Rhodes College - Lynx Yearbook (Memphis, TN)

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H00 Stewart Building was built in 1878 in memory of the beloved professor who had died the previous year. By this time the boundary lines of the synods had changed so that Arkansas and Texas were separated, leaving Southwestern to the synods of Alaf bama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. From 1885, when the School of Divinity was added, until 1893, the chair of Theology was occupied by Joseph R. Wilson, whose son, Woodrow Wilson, absorbed the heritage of Southwestern and later carried it on into international politics. The great Presbyterian theologian, Robert Alexander Webb, an alumnus of 1877, taught theology from 1892 until 1908. In 1888 Dr. Waddell retired and was succeeded by Chancellors C. C. Hersman, J. M. Rawlings, George Summey, Neander M. Woods and William Dinwiddie. Dr. john R. Dobyns was called to become president in 1914. Dr. George Lang, then professor of hisf tory and economics, became acting president. Lang now serves on the Q , .fs faculty of the University of Alaf bama. Dr. Charles E. Diehl, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Clarksville, assumed the presidency in August 1917. Born at Charlestown, West Virginia, graduate of ,Iohn Hopkins and Princeton Seminary, this fiery man of conviction had already served the churches of Crescent Springs, Kentucky, and Greenville, Mississippi. In 1919 he ref turned to Greenville to marry Miss Katherine Ireys. Now for thirty years the students of Southwestern have felt the power of his firm rhetoric and the wisdom of his keen mind. In 1922, an extensive campaign to move Southwestern to Memphis was climaxed by an offer of half a million dollars and a 100facre location next to Cverton Park by the Ivlemphis Chamber of Commerce and nearly a million dollars in contributions E gh!

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1 H00 them to treat us in like manner. And we are happy to say that thus far they have nobly complied with our requirements. A system similar to today's tutorial work was in use back in old Stewart College, also. Dr. Wardlaw, graduate of King's College, Belfast, would invite students into his home after class hours, and together they would read the classics, with a zest un' known to students in any other work. Gunfire echoed up and down the Cumberland River for the next few years, and federal troops occupied the college grounds. But before long, the library and all the wood buildings became fuel for federal campfires. President McMullen, evicted from his home, appointed himself chaplain to the invaders, but smallfpox struck the camp and Dr. McMullen succumbed to it on january 15, 1865. With peace, Stewart again assumed the presidency, but reconstruction days made supporters, money, faculty, and students difficult to find. In 1870, the Synods of Nashville, Memphis, g Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, all weakened by war, decided to pool their educational inf terests in a single university. The merger was completed in 1874, and Clarksville, Tennessee, was selected for the location. Thus Stewart Col' lege became Southwestern Presbyf I terian University, with two build' ings, five acres of land, and nearly 569,000 in productive endowment. In 1879, the Reverend John Waddell, former Chancellor of Ole Miss, became the first chancellor of the new university. ATHLETICS IN THE OLD DAYS Page S 4

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QAD ll 00 from the four supporting Synods. Southwestern purchased a rock quarry at Bald Knob, Arkansas, for building stone and work began. Palmer Hall went up in 1923 in memory of Dr. Benjamin Palmer, for fortyffive years pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of New Orleans, and one of the original founders of the college. It was Palmer's efforts which made Southwestern the first col' lege to include the Bible as a required textbook. The people of New Orleans were the major contributors toward Palmer Hall. A short time later contracts were . let for two dormitories, Robb and Calvin Halls, a dining hall, kitchen and science building. In September, 1925, at the age of seventyfseven, Southwestern at Memphis officially opened its doors in its new location. With years of achievement behind her, and with a new faculty, facilities, students, funds and friends, her use' fulness in the new location seemed unlimited. MAIL IS NOT A NEW THING A St. Louis banking house lent S700,000 to the college which in 1917 had less than 2B500,000 total assets in Clarks' ville. Mrs. Hugh M. Neeley gave S100,000 in memory of her husband and the dining hall was named for him. This started the movement and Mr. William R. Craig of Yazoo City and his brother Robert Craig of New Orleans both contributed 5B100,000. Mr. T. Lupton of Chattanooga offered S5 0,000 and by July, 1930, the debt was paid. What an advance from Montgomery Masonic College with a deficit of 59,000 to Southwestern at Memphis worth more than 5IS400,000! The Memphis College of Music was am algamated with Southwestern in 1943, and Faq IN