Description
When a determined group set out to establish a Methodist university in Central New York nearly a century ago, they faced immediate opposition. Genesee College, a struggling Methodist school founded in 1849 in Lima, New York, had loyal supporters who fiercely resisted relocating it to Syracuse. The controversy raged through the press, Methodist Church, State Legislature, and courts before a decision was finally reached.
In Syracuse University: The Pioneer Days, W. Freeman Galpin chronicles this dramatic beginning and the remarkable early years of Syracuse University. The first classes were held in a downtown office building while farmland was purchased for a campus. Despite struggling to pay their first Chancellor regularly, the inaugural faculty worked passionately to build a curriculum of high academic quality. The leadership journey began with Dr. Daniel Steele serving as Vice President until 1872, followed by Dr. Alexander Winchell as the first Chancellor. Dr. Erastus O. Haven succeeded him in 1874, serving until 1880. When Dr. Charles N. Sims took office in 1881, financial disaster seemed imminent. Yet by his retirement in 1893, Syracuse University’s future was secured.
Galpin’s history draws from trustees’ meetings records, faculty minutes, correspondence, historic newspapers, and photographs to bring to life the university’s foundational era—including its first athletic teams, Greek organizations, and traditions that would shape its identity for generations to come.
About the Author
W. Freeman Galpin was professor of history emeritus at Syracuse University. In 1942, he was appointed University Historian. He is the author of several books and articles on the history of Central New York.
March 1952