Harding College - Petit Jean Yearbook (Searcy, AR)

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EMENS DORMHORES INHRMARY SCENCE ANNEX

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BENSON RESIDENCE UNDER THE inspired guidance of Presidenf Arm- s+rong. Harding College increased in enrollmen? from 280 +0 430 in fhe nine years i! wasrfo remain 3+ Morrilfon. In H34. in H13 mids+ of Hm nafion-wide de- pression. Harding moved en masse io Searcy. If: new planf. formerly occupied by Galloway Col- lege for Women. was +hree iimes larger and con- sidered +0 be worth a haH-million dollars. If was purchased hr $75,000. I1 consided of HO acres and six main build- ings. including Godden Hall, PaHie Cobb. Grey Gables, fhe administrafion building. +he old gym- SEARS RESIDENCE nasium. and he old boiler room. which also housed +he laundry. Also on +he siie were a few tesi- denfial buildings. a garage-siorage room. and Hie swimming pool. I! was in Haese difficulf years immediafely following +he move from Morril'lon +ha+ only 'I'ho sel!-sacrifice of sfudenfs and Faculfy alike lzepf the school in operafion. In I936 +he depression was a? H: worsf and Harding was faced wi+h many serious problems. Yel in ihaf year began a remarkable period of growfh and achievement ouf of'which developed flue school we know foday.

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. , v...- . f, -- v3.5 .- .. sh ':.aI-l 5'0 H's'. . -. t -'W..4 a lNDUSTRIAL ARTS BUILDING J. N. Armstrong. who retired from the presidency in I936. leH +he nucleus for flue mod- ern Harding. His belief in adive Chrislian educa- +ion and cilizenshlp luas been a guiding light lhrough ihe years. and ?haf foundation of well- grounded policies was +he rock upon which +he greefer Harding was built As +ha clouds of depression were at their blaciesl, il' remained for a Harding alumnus +0 relurn after more Hun fen years as a missionary in China and lead +he way +0 a dignified and honorable niche in world educal'ion. Armed with enviable qualilies +haf have placed him high in nalional recognition. George Sluarl' Benson displayed above all an unshalzable laifh in +he American people and 10 system by which ?hey live. Dr. Benson +hrew himself whole-hearledly info the fasl: and was+ed liHle lime in infroducing plans designed and deslined 10 gel Harding on lhe road +0 recovery and info a presperous fufure. He was greefed by a 376.000 deb! incurred during Harding's heroic sfruggle +0 survive ihe roclty years immedialely pasl'. He was gradual also will: a vole of confidence and a pledge of suppod' by flame connected wilh fhe school- more fhan a counler-balance. A five-year plan to liquidate Hue deb! was infroduced-and accomplished in +hree years. flue forerunner oF accomplishmenfs ihaf were f0 come. Thanksgiving Day. I939. is remembered as a fuming poinl' in Harding's hisfory. On lhal' day. as hundreds of alumni and visi+ors wafched lha ceremony. flue last of +he $76,000 debf was gone Forever in flue public burning of a $68,000 mor'l- gage on +he school. Harding College was debf- free.