University of Evansville - LinC Yearbook (Evansville, IN)

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Our growth into a university began. over a century ago at Moores Hill, Indiana, in Dearborn County. In the autumn of 1853, Reverend W. W. Snyder, a member of the Southeast Indiana Conference of the Methodist church and agent for Brookville College, went to Moores Hill to solicit funds for Brookville College. He obtained a pledge from John C. Moore, son of the pioneer settler of Moores Hill. Mr. Moore became interested in a similar institution near his home. The idea of a college grew in Mr. Moorels thoughts and he invited friends and neighbors to discuss the matter. By Decem- ber 20 articles of association were drawn up at the local Methodist church and signed by interested citizens. On jan- uary 10, 1854, a charter under an act of the state legislature was granted marking the founding of the Moores Hill Male and Female Collegiate Institute, the first co-educational col- lege established. A three-story brick building was constructed on land do- nated by john C. Moore and Morton justice. Classes began in the uncompleted structure on September 9,1856, and the building was Finished on December 1. The college had two courses of study, classical and scientific, for its students. sl Administration Building and Evansville College sign That first year there were eight faculty members for the 197 students, 66 in the college department and 131 in the pre- paratory department. Reverend Samuel R. Adams was the first college president. jane S. Churchill Kahler, the First graduate of Moores Hill, received her degree in 1858. Laying the Administration Building corner stone www It lu. Y ff! all V D X X 1, I ,M fa Kam, '

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lun-as QI' .Y E1 5 'is vial, 'X 0 'asus 1 -. x ,aftli n n 5, ,,,, ' p v , 9'5 ni ......... l Ad ministration Building There are certain high points in each person's life which he tucks away in an obscure corner of his mind and remem- bers only on special occasions when something happens to remind him. The life of a college is much like that. The events which make a college grow are tucked away in the college history and forgotten until something special comes along to revive it. Something very special has happened this year-Evansville College has become the University of Evansville. So what more appropriate time could there be than this to search the obscure corners of the University's history to discover what events made the school grow. Ill-nm! ,Wm 0 3? :gr iv 2 aol C ' Nineteen hundred and sixty-seven is a proud year indeed for the school because it is the year Evansville College became the University of Evansville. The milestone in our history came when the 1967 Indiana Legislature in session at Indianapolis passed an act amending the college charter to read Hthe University of Evansvillef, The college did not come of age over night, nor did one or two events make the difference. Rather, one hundred and thirteen years of growth and development, physical and scholastic, made the University what it is today.

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The school was just beginning to grow when the Civil War interrupted. The volunteer call for the army took most college men leaving Moores Hill little more than a girls' school. Times were very difficult for the new college, but the school survived the war only to face hnancial and enrollment problems from time to time for the next 50 years. In 1887, the college changed its name to Moores Hill College. The college saw a succession of presidents during those years. After President Adams left his ofhce, Robert F. Brew- ington took his place for a few months in 1863. When Presi- dent Brewington joined the army, William O. Pierce hlled the ofhce. Following presidents were Thomas Harrison, Dr. john H. Martin, Francis A. Hesterulohn P. D.hIohn,J. H. Doddridge, L. G. Adkinson, George P. jenkins, Dr. Charles W. Lewis, Dr. Frank Clare English, Dr. William S. Bovard, Dr. Harry Andrews King, Dr. Andrew Bigney and Dr. Alfred F. Hughes. Among the advancements made in spite of financial trou- bles was the organization of a normal department for training teachers during a four-year course in 1870. Annual enrollment began to increase to 200 or 225 students each year. Equipment was improved, a gymnasium was built and a girls' dormitory was purchased near the turn of the century. In 1903, a fourth building was purchased for a science hall. Student enrollment rose to 234 in 1907 with a graduating class of 26, the highest in the history of the college. The in- stitution, at last, seemed to be progressing smoothly. Plans for a new 337,000 college building were formulated. To Hnance the building, an appeal was made to Andrew Carnegie, the steel manufacturer, to donate half of the cost, 818500, which he willingly contributed. With other addi- tional funds, the new building was dedicated on june 18, 1908, and it was named Carnegie Hall in honor of the major donor. The next school year classes were transferred to the hall. A short time later a president's home WaS EllSO completed. Moores Hill College campus with Carnegie Hall Center