Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 21.djvu/17



PACIFIC UNIVERSITY 7

University of Vermont, and one of the foremost American edu- cators of his day. His grandfather was Eleazer Wheelock, the first president of Dartmouth College.

It is not strange that a young man with such an ancestry and such an inheritance should accept with enthusiasm the invitation to go to Oregon and give the best of his powers to build up in the new land a college similar to those with which he was familiar in New England.

He had no knowledge of pioneer conditions reared in a scholarly home and used to the refinement of the best society in a University town, he had to meet at once the hardships and privations of frontier life without any preparation.

He found here almost nothing to build a college upon no buildings, no permanent funds, no adequate teachers, and, most discouraging of all, no apparent need or desire for such a school.

President Marsh set himself steadfastly and courageously to supply all these needs.

Immediately upon his arrival steps were taken to add college grades of instruction to those in the Academy and in January, 1854, new articles of incorporation were granted by the Legis- lature, and under the corporate name of Tualatin Academy and Pacific University the present school was created.

We today can hardly realize the trials and hardships which the new president had to endure. But brighter days began to dawn. The country began to fill up. Families moved in and built homes around the young college. Students began to stay long enough to get into college and in process of time young men and women were graduated, many of whom have been among the foremost leaders in the public life and service of the state. The need of funds was ever pressing and Presi- dent Marsh made three different trips to the East to solicit aid. $70,000 in cash and many valuable books for the library were secured on these trips. Among these latter the most notable