Elon University - Phi Psi Cli Yearbook (Elon, NC)

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s eLON COLLEGE, situated in Alamance County, N. C, the property of the Southern Christian Convention, is a monument to heroic sacrifice, united effort, and earnest, fervent prayer. It opened its doors to students on September 2, 1890; but that does not represent its beginning. Antecedent to that eventful day were many years of earnest plannmg and assiduous doing, and Elon College as it stands today represents growth, development, life — the period from its incept-on to its actual foundation spreading over twenty-five years. For years pr or to any concerted action or organized effort, the question had fre- quently been asked in local conferences, churches, and the Southern conventions: Does the Chrstian Church, South, need a college? In 1870, the Southern Christian Con- vention met in Suffolk, ' a., and through its committee on schools and colleges expressed the need of an educated ministry and laity, but failed to recommend the establ sh- ment of a college, because they did not believe the munificence of our people sufficient to establish an institution on a very large scale, and because the patronage would not warrant it. In 1874, and again in 1878, this same committee recognized the need of a better educated ministry and laity, and in our own institutions, but still failed to recommend definite plans looking to the establishment of such an institut.on. Thus for twelve years the college idea battled for recognition, and received not even a recommendation. In 1882, things became more hopeful. The need of a college for the Southern Christians, which should carry on to the baccalaureate degrees the work then being done by the Graham (N. C.) Normal College and the Suffolk (Va.) Collegiate Institute, so long felt, and so often expressed, in this convention, which met in Morrisville, N. C, took definite form in a resolution introduced by the Committee on Schools and Colleges, of which the first of the sixteen articles reads as follows: That this Convention proceed at once to establish a college at some suitable point within our borders, at which our young men and young women and our candidates for the ministry may be educated, said college, with all its appurtenances, to be owned by the stockholders — said stock may be taken by indi- viduals, churches, or other associat ons, and shall entitle the persons holding or legally rep- resenting the same to one vote for each share in all the meetings of the stockholders. An amendment to the report provided that when the general soliciting agent should have secured subscr ptions of stock to the amount of ten thousand dollars, the stockholders should meet and locate the college. The position of soliciting agent was tendered Dr. D. A. Long, for many years co-principal of the Graham Normal College, and since President of Antioch College, Ohio, and of Union Christian College, Indiana. The movement failed, because it was not the work of the whole church, and appealed only to investors, who know that colleges are objects of charity, and never pay dividends. This defeat dampened the ardor of the advocates of a college for the jo nt educa- tion of laity and ministry, but did not weaken the firm belief of the convention in the necessity of an educated ministry. Accordingly, when the convention met in I 886. w:th Mount Auburn Church, Warren County, N. C, it addressed itself to the matter of pro- viding a department of Theology in one of the already-existing institutions of the church. The resolution introduced by the Committee on Schools and Colleges was, That this

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ADMINISTRATION BUILDING SIDE VIEW WEST DORMITORY

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convention establish a Theological Department in one of the schools now under the man- agement of our people, and that the convention elect some suitable person to take charge of the same as instructor, and that the convention raise four hundred dollars to purchase books for the said department for the year I 887, and two hundred dollars annually there- after. Dr. W. W. Staley, Suffolk, Va., was chosen as instructor, and the Suffolk Collegiate Institute as the school. But the committee on schools and colleges was not satisfied with this arrangement. In their view, it was not adequate to the demands of the church. Nothing less than a college for the joint education of ministry and laity, on the co-educational plan, would satisfy them. They set to work to the realization of that end. After careful investiga- tion and prayerful discrimination, this committee, composed of Dr. W. S. Long, chairman; Dr. J. P. Barrett, Secretary: Rev. J. W. Holt, Dr. J. U. Newman (by request), and Mr. J. W. Harden, met on June 10, 1887, at Graham, N. C, and leased the Graham Normal College of that place. In the next year, 1 888, the Southern Convention met at Graham in extraordinary session, and ratified this temporary action on the part of its Educational Committee. By taking this summary action, the committee had demonstrated the feasibility of a college for the Christians, South. Success assured, the Conventon at this extraordinary session, after hearing offers of land and money from Burlington, Graham, Gibsonville, Greensboro, and Mill Point (the present Elon College), all in North Carolina, appointed a comm ' ttee to select a location, erect suitable buildings, and get a charter from the State within whose bounds it should be located. The provisional Board in whose hands these matters were placed was made up of Dr. W. S. Long, president; Dr. J. P. Barrett, secretary; F. O. Moring, treasurer; J. H. Harden and Dr. G. S. Watson. Trustees for the college were also named as follows: For two years — E. A. Moffitt. Asheboro, N. C. ; J. M. Smith, Milton, N C. : I. H. Harden, Big Falls, N. C. ; F. O. Moring, Raleigh, N. C. ; S. P. Read, Palmer Springs, Va. For four years — E. T. Pearce, News Ferry, Va. ; W. J. Lee, Bennett Creek, Va. ; P. J. kernodle, Suffolk, Va. : J. F. West, Waverly, Va. ; E. E. Holland, Suffolk, Va. For six years— Rev. W. W. Staley, Suffolk, Va. ; Rev. J. W. Wellons, Franklinton, N. C. ; Rev. W. S. Long, Graham, N. C. ; Dr. G. S. Watson, Union Ridge, N. C. ; Rev. M. L. Hurley, Franklin, Va. Dr. J. P. Barrett was elected financial agent, but resigned because of his heavy duties as Editor of The Christian Sun, and Dr. W. S. Long was appomted in his place. This extraordinary session at Graham was a record-making gathering for the cause of education among the Christians, South. Here it was definitely decided to build a college, to be the gift to the church of the people of the Southern Christian Church, not the property of stockholders. In this movement, the hearts of all the people melted under the leadership of Dr. W. S. Long, Dr. W. W. Staley, Dr. J. P. Barrett, and the other able men whose names appear on the Provisional Board above and among those first fifteen honored trustees. There was no mistaking now. The college was to be built, and it was to be the college of the Christians. Enthusiasm was high, the tide was taken at its flood, the result is beautiful, inspiring to contemplate — Elon College, a glorious and blessed institution, the pride of a denomination, with a past to be grateful for, a present full of vigor and glow, and a future of hopefulness and promise.