150th Anniversary: Lincoln College celebrates Charter Day Convocation
Part one: Opening remarks by College President John Blackburn

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[February 10, 2015]  LINCOLN - On Friday February 6th, Lincoln College marked the exact date of the 150th Anniversary of the College Charter with a ribbon cut hosted by the Logan County Alliance and Lincoln/Logan Chamber of Commerce.

On Sunday afternoon, the celebration of that charter continued with a special program held at the Johnston Center for Performer Arts on the college campus.

By 1:30 in the afternoon guests were gathering and taking their seats for the 2 p.m. program. As they waited, they were treated to music from a Lincoln College Strings Ensemble, comprised of music students, and a slideshow presentation of the history of the college in photos.

As the ensemble played beautifully, the large screen on the stage offered photos of all of the buildings on the Lincoln Campus, a brief showing of the college annex in Normal, and a variety of shots of various classes, classrooms, sports teams and past presidents.

As the 2 o’clock hour approached the slides came to an end, and the stage was set for the balance of the program.

The Charter Day Convocation began with the processional of Lincoln College professors while Assistant Professor of Vocal Music Laurie A. Lewis played the piano.
 


Bringing up the end of the procession were Lincoln College President John Blackburn, Board of Trustees Chairman, Robert Neal; Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Gigi Fansler; Associate Professor of History and Political Studies, and Lincoln Heritage Museum Director, Ron Keller, and Dr. Wayne C. Temple.

President Blackburn welcomed the board of trustees, special guests, distinguished faculty, alumni and friends of Lincoln College saying it was a great honor to welcome all to 150th commemoration of the Charter of Lincoln University.

Blackburn told the group there is a letter at the Lincoln College Heritage Museum from Robert Latham to Abraham Lincoln, informing President Lincoln that a college was to be named for the 16th President in Lincoln, Illinois. [See a copy of that letter]

He spoke briefly on the founding of the college by the synods of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church that included synods from Indiana, Iowa, Central Illinois; the Illinois and the Sangamon Synods. He read the charter aloud as it was approved by the State of Illinois General Assembly in 1865.

Blackburn then asked that all stand for the invocation, which he delivered personally.

Blackburn told the story of how Lincoln University, now Lincoln College, came to be. He said that locally a proposal to the synods was prepared, and Reverend James White was chosen as the local representative. He noted Reverend White’s great-grandchildren, Mary Lou Klockenga, and Leonard Krusemark were in the audience and asked them to stand and be acknowledged.

Blackburn repeated an account of the founding of the college that he had shared on Friday at the ribbon cut. He continued on, adding that the school was dedicated on February 12, 1865, Abraham Lincoln’s birth date.

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The cornerstone for University Hall was then laid in September of 1865 with Abraham Lincoln’s friend, Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby as the main speaker.

He also noted that the college was happy to share that this year, the main speaker at the 2015 commencement services will also be an Illinois Governor, Governor Bruce Rauner.

Blackburn also reported hearing from several state officials who offered various forms of congratulations to the college on its anniversary.

Blackburn said, “U.S. Senator Richard Durbin has entered the anniversary of Lincoln College into the Senatorial Record of the United States. Congressman Aaron Schock has entered the anniversary into the Congressional Record. Senator Bill Brady sent a certificate from the Illinois Senate. Mayor Keith Snyder was with us here Friday when we kicked off this weekend and presented a Lincoln City Proclamation.”

He continued saying, “I do want to recognize one that is a special friend of Lincoln College and one of our honorary trustees, Senator Larry Bomke, whom I know is in the audience.”

He noted there were several friends of Dr. Wayne C. Temple, the keynote speaker for the day. In addition, he said, “Several members of the Abraham Lincoln Association are here with us. Lincoln College Trustees and Trustees Emeriti are in the room. Provos Emeritus Dr. Tom Zurkhammer is with us as well as Professor Emeritus Paul Beaver. The Lincoln College faculty and staff which we value so greatly is represented in the room very well today, and the Lincoln College Alumni are also scattered throughout our audience.”



He concluded, “You’ve heard in Biblical terms and other ways, 'The last shall be first and the first shall be last.' The last I want to recognize is our students, but I want you to know they are first in our hearts.”

Blackburn then introduced Lincoln College Student and College Chorale member Angel Faith, who performed the National Anthem a cappella.

Blackburn then turned the podium over to the Lincoln College Board of Trustees Chairman, Robert Neal.

[Nila Smith]

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