The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-10-22
AN OLD SCHOOL CLOSED.

"a movement is on foot to estab-
lish a hospital at Towanda. Parties
have made an inspection of the Sus-
quehanna Collegiate Institute build
ing, and think that, with few al
terations, it could be transformed
into an ideal hospital. The sur
roundings are excellent, it being
located i'll one of the healthiest sec
tions of healthy Towanda. Many
people have signifed their willing
ness to give toward the establish
ing and support of such an institu-
tion."
The above is taken from all ex-
change. The alusion to the Sus-
quehanna Collegiate Institute re-
calls to mind our boyhood days in
Towanda. 1t was our privilege to
be a student at that institution for
several years.
Back in the sixties and for many
years afterwards. it was among the
best of the good schools of the
state. The faculty included men
who were considered among the
leading educators of those days.
Among those who occupied the po-
stion of Principal were the Rev.
Samuel Colt and Rev. John Nc
Williams, both of whom were prom
inent Presbyterian clergymen; Hon.
Charles r. Coburn, who was State
Superintendent of Public Schools
for four years, and was one Of the
fathers of our excellent public
school system; Rev. David Craft,
the venerable historian of Bradford
county, and who. we believe, is
the only one of those above men
toned now living. The Dean
brothers, William and Oliver, were
joint principals. They were mag
nihcent specimens of manhood each
being over six feet :all, and finely
proportioned.
Among the members of the fac
ulty whom we recall were Samuel
P. Fisler, aud Selden J. Coffin.
The former died a few years ago,
and Prof. Coffin, who subsequently
was Professor of Mathematics at
Lafayette College, and later the
Registrar, is still living in Easton.
The Collegiate Institute belonged
to a class of schools that succeeded
the old Academy system. 1t was
a boarding and day school, and was
better organized and better equip
ped than the academies.
AS many of this kind of institu-
tons were established throughout
the state, they displaced the acade-
my, and the latter became thing
of the past. The new schools,
however, were for the most part
unendowed, and in those days the
legislatures were not lavish in their
appropriation to educational pur-
poses. The schools depended en-
tirely upon their receipts from stu
dents, and so, when the public
school system was developed, and
good high schools were established,
the attendance naturally fell off and
the pay schools began to languish.
In the late sixties the state estab-
lished the Normal Schools, and this
was the death knell of most of the
schools in the state like the Susque-
hanna Collegiate Institute. Such
institutions as Wyoming and Dick
inson Seminaries have survived and
prospered, as we'll as some others,
but they are exceptions. The sur
vivors are for the most part sus-
tanned by the patronage and en-
dowments of influential religious
organizations.
The Susquehanna Collegiate In
stitute continued to exist until a
few years ago, as day school only,
the boarding department. having
been abandoned, until finally it
succumbed for want of patronage.
It's location is an ideal one, over
looking the town and the beautiful
valley Of the Susquehanna, and if
the intention to convert it into a
hospital shall be consummated, it
will again prove blessing to that