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The College of Emporia was a private college in
Emporia, Kansas Emporia is a city in and the county seat of Lyon County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 24,139. Emporia lies between Topeka and Wichita at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 with Interstates 335 ...
from 1882 to 1974, and was associated with the
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their na ...
church. When founded, it was one of two higher education institutions in the city of Emporia, the other at that time was the "Kansas State Normal School" established for teacher training and was later renamed Kansas State Teachers College (KSTC) and reorganized in the mid-to-late 1970s as a state liberal arts college with the name changed to
Emporia State University Emporia State University (Emporia State or ESU) is a public university in Emporia, Kansas, United States. Established in March 1863 as the Kansas State Normal School, Emporia State is the third-oldest public university in the state of Kansas. Em ...
. Since Emporia had two colleges before 1900, the city was sometimes called the "
Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh List ...
of
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to ...
."


History

The College of Emporia was founded in 1882. In March 1909, the "Lewis Academy", a Presbyterian school in Wichita, consolidated with the College of Emporia. Colonel John Byers Anderson of
Manhattan, Kansas Manhattan is a city and county seat of Riley County, Kansas, United States, although the city extends into Pottawatomie County, Kansas, Pottawatomie County. It is located in northeastern Kansas at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue ...
, donated his personal library to the college in 1888, and he served as president of the board of trustees of the college. Twelve years later, a Carnegie grant provided the funds for the college to build the Anderson Memorial Library, in memory of John B. Anderson, whom Carnegie had known when younger and who later served on the board of trustees of the College of Emporia. The library was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...
on June 25, 1987. The Registrar's office at
Emporia State University Emporia State University (Emporia State or ESU) is a public university in Emporia, Kansas, United States. Established in March 1863 as the Kansas State Normal School, Emporia State is the third-oldest public university in the state of Kansas. Em ...
is the official custodian of the transcripts for the former College of Emporia. The college campus was purchased by The Way International for $694,000 and was operated as The Way College of Emporia from 1975 until 1989.


Athletics

The College of Emporia (CoE) athletic teams were called the Fighting Presbies. The college was a member of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stud ...
(NAIA), primarily competing in the
Heart of America Athletic Conference The Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC or The Heart) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska in ...
(HAAC) from 1971–72 to 1973–74. The Fighting Presbies previously competed in the
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The KCAC is the oldest conference in the NAIA and the second oldest in the United Sta ...
(KCAC) from 1933–34 to 1970–71, which they were a member on a previous stint from 1902–03 to 1922–23; as well as in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIC) from 1923–24 to 1932–33.


Football

Football was established in the late 1890s and existed until the college closed its doors in 1974. The team known as the red and white "Fighting Presbies" had a proud tradition—over 70 years of football the college won 14 conference football championships, including an undefeated, untied, and unscored on season in 1928. In 1955, alumnus Lem Harkey was drafted in the sixth round by the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Stee ...
. The college's most famous player and honored coach was Homer Woodson Hargiss.


Notable alumni

;Faculty * Football Coaches - Horace Botsford, Henry Brock,
Harold Grant Harold S. Grant (January 16, 1900 – December 31, 1997) was an American football coach. He was the fifth head football coach at the College of Emporia in Emporia, Kansas Emporia is a city in and the county seat of Lyon County, Kansas, Uni ...
, Homer Hargiss, Lem Harkey,
Gwinn Henry Gwinn Henry (August 5, 1887 – May 16, 1955) was an American football player, track athlete, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Howard Payne University (1912–1913), the College of Emporia (1918� ...
,
Steve Kazor Steven Kazor (born 1948) is an American football executive, scout, and former coach who is the general manager for the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League (USFL). Kazor served as the head football coach at Iowa Wesleyan College ...
, Wayne McConnell, Walt Newland, Bill Schnebel, Lester Selves, Tom Stromgren ;Alumni * Dale Corson (1914–2012) - eighth president of
Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to ...
, physics professor at Cornell, author, served on
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its assets ...
* William Culbertson (1884–1966) - U.S. Ambassador to Romania and Chile, member of
United States International Trade Commission The United States International Trade Commission (USITC or I.T.C.) is an agency of the United States federal government that advises the legislative and executive branches on matters of trade. It is an independent, bipartisan entity that analyz ...
, United States Army Colonel *
John Dalley John Dalley (born 3 March 1935 in Madison, Wisconsin) is an American violinist. He was raised in a musical family. His father was an orchestra conductor, violinist, composer, instrumental teacher, and music educator. His mother, from Bloomington, ...
(1935-) - violinist, violin bow maker, teaching at
Curtis Institute of Music The Curtis Institute of Music is a private conservatory in Philadelphia. It offers a performance diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in opera, and a Professional Studies Certificate in opera. All students attend on full scholarship. ...
, artist-in-residence at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Uni ...
and
University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the Flagship un ...
*
Kyung-Chik Han Kyung-Chik Han (1902–2000) was a Korean pastor and church planter and the recipient of the 1992 Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion. Born in Kan-ri, P'yŏngwŏn County, Korea, Han graduated from Soongsil University ( B. S. 1925), the ...
(1902–2000) - pastor,
church planter Church planting is a term referring to the process (mostly in Protestant frameworks) that results in a new local Christian congregation being established. It should be distinguished from church development, where a new service, worship center or ...
, recipient of the 1992 Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion *
Vic Hurt Victor Clinton Hurt (March 13, 1899 – May 17, 1978) was an American football, basketball, and track coach and college athletic administrator. He attended College of Emporia and played football for the Presbies football team. He began his coachi ...
(1899–1978) - college coach for football / basketball / track, played football at College of Emporia * David Hibbard (1868–1966) -
missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...
,
educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...
, first president of Silliman Institute (now
Silliman University Silliman University (also referred to as Silliman or SU) is a private university, private Research institute, research university in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, the Philippines. Established in 1901 as Silliman Institute by the Presbyte ...
) in
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
*
Jerry Karr Gerald L. "Jerry" Karr (October 15, 1936 – December 8, 2019) was an American farmer and politician from Kansas. Background Karr was born in Emporia, Kansas, on October 15, 1936, and graduated from Americus High School. Karr went to the Colleg ...
(1936–2019) - Kansas Senator, economics professor at
University of Central Missouri The University of Central Missouri (UCM) is a public university in Warrensburg, Missouri. In 2019, enrollment was 11,229 students from 49 states and 59 countries on its 1,561-acre campus. UCM offers 150 programs of study, including 10 pre-profe ...
, Wilmington College, Njala University *
Helen Marshall Helen Marshall may refer to: * Helen M. Marshall (1929–2017), American politician from New York * Helen Marshall (historian) (1898–?), American historian of nursing * Helen Marshall (artist) (born 1971), British visual artist * Helen Marshall ...
(1898-1988) - nursing historian, history professor at
University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico (UNM; es, Universidad de Nuevo México) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889, it is the state's flagship academic institution and the largest by enrollment, with over 25, ...
, Eastern New Mexico University,
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public university in Normal, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University, it is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teaching and is recognized as one of th ...
* Carroll Newsom (1904–1990) - eleventh president of
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, ...
, president of publisher
Prentice Hall Prentice Hall was an American major educational publisher owned by Savvas Learning Company. Prentice Hall publishes print and digital content for the 6–12 and higher-education market, and distributes its technical titles through the Safari B ...
, math professor *
Vernon Parrington Vernon Louis Parrington (August 3, 1871 – June 16, 1929) was an American literary historian and scholar. His three-volume history of American letters, ''Main Currents in American Thought'', won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1928 and was on ...
(1871–1929) - literary historian and scholar, Pulitzer Prize winner, English professor at College of Emporia /
University of Oklahoma , mottoeng = "For the benefit of the Citizen and the State" , type = Public research university , established = , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.7billion (2021) , pr ...
/
University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seat ...
, second head football coach at
University of Oklahoma , mottoeng = "For the benefit of the Citizen and the State" , type = Public research university , established = , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.7billion (2021) , pr ...
* Brock Pemberton (1885–1950) - Broadway
theatrical producer A theatrical producer is a person who oversees all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The producer is responsible for the overall financial and managerial functions of a production or venue, raises or provides financial backing, and hire ...
, founder and chairman of the
Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
* Arthur Samuel (1901–1990) - computer scientist, electrical engineering professor at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern t ...
, computer science professor at Stanford University * Jack Sinagra (1950–2013) - New Jersey State Senator, chairman of the
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, PANYNJ; stylized, in logo since 2020, as Port Authority NY NJ, is a joint venture between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, established in 1921 through an interstate compact authorize ...
*
William Allen White William Allen White (February 10, 1868 – January 29, 1944) was an American newspaper editor, politician, author, and leader of the Progressive movement. Between 1896 and his death, White became a spokesman for middle America. At a 1937 ...
(1868–1944) - journalist, author, Pulitzer Prize winner, newspaper owner and editor of
Emporia Gazette The ''Emporia Gazette'' is a daily newspaper in Emporia, Kansas. History William Allen White bought the newspaper for $3,000 ($ in dollars) in 1895. Through his editorship, over the next five decades, he became an iconic figure in American jou ...
, founding editor of the Book of the Month Club


References


External links


The Carnegie Legacy in Kansas, Anderson Memorial Library

1921-1922 photo of students / faculty / campus of the College of Emporia

May 1971 video of College of Emporia




{{DEFAULTSORT:Emporia, College Of Education in Lyon County, Kansas Defunct private universities and colleges in Kansas Educational institutions established in 1882 Educational institutions disestablished in 1974 Emporia, Kansas 1882 establishments in Kansas 1974 disestablishments in Kansas