Building a legacy: 'Hillsdale's Grand Old Man'
College Historian Arlan Gilbert publishes book on founder who traveled the country to build a college
Jon Fisher
Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: News
Ransom Dunn rode through the Midwest in 1853 to raise $10,000 from poor farmers to plant Hillsdale College.
Thousands of miles lay before him with few roads and meager transportation; Dunn learned to sleep on horseback while riding to the next town. Most of the residents lived in shanty log cabins and lived on nearly nothing, and a cholera epidemic had sprung in the region.
When Dunn spoke to the college's first donors, he emphasized freedom and the value of education.
And money came in, two or five dollars at a time.
After two years of fundraising, Dunn returned to Hillsdale with $22,000. Dunn's efforts to relocate the college to
Hillsdale, his energetic service to it for five decades and his influence on the college's founding values built the legacy that made him "Mr. Hillsdale."
"He was never after any personal gain, but the college's founding was in large part due to him," Hillsdale College Historian Arlan Gilbert said.
This year, Gilbert published a biography on Dunn entitled, "Hillsdale's Grand Old Man."
Gilbert said the book, his fourth, differs significantly from his three other books about the college. The 57-page biography sketches a character analysis of Dunn and portrays him as a constant Hillsdale supporter, despite hardship.
Planting college roots
In 1853, the administration of what was then called Central Michigan College decided to move its institution closer to railroads and people.
The college president, Edmund Burke Fairfield, preferred the Coldwater area.
But Hillsdale residents encouraged Dunn to move the college to its bustling railroad town of 2,000 residents.
Dunn was determined to build in Hillsdale. He stood on a stump just steps from where Central Hall lies today, and said to the men accompanying him: "If we ever have a Freewill Baptist college in the west, it will be within four rods of this stump."
But the college needed funds to build. So Dunn traversed the Midwest for two years, and the college officially opened in 1855.
"Mr. Hillsdale"
The college flourished under Dunn's guidance. Dunn never held a high administrative position, but the community recognized his importance and dubbed him "Mr. Hillsdale," Gilbert said.
Though Dunn was tall and frail, he delivered powerful, engaging sermons at the local Freewill Baptist Church. Dunn was so captivating that a student once remarked he disliked listening to Dunn on hot days because he forgot to fan himself.
He served for five decades, preaching and lecturing students. No current employee has served the college for 50 years, though some have reached 30, President Larry Arnn said.
Defying convention, building a mission
Dunn's commanding presence shaped much of the college's mission statement today, Gilbert said. Dunn challenged the era's expectations and conventions: he held strong views against slavery, and he ensured the college would prohibit by charter the discrimination of race, religion and gender.
"He proudly defied what was becoming progressivism and relativism and government control over education," Gilbert said.
Today the college still maintains the principles and mission that the college was founded upon. Dunn would encourage the college in its current path if he were alive today, Arnn said.
"I think he would say it's in the service of the right, but there's room for improvement," Arnn said. "He was a stern man."
Gilbert said he recommends gleaning from the wealth of Hillsdale College's history with his book.
"I don't want to beat our students and faculty over the head with this, but they should be aware of the history of the school," Gilbert said. "It is absolutely something to be proud of."
Thousands of miles lay before him with few roads and meager transportation; Dunn learned to sleep on horseback while riding to the next town. Most of the residents lived in shanty log cabins and lived on nearly nothing, and a cholera epidemic had sprung in the region.
When Dunn spoke to the college's first donors, he emphasized freedom and the value of education.
And money came in, two or five dollars at a time.
After two years of fundraising, Dunn returned to Hillsdale with $22,000. Dunn's efforts to relocate the college to
Hillsdale, his energetic service to it for five decades and his influence on the college's founding values built the legacy that made him "Mr. Hillsdale."
"He was never after any personal gain, but the college's founding was in large part due to him," Hillsdale College Historian Arlan Gilbert said.
This year, Gilbert published a biography on Dunn entitled, "Hillsdale's Grand Old Man."
Gilbert said the book, his fourth, differs significantly from his three other books about the college. The 57-page biography sketches a character analysis of Dunn and portrays him as a constant Hillsdale supporter, despite hardship.
Planting college roots
In 1853, the administration of what was then called Central Michigan College decided to move its institution closer to railroads and people.
The college president, Edmund Burke Fairfield, preferred the Coldwater area.
But Hillsdale residents encouraged Dunn to move the college to its bustling railroad town of 2,000 residents.
Dunn was determined to build in Hillsdale. He stood on a stump just steps from where Central Hall lies today, and said to the men accompanying him: "If we ever have a Freewill Baptist college in the west, it will be within four rods of this stump."
But the college needed funds to build. So Dunn traversed the Midwest for two years, and the college officially opened in 1855.
"Mr. Hillsdale"
The college flourished under Dunn's guidance. Dunn never held a high administrative position, but the community recognized his importance and dubbed him "Mr. Hillsdale," Gilbert said.
Though Dunn was tall and frail, he delivered powerful, engaging sermons at the local Freewill Baptist Church. Dunn was so captivating that a student once remarked he disliked listening to Dunn on hot days because he forgot to fan himself.
He served for five decades, preaching and lecturing students. No current employee has served the college for 50 years, though some have reached 30, President Larry Arnn said.
Defying convention, building a mission
Dunn's commanding presence shaped much of the college's mission statement today, Gilbert said. Dunn challenged the era's expectations and conventions: he held strong views against slavery, and he ensured the college would prohibit by charter the discrimination of race, religion and gender.
"He proudly defied what was becoming progressivism and relativism and government control over education," Gilbert said.
Today the college still maintains the principles and mission that the college was founded upon. Dunn would encourage the college in its current path if he were alive today, Arnn said.
"I think he would say it's in the service of the right, but there's room for improvement," Arnn said. "He was a stern man."
Gilbert said he recommends gleaning from the wealth of Hillsdale College's history with his book.
"I don't want to beat our students and faculty over the head with this, but they should be aware of the history of the school," Gilbert said. "It is absolutely something to be proud of."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Edward and Mariana Chalfant
posted 4/11/08 @ 2:08 AM EST
We congratulate Jon Fisher on the story. Today's students should know the history of the founder who built their college. One way to learn
the history is to read "Hillsdale's Grand Old Man" by Arlan Gilbert. (Continued…)
Post a Comment