Florida Southern College - Interlachen Yearbook (Lakeland, FL)

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JOHN PRESLEY HILBURN President 1907-12

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The Story of Southern College Page Thirty at the helm, as well as for the church and its agents contributing to the phenomenal success of the enterprise. EXPRESSION OF CONFIDENCE Trustees, at a meeting held May 22, 1905, instead of re-electing President Walker for the customary period of one year, voted the office to him for the ensuing five years. This action was intended as a demonstration of gratitude for the good work he had done, and as an expression of confidence in his administrative policies. The degree of doctor of divinity was voted to him one year later. The faculty for 1905-06 included R. H. Alder- man, science; E. W. McMullen, mathematics; Grant Wheeler, commercial department; Miss Eunice Newton, art; Miss Katheryne Purnell, voice; Miss Edwina Rogers, violin; Miss Mary Lee Hill, elocution; Miss Vaught, Latin; Manuel Andrade, Spanish; Miss Donella Griffin, English; and Miss Pearl Watkins, music. The name of the institution was changed from the Florida Seminary to The Southern College, by action of the trustees on April 25, 1906. Soon afterward, the new name was shortened to Southern College. Members of the faculty for 1906-07 were R. H. Alderman, vice-president and instructor in science; E. C. Hudson, ancient and modern languages; S. B. Underwood, English; T. M. Cecil, mathematics; E. C. Kinsinger, history; Manuel Andrade, Spanish, E. M. McMullen, normal department; Grant Wheeler, commercial department; Beulah Wilson, academy; Mrs. E. B. Gautier, academy; Hans Christian Wulf, head of the department of music; Mrs. R. H. Alderman, voice; Miss Lillian Atkins, violin; Miss Edwina Rogers, stringed instruments; Mrs. S. W. Walker, assistant in piano; Miss Du- Bois Elder, elocution; Francisco Tortorici and Miss Effie M. Keiffer, art; Mrs. T. M. Cecil, matron in the dormitory for women; and Mrs. M. J. Wyatt, matron in the dormitory for men. Carlo Mora succeeded Hans C. Wulf before Christmas of that year. When Dr. J. P. Hilburn, then chairman of the board of trustees, made his report to the conference held in Palatka in December, 1906, the college had a property valuation of $175,000, a faculty of seventeen, and an enrollment of 310. Part of his report follows: In the matter of arranging a curriculum, we found it to be not only advisable but necessary to take advanced ground in view of the growing de- mands on the part of parents and students for ad- vanced literary work, so that our curriculum now stands equal to that of any first-class college, meet- ing the requirements of our general board of edu- cation. RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE The religious influence of the school is pro- nounced and of high order. So far, we have had a resident pastor who lives among the students. Preaching services are held every Sunday in the college chapel for the benefit of the student body and the local community. Attendance by students is compulsory. There is also a well organized Sunday School and an Epworth League, and a mid- week service for prayer. The religious training of pupils outside of the public ministry of the Word is also looked after, not necessarily along sectarian lines, but in the broad catholic spirit which we believe should characterize religious colleges as a consequence of the intensive religious spirit of the school and its religious atmosphere, vibrant with the thought and purpose of God. Many pupils who come to the school out of the church and un- s aved, return to their homes in the conscious enjoy- ment of a religious experience, while some are led to feel their call to the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course, in planning so largely as we have had to do for the housing and care of our students, it would have been almost miraculous not to have incurred debt. But considering the work we have inaugurated, our present indebtedness, amounting now to $5,500, is very small. Furthermore, re- ceipts from board and tuition have so far been amply sufficient to meet current expenses. Among other things, there is a grievous demand for a gymnasium and an athletic field. Ten thou- sand dollars could be easily and most profitably expended in meeting this need. Again, the college should be endowed. We have a choice collection of books in the col- lege librarv, which now numbers 3,500 volumes. His labors having taxed his physical strength too heavily, President Walker decided to retire to less active work for awhile. Accordingly, he sub- mitted his resignation to the board on May 20, 1907. They accepted it only after considerable discussion, and adopted a resolution expressing appreciation for the splendid services he had per- formed. At another meeting on the same day, they elected him chairman of the board to succeed Dr. J. P. Hilburn, who had just been elected presi- dent of the college at a meeting that morning. PRESIDENT HILBURN TAKES CHARGE John Presley Hilburn, now living in Tampa as a superannuate of the Florida Conference, was born in Gainesville, Arkansas, June 26, 1858, a son of Rev. A. S. and Emily S. Hilburn. He attended public and private schools and Crowley College, and has a doctor of divinity degree which was con- ferred upon him by Southern. Dr. Hilburn entered the ministry in December, 1880, and Jonesboro, Arkansas, was his first ap- pointment. His long record of brilliant and useful service in the ministry has won for him wide recog- nition as an able leader. After joining the Florida Conference, he served as pastor at Micanopy, Palatka and Ocala, and as presiding elder of the •♦•♦••■ % «

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The Story of Southern College Tampa, Bartow, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Talla- hassee and Orlando districts. He served two terms of four years each in the Tampa district. He married Miss Ella C. Peace, of Salem, Mis- souri, June 11, 1890, and they have one child, Oscar Peace Hilburn, a lawyer. Deeply interested in Southern ' s welfare long be- fore he was elected to the presidency on May 20, 1907, Dr. Hilburn has served the institution with rare devotion in several capacities. He was a member of the board of trustees before the institu- tion was removed from Leesburg to Sutherland. He and Rev. R. M. Evans secured an option on the buildings and lots at Sutherland, and as prepara- tions were made to re-open the school, it was he who was chosen as chairman of the board in De- cember, 1901, a position which he held for more than seven years. He has been a member of the board since its incorporation. As financial agent for the college, he raised funds in 1903 for the erection of the administration build- ing. During the five years of his presidency, salaries of the teachers and all operating expenses were paid in full from the revenue brought in by board, tuition and other fees. In looking back over those busy days, Dr. Hil- burn has always given much credit to Dr. I. C. Jenkins, who was vice-president, and to Mrs. Hilburn, as well as to others on the staff of loyal faculty members. Known as one of the most stable and genuine personalities in Florida Methodism, Dr. Hilburn occupies a position of high esteem among those who have had the pleasure of coming within range of his splendid influence. He dealt painstakingly with students during the five years of his adminis- tration, and later counselled and directed the min- isters of his various districts in such a manner as to gain their affection and energetic co-operation. Dr. Hilburn has been known for many years as an eloquent speaker, a man intellectually honest and spiritually devout, whose good works are numerous. Selection of Dr. Hilburn to succeed President Walker came at a time when the school was making a splendid showing. President Hilburn had al- ready manifested his great interest in the new pro- ject, and he had the confidence of the trustees and other friends of Southern. He took up the task where President Walker had left off, and followed through with an aggressive program, which in- cluded the erection of a four-story dormitory for men and a large gymnasium. Trustees for the first year of President Hilburn ' s administration were Dr. S. W. Walker, chairman; Rev. J. B. Lee, vice-chairman; Rev. D. A. Cole, secretary; Rev. Ira S. Patterson, attorney; President Hilburn, Rev. W. M. Poage, Rev. R. M. Evans, Rev. B. F. Mason, D. C. McMullen, I. S. Giddens, J. C. Little, J. E. Hendry, C. W. Smith, W. C. Richardson and W. N. Sheats. The catalogue for 1907-08 announced the fol- lowing faculty: Dr. J. P. Hilburn, president; I. C. Jenkins, vice-president and professor of science, V. V. Morgan, English; T. M. Cecil, mathematics; RoseMcMullen, history;Miss Lettie Lynch, ancient and modern languages; Manuel Andrade, Spanish; E. W. McMullen, normal school; Miss Murphy, commercial school; Carlo Mora, head of the de- partment of music; Mrs. lone B. S. Mora, assistant in piano, Professor Mora, voice; Miss Bessie Field, stringed instruments; Miss DuBois Elder, school of expression; Francisco Tortorici, art; and Mrs. T. M. Cecil and Mrs. M. J. Wyatt, matrons. In their report to the conference which met in Tampa in December, 1907, a few months after President Hilburn had begun his administration, the trustees said that, with the exception of enroll- ment, the institution had shown an improvement this year over any previous year in the school ' s history. President Hilburn made an immediate effort to strengthen the curriculum, increased the rates for board and tuition, paid the teachers higher salaries and improved the physical plant. The roof and windows of the dormitory for women were repaired, and the walls and ceilings re-plastered and kalsomined. New equipment included a $350 range for the kitchen and a new boiler for the laundrv, in addition to a circular saw operated on power from the laundry and used for cutting wood. A garden was begun to supply vegetables for the use of the college, and chickens, hogs and cows were bought. The value of the college buildings in December, 1907, was given as $185,000, and an endowment of $3,000 was reported. The faculty included seven- teen teachers. They received an average salary of $600 a vear. The library contained 3,500 books. Dr. S. W. Lawler, one of Southern ' s most active friends for many years, was elected chairman of the board of trustees on December 16, 1907. Among those who served under his leadership were Rev. T. J. Nixon, vice-chairman; Rev. D. A. Cole, secretary; D. C. McMullen, treasurer. Dr. Hilburn, Rev. J. B. Ley, Dr. L. W. Moore, Dr. W. C. Rich- ardson, A. C. Clewis, Rev. J. A. Hendry, I. S. Gid- dens, R. H. Johnson, L. J. Cooper, Rev. W. M. Poage, J. E. Hendry, Rev. C. W. Smith and J. T. Watkins. The honorary degree of doctor of literature was conferred upon Henry Elmer Bierly in May, 1908. He was professor of philosophy in Chattanooga University and editor of the Southern Educational Review, and was given the degree in recognition of his profound scholarship and distinguished ser- vice to the cause of education in Florida. James Perdue, corpulent, jovial and loyal negro cook at Southern for many years, was voted an expression of appreciation by the trustees in a reso- lution they adopted during the commencement week of 1908. Perdue, a persuasive preacher as well as an excellent cook, remained with the college until 1926. He is now living in Philadelphia. Thiriy-iwo ••■•••■ %• f