Emerson College - Emersonian Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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Every organization must have its leaders and administrative heads. Emerson was fortunate to have several great, hard-working and inspiring presidents. As mentioned earlier, Mr. Charles Wesley Emerson was the founder. It was only fitting that after a time the College carried his name as well as his ideas. He was Emersonis president for 23 years fthe 2nd longestj, from 1880-1903. There have been several presidents in the course of Emerson,s eighty-seven years. Follow- ing Charles Wesley Emerson, there were such men as Mr. Rolfe, Dr. Southwick, Harry Sey- mour Ross, Dr. Boylston Green, Dr. Godfrey Dewey, Mr. Jonathan W. French Jr., and the pre- sent president since December l, 1952, Dr. S. Justus McKinley. The three who have held the post the longest were Dr. Southwick CMrs. MaxHeld's fatherj, twenty-four years, the founder, Charles Wesley Emerson, for twenty-two years, and our own Dr. S. Justus McKinley for fourteen years and five months. These eight presidents have formed the back- bone of Emerson's history as a college of oratory, which brings us to the real meaning and purpose of Emerson's existence. Emerson,s purpose is to train effective and re- sponsible communicators. It's three major depart- ments emphasize this fact: U Speech and Speech Therapy, 25 Broadcasting, and 35 Theater Arts. Year after year the college grows and turns out responsible men and women. The enrollment is over a thousand students, a far cry from the six students of 1880. But these thousand have the same belief that was instilled into Charles Wesley Emerson's six. That of: Expression Is Necessary To Evolution.

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Eighty-Seven Years Men have tried to communicate their wants to others for centuries. The cavemen grunted at first, blind people used braille, and deaf people use their 'hands and fingers. The more fortunate people can just speak. But just speaking or communicating is much harder than it seems. From world leaders to everyday housewives, this Art is strived for. Many desire it but few attain real perfection. For this reason one professor and his six students felt it necessary to begin a college of oratory. Emerson has come a long way since it was founded in 1880, as a private school, by Charles Wesley Emerson. In those days it was more commonly known as The Boston Conservatory located at Pemberton Square. So the birth of a new school with new ideas began. But just as success and time never stand still, so it was with our Emerson of today. Mr. Emersonls college began a series of moves and name changes right up until 1908. In the cool September of 1886, the Boston Conservatory of Oratory was removed to Wesleyan Hall on Bromfield Street and named the Monroe College of Oratory. Just a short four years later, as a result of a petition to the Legisla- ture, the institution was again renamed. This time the famil- iar word Emerson cameinto being. It was named Emerson College of Oratory. And so time continued and the college grew. Finally men were beginning to filtrate into the once all woman enroll- ment. The College kept its name but not its physical loca- tion. More teachers and larger student body forced moves. By 1891, Emerson College of Oratory moved from Wes- leyan Hall to Odd Fellow's Hall on the comer of Berkeley and Tremont Street. Just at the turn of the century, the college moved from the south side of the city to Chickering Hall. This is near the New England Conservatory of Music across from the present day Symphony Hall. A final move was made to the present location of Berkeley and Beacon during the presidency of Dr. Southwick C1908-19325.

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