Milsap, Kenneth F

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Masthead Logo The Palimpsest
Volume 31 | Number 8 Article 3
8-1-1950
The First Quarter Century
Kenneth F. Milsap
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Milsap, Kenneth F. "The First Quarter Century." The Palimpsest 31 (1950), 289-297.
Available at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/palimpsest/vol31/iss8/3
The First Quarter Century
The first structure on the Parsons campus, the 
stately two-story brick home of Bernhart Henn, 
was known for many years as the “Mansion/’ In 
this building Parsons College was officially 
opened on September 8, 1875. The two east rooms 
served both as a chapel and as study and recita­
tion rooms. The ceremonies were opened with 
prayer and the reading of Scripture, followed by a 
few brief addresses. The three members of the 
faculty — the Reverend Alexander G. Wilson, 
the Reverend Albert McCalla, and the Reverend 
John Armstrong — were present, and the Board 
of Trustees was represented by the Reverend 
Willis G. Craig, William Elliott, and Judge 
Charles Negus, the latter administering the oath 
of office to the faculty. This was followed by an 
examination of prospective students.
The enrollment at the end of the first day was 
thirty-four; by the end of the first week it had in­
creased to forty-three; eventually it totaled sixty- 
three for the year. Of the thirty-four students 
present on the first day, five were to become Par­
sons College alumni. R. B. Louden was the first 
student to pay tuition.
Parsons College consisted of two divisions in
289
290 THE PALIMPSEST
1875 — a three-year preparatory or academical 
department, and a four-year collegiate depart­
ment. Of the thirty-four students who applied for 
admission to the school on the opening day, all but 
one were assigned to the preparatory department.
In the college department students had a choice 
of two regular courses of study — classical or sci­
entific. An A. B. degree was to be granted in the 
classical section, an S. B. degree in the scientific. 
The only difference between the two courses, how­
ever, was that Greek was the language required 
for the classical section while German was stipu­
lated for those in the scientific division.
All students were required to take courses in 
Biblical instruction, English, mathematics, Latin, 
natural science, physics, political science, and 
mental science, the latter including philosophy and 
psychology. Students could also enroll within the 
collegiate department for ‘‘Partial Courses," tak­
ing only those subjects for which they were pre­
pared. After passing the required examinations, 
these students were entitled to a certificate for the 
courses taken, but not a diploma. The college 
authorities stated that students must take sufficient 
courses to ‘‘prevent idleness" and must attend re­
ligious exercises. A normal course was also pro­
vided, but instruction in the ‘‘Theory and Practice 
of Teaching" was given only to seniors.
Electives for juniors and seniors were not of­
fered until 1878. In the classical course, the elec-
THE FIRST QUARTER CENTURY 291
tives consisted of additional work in Latin, Greek, 
French, and German; later, Hebrew and special 
laboratory work in science were provided. The 
first electives in the scientific course consisted of 
studies in Latin, French, and mineralogy, with 
English and special laboratory work added later.
In 1879 the Board of Trustees provided for a 
chair of Greek language, a lecturer in the history 
of philosophy, and an instructor in logic. In Sep­
tember of the same year a department of music 
was opened. The chair of physics and natural sci­
ence was divided in 1882: the physics section 
consisting of natural philosophy, chemistry, as­
tronomy, and allied sciences; while the chair of 
natural science offered courses in physiology, 
geology, botany, zoology, and related sciences. It 
was not until 1883 that biology was offered in the 
science curriculum at Parsons. In the 1884-1885 
catalogue, the natural sciences included biology, 
physical geography, botany, zoology, and geol­
ogy. The physical sciences offered courses in 
astronomy, elementary philosophy, chemistry, 
physics, and qualitative analysis.
These courses were taught by a faculty consist­
ing of college men who devoted their entire efforts 
to the school in order to make the first year of 
Parsons College a successful one. The Reverend 
Alexander G. Wilson, Rector of the Academical 
Department, was a graduate of Jefferson College 
(now Washington and Jefferson) at Washington,
292 THE PALIMPSEST
Pennsylvania, and the Theological Seminary of 
the Northwest at Chicago. Not only had Wilson 
won distinction as a minister, but he was recog­
nized as a capable educator.
The Reverend Albert McCalla, a graduate of 
Monmouth College and Union Theological Semi­
nary, taught all of the science courses. If McCalla 
had a weakness, it was that his teaching methods 
did not fit into the accepted pattern of that time. 
He was so imbued with his subject material that he 
could not stay within the confines of the textbook.
Professor John Armstrong taught the Bible 
courses, English, and Biblical history. While per­
haps not of the most scholarly turn of mind, he 
exhibited an interest in the students and as a result 
stimulated hard work on their part. Armstrong, 
who possessed independent sources of income, 
was not paid any regular salary and accepted an 
instructorship only because the teaching had to be 
performed and money was not readily available to 
employ an additional professor.
These three men continued to represent the en­
tire faculty until 1876 when it became apparent 
that the teaching staff would have to be enlarged. 
At the June meeting, the Board of Trustees de­
cided to employ C. L. Stevens as a “tutor” in nat­
ural science at a salary of $850 a year. Stevens, 
who was to graduate from Lafayette College as an 
analytical chemist, taught not only natural science 
classes, but also any other studies the faculty
THE FIRST QUARTER CENTURY 293
might decide were necessary. Although the 
course of study at Parsons was originally almost 
wholly classical, within the first year the faculty 
realized that courses in science were necessary. 
The employment of Stevens was the first indica­
tion that science was to be considered essential in 
college training. Provision was also made to em­
ploy a student, Henri G. Behoteguy, as tutor in 
French, and Dr. R. J. Mohr, a local physician, as 
a lecturer in physiology.
Administrative problems also confronted the 
new school. The question of having a president 
at the head of the college was raised in 1877. 
Since it did not appear quite proper to have the 
Rector of the Preparatory Department serving in 
that capacity, Professor John Armstrong was se­
lected as the first president, but the Board asked 
Rector Wilson to preside at all faculty meetings 
and to take charge of the college in the absence of 
the president. When Armstrong accepted the ap­
pointment, Wilson presented his resignation but 
magnanimously consented to remain for a short 
period of time, staying on for two years.
Meanwhile, Parsons was experiencing financial 
difficulties. The college deficit reached $2,000 in 
1878, and the Board decided that either salaries 
or the staff would have to be reduced. The latter 
course was adopted, and C. L. Stevens of the nat­
ural science division was released. President 
Armstrong regretted the loss of Stevens, since he
294 THE PALIMPSEST
had been a valuable addition to the teaching staff. 
However, either course of action outlined by the 
Board could invite educational disaster, since the 
reducing of salaries would compel instructors to 
leave, while releasing a competent man would 
undermine the stability of the entire faculty. In 
June, 1879, the Board, in attempting to make 
amends for its action of the previous year, com­
mended the faculty which “with a decreased 
teaching force has conducted an increased number 
of classes and recitations.” At the same meeting, 
the Board recommended the Reverend J. Rogers 
Wilson of Erie, Pennsylvania, for the new chair 
of Greek, at a salary of $1,000 per year. In addi­
tion, James Young, of Keokuk, was appointed a 
lecturer on the history of philosophy, and the Rev­
erend J. M. Howell, of Fairfield, was to give in­
struction in logic.
After serving only two years as president of 
Parsons College, Armstrong died on August 12, 
1879, and was buried on the campus. A fortnight 
later the Reverend Erastus Judd Gillett was 
named president for a one-year term. Gillett, then 
living in retirement at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, 
had served as a member of the faculty and later as 
Dean of the Medical College at Keokuk. He ac­
cepted the one-year appointment without salary 
and proved to be a highly satisfactory educational 
administrator.
The committee to nominate a new president pre-
sented the name of the Reverend Thomas D. 
Ewing. A graduate of Washington and Jefferson 
College and the Western Seminary, Ewing had 
been pastor of a Presbyterian Church in Pennsyl­
vania for sixteen years, and was destined to serve 
as president of Parsons and as pastor of the Fair- 
field Presbyterian Church for the next five years. 
It then became necessary for Dr. Ewing to give all 
of his time to the administrative duties of Parsons 
College.
The first formal inauguration of a president of 
Parsons College was that of Dr. Ewing on Sep­
tember 14, 1880. Linder Ewing’s presidency, 
Parsons College was to witness the issuing of the 
first number of the student publication, The Port- 
folio, the beginning of the Young Men’s Christian 
Association, the building of an addition on the 
west side of the chapel, and the division of the de­
partment of physics and natural science.
In 1883 Parsons College decided to conform 
with the practice of other colleges by offering a 
Master of Arts or a Master of Science degree. 
These degrees were offered, upon application, to 
graduates of three years standing who were en­
gaged in “literary, scientific, or professional pur­
suits’’ and who were deemed worthy by the fac­
ulty. It soon became evident that this system of 
granting advanced degrees was being abused. 
Diplomas could be procured at a minimum of cost 
and effort to the recipient. In 1895 the conditions
THE FIRST QUARTER CENTURY 295
296 THE PALIMPSEST
under which such degrees were granted were 
changed by limiting the number to be conferred 
and by requiring additional reading and study 
under the direction of the faculty, some of which 
had to be done in residence by the student. This 
system continued until 1906 when the conferring 
of advanced degrees was eliminated.
After nine years of association with Parsons 
College, President Ewing resigned in June of 
1889 and became pastor of the Presbyterian 
Church at Corning, Iowa. The Reverend Am­
brose C. Smith, fifth president of Parsons, was the 
fourth successive president to study at Washing­
ton and Jefferson College, graduating in 1861. He 
served as pastor of the South Presbyterian Church 
of Galena from 1866 to 1889, when he was called 
to Parsons. In his inaugural address, Smith de­
clared the threefold aim of Parsons College was 
“To give scholarship; to give broad, practical 
training; to give Christian culture.” Linder his ad­
ministration Ankeny Hall was completed, and 
Alumni Field readied for athletic engagements.
In 1896 President Smith resigned because of ill 
health. His successor, the Reverend Daniel Ed­
ward Jenkins, was but thirty years old when se­
lected president of Parsons in July, 1896. Born in 
Wales, Jenkins had spent his boyhood and youth 
in America. He received his A. B. degree from the 
University of Melbourne, Australia, and studied 
theology in Melbourne and at Princeton Seminary,
THE FIRST QUARTER CENTURY 297
where he graduated in 1891. His first and only 
pastorate was at New London, Pennsylvania.
President Jenkins’ administration at Parsons 
(1896-1900) marks a period of transition during 
which old methods and philosophies were giving 
way to the new. A curriculum committee of 1897 
suggested eight changes, all originally proposed 
by the faculty, and each designed to bring the col­
lege closer to the accepted educational policy of 
the day. More elective courses were introduced in 
most departments and sociology was added and 
first taught by President Jenkins in addition to a 
long list of other subjects. The Board also allowed 
the employment of a special instructor in English 
and history for subjects formerly not taught by a 
trained specialist. As a result of these changes, 
friction increased and in 1900 President Jenkins 
resigned, subsequently to become president of the 
new University of Omaha. Parsons entered the 
new century under a new president.


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