St. Clair County, Illinois - Chapter 35, 1928

Chapter 35

^^w'hen Rev. Cameron Harmon was elected President ill of McKendree, March 28, 1923, it was the fourth time that one of her own sons had been called to the helm to guide the destinies of the old college. The other McKendree graduates who became presidents were Daniel W. Phillips, class of "62, McKendree H. Chamberlin, '=;g, and George E. McCammon, "94. The present incumbent is a member of the class of 1903,. Cameron Harmon is a member of a pioneer family whose ancestry can be traced back on his father's side to the German Moravians, and on his moth' er"s, to the old Scotch Covenanters. He was born m City County, Ilhnois, April 17, 1876. He grew up on a farm, where he developed a splendid physique and where so many of our national leaders originated. He first entered McKendree in 1895, but did not find it practicable to pursue his college course to the end without interruption. He dropped out to teach a district school in order to pay expenses. He also took time out to serve eighteen months in the Spanish- American War. After many interesting experiences in Cuba, when the war was over he returned home, by way of New York City, and the next fall he resumed his work at Mc- Kendree. He was interested in athletics and was captain of the McKendree foot ball team for four seasons, and was also active in the work of the Platonian Literary Society. He was graduated in the class of 1903, receiving the degree of A. B. In 1916 his Alma Mater conferred upon him the degree of D. D., and in 1927, that of LL. D. Probably he had in mind to enter the ministry even before he ever came to McKendree. At any rate, he was serving student charges before he was through his college course, and in September after his graduation, he joined the Southern Illinois Conference. On the 23rd of December the same year, he was married to Miss Nina May Large, of Lebanon, who was his fellow student in McKendree for some time. She was his helper in the ministry until her death in October, 1908. She left two daughters, Dorothy Elizabeth and Nina May. The elder of these IS now a teacher in the Belleville High School and the other is a Student in McKendree. Two years later, Mr. Harmon was married to Miss Ruby Wilson, daughter of Judge Wilson, of McLeansboro. They have one daughter, Marian, who IS a student in the Lebanon High School. While a pastor, he led in a number of church building enterprises, notably at Granite City, McLeansboro, and Murphysboro. He also secured the payment of the long standing debt on First Church,

East St. Louis. He entertained the Annual Conference at McLeansboro in 1908, and at Murphysboro in 1913. He was president of the Mt. Carmel District Epworth League, and for four years was Conference League President. He was also a member of the Illinois State League Cabinet, and several years superintendent of the Quiver Lake Chautauqua, at Havana, Illinois. He is a member of the following fraternal orders: Masons, Odd Fellows, and Knights of Pythias. He IS a prominent Rotanan and the founder ot the Lebanon Rotary Club. He was elected District Governor in 1928. He was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention at San Francisco in 1920, and was offered the nomination as a candidate for Congress, but "did not choose to run." He was chosen at the head of the delegation to represent his conference in the general conference at Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1924, and was again chosen as a delegate to the one of 1928 at Kansas City. His career as a college president began when he was chosen President of the Missouri Wesleyan, at Cameron, Missouri, in 1917. That institution experienced a great expansion during the five year period that he was in charge of it. When McKendree's Board met in March, 1923, to elect a president, other names were mentioned as possibilities, but Dr. Harmon was chosen by an almost unanimous vote on the first ballot. He had already resigned from the Missouri Wesleyan and was serving as pastor of First Church, St. Joseph, Missouri, when he was chosen President of McKendree. He had always held his Alma Mater in great reverence and considered it an opportunity to serve her interests if he should become president. He therefore immediately accepted the position and in a few days was on duty.

When Dr. Harmon took charge, the Academy had already been abolished the year before, on account of the fact that Southern Illinois had become so well supplied with high schools that there was not enough demand for secondary work at the college to enable the academy to pay the expense of its maintenance. The enrollment at the close of the year 1922-23 showed a total of 116 students in the regular college classes, and twenty-one in music. In Dr. Harmon's third year, the number in the college classes was exactly twice what It was when he came, while the summary for the year 1927-28, the centennial year shows a total of 408, including the music students. Dr. Harmon took charge of affairs immediately and proceeded as a veteran m the service, but when

President Harmon-S Inauguration

It was held in October, 1933, and was a "Home Coming Day" for old McKendreans. It was ideal autumn weather and McKendree's campus was gorgeous in its many tinted autumn leaves. There was a foot ball game on Hypes Field in the forenoon, in which McKendree defeated Lincoln. The inauguration service was at two p. m. Dr. Claude C. Hall, president of the Board of Trustees, presided. After the opening devotions, Dr. Hall gave his official charge to Dr. Harmon as president of the college. He charged the new president to make the college form the minds and lives of the young people so they will be returned to practical life, an asset to our constituency, an honor to the college. Said he, "Mc- Kendree must not fail. To you we commit the youth of Southern Illinois, and may God bless you and the college." With a few other remarks of similar import he concluded his address and called for the response from the presidentelect. Dr. Harmon came forward, being greeted with a rousing welcome, in which fluttering handkerchiefs were noticeable. He began with a rapid reference to the mighty men of the past and the place of the institution in the history of the West and beyond. He said in part: "The great souls who toiled earnestly in the founding of McKendree - Casad, Cartwright, McKendree, Ames, Akers, Hypes, Horner, and Merrill, would not despair of the wilderness. They had courage to believe that through the trackless wastes there would run highways for industry and commerce; that great states would be carved out of the boundless tracts; that populous cities would rise upon the plains and in the valley; that the wilderness would become subdued to the uses of ordered society; that homes, schools, and churches would penetrate the untutored West with the finest traditions of stability, culture, and religion. So on the very edge of civilization they founded this institution to further the ends of progress and Christian faith, trusting that future generations would be loyal enough to promote what they were brave enough to begin.

"Founded thus in the faith and courage of these pioneers, the college has contributed in no small degree to developing life of the great Middle West, and throughout its more than ninety-five years of existence has justified the sacrifices of its founders. They had in mind the perpetuation among their descendants of the traditions of culture, the promotion of good citizenship and more especially the enthroning of Christ in the lives of the leaders of church and state. These ends have been met in a large degree. Among the thousands of students who have attended the college, and more especially among the hundreds of the alumni, are many who have distinguished themselves as citizens and leaders in the various professions. The world around where human hearts have sought m darkness to find the light, McKendreans have been present to teach and lead in the way. At the call of Illinois, McKendree furnished leaders tried and true from the supreme bench to the executive chair; from the County Board to Legislative halls. At the call of our nation, McKendree's sons fought and led the way on the far-flung battle line where freedom's cause was weighed in the balances; others at our capitoi stood in the senate chamber and lower house, contributing out of hearts loyal and true to the enactment of laws for the betterment of mankind. So vast has been her contribution to the advancement of human weal, until surely in the court of the redeemed, multitudes shall rise up to call her blessed.

"In assuming the presidency of such an institution, I feel that I am under obligation to share with you, trustees, alumni, faculty, students, and friends, the consideration of some of the ideals which will help to shape the policies of the college of the future. * * * * * *

"There are hundreds of graduates and former students scattered over the world, who recall with tender memories the Christian lives and winsome personalities of the mighty souls who here lived and taught under the guidance of the Great Teacher of the centuries. Their splendid lives shall live and grow in the hearts of others long after they shall be no more. Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, I can do none other than to emphasize one of the guiding principles for the future - loyalty and fidelity to the past. This leads naturally to a kindred ideal without which no college could long survive, and that is loyalty and fidelity to the present. *** ***

"The founders of this college did not imagine that Christian education was a fixed quantum, but they did believe that however much the quantum might be increased, the quality would still be Christian. This I maintain above everything, our McKendree must be Christian. Warren G. Harding said, 'Christian education is essential to Christian citizenship and right civic leadership." President Eliot said, 'Exclude religion from education and you have no foundation upon which to build moral character.' Henry Churchill King said, 'Education and religion should be so woven together that each becomes a part of the other.' These and scores of other present, day leaders, thus speaking, speak wisely. The product of Christian education proves the contention. Hush every voice that has been heard m college halls, and silence would reign in the pulpit; the problems of men would be unsolved m the courts of our land; Congress Halls and Executive Chairs would silent stand without a message; the voice of command would be almost unheard on our battlefields and humanity would be undone for untold centuries to come. The travail of many generations would be upon us again ere the heights of this day should again be our own. The time has never been since God spoke this world into existence, that humanity so greatly needed the college man. *** *** ***

"Just at this time there rests on the college a responsibility which no tongue can tell. We have solicited and received the task of guiding over a perilous way, souls immortal, who are destined to mould and shape for weal or woe the tomorrow of a nation which occupies such a position of prominence as has never been before delegated to a single commonwealth.

"The serious question of this hour as I see it is simply this, have we produced and are we producing men and women capable, Atlas like, to bear the burdens of the whole world in this troubled hour? I maintain that the Christian College has bent its every effort to produce just such men and women as the world so needs this day, and the yesterday has not been in vain. May we note where the Christian College places emphasis touching the lives and activities of men in support of our high contentions. While we acknowledge that man must work in order to live, yet we maintain that living is not the chief aim of life, we teach that it is not a question of how long we live, but how well we live. In the development of life we should not go to money grubbing all the day long. That the daisied meadow adds as materially to life as the field of corn, that the orchard at full bloom carries value as truly as the orchard burdened with fruit; that we do not live by bread alone. That part of man which is destined to bless mankind, cannot feed and fatten through the food we eat. The real man lives in a field whose dome is more vast than one selfish life."

The above quotations are only brief extracts from Dr. Harmon's inaugural address. After he had finished, Bishop McDowell spoke. He said he was present because the "auburn-haired orator," Bishop Quayle, could not come, though he himself was a long-time friend of McKendree and was glad to be here on his own account. He had been here when President McKendree H. Chamberlin had put on his twentieth century campaign and many times since. Then turning to the new president, he said, "God bless you, President Harmon, in the sweetest occupation on earth, the guidance of the youth of the world." The Bishop's very interesting address closed with these words, "What has the community a right to expect from the college? The college must make a rich return in fine citizenship, without which the Republic cannot exist. The college must make the piety of the people vital. The college must keep the soul alive; it must keep the youth of the land loyal to Christ. It must set out to make the world richer - a rich place to live in. Southern Illinois is a thousand years in advance of what it was fifty years ago. Southern Illinois has a world duty. She must have the sense of civic duty. Southern Illinois must come to the help of God Almighty to make this a better world. May God make you. President Harmon, adequate to the great new day in which you live." After this there were a few closing remarks by Dr. Hall, the presiding officer, a prayer of dismissal by Dr. Spencer, Editor of the "Central Advocate," and another great day at McKendree was finished.

During Dr. Harmon's term, which has been about five years up to the present time, more than thirty new teachers have come into the faculty. Which means that almost that number have also gone out for one reason or another, for the faculty is not much larger than it was in 1923. There seems to be two elements in the McKendree teaching force. One of more or less permanence and the other transient. In the former class we might mention Professor E. B. Waggoner, who spent forty years in McKendree's faculty. Then there IS a trio in the faculty at present whose combined terms of service at McKendree amounts to ninety-eight years. If they all live and serve another year, they will pass the century mark. These are E. P. Baker, J. C. Dolley, and W. C. Walton. The other class may be found, to some extent at least, in the list we are about to give of teachers who have come into the faculty in the last five years. Of course some of these are still in the faculty and may belong to the permanent list, but many of them have already gone on to other fields. The list IS as follows. Constantine D. Calogeris, Mathematics; Belle M. Nixon, English; William E. Burns, Biology; Ruth C. Walton, Home Economics; Ross L. Large, Social Science; Noble P. Newsum, Social Science; J. Purdy Neel, History; Earl A. Davis, Athletic Director; Grant McDonald, Piano; Pauline Harper, Voice; Angela Buzard, Expression; Claude E. Vick, Education; Alleen Wilson, Librarian; David W. Shipp, English; Olive E. Patmore, Expression; Ernest R. Crisp, Spanish and English; Zella V. Brown, English; Wesley Charles Kettelkamp, History; J. Wendell Dunn, Physics, Glen F. Filley, Athletic Director; John George Rogers, Assistant Coach; Everett Jordan, Assistant Coach; Mrs. Minnie Phillips, House Mother; Maeryta D. Poole,

HOMECOMINGS A prominent and enjoyable feature of the recent years has been the annual homecoming which is generally held on some Saturday in October. Many McKendreans of other days assemble in the old chapel and recount the experiences of olden days when they were young and the future looked rosyhued to most of them. Then those who have only been away a year or two and will be sure to find some of their college chums still here, always enjoy coming back for a day. All the younger ones and some of the old ones take pleasure in watching the football game which always comes m the afternoon. And after that, those who do not feel that their obligations require them to hurry home at once, gather in their respective society halls and have a reunion of society fellowship and tell of the wonderful things that happened there in the days long gone and, in the eyes of some, time always adds luster to the achievements of the former days. Some of the old McKendree men have long careers following their college days. In the reunion of 1927 there were several whose college days began in the sixties, as E. B. Waggoner, W. F. Wilton, C. W. Bliss, and others. At the meeting of 1926, John D. Johnson, of St. Louis, was present and presented a receipt for tuition paid by him to the fiscal agent of McKendree, dated September, 1856, showing without question that he had been a student in the institution seventy years before.

A McKENDREE RE-UNION by W. A. Kelsoe Permit me to make a report of a little reunion of McKendreans in St. Louis last fall (1927). I had been down town and upon returning, I noticed a man on the sidewalk near the doorway whose face reminded me of an old college chum, a roommate of mine in the late sixties, at McKendree, whose name was Frank White. Yes, it was Frank, Mr. F. A. White, now of Los Angeles, California. He had already made flying visits to his old home towns in St. Clair County, Lebanon, Belleville, and Millstadt; and expected to start back to California the next day. He wanted to meet some of his old college friends in St. Louis, but might not be able to, as he was in the hands of other friends and relatives, notably the Wyllies, his wife having been a sister of John A. Wyllie, a noted leader among McKendree students sixty and more years ago, and later the head of the public schools of Lebanon, and the father of Dr. Barnett D. Wyllie, also a Mc- Kendrean and now the medical head of the St. Louis Public Schools.

Mr. White wanted to see his old friend, Louis Landau, the wholesale grocer, and it was arranged that he should make that visit immediately and come back to my office (workshop) the next afternoon. Later I called Mr. Landau on the phone and found that the two had spent a half hour together talking over their McKendree days.

At the appointed hour next day White arrived at my workshop and met there three other fellow students, friends of sixty, or nearly sixty, years ago - Robert W. Gartside, John C. McCoy, and William F. Ratcliff. I had twelve roommates in all at McKendree, and only two are now living. White and Gartside, and this was the only time I had ever met them together since we were all three in college together. One was a Plato, and the other a Philo, but I loved them both at McKendree and have never ceased to love them since. Gartside and I roomed together here in St. Louis in 1875. He and White have prospered and they look it. Both now have children and grandchildren. When they roomed with me in Lebanon, our home was at the Julia Wise boarding house, now occupied by the Eicher family. Mrs. Wise's three children all attended the college and the girls, Ella and Iva, married McKendreans, respectively, Charles Cannady and George Luther Brown. Charley Wise, the son, is now an Olney, 111. merchant. Mr. and Mrs. Brown graduated in the same class in 1878.

White and Gartside had other roommates at McKendree. White boarded with the Rankin family, the young ladies of the house being Kate and Annie (Mrs. J. S. Peach), and among White's roommates were Hon. J. Nick Perrin, who married a Lebanon girl, Miss McCoy, and Henry Ferguson, who married one of the founders of the Clionian Society - Miss Robinson, I think it was - from Bond County. Gartside had Mark Brady and Jim Bozza for roommates. The latter married Eva Lowery, the landlady's daughter, related by marriage to Llewelyn Calhoun, of the class of '76. James Primm White, Frank's brother, of Millstadt, was a McKendree student in the years 1863-1865. Mr. McCoy, now at the head of a prominent St. Louis jewelry store, never tires telling of the good old days at McKendree when he roomed at the famous "Buzzard's Roost," with Columbus Alonzo Keller, later Judge Keller, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, and San Antonio, Texas. McCoy has had a wonderful career, be- ginning down m Egypt, in Pope County, I believe. When he was a McKendree student late in the sixties, his home was at Godfrey, Illinois, which was also represented m Mc- Kendree by E. B. Waggoner, later for many years a teacher of Science in McKendree, and now in charge of the college museum. Mr. McCoy is seventy-eight now, but the honor of being the oldest member of our McKendree party fell to Mr. Ratcliff, born at OIney, Illinois, September 5, 1847. He was therefore nearly eight years older than the youngest, Mr. Gartside, who was born in St. Louis, May 18, iS-fi. Sixty years ago he lived at Alma, m St. Clair County. For his roommate at McKendree, Mr. Ratcliff had the president's son, Joe Allyn, of the class of 1870. Ratclitf was both student and teacher, having charge of the gymnasium and all indoor athletics. The president's family then occupied the old home of Governor French, on Belleville Street. Probably no reunion was ever more enjoyed than was ours that afternoon m a celebration of our college days at McKendree PUBLICITY METHODS

In his efforts to give the college abundant publicity, President Harmon travels thousands of miles every year, mostly by auto - and usually the auto is a Ford - visiting high schools, delivering commencement addresses, holding revival meetings, speaking at Teachers Institutes, dedicating churches, speaking on special occasions, and interviewing personally many hundreds of prospective students. There is a monthly bulletin published by the college and sent out free to a wide constituency, composed of Alumni, old students, friends, and those whom the college wishes to become its friends. The annual catalogue is one issue of this bulletin and it is issued in a large edition and sent out each year to every prospect whose name can be secured.

For some years a student who has had some experience in newspaper work, has been employed to furnish college news to many of the leading newspapers in the bounds of the Conference and in St. Louis. Each year about a hundred copies of the college annual, commonly known as "The Mc- Kendrean," are sent out to the principal high schools in our territory. During the summer vacation some special workers are always employed to cover our patronizing territory. During the summer of 1923, a male quartette of college graduates, who were former students in the Missouri Wesleyan, were employed for this purpose. They were excellent singers, and two of them readers. They travelled in a Ford and sang in the churches, at picnics, and various kinds of public gather' ings all over the conference.

The next summer .1 similar work was done by a McKendree quartette, composed of Harold Brown, Kenneth Rippel, Earl Hussong, and Lewis Peterson. This quartette gave splendid entertainments. They were regularly employed for two summers and did some work in a third. One summer some McKendree lady entertainers took the field. This team consisted of Miss Harper, who was the College Voice Teacher; Helen Colwell, pianist and organist; Mildred Adams, Vocalist; and Dorothy Harmon, Reader. One summer Paul Schuwerk, who had just been graduated from McKendree, spent the entire vacation period travelling around in a Ford and interviewing prospects. In the summer of 1927, a similar plan was followed, except that there were five canvassers, one for each of the five districts in the conference.

Improvements About The College

Many improvements have been made in the last five years. We take space to mention a few of them. One is a second addition to the gymnasium, adding a seating capacity of about four hundred, to accommodate the crowds who wish to see the basket ball games. Another is the enlargement of the athletic field by the addition of an acre of ground on the east, and the field was graded nearly to a level at a cost of about $4,000, and a new track built with a "straightaway" of two hundred and twenty yards. Also concrete bleachers have been constructed of sufficient capacity to accommodate the crowds that come to see the football games even on "Homecoming" days. A new concrete walk has been built on the campus, following the short cut of the busy people to the new corner entrance to the campus, which has been erected as a part of the Centennial observance.

A new heating furnace has been installed with greater capacity than any that has ever been on the campus before, and additional storage room for coal.

Another much needed improvement was made at the Christmas vacation when new seats were installed in the chapel. It is now seated with high grade opera chairs, which were the gift of a comparatively recent McKendrean who has been successful in business, but modestly refuses to allow his name to be mentioned in connection with the matter. The college museum which had attained respectable proportions as an interesting collection some years ago, but when the many changes in the buildings occurred about 1911, the space occupied by the museum was needed for other purposes. It was therefore dispossessed and scattered about in inconspicuous nooks and corners. Professor Waggoner has been appointed curator and is still engaged in the task of reassembling the scattered specimens, and arranging and classifying them in a room set apart for the purpose in the library building.

Another feature of the Centennial year has been a series of chapel lectures, held on the average once a week, usually on Tuesday mornings. On that day the class schedule is so modified as to allow an hour for chapel instead of the usual twenty minutes. The list of speakers so far as we have them at this writing is as follows: Warden Woelfle, of the Chester Penitentiary ; Rev. W. H. Whitlock, District Superintendent; Judge Albert Watson, of Mt. Vernon; Elder Jewell Howard, of First Christian Church, St. Louis; Branch Rickey, Business Manager of the Cardinals; Homer Rodeheaver, Billy Sunday's singer; Dr. Whitchurch, of Garrett Biblical Institute; Miss Doris Smith, Travelling Secretary of the Student Volunteer Movement; Rev. H. G. Beck, Pastor First M. E. Church, Mattoon; Rev. Merritt Souers, Pastor First Church, Alton; President W. J. Davidson, Illinois Wesleyan University; President E. E. Cutshall, of Iliff School of Theology; Rev. Carl Fritz, pastor at Mascoutah ; President Elliott, of Purdue University; Dr. N. P. Horn, of Epworth League Headquarters, Chicago; Bishop Frederick D. Leete, Indianapolis; Mr. George Elias, of Damascus, Syria; Ex-Senator Williams, of St. Louis; Ex-Congressman William D. Upshaw, of Atlanta, Georgia; Rev. Antonio Sartorio, of New York.

The Class Of 192.3 The Class Of 1921

Haase, George Karl Adolph, A. B., Pastor Central 111. Conf. Harmon, Marion Irene, A. B., fMrs. PlaterJ Milwaukee,Wis. Hendrix, Arthur Warren, A. B., Pastor Toledo

Shipp, David Warner, A. B., Educator Seabright, N. J. Spreckelmeyer, Orville Richard, A. B., Pastor Evanston Tressler, Mary Agnes, A. B., Educator Creal Springs

The Class Of 1927

THE CLASS OF 1927 Adair, Dorothy Dee, B. S., [Mrs. Robert Adair] St. Louis Adams, Mildred Ann, A. B., Voice Student E. St. Louis Brown, Harry Edwin, A. B., Pastor Windsor, N. J.

Grieve, Jesselyn Louise, A. B., Educator Creal Springs Hall, John Crow, A. B., Educator Hopper, William Edward, B. S., Educator Horner, Ethel Eugenia, A. B., Educator Hortin, Loren Jos-ph, A. B., Educator Hoye, Alice Gertrude, A. B., Educator Isom, John Malvern, A. B., Educator Liu, Pinghon Chang, A. B., Student Magill, Guy Nelson, B. S., Educator Magill, Luther Mayo, A. B., Educator McGeehon, Evelyn Elizabeth, A. B., fMrs. Julius Schalter]

The Senior Class 1928 Honorary Degrees

HONORARY DEGREES All the degrees indicated in this list were conferred by McKendree except M. D., which is inserted to indicate the holder's occupation. The date before the name is the year the degree was conferred. A star after a name indicates deceased.

Book Iii

'dny readers pass over a preface with but a cursory glance, yet It frequently contains important information. This one is inserted for the purpose of explaining certain matters concerning the historical record contained in the hoo}{. One important point is the greatly reduced content of the history of the county. After the wor}{ was well along and a prospectus had been published, indicating many interesting things that were to be included in it, the committee in charge of the business management of the Centennial History, for good and sufficient reasons, changed the plan of the boo}{and reduced the space allowed for St. Clair County to less than half of what was originally intended. This necessitated the omission of many pages of subject matter which we believe would have been of interest to ynany readers. The early history of the county, which is almost identical with the early history of the state of Illinois, is presented with some degree of thoroughness, but the later records had to be so much abbreviated that there was not space even to mention some of the smaller towns and villages which St. Clair County contains, though it is a matter of regret that any of them should be omitted. The writer does not claim any originality in presenting this brief story, for he has made free use of all the records available which have been left by previous historians.

We here record our gratitude to those ivho have so \indly assisted us in gathering material. We have endeavored to be accurate in the statement of facts, but sometimes authorities were in conflict and we were compelled to choose between them. We therefore bespeak^ the \indly judgment of the critical reader of history.