Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-27
Colby College Is 100
Years Old, To-day.


anniversary OF the birth of Colby Col
lego, which WAS brought into existence
by the act of the Massachusetts Legis-
lature on Feb 81 1913, granting y
charter to the Maine Literary and The
illogical Institution.
This charter was only granted after
perseverance and energetic action on
the part OF the promoters, for there
were many at the time who thought
that one college, the infant institution
ut Brunswick soon after to foster
Longfellow and Hawthorne, was
enough for Maine,
In 1872 the efforts of the charter
seekers, who were a committee APP
pointed Ivy the Baptist Associations OF
tie state were frutless, and the chart
or was only granted in 1873, on condi-
ton that the institution should rot
grant collegiate degrees. IT is for this
reason that the trustees decided not to
celebrate the anniversary, preferring
to wait until 1870 when the new state,
Maine, at ITS first legislative session,
empowered the Waterville institution
to grant the bachelor of arts and
master of arts degrees. The II me WAS
changed TO Waterville College, on Eel.
), 1921. In 1861, it was changed Ia
Colby University. and in 1899, % Colby
College.
After the charter was granted, five
years elapsed before the work of in
struction actively commenced ut Wat
ervil!e. They were not years Of mac
tivity, bat were spent in securing from
the state The township OF land donated
by the act of Incorporation, in decid-
ing upon q suitable location. and in
endeaVors to obtain further state aid.
In 1915, tie Massachusetts legislature
granted land for the college near what
is now Argyle, Maine, about Is miles
above Bangor on the Penobscot river.
This was then almost d wilderness, and
in 1876. the legislature empowered the
trustees Ia locate the Institution else
where tim on the township specified.
In iSt7. WaterVille was chosen as the
site. The first professors elected we're
Rev. jeremiah Chaplin and Roy Irah
Chase, the latter declining the position
Of professor of languages.
Repeated attempts to secure further
grants If land from tile State were
unsuo ccssful The Massachusetts, So
Ions thought that one college was
enough for tho District Of Maine and
said 50 in lengthy committee report
They added That AL state grants should
go te the one already established
The college Was opened and nstruc-
ton by Professor CHAPLIN commenced
July 6. 1878, in a horsc st1ndiue where
tile Elmwood hotel is now situated In
May. 1919 there Were Il stHaaEts. TUT
ton was s4.oo u quarter: board was OBJ
tanned for Sl.o0 a week. and woed ,foI,
$50 a cord.
The theological department of the
college was of short duration. The first
triennial catalogue. issued in 1925, gives
the names of f. graduates i'm theology.
No record Of any other students in thus
department appears in Subsequent tri-
ennials.
In the A. years up to tie time of the
civil War, the college went through
many dark periods. suffering many
times from lack Of money. but dnan-
cial relief was obtained in each in
stance. and hundreds graduated In
1910, a public subscription was taken
for the college, $4,000 being raised III
this manner.
With the coming Of the war. the
number of students was greatly lessen
ed, owing to enlistments in the army
In 1S645, there We're only 62 under
graduates. With the invested funds of
the college reduced to $4,000. and rap
idly growing less, the outlook was dark
But the dawn of a brighter day was
approaching. Gardner Colby OF Boston
who had spent part Of his childhood
in Waterville, offered $4,000 if the
friends of the college could raise $780,
600. Enthusiasm brought results; this
sum WAS subscribed in two years. In
recognition Of the gift. the name OF the
college WIS changed To Colby univer-
sity
Memorial hall. erected to the memory
of tie 20 Colby men who gave their
lives in the Civil War, was built IN
1863. Since that time, several build
ings have been erected, the last OF
which was Roberts hall, The now mems
dormitory. in 1911.
And Colby has gained an honorcG
position among the colleges of the
United States