High Point University - Zenith Yearbook (High Point, NC)

Page 14 text:

The Nineteen Twenty-seven Zenith History oi High Point College IGH POINT COLLEGE had its beginning in the mind of Rev. J. F. McCulloch, a native of Guilford County, North Carolina, and a graduate of Adrian College, Adrian, Michigan. After his graduation, Dr. McCulloch taught for a few years and then returned to North Carolina with the conviction that the North Carolina Conference should establish within her borders a high-grade college. With this purpose in mind he attended the Annual Conference at LaGrange in 1893, and so well did he p resent his desire that a Committee on Ways and Means was appointed to investigate and if possible to provide means for building the college. But no sooner did this committee begin its work than it was found that the Church in North Carolina did not feel the need of such an institution. Whereupon, Dr. McCulloch set about to establish a Church paper in order that his views and all college propoganda might be put into the homes of the members of the Methodist Protestant Church. Our Church Record, the name of which was afterwards changed to The Methodist Protestant Herald, was established. A very desirable lot was purchased in Greensboro on South Elm Street, 30x150 feet, for $3,300.00, and a building was erected at a cost of about $4,500.00. Later additions to the building brought the total investment up to $1 1,381.00. So greatly has this property advanced in value that it is now regarded as worth between $75,000.00 and ?ioo,000.00. But it was not until after many years of agitation, personal solicita- tion and many disappointments that the college as an enterprise really began to appear. First, Mr. J. C. Roberts, of Kernersville, N. C, a loyal member of the Methodist Protestant Church, provided in his will a gift of $10,000.00, if the college should be ready to open by 1920; otherwise, the gift was to be used as an invested fund, the interest on which was to be used for educating worthy young men preparing for the ministry. The gift stimulated considerable interest and when the college was finally built the Administration building was named in honor of Mr. Roberts. It was at the Enfield Annual Conference in 1920 that the next im- portant step was taken. Dr. Andrews, then President of the Conference, recommended in his annual report that unless our people were willing to go forward in the erection of the college we should abandon the cherished hope. The conference was moved to appoint a College Committee, com- posed of Dr. Andrews, Rev. L. W. Gerringer, and Rev. J. E. Pritchard. Page ten

Page 13 text:

The Nineteen Twenty-seven Zenith College Song Words and Music by Dorothy Hoskins and Margaret Gurley In our hearts we ' ll hold the mem ' ry Of a place we love the best; O ' er it waves a purple banner, Emblem of its fearlessness. CHORUS We praise thy name, and thy honor true. They stand for loyalty and love; May yours be fame, that to you is due, For you we ' ll always fight. We want the right To uphold thy standard high; To give the best we have to thee, Mem ' ries of you we will cherish, H. P. C. When we ' re on the field of battle, When we strive for praise to thee; May our teams be undefeated, Ours the crown of victory. Page nine

Page 15 text:

The Nineteen Twenty-seven Zenith who were to visit the churches in the North Carolina district and to put on a campaign for funds for the college. Seeing that at last the Church was interested, in the college enterprise Mr. J. Norman Wills, a son and grandson of ministers of the Methodist Protestant Church, himself a loyal and useful layman in the same church, was moved to propose that if the Church in North Carolina would raise in good subscriptions as much as $300,000.00 by the end of the year he would give $100,000.00 towards the enterprise. The campaign was put on and pressed most vigorously. The time for raising the total amount was extended by Mr. Wills but business conditions in the State becoming less prosperous than formerly, when the campaign closed, only $241,000.00 was secured. However, with this assurance of success, the Board of Education of North Carolina decided to go forward. And a challenge was sent to several cities in the Piedmont section that if an acceptable site and $100,- OOO.OO should be offered the Committee it would consider the location of the college in that city. Burlington, Greensboro, and High Point all met the condition but the High Point site was chosen. A Building Committee consisting of Dr. F. R. Harris, Dr. J. F. McCulloch, Dr. R. M. Andrews, Mr. R. F. Williams, Mr. J. Norman Wills, Mr. R. H. Brooks, and Mr. J. S. Pickett was appointed. Mr. Herbert B. Hunter was engaged as Architect, and he, with Mr. J. Norman Wills and Dr. Andrews visited a number of colleges and uni- versities and after thorough investigation recommended to the committee that the Colonial style of architecture be chosen. Plans were drawn and work proceeded on the erection of the build- ings without much delay. The cornerstone of Roberts Hall was laid June 29th, 1922; the building was completed during the Fall of that year. McCulloch Hall, a dormitory for. boys, and Woman ' s Hall, a dormitory for girls, were not completed until about the middle of Sep- tember, 1924. College was opened September 15th of this year. Work was begun with two college classes. There were fifteen members in the Sophomore Class, ninety-nine in the Freshman Class, and twenty in the preparatory department. This department was discontinued at the close of the second year. The total enrollment for 1925 exceeded 200 and the present number enrolled is larger. The total value of the property, consisting of buildings, grounds, and equipment is greatly in excess of $500,000.00. Page eleven