Opening Day: September 3, 1890

September 3, 1890

The day was finally here. Opening day for the West Virginia Conference Seminary, which was the realization of the dreams and hard work of many.  Trustees had been working hard to make this a dream a reality: quality education for both boys and girls; non-sectarian. It was the dream of many Methodists from West Virginia, one which required many years of meetings, resolutions, fundraising and proposals. It was also the result of hard physical labor by those who dug the clay from campus grounds, made the bricks, and created the building itself.

One Building

The Seminary Building, the lone building, was described in the Prospectus:

The splendid new Seminary building is the best school or college building in the state; beautiful, substantial, convenient, and admirably adapted to school purposes. It is of brick, 106 x 80 feet, three stories in height, and stands upon an eminence overlooking the river and town.

According to Kenneth Plummer, in his book A History of West Virginia Wesleyan College, there was no money for furnishings and equipment. Gifts and loans from trustees and friends made it possible to aquire enough of these things for the school to open. For example, the money for chairs for the chapel and classrooms was advanced by The Rev. Dr. John W. Reger, a trustee of the school.

Six faculty members

Like the building, the faculty was not yet quite complete. By the end of the first year, in June 1891, six more teachers had been added:

• Professor D.M. McIver (Business Department)
• Mrs. Alma G. McIver (Business Department)
• Mr. W. H. Atha (Business Department)
• Miss Ida V. Kent (Voice Culture and Piano)
• Miss Maude McFarland (Drawing and Painting)
• Mr. D.E. Phillips (Normal School Subjects and English)

70 students (first term)

The first 10-week term, there were 70 students enrolled.

The first one to sign the register was Roy Reger. He later writes about that experience and describes life on campus in a letter which you can read here.

Trustees

There were sixteen trustees, an equal number of ministers and laymen, at the time of the opening of the school in 1890.

Ministers

• Fullerton, Rev. James Archer     (1890-98)
• Jordan, Rev. L.H.  (1885-99)
• Lyda, Rev. Andrew Jackson      (1884-94 — President 1884-87)
• Orwen, Rev. E.H.     (1885-91)
• Reger, Rev. Dr. John W.     (1886-93)
• Rohrbough, Rev. A.B.     (1886-96)
• Stewart, Rev. Loren L.     (1884-94)
• White, Rev. William Ryland     (1886-94)

Laymen

• Bardall, John Cambridge     (1887-1915)
• Barnes, John Adams     (1886-1931; Member Emeritus 1931-34)
• Martin, Honorable Benjamin Franklin      (1885-95)
• McCormick, Samuel Phillips (1887-his death in 1889)
• McWhorter, Honorable Henry C.     (1885-1913 — President 1987-1913)
• Poundstone, Captain Alex M.     (1885-1916)
• Wilson, William A.     (1887-89)
• Woods, Honorable Samuel     (1885-97– President 1887-97)

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I think they would be pleased

If these people could see the West Virginia Wesleyan College of today, and meet the faculty and students who are here now, I think they would be very pleased and proud. That is why I am inspired to keep Curating the Stories of the Dreamers and the Giants on DreamersAndGiants.com.