Clinton Liberal Institute

The Clinton Liberal Institute was a coeducational preparatory school established by the Universalist Church in the village of Clinton, in the Town of Kirkland, New York, in 1831, relocated to Fort Plain, New York in 1878, and remaining there until its buildings were destroyed in a fire in 1900.

Efforts by the Universalist Church to establish a non-denominational school in the State of New York began in 1831. The intent of these efforts was to create a school "not only for general purposes of science and literature, but with a particular view of furnishing with an education young men designed for the ministry of reconciliation", due to the perception that other Christian schools that dominated the state were "hostile to the doctrine" of Universalism. To this end, the Clinton Liberal Institute was established in Clinton, New York, and the first students were admitted in November 1831. On April 29, 1834, the New York State Legislature passed a bill entitled "AN ACT to incorporate the Clinton liberal institute", formally allowing a group of eighteen trustees to create "The Clinton Liberal Institute" as a body "for the purpose of providing a literary seminary for the public instruction and education of youth."

The original building of the Institute was four stories tall (plus a basement), with a base 96 by 52 feet, built of gray stone. A separate wooden building for classes for women was two stories tall, and 40 by 25 feet. The school was placed under the visitation of the Regents of nearby Hamilton College in 1836.

In 1845, after much discussion within the Universalist Church about establishing a seminary in the state of New York, Reverend Thomas J. Sawyer—a leading proponent of such an establishment—took charge of the Clinton Liberal Institute. He set aside two hours per day to lecture on theology to any students who wanted to attend, at no cost to the students. He continued to offer this additional instruction until the fall of 1853, by which time efforts were underway to open a Universalist seminary elsewhere in New York. Sawyer prepared a total of 37 students to enter the ministry during this period.

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