Marion Collegiate Institute, est. 1899
Marion Collegiate Institute is situated in the village of Marion, 22 miles east of Rochester; five miles north of Palmyra, on the New York Central Railway and the West Shore Railway, and six miles south of Williamson, on the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburgh Railway. Public conveyance communicates with Palmyra twice daily. Telephone connection is secured with all points. These render the village easy of access to students from all parts of the country, and it is removed far enough from the larger towns to be free from many of the usual temptations to the young. It has a population of about 1,000. It is a very healthful location, and valuable springs of medicinal waters are in the vicinity.
History: Marion has been an educational center ever since its "Old Academy" was organization in 1825. The founded in 1838, and Marion Collegiate Institute in 1855. A large and increasing proportion of the students pursue the classical course. Many of them enter college, where the thoroughness of their preparation is shown by the high standing they maintain. In the number of Regents' credentials, the school in 1898 ranked sixth among the 120 non-tax-supported schools in the state. About one half of the graduates have become teachers in the schools of the different grades, from the public school to the university. Many have entered the other learned professions-and quite a number have become eminent ministers, physicians, lawyers and scientists.
Building and Grounds: The Institute consists of a substantial brick structure of three stories, heated by steam. It has recitation rooms, a chapel, library, reading room, laboratory, and large public hall. The library, containing standard works of reference, fiction, history and biography, and the reading room, equipped with daily newspapers and current periodicals, are accessible to all students. The laboratory is supplied with complete apparatus for illustration and experiments in Physics and Chemistry, and with an excellent manikin, skeleton, telescope, microscope and slides. The grounds are large and commodious, abundantly shaded with forest trees, with clear spaces for ball games, croquet and tennis.
Religious Advantages: There are five denominations supporting flourishing churches in Marion village. The Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Christian, and Reformed. Each church has its Y. P. S. C. E. or Epworth League. Devotional exercises are held daily in the school, and prayer meetings every Monday evening. Students usually find homes in Christian families, and are thus saved from the peculiar temptations of dormitory life.
Social Privileges: It would be difficult to find a community where there is a purer moral atmosphere or a more refined society of young people. Social gatherings are frequent in connection with the literary or religious societies of the village. No license for selling intoxicating liquor as a beverage has been granted in Marion for more than fifty years, and the Cost Of living is reduced to the lowest possible rate.
Societies: The Alumni Association, organized in 1878, holds its reunion and banquet each year at commencement time, and is most loyal to its Alma Mater. It adds to the equipment of the Institute and advances its interests to the extent of its ability. It gives four prizes annually for excellence in declamation and recitation. The contestants are appointed from those students, excluding members of the graduating class and former successful competitors, who have excelled in these departments of instruction during the school year.
The Young People's Christian Association of the Institute has well maintained a weekly prayer meeting since its organization in 1885, which has had a marked influence on student life.
Three literary societies give the students opportunities for additional intellectual development, and for practice in the usages of parliamentary law. They are the Literary Improvement Society, organized in 1889; and the Delta Phi Upsilon, in 1890, for the young men ; and the Daughters of Athena, in 1894, for the young women, and nearly every one of the older students has become capable of presiding wisely and gracefully over public assemblies.
General Information: The library has been much improved by the addition of many books of reference and a fair supply of poetry and fiction. There is still need of addition of books of reference and in general literature.
Graduation: Diplomas are given on the completion of the Classical, Academic or Scientific course. Holders of diplomas are admitted without examination on the certificate of the principal to many of the colleges of this State and New England and to the State Normal College at Albany.
Discipline: The government of the school is mild, but uniform and decided in its character. It insists on prompt obedience to its rules. At the same time students are encouraged to exercise self-government, and to that end the largest liberty possible is granted them. When a student abuses his privilege and shows himself unwilling to conform to the rules of the school, he is not desired and cannot long be retained. The right is reserved to send away at any time a pupil who from idleness, or any other reason, is exerting a harmful influence in the school.
Academic Course: Students wishing to take a course leading to graduation are allowed, subject to the approval of the Course principal, to select studies from all subjects taught in the other courses to entitle them to a Regents' Academic diploma. The subjects chosen must represent an amount of work equivalent to the subjects of the Classical or Scientific courses.
Modern Languages: A three years' course in German and a two years' in French has been arranged to meet the requirements of those wishing to acquire proficiency in language, but who do not desire to study Greek.
Sub Academic Studies: To accommodate those students who are not prepared to enter on Academic work, instruction is given in the preliminary subjects whenever needed. Pupils are urged to gain the preliminary certificate of the Regents before entering unless special reasons make such action unadvisable.
Elocution: The students receive careful training in elocution. Selections made from standard authors, are carefully drilled, and delivered before the school at public exercises. Much attention to debate and speaking is given in the programmes of the Societies.
English: In this department it is the aim of the instructors to have the pupils acquire accuracy, facility and fluency in the use of English. A taste for the best in literature is cultivated, and a desire aroused, if possible, for helpful reading by the tactful selection of interesting subjects for composition from standard works of fiction and history.
Music: Facilities are provided for instruction in art work and vocal and instrumental music; instruction in pastel, crayoning, charcoal, oil and china painting under a competent instructor is provided. Fundamental work in drawing is also carefully given. An art reception and drawing exhibit has been a feature of commencement for three years.
Tuition per quarter
Common English...$4
Higher English...$5.50
Languages...$6.25
Music-one lesson a week...$5
Painting-one lesson a week...$5
A fee of 25 cents will be levied on each pupil registered for the maintenance of the library and reading room, and for incidentals. Tuition is due in advance. No deduction will be made for less than half a quarter except for sickness, when notice must be immediately given to the principal. No deduction will be made in the tuition of a student dismissed from the school. Board, including room, fuel and light, can be obtained in private families at rates from $2.00 to $3.50 a week, according to accommodations.
Students whose character, views of doctrine, and call to the ministry are approved, may, during their Junior and Senior years, receive $50 from the New York Baptist Union for Ministerial Education.
Full tuition will be charged unless there are special arrangements at the time of entrance. Winter students should enter as soon after Nov. 1st as possible, and not wait till Thanksgiving. They will then fit into the work of the school better. Some additional classes will then be formed to continue to the end of second or third quarters. Students taking Chemistry will be charged $2.00 for each semester to pay for material used as needed in experiments according to the requirements of the modern laboratory methods; those taking Physics, $1.00 each semester; and those taking Physical Geography, Geology, Botany or Physiology, may be asked to pay twenty-five cents each semester for material needed by the class. These requirements are somewhat new, but satisfactory work can not be done without some material. These charges are one-fourth to one-half of other schools of this grade. Taking into consideration the grade of work alone, the number sent to college, theological, normal and technical schools, the standing of the school in the work of the Regents as compared with the other 120 non-tax-supported schools of the State the tuition, board, room and other necessary expenses, are unusually low. The best preparation for college for the least money can be obtained in Marion among all the schools of the State.
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