Franklin College in New Athens, OH

Franklin College in New Athens, OH was a successor of Alma College [1818-1825].  Franklin College operated for almost a century until 1921 and was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.  After closing, the institutional charter was transferred to Muskingum University in New Concord, OH.  A museum is housed on the former campus.

Old Franklin, The Eternal Touch:  A History of Franklin College, written by Erving E. Beauregard offers a fascinating and detailed view of the institution.  Beauregard documented the success of alumni in a variety of professions from the ministry to medicine to law.  With respect to education, he noted, "Franklin merits fame as the first college in Ohio to graduate a black.  It was the third coeducational college in Ohio to admit women.  Its total faculty of 196 included 62 females.  Its alumni were among the principal founders of four colleges--Muskingum, Geneva, Monmouth (Ill.), and Westminster (Pa.).  One alumnus founded Hardin Institute for Colored Youths at Allendale, South Carolina.  In addition to furnishing eight presidents to their alma mater, herself, Old Franklin graduated twenty-one persons who eventually headed these colleges:  Amity, Beverly, Cedarville, Curry of Pennsylvania, Highland, Hopedale (two presidents), Howard Female, Madison of Ohio (four presidents), Muskingum, Ohio Central (two presidents), Oskaloosa, Richmond of Ohio, Sharon, Westminster of Pennsylvania, Woodward, and the University of Washington."