THE STATE
August 8, 1936
Роде
Sixteen”
The a cappella Choir of High Point College, of which Miss Margaret Sloan is director. It is one of the most famous
musical organizations in the state.
High Point College
.414* interesting institution with an interest¬
ing history. Its progress despite the de¬
pression has been remarkable.
ONE of tin* moat interesting
nnd ul.
чо
one of the fnM out¬
growing — educational institu¬
tion» in North Carolina is High Point
College, High Point, X. C. It» progress,
so far as increased enrollment and build¬
ing program arc concerned, ha» been of
a truly remarkable nature. The XI. J.
Wronn Memorial Library building will
be under construction within a few day*
nnd ready for occupancy in the fall.
This will be the latest addition to the
group of building».
High Point College had its beginning
in the mind of Rev. J. F. McCulloch,-
1).D., a native of Guilford County,
North Carolina, nnd
я
graduate of
Adrian College, Adrian, Michigan. Sev¬
eral year» after his graduation he re¬
turned to North Carolina with the con¬
viction that the Xorth Carolina Con¬
ference should establish within her
borders a high grade college for the
Methodist Protestant Church. With
this purpose in mind he visited the
Annual Conference at La Grange in
1S93 and so w'dl did he present hi» pur¬
pose that n committee on ways and
means was appointed to investigate and,
if |H>*sih!r, to provide means for build¬
ing a college. No sooner did this com¬
mittee ln-gin it» work than it found
that the church in North Carolina did
not feel the need for such an institution.
Whereupon, Dr. McCulloch set about
to establish a church paper in order
that his views, together with other col¬
lege propaganda, might be put into the
home» of the members of the Methodist
Protestant Church.
Accordingly, the Church Record was
established; the name was afterwards
changed to the Methodist Protestant
Herald. A desirable lot was purchased
in the city of Greensboro and a building
erected, which was designated as The
Publishing House. Additions to the
building brought the total investment up
to $11,381. The money invested in
this property was secured by subscrip¬
tions from various friends in the
Church. This property, now greatly
enhanced in value, lias become an en¬
dowment asset.
But it was not until after many years
of agitation, personal solicitation, and
many disappointments that the college
enterprise really began to take shape.
First, Mr. .1. C. Roberts, of High Point,
a member of the Methodist Protestant
Church at Kernersville. provided in his
will a gift of $10,000 provided the col¬
lege should be built by 1920; otherwise,
the gift was to be used us an invested
fund for educating young men prepar¬
ing for the ministry. This gift created
considerable interest in the college
project, and when the buildings Were
erected, the administration building was
named in his honor.
Tl was at the Enfield Annual Con¬
ference ill 1920 that the next important
stop was taken. Rev. If. X!. Andrews,
D.D., then president of the Conference,
recommended in his annual report that
unless «nr people were willing to go for¬
ward at oni4> in the erection of a col¬
lege, we should abandon the cherished
hope. After mature consideration,
K. XL Andrews,
Л.
E. Pritchard, nnd
L. XV. Gerringer wore appointed a» a
committee to visit the churches of the
North Carolina Conference and in¬
augurate a campaign for funds.
Several cities, notably Burlington,
Greensboro, and High Point, offered
Special inducement» for location. After
much consideration High Point, which
had agreed to give the site and $100,-
000.00, was selected.
The cornerstone of the first building.
Roberts Hall, was laid the 29th of June,
1922, ami the first class matriculated
September 15, 1924. This class was
composed of fifteen students coming
from several different colleges and
registering as sophomores. The fresh¬
man class numbered 101, while there
(Continued on page tu-cniy
