Folts Mission Institute
Folts Mission Institute was a Methodist training school for young women for home and foreign Christian mission work. It was founded at Herkimer, New York, November 1893, by George Philo Folts and his wife, Elizabeth Snell Folts. In October 1898, after the death of Elizabeth Folts and to honor her expressed wish, George Folts presented the Institute to the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The gift was accepted by the General Executive Committee; however, the transfer of deeds and property was never made. The Institute remained a private institution, but for several years, it was under the management of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society. In 1914, the control of the Institute was transferred to the Woman's Home Missionary Society of the Northern New York Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The school ended operations in 1927/28.
Establishment
The Folts Mission Institute was the contribution to the cause of special Christian education of Mr. and Mrs. Folts of Herkimer, New York. The purpose of its founders was the establishment of an institution of high grade for the thorough preparation of young men and young women for the various mission fields of the world, and for other departments of Christian service. It had a sphere distinctly its own, not church, neither academic, collegiate or theological.Folts Mission Institute was incorporated under the laws of the state of New York on November 17, 1892, and dedicated a year later, November 21, 1893. The corporation formed consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Folts, Hon. Warner Miller, Bishop Edward Gayer Andrews and Rev. W. F. Markham of Northern New York Conference, and a deed was made out to this corporation of all property described as school property.
This launched the pioneer of Methodist Training Schools in the U.S.. The first school year opened September 13, 1893, with Rev. J. L. Davies as its first president, Maria Orme Allen, principal. Among the special lecturers that first year were Bishops Mallalieu, Vincent, Bowman and Thoburn. Among the instructors of those early days were Jennie M. Bingham, Nellie P. Drake, Dr. E. G. Kern, Dr. O. H. Deck and Dr. George Graves.
Early history
The first class was graduated in June, 1895, William Clawson, Duvillo Grant Christman and Miranda Crouche. But the co-educational policy of the school was of brief duration and early abandoned. For the first two years, the courses were general, including some common school branches, Bible, General and Church History, Comparative Religion, Elementary Medicine and similar subjects. In addition to music it had nine departments of study: English Bible, Hebrew, New Testament Greek, Comparative Religions, General History, Church History and History of Missions, Elements of Practical Medicine, Applied Christianity, English Language and Literature. During the past year, a dormitory for men, including reading and recitation rooms, was added. The library had a rapid growth, numbering now about 1,500 volumes. Valuable additions to the library were made by Jennie Bingham, from the library of her father, Dr. Isaac S. Bingham, and by Mina Morgan Palmer from the library of her mother, Julia Amanda Fairchild Morgan. A valuable collection of curios from Bible and missionary lands were added during the year. Apparatus, including a mannequin and models of the eye and ear, were provided for the department of the Elements of Practical Medicine.In 1896, the courses began to specialize along missionary and theological subjects and included practical teaching in Sunday school. The Board of Trustees was increased to nine members, divided into three groups, each to serve three years. Conference visitors from the Northern New York and Central New York and Genesee Conferences were appointed. Two were graduated that year, Mary Ann Foster of Nova Scotia, Ida Blanchard of Maine. The foreign missionary fields now received the graduates, Miranda Crouche going to North China, Mary Ann Foster to Western China and Mr. and Mrs. Griffith to South America. To the home field went Mr. and Mrs. Clawson to the St. Regis Indian Mission, New York. Dr. R. H. Walker, later of Ohio Wesleyan University, was teacher of applied Christianity. Standards for entrance were now required and applicants were required to either present certificates or diplomas of a completed academic course or give evidence of being fully competent to do the work in a satisfactory manner. Conditions for graduation were required, eighteen majors together with one year's attendance upon medical lectures and in the singing class for one hour per week. Bookkeeping and Church Kindergarten work were under consideration as a part of the curriculum. The following year lecture work and normal kindergarten training were introduced. The faculty was increased in number and the list of special lecturers grew. The latter included Professor George Edgar Vincent, Rev. A. B. Leonard, Professor Ella A. Boole, Woman's Christian Temperance Union. That year, Ida Alice Blanchard went to the Watts de Peyster Industrial School and Ida May Bowne to Rome, Italy.
Practical work during the week and Sunday was introduced. Evangelistic and street meetings were frequently held. The subjects of study were divided into Departments and Courses. Under Departments were five Courses: Pedagogy, Kindergarten of the Church, Deaconess and Sunday School Teachers' Course; Stenography and Typewriting were taught by a student. Psychology, Sociology, Homiletics, Economics and similar subjects were placed in the curriculum. Small classes continued to graduate and graduates went to home and foreign fields.
Two important events in the history of Folts took place during the month of October, 1898. On October 3 occurred the death of Elizabeth Folts. In her study of foreign missions, she found no provision had been made for the preparation of young women so sorely needed for the foreign missionary field and this discovery became her inspiration and the birth of Folts Mission Institute. Two weeks after the death of Elizabeth Folts, her husband presented the Institute to the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church through the New York Branch, then holding its annual meeting in Herkimer. On October 29, the gift was accepted as a sacred trust by the General Executive Committee at its session in Indianapolis, Indiana. However, the transfer of deeds and property was never made and Folts Mission Institute remained a private institution, but for several years the school was under the management of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society.
Dr. R. H. Walker resigned as teacher at the end of the year 1898.
Growth (1900-1910)
The Board of Trustees in 1901 numbered twelve members, divided into three groups of four each, to serve three years. Bishop Andrews still served as president of the board. The graduates entering the home field numbered seven, those having gone to the foreign field were nineteen. Better and closer organization of the school work is observed. In 1903-4, Mary Swail Wilkinson became president of the school. Bingham was teacher of the Bible and among the lecturers, there were many notables of the church. Lectures on Religious Pedagogy were made possible by the generosity of Mrs. Ira Dewane Brainard, a member of the board of directors, the name having been changed from that of Trustees. Bingham gave a series of Art Lectures on the Ministry of Art, Beginnings of Christian Art and the Masterpieces of Art. Two distinct departments now took form—the Bible Department and the Kindergarten Department. The school year was divided into two semesters of eighteen weeks each. The attention of college women was directed to Folts Mission Institute. The students were asked to bring with them an American Standard revised version of the Bible. Manual training for church and settlement work, cooking, sewing, basketry, bent iron work, whittling and physical culture were the new subjects that found a place in the curriculum.In 1906-7, Mrs. A. E. Sanford was president. The 1905, the graduating class numbered 12 and Dr. Charles E. Hamilton, later president of Cazenovia Seminary, gave the commencement address. Mrs. F. W. Cristman was medical lecturer during this year. The foreign missionaries having gone abroad numbered 31 and represented China, Japan, Korea, India, Mexico, South America and Bulgaria. Home fields were still supplied by Folts students.
In 1907-8, Ida V. Shontz was president and Mary E. Moore became field secretary. Among the lecturers were included Bishops McDowell, Berry, and Burt. Dr. William F. Anderson, later Bishop Anderson, gave the commencement address. The foreign field claimed 44 graduates and the home field 24.
In 1909-10, the Board of Directors was increased in number to 18 and Bishop Goodsell became president. Dr. Richard Evans served as president of the school. During the years of 1909-10, there were 30 graduates in all departments.
From the first year, there began the nucleus of a library to which additions were made from year to year. By 1914, there were nearly 5,000 volumes. Also a fine collection of curios from Japan, loaned by David S. Spencer and which was supplemented by curios from other lands, donated by missionaries and students. Student prayer meetings began.
Death of George Folts (1911)
George Folts died in November 1911. With his death came a decline of the school. Dr. Evans left at the close of the school year and was followed by Dr. Townsend, a pastor of Northern New York Conference and who served as president for nearly two years. There was no money, student enrollment was small. Standards of entrance were removed, courses became confused, property and equipment depreciated, responsibility was lodged nowhere, financial aid could not be found. The foundations were wanting.When Bishop Berry retired from the Buffalo, New York area, he bequeathed to Bishop Burt, his successor, what he called a "sinking ship.” The board of directors, with Bishop Burt as president, set about to rescue the school and approached the Woman's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church on the subject of taking over the property, management and control of the school. The society, at this time, was itself financially embarrassed and three times refused to consider the proposition, but eventually yielded and with conditions, permitted the school to become the property of the Northern New York Conference Woman's Home Missionary Society, until such time as the national society could take control.