Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-23
HIGHER EDUCATION
State Superintendent's Report
Will Treat Of This Subject.
A New Feature.
The Wesleyan College and Grin.
nell Both Claim to Be the
Oldest.
Later Colleges Have Had More
Rapid Growth..State Well
Supplied.
ecia1 to rimes-Renuhlioan.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Dec. 23.-One thing i'll the
published report of the state superin-
tendent OF public instruction this year
which Will attract attenaion because II
is an innovation and because it repre-
sents something never before attempted
in the history of higher education OF
Iowa, which history is made up of the
separate histories of the several colleges
academies, normal schools and the state
schools. Some years ago there was pub
lished a valuable history of the school
system of Iowa, in which this matter
of higher education was treated at some
length; but early in the year Superin-
tendent Barrett sent out to all the
heads, of colleges in the state a circu-
lar letter asking them for a short story
Of the several institutions. Every one
of these heads of institutions responded,
and the result is that the next volume
or reports viii contain the histories OF
all the colleges and institutions OF
higher learning in the state. 1t will be
the most valuable addition to the liter
ature OF educational work in Iowa that
has been made for many years, ard
Supt Barrett deserves great credit for
his thoughtfulness dn having it pre-
pared.
The institutions will be given in al
phabetlcal order, but greatest space will
be given the denomlnational institu-
tions. The question as to which Is act
ually the Oldest in educational work will
not be settled by the book. There are
the two claimants-Iowa Wesleyan and
Iosfa college. The story of the Iowa
Wesleyan university is told by Presi-
dent Hancher, who is new to the state,
but he shows a line of continuous school
work for the college since 1874 when the
Mt. Pleasant collegiate institute was
founded. The story OF Iowa college is
told by Prof j. T. Main, acting presi-
dent, and ne of course begins back with
the school work at Davenport. in 1S46.
Corissfg college is presented by President
Vim r. King, who tells its story from
the founding by Rev. George B. Brown
in the early SOS. DR.. Mccormick tells
of the opening of Coe College as a Pres
byterian school in 1851 andd afterwards
taking it's college name from Daniel
Coe. Of New York. who gave the insti-
tuition the magnificent endowment OF
$4,000. Central college, Of Pella, is one
of the oldest. It's beginning was In 1852,
by the Baptists. L. A. Garrison Is act
ing president and tells the story of Gem
trails ups and downs. Another CT the
old ones is the Epworth, seminary
founded by the Methodists In 1851 Rev.
II. r. Debra is the present principal
Lenox college comes In for good write
UP by President Andrew G. Wilson.
When members Of the Reformed Pres
byterian church visited Hopl<inton in
1864 they remarked on the beautiful site
for a college. Two years later Lenox
was founded by Rev. James Nell. Leroy
Jackson was one of the organizers. Par
sons college, Fairfield, is another old es-
tablished, college. 1t was made possible
by the gifts Of Lewis B. Parsons, OF
Massachusetts who owned considerable
property In Iowa which he gave to
found the college. President F. w. Hin
lit writes the story plainly President
Guy p Benton tells OF the triumph of
Upper Iowa university, at Fayette,
which had its beginning In 1857. West
ern college, Toledo, was founded In 1886
and the story of it's life is written by
President Bookwalter. 1t is of the
United Brethren denomination. The
Norwegian Luther college, Decorah, is
described and it's history told by Laur
Larson, president. 1t was founded IN
1861. Cedar seminary was founded at
the beginning of the war as a Baptist
academy. Alonzo Abernethy, formerly
state superintendent, is the present
principal. Simpson college was the In
dianola male and female seminary in
1851.
Some of the colleges founded since the
war period have had more rapid growth
than the older ones Drake university,
the largest denominations school in the
state. is comparatively young. Messrs.
Drake, Carpenter and Lucas laid its
foundation just twenty years ago.
Chancellor wm B. Craig writes the
story. President George b. Adams tells
of the slow steady growth of Des
Moines college as Baptist Institution
since 1864, tho most of it's growth is re-
cent. Charles City college Is one but
little known to the state. j. F. Hirsch is
president. The college was removed
from GaIena to Charles City and 1t was
formerly known as the Northwest Ger
man NJ E. Normal school. DEBORAH in
stitute claims to be the oldest purely
private school in Iowa. 1t was founded
by the late John breckenridge In 1874,
and Mrs J. Breckenridge is now prin-
cipal. Penn college at Oskal00sa,
Quaker Institution, was founded in 1864.
A. Rosenberger is president. Principal
T. w. Todd writes of Nora Springs sem
mary which was begun i'm 1891. st.
Joseph's college at Dubuque. was
founded by the Catholic bishop in 1878,
and Rev. John p. Carroll is president.
st. Joseph Ansgar seminary, of the
Lutheran church. dates from 1873 Tobin
college at Fort Dodge was founded by
Rev II. Tobin in 1892 Wurtburg col
llege, Clinton, Is comparatively young,
Morning side college at Sioux City is
only six years old, Western college at
LeMars is mentioned. The Lutheran
college, at Jewell, dates from 1893. and
Its history is told by V. H. Hegstrom.
Humboldt college owes Its origin to s.
H. Taft and Rev. j. p. Peterson Is the
president. Rev. E. E. Reed is president
of Buena Vista college, supported by the