Haverford College: A History and an Interpretation

Josh Moskovitz

Professor Krippner

History of Haverford

October 2, 2015

Isaac Sharpless: Setting the Tone

What makes a college great? Is it the amazing faculty or one of a kind facilities? Or is it even the students that make an institution world class? The tone of a college is set from the top, the president. The president of a college has the ability to influence all aspects of life at the college and can take action to make the college the best it can be. In the case of Haverford College, Isaac Sharpless was the person to take matters into his own hands and form Haverford into one of the top colleges in the United States. From 1887 to 1917, President Sharpless changed Haverford for the better and the effects of his decisions can still be felt to this day. Under the presidency of Isaac Sharpless, Haverford was formed into an elite institution through the improvement in quality of faculty and facilities, as well as the advances of the culture.

First, President Sharpless benefited Haverford College by improving the faculty and the landscape of the college. Initially, Haverford hired Sharpless due to his ability to balance the college’s budget. However, Sharpless also had a master plan for the future of the college. In his inaugural address Sharpless states “the main points of policy that actually marked the thirty years of his leadership: intellectual honesty, thoroughness and simplicity, together with the cultivation of moral virtues.”[1] Additionally, Francis T. King explained exactly what the board of managers envisioned for the college and, in turn, what Sharpless carried out. King “called for the maintenance of a small college with a highly qualified faculty, for a student body that should reveal breadth of culture, scholarly spirit and disciplined powers, and for a very high moral and intellectual tone,” 1  Sharpless’ goals were to continue the great academic tradition that was rooted in Quaker values and ethics. Although Sharpless was called upon to maintain the quality of education at Haverford, he improved upon it by introducing top professors in their fields. In fact, Sharpless was so proactive in his search for world class professors that, on a trip to Moscow to see an eclipse, he found a “first-class mathematician…Frank Morley who was recognized as one of the most promising young mathematicians in England.” 1 Once Sharpless was hired as president, the quality of the professors dramatically increased, propelling the college to new academic heights. While the introduction of amazing professors sounds valuable, Sharpless’ plans came under criticism. With the increase the quality of faculty comes an increase in costs to the college. Sharpless’ vision didn’t seem to be working out because “with the additions to the budget only a very slight addition to the number of students and only a small increase of regular normal income. The President believed that the type of college which he proposed to create would rapidly attract students and would in a few years bring large additions to its working capital and that it was, therefore, a sound prospective policy.” 1 Eventually Sharpless’ plans worked out, but not without a scare to the finances of the college. In addition to Sharpless’ improvements of the academics at the college, he also considerably improved the college’s facilities. At the start of Sharpless’ presidency, “the college was housed in four buildings…At the time of President Sharpless' resignation in 1917 the array of new buildings on the college campus had grown to…Whitall Hall (the old engineering building), The Gymnasium, the Dining Hall, the Chemistry Building (named after Lyman Beecher Hall), Roberts Hall, Lloyd Hall (in four sections, completed in 1926), the College Union, the Heating and Lighting Plant, Merion Hall with its Annex, the Cricket Pavilion, two new wings to the Library and a fire-proof Stack, a new wing to Chase Hall, and the Infirmary.” 1 Sharpless wanted to not only improve on the education at Haverford, but he also wanted to create a better learning environment for the students. Overall, Sharpless accomplished his goal of improving the infrastructure of the college, but he also had a large influence on the relationship between the students and the administration.

Secondly, Sharpless’ greatest achievement as president of Haverford was how he created a new type of relationship between the administration and the students. This is evidenced by Sharpless’ actions to get rid of the “governor” in Barclay dorm. The “governor” was, “an attempt to maintain a watchful guardianship over the students' daily life by means of a disciplinary officer…He was preferably a young man, a recent graduate, who lived in the dormitory, who executed the rules and regulations of the faculty, who had the power to grant or refuse excuses from classes (there were no "cuts" in those days) and who was supposed to maintain order in Barclay.” 1 Sharpless was in favor of this type of regulation. He trusted the students and wanted them to govern themselves, instead of listening to a single person of power. Once Sharpless made the decision to get rid of the “governors”, “petty oversight and nagging guardianship ceased. Leadership took the place of rules. The new Dean had a far greater confidence in human nature than his predecessors had shown. He immediately put himself en rapport with the students. He understood them and treated them as men. He appealed to manliness and honor, and discarded "the gum shoe method" of watchful oversight. The students rose at once to meet his confidence in them. They instantly recognized his qualities and welcomed his leadership.” 1 Once Sharpless and the students were on the same page, a mutual respect emerged and the college began to give more power to the students. To this day students have a large voice and impact on administrative decisions. Furthermore, Sharpless extended his relationship with the students even further. Sharpless recalls a story where, “a number of the members of the class of '85…harnessed the old college horse and drove for a refreshing swim before breakfast in the "Dove's Mills" pond, two miles away. They worked the plan with success and were never caught. But at the class banquet just before commencement Dean Sharpless in his "toast" to the class,- remarked that if anyone wanted to know what a remarkable class this one had been he ought to consult the horse in the college barn!” 1 President Sharpless created a new culture at Haverford. He knocked down the wall between administrator and student, while forming a larger and close-knit community. Additionally, Sharpless and the students did not take themselves too seriously. The academics were serious but the relationships were not. Sharpless knew the importance of enjoying a life of learning.

Ultimately, Sharpless improved the Haverford community not only by changing the culture for the better, but also by enhancing the level of the faculty and facilities. His leadership will never be forgotten and might not ever be replicated. The trust in the students that he had during his presidency is unmatched. Haverford College will always be grateful to Isaac Sharpless for his long lasting effect on the community.