A past

Rick Devereux

Irrelevant Week was founded by Newport Beach businessman Paul Salata

30 years ago to celebrate the underdog that is the final pick of the

NFL Draft.

This year’s selection is Andy Stokes, a tight end chosen by New

England with the 255th pick in the 12th round. Stokes grew up in St.

George, Utah, but played his college ball at William Penn University

in Oskaloosa, Iowa, in the NAIA.

Founded in 1873 by Quakers, William Penn University is a private,

liberal arts college with an enrollment of about 1,500 students.

In 1873, the college’s Board of Directors debated between the name

Penn College and John Bright College.

On September 9 of that year, board members voted to adopt Penn

College as the official name.

During the first year of operation, 1873, the college offered the

following classes: Bible study, classical languages, rhetoric,

history, natural science, math and commerce.

The Byers Art Collection was given to Penn College in 1893 at

S.H.M. Byers’ retirement following service in Switzerland as a

representative of the United States government.

In 1916, fire destroyed the original campus. Flames that began on

the third floor of Old Penn Hall spread to a tank of chemicals,

causing an explosion that scattered fire in all directions.

Trying to remove college records, Penn’s business manager, Robert

Williams, and freshman student Harry Oakley were killed when the

four-ton college bell crashed through the main building and buried

them beneath it.

Charles and Albert Johnson donated 40 acres of land to the college

in 1898. After the 1916 fire destroyed the original campus, the

college was moved to the 40 acres which is the current location of

the college.

During the depression, students gave cows and lambs to pay their

tuition. In 1933, the college’s name was legally changed from Penn

College to William Penn College.

Currently, more than 60 percent of students on the Oskaloosa

campus participate for one of the fourteen NAIA sports teams or

competitive dance and cheerleading squads.

In January 2000, William Penn College officially became William

Penn University.