St. Clair County, Illinois - Chapter 25, 1928

IN iS86 there were marked changes made m the faculty. Dr. Swahlen left to enter a more inviting field. At the same time Dr. Deneen laid down the responsibilities which he had carried as a member of the McKendree faculty since 1856, and thus closed a career of thirty years of college work. However, the reason for this change in his case was the condition of his health rather than being weary of welldoing as a burden-hearer m the old institution which had long been dear to his heart - the institution from w-hich his father had graduated, from which he had graduated, and from which all his children had graduated, except the youngest, and she was then on the way to the degree which she received in 1890. Professor Waggoner left to accept a similar position in the Southwest Kansas College, at Winfield. Professor Harris, of the Mathematics Chair, left the work of the class room to return to the pastorate. Of the liberal arts faculty, only Professor Edwards was left. The Board had a gloomy session, and after much deliberation placed Rev. Edward A. Whitwam, A. M., in the president's chair and at the same time permitted him to take Professor Waggoner's place in the Science Department. Professor Edwards, who had been for a year Assistant Professor of Latin, became the Head Professor of both Latin and History without any assistant at all. Rev. Edwin C. Ferguson, A. M., Ph. D., was secured for the Department of Greek and German, and Professor Albert G. Jepson, A. M., was placed in charge of the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy. Mrs. Whitwam, the president's wife, was made "preceptress" to assist in whichever department needed her most. Henry H. Horner continued m charge of the Law Department, which was so reduced that he needed no assistant, so the other law professors were dispensed with. Miss Jessie L Gates had charge of the Music Department, and Miss Emily Conant was Professor of Art. Oi' these nine professors, all were new except Professor Edwards, and he had been with the institution only one year.

The student body was reduced as well as the faculty. Conditions were discouraging in every way. The buildings were going into decay and there was no money to repair them. Students are not attracted toward an institution that IS on the decline, so there was a gradual exodus. Some advised their friends not to go to McKendree. The enrollment for the year 1886-87 showed only thirty-three students m the college proper and fifty-four in the Preparatory Department. That was for the whole year. But in the spring term of that year the registration reached its lowest ebb. There were m that term, only thirty-five students enrolled in both college and preparatory. When commencement came, there were only two students receiving degrees m arts and science. Franklin Benjamin Carson received the degree of A. B. and Esther Viola Rockwell received a B. S. There were also three young men, two of whom had already received Bachelor's degrees, who graduated from the Law Department and received the degree of LL B. However, these three men were not present at commencement. It was customary in those days for the graduates to deliver orations as a part of the graduating exercises. That year there were not enough graduates to make up a program. So several undergraduate students were placed on the program just to make it a respectable length. Mr. Whitwam was discouraged, and so was the Board. He refused to try to "carry on" for another year. It was difficult to find a president. But after casting about for some time, a head for the institution was found m the person of Rev. Isaiah ViUars, D. D., who was a man of mature experience in the pastorate, some recognition on the lecture platform, and was the author of several books. At that time there was much talk of the college closing its doors permanently for lack of means to finance it. There was a heavy mortgage on the property, and the holder talked of foreclosing. But when Dr. Villars agreed to take hold of the enterprise, John M. Chamberlin, Henry Seiter, and a few others of the friends of the college aroused a bit of enthusiasm, put up some money for repairs, made the students feel as tho there was still a future for the institution, and the prospects for the next year began to look a little better.

FRANKLIN n. CARSON Franklin Benjamin Carson was born at Hoyleton. Illinois, October 10, 1866. His home was at Richview during the years he was at McKendree. He was a member of the Platonian Society. He received the A. B. degree. After his graduation, he engaged in teaching and taught for a number of years in Chicago, where he has since resided. He is a member of the Methodist Church and unmarried.

MRS. ESTHER ROf^KWELL MAUCK Esther Viola Rockwell was born at Alhambra, Illinois, August 15, i86i. She entered McKendree in 1884 and received her B. S. degree in 1887. She was a member of Clio. Her sister and three brothers were all students in McKendree. Two of her brothers graduated. She taught school for a time and then was married to J. G. Young, of Pueblo, Colorado, in January, 1891. She was widowed by his death in June, 1898. Her second marriage was to Marshall Mauck, of Poseyville, Indiana, in February, 1904. Her home has been at Poseyville ever since. She has one son, James Wilson Young, born in 1897. She was reared in the Methodist Church, but is now a member of the Presbyterian.

The law graduates of that year were Ira W. Foltz, Samuel Slade, and Fernando E. Torbut. As stated above, these men were not at the commencement of 1887. All except one had previously received Bachelor's degrees and their sketches are given elsewhere.

There were also three D. D. degrees given that year: one to Rev. J. C. Buel, of the Michigan Conference; one to Rev. Thomas A. Eaton, a member of the Southern Illinois Conference and a graduate of McKendree. His sketch appears elsewhere m this work. The ether was to Rev. James L. Wallar, who was born in Vermont in 1819. He entered the ministry in 1866 and after a long and useful career in the Southern Illinois Conference, died at Centralia in 1901.

At the commencement of 1887, there was an address by Rev. Dr. Adna B. Leonard, who was long Missionary Sec retary of the Methodist Church. The following year he was a candidate for Governor of Ohio on the Prohibition ticket. He was a man of great influence in the Methodist Church and his son became a bishop. And another address was delivered by Dr. Arthur Edwards, editor of the Northwestern Christian Advocate. The most of the faculty left at the close of this year, as it had the preceding. In order to get teachers at all, it became necessary to gi anntee the small salary which they promised to pay. That meant a strong probability of running the institution still further in debt, but it seemed the only practical way. The new faculty consisted of Rev. Isaiah ViUars, D. D., President, and Professors Albert G Jepson, Edwin C. Ferguson, William W. Edwards, and Ed' ward B. Waggoner. The last two, who were graduates of McKendree, are already written up in this work. The others will be presented in the next chapter.