Westminster College - Blue Jay Yearbook (Fulton, MO)

Page 18 text:

i 1 . 1' Rice was acting President In the summer of 1899 the Trustees announced the election of Dr. John Henry hic- Crackcnea layman only twenty-six years oldeas the eighth President of the college. While he remained only three years they were momentous ones. He erected two buildingsiscimzw Hall and Re-Union Hall; improved the existing facilities; raised collegiate standards and, most important of all was instrumental in firmly uniting the two Synods in equal ownership and control of the college. Rev. David R. Kerr was the ninth President. Dr. Kerr was a man of a high degree of culture; a devout Christian and a forceful leader and his administration was marked by a decided increase in the student body and a deeply religious attitude in the college. Szimzu' Hall ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1909, calamity befell when West- minster Hall was destroyed by fire. In 1911 the present XVestminster Hall was erected. Soon after President Kerr resigned being followed by Rev, Charles Brasee Boving as the tenth President and the third alumnus to be ele- Vated to that position. Boving insisted on the preservae tion of Westminster ideals and traditions. He built up the enrollment and constantly endeavored to sell lVestminster to each of the supporting Synods. However the burden of the current debt forced him to retire and the Board brought in Rev. E E, Reed as President from Iowa. Dr. Reed was a real financier. He increased the endowment; stlccessfully guided the college through the hrst World XVar; erected Swopr Chapel and in every way proved him- self an able and experienced executive. During the war period Dr. Reed engaged in a money raising campaign under the direction of Rev. NI. E. Nlelvin, more than half a million dollars was obtained. Dre Reed died in August, Swopz Clmprl 1926. Football Action. Page 14

Page 17 text:

OF outstanding ability as a minister, teacher and administrator President Laws was of a dominating per- sonality brooking no interference. Coming in confiict with the Trustees over matters of discipline, he resigned in the fall of 1861 just as the War between the States broke out. The faculty fell apart; the scholarships tdue to wartime conditionQ became practically valueless, the student body diminished until at time there were probably not more than twentyehve in attendance, yet the college carried on during the whole time of the war. The faculty was reduced to two men, the next year increased to five with a sixth man, designated as Tutor, This appointment in 1863 started the career of John Harvey Scott who was to serve as Professor of AMathematics for sixty-fwe consecutive years, a tenure unequalled in the annals of American col- leges. The enrollment in 1862-63 was only 89. The critical financial situation was recognized by the Trustees and they sought an outstanding man to conduct the affairs of the college; Rev. John Montgomery was elected Presi- dent and served for two years, 1864-65. To add to the woes of the college the Synod of Blissouri was outlawed by the United States military forces because of failure of members to take the oath. and expelled from the General Assembly because its members adhered to the Declaration and Testimony. Its campus and buildings were sold to satisfy a long standing debt. Thus in 1867 iVestminster faced the future without any real endowment; without title to its buildings and campus. For seven years the Missouri Synod existed as an independent body until it joined the Southern Synod. AULD LANG SYNE. Andante moderato. , '1 z 1 . . 1 . 1 . r : . a Dr. Nathan L. Rice was elected President in 1868 and began an energetic campaign to improve the financial position of the college. He established a theological school and, by his ability and personality, attracted in- creasing numbers of students. Dr. Rice was the first president to be formally inaugurated. Dr. Rice was suc- ceeded by Rev. NI. NI. Fisher who served from 1874-77. Financial troubles grew worse; in fact so little were the de- voted professors paid that these seven years were called the ttstarving time . On President Fishefs resignation the Trustees elected an alumnus, Charles C. Hersrnan7 as President of the college and Professor of Greek. During his incumbency the crushing load of debt was largely lifted; the campus and buildings restored to the Trustees; the endowment substantially increased. The enrollment grew and a second eHort was made to induce the northern Synod to join in support of the college. IN JUNE, 1887, Dr. Hersman was succeeded by Rev. William H. NIarquess, then pastor of the Fulton church. Drs Marquess attempted to serve as pastor, teach courses in the Bible and act as President. Such labor was too great even for a man of his strength and energy. He was about to resign when a bequest of about $125,000 from the estate of William Sausser to the college made it desirable that he remain as President until the Sausser estate was settled. Rev, Edward Clifford Gordon Was elected Vice- President and Professor of Bible and became President in 1894. Alarmed over the constantly shrinking enrollment Dr. Gordon resigned in 1897 and for two years Dr. John J. Scam r. g 4- 1. Should auld acquaintance be for- got, Ami, nev- erlgrought to L,.. 4;. a. ,. .. 7.1 -11 t i ' ' 8 ..W Memorial to Dr. Scott Page 13

Page 19 text:

I HE Trustees lost little time in electing Dr. Melvin as the twelfth President. Dr. Melt n directed several other campaigns for endowment With varying success; built the gymmuium, the driveways and landscaped the campus. The depression years of 1930-1-2 forced him to resign and the Trustees turned to another alumnus, ana other layman. and selected Dr. Franc L. McCluer as the thirteenth President. President hIcCluer brought the college out of debt and kept it s a most remarka 1e achievement. He steered the institution through World W'ar II. inaugurated the custom of b inging outstanding men to Wiestminster to give the Green lectures, climaxiuty his labors in this direction when President Truman and Right Honorable Winston Churchill visited our campus NIarch 5. 1946, at which time Churchill delivered his UIron Curtain speech. On Dr. RICCluerjs resignation the Trus- tees were exceedingly fortunate to get Rev. William W, Hall, Jr,, to accept the Presidency who now seems destined to go down in the annals as a builder as well as a great administrator. erl to riglzl: NIISSOURIiS GOVERNOR DONNEI.LY, CHURCHILL, MRS. MCCLUER, PRESIDENT TRUMAN