Happy Founder's Day!
December 03, 2021
188 years ago on December 3, 1833, the Oberlin Collegiate Institute (name changed to Oberlin College in 1850) opened for its first class. The campus looked much different than it does today, and would have looked similar (and even smaller) to the partial view of Oberlin watercolor by H. Alonzo Pease, 1838, pictured below.
Oberlin's founders John J. Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart were disappointed with the lack of strong Christian principles in the West and strove to start a town that adhered to the Gospel and educated future educators and Christian leaders. They read a biography of John Frederic Oberlin (1740-1826) and were inspired to name the Colony and College after him, because of his views on higher education and his life of service.
The founders' ideals can be read in the original Oberlin Covenant, which the Archives now holds (first page is pictured above). A typescript copy can be read through the Electronic Oberlin Group website.
Happy birthday, Oberlin College!