Huron Institute
Encyclopedia
The Huron Institute was a school located in Milan
in the U.S. state
of Ohio
, in what was then Huron County
. The Huron Institute owed its existence to the extensive revivals of religion in the churches of Huron Presbytery in the years 1830 and 1831. The Institute was incorporated by act of the Ohio General Assembly
in 1832. With the local people being eager for the school to open, the first term was begun in April 1832 several months before the school building was completed in December 1832. Construction costs were $4,000, with $2,000 being raised by the Huron Presbytery
and the balance being raised by the village of Milan.
Reverend Elded Barber was the first Principal and the purpose of the school as stated in the Board of Trustees minutes was to provide "instruction to youth of both sexes in the higher branches of English education, the learned languages and the liberal arts and sciences."
It was the desire of the trustees of the institute to place education within the reach of all who would avail themselves of it, and in this they succeeded as nearly as was possible. The
tuition was fixed at four dollars per quarter in the classical department, and at three dollars in the English and female department, and the principal took it upon himself to furnish instruction from the avails of the tuition bills. Board was furnished by many of the best families in Milan at merely nominal rates. No student was ever refused admission or dismissed because too poor to pay his way in the institute.
At the time it was established, it was the only school on the Western Reserve west of Hudson
where young men could be prepared for college.
The Huron Institute closed in 1857 and re-opened as the Western Reserve Normal School in the next year. The Normal School continued to operate until 1889 when it closed. The building remained standing until 1910 when it was razed.
Milan, Ohio
Milan is a village in Erie and Huron counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 1,445 at the 2000 census.The Erie County portion of Milan is part of the Sandusky Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Huron County portion is part of the Norwalk Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, in what was then Huron County
Huron County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 59,487 people, 22,307 households, and 16,217 families residing in the county. The population density was 121 people per square mile . There were 23,594 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile...
. The Huron Institute owed its existence to the extensive revivals of religion in the churches of Huron Presbytery in the years 1830 and 1831. The Institute was incorporated by act of the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
in 1832. With the local people being eager for the school to open, the first term was begun in April 1832 several months before the school building was completed in December 1832. Construction costs were $4,000, with $2,000 being raised by the Huron Presbytery
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
and the balance being raised by the village of Milan.
Reverend Elded Barber was the first Principal and the purpose of the school as stated in the Board of Trustees minutes was to provide "instruction to youth of both sexes in the higher branches of English education, the learned languages and the liberal arts and sciences."
It was the desire of the trustees of the institute to place education within the reach of all who would avail themselves of it, and in this they succeeded as nearly as was possible. The
tuition was fixed at four dollars per quarter in the classical department, and at three dollars in the English and female department, and the principal took it upon himself to furnish instruction from the avails of the tuition bills. Board was furnished by many of the best families in Milan at merely nominal rates. No student was ever refused admission or dismissed because too poor to pay his way in the institute.
At the time it was established, it was the only school on the Western Reserve west of Hudson
Hudson, Ohio
Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 22,262 at the 2010 census. It is an affluent exurban community and is part of the Akron, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area...
where young men could be prepared for college.
The Huron Institute closed in 1857 and re-opened as the Western Reserve Normal School in the next year. The Normal School continued to operate until 1889 when it closed. The building remained standing until 1910 when it was razed.
Notable alumni
- Omar D. CongerOmar D. CongerOmar Dwight Conger was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the U.S. state of Michigan.Conger was born in Cooperstown, New York and moved with his father, the Rev. E. Conger, to Huron County, Ohio in 1824...
, U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake".... - Moses K. ArmstrongMoses K. ArmstrongMoses Kimball Armstrong was an American surveyor who served as a delegate from Dakota Territory to the United States House of Representatives....
, Delegate to the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Dakota TerritoryDakota TerritoryThe Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...