American Society for the Education of Pious Youth for the Gospel Ministry was organized in 1815 for the purpose of aid in the education of Protestant clergymen. It was renamed American Education Society (AES) in 1820, It was formed under a deep conviction that there was a deficiency of well qualified Protestant ministers, and that no method of supplying this deficiency appeared to be so effectual as that of educating, for the ministry, young men of suitable character who did not the means of educating themselves. Later name changes included American College and Education Society (1874) and Congregational Education Society (1894).