McKenzie College (Texas)

This is about the historical college in Clarksville, Texas, USA. For the college in Nova Scotia, Canada, see McKenzie College (Nova Scotia). For the defunct colleges in Tennessee, USA, see McKenzie College (Tennessee) and McTyeire College.
McKenzie College
Dormitories at McKenzie College
Type Private
Active 1841–1868
Affiliation Methodist
Location Clarksville, Texas, United States
Campus Rural
421 acres

McKenzie College, also called McKenzie's College, was a private college located on the plantation of Reverend John W. P. McKenzie, a Methodist minister, in Clarksville, Texas, United States. Starting in 1841, the school grew from 16 students educated in a log cabin to over 300 students and 9 faculty members occupying four large buildings in 1854.[lower-alpha 1] [2] It was the largest institution of higher education in Texas during the 1850s and 1860s. Before the American Civil War began, it trained almost all of the new Methodist ministers in the state. Unable to retain financial support after the War, Rev. McKenzie closed the school in June, 1868.[1]

History

Suffering from poor health, Reverend John W. P. McKenzie retired from missionary work in 1841 and moved to a 421-acre (1.70 km2) plantation 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Clarksville, Texas. He began offering classes for local boys in his home, which he named Itinerant's Retreat.[3] As the school grew, a separate log cabin was built. Most of the first students were receiving primary and secondary education, although the school awarded its first bachelor's degree in 1844. By 1845, the school was divided into three departments: preparatory, collegiate, and female. Four buildings were built in 1853 to accommodate the school's rapid growth.[4]

Always considered a Methodist institution, McKenzie's school was actually controlled by the Methodist Conference for one year,[lower-alpha 2]

By 1863, the enrollment had dropped to 33, and rose to an average of 74 for the period 1864-67. Unable to keep the institution financially independent, McKenzie and his son-in-law, Smith Ragsdale, closed it on June 25, 1868.[1]

Student life

The Handbook of Texas states that about half of the students came from the Red River area, 40 percent came from other parts of Texas and 10 percent came from Arkansas and Louisiana. The school year was 10 months long, and the cost for 10 months tuition, board, room and laundry was $180.[lower-alpha 3]

The college was home to two literary societies, the Philologian Society and Dialectic Society.[5]Template:Dead link 2018-08-26

Notes

  1. ↑ Three of the buildings were dormitories - one for girls and two for boys.[1]
  2. ↑ Rev. McKenzie initially attempted to deed the school to the church in 1855, but the agreement was rejected because of certain conditions the founder included that the Conference could not fulfill. He tried again in 1860, but by the end of that school year, most of the all-male student body had enlisted in the Confederate Army, so the church returned the property to Rev. McKenzie.[1]
  3. ↑ If the student could not pay cash, other arrangements could be made, such as payment in produce or even with the horse and saddle that the student rode from his home to the school.[2]


References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Clarksville and Red River County. Red River County Historical Society. (2010) Accessed August 26, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "McKenzie College". Handbook of Texas. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  3. ↑ "McKenzie, John Witherspoon Pettigrew". Handbook of Texas. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  4. ↑ Jones, William B. (2006). To Survive and Excel: The Story of Southwestern University, 1840-2000. ISBN 0-9670912-4-1.
  5. ↑ "McKenzie College". Archived from the original on 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
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