Editing University of Akron (section)

===Buchtel College===
In 1867, at the annual convention of the [[Universalist Church of America|Universalist Church]] of the state of Ohio, the Committee on Education expressed an interest in founding a college compatible with Universalist religious principles.  It was announced that the location would be given to those who could find an appropriate location and also supply $60,000 for the college. [[John R. Buchtel]], a prominent Akron businessman and Universalist, promptly contributed $25,000 to the endowment fund and $6,000 to the building fund. This led other Akronites to donate, setting the goal and securing Akron as the location for Buchtel College, named after its greatest supporter. John R. Buchtel   continued to be the college's most significant contributor, giving $500,000 over his lifetime, approximately equivalent to $16 million today.  When the university opened in 1872 it was a single-building campus, housed in what is now known as "Old Buchtel." [[George W. Crouse|George Washington Crouse]] donated $10,000 of the $20,000 needed to build a new gymnasium, completed in 1888.  It was named Crouse Gymnasium in his honor, and was known as "the finest gym west of the Alleghenies."<ref>[http://www.ohio.com/lifestyle/40059517.html Old Crouse gym served Akron campus] Ohio.com Retrieved September 12, 2010</ref>

Tragedy struck the small college on December 20, 1899, when Old Buchtel burned to the ground. Insurance only covered $65,000 of the estimated $100,000 in loss. While new campus buildings were being constructed, the Crouse Gymnasium was divided into seven classrooms and served as the college until a new Buchtel Hall was opened in 1901. The new Buchtel Hall, which itself was gutted by fire in 1971, survives to this day but had some blackening on the exterior up until a 2011 restoration.