The Presidents of Ripon College

By S. M. Pedrick, Class of 1891

From The Ripon Alumnus,Vol. XVII, #4, June 1943, pp. 16-20

Ripon College came into existence in 1863. Before that time, Brockway College under the first charter in 1851 and its second charter in 1855, although authorized by the legislature to establish "a college of the first class," attempted only to give instruction in common school branches with some special preparation in the classics and in the sciences when required by the youth of those pioneer days, some of whom planned to take up college work somewhere.

The first freshman class entered Ripon - the legislature having changed the name from Brockway - in the fall of 1863. Since that class graduated in 1867, the-college has with regularity graduated a class each year. During that period from 1863 to 1943, Ripon has had but six presidents: William E. Merriman, Edward H. Merrell, Rufus C. Flagg, Richard C. Hughes, Silas Evans and Henry C. Culbertson - only one of whom is living, President Silas Evans.

All Have Contributed

It has been my privilege to know all of these men, more or less intimately, except the first, Dr. Merriman, who served the college from 1863 to 1876, when he was compelled to retire because of ill health. As a small boy I remember him, and from the host of men and women who have during the years given testimonials as to the essential greatness of the first president, based on their own contacts with him, I feel that I must have known him personally. When Mr. Lane spoke at the dedication of the library, he testified to the impress that was made upon him by Dr. Merriman and the faculty he had gathered at Ripon in the Merriman period, to whom he wished the library to stand as a memorial.

"A Tower of Strength"

To the same effect is the tribute paid to him by his successor, Dr. Edward H. Merrell, a man who worked with him during the whole Merriman era at Ripon - which he gave in his sketch of Ripon College written in 1893, from which I quote: "The appointment of Mr. Merriman was an epoch in the history of the college. . . The obstacles that confronted him were extraordinary, but he at once exhibited a power to overcome them that was also extraordinary. He was in the prime of mature manhood, and although infirm in health even then, he had the power of swift and effective work. His intellect, naturally of great strength was so completely trained that he was master of dialectics. He was looked for to make the best speech on any occasion that called strong men together....

". . . His princely will commanded every last faculty and resource within him. His Christian consecration and enthusiasm were so complete and magnetic that he carried about within himself a living tribute for selflessness and inspiration for the fainting . . . He determined to find, what he actually did discover, the elements of success. . . His quiver was full of arrows, and a second was instantly in place if the first failed of its mark....

"Although the institution had at at this time no endowment, only one professor beside himself and less than a half dozen students of college grade, yet it took its place at once among the churches and the people, of intellectual and moral leadership."

Merrell Succeeds Merriman

I recall that in 1889, the year of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the American constitution, in a crowded program at the old Methodist church, he gave the moat eloquent and scholarly address that I had ever heard on the origins of our fundamental charter and the men who had brought it Into existence, and in memory I can still hear the ringing tones of his musical voice as he made his points and reacted the climaxes that are the essence of oratory.

Made Friends in the East

Friends of the college dropped away during his administration largely because of this, and the college department grew smaller and smaller until he finally resigned at the commencement when my class, 1891, graduated. Howard H. Holton, one of the greatest friends of Dr. Merrell, took the platform unexpectedly at the graduating exercises and for about ten minutes berated the community because they had failed to hold up the hands of the president, Dr. Merrell, during those difficult years.

In the sketch of the college above referred to, Dr. Merrell himself says of this period: "That it (the college) accomplished all that seemed possible and desirable cannot, however, be maintained. In the last half of the period its work was much obstructed by doctrinal and other controversies. To assume that these controversies had no influence to limit the growth of the college would be untrue; to discuss them at length would be entirely out of place in this sketch; but to ignore them wholly would be affectation."

The following February, the trustees elected Dr. Rufus Cushman Flagg to the presidency of the college whom Dr. Merrell describes as "a man of scholarly attainments, breadth of Judgment, and conciliatory temper" who had been in the active pastorale of the Congregational church in the East, and at that time in charge of a church at Wells River, Vermont.

Chose Strong Trusteeship

I was absent at law school and in law offices until late in the year 1897, and had little opportunity to know intimately of the affairs of his administration until 1899, when unexpectedly and through the influence of Mr. Farr, who had been my friend from early boyhood, I was elected a member of the official family administering the affairs of the institution, becoming secretary and treasurer for some years. I found Dr. Flagg a kindly and courteous gentleman with whom I was able to work in entire harmony.

It was the opinion of Mr. Farr, after a careful study of the situation, concurred in by the majority of the board, that there was much need of ridding itself of some ultra-conservative members, and in the process of rebuilding the board by new and younger blood, it was believed that the transition period represented by Dr. Flagg, wholesome as it had been, had come to an end and it was time for an active forward movement by the college, and Dr. Flagg, tendered his resignation in 1901 after nine years of excellent service, in making friends for the college, building of endowment, and the erection of Ingram Hall.

Flagg Returned to Ministry

President Flagg was succeeded here by Dr. Richard Cecil Hughes, in 1901, who came to Ripon at the age of forty from a previous administrative experience at Tabor College, Iowa, and at once entered vigorously into plans for the upbuilding of the college. He was of the opinion that Wisconsin had ceased to be a missionary field, dependent on funds from the East, for the development of its educational enterprises, and students must be attracted to the college by making the equipment and plant attractive.

He himself was an excellent public speaker, a man of constructive ideas, with a charm of personality that won friends easily, a fine sense of humor, a good friend, and a belief in the future of the college that was contagious. The college during his years made distinct advance in numbers, in friends, in influence, in the educational world and was on its way when he resigned after eight years of administrative work here in 1909.

Turning Point in Ripon History

Dr. Hughes never lost the affectionate esteem of his friends, among them myself, as he left Ripon, and devoted himself to other work. He died in 1920, while holding the position of University Secretary of the Presbyterian denomination, having supervision of the religious work of his church in 30 universities. During his years at Ripon, the financial condition of the college was most critical, being saved by the Irwin bequest and the hopeful and cheerful never-say-die attitude of the president as he faced the apparently insuperable problems that confronted him at times in order to keep the college going.

Then came Dr. Silas Evans in 1910, one of our own graduates who had been but twelve years out of college. He had had no experience in administrative work, but had done some institutional teaching, and at the age of 34 was regarded as a "coming man" - as he has proved during his years at Ripon. Building on the foundations laid by his predecessors, he at once was accepted by the constituency and with courage and good nature and hard work, he enlarged the influence of the college until he was able to put across the campaign of 1915 for increased endowment by which $500,000 were brought into the treasury, and the college classes increased in numbers from year to year.

Evans to Occidental

It became necessary to obtain a successor. William Allen White, the sage of Emporia, Kansas, wrote that "if I were looking for a college president and could get Henry Coe Culbertson, I would look no further" and so Dr. Culbertson was asked to come to Ripon to speak. He had been president of Emporia College, with a record of apparent success behind him, and was then engaged in a speaking program for the U.S. government during the first World War which was soon to take him abroad, and in the winter of 1918 he accepted the invitation, and at a public meeting in the Auditorium, Dr. Culbertson captivated the huge audience that heard his address.

He addressed the students at chapel, and won their hearts at once. He met the trustees, and his knowledge of administration his personality, his record, and his ability, all indicated that he would be an ideal president. He came in the fall, and remained until 1920.

Culbertson a Disappointment

Fortunately, on the retirement of Dr. Culbertson, Dr. Silas Evans became available for a return to Ripon in 1921, and he has been here since. He has led another $400,000 endowment campaign, with success, has increased the attendance, built dormitories, erected a Student Union building, caused the college to be the recipient of a number of large gifts, has spread the reputation of the institution throughout the land, and has rounded his career with great credit to himself and to his friends.

Deserved Tribute