History of Ohio Wesleyan University

Find the history of Ohio Wesleyan University interesting, whether you are considering attending the institution or are just a fan of the school's sports teams. This university has been around for over 100 years and has a long and interesting story.

Planning and the early years

Discussions of building a college in Ohio began in 1821 when the Ohio Methodist Conference built Augusta College. The school started as a simple Colonial style building that was formerly a sanatorium. It was known as the Mansion House and also served as a public library. In 1956, a separate building was added to house the library collections. This was replaced by the Elihu Slocum Library in 1898. University Hall was added in 1893 and also expanded the campus greatly.

The depression years and beyond

The university suffered during the years of the Great Depression. Even before 1929, enrollment declined as many men went to fight in World War I. Nevertheless, the school kept the number of faculty constant and worked on overhauling the curriculum. English, pre-medicine and history became the largest programs at the college and remain as such today. There is now a decreased emphasis on religion at the university, but academics are still very strong and the sports programs are very successful in NCAA competitions.

Ohio Wesleyan University is well known for its sports teams and academic rigor. Few are aware that this large university started as a one building school in the 1800s, survived the Great Depression and later flourished.