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Centenary College of Louisiana President's Office records

 Collection
Identifier: CCL-President's Office

Scope and Contents

Correspondence from Louisiana governors consist of letters (1849-1869) identifying students selected by the governor’s office to receive a free education at Centenary College. Act 179, Section 3 of the first session of the second legislature of the state of Louisiana on January 17, 1848, states: “That it shall be the duty of the faculty of said Centenary College to have at all times in the said institution, and to education gratuitously ten indigent young men, to be designated by the Governor of the State.”

Correspondence to John C. Miller during his time as Centenary College of Louisiana president include the following: the college’s former president William B. Lacey discussing commencement and honorary degree recipients (1856), J. H. Muse writing about college land ownership (1858), faculty job opportunities and letters of recommendation (1860), and Amos Adams excusing himself from a board of trustees meeting (undated).

Dates

  • 1849 - 1869

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Physical rights are retained by the Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Biographical / Historical

The president of Centenary College of Louisiana is elected by and reports to the college’s board of trustees. As noted in the college’s bylaws (revised April 21, 2016), “The president is the chief executive officer of the institution. The president shall be appointed by the board and shall serve at the pleasure of the board. [...] The president shall be responsible for the supervision and management of the institution, for the duties mandated by the charter and these bylaws, and for interpreting and implementing the policies of the institution and of the board.”

In 1826, Centenary’s predecessor institution, the College of Louisiana (Jackson, Louisiana), passed the following: “Resolved, that the president be instructed to take charge of the institution, that he have full control over all the officers and students of the same, that he prescribe the course of study, advance the students and form the classes according to his discretion, and that he exercise the power herein granted until the next semi-annual meeting of this board” (College of Louisiana Board of Trustees meeting minutes, December 16, 1826). The trustees also authorized, “The president shall take charge of the collegiate classes and give his first attention thereto after hearing those classes he shall attend to such classes belonging to the preparatory department as he shall select” (College of Louisiana Board of Trustees meeting minutes, August 9, 1827). The president was also responsible for submitting an annual report to the board of trustees. Presidents of the College of Louisiana were: Jeremiah Chamberlain (1826-1829), Isaac A. Smith (pro tem 1829), Henry H. Gird (1829-1834), James Shannon (1835-1840), and William B. Lacey (1841-1845).

In 1843, Centenary College (Brandon Springs, Mississippi), adopted as part of its bylaws that the president and professors “shall conduct and govern the college, and administer discipline according to such rules as shall be adopted from time to time by the trustees” (Centenary College Board of Trustees meeting minutes, July 26, 1843). The president was also responsible for submitting an annual report to the board of trustees. Presidents of Centenary College were: Thomas C. Thornton (1841-1844) and William Winans (pro tem 1844).

In 1845, Centenary College of Louisiana (Jackson, Louisiana) formed when Centenary College (Brandon Springs, Mississippi) acquired the property and relocated to the defunct College of Louisiana (Jackson, Louisiana). The role of president remained largely the same as previous years, though it appears presidents took a more active role in recruiting students and fundraising throughout the 19th century. Presidents of Centenary College of Louisiana (Jackson, Louisiana) were: David O. Shattuck (1844-1848), Augustus Baldwin Longstreet (1848-1849), Richard H. Rivers (1849-1853), John C. Miller (pro tem 1854), Benjamin M. Drake (pro tem 1854), John C. Miller (1855-1866), William H. Watkins (1866-1871), Charles G. Andrews (1871-1882), David M. Rush (1882-1885), Thomas Albert Smith Adams (1885-1888), George H. Wiley (pro tem 1888), William Littleton Clark Hunnicutt (1888-1894), Charles W. Carter (1894-1898), Inman J. Cooper (1898-1902), Henry B. Carré (1902-1903), and Charles C. Miller (1903-1906).

Many of Centenary’s presidents have been ordained clergy in the United Methodist Church and its predecessor denominations. Centenary College (Brandon Springs, Mississippi) was founded by the Mississippi Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Centenary College of Louisiana (Jackson, Louisiana) was administered by both the Mississippi and Louisiana Conferences.

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Arranged in two series: 1. Correspondence from Louisiana Governors (1849-1869), 2. Correspondence to John C. Miller (1856-1861, undated).

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Transferred circa 1930 with additional records documenting Centenary College of Louisiana (Jackson, La.) by Centenary's president, George Sexton. See caption published in Yoncopin (Shreveport, LA: Centenary College of Louisiana, 1938), page 9.

Title
Finding Aid to the Centenary College of Louisiana President's Office records
Author
Chris Brown
Date
2018
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
2911 Centenary Blvd.
Shreveport LA 71104 US
(318) 869-5462