Society, at Lebanon, May 1830, it was resolved to undertake the establishment of a college, and the institution resulted from the action of this society. For several years there was a theological department in the interest of the Baptist denomination, but it was given up, and of late years. the only departments have been the collegiate and the preparatory. There have been several modifications of the board of trustees. In 1873, the board was reorganized under a general law of the State affecting the incorporation of colleges, from which time the university was "to be managed and controlled by thirty-six trustees, to be chosen exclusively from members in good standing and full membership in regular Baptist churches in the State of Ohio, who shall hold their office only so long as they retain such membership; five at least to be resident freeholders of Licking county." The board is a close corporation, with power to fill vacancies.

The university, though under the control of the Baptist denomination, claims to be unsectarian and to teach no denominational dogmas.

The first president of the university was Rev. John Pratt, a graduate of Brown University in 1827. For six years from 1831, he occupied the post of president, and afterwards, for twenty-two years, held the chair of Ancient Languages. A man of careful and exact scholarship, he gave to the college a character for thoroughness which it yet retains. He is still (1876) living. The name of Prof. Pascal Carter, long associated with Prof. Pratt, deserves honorable mention for thorough scholarship. Pres. Pratt was succeeded by Rev. Jonathan Going, D. D., a graduate of Brown University in 1809, who held the office from 1837 to 1844. These were the years of the greatest prosperity of the theological department, and to this department Dr. Going devoted his time and energies, while the college proper was under the supervision of Prof. John Stevens, D. D. Prof. Stevens, a graduate

of Middlebury College in 1821, has been a pillar of strength to the university as well as to the denomination in the State. His professorial life is almost co-extensive with that of the institution. He is now professor emeritus and resides at the university.

Rev. Silas Bailey, D. D., LL. D., a graduate of Brown University in 1834, held the office of president from 1846 to 1852. He was succeeded by Rev. Jeremiah Hall, D. D., who was president from 1853 to 1863. Dr. Hall came to the college at a critical time, when funds were low and friends were divided in counsel. He secured harmony and greatly contributed to the welfare of the college.

His successor was Rev. Sampson Talbot, D. D., a graduate of the university in 1851, who held the office from 1863 to his death in 1873. He was loved and honored, and the value of his labors for the college in advancing its financial and literary interests can hardly be over-estimated. His suc cessor, Rev. E. Benjamin Andrews, entered upon the duties of his office the present year (1876).

The whole number of volumes in the college and society libraries is a little over 11,000. The cabinet contains collections illustrating mineralogy, geology, conchology, zoology, and archæology.

The whole number of graduates in the classical course is 176. Besides these, twenty have taken what is called the scientific course, which includes a year and a half of Latin, one year of French, and eighteen weeks of German. It retains the mathematics and the scientific instruction of the college course with some modifications. It requires three years for its completion.

The table of statistics shows that the ratio of graduates to the number of freshmen is something like 25 per cent.

OBERLIN COLLEGE.

This college was located at Oberlin, Lorain county, in 1833, and received its charter under the name of the Oberlin Collegiate Institute, February 28th, 1834. The name was changed to Oberlin College in 1850. It was in its inception to be an institution of distinct type. Moral and religious elements, combined with a zealous spirit of reform, were to be united with intellectual training. The plan was first suggested by Rev. John Shipherd, one of the first trustees. That the institution might be exempt from any external contamination and be free to work out its methods, it was planted by itself "in a dense and unbroken forest eight miles from Elyria and thirty-three from Cleveland." The college and the village to grow up around it, were to be of the same name, and both were to exemplify the spirit and life of the famed Swiss pastor whose name was adopted. The founders and the first colonists were of Puritan New England stock. The board of trustees is a close corporation, and fills without any external interference, all vacancies which may occur in its membership. The members were at first brought together by common sympathies and similar judgments, but the charter does not require them to hold any designated creed.

The plan of the institution contemplates a Theological Seminary, and this is Congregational, and indeed, the members of the faculty have probably always been of that denomination. But there is no ecclesiastical supervision.

In the spring of 1835, President Asa Mahan and Professors C. G. Finney, John Morgan, and Henry Cowles entered upon their duties in the institution. President Mahan remained in office until 1850, when he was succeeded by Professor Finney, to be succeeded in turn in 1866, by Professor J. H. Fairchild, the present incumbent. All the gentlemen above named have proved themselves to be very able men.

From the first, students of both sexes were admitted, and in the winter of 1834-5, the doors were opened to all without distinction of color. These were peculiar features and attracted no little attention. With the admission of colored students was combined a decided and an aggressive anti-slavery spirit. The students were armed for the great moral conflict which was beginning to agitate the nation. The very name of Oberlin became a power in the land. There went forth from the little village planted in the forest a voice which reached distant and unwilling ears and compelled attention. The voice came not from the college as a merely literary institution, but rather from the all-pervading spirit of the place from teachers, pupils and patrons whose religion was largely philanthrophy, and whose philanthrophy was intense" ly religious. In a word, Oberlin was a noble and potent ism with a college attached. Thus it continued for nearly thirty years, until the war put an end to slavery in the land and the amendments of the Constitution gave equal civil rights to all. Since the war the college has made decided progress as a literary institution, and is doing a good work, one of constantly increasing magnitude, in the cause of higher learning.

The admission of young ladies to the college course of study has, in the opinion of the faculty, been attended by no injurious results, and the plan of co-education is pronounced an unquestionable success. Such ladies are under the special supervision of a lady principal and a ladies' board. While young ladies have constituted more than onethird of the whole number in attendance upon the schools, not a very large number has attended the regular college course, or graduated from it. Of the regular graduates ladies have constituted thirteen per cent. The number of colored students has always been small, and few have graduated. Wilberforce University under the care of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, now draws this class largely to it

self. Other colleges in the State also receive colored students. But to Oberlin must be accorded the credit of fighting the first battle for the right of the colored race to college education in Ohio.

There are two courses of study; the Classical and Scientific, or "College" course; and the Literary. "The former embraces the studies usually pursued in American colleges, so arranged that after the freshman year the student can give a classical or scientific character to his course by a system of elections."

The literary course omits all the Greek of the classical course, and part of the Latin and mathematics. This course is the one generally pursued by young ladies. Below these courses above named are the classical preparatory school and an English school.

The aggregate attendance in the various courses and schools has always been large. The average number of students of all grades from 1834 to 1852 was 462, and from 1853 to 1876, 1,150. Of the latter number 32 per cent. were "in departments above the preparatory." The whole number of graduates, exclusive of theological students, is 757, of whom 100 were ladies, or an average of 18 each year since 1834.

It

The college has done good literary work, and its course of study corresponds with that of similar institutions. has sent forth many graduates who have won honorable distinction in public life. Hon. J. D. Cox, Major General during the war, and afterward Governor of Ohio, was a graduate of Oberlin. A large number have entered the ministry. Many have became presidents and professors in colleges, and a large number teachers.

Connected with the college is a Conservatory of Music, organized in 1865, which is largely attended. The course requires for its completion from two to four years. The average attendance during the last seven years has been 266. The thorough training here given makes this department one of great usefulness and value.