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For
years it was understood in Decatur that James
Millikin had in mind the establishment of
a school to be located in Oakland park. He
had mentioned to friends the giving of the park
for a school. On May 6, 1900, he made an
offer definitely to Decatur.
That offer came out of a casual remark
repeated to A. G. Webber, a man of
action. He acted by calling on a friend
who also was a Review reporter, and saying:
"I understand that James Millikin said
he would give $200,000 and Oakland park for a
school if the people of Decatur would give
$100,000. Why don't you ask him if he said
it? We want that school."
Mr. Millikin was asked, and his reply in his
own words, were:
"I said it. I have thought of it a
great deal, but I don't know that it is wise to
make a newspaper statement about it. I do
not care to say a great deal about it now.
But it is a fact that I said it and that I mean
it.
"I said I would give $200,000 if the citizens
would give $100,000. I will give the
$200,000 and give Oakland park as a site.
I am ready to give my part within thirty days if
necessary. The citizens could grow, and
more money would come in different ways.
The endowment probably would reach $500,000
more.
In outlining his ideas as to the work of the
school, Mr. Millikin said he wanted it to
teach girls to sew and cook, and to train boys
for useful trades and also accounting and other
such accomplishments.
The first to respond to Mr. Millikin's
offer was D. S. Shellabarger, who told G.
N. Wagenseller, reporter on the Decatur
Herald, that he would give $5,000, announcement
to that effect being made in The Herald, May 7.
In making the offer, Mr. Shellabarger
said:
"That was a generous offer - a handsome
offer. The people of Decatur should take
advantage of it. I will be one of twenty
men to give $5,000 each.
Meantime Dr. W. J. Darby, general
educational secretary of the Cumberland
Presbyterian church, suggested that Lincoln
university at Lincoln, Ill., under the auspices
of that church, might be moved to Decatur and
combined with the proposed school. Mr.
Millikin said in regard to that suggestion:
"That might be possible, though I do not care
to set up a school to teach creeds and dogmas.
I do not want any sectarianism but I want the
young people to have good educations in
character as well as in brains. With the
distinct understanding that I do not want to
import anything, that is, to teach creeds and
dogmas, I am in favor of it. Character is
the main thing, and if we can bring people here
to help make good character, why shouldn't we do
it?
It was his expectation that the church would
give $100,000 toward the project, making a total
of $400,000 for the school.
Citizens of Lincoln protested against the
removal of their university. The outcome
was that a plan was worked out, by which the
Lincoln school should remain in Lincoln, under
the name of Lincoln college, the new school
should be established in Decatur under the
official title of Decatur College and Industrial
school, and the two colleges together should
constitute the James Millikin university,
operating under, the charter of the Lincoln
university, amended as necessary.
Mr. Millikin on May 15 made a formal
proposal, offering to give Oakland park as the
site for the Decatur college, and $200,000 in
money, if the citizens of Decatur would give
$100,000 and the Cumberland Presbyterian church
(synods of Illinois, Indiana and Iowa) $100,000.
The advantage of putting the Decatur school
under the Lincoln university charter was that
thereby property held by it would be exempt from
taxation. That college had a special
charter that could not now be obtained.
[INSERT PICTURE HERE]
GENERAL VIEW, JAMES MILLIKIN
UNIVERSITY
A meeting of Decatur citizens was called by
Mayor G. A. Stadler for May 22, to take
steps to raise the city's share of $100,000.
W. C. Outten was chairman of the meeting.
He was asked to name a committee to direct the
campaign, and on May 27 he announced that he had
selected the following: D. S.
Shellabarger, Harry Shlaudeman, G. A.
Stadler, Theron Powers, Bernard
Bradley, A. P. Cobb, and T. T.
Roberts.
Included on the committee were Mr. Outten,
chairman, and E. A. Gastman, secretary.
Later Isaac R. Mills became chairman.
Many others assisted in the work, among them A.
H. Mills and C. S. Needham.
On Dec. 24 I. R. Mills announced that the
fund had been completed.
Altogether there were about 850 contributors
to the fund. The larger contributors were:
| Orlando Powers............................. |
$10,000 |
| D. S. Shellabarger |
$ 5,000 |
| Thomas T. Roberts |
$ 5,000 |
| William H. Ennis |
$ 5,000 |
| Caroline M. Powers |
$ 5,000 |
There were about fifteen gifts of $1,000 or
more.
Within a few days the announcement was made
that the Cumberland Presbyterian church had
raised its $100,000. The largest
contribution to the fund raised by the church
was $20,000, given by Mrs. E. Thornton of
Petersburg, Ind. Rev. A. W. Hawkins
was financial agent of the commission which
raised the $100,000 for the church.
[INSERT PICTURE HERE]
THE TOWERS
The Elizabethan style of architecture was
chosen for the university buildings. Plans
were drawn by Patton & Miller,
Chicago. Contract for the main group of
buildings was let Feb. 10, 1902, to H. B.
Walter of Danville, for $107,160.
Ground was broken March 1. The cornerstone
was laid June 12, 1902, and on June 4, 1903, the
building was dedicated. President of the
United States Theodore Roosevelt made the
dedicatory address.
The original buildings included the Liberal
Arts Hall, the Engineering hall, the Domestic
Economy hall, and Machinery hall. Their
total cost was $216,000.
The amended charter for the university was
adopted April 30, 1901.
The members of the first board of trustees
for the university were W. J. Darby, Indiana,
president; W. C. Outten, Illinois, vice
president; H. E. Starkey, Illinois,
secretary; S. E. Walker, Illinois,
treasurer; A. C. Boyd, J. T. Foster,
E. G. King, A. H. Mills, A. W.
Hawkins, W. T. Moffett, F. E. Bell,
R. M. Tinnon, and W. S. Phillips,
all of Illinois; J. E. Williamson of
Indiana, and R. L. Vannice of Iowa.
The board organized on June 11, 1901.
The board of managers for the Decatur college
organized June 14, 1901. The members were
I. R. Mills, president; A. R. Scott, vice
president; S. E. Walker, secretary; O. B.
Gorin, treasurer; T. T. Roberts,
W. J. Wayne, A. R.
Montgomery, Peter Loeb, T.
A. Powers, J. K. McDavid, C. S.
Needham.
According to agreement, the board of trustees
for the university is appointed by the three
synods, and each college is governed by a local
board of managers appointed by the trustees.
Since the union of the Cumberland Presbyterian
church and the Presbyterian church, U. S. A., in
1906, both colleges have been under the
supervision of the Presbyterian synods of
Illinois, Indiana and Iowa, so far as naming of
trustees is concerned. The local board of
managers is no-sectarian.
[INSERT PICTURE HERE]
DR. ALBERT R. TAYLOR
Dr. Albert R. Taylor, former president
of the State Normal school of Kansas, and at one
time a member of the faculty of Lincoln
university, was the first president of the new
university. He assumed his duties on July
1, 1901.
School opened on Sept. 15, 1903, with 562
students. Before the end of the year the
enrollment had reached 712. The next year
it was even larger, 764 students being
registered.
In 1907 a dormitory for women was erected, at
a cost of $45,000. It was named Aston
hall, Aston being Mrs. Millikin's maiden
name.
In 1912 a gymnasium was erected at a cost of
$47,000, and teh same year the Conservatory of
Music was built. Its cost was $117,000.
Herman H. Kaeuper, director of the
music school of the university from the
beginning until 1913, devoted much time and
effort to the planning of the new Conservatory
building. When the building was completed,
the recital hall was named Kaeuper hall
in his honor. Mr. Kaeuper brought
the school up to a high standard, a standard it
has never lost.
Presidents of the university who have
succeeded Dr. A. R. Taylor have been:
Dr. George E. Fellows
Dr. A. R. Taylor (second term)
Dr. Louis E. Holden
Dr. Mark E. Penney
Dr. Jesse H. White (elected in 1930).
Each year at commencement time, a noted
speaker from outside Decatur gives the
graduating class its parting message. One
of the most noted commencement speakers the
school has had was Dr. Frank W. Gunsaulus,
who was here in June, 1912.
[INSERT PICTURE HERE]
COMMENCEMENT PROCESSION, 1912
Top Picture - left to right - front row:
President A. R. Taylor, Dr. F. W.
Gunsaulus, Dr. W. J. Darby; second
row, Rev. W. H. Penhallegon, A. H. Mills,
Dr. S. E. McClelland; third row, George B.
Spitler, T. T. Roberts, W. C.
Outten; fourth row, H. E. Starkey,
Lindoln; W. H. Evans, Lincoln.
Lower Picture - Graduating class members.
Each year at commencement time, a noted
speaker from outside Decatur gives the
graduating class its parting message. One
of the most noted commencement speakers the
school has had was Dr. Frank W. Gunsaulus,
who was here in June, 1912.
James Millikin did not stop with the
$200,000 gift which he made in 1900 with which
to found the university. He kept on
giving. For equipment for the buildings he
gave $30,000, and for current expenses he
furnished thousands of dollars every year until
his death. Even then his giving was not
ended. The income from his estate, left in
trust for charitable and educational purposes in
Decatur, ahs continued to provide for the
institution, and has given $725,000 additional
on endowment. Only recently announcement
was made that a new library will be erected soon
by the estate.
In 1919 the trustees of the estate offered
$600,000 if the citizens of Decatur would raise
$400,000, to give the university an "additional
million" in endowment. The citizens fell
short by $125,000 to meet raised, the trustees
themselves assumed that shortage, thereby
securing a million dollars in endowment.
The report, as of March 1, 1930, on assets of
the college shows the financial standing of the
school today:
Endowment:
Productive.....................$1,350,743.19
Non-productive ............
74,234.21
Total................................................$1,424,977.40
Trust funds,
restricted.............................
372,202.43
Buildings and equipment.........................
889,691.66
Ground
.................................................
220,000.00
____________
Grand
total....................................$2,906,871.49
Establishment of the James Millikin
university has had a farreaching influence on
the city of Decatur. It has helped in a
material way, brining about development of the
west end of the city. It has had a big
part of the growth of population of the city,
having brought probably as many as 500 new
families to educate their children. But
best of all, it has been highly influential in
raising the standard of the city intellectually,
musically and spiritually. It professors
and teachers have been leaders in the fields of
education of music, and in the religious world.
Its graduates have gone forth equipped for their
work and have made good in all corners of the
earth.
Some institutions work in the direction of
producing goods and increasing material wealth.
Some promote physical and mental health.
Some provide recreation and social advantages.
Some strive to improve the moral and religious
life. Our university broadens, enriches
and develops the spiritual life of our people.
It gives them a fuller understanding and assists
them in making a fuller application in their own
lives of the things of the soul. That is a
service that is of inestimable value to the
community.
No other single institution in the city can
equal in value the one which James Millikin's
foresight and generosity thirty years ago
brought about.
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