The Denominational College

Abstract

H T ISTORICALLY, denominational college has played a most important part in field of higher education in America. It was only college that early America knew. It was a liberal-arts college, a new institution in a new world, distinctly an American contribution to educational organization. It was established with avowed intention of preparing Christian ministers and perpetuating Christian purposes. Under positive religious controls, it was outstanding agency employed by church and state to assure future of a competent leadership, both consecrated and trained. It was the missionary of higher education in a rude land in which State could not provide adequate culture its youth, writes Hickman. Yale, founded in I701, was third of these colleges in chronological order. Its charter declared its purpose to be that of preparing young men for public employment, both in church and civic state. Specific Christian purposes were set forth in charters of all these colleges founded before Revolution, with single exception of institution that later became University of Pennsylvania. In I8I6, legislature of New Hampshire attempted to transform Dartmouth College into a state university. In i8i9, Supreme Court of United States rendered decision in case which guaranteed perpetuity of endowments higher education. This gave impetus to establishment of schools and colleges by churches, and many of them were founded during period from i820 to i88o, appropriately named the period of great denominational effort. The Christian church was practically only agency that maintained institutions of higher learning up to Civil War. Only I 7 of 246 colleges existing in I8 6o were state institutions. More than 90 per cent of all college and university graduates came from institutions founded by church. As late as I 870 total enrollment in all state institutions was only about six thousand students. Since i8 8o a new era has dawned. The state has increasingly expanded its efforts in higher education, and from about i885 to present time remarkable progress has been observed in establishment of state schools and in efficiency of their work. Increased financial support and other essential provisions have made it