▁for ▁an ▁institution ▁of ▁higher ▁learning ▁in ▁Iowa . ▁ ▁His ▁sons , ▁the ▁execut ors ▁of ▁Par s ons ' ▁estate , ▁considered ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁possible ▁locations ▁for ▁the ▁school ▁and ▁ 2 0 ▁years ▁later ▁chose ▁a ▁tract ▁of ▁land ▁just ▁north ▁of ▁Fair field . ▁The ▁residents ▁of ▁Fair field ▁promised ▁$ 2 7 , 5 1 6 ▁towards ▁the ▁college , ▁and ▁its ▁committee ▁paid ▁W . H . ▁Jordan ▁$ 1 3 , 0 0 0 ▁for ▁H enn ▁M ansion ▁building ▁and ▁ 2 0 ▁acres ▁of ▁land . ▁ ▁The ▁college ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 5 ▁with ▁ 3 4 ▁students ▁who ▁attended ▁classes ▁in ▁the ▁brick ▁home ▁called ▁" the ▁M ansion " ▁that ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁by ▁Congress man ▁Bern hart ▁H enn . ▁The ▁fac ulty ▁were ▁three ▁Pres by ter ian ▁minister s ▁and ▁en roll ment ▁grew ▁to ▁ 6 3 ▁students ▁by ▁year ▁end . ▁Alexander ▁G . ▁Wilson ▁was ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁fac ulty ▁and ▁held ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁" rect or ." ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁o vers aw ▁the ▁college ' s ▁prepar atory ▁department , ▁which ▁later ▁became ▁the ▁Par s ons ▁Academy ▁until ▁its ▁closure ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁A ▁$ 7 , 0 0 0 ▁chap el ▁building ▁was ▁ere cted ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 , ▁and ▁John ▁Arm strong ▁succeeded ▁Wilson ▁and ▁assumed ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁college ▁president , ▁until ▁August