Reverend Sidney Harkey
Professor of English, 1868-1870
(This series of Notable Faculty profiles was written in celebration 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@'s sesquicentennial in 2009.)
Sidney L. Harkey was educated at Gettysburg 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ and Springfield under his brother S. W. Harkey. He had a reputation for being a strong preacher and a good administrator with an interest in music.
In 1868, the Synod offered Harkey a position at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ as an English professor, replacing William Kopp. His salary was to be $1,000 a year, and he was also provided with a house.
Like President T. N. Hasselquist, Harkey supported a strong general education for those entering the seminary, and Harkey worked hard to ensure that this was provided in the curriculum. He organized a system of prerequisites for seminary students by requiring two preparatory classes and two college classes. Harkey also reported to 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ that Geneseo, Ill., would be interested in providing 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ with a new campus if the college was to leave Paxton, and that Geneseo was willing to raise $40,000 as an inducement.
Harkey left 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ in 1870 after only two years, but having made a large impact on the school.