John Baldwin (educator)

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John Baldwin
John Baldwin
Born(1799-10-13)October 13, 1799
Branford, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedDecember 28, 1884(1884-12-28) (aged 85)
Baldwin, Louisiana, U.S.
SpouseMary Chappel

John Baldwin (October 13, 1799 – December 28, 1884) was an American educator, and the founder of Baldwin Institute (later Baldwin University) in

Baldwin Girls High School
and Baldwin Co-Education Extension High School.

Born in Connecticut, Baldwin originally was a teacher in Maryland and Connecticut before moving to Ohio in the late 1820s. He became part of the lyceum movement and situated himself in Berea, Ohio. He opened up Baldwin Institute in 1846 upon seeing the dissolution of the Norwalk Seminary. Nine years later, the Institute became Baldwin University. He moved to Kansas around 1857, laying the foundation for Baldwin City, Kansas, as well as Baker University. In his later life, he purchased a Louisiana plantation and made contributions to education in India late in his life.

Biography

Early life

John Baldwin was born in

Methodist Church. As a student at a private school, he paid his way by chopping firewood, ringing the bell, and building fires.[3] Afterwards, he became a teacher in Fishkill, New York, Maryland, and Litchfield, Connecticut. As a teacher in Maryland, his stance on slavery, as well as black people as a whole, was revealed. A mulatto boy was sent to his school daily as a servant for his master's son. Baldwin began to teach them in common. When the student's father found out about this, he demanded Baldwin not teach him any more, to which he replied, "I do not charge anything for teaching him" and continued to teach him.[4]

Founding Berea

Main article: Berea, Ohio
Marting Hall at Baldwin–Wallace College, on the site of Lyceum Square

After marrying Mary Chappel on January 31, 1828, they moved to Middleburg Township in

Cincinnati, Baldwin built a railroad that would connect his quarries to the Big Four Depot. It was then that Baldwin and the others of the Lyceum Village tried to think of a name for their new town. After Gilbrith proposed Tabor, John Baldwin suggested Berea, citing Acts 17:10–11. After a coin flip, Berea was chosen.[7]

Baldwin Institute

Main article:
History of Baldwin–Wallace College

In 1843, Baldwin noticed that the Norwalk Seminary, located in

Baldwin–Wallace College in 1913.[9]

Life in Kensett, Iowa

At age fifty-eight, Baldwin desired to satisfy his nature of being a pioneer again by moving to Kansas, which was at that time a territory. He arrived as the brunt of the fighting in the territory was ending. Upon his arrival, he founded

Baldwin City and built the first college building in the territory, which became the foundation for Baker University.[10] He was in Kansas only for a short time when tragedy struck. On August 30, 1858, John's son Milton died unexpectedly after having been sick for only three days.[11] Within a couple of years, he laid out a town, built a grist mill and a sawmill, and he turned over the town and college to the Methodist Conference and returned to Berea, although he continued to finance it.[12]

Later years & family legacy

Cornerstone dedicating the Baldwin Library
Baldwin Library

In 1867, Baldwin purchased the Darby plantation in

plantation of about 1,700 acres (6.9 km2).[13] At the age of eighty, Baldwin learned of the situation in India; there were large numbers of Europeans in India who could not get a proper education.[14] The Baldwin High School for Boys and the Baldwin High School for Girls were then built in 1880. John Baldwin died at his home in Baldwin, Louisiana on Sunday, December 28, 1884, at 10 A.M.[15]
Baldwin's family even left their legacy on the campus long after Baldwin's death. A person of historical significance to the university's history is Philura Gould Baldwin. Philura Gould Baldwin graduated in 1886 and was the granddaughter of John Baldwin. Philura started the school's first library by collecting and cataloging books. Beyond this, Philura suggested the traditional colors of brown and gold for the school colors.[16] These were also the school colors for Baldwin University, which still stand today. Philura died from consumption at age 26 (b. November 28, 1865; d. March 3, 1892). The Baldwin family donated funds for a library that was dedicated in her memory in June 1894.[16] The Philura Gould Baldwin Library was eventually made part of the Malicky Center in the 1900s.[16][17][18]

Personal views

John Baldwin was a person whose views seemed to run counter to the conventional customs of the time.

Methodist Church.[3]

Notes

  1. ^ Baldwin, Charles Candee (1880). Baldwin Genealogy. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 996.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ Webber 1925, p. 16.
  3. ^ a b Webber 1925, p. 27.
  4. ^ Webber 1925, p. 28.
  5. ^ Webber 1925, p. 43.
  6. ^ Webber 1925, pp. 45–46<.
  7. ^ Webber 1925, p. 50.
  8. ^ a b Webber 1925, p. 64.
  9. ^ "City of Berea Ohio USA". Archived from the original on October 23, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  10. ^ Webber 1925, p. 103.
  11. ^ Markham, 88
  12. ^ Webber 1925, p. 104.
  13. ^ Webber 1925, p. 139.
  14. ^ Webber 1925, p. 167.
  15. ^ Webber 1925, p. 171.
  16. ^ a b c Assad, Mary (2008). Baldwin-Wallace College. Arcadia. p. 21.
  17. ^ Assad, Mary (2008). Baldwin-Wallace College. Arcadia. p. 102.
  18. ^ White Rose Ceremony. "White Rose Ceremony History". Baldwin Wallace College. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  19. ^ a b Webber 1925, p. 11.
  20. ^ Webber 1925, p. 20.

References

External links

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