Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-29
TALE OF THE PAST
The Rev. Or. Van Antwerp
Talks of Early Times
ST. MARKS COLLEGE BOOM
And How II Was Allowed to Sink Into
Decay and Final Failure The Pleas
sns Msmsgiss Revived

A very noble and worthy type OF tie
old school clergyman is the Rev. Dr..
W. Ii. Van Antwerp. rector OF the
Episcopal parish OF Marshall, Mich,
VINO together with his wife Is the guest
OF Colonel Rlseiy ana family at Sweets
Hotel. The colonel IS = lifelong friend
OF the doctors. and VIA q member of
his psrsh IN Des Moines, Ia, some years
ago. d.. Van Antwerp IS charming
and intelligent conyersaiionallst. anc
gave many delightful "reminiscences of
the early history Of Grand Rapids to u
reporter for fiE Herald last night.
Il came 10 GraEd Rapids tirst IN 1851"
he said "when lad Of lg, and remeni-
Der we'll the strsnge impressions which
the anomalous life OF u frontier settle
nleht produced upon me. The town.
remotely isolated from the ccnters Of
civilization, was surrounded by dense
and almost imgenetrable forests. The
nearest railroad was at kalam AGO.
whence we came by stage. The sur.
rounding country was inhabited mostly
by Indians. who hunted and tished along
the banks Of the river where 1t skirted
the town. A little below the settlement
was an island where they prepared
their winters store oil tsh and which
was fayorite resort Tor the lads of st.
Mark school. The river. by the way.
WAS much larger than il is now and
am surprised ~ the change IN ats ap-
pearance.
Early Hospitalities Recalled.
Although the town was young and
full OF Indians and half civilized trap
pers, | was astonished at the high cul-
ture and elegant hospitality which was
marked characteristic OF the better
class of inhabitants. There WAS 3
genial and W hole-souled spirit OF hos
pitaliiy, high intellectual tone and a
| brillIance, \ hveliness to the social life
Of those early days that seemed re-
markaole IN SO primitive place but
which Tor that very reason was all the
more welcome to the newcomer. /
| shall always retain very tender
memories Of those fine Old FAM
lies, the Rathbones, the Nelson's,
| the Churches and score OF
others who by their gentle. Old time
courtesy made my early life here 60
| pleasant. came here from western
New York as n pupil-teacher In the
| newly founded 1t. Marks school, which,
at that time, 1t was thought was to be-
core one OF the great Institutions of
learning of the country. The inten-
ton was to make II a great school OF
the arts and sciences, and under
ecclesiastical control. A charter had
bren obtained. subscriptions taken and
the school had Leen Incorporated IN
der the name of St. Marks College.
The incorporators started the insiitn-
ton simply as q preparatory schocl for
! college, though the course OF instruct
ion VAS very thorough and fairly con-
plete.
Failure of st. Marks College.
My brother, tho Rev. d. ID. Van
| Antwerp, now deceased, was then hut
recently graduated from the Univer-
sity of Michigan and was called to
the chair of ancient languages and bis
tory. Prof. Charles TayI Tor, q well
known scholar in those days, held the
chair of mathematics aud Lent.
Gunnison OF the United States Army
WAS head Of the department OF science
and higher mathematics. The Rev.
DR.. Francis Cummings, whose picture
hangs in st. Marks vesIy new, and
will always remain III the hearts of his
old parishoners, WAS rector of the
parish and the moving spirit of the
school. ! was connected with the in.
stitution as pupil under the advanced
instructors, whom aided somewhat in
their class work. The school started
with the brightest prospects, and had
1t lived through the first few years
would, believe, have beconic one OF
the leading eclesiasacal colleges of the
country. Al the epd of It's first yea r
of growth tho increase in pupils de-
handed more room. and this was the
rock upon which the undertaking WIS
wrecked. The trustees disagreed upon
some minor matter in the construction
OF the building. the work was delayed
and the men who were practically
giving their services to the
work, became discouraged and
demanded that prompt steps be taken
towards completing the building. This
was not done aud one by one the III.
structors went away. My brother en-
tered tie church, and aftsrward won
distinction by his History Of the
Christian Church." the authorship of
which work WAS, by the way, moor
rectiy credited to me by ono OF the
Nnskcgon papers Of yesterday. So the
| SsiabttSbHftub vi TIC sthuol III VIC
wilderness failed for very petty reasons.
and the dream of the western clergy
was unfultilIed. returned to the east
and resumed my studies there. Al
though my residence IN Grand Rapids
was brief, Il formed very bright per-
iod in my life, and left an impression
On my MAD which will nsver b. oblit-
Grated. To me the pame, Grand Rap
I - IL.
village of nearly han : century
gone by, surrounded by great pine for
ests and long stretches OF plains that
man had not desacraied with railIosds
aud factories. 1Ae young fannie.
who msde the gay. Intellectual ard
refined society OF that time are either
gone or given place 10 their sons and
daughters. 40 that despite the pleasure
| | find IN visiting the old scenes there a