ALEXANDER COLLEGE

ALEXANDER COLLEGE. Alexander College was one of the Midwest's most publicized Presbyterian educational experiments of the 1850s. (1) Promoters claimed the college was destined to become for Iowa what Yale was to Connecticut. Joshua Phelps, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Dubuque and president of the college, boasted of the institution's four-year preparatory course of literary, scientific and classical education. Additionally, there was planned a four-year college program and a law school with a faculty including Thomas S. WILSON, J. J. Dyer and the Reverend Phelps who served as president. (1)

In 1853 the college opened in the former home of James LANGWORTHY at 12th and Iowa STREETS. The school enrolled 107 boys in the preparatory department with two students in the college program. (2) One of the professors was Christian WULLWEBER who taught German. There were also Rev. A. Keer, professor of Latin and Greek; J. Allen, professor of natural science; Samuel Newbury, professor of mathematics, natural philosophy and astronomy; and others "of less importance." (3) Disagreements among the leadership arose prior to moving to a new three-story building near the present site of the FINLEY HOSPITAL (THE). (4) An agreement between the church and the contractors placed the cost of the building at $12,000.

Phelps resigned and was replaced by Rev. Dr. Reed. Financial problems developed and the college closed in 1859. (5) Among the graduates was James H. SHIELDS. (6) Alexander SIMPLOT, the renowned local artist, began his college education at Alexander College, but transferred to Union College. (7)

On September 23, 1874 minor walls remaining of the college vacated for twenty years collapsed terrifying the neighborhood. (8)

Today the only trace of the institution is the name College Street along which the institution stood.

---

Source:

1. Oldt, Franklin T. The History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1880. Online: http://members.tripod.com/~Doreen_3/index-2.html

2. Ibid.

3. "Great Was the Fall," The Daily Herald, September 26, 1874, p. 4

4. Oldt

5. "Great Was..."

6. "Shields for Senator," The Herald, October 24, 1889, p. 2

7. "The Civil War as Reported by Dubuquers at the Battlefields," Telegraph Herald, March 8, 1964, p. 11

8. Ibid.