Many of the early graduates pursued missionary and church service. These five were held in great honor because of their labor in foreign countries. L-R: William Waide, India; Alfaretta Hammond, Egypt; Raymond Gorbold, Japan; Wilhelmina Lanning, China; Roy Lanning, China. Though the numbers listed in the Xenia Gazette were slightly inflated, the initial enrollment was certainly encouraging. Thirty– six students registered for the first semester, with one more enrolling second term. These students were named, along with their hometowns, in the first College Catalog published in 1895. Seventeen of the 37 were from the Village of Cedarville. Another eight came from neighboring Clifton, while four were from Xenia, three from Jamestown, and two from Selma. Another came from Ross, Ohio, a community located northwest of Cincinnati. Clark County contributed one student who resided in Springfield, while the only out-of-state student came from the city of Philadelphia. Thus, 34 of the 37 students who attended Cedarville College during its initial year were from Greene County. This strong community emphasis would characterize Cedarville College through most of its years as a Presbyterian institution. In 1894 Cedarville was a thriving community. It was described in the College Catalog in these words: Cedarville, Ohio, the seat of Cedarville Col– lege, is located on the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis railway. It has direct communication by telephone, telegraph, and railroad with Xenia, eight miles southwest; Springfield, twelve miles north; London, 20 miles northeast; Columbus, 47 miles northeast; and Cincinnati, 70 miles southwest. It is in the center of the Miami Valley, and is one of the prettiest as well as most healthful locations in Ohio - entirely free from malaria. 3 36/Chapter V The village was enjoying its role as the second largest community in Greene County, having passed Yellow Springs in the census of 1890. The census reported that Xenia was by far the largest community in the county, with a population of 7,222; Cedarville was second with 1,382; while Yellow Springs (1,360) and Jamestown (1,102) followed close behind. The Cedarville Herald could not resist taking a poke at the previous number two community, Yellow Springs: We are sorry for Yellow Springs that we have usurped her place, but feel that that was no fault of anyone there excepting the census man him– self. Instead of merely being satisfied with list– ing only the students at the college, he should have been on hands (sic) during the commence– ment exercises and have taken account of the visitors als0 4 With an ideal location along the railroad line, and a college in the works, the people of the Village of Cedarville were spirited in the defense of their community. The Cedarville Herald went on enthusiastically to report: Notwithstanding the great number of dwell– ing houses that have been erected within the past few years, there is not a vacant house in the town, and several families are only waiting un– til houses now building are completed that they can move into them. s The community rivalry between Cedarville and Yellow Springs was evident again when Cedarville College entered the athletic arena. After losing a football game to Wittenberg on the very first day of school in 1894, the Cedarville team: