Category Archives: Chapter 13

p. 273 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted on June 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on p. 273 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

dent to enable it to give greater attention to teacher training courses.

The Seminary failed to keep pace with the College in growth or performance. A major reason seems to have been the practice of admitting many poorly prepared students, several of whom enrolled in the abbreviated English course as an easy academic short cut to the ministry. In 1918 provision was made for such students by establishing a four-year course for non-college graduates to be taught by both Seminary and College faculties which would lead to the Bachelor of Theology degree. Further accommodation came in 1919 when the requirements for the Bachelor of Divinity degree, hitherto totaling seven years of college and theological work, were reduced to six and non-college men were admitted to the program.

Changes in the Seminary included the resignation of Dr. Sylvester Burnham as Dean in 1910 and the appointment of William H. Allison, A.B., Harvard, ’93, and a Chicago Ph.D., as his successor and Professor of Ecclesiastical History. Dr. Allison was followed in 1915 by John F. Vichert, a former student at MacMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, and Chicago, who taught Theology. Dr. Hinton S. Lloyd, for thirty-eight years Corresponding Secretary of the Baptist Education Society and, in effect, its chief officer, resigned in 1915 to be succeeded by Dean Vichert. Frank A. Starratt, A.B., Acadia, ’92, was Professor of Theology from 1909 to 1919 and Dr. William M. Lawrence, ’70, former President of the University Board of Trustees, in 1912 became Lecturer in Christian Ethics.

Though the Library did not play as vital a part in the educational process as later, this resource of the University nearly doubled its holdings in the Bryan period, growing from about 50,000 volumes to more than 90,000. Dr. David F. Estes, who had retired from the Seminary in 1920 as Professor of New Testament, retired as Librarian the next year. His successor was Charles W. Spencer, the former Professor of History who had resigned in 1905 and now returned after teaching at Princeton and the University of Nevada and receiving his  Ph.D. from Columbia. He was the first full-time University Librarian.  Perhaps best known on the staff were Miss Alice A. Guller, Circulation  Librarian, who came in 1914 and Miss Lida C. Vasbinder, Reference  Librarian, who came a year later; both will be remembered for their  generous assistance to generations of students and faculty.

` After several years of decline Colgate Academy closed its doors in

Comments Off on p. 273 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted in Chapter 13, p. 273, The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

p. 272 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted on June 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on p. 272 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

1911 indicates something of a vocational approach to the subject and it may be noted that a significant number of majors went into industry on graduating. Geology, too, under Professors Brigham and Whitnall won many devotees. Eugene P. Sisson and William F. Langworthy, both formerly of the Colgate Academy faculty, joined the College faculty in 1912, the first to teach mathematics and the second, biology.

In the mental and social science departments growth was moderate. Freeman H. Allen, formerly of the Potsdam Normal School faculty, replaced Adna W. Risley, ’94, in history and politics in 1909. From 1912 to 1920, Freeman A. MacIntyre, ’12, was a member of the department. Lionel D. Edie, ’15, who earlier had taught rhetoric and public speaking returned in 1918 after a year in the Navy to instruct in history for four years. Walter 1. Lowe, a Yale alumnus and Ph.D, and for twenty years professor at Wells College, joined the department in 1920 to remain until his death nine years later. Everett W. Goodhue continued as Professor of Economics and Sociology until 1921 when he resigned to accept a similar position at his Alma Mater, Dartmouth. Roy W. Foley, A.B., Oberlin, had joined him in 1914 to teach sociology. Goodhue’s successor was J. Melbourne Shortliffe, A.B., Acadia, ’01, who had studied at Yale and Harvard and taught at Dartmouth. Concerned about the University’s policy on academic freedom, Professor Shortliffe elicited, prior to his appointment in 1921, a strong statement in its behalf from Professor Melbourne S. Read, who had become President pro tem on President Bryan’s resignation. “There is no disposition on the part of anyone in authority in this institution to determine what answers shall be found for problems investigated,” he wrote, adding that “A professor here is entirely free to state his own conclusions either in the classroom or in print, provided those conclusions are … the result of careful, honest analysis and thinking.”* In formulating this policy he had the strong backing of James C. Colgate, as President of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Read, who had been Professor of Philosophy and Education, in 1910 became Professor of Psychology and Education and turned over his courses in philosophy to Ferdinand C. French, who had rejoined the faculty as Professor of Philosophy after teaching at the University of Nebraska. Three years later the Department of Psychology and Education became indepen-

* Copy, letter, Melbourne S. Read, President pro tem, to J. Melbourne Shortliffe, July 20, 1921

Comments Off on p. 272 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted in Chapter 13, p. 272, The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Tagged , , ,

p. 271 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted on June 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on p. 271 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

rhetoric and public speaking. For brief periods he had the assistance of Anthony F. Blanks, a Vanderbilt alumnus, Lionel D. Edie, ’15, and Clarence J. Myers, ’20, immediately after they graduated; and Carl A.Kallgren, ’17, who had outstanding success coaching the debate teams of 1921-27. Other alumni who returned were Robert C. Ward, ’08, and Frederick M. Jones, ’09, to the Romance Language Department in 1908 and 1910, and Clifford E. Gates, ’15, to the German Department in 1915-all studied in Europe, Jones earning his doctorate at Grenoble and Gates at Cornell.

In 1912 the Department of Music was established and William H. Hoerrner, supervisor of public school music in Binghamton, was made Professor. Under his supervision the glee club achieved a remarkably fine standard of performance and a far-reaching reputation. He was also active in arranging for many concerts on the campus by nationally known artists. From 1913 to 1920, Robert G. Ingraham, ’13, was a member of the Music and English Departments. Ford B. Saunders, even prior to his graduation in 1921, was designated organist and joined the Music Department after receiving his degree. His weekly recitals became a significant means for broadening students’ appreciation of music.

With the arrival of Alfred E. Alton in 1911, Biblical Literature became a permanent department of instruction and he developed for his classes a familiarity and appreciation of the Bible as a part of a liberal education. Like his own teacher, the liberal William Newton Clarke, he had a sympathetic understanding of problems of students from conservative backgrounds who found difficulty in adjusting to newer religious ideas. In addition to his classroom contacts, of course, he touched a great number of young men as counsellor and “chaplain,” as noted earlier, and never with cant or pious ways but on their own ground as advisor and guide.

In mathematics and natural science student interest had grown rapidly in the past few years. Dean Crawshaw was disturbed in 1909 that it might lead to a lop-sided program which, of course, the major and minor and distribution requirements arrested. Chemistry under the vigorous direction of Professor McGregory was probably the strongest and most popular department. Additions to his staff included: Arthur E. Wood, ’15, Kenneth S. Daniels; ’18, and Raymond J. Hemphill, M.S.’ ’24. The introduction of an industrial chemistry course in

Comments Off on p. 271 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted in Chapter 13, p. 271, The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Tagged , , , , , ,

p. 270 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted on June 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on p. 270 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

gation that deterioration was most serious and that in their opinion the chief causes were the poor quality of the average entering student, an apparently lax faculty attitude toward academic responsibilities, and undue pressure from outside activities. Responding to their recommendations the faculty: limited entrance to about 200 of the best applicants; refused to permit new students to register until all their credentials had been approved; and urged that highest academic standards be maintained with no concessions to extracurricular activities and that the amount of required work be increased by about 25 percent. Other reforms included reducing the amount of time required for athletic practice, a tougher policy on excused class absences, a more rigid control of schedules for teams and other groups traveling off campus, more stringent rules on eligibility for extracurricular activities, and the adoption of a quality point system which meant in effect that a student must have an average standing of C in all his work to graduate.

The curricular aims of the College remained substantially unchanged throughout the Bryan period. Its essential purpose was to provide a liberal education and character training as preparation for whatever profession its graduates might enter. With the Class of 1914 business rather than teaching for the first time attracted the largest number of graduates. With the Class of 1916 the percentage going into the marketplace made a notable increase which remained steady.

Instruction in the humanities saw various changes and innovations.
The beloved Newton Lloyd Andrews retired in 1918 as the Professor of the Greek Language and Literature to be succeeded in 1920 by Richard A. Parrock, an 1891 graduate of Pembroke College, Cambridge. Principal Frank L. Shepardson joined the Classics Department to teach Greek as well as to become Treasurer after the Academy was discontinued in 1912, and James C. Austin, A.B., Syracuse, 1916, was added in 1921 to teach Latin. After Dr. Andrews retired, Dean Crawshaw introduced courses in General Literature including those in Greek literature in translation which Dr. Andrews had offered. “Craw” maintained that literature courses had great value as a “liberalizing” influence, especially for students entering business or science. Their response was so great that some of his classes, especially Shakespeare, had to be held in the chapel-testimony to the truth of his conviction and his inspired teaching. Elmer W. Smith, ’91, who had come from Colgate Academy to the English department in 1908, specialized in

Comments Off on p. 270 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted in Chapter 13, p. 270, The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Tagged , , , ,

p. 269 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted on June 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on p. 269 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

College, 9 for the Seminary, and 6 for the Academy while the second includes 42 for the College, or double the number for 1908, and 6 for the Seminary. The salary scale gradually rose so that by 1921 it ranged from $1,600 for instructors to $3,500 for professors. In the absence of a systematic plan for retirement or for pensions it was customary for men to retire on half salary at the age of seventy.

Four Colgate faculty members were among the charter members of the national American Association of University Professors which first met in 1915; they were Dean Crawshaw and Professors Brigham, Child, and Berry. Believing their number too small as a basis for interesting local discussion meetings they recommended colleagues for membership in the organization and founded the Colgate Chapter late in 1917 or early in 1918.

Experience with the elective system at Colgate, as at other colleges, had made clear that the freedom of choice brought abuses. Dean Crawshaw asserted that the lack of concentration and continuity failed to give a well-balanced education adapted to individual needs and advocated a curriculum organized to give a student “mastery over certain subjects” rather than a superficial sampling. Primarily because of his, efforts, the faculty in 1909 adopted a program of majors and minors and the next year Professor John Greene, as Associate Dean, assisted Dean Cranshaw in giving students personal advice in selecting their courses. To supplement the program, the faculty in 1912 instituted a distribution requirement which provided that a student must complete a minimum of work in two groups, or subject-matter areas, outside that in which his major was listed. The groups were: Languages and Literature, Mathematics and Natural Science, and Mental and Social Science.

During the period immediately after World War I, the faculty felt that scholastic standards at Colgate, in common with other colleges, were declining or being maintained with increasing difficulty. Probable causes for the situation were thought to be the general unrest of the time, the non-intellectual reasons which induced many young people to go to college, extracurricular activities, ease of access to nearby cities, and the practice of the public and many alumni of rating an institution in terms of athletic victories. The two senior honorary societies, also, were concerned and so informed the faculty. In 1920 a committee headed by Dean Crawshaw reported after careful investi-

Comments Off on p. 269 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted in Chapter 13, p. 269, The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Memorial Chapel (p. 268)

Posted on June 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on Memorial Chapel (p. 268)

be well-organized appeals in the form of the annual alumni fund.

The early years of the Bryan administration saw renovation and adaptation of four old buildings. Work on the dormitories, West, and East Halls, which Dr. Merrill had planned and to which the growing enrollment of the College gave urgency, was completed-West in 1910 and East, with a Commons for feeding 100 in the basement, a year later. At the termination of Colgate Academy in 1912, its facilities became available for other uses. Administrative offices were moved from the Library to the academy building, henceforth known as the Administration Building, and Taylor Hall, which the Academy fraternities had occupied, was taken over for the post office and the YMCA.

The long recognized need for an infirmary was met in 1913 through the generosity of Mrs. James C. Colgate whose contributions enabled the University to acquire and equip the former Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house on East Pleasant Street for this purpose,

Though the College, Seminary, and Academy each had its own chapel, the College chapel had become so crowded by 1915 that only a part of the student body could be accommodated. Plans for a new building were drawn by Harding and Seaver, architects of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and a location chosen which would bring buildings together around the north quadrangle. The donor, Miss Mary Colgate, sister of James C. Colgate, who gave it in memory of their father, James B. Colgate, specified that it should be in the simple New England meeting house style. Construction began in the spring of 1917 and it was first used for the September 1918 convocation. Miss Colgate dedicated the building in June, 1920, and provided an endowment for its maintenance. Its symmetry and simple classical beauty have made a focal point on the Hill ever since.

By the early 1920’s the campus had grown into the park-like tract that its planners and creators, especially the landscape architect Ernest W. Bowditch, and Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds, James M. Taylor, had envisioned. The former died in 1918 and Dr. Taylor resigned two years later to be succeeded by Lt. Colonel James Ballantine, who had recently come to Colgate as Director of Military Instruction. Colgate’s buildings and grounds by 1922 had an estimated value of $1,100,000.

Though the size of the faculty had increased from 36 in 1908 to 48 in 1922 these figures are misleading since the first includes ,21 for the

Comments Off on Memorial Chapel (p. 268)

Posted in Chapter 13, p. 268, The Bryan Period 1908-1922, timeline

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

p. 267 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted on June 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on p. 267 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922
Dr. William M. Lawrence, '70, Bio File, p267Prof. William H. Hoerner, Bio File, p267Dr. Joseph F. McGregory, Bio File, p267

 

 

endowment, including the Dodge Fund, grew from $1,765,000 in 1909 to nearly $3,000,000 in 1922.

The most notable acquisition to endowment came from a massive fund raising drive, the first of its kind Colgate had experienced since that for raising an endowment in 1850 as part of the Removal Controversy. Launched in 1920 under the direction of professional fundraisers, the campaign had originated with alumni leaders and was integrated with a current Northern Baptist Convention fund drive. Its objective, $1,000,000 for endowment and a new gymnasium, won student as well as alumni support and within ten days of its start pledges of approximately $900,000 were on the books, of which the undergraduates had been responsible for giving or getting $153,000 for the gymnasium. By June 1922 the grand total reached was over $1,000,000 of which $150,000 came from the Rockefeller General Education Board in the form of a matching grant conditioned on the University’s raising $350,000. Approximately $517,000 was added to endowment. A new pattern for financing the University was emerging: no longer would it look to the Colgate family for its major support but would turn to alumni, friends, and foundations and soon there would

Comments Off on p. 267 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted in Chapter 13, p. 267, The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Tagged , ,

p. 266 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted on June 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on p. 266 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922
Dr. Albert Perry Brigham, Bio Files, p266Dr. William Newton Clark, '61, Bio File, p266Prof. Melbourn S. Read, Bio File, p266

 

 

mained an effective bar to Foundation approval. Dr. William M. Lawrence resigned as President of the Board in 1912 to accept the Lectureship in Christian Ethics in the Seminary. Sidney M. Colgate, one of the sons of the late Samuel Colgate and a member of the family soap company, succeeded him. Following Mr. Colgate’s resignation in 1921, his cousin James C. Colgate, became President and was to remain active in that position until 1935.

University finances do not seem to have given President Bryan much worry since he regarded this area of operations as Trustees’ domain. Income during his term increased from $76,000 at the beginning to $231,000 at its conclusion, while expenditures rose from $97,000 to $266,000. A growing enrollment meant additional tuition income but at the same time raised the operating costs. This situation, in part, explains the regular deficits which ranged from a low of $38,000 in 1911 to a high of $66,000 in 1918. All of them James C. Colgate made up with assistance from his mother and sister but, tiring of this practice, he had a budget system instituted in 1921 to provide greater control of expenses. This innovation must have contributed to the reduction of the deficit from $58,000 in 1920 to $26,000 in 1922. The

Comments Off on p. 266 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted in Chapter 13, p. 266, The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Tagged , , , ,

p. 265 – The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Posted on June 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on p. 265 – The Bryan Period 1908-1922

er, were those of a university chaplain and “Director of Religious Life.” Every faculty member, as had always been the custom, was expected to maintain contact with students outside the classroom. Because he was often away from the campus lecturing and cultivating friends for the University, Dr. Bryan had the Trustees appoint Professor Melbourne S. Read Vice President to act in his absence. Frank L. Shepardson, Principal of Colgate Academy until it was discontinued in 1912, was made Treasurer of the University to succeed the late William W. West. In an attempt to get the College qualified forinclusion in the Carnegie Foundation pension plan by demonstrating that it had no denominational ties, the composition of the University Board of Trustees had been altered in 1908 by eliminating the provision of the Compact of 1893 which required the Baptist Education Society to select five members. The fact that the Trustees were none-the-less required to maintain a Baptist theological seminary re-

Dean William H. Crashaw, '87, A1016-7, Folder 283, p265

Comments Off on p. 265 – The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Posted in Chapter 13, p. 265, The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Tagged , ,

p. 264 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted on June 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on p. 264 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922
President Elmer Burritt Bryan, 1909-1921, Presidential Photographs (Artificial Collection), p264

rapid growth of the College and the need for student counseling in an increasingly complex academic and intellectual environment. With Dr. Bryan installed as president, Dr. Crawshaw resumed the deanship and in 1911 John Greene, Professor of Latin and former Acting Dean, became Associate Dean to assist in admissions work and in advising students. The same year the Rev. Alfred E. Alton, a Princeton alumnus and a Seminary graduate in 1902, left a pastorate in Rome, New York, to become Professor of Biblical Literature; his primary duties, howev-

Comments Off on p. 264 – The Bryan Period, 1908-1922

Posted in Chapter 13, p. 264, The Bryan Period 1908-1922

Tagged