Every public four-year University in Ohio in the MAC except one is in the MAC East. You guessed it, Toledo is in the MAC West. It's like they think they're better than everyone else. What a joke.

That should obviously be Miami, since they were once known as the Yale of the West! ;-)

Outstanding. :D

I think that would need some outside, objective historical analysis. Miami's been known to create myths about itself out of thin air. I remember that their official website once referred to themselves as the "Mother Of Ohio Governors." At the time, and with 200 years of history under their belt, they had produced all of TWO Ohio Governors, the last of whom left office in 1909. Now, the "Yale of the West" name may be true, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit if this was a self-created myth...or most likely a phrase used to describe Michigan in the 1800s that Miami appropriated at some point in the last fifty years.

One historical fact that I do know is that before the civil war it was something of a "finishing school" for wealthy Southerners and during the war was a hotbed of the Copperhead movement, all of which contributed greatly to the state refusing to make it the land grant university after the war. As such, I am willing to concede them the title of "The Wofford of the North."

Yes, this is completely true. Sometime in the last year or two I posted this same information and I was questioned on its veracity. I cited sources, including Miami's own official history, which I have a copy of, given to me by my brother-in-law, who shamefully is a graduate of that school. I guess every family has its wayward sheep. This aspect of Miami's history can also be seen by looking at this map on my 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry web site. It is a map of the 1863 gubernatorial race between Ohio alumnus, and Washington County native, John Brough and Clement Vallandigham, the Peace Democrat (Copperhead) candidate. Brough (pronounced "bruff") was a War Democrat, who also had the Republican nomination and was running on a "fusion ticket." You can view the map here: http://78ohio.org/1863-gubernatorial-race /

Take a look at Butler County, it kind sticks out like a sore thumb. So does my ancestors home county of Monroe, but that's a more complex story that can be reserved for another time. Also, you may note that 1863 Copperhead support in Ohio does not fit the current stereotypes of the various regions of our state. One must be very careful in this type of extrapolation based on current prejudice.

For the record, according OHIO president Howard, our university contributed more officers to the Union cause than any other college in the state. Might or might not be an exaggeration, but it's clear in this regard, we were no treasonous Miami! I'm aware of only one Ohio graduate who was an officer in the Confederate Army.

In closing, I like your Wofford of the North!

That’s a good point, Alan, but why do you insist on using the name of the Late Rebellion that was preferred by and promoted by Daughters of the Confederacy to imply that it was a war between equally sovereign states. In the North it was known as the War of the Rebellion or just The Rebeliion.

 

There is an historical marker on the UGA campus in Athens, Ga., which uses that term, and Clarke County went for HRC by over 65 percent. Here at Ohio University, Doug McCabe put up a display in the archives at Alden Library during the 150 Anniversary of the War that correctly called in the War of Southern Aggression. Who fired the first shot? ;-)