1852: An Acadia Tragedy Unfolds (Part 2, May 30/25)

A Struggling College in 1849-1852

Rev. Dr. John Mockett Cramp arrived on campus in the late summer of 1851 as the new Acadia College President. Did he know what he was getting into? He had visited Wolfville in June 1846, met the faculty, and examined the construction of the new College building. But the situation was so very different when he took up residence. Did he recognize the campus he had visited only seven years ago? Archivist Wendy Robicheau suspects that Dr. Cramp might have had a rude awakening.

A campus transformation started in the fall of 1846, which Dr. R.S. Longley explains best in his book, Acadia University, 1838-1938 (published in 1939). One of the College founders, Dr. E.A. Crawley resigned from the faculty amid controversy. He, along with John Pryor and Isaac Chipman, had shared the teaching load since 1839. Dr. Crawley was quickly replaced, and John Pryor was appointed President. Then in 1949, the provincial government withdrew grants to all the colleges. Acadia felt the sharp sting of this political and financial move. The struggle proved too great. Dr. Crawley’s replacement resigned. President Pryor and Professor Chipman also resigned in 1850, and the College faced certain demise. Some funding was quickly raised to keep the Acadia open, but the damage was done. Dr. Pryor had already moved on to another position. Professor Chipman excused the outstanding pay owed to him, revoked his resignation, and returned to the classroom—alone.

Having taught all classes and performed all administrative work at significantly reduced pay, Professor Isaac Chipman held on until help arrived in the form of Rev. Dr. Cramp. The new President found a broken College with fewer students enrolled, dwindling coffers, and an exhausted faculty. Yet somehow, these two men halted the downfall of Acadia College. Even though the institution continued to struggle financially, Dr. Cramp and Professor Chipman appeared to be a force within the Maritime Baptist community. The reputation of the College grew. No one wanted to see the institution fall. Minutes of the Western Baptist Association for 1852 include one of many written examples with resolutions and expressions of financial support for the College. Endowments and subscriptions became central to all Baptist Association meetings for years. The Baptist newspapers in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were riddled with calls for financial support. The situation continued to be dire, but it was turning around slowly.

As a means of rewarding the community for their generosity to the College, supporters received invitations to campus events. The Christian Messenger included a report from the Governors, dated 20 September 1851, indicating that friends of the College were now encouraged to attend public lectures, openings of Terms, public exercises, and anniversary exhibitions. Written evidence shows that the invitations were well received. Reports of the anniversary exhibition in June 1852, highlighted in the next few posts, reflect a greatly successful event.