Dr. David McKinney, pastor of the Plum Street ReFormed Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, was the First President, leading the institution from 1894 to 1915. In a faculty meeting on January 12, Dr. Frank Albert Jurkat, who had been with the college since the second year of its existence, pleaded with the trustees to hold onto the college. Jurkat had invested his life in the institution. "He said he felt the faculty had more interest than the trustees because they have a job interest in the College and the trustees do not."12 Consequently, Jurkat moved that "Dr. Kennedy represent the faculty at the January meeting of the Board," and that "the individual members of the faculty hand to him any recommendations or advice they may care to make."13 When the Board of Trustees reconvened at 8 p.m. on January 24, the meeting had an aura of pessimism. McClellan read the Board the one-line resignation of Acting President E.H. Miller, which was accepted. Realizing the institution might close, the trustees were deeply concerned for the needs of their faculty and staff, especially the aging and faithful Professor Jurkat. Chairman MacMillan reported that the holdings of the college totaled $114,728.94, while the outstanding debts totaled $115,426.04. Furthermore, the 16/Chapter II salaries and other expenses for the remainder of the year would total about $45,000. 14 The Board proceeded to vote to sell the securities in the Endowment Fund to meet their financial obligations. The roll call vote passed with one negative vote and one abstention. Then they unanimously passed a resolution: The Operating Committee and one member of the faculty - to be chosen by the faculty – be authorized and directed to confer with prop– er officials of Wilmington College, or any other college they may deem desirable with a view toward a merger under such terms as in their judgment may best protect the interests of the present students, the alumni, the faculty, the local community, and Dr. F.A. Jurkat, and re– port to the Board of Trustees of Cedarville Col– lege for action 15 The trustees then began to work through a report of all their holdings, earnestly seeking to maintain financial integrity. By the February 7 Board meeting, no merger had been arranged, though the Nazarenes, the Church of Christ in Christian Union, and the Southern Baptists had all expressed interest. The Board authorized its chairman and secretary to "sign an agreement with any legal representative or group representing the Southern Baptist Church, with a view toward taking over the operation and ownership of the College."16 The home of Hugh McMjJJan, where classes were First held on September 19, 1894. On that day, the College outgrew the Facility as 32 students enrolled For classes.