Marcus Limb attended the University of Wooster from 1888 through 1891 but did not graduate with his class of 1892.
The University, founded by Presbyterians in 1866, was always co-educational and intended to be open to everyone. The University became The College of Wooster in 1915 as it chose to limit itself to undergraduate liberal arts studies.
Marcus was very active in athletics but also participated in various other endeavors. The College banned all inter-collegiate sports in 1891, which is also the same year Marcus enlisted with the Wooster Guards.
The Wooster Voice was the University’s weekly publication beginning with the September 12, 1890 issue (Vol. I., No. 1.). The Editorial to that issue explains:
This issue begins a new era in Wooster University journalism. Most of our readers are doubtless familiar with the changes agreed upon, but for the benefit of those who are not we restate the facts in the case.
The University Voice has been purchased and combined with The Wooster Collegian and the combination will hereafter be known as The Wooster Voice and published every Saturday of the school term in the form you now see it.
The Voice is under the supervision of a Board of Control representing the Faculty and Students…
Articles in The Wooster Voice pertaining to Marcus Limb: Marcus R. Limb
The annual year book, The Index, was produced by the Junior year class.
The Index, 1889.
Class of 1892
The Index, 1890.
Class of 1892
The Index, 1891.
Class of 1892
Marcus Limb did not return to Wooster University for his final year in the fall of 1891. This was likely due to the faculty’s decision, at the end of the previous term, to ban inter-collegiate games. Students were not happy with the faculty decision and tried to change their minds.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Wednesday, 30 September, 1891
pg 3
College Hill
At a meeting of the University Athletic Association this morning the boys decided to send a committee to the Faculty in regard to the action taken by them last June. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: president, Burns; Vice President, Robinson; Secretary, Smith; Treasurer, Green; Directors, Green, Wallace Bullard; Base Ball Directors, Leyenberger, Gillam, Vernon.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Thursday, 1 October, 1891
pg 3
College Hill
If the feeling manifested in yesterdays meeting of the Athletic Association, and there is good reason to believe that it is a true index to the sentiment of the student body of the University, the faculty surely have few supporters in their new venture of gag rule. Most any fanatic can have a certain number of followers. Not so in this case. During yesterday’s warm and somewhat spirited discussion not a word was spoken in support of the faculty’s action. It is considered as unjust and to have been taken without justification. Let the faculty define their position in a reasonable manner, and not beat around the bush as they have been doing. This matter will surely bear investigation. As far as the Athletic Association is concerned it has received no definite notice from the faculty or anyone else that intercollegiate games had been forbidden. Vague rumors and a passing article in the Voice are all the students have had to rely upon for their information. Unless the Voice is to be considered as the official organ of the faculty, this mere statement without a signature, in a weekly paper, cannot be accepted as final or if it is—and they have been trying to persuade the students for the past year that they do not control the Voice, then they virtually acknowledge that the Athletic Association, as an association, does not exist and is unworthy of notice. Let them define their position, so that the students may know just what to do. Two challenges for foot ball games have been received already and definite steps should be taken. Something should be done to allay the discontent, as it now exists among the students.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Friday, 2 October, 1891
pg 3
College Hill
The bulletin board in the College Hall has a poster calling upon all students, wishing to try for places on the foot-ball team to come to the campus for practice to-morrow afternoon at 2:30. Let there be a good turn out.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Saturday, 3 October, 1891
pg 3
College Hill
The committee appointed by the Athletic Association to confer with the Faculty with regard to the action they had taken toward athletic games in general, met with them at their regular meeting yesterday evening. The Faculty seemed as stubborn as ever and showed little inclination to change from the stand taken. The committee feel, however, that if a determined stand is taken by the students their demands will be granted.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Monday, 5 October, 1891
pg 3
College Hill
That the athletic spirit is not dead in the University was shown by the interest taken in Saturday’s foot ball practice game at the fair grounds. A larger number of students than was expected, came out for practice, considering that they could not play on college campus, and all seemed in dead earnest. The prospects for a good team are very bright, indeed could not be better. We have the material. It will take practice only to bring the team to a high standard of excellence. Let the boys come out and show an interest in the game in the future as they have in the past and we will have inter-collegiate games. The students indorse and the citizens of Wooster offer support to the team. Why then stop? If the faculty persist in their unwise course they and their interests will surely suffer. It is simply a case of cutting off a nose to spite a face.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Thursday, 8 October, 1891
pg 3
College Hill
The Athletic Association met in the Chapel to-day at noon to hear the report of the committee appointed some time ago to confer with the faculty with regard to inter-collegiate games. During the discussion that followed the report it was brought out that the faculty was trying to ? of the whole matter by throwing the responsibility for the resolution forbidding games upon the board of trustees. They ? claim that nothing can be done in the matter ? the annual meeting of the ?. The students consider this as a on the part of the faculty as a claim that the trustees have nothing to do with athletics. There is one thing sure the students are not ? and will not be put off by such a weak-kneed action. They consider this as an acknowledgement that the faculty have seen their mistake and are weakening. How else can it be interpreted. The students, however, are more hopeful than ever and have issued a call for a mass meeting of all students to-morrow evening at 6:15 in the college chapel. Let every student be present and show that his interest in Wooster is not dead. If the faculty do not allow inter-collegiate games many of the students have signed their intention of going to college elsewhere.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Friday, 9 October, 1891
pg 3
College Hill
Notwithstanding all that has been said and done, the enthusiasts in athletic games are meeting on the college campus and practicing. This is right and should be persisted in as no time can be lost in getting the team into proper training. The regular players should be assigned their positions soon that the the team can learn to play together.
The prospects for a rousing mass meeting this evening in the chapel could not be better. Every student spoken to seems to have come to the conclusion that his presence is needed and that he will be on deck at the proper time. The students now have an opportunity to show what they can do as a united body. Boys stand together and victory is yours. Let each one come with his mind fully made up and the work can soon be accomplished. Men who are not afraid to let their voices be heard are the ones to lead.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Saturday, 10 October, 1891
pg 3
College Hill
[NOTE: top of the article in too faint to read entirely]
About 177 people .. a mass meeting … demand as of … gate spots. They were about … and showed by their … that if the faculty would not agree to reasonable terms, there would .. Wooster and Wooster present and … fare would be greatly resented and that Wooster would have to take care of her.. and not deend upon them for support either by word or act.
The meeting was called to order by President Burns, who started the ball rolling by a rousing speech. A motion was made in order to find out the exact sentiments of the students and bring the meeting to a head. Speeches followed thick and fast. The general sentiment was that the faculty had not treated the students, as they should, that the irregularities, claimed by the faculty on the part of the boys, were caused in great part by the domineering attitude of the faculty toward them; that they were willing and would obey reasonable rules, but that gag rules would not down, that the faculty had acted shabbily in this matter and had treated the students as though they had no rights which the faculty was bound to respect. When the vote was taken the result was unanimously in favor of clean inter-collegiate games according to reasonable faculty rules. There was no division on this point. A committee was appointed to lay the matter before the faculty and ask, in the name of the students and the best interests of the University, for a reconsideration of the matter. The students having accomplished what they had met for adjourned.
The rest remains with the faculty. Will they now act like men and show the same spirit the boys have, or will they go on, like a lot of fanatics, blind to their own and the University’s best interests? The public will judge them according to their decision. Will they take this opportunity to retrieve themselves and fulfill the fondest hopes of the friends of the University? We hope they will and patiently await the result.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Thursday, 22 October, 1891
pg 3
College Hill
The committee appointed some time ago, as a result of the mass meeting, has about completed its work and will meet the faculty at its regular meeting to-morrow evening.
The result of his meeting will decide the question of inter-collegiate games. The students have given their verdict and have done everything in their power to make the faculty acquiesce in their decision on athletics. The students have patiently waited for the last two weeks, while the committee was working up the facts relating to the case; but they now feel that the crisis has been reached and the final decision is expected. What will it be? If the unanimous sentiment of the students is not respected and heeded by the faculty now, their working together for the next few months in harmony will hardly be attained.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Saturday, 24 October, 1891
pg 3
College Hill
The committee composed of Vernon, Jones, Work, Smith and Battleheim, met the faculty last night to confer with regard to athletics. They presented their claims according to instructions from the students and in a vary able manner. They were met rather coldly, however, and many of their statements were received with distrust. The faculty had little to say and manifested no desire to change their decision of last June, so that there is little hope for inter-collegiate games just now. The faculty, however, assured the committee that a petition, signed by a respectable number of students would receive attention. The committee had just presented a petition signed by more than three-fourths of the students. No attention was paid to this and another demanded. In the light of these things this offer on the part of the faculty can be considered as nothing but a bluff and as not having been made in good faith. The faculty is divided on this matter. Nearly half of the professors are in favor of inter-collegiate games under proper rules. The boys agreed to obey reasonable rules and since the faculty refuse to trust the students by giving them these games, the faculty simply acknowledges that they do not consider the boys as good as their word. This is a bad state of affairs to exist between the faculty and students of a college, where good work is expected to be done. Good work in the class room is simply impossible under the circumstances. One thing is sure, students are not all saints and their superfluous enthusiasm will be expended some way. If not in properly permitted avenues, probably in avenues that are not looked upon with so much favor. Experience has always proven this to be the case, and it is reasonable to expect the same now.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Saturday, 7 November, 1891
pg 2
College Hill
W.F. Morgan, Marcus Limb, William Hubbel and George Fisher, all former students in the University, have left Wooster to go into the employ of R.S. Peale & Co., the well known Chicago Publishers.
NOTE: Marcus Limb had returned to Wooster by 20 November, 1891, possibly to participate in the organization of a regional base ball league.
Wooster Daily Republican
Wooster, Ohio
Friday, 4 December, 1891
pg 2
College Hill
The Athletic Association met in chapel yesterday at noon and made an effort to fix up its finances, but the effort was futile. The Association then gave up its ghost and was declared dead by the presiding officer. This association can now go into history, as a martyr to a noble cause, that has been foully dealt with.
The College of Wooster History & Traditions
Wooster College Faculty, circa 1890