Eastern Kentucky University - Milestone Yearbook (Richmond, KY)

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College of Philosophy, Letters and Science. For the position of Chancellor of the University Rev. R. L. Breck, D. D., was chosen. In a short time the period of depression came and Dr. Pratt was forced to return to the pulpit. Soon after, Dr. Breck and other members of the Faculty resigned, and the number of students was greatly decreased. After a few years Col. Bennett H. Young, of Louisville, Ky., came forward and suggested a reorganization, and renewed the efforts to establish the Universit) ' on a firm financial basis. To the vacant chancellorship Rev. L. H. Blanton was chosen. This proved to be the turning point in the career of the institution. Rev. J. V. Logan, D. D., Ph.D., who was prominently connected with the establishment of the institution, was now elected President of the Faculty. The first step made by the Chancellor was the securing of contributions to the endowment fund to the amount of $60,000, with which the educational facilities were increa.sed, and the grounds beautified and ornamented with additional streets, drives and shade trees. New and large sums were now added to the endowment, and it is needless to say that under the impetus of such success the University continued to jirosper. In the fall of 1897, in connection with the University at Richmond, was established the Col- lege of Law, with Judge William C. Chenault and Hon. R. V. Miller at its head. Such moves as these fully show that the University has lost none of its youthful vigor, but is steadilj ' improving each year. With an institution in this state so thoroughly equipped to do the best work in higher education, and striding so rapidly to the front place among similar institutions in this country, it is unreasonable for our xonth to seek elsewhere for their Alma Maters. The l niversity is now resting upon a good financial basis in all four of its colleges — Medicine, Dentistry, Law, and that of Philosophy, Letters and Science.

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- Sc I5T0RICAL SKETCH or THE Uril ' EP5ITV Central Universit} ' , now among the leading institutions of learning in the state and the South, had its origin in the Southern Synod of Kentucky-, and the Memorial Educational Convention, held at Lexington, K. -., on the 7th and Sth of May, 1872, which was composed of a number of friends of learning in the Southern Presbyterian Church. The members of this convention, whose purpose it was to take steps toward establishing a Christian institution of the highest order, and under the auspices of the Synod of Kentucky, organized themselves into a permanent association and offered to the Synod their co-operation for founding such an institution. Thus the movement was inaugurated which resulted in the establishment of the University. The sum of $220,000 was subscribed as a beginning, which was thought sufficient to open an institution. The most sanguine friends of this enterprise could scarcelv have believed, when the doors of this institution were thrown open in 1874 for the first time, that within fifteen years, most of which were years of financial depression, the University would weather a most trying ordeal of adversity, and 3-et so improve and commend itself to its supporters that they should ralh and subscribe three successive additions to the endowment — the first of $60,000 and the other two of $100,000 each. Yet such is the case. Every dollar was raised in the state of Ken- tucky, and almost entirely among the Alumni Association and the Southern Pre.sbyterian Churches. This speaks volumes for the liberality of Kentucky people. After the fund was raised, sufficient for opening the institution, several towns became warm competitors for the location of the University — chiefly Bardstown, Anchorage, Danville, Paris, and Richmond. The wisdom of selecting the last named as the seat of the University has been amply vindicated bj- experience. The new institution was opened in September, 1874. At first there were only two col- leges, the Hospital College of Medicine, located at Louisville, Ky., and the College of Phi- losophj ' . Letters and Science located at Richmond, Ky. Recently the College of Dentistry was established at Louisville. Rev. J. W. Pratt, D. D., was elected President of the II

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