tion of his associates and the students. An alumnus of Amherst where he was a pupil of the great pioneer in physical education, Dr. Edward Hitchcock, he had studied medicine and physical education at the University of Virginia and had taught physical education and Greek at the University of Nashville. He introduced the novel idea that muscle-building should give way to body-building and that the often dreary and dreaded required “gym-hour”
should become a “play-hour”
with a purpose. His courses in hygiene related physical well-being to mental and spiritual health. Assuming general supervision of intercollegiate athletics in addition to his other duties, he made out schedules, planned finances, and accompanied teams on trips. His wisdom and leadership were crucial as Colgate athletics burgeoned in the first quarter of the 20th century.
From 1899 to 1908 enrollment in the College rose from 151 to 278, an increase the President worked strenuously to bring about through advertising, the travels of the Field Secretary, Vincent B. Fisk, and the usual contacts through speeches and correspondence available to him and the faculty. Dean Crawshaw represented Colgate in devising theuniform college entrance examinations of the Association of the Colleges and Preparatory Schools of the Middle Atlantic States and the faculty accepted them in 1902. The largest spurt in enrollment, from 178 in 1903 to 228 in 1903 served to underline the growing need for more faculty and facilities.
In contrast to the College, the Seminary had difficulty in maintaining its enrollment which dropped from 46 in 1899 to 37 for the next three years and then gradually pushed up to 53 in 1907 and receded to 50 in 1908. Hence, there was no strong pressure for increasing its faculty. One, however, was added in 1900: John B. Anderson, a graduate of the College in 1896 and of the Seminary in 1898, who came from a pastorate at Camillus to teach ecclesiology and English Bible. Each year a number of experts, many of them widely known, gave lectures in a variety of fields to supplement the regular courses. Though the theological views of the faculty were quite diverse, freedom of discussion prevailed without the conflict which the Schmidt case generated in the 1890’s. President Merrill believed that the graduates of the Seminary should be thoroughly equipped to deal with the current theological questions and controversies as well as for carrying out pastoral duties.
