Catalog of Abilene Christian University, 1988-1989 Page: 4
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4 General Information
General Information
INTRODUCTION TO ACU
History and Location
Abilene Christian University was founded in 1906 in
Abilene, Texas, to provide students a Christian education
emphasizing the liberal arts in a Christian environment.
Two constant characteristics of the faculty throughout the
history of the school have been a commitment to excellence
and a willingness to sacrifice.
Originally called Childers Classical Institute after the man
who provided the first campus at a bargain price, the new
school taught every level from the first grade through the
sophomore year of college. Secondary and post-secondary
studies concentrated on such subjects as classical and
Biblical languages and literature, philosophy, history, mathematics,
and music.The institution was served by four presidents during its
first six years. It survived those years only through the
dedicated efforts of its trustees. The fifth president, Jesse
P. Sewell, served for 12 exciting and difficult years during
which the school grew in physical facilities, faculty, and
library holdings. It became a junior college in 1914 and a
senior college in 1919. Its name was changed to Abilene
Christian College in 1920.
This progress, however, came at considerable sacrifice
from the Sewell family, as well as from hundreds of hardworking
supporters of the struggling school. At one point
during World War I, President Sewell single-handedlychallenged the United States War Department in order to
maintain a higher standard of conduct for the 50-man
Army Training Corps on campus.
One tradition which began very early at the university was
the fielding of winning teams in all kinds of intercollegiate
competition, including athletics. Even when the school
was small, the students excelled in athletics. The last building
constructed on the old campus was a gymnasium to
replace the wire-enclosed structure previously used. The
project succeeded against overwhelming odds, largely
through the efforts of faculty member G. C. Morlan and
generous contributions from an involved student body.
The university moved to its present campus in 1929. The
relocation brought generous gifts of land and money, and
optimism ran high as students and friends packed Sewell
Auditorium for the formal opening of school on Sept. 5.
The economic collapse, which occurred a month later,
abruptly changed the outlook for the college. Disaster appeared
imminent. The school was deeply in debt; residential
lots sold by the college on time were being returned;
loans for the college were not available. The faculty
agreed first to a 25 percent reduction in salary and then to
a 50 percent cut.
Finally, in 1934 a generous gift from John G. and Mary
Hardin saved the school from bankruptcy and returned it
to a stable financial condition. The Hardin Administration
Building is named in their honor. In fact, reading a
campus building directory is like reading an honor roll of
the generous men and women who have sacrificed over
the years for the advancement of Abilene Christian University.The 1930s, in spite of difficulties, saw great improvement
for the school in both faculty and facilities. The 1940s
brought the biggest changes. Following World War II,
which had thinned the ranks of the student body and facul
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Abilene Christian University. Catalog of Abilene Christian University, 1988-1989, book, 1988~; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth46055/m1/6/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.