Founding and Firsts of Albion College
Here’s to Albion College, the Pride of the People, the Fountain of Learning, and the Light set upon a(n) Hill
Founding of Albion College
The history of Albion College is closely tied to the history of Methodism and white settlers moving into Michigan Territory. The idea for a Methodist school ‘in the wilderness’ of Michigan began to take shape in the early 1830s.
Reverend Elijah Pilcher, Reverend Henry Colclazer, and Dr. Benjamin Packard are considered the founders of what is now known as Albion College.
Original site of the Spring Arbor Seminary at Spring Arbor
On March 23, 1835 a charter was created to establish the Spring Arbor Seminary at Spring Arbor, MI. Some plans and construction were put into motion but came to a halt due to the financial crisis in 1837.
Several locations in Spring Arbor were debated for the new school. In the end Methodist Church officials settled on an area near the Forks, officially moving the school location to the village of Albion, and changing the name to Albion Wesleyan Seminary in 1839.
The Mill Race in Albion, circa 1920
The founders believe that Albion would be a great location because of the river forks, and the newly developed railway that traveled directly through town. Two years later in 1841, the name changed again to the Wesleyan Seminary at Albion.
The cornerstone of the Central Building (known today as Robinson Hall) was laid July 6, 1841. The building wasn’t completed for several years. The first classes at Albion College were held in Bell House, a simple, wooden building that sat between present day Hannah Street and Robinson Hall.
Illustration of the Quad, circa 1880, Bell House can be seen behind Central (Robinson) Hall
Bell House got its name from the bell that was stored inside its small tower and used to indicate the start and end of classes, as well as the nightly curfew for all students. Bell House was utilized as classroom space and a dormitory until the 1890s when the structure was moved to make room for the campus gymnasium.
Fun fact: the original bell is still on campus! You can find it mounted in front of Robinson Hall, just about where it was originally located.
The Wesleyan Seminary went through many changes in the early years. This includes a few more institutional name changes.
Diploma of Sarah Maynard, 1852 graduate of the Albion Female Collegiate Institute
In 1850, the Wesleyan Seminary added a branch called the Female Collegiate Institute. In 1857 the name changed to the Wesleyan Seminary and Female College at Albion. This change was significant. The Female College branch of the seminary could officially bestow Bachelor’s degrees, as opposed to a seminary degree. Female graduates could earn actual college degrees before male graduates of the school!
In 1861, the name officially changed to Albion College, allowing all students to receive Bachelor’s degrees upon graduation.
Albion College Firsts
The first five buildings to be constructed on Albion's campus were: Bell House, Central Hall (Robinson Hall), North Hall (Vulgamore Hall), South Hall (Dickie Hall/ back half of the Kellogg Center) and the Observatory. The landscape of Albion's quad hasn't changed much since the 1880s.
The first President, known at the time as Principal, of Albion College was Charles F. Stockwell. He was only 26 years old when he took the position! Stockwell Library is named in memory him and his wife Louisa Peabody Stockwell.
The earliest documented faculty members at the College during the 1843-1844 were:
- Charles Stockwell, Professor of Languages and Mathematics and served as President
- Jesse Vose, Professor of Natural and Moral Science and English Literature
- William Clarke, Associate Teacher
- Nelson Voluntine, Assistant
- Miss. Octavia Gardner, Preceptress
Majors at Albion College weren't official until the 1920s. Prior to that, students took different courses or classification of study. In the 1848-1849 academic year the classifications were: English, Natural Science, Moral Science and Belles-Lettres, Mathematics, Ancient Languages, Modern Language, Normal Department (education) and Fine Arts.
Literary organizations were the first students clubs and groups on campus. The first to be established were: The Parthenon, The Clever Fellows, the Eclectic and Athenaides Society, and the Young Ladies Association.
The first Greek organizations on campus were Delta Tau Delta established on campus in 1876 and Delta Gamma in 1883.
Table settings from Delta Tau Delta formal events circa 1915
Prior to 1884 all athletic events at Albion College were primarily informal--similar to intramural sports or pick up games. The first official intercollegiate game that was scheduled ahead of time was an Albion vs. Hillsdale College baseball game on May 12, 1884. Albion won 30-12.
Albion College is one of the charter members of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), and the only College that has been part of the MIAA since its inception. The first MIAA event was a track and field meet in late May and early June of 1888. Albion competed against Hillsdale College, Michigan State University and Olivet College.
While the Pleiad has been consistently published since 1883, the first student publication was The College Standard, in April of 1868.
