Page:Pen Pictures of Representative Men of Oregon.djvu/125

 tution.

85

At the close of the Sophomore year, while in college, Prof. Van 8coy was called to the Principalship of Brookston Academy. He taught here three years and then resigned in order to resume his studies. Prof. Viui Scoy is a pleasant-appearing gentleman and one well calculated to make friends with all with whom he is intimately associated. He is liighly esteemed by his pupils who, while they realize his power of discipline are none the less cognizant of the fact that he is deeply interested in their persoujil advance- ment in study, and in order to aid them in their literary pursuits willingly devotes hours of time which rightfully are his own. We have often seen him with his coat off and hammer and nails in his hand repairing the Uni- versity fences, engaged in setting out shrubbery, or in some way adding to the beauty of the campus, thus evincing an interest in the general appear- ance of the surroundings, in appreciation of the fact that all tended tDwards making the students more interested in their studies. Mr. Van Hcoy is rather tall and slender, with a pleasant face, mild blue eye, auburn hair and whiskers and a high forehead. He always dresses with taste and keeps up the good old-fashioned style of literary gentlemen, wearing a white vest. He was married September 22, 1875, to Miss .Jennie E. Thomas, their family con- sisting of one child. Politically speaking he is a Republican, and takes a lively interest in the success of that party. In connection with Prof. Van Scoy, who takes so active an interest in the success of the institution, we consider it but just to give a short sketch of the

WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY.

In 1844 a building which had been constructed at a cost of |!lO,00on the same grounds, where now the Willamette University stands, for the use of the Oregon Mission Manual Labor School, was purchased and a school es- tablished under the name of Oregon Institute. This scliool began the same year with twenty pupils. It was incorporated as Willamette University in 1853, and began its career in college work. It has sustained a degree of prosperity, in some respects, unexcelled by any other institution of learning on the coast. A building in the form of a Greek cross, four stories high and eighty feet square was erected in 1867. The old building was destroyed by fire in 1871. In the new building are a chapel, seven recitation rooms, two halls for literary societies, a library and apparatus room, president's room, besides several rooms occupied by students. There are four well or- ganized literary societies, in connection with which are two small hbraries. The library of the University contains 2,500 volumes. The departments of the University are: 1, College of Liberal Arts; 2, Medical College, organ- ized in 1866;' 3, Woman's College, organized in 1880; 4, Conservatory of Music, organized in 1881; 5, Art Department, in 1881; (5, University Acad- emy, organized with a three years' preparatory course in 1880, The present value of property belonging to this institution is estimated at about S90,OOU, $63,000 of which is in real estate and buildings, and .'S;27,000 in cash endowments. From 1850 to 1860 Rev. F. S. Hoyt, D. D., was President; 1860 to 1865, T. M. Gatch, Ph. D.; 1865 to 1867, Rev. J. H. Wythe, M. D.; 1867 to 1868, Rev. L. T. Woodward, A. M., was