Cedarville Magazine, Fall 2017

Gibson ... that an effort be made to revive an interest in that institution, and that the pastors in the different congregations be requested to bring the matter before their people at an early day, and urge them to contribute liberally for the establishment of said college.” 3 In May 1894, the trustees authorized constructing or renting a suitable building and hiring instructors. A home on State Route 42, north of Cedarville, was rented and the college opened the fall of 1894 with 32 students. Annual payments from the Gibson bequest kept the college going in those early days, and trustees invested the final $20,000 payment in commercial rental property in Cincinnati from which the college received a regular annual income. Strong enrollment the first year clearly indicated the college would need to construct its own facility. Founders Hall was erected in 1895, funded primarily by contributions from individuals and churches. Students attended classes there that fall. June 10, 1897, dawned with the prospect of the first Cedarville College commencement. Five graduates would receive degrees during the ceremony at the Cedarville Opera House. Martha McMillan, whose son Homer graduated that day, said in her journal, “Rev. Charles Frederick Pass of Cincinnati delivered the class oration. The principle thought he tried to impress on the class was to consecrate, devote, and dedicate their life — soul and body to the best and highest good in life. The blessings and privileges we enjoy today are the gift and sacrifices of those who have gone before us.” 4 William Gibson’s bequest provided the motivation and the financial resources to make that first commencement possible, enabling a fledgling college to hire a president and faculty, recruit students, and begin a legacy of education founded on “the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ.” Even with the impact of the future challenges of World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and the college’s financial crisis of the 1950s, there has not been a year since 1897 without a commencement at Cedarville University. This is in no small measure the result of the gift of William Gibson, who never saw the reality of Cedarville College, but believed in its mission enough to give. 1. Minutes, Board of Trustees, May 26, 1890. 2. Cleveland McDonald, History of Cedarville College , 1966, p. 25. 3. Minutes, Board of Trustees, May 24, 1892. 4. Martha McMillan, Journal entry, June 10, 1897. Lynn Brock ’68 is Dean of Library Services, Professor of Library Science, and the University Archivist. He has served at Cedarville University for 48 years. Cedarville Magazine | 23 ADVANCING CEDARVILLE PLAN FOR YOUR FUTURE Call today! 1-800-876-7958 God used William Gibson’s estate gift to make a pivotal difference in the future of Cedarville University. Cedarville is partnering with PhilanthroCorp to help you make a difference for your family and the Kingdom of God for generations to come. PhilanthroCorp’s services are provided for you free of charge, courtesy of Cedarville University.