Lipscomb University - Backlog Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

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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,

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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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but there is no evidence in his writing to support such a conclusion. He declared that the Nashville Bible School was already full and could not be enlarged sufficiently for all who would like to attend a Bible college. It was never his purpose to build a school of gigantic propor- tions; a small school, dominated by the spirit of Christ, and then a number of smaller schools, scattered over a vast area, represented his program of Christian edu- cation. The opportunity came to establish a school in the outskirts of Bowling Green, Kentucky, similar to the Nashville school. This was made possible by the gener- osity of C. C. Potter and wife. The Potter Bible College continued to operate until near the outbreak of the World War, although Brother Harding had to resign after ten years of service. Harding’s personality led about one-half of the stu- dent body of the tenth session to follow him to the new institution. He made it plain that he did not intend to induce any student to leave the Nashville school for the Bowling Green college. He took with him from the fac- ulty his son-in-law, J. N. Armstrong. | decided to re- main with the old institution and have never regretted my decision. Mention must be made of some of the outstanding men who were connected with the school during the first decade. John T. Glenn came to N. B. S. from Cornersville, stayed a while, and then attended the University of Kentucky for a term. He returned to Nash- ville, saying that he wished to become a Christian and he found the atmosphere at the Bible school more con- genial. He became a student-teacher in the school, and soon developed into one of its most valuable instructors. His long connection with the Louisville Male High School attests his superiority as a teacher. E. E. Sewell gave up a good position with a large firm in Memphis to come to the Bible school to prepare to preach. He became a painstaking pupil and a tire- less worker. He never became a preacher, but remained to grow into a scholarly teacher of English. For many years he remained with the school as head of the English department. O. W. Gardener, whose father had been partly rear- ed by Tolbert Fanning, taught mathematics for a number of years. Gardener was one of the most enthusiastic advocates of Bible school work. When he left Nashville, he became connected with the Western Bible and Lit- erary College at Odessa, Missouri. From there he went to California and was greatly responsible for the estab- lishment of Santa Rosa and the Pacific Bible schools. S. R. Logue, who came as a student, became a teacher in the intermediate department, and his wife taught primary grades. Logue was one of the handsomest men ever connected with the institution. He was quiet, gentle, and capable. | must mention several foreigners who attended dur- ing the first decade: W. Sakakabara and H. Makita, Japanese; Kh. B. Yohannan, Persian; and G. Paul, Armenian. Sakakabara afterwards went to the Univer- sity of the South, and became an Episcopal minister in his native country. Makita made a physician and in- ered An English class of 1897-98 poses on the steps of the old Garrett building. S. R. Logue, the teacher, stands at the right. J. P. Sewell, who later became president of Abilene Christian College, stands in the center background and A. B. Barrett sits in the center foreground. He is now a member of the board of directors, but when this picture was made, Ben Harding was just a student talking to his girl friend at a dormitory window (of all things!) . The student of 1941 is advised to take notice of the example. Mary Fanning and Lura Atkins in their dormitory room in 1898 read letters from home. On the dresser are pictures of Professor Bryan and A. B. Lipscomb (now deceased).