The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-10-23

alvin NAS
ent school house block and ended at
the south door of Old Central. The
only vestige of that old path that is
left is the small section across the
vacant lot just east of Mrs. A. A.
POOLS residence.
Just a few words in reference to the
first college year. The faculty consist
ed Of Geo. Lilley, president and teacher
of mathematics; Mrs. N. l.. Van Doren,
assistant teacher, English, etc. These
received salaries. There were two
volunteer teachers, DR.. G. A. Kelsey
and o. H. Parker. The latter gave in
struction in vocal music and DR.. Kel-
sey had for his field the entire realm
of natural science! Just think of his
spreading himself, without pay, owe
a field Of knowledge which now re-
quires twelve or more individuals, at
good salaries, to give instruction in.
There was no chair of animal hus-
bandry, no instruction in the rudi-
ments Of agriculture and horticulture
and such subjects as agronomy, plant
pathology, etc., were not heard Of, in
fact scarcely dreamed of, in those
halcyon days.
The records show that school open
ed with an attendance of 35. The total
enrolment for the year was 81, of
whom so gave their place of residence
as Brookings or from Brookings
ty. 1t was strictly a preparatory school
and before the time set for closing,
June oath, 1885, so many had gone
home to work on their farms, that
there were no formal closing exercises
and few final examinations. But these
pioneers were in earnest and enthus-
iastic. They had their rhetorical e
cises, published a paper called Col
lege Sheaves'' and put on all the airs
they could think Of. The following
from the Statutory in the January 81,
1885, number of the College Sheaves:
THE people Of Dakota having favored
us by establishing the Dakota Agricul-
tural College for our benefit, we feel it
our duty to do all in our power to help
build it up and make it one of the lead
ing colleges in the Northwest. = = =
We are young but We can live and
learn, God permitting, and hope to be
able, at no distant day, to send into
the world scholars who can point with
pride to the D. A. c. and say, There Is
where l received my education" In
the February number is to be found
this effusion: Awake some pleasant
morning real early, citizens, and cast
your optics towards the rising sun as
it sheds it's first beautiful rays upon
this enchanted region, and note the
number of vehicles, freighted with stu
dents, and the muddy road lined with
foot passengers, and all moving as n
mighty army towards the noble ediice,
the Agricultural College, where they
go to seek knowledge. 1t will surprise
YOU" 1t seems as if those young fell
lows almost had the gift of prophecy
in those bygone days. 1t is good to
talk with them and hear them relate
to college in those days and we're not
sent. Note the distinction, if you
please!
During the summer Of 1885 a final
effort was made to complete this first
building before the opening of the
fall term. The date was set at October
7th so as to give the contractors plen-
ty of time to have vel ything in read
mess for the advent of the student
body. During the summer several adj
ditions were made to the faculty. DR..
Lilley and Mrs. Van Doren were re-
tanned and in June Prof. S. P. Lapham
was employed as professor of music.
Next in Importance was the engage
ment of Luther Foster as professor of
agriculture, then came R. F. Kerr as
principal of the preparatory depart
ment and professor of economies and
history. This made five in all, with
DR.. l. H. Circuit as nominal professor
of natural sciences without salary.
When the date for opening came, Oc-
tober 7th, the building was full of
scaffolding and the workmen were put
ting on the last finishing touches on
the corridor and remaining rooms on
the main floor. When the hour for
opening came, 900 a. m, the old
hand bell, in use the previous year,
was rung and faculty and ~expectant
students ducked under the scaffolding
and assembled in the same room which
had done service for an assembling
room the year before; five members
of the faculty, about 81 students or
would-be students and a few visitors.
Father Branch, a good old Baptist
brother, conducted the devotional ex-
e~rcises. the president made a few re-
marks, introduced the new teachers
and then turned the young hopefuls
over to the mercy of the principal Of
fho propo IN torv sHopor<ruauk A. xharo