A History of Colgate University 1819-1969

              University. In 1912 the theological semi­nary
was removed to Rochester.
Extracurricular activities assumed greater
importance with the years- fraternities,
sports, class rivalry, various activities all
contributed to " campus spirit." On the aca­demic
side the faculty moved boldly to in­itiate
the famed Colgate Plan- a system of
broad survey courses combined with semi­nars
and independent study in selected fields
of concentration.
The modern era is, perhaps, too " close to
our own times to be viewed in proper per ·
spective." Professor Williams has provided
in his closing chapters an " outline of
events" that tells the story in all its vitality.
d History of Colgate University is a book
highly relevant to our own troubled times.
The failures and Sllccesses, the troubles and
tranquillities, of an earlier age have much
meaning for contemporary alumni, stud­ents
and faculty. As a bonus, the many il­lustrations
provide a microhistory of the
American male's changing styles in hirsute
adornment.
With 120 photographs
Howard D. ' Villiams' life has been closely
tied to Colgate University for over forty
years. A native of Rome, New York, he
graduated with the Class of 1930. He reo
ceived the A. M. degree from Harvard in
1931 and returned to Colgate to teach his­tory
the next year. Professor \ Vil1iams was
in the Army Air Force during World War
II, after which he earned another advanced
degree from Harvard, the Ph. D. in 1949.
Dr. Williams lives with his wife in Hamil­ton,
near his Alma Mater, where he holds
the positions of Professor of History and
University A. rchivist.
.'''=. J.' '~ l'
I.
A HISTORY OF
COLGATE UNIVERSITY
1819- 1969
Howard D. Williams
A HISTORY OF
COLGATE UNIVERSITY
1819- 1969
by Howard D. vVilliams, ' 30
Professor of History
University Archivist
The Baptist Education Society of the State
ofNew York opened the institution that was
to become Colgate University in 1820, a
year that saw the population of the U. S.
grow to over nine million. The site of the
new school was Hamilton, New York, an
area not far removed in time and place
from the frontier romanticized by Feni­more
Cooper.
The Seminary flourished and in 1823
gained the support of the New York City­based
Baptist Education Society, of which
William C. Colgate was an active member.
The early years were rough but rewarding.
A student's schedule dating from 1833 runs
from chapel at 5 A. M. to Ughts out at
9 : 30 P. M. Controversy also had a place
on the campus. Despite opposition, the
Seminary began admitting non- ministerial
students l and in 1846 was incorporated as
Madison University, with collegiate, pre­paratory
and theological departments. The
three years after incorporation were stirred
by an almost- successful struggle to remove
the university to Rochester.
The years between the Civil War and the
Great War, H. S. Canby's '-' last great age
of American individualism," were good to
the small Baptist institution. Under three
strong presidents, Dodge, Merrill, and
Bryan, new buildings sprang up, the fac­uIty
was strengthened, the endowment
enriched, the student body broadened: ] n
1890, recognizing the long devotion of the
Colgate family, Madison became Colgate