Tennessee Wesleyan College - Nocatula Yearbook (Athens, TN)

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The History off Tennessee Wesleyan College The history of the founding and development of Tennessee Wesleyan College carries much of interest. The institution was founded in 1866 shortly after the close of the War Between the States, as a result of an intense desire on the part of the newly reorganized Methodist Episcopal Church in East Tennessee to have a college that would train leaders both lay and ministerial. A tract of eight acres containing a substantially built three-story brick structure erected in 1858 and operated for a while as Athens Female College was purchased from Rev. Erastus Rowley for $7,200 and put into oper- ation as East Tennessee Wesleyan College. This original building, affectionately known to generations of students as Old College, is still doing splendid service, having been reconditioned in the 1930 ' s at a cost of $10,000. The first catalogue was issued for the academic year 1866-1867 under the title of East Tennessee Wesleyan College. In 1885 the name was changed to Grant University. Four years later the institution was united with what was known as Chattanooga University. The College of liberal arts was located at Athens and the professional schools including medicine, law, and theology at Chattanooga. This arrangement continued until 1906, when the two upper years were discontinued, leaving at Athens the junior college which included two years of college work and four years of preparatory work. The name of the University was changed to the University of Chattanooga with the school at Athens known as the Athens School of the University of Chattanooga. The last change in the relationship came in 1925 when the college at Athens was separated from the University of Chattanooga and became an independent institution resuming the original name revised to read Tennessee Wesleyan College. Prof. Percival C. Wilson was the first president of the College at Athens, serving only one year, 1866-67. He was succeeded by Rev. Nelson C. Cobleigh, who served as president from 1867 to 1872. Rev. James A. Dean served from 1872 to 1896, being succeeded by Dr. John H. Race who served from 1897 to 1914. Dr. Race was succeeded in turn by Rev. Fred W. Hixson, who served 1914 to 1921. Rev. Arlo Brown was president at the time of the separation of the departments at Athens and Chattanooga in 1925. James L. Robb, w ho had been Dean of the Athens Department for several years, became president of the College at the time of the separation and continued in that position for twenty-five years. Dr. LeRoy A. Martin came to Wesleyan in 1950 and is still the president of the college. From the beginning, the college has been known for the quality of its work and the successful records of its graduates. It was one of the first five junior colleges to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and the first junior college to be accredited by the Uni- versity Senate of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The College has never sought the limelight, but has been con- tent to render thorough and efficient service in the train- ing of boys and girls for the responsibilities of citizenship and of service to the church and the state. The campus embraces about twenty acres and pre- sents an attractive setting for college life. There are ten buildings in addition to a number of faculty residences. These buildings are the Administration Building, which includes the auditorium, the new Community Hall, the new Student Center, the new post office and bookstore, and the general offices, Banfield Science Hall, Elizabeth Ritter Hall for women, Lawrence Hall for women, Merner- Pfeiffer Library, Moffitt Hall for Music, Old College, James C. Robb Gymnasium, Petty Manker Hall for men, and the newly purchased Ingleside Dorm for men. The College is now engaged in a forward movement in- tended to raise money for further strengthening its facili- ties and resources. Not to be excluded from the history of TWC would be the legend of the Nocatula: Many years ago, when the Indians roamed through the forests of East Tennessee, a wounded English soldier found his way to the wigwam of a chief of one of the tribes and was nursed back to health by the beautiful princess Nocatula. She was as charming as her name and she won the heart of the young Englishman. The marriage was cele- brated and John was adopted into the tribe. Some months later John started out hunting with a small party. They were scarcely a mile from the camp when an Indian foe leaped from ambush and hurled a hunting knife into the breast of Nocatula Kowena ' s be- loved husband. A runner quickly carried the news to camp, and Kowena hastened to the side of her husband. Seeing his condition and realizing her loneliness, she snatched the knife from his breast and plunged it into her own. Her father, the chief, arrived as the last breath left the bodies of the devoted lovers. According to custom, he placed a hackberry in the hand of Kowena, an emblem of womanly qualities, and an acorn in the hand of John, an emblem of sturdy manhood and strength. Together they entered the happy hunting ground. As the years went by and the trees grew, they also witnessed the growth of our dear old college. The stump of the oak and hackberry is a monument to the untimely death of John and the sacrifice of Noca- tula Kowena.

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21283 PUBLISHED BY THE STUDENTS TENNESSEE WESLEYAN COLLEGE ATHENS - TENNESSEE MERNER - PFEIFFER LIBRARY 1 TENNESSEE WEbLEYAN COLLEGE ATHENS, TENNESSEE W

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