Chapter One
  Genesis
Clarion Univesity of Pennsylvania straddles three different centuries in its rich history as an institution committed to meet the changing needs of its community.  The definition of community has evolved from the greater Clarion area to the state of Pennsylvania and in some cases the nation and the world.
The earliest recorded evidence of an institution of higher education for Clarion appears in Caldwell's Illustrated Historical Combination Atlas of Clarion County (1877). According to Caldwell, in 1859 some local citizens generated a proposal for the creation of a seminary in Clarion. The proposal was forwarded to the Erie Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Before any action could be taken, civil war engulfed the nation. The result was that energies were devoted to more important matters.

The proposal lay dormant, awaiting a more opportune time. The catalytic agents which revived the idea were the end of the war and an upcoming centennial celebration, that of Methodism in America.

In the report of its Education Committee the Erie Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in session at Jamestown, NY, July 1865, was apprised of the merits in establishing seminaries to further the endeavors of the church and appropriately observe its centennial.

"Especially would we urge the claims of our literary institutions upon our people, now that we are approaching our centenary year of American Methodism, when it is presumed that every man, particularly if he has means, will desire to make a memorial offering. In what other way could a man so surely make for himself a lasting memorial as by endowing a professorship in one of these institutions, and thus honorably connect himself with the vital forces which are to give character to future generations. In this connection we express the earnest hope that our Seminaries will not be overlooked. It is exceedingly desirable that at least the principalship of each of these should be well endowed, and the institution furnished with ample facilities for the illustration of the elements of science.

"We would not forbear to mention that there is a growing and felt necessity for two more Methodist Seminaries, one in Western New York, and one in the South Eastern portion of our Conference. And we desire our people to understand that it will be the pleasure of this Conference to establish such Schools so soon as it shall be known that at suitable places, the Conference being judge, there are means ready to be placed at its disposal for the erection of suitable buildings."

In accordance with this suggestion and with the convictions of the people that such an institution was greatly needed in the southeastern portion of the Conference, the Presiding Elder, Rev. R. H. Hurlburt called together the preachers and laymen of the District, March 13, 1866, for a convention at Clarion to initiate the establishment of a seminary within its bounds. It was decided to seek Conference approval of Clarion as the site. The Rev. R. M. Bear was employed to act as financial agent for the purpose of soliciting subscriptions to erect a building. In July of the same year at the annual session of the Erie Conference the Education Committee reported the subscriptions already totaled $11,000. The Conference agreed to accept the seminary under its patronage and control when the subscriptions totaled $30,000.

On March 18, 1867, the contributors met to organize a board of trustees which consisted of George W. Arnold, Samuel Wilson, Jacob Black, John Keatly, James Ross, Hiram Carrier, Nathan Carrier, Jr., David Lawson, William Young, James Knox, Hurchman Torrance, John Coaz, Nathan Myers, Martin Kearney, and John Strattan. Before the Annual Conference met in July, a building committee had been chosen, a corporate charter secured, and a contract let for construction of the buildings.

The institution began operation Sept. 10, 1867, as the Carrier Seminary of Western Pennsylvania. It was named in honor of the Carrier family for their contributions of money, $6,000, and lumber to endeavor. It is to this event that Clarion University of Pennsylvania traces its birth.

Lacking any facilities of its own, classes were held in the old academy building. The Seminary was a coeducational institution with the Rev. James G. Townsend as principal and Miss A. E. Rinehart as preceptress. Its calendar called for three thirteen week terms with tuition as follows: common English branches-$6.00, higher English branches-$7.00, and languages-$8.00.

The Rev. Townsend was a somewhat vacillating Methodist minister who seemingly set a pattern for short tenure of office. He was born in Pittsburgh in 1839 and served in the Civil War, receiving a wound which left his arm permanently crippled. Rev. Townsend, the sometime principal of the Union School at New Falls, also served two parish charges before coming to Carrier. Prior to the War he attended Oberlin College and after it, completed his education at Allegheny College. The trustees recommended that he be reappointed at the close of the first year's operation but the Conference demurred. Instead he was given a church in Edinboro.

After leaving Carrier, Townsend's religious career was somewhat checkered. He bolted from the Church in 1874 to serve the Congregational Church and returned to the fold two years later. Again in 1884 he left the church and founded the Independent Congregational Church in Jamestown, New York teaching what he called the "New Theology." Still later he founded the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh.

In the spring of 1868 subscriptions reached $24,000 and the trustees authorized the building program to begin. Accordingly, on June 16, 1868, the cornerstone of Seminary Hall, a massive three-storied brick structure 60 by 110, was laid. Additional funds for the construction were secured through the issue of bonds authorized by the State Legislature in early 1869. The building lingered long in construction, being completed in the fall of 1871. The total cost, including furniture, was $75,000. In addition, a two story wooden structure was erected for the boarding department. The buildings were erected on a plot of land seven acres and fifteen perches in area, the land having been purchased from George M. Arnold, local banker and philanthropist. At the same time the Corporation purchased about two acres of land from the Samuel Sloan family.

Townsend was succeeded in office by the Rev. Stephen S. Stuntz. Rev. Stuntz, born March 26, 1828, in Albion, PA, like his predecessor was educated at Allegheny College. He served as pastor of the Clarion Methodist Episcopal Church and principal of the Seminary concurrently. In April 1870 he was stricken with dropsy and left Clarion. The disease resulted in his death in October 1870.

Literary societies, long a fixture of secondary and collegiate institutions were, according to the Clarion Democrat, organized during the principalship of Rev. Stuntz. The Clionian Society was the first such society with the Zetagethean Society being founded at a later date.

In the fall of 1870, Miss E.J. Haldeman became principal, remaining in that position one year. She was later preceptress for the institution. Miss Haldeman was succeeded by Professor Judson J. Steadman who served as principal for two years (1871-1873). During Steadman's term the first portent of things to come may be observed. In 1872 some professional and businessmen of Clarion started a movement to secure a state normal school for the town. Enrollment for the period seems to have been substantial since the faculty included ten academic instructors plus two music instructors. Courses of study embraced Ancient and Modern Classics, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Commercial Calculation, Painting, Drawing, Penmanship, Music and Normal Science. Carrier was described in an advertisement in the Conference minutes as "The only Normal College for the perfection of teachers under the supervision of the M.E. Church."

Professor Steadman was succeeded in office by Professor J.S. Milliken who served one year. The report of the trustees to the Annual Conference at the conclusion of Milliken's term indicated an indebtedness of about $20,000, a sizable one for that day and age. This was another foreboding of things to come.

The Corporation was not the only entity under financial pressure. Consider the plight of the principal. The Seminary was proprietary in nature, hence his salary was based on the tuition collected minus operating expenses. Since enrollment was meager so was the principal's salary. To mitigate the circumstances the principal's wife frequently served as governess, cook, and housekeeper. Minutes of the Corporation indicate that monies were expended to purchase cattle and to build/repair a pig sty. A viable hypotheses is that the principal family or the students tended the animals to lessen costs.

William Todd was next to assume the leadership at Carrier becoming principal in the fall of 1874. Professor Todd, born of English immigrant parents June 3, 1838, in Allegheny County was raised on an Armstrong County farm and educated in the South Buffalo Township School. After several years as a teacher he enlisted in the Union Army. At the cessation of hostilities he was discharged and thereupon entered Allegheny College receiving his degree in 1868. Following his graduation Professor Todd was in turn principal of the Toms River (New Jersey) School, professor of mathematics at Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania), principal of the public school at Smithfield (Ohio), and principal of Carrier.

When Todd took office, the country was in the throes of a depression precipitated by the failure of the banking firm of Jay Cooke and Company. The financial depression caused a decline in the oil and lumbering industries of northwestern Pennsylvania resulting in a decline in enrollment at Carrier.

The only accurate and verifiable attendance figures for the Seminary era are those for the Todd administration, 1874-1877. In fact, the minutes of the Seminary Trustees and the Conference are the only known official records of any type that are available for the period. All other records apparently were lost in the sands of time. A count of student names in the handwritten register reveals enrollment of 161 in 1874, 143 in 1875, and 138 in 1876. These are total registration figures for each of the three term academic years.

Many of the students were enrolled for only a portion of the term, for it was Carrier's advertised policy to "receive students at anytime and charge them proportionally." Because of this factor the figures reported in the Conference Minutes or in issues of the Clarion weeklies, the Democrat and Republican may be somewhat misguiding. On several occasions conflicting data were included in the same set of Conference Minutes.

The limited data available would seem to indicate that few students remained at the Seminary long enough to complete their education. The newspapers revealed that two graduated in 1877, four in 1880, one in 1881, and two in 1882.

In William Todd's efforts to promote enrollment at Carrier he extolled the virtues of the institution and the town. Part of an advertisement in the 1875 published minutes of the Conference stated, "The present teachers are experienced, thorough and practical educators; persons under whose supervision parents need not fear to place their sons or daughters.

"The MUSIC DEPARTMENT, in charge of Miss Mary R. Jenks, a very superior teacher, has been especially successful.

"The main building is ... nicely and comfortably arranged.

"The village... is distinguished for its healthfulness, quietness and morality."

As the institution entered its second decade, the Rev. A. Baker succeeded Professor Todd who had been elected professor of mathematics and natural science at Beaver College and Musical Institute located in Beaver County. Rev. Baker served as principal and teacher while his wife served as governess and teacher. Enrollment declined to 21 in 1877.

The committee of visitors appointed by the Annual Conference felt that poor health and almost total disability of Rev. Baker during the year was a contributing factor in the decline. In its report to the 1878 meeting of the Conference, the visitors recommended that the Board of Trustees should employ a more healthful and active principal "to secure more efficiency and give Carrier Seminary the place it deserves, and the hold on the hearts of our people."

In accordance with these expressed wishes, Rev. Baker was replaced by Professor M. Thrasher on Oct. 31, 1878. Enrollment rocketed upward to 135. Course listings for the year included science, normal, college preparatory, and music.

The seminary facilities were used to conduct a Normal Training Session for 50 Clarion County teachers in July 1879. This was the first of a number of such summer institutes conducted at the Seminary under the leadership or influence of A.J. Davis, superintendent of schools.

Next to assume the helm of the unseaworthy vessel of education was the Rev. Levi Beers. Born June 14, 1845, he spent his early life in Ohio and Illinois. After serving in the Civil War he attended Baldwin-Wallace College earning an A.B. degree and later receiving the degree of A.M.

When Rev. Beers became principal March 25, 1880, he found the Seminary courting financial disaster. Its indebtedness totaled about $30,000, and by the next year it had reached $35,000. In 1881 divine providence provided a slight reprieve for the financially embarrassed Seminary as large sums of money were made available to lighten the burden. The First National Bank of Clarion made a donation of $17,655.80 and local subscriptions further reduced the debt to $14,000. The trustees received a loan of $12,400 from Rev. John M. Edwards, a Carrier Seminary graduate. In return for the loan the institution was leased to Rev. Edwards for 25 years. These monies were obtained mainly through the endeavors of Rev. Reuben C. Smith, the institution's financial agent.

During the Beers' administration the institution was criticized for its alleged attempt to make the students good Republicans and good Methodists. Rev. Beers left the institution in 1882 and served a number of charges throughout the Conference before leaving the area to become principal of the Harvey Industrial Academy in Illinois in 1892. After serving Harvey several years, deafness and somewhat later blindness set in. He succumbed on Feb. 16, 1919.

The tenth and last principal of the Seminary was its lien holder, Rev. Edwards. He was born in 1844 and suffered from chronic ill health. He served two congregations before assuming the reins at Carrier and one after it was sold. Then he withdrew from the ministry and went into semi-retirement as a farmer and merchant until his demise in 1904.

Like many other proprietary educational institutions of the time, the operation of the Seminary was a family endeavor. The Edwards family resided in the portion of Seminary Hall that later became the library. Rev. Edwards was principal, teacher, and general factotum. His wife, Margaret, had the responsibility for the board and room for the students who resided on the top floor of the building. Mrs. Edwards and her helper, Mrs. Ella Dietrich English, not only did the cleaning and cooking for the family, but also for the students. The baking was done in an outside oven to the rear of the building, according to Mildred McMahan, a granddaughter of Rev. Edwards.

Under its new leader Carrier seemed to be on the rebound but such was not the case. An enrollment of 88 during the 1883-1884 academic year plus the inquiries for the next year must have prompted Rev. Edwards to thwart the efforts of Professor E. A. Hayes of Randolph, New York to obtain control of Carrier Seminary. Rev. Edwards and the trustees, apparently highly pleased with prospects for the future, authorized improvements costing over $500 to be made upon the buildings. Their judgment seemed to be vindicated when enrollment reached 130 in 1884-1885. The following year 165 were registered but 126 of these were participants in the spring normal course being supervised by Professor Rosswell G. Yingling who had rented the facilities.

By the close of the school year (July 1885) the debt had risen to $20,000 and by the following year to $21,500. Bankruptcy was once again confronting the Seminary. Amid an undertow of maneuvering to purchase the buildings and grounds by a group seeking to establish a state normal school, Professor Yingling, secretary for the institution, announced on June 23, 1886, that the Seminary would not reopen in the fall.

On Sept. 10, 1886, exactly nineteen years from the day classes first met, the sale of the buildings and grounds was consummated. The sum of $25,000 was agreed upon in Brookville during a special meeting of representatives of the M. E. Church and those of the Clarion Normal School Association, thus ending the life of Carrier Seminary as an institution of higher education.

What caused the demise of a once prospering and promising venture in education? Those inclined to be influenced by the zodiacal signs might simply attribute the demise of Carrier to kismet. Through a printer's error and advertisement announcing the opening date for the new institution read as follows "calendar for 1687-8" instead of 1867-8. This may have been an omen but a realistic analysis of the situation would reveal more substantial reasons for such a short existence. Several interrelated factors present partial answers. Obviously the financial woes confronting Carrier Seminary were an overbearing factor. It appears that the institution did not receive adequate support from either the Erie Annual Conference of the M. E. Church or its board of trustees.

The reports of the Conference Visitors were replete with statements of the following nature. "The Carrier Seminary ... has nobly vindicated its claim to a place among the Seminaries of the Conference." "No pains have been spared ... to make this a pleasant home for those who desire to obtain an education." "The buildings and grounds are both elegant and beautiful, and with the careful supervision that the cause of education demands for the Institute, its future will be a power for good." "The buildings are large, elegant and commodious...." "The school has done good work during the past year." As has been illustrated evidence of verbal support was plenteous, but words are not the balm of financial life. Careful examination of the Conference minutes for the years from 1867 to 1886 revealed only meager financial support had been tendered the Seminary. In this entire 20 year period, less than $500 was given to support the institution. In 1883 Carrier received the paltry sum of $16.41 in financial aid.

It also seems unlikely that the board of trustees gave its whole-hearted support. As early as 1872 several of the leading stockholders began focus upon one goal, conversion of the Seminary to a state normal school.

A third factor creating difficulties for the institution was competition for potential students in a county that could not have been termed populous. In his 1877 report to the superintendent of public instruction, A. J. Davis noted there were seven "higher" institutions, including Carrier, operating in the county. Also, the demise of Carrier somewhat mirrored the times. The latter half of the 1800s was an era characterized by the waxing of the public high school and waning of the private academy and seminary.

The short career of the Seminary is somewhat reminiscent of the statement by Professor Lindsley of Nashville University, who, when speaking of the proliferation of colleges during the early nineteenth century, noted that these institutions "... rise up like mushrooms in our luxurious soil. They are duly lauded and puffed for a day, and then they sink to be heard no more." Such was the fate of Carrier Seminary for inquiry revealed that its Methodist affiliation was unknown to the Conference historian. No mention of the institution was found in A. W. Cummings' The Early Schools of Methodism, an extensive history and listing of Methodist educational endeavors and institutions in the United States. No space was devoted to this forgotten child of the Erie Conference in J. N. Fradenburgh's two volume History of Erie Conference.

Although Carrier Seminary as an institution of higher learning no longer existed, the name and corporation lingered for many years. As a result of the sale all financial obligations and encumbrances were canceled and a balance of $3,500 remained. This was eventually turned over to the Clarion District by the Conference and the Carrier Seminary was operated as an annual summer school similar to the Chautauqua Summer School. This school, operating on the Clarion Assembly Grounds, was in existence as late as 1906. A former Carrier principal, Rev. Levi Beers, served at least one summer as principal of the institution. Though non-existent as a school, the Carrier Seminary Corporation continued providing assistance to students attending Methodist educational institutions until at least 1940.

 

  
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