All Together Now

What began in 1883 in a rural western New York hamlet, largely as the result of one man’s vision—that of Willard J. Houghton—was a single-building seminary offering high school and a few advanced courses aiming to serve “poor boys and girls.” From humble beginnings in nearby Short Tract, James Seymour Luckey rose to become its first president in 1908, his own education having included the Seminary, Oberlin College and Harvard University. The 11 women and 9 men who composed Houghton’s Class of 1925 merit consideration and respect for what they risked and paid to be the first class. Their record of achievement as students and in their careers across the next 50 years validated their youthful decisions and the validity of the charter’s granting.

Before the charter, it would have been normal for those students to have transferred their credits to a degree-granting institution as their Seminary predecessors had. Instead, they completed two more years at Houghton, which required taking additional courses mandated by the charter’s conditions. Obviously, they also incurred added expense for themselves.

As students, those class members also earned credit for challenge and innovation. One of their number became editor of the student newspaper, The Houghton Star. He changed its format from a monthly to a weekly and advocated for intercollegiate sports, although that didn’t happen for another 44 years. One classmate edited the first college yearbook; another gave it its name—The Boulder. Yet another served as President Luckey’s secretary. One made a success of college though she was just 14 when she matriculated. Several young people joined these, having left other pursuits eager to be part of the first graduating class.

Archival photo of Willard J. Houghton.

Dreams Do Come True

A half-century later, 15 of the Seminary’s 20 members had survived and thrived, most of them returning to campus in 1975, gathering for Houghton College’s first 50-Year Class Reunion. Most had had careers that included teaching or educational administration. One, a high school vice principal near Buffalo, upon announcing his retirement triggered a petition from 1,300 students asking their school board to reject his resignation. Other teachers included several who returned to Houghton as long-serving faculty. A number earned doctorates. There were missionaries, pastors, librarians, authors, a Peace Corps volunteer, a dealer of high-end automobiles, an attorney who later handled legal affairs for the college, a farm supply salesman and a public works engineer.

Houghton College received its permanent charter in 1927, full Middle States Accreditation in 1935; President Luckey presided at the 1936 Founders Day where the college offered its first honorary degrees. He died five months later, 14 years to the day after he secured Houghton’s provisional charter.

Archival photo of James S. Luckey.

Consider the Years

Author and editor for this excerpt were the late Ruth Brooks Luckey, daughter-in-law of President James S. Luckey and the late Kenneth Wilson, then editor of The Christian Herald.

A TELEGRAM brought the word on February 3, 1920: “Plan approved. Charter in sight. Let us thank God.” Another, three years later almost to the day, exulted: “Bells ringing. Charter granted. Board voted 14–1. Doxology.” Two telegrams. But between the first and second there had to be inexhaustible quantities of consecrated persistence. James Seymour Luckey had both.

His audacious objective had grown out of a need. In the Eastern area there was no college Wesleyanic in emphasis authorized to grant degrees. Houghton could qualify, the State Board of Regents decided, if the President could get $100,000 and the promise of $20,000 annually from the Church. The Wesleyan Methodist Syracuse Board voted to let him try, and the first telegram was hurried off.