LITERARY AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS FOR THE WEST.
Colleges;—Statistical Sketches of each Denomination;—Roman Catholics;—Field for effort,
and progress made.
In giving a sketch of literary and religious institutions in the West, the very limited space remaining to be occupied in this work, compels me to throw together a few general facts only. The author has made some progress in collecting materials, and he designs to prepare another work soon, in which a variety of particulars and sketches will be given of the early history, progress of literary and religious institutions, colleges, seminaries, churches, Bible, Sunday school, education and other kindred societies in the Western Valley, with the present aspect of each denomination of Christians. The interest taken in the affairs of the West, and the anxiety evinced by the community for facts and particulars on those subjects, demand that they should be treated more in detail than the limits of this Guide will allow.
Western Pennsylvania—Has Jefferson College, at Canonsburgh, which the Presbyterians originated in 1802, from the first grammar school ever established by Protestants west of the Alleghany mountains. Graduates, in 1835, 46; new students admitted, 75; present No. 230, (including the preparatory department,) of which 135 profess religion. Course of mathematics and physical sciences greatly extended, with practical application to civil engineering. Instruction provided in Hebrew, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, and Italian:—provision for manual labor.—Expenses moderate.
Washington College, at Washington, Pa., also connected with the Presbyterian denomination, founded in 1806;—had 140 students in 1832. Alleghany College at Meadville, was founded in 1815, by Rev. T. Alden, has a valuable library of 8000 volumes, principally the donation of the late Rev. Dr. Bentley, of Salem, Mass., a distinguished benefactor of this institution. The college did not flourish for some years, and it is now transferred to the Methodist Episcopal church, and is under charge of the Pittsburg Conference. It now promises to be successful.
The Western University of Pennsylvania was founded in 1820. The number of graduates, in 1832, was 50; of under graduates in all departments, 70. A beautiful college edifice has been erected in the western part of Pittsburg, for this institution. There is no collegiate institution in Western Virginia.
Ohio.—Ohio University, at Athens, was founded in 1802;—has an endowment of 46,030 acres of land, which yields $2,300 annually. A large and elegant edifice of brick was erected in 1817. The number of students about 90. Miami University, was founded in 1824, and is a flourishing institution at Oxford, Butler county, 37 miles from Cincinnati. It possesses the township of land in which it is situated, and from which it receives an income of about $5000. Number of students about 200. Patronized by Presbyterians. The Cincinnati College was incorporated in 1819, continued to be sustained as a classical institution for some years, and then suspended operations. It has been revived and re-organized lately, and will probably be sustained. Kenyon College, at Gambier, Knox county, in a central part of the State, was established in 1828, through the efforts of Rev. Philander Chase, then bishop of the Ohio Diocess, who obtained about $30,000 in England to endow it. Its chief patrons were those excellent British noblemen, Lords Kenyon and Gambier. It is under Episcopal jurisdiction, and has a theological department, for the education of candidates for the ministry in the Episcopal church. It has about 150 students. Western Reserve College is at Hudson. It was founded by Presbyterians and Congregationalists in 1826, and has 82 students in all its departments. Franklin College is in New Athens, Harrison county, on the eastern side of the State, and has about 50 students. The Granville Literary and Theological Institution originated under patronage of the Baptist denomination in 1831. It is designed to embrace four departments,—preparatory, English, collegiate, and theological. It is rapidly rising, and contains more than 100 students. Oberlin Institute has been recently established in Lorain county, under the influence of "new measure" Presbyterians, with four departments, and has 276 students, as follows: In the theological department, 35; collegiate, 37; preparatory, 31; female, 73. The citizens of Cleveland have recently contributed to it $15,000, of which six persons gave $1000 each. The Willibough Collegiate Institute is in the lake country of Ohio, and has been gotten up within a few years past. The Marietta Collegiate Institute is said to be a flourishing and respectable institution, having a large number of students in various departments.
Indiana.—Indiana college is a State institution, established at Bloomington, and commenced operations in 1828. Present number of students not known. In 1832 the number exceeded 50.
Hanover College is at South Hanover, six miles below the town of Madison, and near the Ohio river. It is a flourishing institution, with arrangements for manual labor, and is styled "South Hanover College and Indiana Theological Seminary." The number of students exceed 100. Wabash College, at Crawfordsville, has just commenced operations under auspicious circumstances. Under patronage of the Presbyterians.