The Founding of Oberlin College

During this month 186 years ago, Oberlin College was founded by a Presbyterian minister and a missionary. The Reverend John J. Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart shared mutual discontent with what they characterized as the lack of strong Christian principles among the settlers of the American West.

In direct response to this notion, the pair decided to establish a college and a colony based on their religious beliefs. With the financial assistance of several wealthy sources, they formed the town and the college on approximately 500 acres of donated land. On December 3, 1833, 29 men and 15 women began classes as the first students of the Oberlin Collegiate Institute.

Soon after its founding, the college adopted the motto, “Learning and Labor.” In the early days of the college, tuition was free because students were expected to contribute by helping to build and sustain the community. While this approach was eventually discontinued, the motto remains to this day.

Find out more about Oberlin’s history