Lipscomb University - Backlog Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

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THE FACE OF CONTINUING CHANGE David Lipscomb College is an in- stitution of many faces. Established in 1891, the school has branched out to cover more than 30 major academic programs leading to the B.A. or B.S. degree. Under the lead- ership of President Willard Collins, the faculty of Lipscomb encom- passes Christian men and women of whom 60 percent hold doctoral de- grees. The foremost purpose of Da- vid Lipscomb is still the endeavor of a complete Christian education; with all students attending a Bible class each day just as they have for the past 87 years. With its varied program of study and opportunity, Lipscomb has steadily progressed since its begin- nings almost 100 years ago. The school was established by two gi- ants in Christian education; David Lipscomb and James A. Harding. The men reached a decision about establishing a Christian school dur- ing a meeting held by Harding at the College Street Church of Christ in 1888. They had come to the con- clusion that a serious need existed in restoring New Testament Chris- tianity for young people of that day as well as for the following genera- tions. The Bible School opened on Octo- ber 5, 1891, in a rented house on Fillmore Street in South Nashville with only nine young men in atten- dance. During the first year a total of 32 students were enrolled, in- cluding S.P. Pittman, whose life was to span the first 75 years of the in- stitution’s history. During the second year, the school held classes in rented quar- ters on Cherry Street while property on South Spruce Street was bought for further expansion. In 1901, the school was incorported under the laws of Tennessee and was given the power to confer degrees and issue diplomas. It was at this time that Lipscomb realized the school would have to move to a much larger loca- tion in order to keep up with its de- velopment. With this need in mind, he gave his own farm of 65 acres located on Granny White Pike to the school. He remodeled his home into a girls’ dormitory while raising funds for a boys’ residence. The old home, still known as Avalon Hall, is used today by the Elementary and High School. Before the boys’ dor- mitories were completed, the young 4 OPENING men could only reach the second floor by using ladders. A large number of men and wom- en contributed to the growth of Lipscomb after the original founders’ deaths. E.A. Elam, for whom a women’s dormitory is named, served as president, chair- man of the Board of Directors, and as the head of the Bible depart- ment. Dr. J.S. Ward brought admin- istrative strength to the struggling school after Elam’s death in 1929. He provided staunch leadership on several occasions when the school was between permanent presidents. H. Leo Boles, E.H. Ijams, Batsell Baxter, and Athens Clay Pullias were three administrators who also dedicated themselves to the school. Boles was successful in promoting scholarships on campus from which a large program of honor, aca- demic, special achievement and athletic scholarships has come into existence over the years. During Boles’ term, the students and facul- ty recommended the institution’s name be changed from the Nash- ville Bible School to David Lips- comb College. A serious fire and the Depression were among some of the problems that Baxter and Ijams dealt with as they led the school to- ward a solid financial position. Lips- comb made its greatest and most comprehensive strides under its longest serving president, Athens Clay Pullias. Under Pullias’ leader- ship, the school expanded from a Junior to a Senior College. Most of the buildings on campus are named for staunch supporters of the school, many of whom per- sonally saved the school from clos- ing its doors at various times. One of the most prominent of these fig- ures was A.M. Burton for whom the Burton Administration Building was named. Young Burton arrived in Nashville in 1897 without an educa- tion or a job. He managed to save half his earnings after securing a job. He accepted a position with an insurance company which later went out of business. Burton decid- ed to begin his own company in 1903 and organized the Life and Ca- sualty Insurance Company. At his retirement in 1950, the company had assets of over $118,000,000 and $700,000,000 of insurance in force. Because Burton knew the need for quality Christian education, he accepted a position on the Lips- comb Board of Directors and contri- buted much of his wealth toward the school’s progress. Burton quiet- ly administered relief to the school