Excerpt from "If The Tower Could Talk" by Dr. Edward Seay

Source: CRESSET  

Date: 1966 (Hundredth Anniversary Issue)

Title: If  The Tower Could Talk  

Author: Dr. Edward W. Seay 

No man ever assumed his duties as president of Centenary with better educational preparation than Charles Wesley McCormick. A graduate of Wyoming Seminary, a bachelor of arts and a master of arts from Wesleyan University, he had received his doctor of divinity degree from Syracuse University in 1897 and his doctor of philosophy degree from New York University in 1898.

Thus with joy and hope began the new regime, but alas! it was not des-tined to end in like manner. There was in waiting another calamity. 

On December 20 when the Christmas vacation began, the school was paying its expenses and there was hope of closing the year with a small surplus. During the holidays a few persons in Hackettstown had become ill with smallpox. More cases were probable. President McCormick notified all students to remain away a week longer. In a few days the order was changed to "until further notice." The village of Hackettstown, with 120 of its citizens smitten with the dread disease was quarantined, cut off from the world. The posthouses were filled. Everyone was afraid of his neighbor; friends crossed the street rather than meet. Stores were closed; schools and churches were closed. Wide circles were made around houses where fluttered the yellow flag.

The few who were in Centenary dared not leave the building for any reason. All employees who could be spared were temporarily discharged. All were vaccinated.

Writes Josephine McCormick of these days: "There were only a few students and teachers at the school. We were all quarantined and the mail had to be fumigated each day before we were permitted to have it. To help pass (lie time some of the teachers edited a daily magazine or news sheet and I wish that I could find some of the copies. I recall that they were illustrated and they must have been very funny, for grownups laughed and laughed."

Following this second calamity President  McCormick made his grand exit on March 11, 1902.