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Presidents Armstrong and McDonald Succumb Dur ing Administrations Two presidents of Parsons college die while serving the interests of the college. During the pres idencies of ten men, the college has grown and developed from a school with a small enrollment in liberal arts courses to an institution of 500 students. President Armstrong Dr. John Armstrong was the first president of Parsons. On June 29, 1877, he was elected to the pres idency. Previous to this time he had been financial agent for the college and professor of history, English and philosophy. At thhe time Dr. Armstrong was president, Parsons had 102 students enrolled in college and academy with an average cost of $38.52 per student. August 12, 1879, after a short ill ness, President Armstrong passe away. The wish of all concerted was that the remains might be bur ied on the campus. He was laid to rest in the midst of the scenes which he loved so well. Over the spot Mrs. Armstrong erected the monument which marks the grave. President Gillett August 27, 1879, the Board of Trustees elected Rev. Erastus and Gillett, D. D. as president for one year to succeed President Arm strong. Dr. Gillett was living in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in retire ment. For years he had been as sociated with the medical college at Keokuk, Iowa, as a chemist and for a time was he dean. In Sep tember, 1879, shortly after the com ing of President Gillett, a depart ment of music was opened in the college. Dr. Gillett’s life came to its close at the home of his daugh ter in Council Buffs, Iowa, Novem ber 7, 1882. President Ewing wed president July 27, 1900. He had been a member of the board of trustees of the college for the pre ceding four years. Dr. Hinitt was a native of England, but received his education in the United States He was graduated from Westminis [ter college, Fulton, Mo., with the class of 1889 and from McCormick seminary in 1892. After serving the Presbyterian church at Warretts burg, Mo., for three years, he ac cepted a call to the First Presby terian church of Ottumwa in 1895. He became a member of the board of trustees of Parsons in 1896. Dr. Hinitt entered upon his labors as president in 1900. The corner stone of Ballard hall was laid April §, 1901 and opened for students the following fall. The total cost for building and furnishing was $17, 603. In the night of August 19, 1902, Ankeny hall was destroyed by fire. The years passed in the midst of the activities of rebuild ing and establishing Parsons until the spring of 1904, when President Hinitt presented his resignation and became the president of Cen ter college, Danville, Ky. Dr. Hin itt continued in the presidency of Center college until 1915 when he was called to the same position at Washington and Jefferson college, remaining until 1918. He then be gan a ministry in the Presbyterian church at Indiana, Pa. President Parsons The successor to President Hin itt was Rev. Willis Edwards Par sons, D. D. He was elected in July 1904. Dr. Parsons is the grandson fof the founder of the college. He was graduated from Olivet college, Michigan, with the class of 1881 and from Princeton seminary in 1884. His first pastorate was for nine years at Albion, Michigan. In 1893 he was called to the First Presbyterian church of Danville, Ti., where he remained for 11 years until called to Parsons, Bar hydt chapel, Trustee gymnasium and the Carnegie library were all erected during his presidency. June, 1913, President Parsons clos ed the nine years of his adminis tration. Dr. Parsons now lives in Tryon, N.C. President McAfee Lowell M. McAfee was chosen as successor to Dr. Parsons. Dr. Mc Afee is the son of Dr. John M. Mc Afee, the founder and president of Park college. President McAfee terminated his connection with the college in June, 1916. While his administration was short he ac complished some valuable results in the conduct of the institution and his service has been wrought into the life and texture of Par sons for its lasting strength and beauty. The board failing to find the man to succeed Dr. McAfee placed se administration of the college in the hands of a committee of three from the faculty. The chair man of the committee was Dean William A. Wirtz. The third President was Rev. Thomas D. Ewing, D. D. He had been for sixteen years the successful pastor of the Presbyterian church at Kittanning, Pa. He was a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College in the class of 1860 and of the West ern Seminary in 1864. The Presby terian church of Fairfield united with the college in calling Dr. Ewing, as he was to serve as pastor of the church as well as president of the college. This combination worked well for a time, but after five years it was discontinued, and all his time was given to the college. In June, 1889, after nine fruitful years of ad ministration, President Ewing left Parsons and went to the pastorate of the Presbyterian church at Corning. He later became principal of the Corning Academy. He died In July, 1905, President Smith On June 4, 1889, the Board of Trus tees elected Rev. Ambrose C. Smith, D. D. of Galena, Illinois, to be the president. He left Jefferson College with the close of 1861 and entered Princeton Seminary, from which he was graduated in 1865. In 1866 he was called to the pastorate of the South Presbyterian church of Galena, where he remained for three years. It was during Dr. Smith's years as president that Ateny Hall was for mally opened. The later years of President Smith's connection with the college were spent in ill health. In 1896 he resigned, after seven years of faithful service to Parsons. Dr. Smith's last years were spent with his sons, and his death occurred November 1, 1919, at the home of his son, Dr. H.S. Smith, Ishpeming, Michigan. President Jenkins Rev. David Edward Jenking was called to the presidency of Parsons When but thirty years of age. Born in Wales, his boyhood and youth spent in America, two years at the College of Wooster, his A. B. degree received from the University of Mel bourne, Australia, one year in Theo logy in Melbourne, and two years at Princeton Seminary. He was gradu ated from Princeton with the class of 1991. His first and only pastorate was New London, Pennsylvania Which lasted for five years. He was elected as President of Parsons July 1896. At the close of his fourth year as president, he resigned. The following autumn he became profes sor of Theology in the Presbyterian Seminary at Omaha, and in 1909 was elected as President of the new Uni versity of Omaha, he still holds President Hinitt In seeking a successor to Dr Jenkins, the choice of the board fell upon the Rev. Frederick W. Hinitt of Ottumwa, Iowa, and he was elec President Montgomery After a year without a president the Board of Trustees in June 1917, extended a call to Rev. R. Ames aren D. D., pastor of Tyler ace Presbyterian church, St. Louis, Missouri, to the presidency. Dr. Montgomery is an alumnus of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and of Mc Cormick Seminary, from which he was graduated in 1896. Dr. Mont gomery was a trustee of Parsons, having been elected in June 1909, while pastor of the First Presbyter ian church, Ottumwa. In the sum mer of 1915 Parsons had its first summer session. In the early months of 1922 President Montgomery re ceived an urgent call to the presi dency of Center College, Danville, Kentucky. Dr. Montgomery is now president of Lang Theological Semi nary, in Cinn. President McDonald Dr. Howard McDonald, dean of the college and instructor of history and economics at that time, was the logi cal man to fill the vacancy. During his term of presidency which was terminated Saturday evening by death he saw the college roll double in number of students and the Bible en dowment. With three full time instruc tors employed successfully complet ed. Mountain Gasoline and oils lead wherever sold. Wapello Oil Com pany, distributors, Fairfield. In, 1541! Monument of First President
Newspaper Details
Fairfield Weekly Ledger Journal
Fairfield, Iowa, US
Thu, Jul 14, 1927
Page 14
Full Page
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