Lipscomb University - Backlog Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

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A “choral class’ taught by L. K. Harding, third from left in the second line, in the session of 1897-98. Note the method of lighting used. A group of co-eds pose in front of the main building about 1897. Time, tide, and style wait for no man. They are Frankie Brittain, Fannie Bell Gill, and Mary Fanning. A close-up of the uniform worn by the girls at the turn of the century. This picture of Roxie McQuigg was made in 1899. industriously for its betterment. Dr. Ward was held in the highest esteem by his students in the medical school as well as in the Bible school. During this and the fourth session | worked in Florida. Then for two years | attended Martyn College of Ora- tory in Washington, D. C. | had the offer of a position in this school and another tendered by Harding to teach in Nashville Bible School. | am glad to say that | chose the latter. While the Centennial Exposition of 1897 was in progress in Nashville, | returned to the Bible School as a student-teacher, teaching expression and continu- ing classwork with Harding, Grant, J. N. Armstrong, and Lipscomb. When Leon K. Harding gave up sight singing to devote his entire time to the study of medi- cine in the fall of 1898, this work was added to my teaching load. As time went on it fell to my lot to teach other subjects, such as spelling and Bible, so gradually my services as teacher increased until | became a full-time instructor. During my four years absence, the school had been making steady progress. The first catalogue was issued during the summer of 1894, announcing the fourth ses- sion. Expenses for men were $134.00 per year for those able to pay tuition, and $91.50 for those who were not. This publication explained that the school did not give degrees, ‘‘empty titles.’’ The fourth session had an encouraging opening day on October 2, 1894 with about 50 matriculants. 88 students attended during the session, 18 of whom were girls and 48 of whom were ‘’ministerial’’ students. This session brought to the faculty the addition of Worcester A. Bryan, a graduate of Cumberland Uni- versity, who taught foreign languages. He remained five years. During the last two years, in addition to his teaching and supervision of the boys’ dormitory, he attended the medical department of Vanderbilt Uni- versity, graduating with second honors. Only a man with a strong constitution and mentality and an indom- inatable will could have succeeded with such a load. After taking his medical degree he left to practice his profession and became one of the leading surgeons of the South. The fifth session, 1895-96, saw 110 students enrolled during the year, 26 of these were girls and about 50 were preacher students. Leon K. Harding, son of the Superintendent, was added to the faculty to teach voice and sight singing. This year marks the first graduating class in the history of the school. Five young men received diplomas. The next session was faced with enthusiasm and hope for 150 students. J. N. Armstrong, one of the five graduates (he was also an alumnus of Union Uni- versity), was added to the faculty to teach Greek. Harding, in publicizing the school, emphasized the fact that it was not for preachers only, but was design- ed to give musical, classical, and scientific courses, as well as Bible. It was not their design, he said, ‘‘to make professional preachers, but to train males and females, old and young,. ...for the greatest usefulness in life.’’ This session offered eight years of Greek and six of Latin. The curriculum also included Hebrew, philosophy,

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A Tally Ho party at Belle-Meade in 1898. The en- tire school went on such an outing once each year, rent- ing their rigs at the livery stable. Note S. P. Pittman about to lose his derby as he looks down. In the rear seat is John Jones with his foot on the wheel. Standing next is Daisy McQuigg. C. E. W. Dorris, sixth from left, wears a derby hat and stands in the second seat. Others are Annie Gill, Mrs. Harding, Clara Benedick, Porter Ward, and Will Sewell. The school was very definitely co-educational by 1898, as this picture of the young ladies in the prevailing styles and poses demonstrates. The main building is in the background. ville. Many old bullets, relics of the Civil War, were picked up by the students. The proximity of the reser- voir was enough to make students lie awake at night and wonder ‘what if the walls of the reservoir should break!’’ One night the break came and the streetcar tracks were covered with six feet of debris. This did not occur, however, until the school had moved to its present site. The three purchasers of the property were named as trustees. For this property they paid $9,000.00, Dodd giving $2,500.00, Ward $500.00, and Lipscomb $1,100.00. out of contributions he had raised. They signed notes for the balance. The deed stated that the property was to be used for ‘’maintaining a school in which, in addition to other branches of learning, the Bible as the recorded will of God and the only standard of faith and practice in religion. ...shall be taught as a regular daily study to all who shall attend said school.’” It further states that the Board wag a self-perpetuating body which could increase its number to seven, and that all had! to be members of the church of Christ. To the old residence, which faced Spruce Street, was added a three-story extension, its north side paralleling what is now Reid Avenue. The building contained a kitchen, dining room, bed rooms for boys, a chapel, and classrooms. Closer to Spruce Street a large two-story frame structure was built for Harding. This also served as a girls dormitory, and what little courting was done (save that which was passingly and surreptitiously done) took place in this building under the strict surveillance of Harding and his wife, ‘“Aunt Pattie.’’ The latter js still living in Atlanta with her daughter, Mrs. Sue Paine. Brother Dodd and his wife had charge of the boys’ dorm- itory. Southeast of this building was another frame structure occupied by the Grants. Between the Harding home and the Grant home was a small frame building used for recitation rooms. Later on this building was used as a suspender factory. Here some of the boys worked at spare time under Dodd’s supervision. Among these boys was J. E. Acuff, now vice-president of Life and Casualty Insurance Company. At the turn of the century the factory was moved to Newton (West Nashville) as the Dodd-Comer Suspend- er Factory. The Washington Manufacturing Company was an outgrowth of this little enterprise. Adjoining the campus on the South was the old Gar- rett Military Academy. As the Bible School grew and there was a demand for more space, rooms of the Mili- tary Academy building were rented for classwork. The students enjoyed the sport of climbing the rock fence which separated the two pieces of property. | was not present when the third session opened in October, 1893. | understand that the college now owns a biscuit from the first pan of bread cooked in the kitchen on that significant day. The enrollment was far smaller than Lipscomb had predicted. Only 52, in- cluding some girls, attended during the session. Of these, 42 were preparing for the ministry. Dr. J. S. Ward, a teacher in the medical department of the Uni- versity of Tennessee, had been added to the faculty. For many years he continued with the school, laboring

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The faculty and the students of the session of 1900- 01. Beginning with James A. Harding and reading to the left are: Lipscomb, Dr. Ward (with his son, Truman, on his knee), J. N. Armstrong (with his daughter Pat- tie on his knee), John T. Glenn, R. H. Boll, E. E. Sewell, Germon, French, English, and natural science. All students were required to study sight-singing. It was about this time that the instruction in instrumental music was offered. Elocution was introduced into the curricu!um two years before. There was a fair nucleus of a library, consisting of 300 volumes. 120 students enrolled during the year. At the commencement four or five received diplomas, each representing six years of work. The year that | returned to the school saw a further gain in enrollment, the highest in the first ten years. There were 94 boys, 43 girls, and 12 teachers. The students came from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, lowa, Tennessee, Texas, Ind- ian Territory, Canada, Persia, Syria, and Turkey. | found among the students William J. Bishop, who went to Japan as a missionary, Jesse P. Sewell, later president of Abilene Christian College, R. H. Boll, now editor of the ‘‘Word and Work,’’ R. C. Bell, well-known Bible educator, E. A. Timmons, and Porter Ward. Three of the Dunn brothers, Ed Cullum, L. J. Jackson, J.K. Hill, |. B. Bradley, D. Northcutt, and E. C. Fuqua had come during my four years absence. It was at the close of this session that Grant and Bryan resigned. In spite of the efforts of Dr. Ward, who conducted a summer campaign for students, a further decrease in enrollment took place in the session of 1899- 1900. The teaching staff centered their efforts upon an excellent quality of work. Some students were dis- missed because they did not do their work well. An example of diligent work is found in the Greek classes where three to four hours were required for the prepar- ation of each lesson. Superintendent Harding declared that as a result of the high standard of work, graduates of the Nashville Bible School were leading their classes in institutions of higher learning throughout the South, a record which the college, now in its fiftieth year, still claims. The tenth session was the last conducted under the superintendency of Harding. During this year 106 stu- O. W. Gardner. Behind Gardner and to his left is Mrs. Fothergill, matron of the boys’ dormitory. Immedi- ately behind Glenn is Miss Ruth Murphy, music teacher. Absent were S. P. Pittman and Mrs. Ida C. Noble, art teacher. dents were enrolled. The total cost per student, including board, room, tuition, a nd fees, was $99.00 for boys and $108.00 for girls. The faculty for the year was as follows: Lipscomb and Harding, Bible; Armstrong and John T. Glenn, Greek and Latin; Robert H. Boll, French and German; O. W. Gardner, mathematics; E. E. Sewell, English; Ruth Murphy, music; Mrs. Ida C. Noble, art; J. S. Ward, natural sciences; and S. P. Pittman, elocution and sight singing. The operation of the college was made possible only by great sacrifices of the teachers. During the last two years that Harding served as superintendent he received no money at all from the school. He wrote freely in the Gospel Advocate and in his new religious journal, ‘The Way,’’ about the school, its plans, progress, and aims. “We make no distinction,“” he wrote, ‘‘between minis- terial students and others; males and females, church members and non-church members....are put in the same classes and taught the same way... .The school is under the control of no church except as its teachers are controlled by their respective congregations.”’ Harding declared in 1899 that the board of trustees served only as advisors and custodians of property, but that the faculty did not consult the board concerning anything. The school operated loosely in a free-lance sort of way and Harding’s ability as an administrator was often being questioned. In order to put the school On a sounder footing and bring its finances in line with the accepted method of the day, it was decided to incorporate it. A charter was issued on February 2, 1901, naming David Lipscomb, W. H. Dodd, J. R. Ward, C. A. Moore, J. C. McQuiddy, and W. R. Chambers as incorporators. The charter stated that the school was “for the purpose of teaching the Word of God and various other branches of useful knowledge, commonly taught in institutions of learning.’’ Harding did not believe that the school should be incorporated. That spring Harding decided to resign as superin- tendent. It is natural to suspect that his resignation was a result of a change in the organization of the school,