Page:Oregon, her history, her great men, her literature.djvu/89

 instruction, two ycsars was formally organized in 1867, and the College of Law was established in 1 864. Since there were no high schools in Oregon to prepare students for the University, a number of academies were organized for that purpose. The first of these was Wilbur Academy, named in honor of Rev. James H. Wilbur, whose name has become inseparably linked with Willamette University and with the town in which he located the Academy. There were also Sherida*Academy, The Dalles Academy, Santiam Academy, and Portland Academy and Female Seminary. Also there was a seminary organized jointly by the Methodists and Congre. gationalists, at Oregon City, in which many students were trained for the University.

Among the most prominent educators who gave to the institution its standing as a university in the earlier days, were Presidents Francis S. Hoyt and Thomas M. Gatch. Dr. Hoyt resigned the presidency m 1 660, after serving ten iBishop E. R. Ames organized the Methodist annual conference at Salem, Mareh 17, 1853, inclYidliLg the territory of Oregon and Washington. The second annual conference was held by Bishop Matthew SlmpBon, at Belknap settlement. In Benton Comity, the following year.