Bryan College - Commoner Yearbook (Dayton, TN)

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The Presidents CHRIST ABOVE ALL 1. Dr. George E. Guille. 2. Dr. Malcolm W. Lockhart. 3. Dr. Rudd at work in office. 4. Dr. Rudd and Emily McMurry Owensby ' 37 confer- ring on business courses. 5. Dr. Rudd in aca- demic regalia at an early commencement exer- cise. 6. Dr. Rudd, Mrs. Rudd, and Dr. Mercer at graduation in 1966. 7. Dr. Mercer, leading one of his many meetings by making one of his many speeches. 8. Dr. Mercer, presiding at graduation. 28 The Presidents

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The College Continues to Grow MmBMHnHmnBHHHMcamMmHHBi 1. Workmen erected the spire for the Rudd Me- morial Chapel in 1972. 2. Construction of the chapel continued throughout the majority of the 1975-1976 school year and was finally com- pleted in the spring. 3. The student center, the Lionette, became the Lion ' s Den with a com- plete 1973 carpeting and renovation. 4. Bryan College soccer teams remained the NCCAA champions for three years in a row, starting in 1975. 5. The Tennessee Historical Committee, in 1979, erected a memorial marker, with word- ing composed by President Mercer, on Highway 27 bypass in front of Cedar Hill dormitory. 6. Available women ' s luxury housing increased with the addition of spacious Arnold dorm in 1972. 28 27 BRYAN COLLEGE candidate, former .ecratary ct «. •pok««m«n for religion imodornlnWgnd.memoll.t conic. i j j dlod hare five d«y« offer the Scodci E Trial of 1925. In tut.d u projection. Open sectarian, indep. ,.„„ committed lo Bib ' - ' The Seventh s

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The Making of the Presidents 1930-1980 George E. Guille (1930-1931)-Bryan University chose as its first president, George E. Guille. Although not a semi- nan graduate, Guille with two honor- ary degrees of Doctor of Divinity, held pastorates in several Presbyterian churches and was on the extension staff of Moody Bible Institute for fifteen years. Dr. Guille assumed administrative and Bible-teaching positions at Bryan in 1930. He died suddenly in November of 1931 after a little more than a year as president. Malcolm W. Lockhart (1931-1933)-After Dr. Guille ' s death, vice-president Mal- colm Lockhart reluctantly accepted the office as president, preferring to remain in promotion and fundraising for the college, with which he had been associ- ated from 1926 as the first employee of the Bryan Memorial Association. Be- cause of ill health brought on by ten- sions created by the continuing national economic depression, after two years Dr. Lockhart was advised by his physi- cian to give up the presidency. He died in 1940. Judson A. Rudd (1933-1955)-Few men are as responsible for the growth and es- tablishment of Bryan University as its third president, Judson A. Rudd. Dr. Rudd came to Bryan from Colorado in 1931 after holding teaching positions in Texas and Alabama. The former mathematics professor ' s presidency spanned times of unrest, depression, and war. Yet Bryan survived these years and prospered during his administration. Rudd sought counseling in public rela- tions, fundraising, and building pro- grams, to bring about the final com- pletion of the main administration building. But poor health forced Rudd to resign in 1955 after twenty-four years of service to Bryan. Actively serving Bryan until his death in 1970, Rudd was the viable moving force behind the school ' s success for over two decades. Theodore C. Mercer (1956- ) The epitome of the spirit of Bryan College is its current president, Dr. T.C. Mercer. Born and raised in nearby Spring City, Dr. Mercer, majoring in religion and English, was educated at Bob Jones University and the University of Chi- cago. At Bob Jones, Dr. Mercer served in teaching and administrative capaci- ties. Immediately prior to coming to Bryan, he was on the administrative staff of Muskingum College, New Con- cord, Ohio. Dr. Mercer became president of Bryan in 1956. Well acquainted with the area and school, Mercer immediately im- proved town-college relations with his warmth and smile and by a record of service in community organizations. During his administration, Bryan has built three new dorms, a gymnasium, and a fine arts complex and has reno- vated all areas of the main building. With his ever-present sincerity, friend- liness, and leadership, Bryan continues to prosper and grow in the Lord. 4+ • ' fett M BL HbB B i j mJ M 11 ' %4 L tf, w. jfcp lli Presidents