Rutersville College
Encyclopedia
Rutersville College was a coeducational college
located in the unincorporated community
of Rutersville
in Fayette County
, Texas
, United States
. Chartered under the Republic of Texas
in 1840, Rutersville College was Texas's first institution of higher education
. It was named for Methodist missionary and educator Martin Ruter
, who wrote the school's charter and raised funds to establish the institution, which he originally intended to be named Bastrop College. The Congress of Texas
initially rejected the school's charter because it affiliated the school with the Methodist Church. Ruter died two years before the school finally opened under a revised charter excluding a religious affiliation.
For the remainder of the school's existence, Rutersville was afflicted by administrative turmoil, financial instability, and several external factors. From 1846 to 1848, male students were drawn away from the college to fight in the Mexican–American War
. Increased competition from newly founded Baylor University
(1845) and Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute
(1850) decreased enrollment at Rutersville. Land given to the college by donors to be sold for financial support depreciated in value, leaving the college with insufficient funds.
The school received negative publicity related to the influence of the Methodist Church while local ministers were disappointed that Rutersville was not officially recognized as a Methodist institution. To satisfy religious supporters, the college amended its charter in 1849 to give the Methodist Conference authority to fill vacancies on the board of trustees. However, a sex scandal in 1850 drove the Methodist Conference to abandon Rutersville in favor of establishing ties to Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute.
As Rutersville's debts mounted and the student population dwindled, the college ceased offering classes and the board of trustees leased Rutersville's campus to the Texas Monumental and Military Institute of Galveston
in 1856.
The charter of Rutersville College was revived in 1872 during the formation of Southwestern University
. The Rutersville campus was purchased by the Southern German Conference of the Methodist Church in 1883, abandoned in 1894, and razed sometime later. Only the bell from Rutersville's main building survives, currently located on the campus of Southwestern University.
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
located in the unincorporated community
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
of Rutersville
Rutersville, Texas
Rutersville is an unincorporated community in central Fayette County, Texas, United States.Rutersville College was located in the community.-External links:* Handbook of Texas Online....
in Fayette County
Fayette County, Texas
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 21,804. Its county seat is La Grange. Fayette is named for the Marquis de la Fayette, a French nobleman who became an American Revolutionary War hero...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Chartered under the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
in 1840, Rutersville College was Texas's first institution of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
. It was named for Methodist missionary and educator Martin Ruter
Martin Ruter
Rev. Martin Henry Ruter, D.D. was a prominent Methodist minister, missionary and educator of the early 19th century....
, who wrote the school's charter and raised funds to establish the institution, which he originally intended to be named Bastrop College. The Congress of Texas
Congress of the Republic of Texas
The Congress of the Republic of Texas was the national legislature of the Republic of Texas established by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas in 1836. It was a bicameral legislature based on the model of the United States Congress...
initially rejected the school's charter because it affiliated the school with the Methodist Church. Ruter died two years before the school finally opened under a revised charter excluding a religious affiliation.
History
The school opened on February 1, 1840 with three instructors teaching courses divided among nine departments, including classical, professional, and preparatory subjects. Rutersville added additional faculty as the student body grew from 63 students in 1840 to a peak of 194 students in 1844.For the remainder of the school's existence, Rutersville was afflicted by administrative turmoil, financial instability, and several external factors. From 1846 to 1848, male students were drawn away from the college to fight in the Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
. Increased competition from newly founded Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
(1845) and Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute
Soule University
Soule University was a private Methodist university in Chappell Hill, a rural community in Washington County, Texas, United States. Chartered in 1856, Soule replaced the male department of Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute and was intended to succeed the failed Rutersville College...
(1850) decreased enrollment at Rutersville. Land given to the college by donors to be sold for financial support depreciated in value, leaving the college with insufficient funds.
The school received negative publicity related to the influence of the Methodist Church while local ministers were disappointed that Rutersville was not officially recognized as a Methodist institution. To satisfy religious supporters, the college amended its charter in 1849 to give the Methodist Conference authority to fill vacancies on the board of trustees. However, a sex scandal in 1850 drove the Methodist Conference to abandon Rutersville in favor of establishing ties to Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute.
As Rutersville's debts mounted and the student population dwindled, the college ceased offering classes and the board of trustees leased Rutersville's campus to the Texas Monumental and Military Institute of Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
in 1856.
The charter of Rutersville College was revived in 1872 during the formation of Southwestern University
Southwestern University
Southwestern University is a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Georgetown, Texas, USA. Founded in 1840, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church although the curriculum is nonsectarian...
. The Rutersville campus was purchased by the Southern German Conference of the Methodist Church in 1883, abandoned in 1894, and razed sometime later. Only the bell from Rutersville's main building survives, currently located on the campus of Southwestern University.