Bryan College - Commoner Yearbook (Dayton, TN)

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Changing Times Motivate Bryan ' s Adaptation The fifties were a decade of motiva- tion-motivation not only in building programs, but also in academic strengths and competitive sports. Under the combined presidencies of Drs. Rudd and Mercer, the campus im- proved and expanded immensely. The administration building, in 1955, held a newly finished third floor, offii es foi a ademit divisions, steel doors, .1 heaven reaching tower, ;i dispensary, ;in l an en d kitchen, noi to mention 2,228 window panes ' I hi finished building firmly Mood, covered with ;i new finish ol bri A. :i lr urn ally, Bryan advam I rranted nition bj ch 1 cnn ssei ' oll ge Assoi iation in 1950 Brj an gr •■■. in en rollmcnt and fa ulty Th u hool w;is given four-year approval from the Ten- nessee state board in 1958, the same year that the University name changed to Bryan College to stress its liberal arts character. Learning materials were ex- panded through the Henning Natural Science museum and growth of the Ironside Library collection. The famous Bryan-Temple rivalry was ;ilso born in the fifties. The first games against Tennessee Temple began in 1953 with intramurals in touch football. In this bi-annual event, during the first year each Kim won ai home. The legacy ol the beloved Bryan Lion, a symbolic donation from Temple, also became history, stimulating Christian com- l ' i mi. hi, si hool spii it , and motivating mayhem. The Fifties ' 3

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The Fifties CHRIST ABOVE ALL 1. The tower of the Administration Building was finally completed in 1955. 2. Homecoming games (football in the fifties) against Tennessee Temple are now traditional activities. 3. The 30,000 volume Ironside library was dedicated during the fall Bible conference of 1956. Shown left to right are John Ironside, A.H. Stewart, and Lillian Ironside Koppin. 4. In 1950, Bryan University honored Dr. Rudd for his nineteen years of service to the school with a Telechron electric mantel clock. 3. Dr. Theodore C. Mer- cer became president of the University in 1956. Dr. Rudd remained as President Emeritus and as Dr. Mercer ' s assistant and adviser. 22 The Fifties

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The Sixties CHRIST ABOVE ALL The sixties were a decade of renovation and expansion. Building construction became the popular pastime on campus as both professional and student work- ers began the task of expanding the lim- ite d facilities and renovating to upgrade the physical plant. The major building venture was the construction of two new dormitories, long needed because of increasing en- rollment. In 1963 the project began with prayer and a building fund of $35,000, a small sum compared to the total of $720,000 needed. A low-interest loan of $600,000 was secured through a federal college housing program. These funds together with money from the bequest of $400,000 by Mrs. T.S. Allen, of Lincoln, Nebraska, a sister of Wil- liam Jennings Bryan, completed the fi- nancing of the project. In March 1964 Huston and Long dorms were occupied by 180 students. With the purchase and renovation of Cedar Hill in 1967 and construction of Arnold Village, off-campus dormitory space increased. Cedar Hill with eleven living units became women ' s housing. Arnold Village, with twenty apartment buildings, provided modest, yet com- fortable, homes for married students. Bryan also built a new music building in 1965. Located south of the Adminis- tration Building, it contained two stu- dios and four practice rooms complete with new Baldwin pianos. Since then the school has transformed this building into the Education-Psychology Annex. Library holdings increased with the ad- dition of the Alma F. Rader Bible and Rare Book Collection in 1962. Old vol- umes and Bibles of early, foreign, and famous personalities were donated by friends and alumni to honor Dr. Rader at her retirement from active teaching. She died in May 1966. Other campus improvements included a new service building in 1963, the reno- vation of the cafeteria and dining area in 1966, the hiring of Professional Food Management to head the food services, new flooring and walls in the Adminis- tration Building ' s main hall, and the addition of third-floor classroom and laboratory space. The last expansion project of the decade was the construction of a new gymna- sium, which was completed in 1969, at a cost of $109,000. The 1,000-seat building was dedicated to Ernest Sum- mers in 1972 and served as a chapel fa- cility as well as an athletic building. I 24 The Sixties