Mississippi College - Tribesman Yearbook (Clinton, MS)

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IQ!7 President John William Provine, M.A., Ph.D., LL.D. B.S., University of Mississippi, 1888; M.A., ibid., 1890; Ph.D., Goettingen, 1892; Fellow in Chemistry, University of Mississippi, 1888-89; Chair of Chemistry, Missis- sippi College, 1893; President Mississippi College, 1911 — . Page eleven

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■ 9 ' 7 Our President TE Board of Trustees of Mississippi College never did a wiser thing than when they made Dr. J. W. Provine President of Mississippi College in nineteen hundred and eleven. He came to this new position ripe in scholarship, rich in wisdom and experience and ready to begin the realiza- tion of the dream of a greater Mississippi College. Dr. Provine is a modern Caesar when it comes to energy and work. He can carry on more different enter- prises at the same time than any man that I have ever known. This, in a very large measure, accounts for the transformation which has been wrought in Mississippi College, internally and externally, in so short a time. In fact, the achievement of the six years of his administration, has been marvelous — almost miraculous. Under President Provine’s leadership, we have seen the Self Help Department estab- lished, and Ratliff Hall, the splendid home of the self help boys, erected. We have seen the Library building rise in her stateliness and beauty to adorn the campus and to serve the youths of the State. During the present administration, concrete walks have been built ; the athletic field and the rest of the campus have been graded and beautified ; the laboratories have been equipped with the most modern and the best apparatus that could be bought; the curriculum has been raised, the academy has been abolished, the course of study standardized, and new departments have been established ; the endow- ment has been increased two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, a five thousand dollar loan fund raised, several scholarships endowed by choice spirits, and a track of land deeded by the late J. M. Chrestman, valued at one hundred thousand dollars. Frankness, openness, and big-heartedness characterize all of his dealings. He hates wrong doing, but he loves the wrong-doer, and will bear with him so long as his influence does not threaten some other life. He is a master in diplomacy. It is refreshing and inspiring to watch him handle acute situations. He has the unusual power of changing in a moment, what seems to be an inevitable tragedy into a comedy. There has never existed such harmony between faculty and students as has characterized his entire adminis- tration. In the face of all these facts, then, we make bold to say that we have the greatest college president in the entire country. May he be spared to us many more years. Page iTvelve