College of Emporia Alumni Association

College of Emporia History & Time Line \| Traditions \| Faculty Honor Roll
Sen. Preston Plumb Click image to enlarge	1877 - The Reverend Robert Overstreet, chairman of the Education Committee of the Kansas Synod, proposed locating a Presbyterian College in Emporia. United States Senator Preston Plumb of Emporia was a firm supporter.
	1882 Presbyterian Synod of Kansas, meeting in Ottawa, accepted the Emporia offer of $35,000 and 38 acres of land for the establishment of a Synodical college in Emporia. Other locations considered included Salina, Peabody, and Marion.
	1883 -- November first - classes started in the upstairs of the Addis building occupying the North West corner of 6th and Commercial in downtown Emporia. Fifteen students were enrolled.
Click image to enlarge	1886 The College of Emporia moved to its permanent location and classes began in the uncompleted Stuart Hall. The building was named after Mrs. R.V. Stuart of New York who gave $10,000 to begin its construction.
	1889 The college held its first commencement in Austin Chapel of Stuart Hall. William J. Austin, a wealthy Emporian, funded the chapel, paid for the planting of trees and the laying out of the walks around the campus.
	1891 John Hewett became the second president of the college. He was a graduate of Princeton and developed a liberal arts curriculum. He also enacted strict rules for the students which included; no dancing, card playing or smoking. Daily chapel attendance was also required.
	1898 President Hewett died. That year three students were granted degrees in absentia , having left for the Spanish-American War. John Calvin Miles became president of the college.
Click image to enlarge	1902 Anderson Memorial Library was dedicated. It was the first Carnegie Library built West of the Mississippi and the first on a college campus.
	Early 1900 Alla Rah annual was first published.
	1907 Henry Coe Culbertson became president. He was described as a human dynamo. His decade at the college marked great progress but ended in scandal. He was strongly supported by William Allen White, who served on the board of trustees of the college.
	1910 The Athena Society was organized to recognize scholarship. An Athena Cup was kept in the president's office with the name of the top-ranking senior in each graduating class.
	1911 Kansas Power and Light Company ran a street car to C of E from Emporia. Harry Tang of Canton, China became the first foreign graduate.
Click image to enlarge	1912 The Mason family of Emporia gave funds to build a gymnasium to honor their son, Frank, who was an alumni of the college.
	1914 Lewis Hall of Science was financed and built. Daniel Hirschler was hired as head of the music department, ushering in a Golden Age of music for the college.
	1914 William Allen White, famous editor of the Emporia Gazette, joined the Board of Trustees. He lectured on journalism and was a firm and generous supporter of the school.
Click image to enlarge	1915 Stuart Hall burned December 2. President Culbertson, trying to save some records, was nearly killed when the bell crashed to the ground. A sign or banner appeared over the ruins the following date declaring C of E Fights, which became the rallying cry of the college.
	1916 President Culbertson resigned after being accused of mismanagement and unchristian behavior. William A. White felt the accusations silly. The College lost a dynamic leader and perhaps its most energetic president ever.
Click image to enlarge	1918 Frederick Lewis became president of the college, beginning a period of much-needed stability for the school. Gwinn Henry became football coach and the cemetery named for him was dedicated. He later went on to coach at the University of Missouri.
Click image to enlarge	1919 The basement and chapel of the new administration building were completed. Dean Hirschler designed the $30,000 pipe organ for the new Chapel.
	1921 The Million Movement was established by the board of trustees. Its goal was to raise funds to complete the administration building, eliminate the debt, and raise an endowment fund. By June of 1924 the million dollars had been subscribed and the new building was ready for classes. The building was complete except for the facade.
Click image to enlarge	1923 Harold Grant became head football coach after Gwinn Henry left. Grant continued to build a strong tradition of winning football teams. Harold was a graduate and former football star at the college.
	1924 Dunlap Hall, named from Howard Dunlap, was completed. Mr. Dunlap was an Emporian and long-time supporter of the school.
	1925 Cosmopolitan Club was established for those interested in missions and for the foreign students sent to C of E from missions run by alumni.
Click image to enlarge	1928 Kenyon Hall was completed and named with the addition of a handsome fascade, paid for by the estate of J.S. Kenyon, a wealthy Emporian.
	1934 C of E chorus went to the Chicago Worlds Fair.
	1940 Memorial Alter in the center of the semi-circle drive was dedicated.
Click image to enlarge	1941 - Trustees considered closing the school as enrollment fell due to World War II. Dean Daniel Hirschler accepted the presidency to keep the school open. Under his dynamic leadership the budget was balanced, salaries raised, and the endowment firmed. After the war, enrollment rapidly increased to 400-plus.
	1944 William Allen White died. His funeral was held in Kenyon Hall and President Hirschler played a requiem for his friend on the chapel organ.
	1948 Paul McCleave became president.
	1951 College attained accreditation by North Central after a significant lapse.
	1952 Luther Sharp became president. He was very successful in raising funds to build additional structures. Among them are Bovaird Stadium, Maybee Science Hall, and Vollmer Dormatory.
	1953, 54, 55 Coach Wayne McConnel had three undefeated football seasons at the college and received recognition as Little All-American Coach of the year 1955.
Click image to enlarge	1956 Bill Schnebel was hired as head football coach. Chosen as District 10, NAIA Coach of the year 1962. Undefeated seasons in 62 and 63. Schnebel was named Little All-American coach of the year 1960.
Dr. Joseph Laughlin Click image to enlarge	1961 Financial Crises occured Joseph Laughlin accepted the presidency. Enrollment began to build utilizing recruitment in the eastern U.S. Enrollment peaked at 1000-plus during this period. The Broadview Hotel was purchased and named the Downtown Center. It was utilized for student housing.
Click image to enlarge	1962 Roger Johnson was hired as head of the music department. The Toppers were formed as a select vocal group available to sing popular and light classical selections. The group preformed throughout the state and on tour the annual chorale tour.
	1964 The toppers singing group attended the New York Worlds Fair
	1965 The DeVore Campus Center and Student Union were opened.
	1966-67 Season Cof E athletes won Kansas Conference Championships in football, basketball and baseball .
Click image to enlarge	1967 Laughlin-Lewis Library was dedicated. The Anderson Memorial Library became an art center.
	1970 The Music Department presented the World Premier of The Beatitudes at the Emporia Civic Auditorium.
	1971 The Lee Memorial Chapel was dedicated.
	1973 Falling enrollment and financial instability caused the College of Emporia to close after the fall semester had ended.

	Traditions (Back to top)
	Lake Mergendahl and the Tug of War Each year the upperclassmen and freshmen had a tug-of-war across the lake. It was often part of the freshmen initiation rights as they became part of the C of E family. The lake was formed when Professor Schaffner wanted a source of fish and botanical specimens for his classes. The pond was dug in the spring of 1912. It was nothing but a dry, ugly hole as the fall semester started. A student, looking at it, said that it was as dry and forbidding as the classes and tests of math in Professor Mergendahl class. The name stuck and Lake Mergendahl was born.
	Pie Points For most of the College's existence the students ate together in the basement of Dunlap Hall. On game days it became a tradition for the students to cut the point from their piece of pie and together, at the end of the meal, eat the points together thus ensuring extra C of E points in the upcoming athletic contest.
	Puritan Restrictions The College of Emporia was known as a religious school from its inception until it gradually became more secular in the 1950s and 60s. In Conrad Vandervelde's history of the school he tells of some of the restrictions. Smoking, card-playing and dancing were prohibited. Bible courses were required each year and chapel was held daily. Ball games were arranged so that Sunday travel would not be necessary. Monday was the weekly holiday to discourage travel on Sunday. The college laboratories and library were closed and athletic facilities were not used on Sunday.
	Alma Mater written by John R. Wilkie 1911 (sung to the tune of Maryland, my Maryland) or Oh Christmas Tree Upon her sunny height she stands, C of E, our C of E Her name revered in many lands, C of E, our C of E Her praise we sing, both far and wide Her deeds we'll tell with love and pride For her we'll work what er betide C of E our C of E Thy noble sons in many lands Honor thee, our C of E Thy daughters true with loving hands Toll for thee, our C of E Where er they go they think of thee With heart and hand they work for thee, And aye for thee their prayers shall be, C of E, our C of E Thy name we praise, thy name we love, C of E, our C of E Thy fame we'll raise all else above C of E our C of E While life shall last we'll sing for thee Till life shall end we'll work for thee And evermore our song shall be, C of E, our C of E
"Burying the Foe" Click image to enlarge	Gwinn Henry Cemetery Football coach Gwinn Henry was hired in 1918 and coached the college to many victories until leaving in 1923 to go to the University of Missouri. The cemetery that bore his name was begun in 1918. After each victorious football game a funeral service was held and the foe buried with an appropriate headstone placed on the grounds. The stone was painted with the year, the defeated school name and the score. During Henry's coaching years he coached two undefeated teams and had a combined record of 34 wins, 4 losses and 4 ties. The cemetery was kept up traditionally by the freshman class, for the enjoyment of the upperclassmen.
Daniel Schaffner	*Schaffner Field football* Daniel.C. Schaffner, class of 1898, was the star end on the first C of E football team. He was a member of the C of E faculty beginning in 1902 and taught geology, chemistry, biology, physics, and was Director of Athletics and Acting President. The football field was named for this important athlete, alumni and staff member. (see also Lake Mergendahl)
William Allen White	William Allen White Loyal Friend For more than 50 years William Allen White maintained a personal interest and close association with the College of Emporia. He was an early student of the college, 1884-1885, before entering the University of Kansas. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for 30 years. He was chairman of the Building Committee during the first phase of construction on Kenyon Hall. He taught a course in journalism at the college for twelve years. Many C of E graduates started their journalistic careers as reporters for the Emporia Gazette. He also wrote countless editorials in support of the college during his famous career. In 1939, in recognition of his long service to the college, the Alla Rah annual was dedicated to him. His funeral, in 1944, was held in the chapel in Kenyon Hall and Dean Hirschler played the amazing chapel organ for his long-time friend.
	*Thanksgiving Day Football Game Between C of E and the Normal (Emporia State)* For several decades the Thanksgiving Day football game between cross-town rival colleges was the most important game of the year for both schools. Perhaps the most anticipated game was in 1926 when both teams were undefeated and had 6-0 records. The legendary Harold Grant was the coach of the Fighting Presbyterians. C of E and the Teachers College had played 33 games with Cof E winning 18 and the Teachers 15, with no ties. C of E had won a record 19 straight games leading up to the dramatic day. The game ended in a scoreless tie.
	Faculty Honor Roll (Back to top)
*Fran Broadhurst* Our first Hall of Fame inductee is Fran Broadhurst, teacher of Religion and Philosophy for eleven years until the closing of the college. The last edition of Alla Rah was, appropriately, dedicated to Fran. She was, in so many ways, the epitome of what C of E was all about. To quote the dedication. "She is not just another member of a lot of organizations. Her involvement is in her concern for people as individuals. Her desire to help people and her personal way with them only begin to tell the story of one of the most dedicated and hardworking people of C of E." After her death in 2002, the C of E News ran several reflections on Fran. She loved her students and it did not matter if they were from a different geographical area, a different religion or an ethnic minority. She loved them all. I am sure that there are those among us who look upon Fran as a friend and mother figure. She had a way of taking students under her wing, influencing their lives. - Jack Mitchell, 59 Frannie Broadhurst in her tiny office on the second floor provided a serene and consistent calm in a maelstrom of global and local change ,not that she was unopinionated or quiet in her personal beliefs, but in as much as she allowed, accepted and encouraged diverse positions in a time when such were not embraced. - William Shea â��70 I remember her enthusiasm and dedication to the students. She always had time for you and she had a terrific sense of humor, especially after football games at the ceremonies in the Gwinn Henry Cemetery. - Frank Skip DeVilling III 66 She was a positive thinker, a doer, always upbeat in spite of a number of afflictions in her later years. She was humorous and witty both. We had a good time going Oink Oink at each other after she had the pig valve implanted in her heart a number of years ago. Ray Rundus 55 I had Fran for two required religion classes, in 1966 and 1970. She definitely enjoyed teaching and made her courses very understandable with her special way of getting the content across to her students. She totally involved herself in her teaching. - Wayne Placek, 70 I was involved on the many religious council retreats. They were always fun and exciting. Thanks, Fran. She was truly a good and faithful servant. She was on loan to all of us. - Peter Shay 66