St. Clair County, Illinois - Chapter 10 (1 of 2 so headed), 1928

'HE YEAR 1839 marks the beginning of an interesting era in McKendree's history. The school was just com- ; into collegiate rank. The faculty were college graduates, and the president had completed a three year post graduate course just before he took charge. A class of earnest young men were doing real college work, on a par with that done in the eastern colleges. There was a general feeling among the constituents that now they actually had a college after these ten years of strenuous but sometimes poorly organized effort. In the conference session of 1837 ^^ was voted that the part of Bishop McKendree's bequest that would fall to the Illinois Conference for the promotion of education, should be reserved until "a literary institution shall be presented over which this conference shall exercise control and supervision." The next year the conference passed resolution recommending that the Bible be made a prominent text book in the college. After the new charter was granted, President Merrill organized a class in the New Testament, which was appreciated by the members of the conference, many of whom felt that the principal reason for having a college was for the religious training of the youth. After the graduating exercise of 1841, which was considered a great literary triumph and was heralded far and wide as a demonstration of what the college could do for the young men in her care, the conference was highly elated and enthusiastically passed this resolution, "That we feel the deepest gratitude for that high literary reputation unto which McKendree College, under divine Providence, has attained, and that we will sustain the college, God being wiUing." This would indicate that they were no longer ashamed of their college, but rather proud of it. Revivals occurred there. Preaching services were held in the chapel, not only on Sundays, but on week days also. So that now its reputation seemed fairly well established as a religious institution. The class of 1841 established its reputation from the literary standpoint.

The charter, granted in 1839, was a recognition by the state authorities that its standards were such as could be commended to the general public. In fact, the charter was considered one of the chief factors in the success which immediately followed its issue. If it should grow into a great university it would need no enlargement of its corporate powers Under this charter it could confer any degree that Harvard or Yale could. When the news first came to Lebanon that the new charter had been granted, both the college and the town were stirred with enthusiasm and there was great rejoicing. The trustees had a meeting and ordered a grand illumination of the college building. Professor Sunderland, as the science man, was placed in charge of this part of the celebration. A meeting of the citizens was called and there were speeches and mutual congratulations.

At this time also the financial prospects were very encouraging. An endowment of $50,000 was fully subscribed, in the form of notes for $500 each, given by the subscribers, with interest at ten per cent payable semiannually. This was considered ample for an institution of that size. The faculty consisted of only five members and their salary was from six hundred to eight hundred dollars a year. A writer of that period speaks of the situation as follows: "Young and enthusiastic men were in the faculty, and everything promised great success and glory. It must be confessed that affliirs did show considerable signs of promise. The president was a learned man and an enthusiast in his department. The professors were well educated, full of vigor and as enthusiastic as the presi' dent. The field agent was active and shrewd, and could prove to every man who would subscribe for a scholarship, that the investment would be profitable."

The first financial movement in the history of McKendree was the effort to raise a fund for founding an institution of higher learning. The original plan was the formation of a stock company. The most of the subscribers took one share each, tho several took more, and in one case two women took a single share in partnership. The idea was that each stock holder who so desired might receive dividends on their investment m tuitions or other privileges. The money was used in the erection of the first building. The income of the school with which to pay teachers' salaries and other expenses was confined to the tuition fees from students whose fathers were not stock-holders. Of course this proved entirely inadequate. Almost from the beginning, at any rate, after the Illinois Conference had taken over the school, one or more agents were appointed each year to travel thruout the territory and solicit funds for current expenses. Of course the agent's salary had to be paid out of his collections.

In 1836, an elaborate scheme was devised for endowing the college. Rev. Benjamin T. Kavanaugh was appointed agent and was authorized to sell perpetual scholarships for either $5ooor$i,oooeach. The holder ofa five hundred dollar scholarship w,is entitled to send one pupil free of tuition forever. Or for ,i thousand dolLir scholarship, he might send one pupil free of tuition, room, and board forever. In lieu of the cash which very few of the people ot that day had m the bank, he was authorized to accept the subscriber's note bearing ten percent interest and payable in ten years. The agent was also to collect money in hundred dollar subscriptions for the endowment of a "John Emory Professorship" m the college. Another line ot business he handled was to receive money from any person to be invested in Illinois lands, one half for the college and half for the person furnishing the money. Or by another plan the donor of the money was to have title to all the land, but its increase in value for the first five years was to belong to the college. At that time a national railroad was headed toward Illinois, and it was believed there would be an immense increase in the value of lands on that account. But President Andrew Jackson vetoed the railroad bill, the land did not rise in value to any considerable extent, the rosy hopes of wealth from the unearned increment were blasted, and the land purchase plan of endowment proved a dismal failure.

However, by iSjg, one hundred of the five hundred dollar perpetual scholarships had been sold, or rather most of them had been exchanged for five hundred dollar notes bearing ten percent interest, payable semiannually. This, according to the figures, would produce an income of five thousand dollars a year besides what might be received from tuition fees paid by the students. This was a splendid outlook. The college seemed permanently endowed. But these notes were not due for ten years, and the signers were scattered over a wide area which made collections expensive. Then hard times came on. The veto of the national road and the United States Bank Charter hindered the progress of this new country and made its development very slow. Money was hard to get even for necessities and so many of the signers of the notes were not disposed to pay even the interest. Within a period of two years the whole scheme was compromised by exchanging the five hundred dollar notes for two hundred dollar ones, still payable in ten years, and thus at one blow reducing the $50,000 endowment to $20,000, and owing to the continuance of hard times and financial stringency, even these latter notes, for the most part, were never collected. So that the bubble burst and left the college burdened with debt and disappointment.

The fallacy of the whole plan was evident when it was observed that the college promised tuition, room and incidentals, to the amount of $61.50 a year to each holder of a scholarship and enacted from him only the interest on five hundred dollars which amounted to $50 a year. Therefore the college was borrowing money at twelve and a half percent and loaning it at ten and at the same time paying agents to go thru the country to borrow the money and collect the interest. So it was very clear that the more of that kind of endowment the college had, the worse off it was. Accordingly, the plan of endowment by scholarships was abandoned, at least for the time. When Dr. Wentworth came to take charge of the institution in 1846, he said it was "thatched over with mortgages," and had no means of paying its debts or current expenses. Therefore, the professors were placed on allowances paid by the churches, instead of salaries paid by the college. In 1854, after the former experience had been in some degree forgotten, another scholarship plan was devised, which was, if possible, worse than the previous one. This proposed to sell two classes of scholarships: one for $50, giving the holder seven years of free tuition; and one for $100, giving twenty years of free tuition. The holders of the first class were to receive in tuition fees the equivalent of fifty percent per annum on the money invested, or three hundred and fifty percent by the time the money had to be paid in. The other class were to receive only twenty-five percent, but continuing for twenty years. So that in the end the college would return to the purchaser of the scholarship five hundred percent of his investment. Probably the men who initiated this plan thought they were offering a business proposition to the public. At least there was one good thing about it. They were offering educational bargains, and thus diffusing culture among the people. Of course it was a hard bargain for the college and the result was more sacrifice on the part of the faculty or more debts for the college. But the old college had always stood by its end of the contract even tho it was a bad bargain. The trustees never even consulted a lawyer about the possibility of finding a legal way of escape from such a one-sided contract. The scholarships that were limited to twenty years have all expired, but of course the perpetual ones of the earlier series never would expire. Efforts have been made by committees of the trustees from time to time to secure the surrender of these perpetual scholarships and most of them have been so surrendered, however there are a few still m the possession of the descendants of the purchaser. One provision was that it was only valid for the use of the purchaser or his lineal discendants. On account of this provision, not many of them were ever used, and none have been presented for many years, tho one is known to exist in the family of Dr. Thomas Stanton, who was one of the original "managers," and who died at Alton many years ago. In the early history of the college, the financial agent was an important officer. One or more was appointed by the conference the same as members of the faculty. Professor William Brown serving as agent, at one time undertook to raise a fund of $10,000 for the education of preachers' children. He succeeded in getting about $6,000 of it subscribed and a part of it was actually paid in, though in all probability not more than enough to pay the expense of his agency. One year the conference appointed two agents, one to solicit funds in Illinois and the other in any territory outside of Illinois. One year an agent was authorized to go to England to secure funds for the college, however the records show no evidence that he ever went. In 1S4S, Rev. William H. Milburn was appointed agent for McKendree and instructed to go to the eastern states, where wealth was more abundant, in quest of funds. He was then a very earnest young man in frail health and almost blind. He had secured his education in the face of almost insuperable difficulties . Having defective vision in one eye, a surgical operation was attempted to remove the disability. An accident during the operation resulted in a total loss of his good eye and left him with only a remnant of vision in the other. But in spite of this handicap, he had gone thru college as far as the senior year, when his health broke down and he gave up the idea of getting his degree. But he did not let this deter him from entering the ministry. When he started on this mission for McKendree he soon found himself travelling up the Ohio River on a steamboat which had three hundred passengers on board. Among them were a group of western congressmen on their way to Washington. Altho young Milburn could not see much, he kept his ears open and thus learned much about the habits of these national representatives of the people. He was quite shocked at their vile conduct. When Sunday came he was invited to preach on the boat. He did so. Since the congressmen were anxious for the best of everything in the way of privilege, they occupied the front seats. They were a little curious to know what the young preacher would have to say. His sermon was full eloquence and pathos which held the attention of the whole assembly. At the close he said, "Among the passengers on this steamer are a number of members of congress. From their position they should be examples of good morals and dignified conduct; but from what I have heard of them, they are not so. The union of these states, if dependent on such guardians, would be unsafe, and all the high hopes I have of the future of my country would be dashed to the ground. These gentlemen, for days past, have made the air heavy with profane conversation, have been constant patrons of the bar and encouragers of intemperance. Nay, more! The night, which should be devoted to rest, has been dedicated to the horrid vices of gambling, profanity and drunkenness. There is but one chance of salvation for these great sinners in high places, and that is for them to humbly repent of their sins, call on the Saviour for forgiveness, and reform their lives." As might be supposed, language so bold from a mere stripling twenty-two years of age, had a startling effect and made a deep impression on the gentlemen particularly addressed. In the afternoon a committee called on the young preacher and congratulated him upon his courage for having dared to tell the plain truth to sinners in high places. The committee assured him that the congressmen had taken his rebuke in the right spirit, and as evidence thereof, they handed him a purse of money as a mark of their appreciation and at the same time assured him that they would make him chaplain of Congress. This promise they did not forget, and when he was offered the appointment, he accepted and was thus the youngest man who ever spoke in the halls of congress. This new appointment interfered with his mission in behalf of McKendree, but it started him on a great career. In after years he became an author and lecturer of wide renown. He was known far and wide as "the blind chaplain."

Another means of raising funds was through the organization of Educational Societies in every charge of the conference. For a time this plan was pushed vigorously but after some years it seemed to produce in the people a feeling of apathy or actual disfavor on account of the constant calls for money without apparent return in benefit to the societies themselves. Still another plan which was open to the same objection was for the Presiding Elder to take a collection each quarter in every charge and send it to the college to pay teachers' salaries. By this plan the professor was as liable to reach the end of the year with a deficit in his salary as was the circuit rider. As a matter of fact, it nearly always happened that way.

worthy call for help. One wjs when the building now known as "Old Main" was erected. This was during the administration of President Wentworth and Rev. William Goodfellow was the solicitor. This was done in a period of two or three years closing with 1850. Again the same policy was pursued when the chapel was built in 1857-58. And again in 1859-60 when under the direction of President Cobleigh the foundations were laid for a real endowment. This was the first permanent fund raised for the college and was the nucleus of the present endowment. In these cases the people were asked to make direct contributions to a worthy cause without receiving any premium or bonus for their generosity, m the form of scholarships. When Dr. M. H. Chamberlin came to the presidency in 1894, the endowment was approximately $20,000. During his term two legacies came to the college. One from the Riggin estate of $14,000 and the other from the McCurdy estate of $10,000. After he had succeeded in raising the money to pay off a long standing debt of $5,500, he set himself the task of raising $100,000 of new endowment. This was a long hard task when financial conditions were so stringent as they were at that time. He secured a conditional subscription of $20,000 from Dr. D. K. Pearsons of Chicago, and finally after repeated extensions of the time allowed he was able to announce m chapel one morning m April, 1905, that the last dollar of the $100,000 had been subscribed. The enthusiasm ran high. A holiday was declared in which to celebrate the victory. A group of students borrowed Uncle Sam Hill's carriage and a long rope. By means of the rope about two dozen boys hitched themselves to the carriage and took the president and faculty for a ride around town to announce everywhere the glorious news that the college had $100,000 of new endowment. That evening there was a mass meeting to which all the citizens were invited. Enthusiastic speeches were made and extravagant predictions of the greatness in store for the old college in the future. The students rang the college bell and by a well planned system of relays they kept it ringing steadily all night long so that its iron tongue was permitted to grow quiet only with the coming of the dawn of morning. These subscriptions were.collected without material shrinkage so that when Dr. Chamberlin retired, the endowment was something over $1 jo,ooo. During the term of Dr. John F. Harmon, it was increased to a little above $200,000. During the presidency of Dr. George E. McCammon, a financial campaign was made under the direction of Dr. Hancher with his team of experienced workers. They set one million and a half as the goal and spent about six months in preparing and canvassing the field. The goal was not reached, nor near it, but enough was subscribed and paid in to claim the $150,000 conditional subscription of the General Education Board, which brings the endowment to half a million. There are yet some thousands in unpaid subscriptions and a number of estate notes of which the value cannot be definitely known till the death of the giver. When these are all settled up, there will probably be another hundred thousand to add to the total. But the college needs today not less than a million dollars of productive endowment, and there is a feeling in certain quarters that before the close of our Centennial celebration, the friends of the college will come forward with enough to make it that figure. At the educational convention held at the college in 1868, on the fortieth anniversary of its founding, facts were brought out to show that up to that time the city of Lebanon and vicinity had contributed not less than twenty-four thousand dollars for the establishment and maintenance of the institution, which was three-fourths of what had been expended for that purpose. In 1909 when the charges were making payments on the conference note Lebanon subscribed $j,ooo. During the last mentioned campaign Lebanon, including the faculty and students subscribed $70,000. Of course McKendree has had debts. All institutions of that character do have them. They are unavoidable. There has been a very small portion of the time since her founding that she has not had debts hanging over her. At one time her bonded indebtedness amounted to as much as $150,000. But that has all been cleared away. At present there are no debts except a few current bills, but none of long standing.