Evening star., 1936-08-09
+TION REVIEW PAST AT NOTED BAPTISTS CENTENNIAL
COLLEGE FOUNDER HONORED
Rev. Luther Rice Was Pioneer Builder of Church in America
and Is Remembered for His Effective Efforts in Promotion
of Missionary Zeal Well Education.

of the cession of the District of CO.
lumbia. The price paid for it was
about $1,000, though 1t was stated
it could be bought for less money.
ON APRIL 26, 1920, bill was in
troduced in the Senate by Rich
ard M. johnson to incorporate the
college, but as a controversy arose
as to the scope 1t proposed, 1t did not
receive its charter until the follow
ing year, when 1t was amended,
passed and signed by President Mon
roe. In it, Congress gave university
powers to the trustees and faculty,
allowing the organization academic
and professional schools and the
granting of certificates of attainment
and diplomas Of graduation in the
several departments.
Still realizing, it seems, the perse-
cution heaped upon the church in
its early days, and feeling that edu-
cation in its college should be unre-
stricted, a clause in the charter pro-
vided that Persons of every religious
denomination shall be capable of
being elected as trustees" and fur
ther, Nor shall any person either as
president, professor, tutor or pupil
be refused admittance into said COL
lege or be denied any of its privileges,
immunities or advantages thereof, for
or on account of his sentiments In
matters of religion"
Most of the funds for the vast prof.
ect at the time were obtained by Mr..
Rice from members of this denomi-
nation, though personal donations
and expressions of interest were re-
ceived from men Of eminence at home
and abroad. From our own great
men of that period-including Moses
Stuart, Richard Rush and others
came contributions and words of en-
couragement. and from such kindred
spirits as Joseph Butterworth and
William Wilberforce, in the mother
country, came advice and assistance.
In Great Britain, also, an appeal on
behalf Of the college was signed by
Sir James Macintosh, Olinthus
Gregory, Rev. DR.. E. Bickersteth,
Adam Clarke and John Report.
John Quincy Adams assisted with
loan of $4,000 and subsequently re-
linquished $1,000 of this amount as q
donation.
THE first president Of the college
was Rev. William Staughton, for
whom the first street above Florida
avenue was named and by which it
was known for many years or until it
was changed to Belmont street in
recent years.
The first classes were gathered in
1922 and the first graduates received
their diplomas in 1925.
Members of the first board Of trus-
tees were Rev. Obadiah B. Brown, pres
Enoch Reynolds, secretary; Rev.
Burgis Allison, D. D., Rev. Thomas
Baldwin, D. D., Daniel Brown, Rev.
Spencer H. Cone, Thomas Corcoran.
Rev. Richard Freeman, D. D., Joseph
Gibson. Return ]. Meigs, Rev. Robert
3. Semple and Joseph Thaw.
The first faculty Of the college in
cluded the following:
REV. William Staughton, D. D.,
president, professor Of general history,
bellies lettres, rhetoric and moral
philosophy; Rev. Ira Chase, professor
of the learned languages: Rev. Alva
Woods, professor Of mathematics and
natural philosophy; Josiah Meigs, pro-
fessor Of experimental philosophy:
Thomas Sewall. M. D., professor Of
anatomy and physiology; James M.
Staughton, M. D., professor of chem
istry and geology; Rufus Babcock and
William Ruggles, tutors.
The first building erected on the
ground acquired was 1T feet front
by Al feet in depth and set we'll back
from what was then known as Four
teenth street road. Along the entire
Fourteenth street front was erected
a high wall, built of blue stone, such
as is quarried about Washington. The
top was finished with thick fiat slabs
about feet wide, the wall varying in
height from to possibly 6 feet, and
along its entire length the writer, in
his youthful days, delighted to walk.
Few people know that a very small
portion of this wall is still standing
as the only reminder Of the once close