
lieved, and the Rev. John Hewitt was
elected, and on Thursday March 2S,
the Board, accompanied by MIR. Hew-
lit, proceeded to the building. Mr..
Barkley called the school to order,
Mr.. Freeze announced the election of
the Principal, and Mr.. Hewitt made
an address, and took formal charge of
the School. He continued to con-
duct it until the end of that school
year, June &c, 1873, and the improve
ment begun under Mr.. Barkley con-
tinued, closing the year in a condition
much ahead of the opening in every
respect. But, although all felt that
the crisis in the affairs of the school
was past, yet there was large def
cheney, and the Board was again oblig-
ed to sit day after day and night after
night as a committee of ways and
means. 1t would be most monoto.
nous TO repeat here what has before
been said as to the pressing pecuniary
difficulties. Again the Trustees were
obliged to step into the breech and
pledge their own names and means to
satisfy creditors, and save the property
and credit of the Institution. I am
persuaded that the time and labor
have not been fully appreciated by the
community who are reaping the bene-
fit of the expenditure. But let that
pass DR.. Griswold assumed the du-
ties of Principal at the CONNER ce-
ment in June, 1873, and it is not pro
posed here and now to speak of the
management and success of the school
under his administration but it is
only justice to state that he made it pay
expenses "a thing it never did before
In May, 1874, at a meeting of the
Stockholders, Hon. Wm. Elwell, Elias
Mendenhall, Conard Bittenbender
Leonard B. Rupert, Jacob Schuyler
John A. Funston, William Neal, John
Wolf, and John G.. Freeze, were elect
ed Trustees and on May 3, 1875, the
same persons were reelected together
with ]. J. Brewer, Hon. c. B. Brock
way and Joseph Sharpless, the Legis
lature having increased the Board tc
twelve. At the same time the Super
intendent of Public Instruction ap
pointed on the part of the State the
following named gentlemen, viz: Hon
c. R. Buckalew, Charles G.. Barkley
d. A. Beckley, Col. Samuel Knorr
Hon. M. f, Jackson, and c. w. Mil
ler, Esq.
On Wednesday, August IS, 1875
the school opened with the largest lis
of students ever entered upon it.
books, and we were one and all look
ing forward to an increasingly success
full school year, But in moment, as i
were, all our hopes were dashed to th'
ground.
On Saturday afternoon, Septembe
4th, the Boarding Hall was observes
to be on fire, and in two hours tn
magnificent building was a mass @
ruins. 1t was total loss, the $50, ,oo'
of insurance being less than half tn
value Of the building, not including