Mansfield
Female College, Mansfield,
Louisiana, 1854-1908
In
1854, when this fertile
section of the country was
rapidly settling up and
attracting the attention of
the emigrant from older
States, Dr. Thweatt saw the
need for an institution of
high grade at some point west
of the Mississippi. He came to
the parish of Caddo, and met
Rev. William E. Doty, a
liberal and intelligent man,
and of ardent temperament and
enthusiastic nature like
himself, who was possessed
with considerable wealth and
influence. They set out
together on a prospecting tour
for a location of a female
college. When they reached
Mansfield, DeSoto Parish, they
found an ideal location. They
selected the site where the
College now stands, on an
elevated plateau forming the
watershed between the Red and
Sabine rivers — a location
free from malaria, with a dry
sandy soil, and a rich
agricultural country on all
sides. Dr. Thweatt resolved to
build a college here with
ample facilities for the
education of the daughters of
the land. He immediately
entered upon an active canvass
of the subject before the
people, without, at first,
much success; but his
earnestness and zeal soon
inspired them with an interest
in the subject. His efforts in
behalf of the founding of this
institution were met by
liberal voluntary
contributions on the part of
the citizens of Mansfield and
surrounding country, amounting
in the aggregate to quite
$30,000. The foundation stone
of this splendid college
edifice was laid the latter
part of the year 1854.
Meanwhile, the school was
opened in a commodious frame
structure, now standing in the
rear of the College building,
and used as a dining-hall. In
1856 the main building as it
now stands was completed and
opened for the intended
purpose of a college. The
first president of this
institution said of the
establishment of the College :
" In the enlightened
wisdom and by the munificent
liberality of the citizens of
Mansfield, this Institution
was projected." By their
magnanimity, generosity, and
public spirit these grounds
and this college building were
presented to the Louisiana
Annual Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church
South, and placed under its
direction and control in the
month of January, 1855. The
institution was adopted by the
Conference, which assumed
control of its affairs. Its
founder, Rev. H. C. Thweatt, a
graduate of the University of
Virginia, was made its first
president. The Act of the
General Assembly— No. 88 of
the session of 1855 — which
granted a charter to this
college, was approved on March
g, 1855. The subscriptions had
not all been paid when the War
between the States began, and
then could not be collected;
therefore the College was sold
to pay these unpaid balances,
and Mr. Lewis Phillips, then a
resident of Mansfield, became
the purchaser. During the
greater portion of the four
years of struggle the school
was closed and its campus a
tented field. But before the
smoke of battle had cleared,
in 1864, Dr. John C. Keener,
afterward Bishop Keener,
purchased the property, and
freed it of debt and gave it
to the Louisiana Conference.
Dr. Charles B. Stuart was made
president. Since then the
College has been under the
presidency of Rev. Thomas
Armstrong, to 1880; J. Lane
Borden, to 1883; Rev. F. M.
Grace, to 1889: Rev. A. D.
McVoy, to 1896. In 1896
President Sligh was elected to
the presidency, and has
retained the place ever since.
President Sligh came to this
institution with the prestige
of eminent scholarship, and
years of experience as a
successful educator. A new era
seems to have opened with his
coming. All the buildings have
been put in good condition, a
new assembly hall has been
built, water works and
bath-rooms have been added.
Other buildings are in
contemplation to meet the
growing demand. The buildings
now are the original
three-story brick building;
the primary department, the
conservatory of music, and the
session hall form each a
separate building; and a new
three-story brick building
connected with the main
building by a hallway. The
library now contains about
sixteen hundred books, and is
well supplied with magazines
and papers, and also a few
late books. The Cadmean and
Clionian Literary Societies,
having for their object the
promotion of literary and
ethical culture among the
students, have added much to
the interest in literary
research, and have stimulated
some to do original work of
real merit. The plan of
instruction embraces a primary
and preparatory course of
seven grades, followed by
college course. College
course. — The course of
study is arranged according to
the requirements of the Board
of Education of M. E. Church
South. The regular plan of
instruction, as given in this
department, embraces ten
schools, as follows: I. School
of English — Including
English, philology,
literature, rhetoric, old
English (Anglo-Saxon) and
history. II. School of Greek
— Including Greek language
and literature and the history
of Greece. III. School of
Latin — Including Latin
language and literature and
history of Rome. IV. School of
Modern Languages — Including
French and German languages
and literature, with history
of France and Germany. V.
School of Mathematics —
Including pure mathematics,
mechanics and astronomy. VI.
School of Natural Science —
Including botany, physics,
chemistry, natural history,
geology, and biology. VII.
School of Philosophy —
Including logic, psychology,
ethics, and political economy.
VIII. School of Elocution —
Including physical training,
respiration, vocal culture,
articulation, orthoepy,
gesture, the laws of
Loading...Loading...
inflection, analysis in
reading, dramatic and
practical reading, artistic
and oratorical recitations.
IX. School of Commercial Law
and Business Forms —
Including bookkeeping and the
laws of business. X. School of
Art — Including drawing,
painting, wood- carving,
designing, and pottery. XI.
School of Music — Including
vocal and instrumental music
and voice culture, science of
music. The course of Bible
study is divided into four
years. The degrees conferred
are A. B., B. S., A. M., M. E.
L. ( This sketch is taken from
a catalogue furnished by
President T. S. Sligh.)
