BEGINNINGS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

The College beginnings are attributed to Francis Alison, a Presbyterian minister born in 1705 in County Donegal, Ireland, who came to America in 1735. He had been graduated from the University of Edinburg and when in America opened a 'Free School' for the promotion of learning. He formed the Alison's Academy on November 24, 1743 in New London Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. The school changed locations several times, eventually settling in Newark, Delaware, became the Academy of Newark in 1769, Newark College in 1833, Delaware College in 1843 and the University of Delaware in 1921. Upon enrollment a student took he following pledge: “I do hereby promise to engage that I will observe and confirm to all the Laws and Regulations made by the government of Newark College for Students, so long as I remain a member of the Institution”.

In 1843, John Parker, age 16, received AB Degree from Delaware College, being th son of Peter S. Parker, Milton business man, one time Delaware State Treasurer, and owner of iron ore mines which shipped the ore to Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, on the Morris River, to be processed. John Parker died on the 12^th of August 1851 and is buried in Goshen Cemetery, Milton, Delaware. Also in 1843 William T. Russel was a student at Delaware College but transferred to University of Pennsylvania.

In 1849, Caleb R. Paynter, son of Samuel and Sallie Paynter of Drawbridge, Broakdkill Hundred, was a student at the college.

BEGINNINGS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

The College beginnings are attributed to Francis Alison, a Presbyterian minister born in 1705 in County Donegal, Ireland, who came to America in 1735. He had been graduated from the University of Edinburg and when in America opened a 'Free School' for the promotion of learning. He formed the Alison's Academy on November 24, 1743 in New London Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. The school changed locations several times, eventually settling in Newark, Delaware, became the Academy of Newark in 1769, Newark College in 1833, Delaware College in 1843 and the University of Delaware in 1921. Upon enrollment a student took he following pledge: “I do hereby promise to engage that I will observe and confirm to all the Laws and Regulations made by the government of Newark College for Students, so long as I remain a member of the Institution”.

In 1843, John Parker, age 16, received AB Degree from Delaware College, being th son of Peter S. Parker, Milton business man, one time Delaware State Treasurer, and owner of iron ore mines which shipped the ore to Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, on the Morris River, to be processed. John Parker died on the 12^th of August 1851 and is buried in Goshen Cemetery, Milton, Delaware. Also in 1843 William T. Russel was a student at Delaware College but transferred to University of Pennsylvania.

In 1849, Caleb R. Paynter, son of Samuel and Sallie Paynter of Drawbridge, Broakdkill Hundred, was a student at the college.

Golf Come To Rehoboth 1926

GOLF COMES TO REHOBOTH BEACH

During the end of the 1880's Rehoboth Beach was one of the leading ocean side resorts, railroads were bringing vacationers from cities such as Washington, D.C, Baltimore and Philadelphia to the center of town, within a block or two of the grandiose hotels, the Atlantic, the Henlopen and the Townsend, among other smaller ones, all of which had spacious and airy rooms, and fine restaurants. The wide sandy beach and gentle surf was guarded by hired surfmen or lifeguards which looked after bathing sections which had safety ropes tethered on shore running to an anchored buoy out in the surf . A boardwalk was popular for strolling and enjoying the cool ocean breeze. Other sports or activities were fishing, crabbing, digging for clams or oysters and sailing in the breeze of the sea. A stable of horses was near by and many 'bridal paths' were found through the pine forest for the enjoyment of those who desired more adventuresome sport.

It was well after World War II , 1925 to be exact, that Golf came to Rehoboth. Golf was a British Isles sport and was not popular in America until the late 1890's . Scribner's Magazine in 1894 described golf as being a sport that was fit for the well preserved, the stout, the thin and not too violent. A true sportsman game. At this time there were less than 100 golf links in America but growing at a rapid rate.

In 1926, 'Rehoboth Heights' was being developed by Henry Conant who came up from Chincoteague Island, Virginia and developed land between the south side of Rehoboth and Silver Lake. On the north edge of this development he had the golf course built as were other nearby resorts. The Rehoboth Beach country Club was well kept, had it's own tournaments and even fielded a team which played in a league on the Delmarva Peninsula,

Scribners Magazine wrote “ once seen, golf cannot be forgoten, once experienced it will not be neglected, it has fairly got us now and it may be trusted to keep us”.

Source

Michael Morgan Collection, Delaware Diary, Delaware Coast News

INDIAN RIVER INLET AND ITS BRIDGES

SUSSEX COUNTY'S

INDIAN RIVER INLET

AND IT;S BRIDGES

FROM THE COLLECTION OF MICHAEL MORGAN

DELAWAER COAST PRESS / DELAWARE DIARY

Early on, before the mid 1930's, the inlet to the inland bays of Indian River Hundred and the Atlantic Ocean could never make up it's mind just where it wanted to be and worked it's way up and down the coast between Rehoboth to what is now Bethany Beach, once Cotton Patch Hill. These inlets would open during a storm, then fill in with sand and become useless or just disappear. When the inlet silted shut the coastal bays would stagnate and the bays waters became worthless, no sea life at all could live with the stinking green algae. Sometime about 1920 former Governor John Gillis Townsend was given the task to reopen the inlet. He had a dredge remove considerable sand and then placed 2000 or more pounds of Hurcules black powder to open the barrier. The explosion lifted sand high into the air, opening a 6 foot deep, 60 foot wide channel, that then fell right back where it had come from, the inlet lasting only a very short period. It took federal funds in the early 1930's to dig an inlet with stabilized sides and become a permanent fixture along the Delaware coast, however, the waterway was not yet tamed. Wind blown sand and storm driven wash overs proved to be disastrous. A coastal highway was being constructed between Rehoboth and Betheny Beach in 1933 and the first bridge over the Indian River Inlet was built in 1934. It was a fixed timber bridge, lasting only four years, and named for the then chairman of Delaware State Highway's, Charles W. Cullen, a lawyer and judge of Georgetown. The 1938 bridge replacement was of steel and concrete and was a swing bridge to allow vessels to enter and exit the bay. Heavy ice flow and extra high tides destroyed the second bridge in 1948 with loss of lives. The third bridge was of steel and concrete and was also a swing bridge opened in 1952, replaced in 1965 by a fourth bridge which was a high rise type construction but done in by scoured foundations. To date, no bridge over the Indian River Inlet has reached it's 14^th year birthday and will the inlet have more to say of the fifth elaborate and costly high rise structure now in place?