Charles Chapin Tracy, missionary, philanthropist, educator, first ...

CHARLES CHAPIN TRACY 21
PLANTING A COLLEGE
The standard of instruction in the Seminary, as in
the Girls' School, was raised more than once to meet
the advancing requirements of the churches and the
students, and the institution reached a flourishing
condition. Young men who were not committed to the
ministry also began to be candidates for an education,
and in 1883 Seminary instruction was readjusted with
a theological course of three years following a high
school course. The latter was open to students without
regard to the ministry as a profession. The
Armenians called imperatively for a college and offered
to share in supporting it. The Evangelical Churches
needed it to sustain their leadership in the field. The
whole country required that type of service which has
been rendered by the colleges of America, many of them
doing some of their best work under pioneer conditions.
A college was the logic of the situation. It was in-
evitable in the trend of events, and the " High School
in a Cellar," with Mr. Tracy as its principal, graduated
its first and only class in 1886 and was merged into
Anatolia College.
The American Board, in accordance with its general
policy, had put down a group of men, four in number,
in Marsovan, and what was done there depended upon
whether they did it or not. Rev. J. F. Smith was a
sound and conservative financier; Dr. Edward Riggs,
a broad and thorough scholar; Dr. G. F. Herrick, a
strong and devoted administrator; and Dr. C. C.
Tracy was the President of the institution from the
start. Of the Armenians cooperating. Professor Gara-