York College has followed an interesting path through denominations, ownership, mergers and name changes, eventually ending up sharing its name with colleges in New York and Pennsylvania.
In 1861, the first settlement of York County began in earnest. A decade later, George Harris, the land commissioner for the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad, found the city of York with six buildings, one of which was sod and not a tree or shrub to shade it.
C.S. Harrison, George Harris’ contact in York, said what the village needed was a core focus to build around. At his suggestion, the railroad deeded 40 acres west of the townsite for a Congregational academy. Thirty of the acres were sold, and on the remaining 10 acres, lumber was brought in from Fairmont to build a two-story, 30-by-50-foot school with an attached bell tower.
While the Congregationalists investigated and debated, the building was used as a grade school and Congregational church. Their ultimate decision was that York was too close to the Congregationalist’s Doane College in Crete and that York would simply be in competition for the same students.
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The Methodists stepped up in 1879 and established the Nebraska Conference Seminary, which at that time was more of a high school than a seminary. It opened with 95 students. In 1883, the seminary redefined itself as a college and in 1885 enrollment reached 315.
In 1886, there were three Methodist colleges in Nebraska, all struggling financially, and York was located only 35 miles from a school in Central City. A conference in Lincoln resulted in the formation of Nebraska Wesleyan at University Place in 1888 and the closure of the college in York. The York building was sold, becoming the Ursuline Academy the following year.
In 1890, the United Brethren Church investigated a number of potential college locations and members were most impressed with York’s exemplary record of allowing no saloons. On Aug. 26, it announced that York offered the “most pleasant and healthful surroundings for forming a non-sectarian college" and a site at East Hill was chosen. The school was to have a board representing several denominations as well as a diverse faculty, and, should the school ever close, the property would revert to the city.
What it referred to as “The People’s School†held its first classes in the Wirt Building in downtown York on Sept. 1.
One-hundred fifty York businessmen and local citizens donated 180 acres of land and $20,000 for the new school, and in 1891 the cornerstone was laid and the following June the dedication of Old Main was held. The three-story plus basement, brick and stone building was said to be visible for miles. The single 88-by-99-foot building contained not only classrooms and offices, but a 600-seat chapel, a gymnasium and 1,500-volume library.
In the summer of 1901, Professor G.M. Jacobs, who had previously taught at the Methodist Seminary and later Methodist College, founded what he first called the York Business College, as a private for-profit school. The business school opened Sept. 10, 1901, in 10 large rooms on the second floor of the Wirt Building with nine students. By the end of the first term the number had risen to 35. The school’s first commencement was held on April 10, 1902, with Chancellor Wm. Prince Aylesworth of Cotner University in Bethany as keynote speaker. The business school moved a short time later to the Nobes Opera House building and adapted its name and classes to the York Business College and Normal School.
In 1903, York College, now with 11 faculty members and an advertised 13 courses of study, laid the foundation for a second building. Hulitt Hall -- named for John Hulitt, who donated $5,000 of the building’s $15,000 cost -- was a four-story, 35-room, girls dormitory and music conservatory. At that point the school claimed to be totally liquid and had an average annual enrollment of 281 students.
The 1913 annual report showed York College had an 11-acre campus, three buildings, an endowment of $50,000, total assets of $160,000 and an enrollment of 468. In 1916, York College purchased York Business College and Normal School but did not merge their classes to the main campus until 1925.
Because of a denominational merger in 1946, York College became a part of the Evangelical United Brethren and in 1954 was associated with the E.U.B.’s Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa. Two years later they associated with the Church of Christ, and in 1958 York College switched to concentrate on associate degrees as a junior college.
The school returned to a four-year bachelor’s degree program in 1989 and was re-accredited as a college emphasizing education degrees. Although Old Main suffered a disastrous fire in January 1951 and was subsequently razed, York College today thrives with about 500 students and 17 buildings on its 50-acre campus.
The original academy site survives only in the name Academy Street.
Historian Jim McKee, who still writes with a fountain pen, invites comments or questions. Write to him in care of the Journal Star or at jim@leebooksellers.com.