The subjoined table of "The Source of Students by Decades" presents effectively the fact that Hanover is primarily an Indiana institution, although Ken [Page 220] tucky, Ohio, and Illinois have contributed respectable numbers. During the first two decades a small number of Mississippi and Tennessee students came to Hanover. The decrease in number of students from the South after the Civil War is not more noticeable however, than the loss in attendance from Ohio and Pennsylvania. The fact is the College never had a large number from south of Mason and Dixon's Line, and there is little evidence that sectional feeling had much influence. Immediately following the War of the Sixties the economic depression, in the South especially, greatly affected college attendance. Since 1880 the development of public high schools, and of colleges and universities, in Indiana and her neighboring states, has made college attendance more a matter of mere propinquity.
Up to 1837 the "Manual Labor System" and the theological department were the chief factors of advantage at Hanover. From 1845 to 1890 denominational bias was a large factor in turning students to the College. But since the latter eighties accessibility has been the primary factor. With Hanover, as with other liberal arts colleges, the great majority of her students, particularly during the last forty years, have come from within a radius of fifty miles. This is clearly shown in the table on "Source of Indiana Students." The percentage of the total enrollment affiliated with the Presbyterian Church is at present less than forty, and the number of children of alumni coming to the "college of their fathers" has never been large. Church affiliation remains a large determining factor with those students who are preparing for religious work, and in those smaller communities in which the Presbyterian minister retains something of the denominational bias and zeal of his grandfather. Many enthusiastic alumni turn students, even from [Page 221] distant states, to their Alma Mater, but accessibility and the service offered are the principal factors governing enrollments here as elsewhere at the close of the century.
Source of Students by Decades.
BY STATES / 1832-33 / 1842-43 / 1852-53 / 1862-63 / 1872-73 / 1882-83 / 1892-93 / 1902-03 / 1912-13 / 1922-23
Indiana / 31 / 59 / 85 / 58 / 93 / 103 / 120 / 91 / 197 / 445
Ohio / 15 / 6 / 15 / 2 / 17 / 7 / 2 / 5 / 5 / 2
Kentucky / 13 / 19 / 34 / 18 / 12 / 7 / 22 / 4 / 3 / 9
Illinois / 6 / ../ 4 / 9 / 4 /4 / 5 / 11 / 7 / 10
Alabama / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / ..
Arkansas / .. / 1 / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / 1 / 1
Colorado / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
Iowa / .. / .. / .. / 2 / 2 / 2 / 1 / .. / .. / ..
Kansas / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / 1 / .. / 2 / 1
Louisiana / .. / 1 / 3 / .. / .. / 2 / .. / .. / .. / ..
Michigan / .. / .. / 1 / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Mississippi / 4 / 6 / 10 / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / ..
Missouri / 2 / 2 / .. / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / .. / 1 / ..
Nebraska / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
New Jersey / .. / 1 / 1 / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / ..
New York / 1 / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / ..
New Mexico / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
Oklahoma / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1
Oregon / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / ..
Pennsylvania / 6 / 1 / 4 / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Tennessee / .. / 2 / 9 / 1 / 2 / .. / 1 / .. / .. / ..
Texas / .. / .. / 1 / .. / 1 / 2 / 1 / 4 / .. / ..
Virginia / 5 / .. / 3 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Wisconsin / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 3 / .. / .. / ..
West Virginia / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
China / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
England / .. / 2 / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
India / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / 1 / ..
Macedonia / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
Source of Indiana Students by Decades
BY COUNTIES 1833 / 1843 / 1853 / 1863 / 1873 / 1883 / 1893 / 1903 / 1913 / 1923
Jefferson / 11 / 37 / 29 / 28 / 27 / 66 / 65 / 57 / 98 / 117
Clarke / 4 / 3 / 2 / 4 / 7 / 14 / 10 / 9 / 23 / 71
Scott / .. / .. / .. / .. / 2 / .. / 1 / 2 / 13 / 53
Jackson / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. /4 / 1 / .. / 2 / 17
Jennings / 1 / 2 / 4 / 1 / 3 / 3 / 4 / .. / 4 / 27
Ripley / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 2 / 1 / .. / 26
Switzerland / 4 / 1 / 7 / .. / 3 / 5 / 9 / 1 / 5 / 33
Floyd / 1 / 1 / 2 / 2 / .. / .. / 1 / .. / 1 / 2
Washington / 1 / .. / 2 / 3 / 1 / .. / 2 / .. / 1 / 29
Harrison / .. / .. / .. / .. / 4 / 2 / 1 / 2 / 1 / 2
Orange / .. / .. / 2 / .. / .. / .. / 2 / .. / 1 / 1
Lawrence / .. / .. / .. / 1 / 2 / .. / 1 / .. / 3 / 9
[Page 222]
BY COUNTIES / 1833 /1843 / 1853 / 1863 / 1873 / 1883 / 1893 / 1903 / 1913 / 1923
Bartholomew / .. / .. / 1 / .. / 2 / 1 / .. / 1 / 1 / 2
Decatur / 3 / 2 / 2 / 1 / .. / 2 / 2 / .. / .. / 3
Rush / .. / .. / 3 / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / 2 / 2
Shelby / .. / .. / 1 / 3 / .. / .. / 2 / .. / .. / 4
Monroe / .. / .. / 2 / 3 / 4 / 2 / 1 / 2 / 6 / 6
Henry / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / 1 / .. / .. / 1
Montgomery / .. / .. / 2 / 2 / 1 / .. / .. / .. / 3 / 9
Clinton / .. / 1 / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / 6 / .. / 1
Cass / .. / .. / 2 / 2 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 2
Carroll / .. / .. / 1 / 1 / 1 / .. / 4 / .. / .. / 1
Madison / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / 2
Grant / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / 1 / 1
Howard / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 3 / ..
Wabash / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 2 / ..
Miami / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / 3
St. Joseph / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 2 / 1 / 5
Allen / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Owen / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / ..
Dubois / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Hamilton / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
La Porte / .. / 2 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Johnson / .. / 4 / 4 / .. / 11 / 4 / .. / 1 / 4 / 5
Gibson / .. / 3 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Delaware / .. / 2 / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / ..
White / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Parke / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / 1 / ..
Putnam / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Tippecanoe / .. / .. / 3 / 2 / .. / .. / .. / .. / 3 / ..
Knox / 3 / .. / 2 / .. / 4 / 3 / .. / 1 / 2 / ..
Ohio / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1
Dearborn / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / ..
Vigo / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Davies / .. / .. / .. / 1 / 1 / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
Wayne / .. / .. / .. / 1 / 4 / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Spencer / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Vanderburg / .. / .. / .. / 1 / 1 / .. / .. / .. / 1 / 1
Jasper / .. / .. / .. / .. / 2 / .. / 1 / .. / 1 / ..
Boone / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / 1 / .. / .. / ..
Huntington / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Fayette / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / 1 / .. / .. / ..
Pulaski / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1
Union / .. / .. / .. / .. / 4 / .. / .. / .. / .. / ..
Perry / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 3 / .. / .. / 2
Adams / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / ..
Martin / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / .. / ..
Elkhart / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / .. / ..
Green / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 2 / ..
Randolph / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 2 / 1
Whitley / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
Hamilton / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
Vermillion / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
Hendricks / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
Newton / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1 / ..
Fountain / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 1
Lake / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / .. / 2 / ..
[Page 223] The large representation from Jefferson County is to considerable extent explained by the fact that the preparatory department was the only secondary school. within the reach of much of the county, and during the first half of the century was considered superior to the county seat private and public high schools. The following table is suggestive:
YEAR / COLLEGE STUDENTS / PREPARATORY STUDENTS / JEFFERSON COUNTY COLLEGE STUDENTS / JEFFERSON COUNTY PREPARATORY STUDENTS
1833 / 40 / 48 / 3 / 8
1843 / 44 / 55 / 21 / 16
1853 / 122 / 60 / 22 / 7
1863 / 76 / 19 / 18 / 10
1873 / 95 / 39 / 9 / 18
1883 / 69 / 73 / 29 / 37
1893 / 113/ 48 / 44 / 21
1903 / 81 / 36 / 38 / 19
1913 / 163 / 59 / 62 / 36
1923 / 469 / .. / 117 / ..
Total Net Enrollment by Years.
YEAR ENDING /PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT / COLLEGE DEPARTMENT / EXTENSION CLASSES / TOTAL NET ENROLLMENT
1833 / 52 / 35 / 87
1834 / 113 / 63 / 176
1835 / 119 / 101 / 220
1836 / 118 / 89 / 207
1837 / 72 / 87 / 159
1838 / 49 / 62 / 111
1839 / 72 / 33 / 105
1840 / 51 / 45 / 96
1841/ 52 / 33 / 85
1842/ 33 / 52 / 85
1843/ 47 / 44 / 91
1844 / 72 / 14 / 86
1845 / 89 / 8 / 97
1846 / 47 / 40 / 87
1847 / 66 / 38 / 104
[Page 224] Total Net Enrollment by Years.
YEAR ENDING /PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT / COLLEGE DEPARTMENT / EXTENSION CLASSES / TOTAL NET ENROLLMENT
1848 / 110 / 49 / .. / 159
1849 / 113 / 70 / .. / 183
1850 / 81 / 79 / .. / 160
1851 / 100 / 98 / .. / 198
1852 / 100 / 84 / .. / 184
1853 / 100 / 83 / .. / 183
1854 / 127 / 76 / .. / 203
1855 / 88 / 72 / .. / 160
1856 / 71 / 61 / .. / 132
1857 / 73 / 64 / .. / 137
1858 / 68 / 64 / .. / 132
1859 / 58 / 39 / .. / 97
1860 / 59 / 45 / .. / 104
1861 / 54 / 56 / .. / 110
1862 / 35 / 66 / .. / 101
1863 / 42 / 53 / .. / 95
1864 / 71 / 40 / .. / 111
1865 / 41 / 42 / .. / 83
1866 / 54 / 30 / .. / 84
1867 / 45 / 30 / .. / 75
1868 / 28 / 28 / .. / 56
1869 / 45 / 35 / .. / 80
1870 / 89 / 52 / .. / 141
1871 / 47 / 110 / .. / 157
1872 / 44 / 132 / .. / 176
1873 / 39 / 95 / .. / 134
1874 / 37 / 87 / .. / 124
1875 / 60 / 71 / .. / 131
1876 / 61 / 74 / .. / 135
1877 / 59 / 52 / .. / 111
1878 / 36 / 66 / .. / 102
1879 / 44 / 56 / .. / 100
1880 / 45 / 57 / .. / 102
1881 / 63 / 60 / .. / 123
1882 / 65 / 64 / .. / 129
1853 / 73 / 69 / .. / 142
1884 / 68 / 77 / .. / 145
1885 / 64 / 95 / .. / 159
1886 / 57 / 98 / .. / 155
[Page 225] Total Net Enrollment by Years.
YEAR ENDING /PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT / COLLEGE DEPARTMENT / EXTENSION CLASSES / TOTAL NET ENROLLMENT
1887 / 44 / 87 / .. / 131
1888 / 58 / 78 / .. / 136
1889 / 47 / 93 / .. / 140
1890 / 58 / 97 / .. / 155
1891 / 55 / 108 / .. / 163
1892 / 68 / 115 / .. / 183
1893 / 50 / 113 / .. / 163
1894 / 35 / 102 / .. / 137
1895 / 34 / 110 / .. / 144
1896 / 33 / 92 / .. / 125
1897 / 32 / 70 / .. / 102
1898 / 47 / 88 / .. / 135
1899 / 54 / 101 / .. / 155
1900 / 66 / 78 / .. / 144
1901 / 35 / 87 / .. / 122
1902 / 29 / 83 / .. / 112
1903 / 36 / 80 / .. / 116
1904 / 32 / 91 / .. / 123
1905 / 38 / 79 / .. / 117
1906 / 30 / 100 / .. / 130
1907 / 26 / 91 / .. / 117
1908 / 35 / 68 / .. / 103
1909 / 75 / 128 / .. / 203
1910 / 73 / 130 / .. / 203
1911 / 72 / 154 / .. / 226
1912 / 61 / 194 / .. / 255
1913 / 59 / 163 / .. / 222
1914 / 67 / 167 / .. / 234
1915 / 57 / 187 / .. / 244
1916 / 65 / 169 / .. / 234
1917 / 73 / 214 / .. / 287
1918 / .. / 224 / .. / 224
1919 / .. / 281 / .. / 281
1920 / .. / 272 / .. / 272
1921 / .. / 313 / .. / 313
1922 / .. / 371 / .. / 371
1923 / .. / 467 / 106 / 573
1924 / .. / 502 / 81 / 583
1925 / .. / 529 / 101 / 630
1926 / .. / 503 / 215 / 718
[Page 226] The government of the students in Hanover is properly described as a benevolent paternalism, with an increasing disposition to give the student larger freedom and proportional responsibility for his conduct. There has been a gradual reduction in the number of regulations and an increased emphasis of principles which should govern conduct. This is especially noticeable since the closing of the Preparatory Department. The ideal is that of individual responsibility for keeping the moral and civic law, and for maintaining conditions necessary for efficient studentship.
A perusal of the minutes of Faculty meetings supplies abundant evidence of a steadily improved morality and increased dignity of student conduct in Hanover. Drunkenness, gambling and rowdyism, very conspicuous here, as in other colleges in the earlier years, have to a great extent disappeared. The admission of women may have had some influence for the better, but the development of athletics and other modes of student self-expression without doubt have contributed much more to the improvement of the conduct of the young men. To the larger individual freedom and provision for wholesome sport, must be added the increasing refinement of society in general. In his religious life the modern student is, on the whole, as loyal to the standards as those of the first decades. He is not so conspicuously pious, but, on the other hand, his wicked classmate is not so conspicuously unregenerate.
The minutes of the weekly meetings of the Faculty the first half of the period under review read very much like the blotter of a police court. Intoxication, gambling, profanity and rowdyism are the familiar charges, frequently all appearing in the same indictment. Fighting, sometimes with the drawing of [Page 227] weapons, appears on numerous pages of the record. In the trials the Faculty was studiously careful to observe the rights of the students and obviously disposed to be charitable toward the follies of youth. They were ready at all times to pardon and reinstate the offender if he exhibited a reasonably earnest purpose to behave himself. The penalties most commonly inflicted were expulsion, suspension, and public reprimand. Some of the suspensions are amusing in the light of conditions existing. In June 1837, one Stewart, a sophomore, was found guilty of "getting intoxicated, fighting and neglecting his studies." It was resolved that "he be directed to go into the country Friday morning, and there remain one week." At the same meeting of the Faculty it was resolved, "That as it is impossible for the Faculty to make regulations embracing every variety of misdemeanor that may be committed, and as the good sense of every student is sufficient to decide what conduct is right and what is wrong, the Faculty will consider themselves bound to punish all palpable breaches of propriety, even if the students have not been previously warned against the particular offenses committed."
To be sure, many of the offences were committed by the students wholly in giving relief to their surplus energy, and as the natural reaction to petty restrictions. Many of the offenders grew up to become the most beloved alumni. The record book, in which a careful account was kept of all cases of discipline, has within its confidential covers the names of honored ministers of the Gospel, lawyers and teachers. Here one finds the name of a man who has rendered distinguished service on the Board of Trustees for many years-his offense on one occasion, going home for the week-end without permission; on another, helping to remove a quantity of lumber from the premises of a [Page 228] prominent citizen. Another prominent alumnus, at the present time quite conspicuous in the administration of the church, was notified to reduce his devotion to the young ladies of the campus, and increase his attention to history, if he desired to graduate. One of the most prominent ministers of the early day, occupying the best pastorates in Cincinnati and Louisville the better part of his life, was dismissed and degraded in 1835 for "playing at games of chance." The record of his case reads: "Resolved, That Mr. ________, a member of the Junior Class, being found guilty of the same crime, be dismissed for the remainder of this session and degraded one year in his standing." Two days later a number of others "who had in a written communication confessed themselves guilty of playing cards" were reprimanded, and the worst offenders dismissed. A few days after this action all were restored to good standing upon condition that they sign an agreement "not to play cards again whilst members of this institution, not to allow card playing in any rooms, nor to frequent the company of those who play cards."
Prior to the incorporation of the institution as a college it appears that discipline of the students was exercised by the Church Session. One of the most sensational of a number of rather lively church trials of the period was the prosecution before the Session of a student on the charge of lewdness who, his roommate, as prosecuting witness, declared had expressed in private conversation curiosity with regard to sex experience.
Running off to Madison and swimming in the Ohio River on Sabbath evenings gave considerable trouble, the former offense leading to a number of dismissals. The record for June 29, 1853, contains the following "The Faculty having ascertained that some of the [Page 229] students were in the habit of going to the river to bathe on Sabbath evening, it was directed that the President should take the earliest opportunity to remark upon the subject at chapel service." The "Minute Book" is filled with evidence that the Faculty had a rather well developed sense of humor. Dr. John M. Coulter was secretary for several years and the record under his hand is interesting reading. "Faculty met. Prayer meeting led by ________," is a familiar line across the page. His record of the disposition of cases of discipline sparkles. Of one case he wrote, "In the case of Mr. __________ it was decided that he be rusticated for the rest of the term."
A standing rule of many years during the middle period required the students to inform the college authorities of the misdemeanors of their classmates, while at the same time the Faculty dealt with lying as an unforgivable offense. Between these two horns of their dilemma, many young fellows found themselves in embarrassing predicaments. The curious phenomenon of former student life, known as "the Bogus," seems not to have assumed the same degree of vulgarity and indecency at Hanover as in some of her sister institutions, yet the epidemic had to be faced for several years. The Bogus was an anonymous sheet issued surreptitiously, usually on the eve of Commencement or a similarly prominent public function, in which the characters of professors, prominent students and townspeople were assailed in language ranging all the way from sophomoric sarcasm to the vilest slander. One excerpt from the "Bogus program" of the 1871 commencement day exercises will illustrate this type of student humor in its most innocuous form:
[Page 230]
"Music, by Orator-Double clog by B_____ and T______.
Oration.............................. Monopolies [Name of the speaker]
"This gentleman has well chosen his subject, and if he is consistent with his cause in life, will defend the cause with all his reasoning powers. His life in College has been spent in one grand monopoly: so much so that all other youths have given up the pursuit, and trouble H______ no more by their insidious rivalry. You have now before you a choice specimen of '71. We shall, in order to make the matter plain, liken the class to a drove of hogs, and the faculty as their keepers. Long and faithfully have they crammed these shotes with the corn of knowledge and the slop of accomplishments, until here they stand before you-sleek and well fed: their keepers ready to palm them off for good stock on an unsuspecting public, and to dispose of them clad in the skin of a sheep to make you imagine they are as innocent as lambs. But their hoggish propensity will eventually show itself, like the ass's ears from the lion's skin, and they will stand forth as full grown swine."
With the growth of the democratic spirit in recent years there has appeared more of cooperation between the authorities and student leaders and the disappearance of class strikes and other forms of protest of alleged Faculty arbitrariness. Increasingly the details of student conduct have been referred to the student, government associations of the dormitory and the fraternity houses. Questions of policy are given legislative form by the Faculty after a mutual understanding has been arrived at between officials and students. Rarely have students been unwise as to the policies which should prevail, and as rarely remiss in meeting the responsibilities placed upon them.