Centenary College of Louisiana is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual capac ...

Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population of 393,406 in 2020, is t ...

. The college is affiliated with the

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelical ...

. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

and is accredited by the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

(SACS).

History

Centenary College of Louisiana is the oldest college in Louisiana and is the nation's oldest chartered

liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term ''art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the ...

college west of the Mississippi River. Centenary traces its origins to two earlier institutions. In 1825, the Louisiana state legislature issued a charter for the College of Louisiana at Jackson. Its curriculum included courses in English, French,

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

, logic, rhetoric, ancient and modern history, mathematics, and natural, moral, and political philosophy. In 1839, the Mississippi Conference of the

Methodist Episcopal Church, South The Methodist Episcopal Church, South (MEC, S; also Methodist Episcopal Church South) was the American Methodist denomination resulting from the 19th-century split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC). Disagreement ...

, established Centenary College, first located in

Clinton, Mississippi Clinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 28,100 at the 2020 United States census. History Founded in 1823, Clinto ...

, then relocated to Brandon Springs. When the College of Louisiana lost the financial support from the state legislature in 1845, Centenary College purchased the facility and moved to Jackson. Centenary 1915

In 1846, the college's trustees changed the institution's name to Centenary College of Louisiana and adopted the alumni of the two predecessor colleges. During the 1850s, enrollment reached 260, and the college constructed a large central building, which included classrooms, laboratories, literary society rooms, a library, a chapel, offices, and an auditorium with seating for over 2,000 people. This prosperity halted with the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Following a meeting on October 7, 1861, the faculty minute book states, "Students have all gone to war. College suspended; and God help the right!" During the war, both Confederate and Union troops occupied the campus’ buildings. Centenary reopened in the fall of 1865, though struggled financially through the remainder of the nineteenth century. In 1906, the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, accepted an offer from the Shreveport Progressive League to relocate the college. The Jackson campus now serves as the Centenary State Historic Site operated by the Louisiana Office of State Parks; it is listed 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 artistic v ...

. Centenary opened in

, in 1908. Enrollment and course offerings increased during the 1920s, and Centenary received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1925. During the 1920s and 1930s, the college's football program earned fame for defeating such teams as Baylor,

LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...

Rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

, SMU, and Texas A & M. The Centenary College Choir, formed in 1941, began performing throughout the region and eventually expanded to making national as well as international tours. In 1942, Centenary acquired a satellite campus, the former

Dodd College Dodd College was a private junior college for women located in Shreveport, Louisiana. It was founded in 1927 by Monroe E. Dodd a pastor, who headed the Southern Baptist Convention from 1934 to 1935 and was a radio Radio is the technology of s ...

, which served as a pre-flight training facility for air force cadets. Following the Second World War, the college undertook many new construction projects – dormitories, a cafeteria, a science building, a religious education center, a chapel, an expanded student center, a library, a theater, and a music building.

Presidents

College of Louisiana (Jackson, Louisiana) *

Jeremiah Chamberlain Jeremiah Chamberlain (1794–1851) was an American Presbyterian minister, educator and college administrator. Educated at Dickinson College and Princeton Theological Seminary, he served as the president of Centre College in Kentucky from 1822 to ...

(1826–1829) * Henry H. Gird (1829–1834) *James Shannon (1835–1840) *William B. Lacey (1841–1845) Centenary College (Brandon Springs, Mississippi) * Thomas C. Thornton (1841–1844) Centenary College of Louisiana (Jackson, Louisiana) *David O. Shattuck (1844–1848) * Augustus Baldwin Longstreet (1848–1849) * Richard H. Rivers (1849–1853) *John C. Miller (1855–1866) *William H. Watkins (1866–1871) *Charles G. Andrews (1871–1882) *D. M. Rush (1882–1885) * T. A. S. Adams (1885–1888) * W. L. C. Hunnicutt (1888–1894) *Charles W. Carter (1894–1898) *Inman J. Cooper (1898–1902) *Henry B. Carre (1902–1903) *Charles C. Miller (1903–1906) Centenary College of Louisiana (Shreveport, Louisiana) *William Lander Weber (1907–1910) *Felix R. Hill (1910–1913) *Robert H. Wynn (1913–1918) *W. R. Bourne (1919–1921) *George Sexton (1921–1932) *

William Angie Smith William Angie Smith (21 December 1894 – 1974) was a bishop of The Methodist Church and the United Methodist Church, elected in 1944. Birth and family William was born 21 December 1894 in Elgin, Texas, the son of William Angie , Sr. and Mary ...

(interim, 1932–1933) *Pierce Cline (1933–1945) *Joe J. Mickle (1945–1964) *Jack Stauffer Wilkes (1964–1969) *John Horton Allen (1969–1976) *Donald A. Webb (1977–1991) *Kenneth L. Schwab (1991–2009) *B. David Rowe (2009–2016) *Christopher L. Holoman (2016–present)

Campus

Centenary College's campus spans sixty-five acres and is located two miles south of downtown Shreveport. The Dr. Ed Leuck Academic Arboretum, located in the heart of campus, is home to more than 300 species of plant life. Aboretum Bridge

Major buildings

*The Anderson Choral Building, named in memory of G. M. "Jake" and Dr. Gertie Anderson, longtime trustees and benefactors of the college, the building houses the Nancy Mikell Carruth Choir Room, the Dr. Alberta E. Broyles Choral Room, and the Harvey and Alberta Broyles Choral Lounge. The Anderson building also contains a soundproof practice room and atrium. *The Brown Memorial Chapel was erected in 1955, after a gift was made by the late Paul M. Brown, Jr., Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees, and his brother, Colonel S. Perry Brown, a life member of the Board, in honor of their parents. The chapel was renovated and rededicated in January 2003 and hosts religious services and special events. Brown Chapel Portrait

*Bynum Memorial Commons, the cafeteria, built in 1956, was named in 1974 to honor Robert Jesse Bynum, New Orleans businessman and benefactor of the college. A generous grant from the Frost Foundation funded a 2006 renovation of the entire building, including the Edwin Frost Whited Room and the Centenary Alumni Hall of Fame. The Centenary Fitness Center

* The Gold Dome, completed in 1971, is a physical education facility. The geodesic dome has a capacity of 3,000 and serves as the home basketball and volleyball court and gymnastics arena. After a recent renovation in 2011, the Gold Dome features a new hardwood painted floor, updated sub-floor electronics, premium seating, and a new Hi-Fi public address system. *Hamilton Hall, the administration building completed in 1971, was largely the result of gifts by the late Mr. and Mrs. David Philip Hamilton. Mrs. Hamilton was a trustee of the college and a member of the first Centenary class to graduate in Shreveport. *The Hargrove Memorial Amphitheatre was a gift of Mrs. R. H. Hargrove and her children and was built in memory of her husband, Mr. Reginald H. Hargrove. It is used for convocations, plays, and concerts. *The

Meadows Museum of Art The Meadows Museum of Art at Centenary College of Louisiana in Shreveport is charged with the collection, conservation, preservation and interpretation of visual art works of museum quality. It is also a vital resource for students studying art hi ...

, established in 1975, was created from the gift of Centenary alumnus Algur H. Meadows. After donating 360 works by the French artist

Jean Despujols Jean Despujols ( Salles en Gironde 19 March 1886-Shreveport, 1965) was a French, later naturalised American, painter. He was a pupil of Paul Quinsac at the école des Beaux-Arts of Bordeaux. In 1914 he won the Prix de Rome for painting but the out ...

, Meadows also provided funding to renovate the former administrative building into a museum. The museum's permanent collection now includes around 1500 works by various artists and regularly hosts exhibits that aim to educate students and the public on the importance of art.

Academics

Centenary is a selective

college with 25 majors in the arts and sciences, numerous academic concentrations, a variety of pre-professional programs, and two graduate programs.

Accreditation

Centenary College of Louisiana is accredited by the

Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priva ...

to award bachelors’ and master's degrees. The college also maintains membership in the

American Council on Education The American Council on Education (ACE) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) U.S. higher education association established in 1918. ACE's members are the leaders of approximately 1,700 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities and higher educatio ...

, the

Association of American Colleges and Universities The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States. It works to improve quality and equity in undergraduate education and advance liberal education. ...

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, the

American Association of University Women The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide network of 170,000 ...

, the Conference of Louisiana Colleges and Universities, the

Council for Advancement and Support of Education The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a nonprofit association of educational institutions. It serves professionals in the field of educational advancement. This field encompasses alumni relations, communications, marketing ...

, the

Institute of International Education The Institute of International Education (IIE) is a 501(c) organization which focuses on international student exchange and aid, foreign affairs, and international peace and security. IIE creates programs of study and training for students, educa ...

, the Louisiana Academy of Science, the Association of Departments of English of the Modern Language Association, the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages of the Modern Language Association, the National Association of Schools and Colleges of The United Methodist Church, the

Associated Colleges of the South The Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) is a consortium of 16 liberal arts colleges in the southern United States. It was formed in 1991. Its mission is to champion and enhance residential liberal arts education through collaborative projects am ...

, and the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Centenary College is a participant in the Common Application Program. The music program is accredited by the

National Association of Schools of Music The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) is an association of post-secondary music schools in the United States and the principal U.S. accreditor for higher education in music. It was founded on October 20, 1924, and is based in Reston ...

Reputation

In 2013 Princeton Review named Centenary one of the "Best 376 Colleges" and "Best Southeastern Colleges," putting the college in the top 15% of all four-year colleges in the country. Forbes.com recognized Centenary as one of "America's Best Colleges" overall, "Best Private Colleges," and "Best Colleges in the South," and awarded an "A" grade for financial fitness. U.S. News & World Report placed the college in Tier One of its annual National Liberal Arts Colleges rankings. Other accolades include recognition for community service.

Student life

Centenary puts emphasis on co-curricular activities and gives its students an unlimited number of opportunities on and off campus from Greek life to student media, and service to politics.

Greek life

The Greek social organizations at Centenary College are three national fraternities: Kappa Alpha and

Tau Kappa Epsilon Tau Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as or Teke, is a social college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. The organization has chapters throughout the United States and Canada, making the Fraternity an internat ...

; and two national sororities:

Chi Omega Chi Omega (, also known as ChiO) is a women's fraternity and a member of the National Panhellenic Conference, the umbrella organization of 26 women's fraternities. Chi Omega has 181 active collegiate chapters and approximately 240 alumnae chap ...

and

Zeta Tau Alpha Zeta Tau Alpha (known as or Zeta) is an international Fraternities and sororities in North America, women's fraternity founded on October 15, 1898 at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia. Its Internatio ...

. In addition to encouraging academic excellence, the Greek system provides opportunities to form lifelong friendships, develop leadership skills, and participate in community service projects and social activities.

Fitness and intramurals

The Centenary Fitness Center contains a basketball/volleyball court, a 6 lane 25-yard swimming pool, an indoor track, an exercise area with weight machines and cardiovascular equipment, an aerobic room, a dance studio, and two racquetball courts. The center offers exercise classes, such as spinning, abs, yoga, and Pilates. There is also a 52’ climbing tower outside the fitness center. Intramural activities are offered through the fitness center. Some of the sports the students participate in are flag football, bowling, outdoor soccer, volleyball, basketball, softball, racquetball, and swimming.

Athletics

Centenary is currently a member of the

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their stu ...

Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), founded in 1962, is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in Colorado, Louisiana, and Texas. Difficulties related to travel distanc ...

(SCAC), having moved from the

American Southwest Conference The American Southwest Conference (ASC) is a college athletic conference, founded in 1996, whose member schools compete in the NCAA's Division III. The schools are located in Texas and Arkansas. The conference competes in baseball, men's and w ...

(ASC) after the 2011–12 academic year. Prior to July 2011, the college was a member of

The Summit League ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...

. The first official records of athletic teams at Centenary College are to be found in the 1908–1909 college catalog and the November 1909 issue of the Maroon and White, a monthly publication edited by the students. Centenary fields 20 intercollegiate athletic teams including football, baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, and swimming for men; and basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, and volleyball for women. The school is well known for its

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

prominence in the late 1970s being the college for NBA great

Robert Parish Robert Lee Parish (born August 30, 1953) is an American former professional basketball player who played 21 seasons as a center in the National Basketball Association (NBA), tied for second most in league history. He played an NBA-record 1,61 ...

, and

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...

ability—in the early 1980s

PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also k ...

golfer Hal Sutton played there. U.S. Olympics Women's Gymnastics Coach (Tokyo, 1964) Vannie Edwards coached the Centenary women's gymnastics team from 1964 to 1968 and again from 1977 to 1985. Coach Edwards was also the team manager for the U.S. Olympics Women's Gymnastics teams in 1968 (Mexico City) and 1972 (Munich). He was inducted into the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1986. Centenary previously fielded a college football team. From 1927 thru 1936, the team compiled a record of 73–22–11, including two undefeated seasons (1927 & 1932). The 1927 team featured wins over four powers in the Southwest Conference: Southern Methodist, Baylor, Rice, and Texas Christian. The 1932 team featured wins over Louisiana State, Texas, Texas A&M, and Mississippi. Head Coach Homer Norton left Centenary after the 1933 season, and success and fan interest dwindled. After an 0–8–2 season in 1941, the team was discontinued for the duration of World War II due to budget deficits. Football resumed in 1947, but after winning only one game during the season, the football program was halted for good in December 1947. In 2022 Centenary announced that football was to return, with play commencing in the fall off 2024. The school sport's nickname is the Gents; the women's sports' nickname is the Ladies. Prior to adopting the Gents nickname, Centenary's football team was known as the Old Ironsides and had a reputation as a fearsome and powerful team with a penchant for playing rough. To clean up their image, they selected the Gents nickname. In 2013, the Centenary Gents baseball team won the SCAC regular season. It was the school's first regular season championship in any sport since 1991. The Gents baseball team also won the SCAC regular season in 2015. Also, former Centenary Pitcher,

Seth Lugo Jacob Seth Lugo (born November 17, 1989), nicknamed "Quarterrican", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets. Lugo made his MLB deb ...

made his

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

debut for the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

on July 1, 2016. Former Centenary Gents pitcher James Hoyt (baseball) was called up by the

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...

on August 2, 2016. This marked the first time that two Centenary alumni had played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

at the same time. Hoyt and Lugo were teammates on the 2009 and 2010 Centenary Gents teams.

Notable people

Alumni

* Nathan Allen (Class of 1967) – internationally recognized trial lawyer, conservationist and patron of the arts * Calhoun Allen (1921–1991) – Mayor of Shreveport from 1970 to 1978, utilities commissioner from 1962 to 1970, and city council member in 1991 until his death that year * Lonnie O. Aulds (1925–1984, Class of 1950) – Louisiana state representative from Caddo Parish from 1968 to 1972; real estate developer in Shreveport *

Brady Blade Brady L Blade Jr. (born 1965 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is an American rock, pop and country drummer, record producer and composer, who currently resides in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the son of Dorothy and Pastor Brady Blade Sr. (Pastor of ...

– drummer, music producer, founded record label Brick Top Recordings LLC, and owner of Blade Studios * Algie D. Brown (Class of 1934, 1910–2004) – member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Caddo Parish from 1948 to 1972 *

Riemer Calhoun Maurice Riemer Calhoun Sr. (April 5, 1909 – August 4, 1994), was Louisiana politician who served in the Louisiana State Senate as a Democrat from 1944 to 1952, representing parts of DeSoto and Caddo parish A parish is a territorial ent ...

(Class of 1930, 1909–1994) – member of the Louisiana State Senate for Caddo and DeSoto parishes from 1944 to 1952 * Cecil K. Carter, Jr. (1929–1987) – Louisiana state senator for Caddo Parish, 1972 to 1976 * Sherri Smith Buffington – member of the Louisiana State Senate since 2004 *

John William Corrington John William Corrington (October 28, 1932 – November 24, 1988) was an American film and television writer, novelist, poet, and lawyer. Corrington attended St. John's High School (now known as Loyola College Prep), but was expelled after smo ...

– poet and author; early television writing pioneer * George W. D'Artois (transferred to LSU in Baton Rouge) – Shreveport public safety commissioner 1962–1976 * Taylor Scott Davis - church musician and composer * John Allen Dixon (Class of 1940, 1920–2003) – Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court * Scott Durbin – member of the children's music group

Imagination Movers The Imagination Movers are an American children's band formed in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2003. The line-up includes drummer Rich Collins, lead singer, keyboardist and mandolin player Scott Durbin, bassist Dave Poche, and guitarist Scott "Smit ...

* George Dement (1922–2014) – mayor of

Bossier City Bossier City ( ) is a city in Bossier Parish in the northwestern region of the U.S. state of Louisiana in the United States. It is the second most populous city in the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area. In 2020, it had a ...

from 1989 to 2005; attended after World War II but did not graduate; holds honorary doctorate from Centenary * D. L. Dykes, Jr. (1917–1997) – pastor of First United Methodist Church in Shreveport from 1955 to 1984; urged racial harmony in

civil rights movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

; known for opposition to "Religious Right" *

Lenny Fant Lenny or Lennie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Lenny (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Lennie (surname), a list of people * Lenny (singer) (born 1993), Czech songwriter Arts and entertainment Music * ''L ...

(Class of 1950, 1923–1998) – basketball coach at the

University of Louisiana at Monroe The University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) is a public university in Monroe, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System. History ULM opened in 1931 as Ouachita Parish Junior College. Three years later it became the Northeast Cen ...

, 1957–1979 *

William J. Fleniken William is a male given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norm ...

– U. S. attorney, 1950–1953; judge of the Louisiana 1st Judicial District Court, 1961–1979 * Thomas Wafer Fuller (Class of 1890) – state senator, newspaper publisher,

Webster Parish Webster Parish (French: ''Paroisse de Webster'') is a parish located in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Minden. As of the 2010 census, the Webster Parish population was 41,207. In 2018, the p ...

school superintendent *

William Pike Hall, Sr. William is a male given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norm ...

– state senator for Caddo and DeSoto parishes from 1924 to 1932, Shreveport attorney *

John Spencer Hardy John Spencer Hardy, Sr. (May 7, 1913 – May 1, 2012), was a lieutenant general who served as chief of operations for the United States Army Air Corps in the Mediterranean Sea during World War II. Background Hardy was born in Logansport in ...

(Class of 1938, 1913–2012) – Lieutenant General of the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

, later member of the Centenary board of directors and the Hall of Fame *

Lovette Hill Lovette Lee Hill (March 23, 1907 – August 27, 1989) was an American football and baseball coach. He was the fourth head coach of the Houston Cougars baseball team from 1950 to 1974. Hill holds the record for the longest serving head baseball c ...

– former head

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

coach for the

University of Houston The University of Houston (UH) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the List of universities in Texas by enrollment, university in Texas ...

* James Hoyt (baseball) – pitcher for the

Cal Hubbard Robert Calvin Hubbard (October 31, 1900 – October 17, 1977) was an American professional football player and Major League Baseball (MLB) umpire. After playing college football at Centenary College and Geneva College, Hubbard played in the N ...

– former professional football player, member of

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

and the

Professional Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...

* Whitfield Jack (attended 1924, 1906–1989) – Shreveport attorney and World War II United States Army office; major general in

United States Army Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a Military reserve force, reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed F ...

* Edward Kennon – Shreveport-area developer and former member of the

Louisiana Public Service Commission The Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) is an independent regulatory agency which manages public utilities and motor carriers in Louisiana. The commission has five elected members chosen in single-member districts for staggered six-year te ...

(1973–1984) *

Clyde Lee Clyde Wayne Lee (born March 14, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player who had his most success as an All-American center at Vanderbilt University, where the two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year was among the mo ...

– former head football coach for the

(2008–2011) – pitcher for the

* Hall Lyons – Louisiana oilman and politician; son of Charlton Lyons and Marjorie Lyons, for whom the Marjorie Lyons Playhouse on the Centenary campus is named * Max T. Malone – former state senator from

Caddo The Caddo people comprise the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, a federally recognized tribe headquartered in Binger, Oklahoma. They speak the Caddo language. The Caddo Confederacy was a network of Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, wh ...

and Bossier parishes, businessman *

James M. McCoy James Mark McCoy (July 30, 1930 – July 13, 2022) was the sixth Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, serving from 1979 to 1981. Early life McCoy was born in Creston, Iowa, on July 30, 1930, and graduated from Maur Hill High School, Atchis ...

(Class of 1966), sixth

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (acronym: CMSAF) is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Air Force. The holder of this rank and position of office represents the highest enlisted level of leadership in the Air Force, ...

. * Eldred Kurtz Means (March 11, 1878 - February 19, 1957) Minister, author *

Charlotte Moorman Madeline Charlotte Moorman (November 18, 1933 – November 8, 1991) was an American cellist, performance artist, and advocate for avant-garde music. Referred to as the "Jeanne d'Arc of new music", she was the founder of the Annual Avant Garde Fes ...

– avant-garde performance artist * Taylor W. O'Hearn – former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, studied for bar exam through Centenary *

W. Darrell Overdyke W. may refer to: * SoHo (Australian TV channel) (previously W.), an Australian pay television channel * ''W.'' (film), a 2008 American biographical drama film based on the life of George W. Bush * "W.", the fifth track from Codeine's 1992 EP '' B ...

(Class of 1928, 1907–1973) – historian, faculty member ca. 1929 until his death *

– basketball player, four-time

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

champion, member of the

Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...

Buddy Parker Raymond Klein "Buddy" Parker (December 16, 1913 – March 22, 1982) was an American football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL), who served as head coach for the Chicago Cardinals, Detroit Lions, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Park ...

– professional football player and head coach of Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers *

Clarence Cullam Pope Clarence Cullam Pope (October 26, 1929 – January 8, 2012) was the second bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and a prominent leader in traditionalist Anglicanism in North America. Early life and career Pope was born in Lafayette ...

– Bishop of

Fort Worth Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

, Texas * Robert G. Pugh (Class of 1946, 1924–2007) – Shreveport attorney, civic leader, and gubernatorial advisor * E.S. Richardson (Class of 1936, 1875–1950) – former president of

Louisiana Tech University Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activ ...

Edward White Robertson Edward White Robertson (June 13, 1823 – August 2, 1887) was a United States representative from Louisiana. He was also the father of Samuel Matthews Robertson. Early years He was born near Nashville, Tennessee. Robertson moved with his paren ...

(1823–1887) –

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from Louisiana * Versha Sharma (Class of 2008) - current Editor-in-chief at

Teen Vogue ''Teen Vogue'' is an American online publication, formerly in print, launched in January 2003, as a sister publication to ''Vogue (magazine), Vogue'', targeted at teenagers. Like ''Vogue'', it included stories about fashion and celebrities. Since ...

* Virginia Shehee (Class of 1943, 1923–2015) – first woman elected to the Louisiana State Senate; businesswoman and philanthropist * Linus A. Sims – educator who founded

Southeastern Louisiana University Southeastern Louisiana University (Southeastern) is a public university in Hammond, Louisiana. It was founded in 1925 by Linus A. Sims as Hammond Junior College. Sims succeeded in getting the campus moved to north Hammond in 1928, when it becam ...

in Hammond * Hal Sutton –

golfer; captain of the 2004 U.S.

Ryder Cup The Ryder Cup is a biennial men's golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is contested every two years with the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The Ryder Cup is named af ...

team *

Rose Van Thyn Rozette Lopes-Dias Van Thyn (September 19, 1921 – June 27, 2010), known as Rose Van Thyn, was a Holocaust survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II in Poland. She became a naturalized United States citizen residing in S ...

(Class of 2002, 1921–2010), honorary doctorate – Auschwitz concentration camp survivor, holocaust educator * Jeffrey P. Victory (Class of 1967, born 1946) – associate justice of the

Louisiana Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Louisiana (french: Cour suprême de Louisiane) is the highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orlea ...

* Dayton Waller (Class of 1947, 1925–2015) – Shreveport businessman and former state representative *

Steve Weddle Steve Weddle is an American author, best known for his bookCountry Hardball" which the The New York Times, New York Times called "downright dazzling." He is the co-founder (with Jay Stringer) of the crime fiction collectivDo Some Damage the co-crea ...

(Class of 1992) – poet and author * Patrick C. Williams (born 1963) – state representative for Caddo Parish since 2007 * Louise Yazbeck (1910-1995) - composer *

J. Smith Young John Smith Young (November 4, 1834 – October 11, 1916) was an American lawyer who served briefly as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana from 1878 to 1879. Early life John Smith Young is the sixth of thirteen children ...

(1834–1916) – member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

from Louisiana *James Logie Dobie (Class of 1956, 1934–2017) – paleontologist and herpetologist,

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a public land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama. With more than 24,600 undergraduate students and a total enrollment of more than 30,000 with 1,330 faculty members, Auburn is the second largest uni ...

faculty (1967–1996) *

Kathy Johnson Kathleen "Kathy" Johnson Clarke (born Kathleen Ann Johnson; September 13, 1959) is an American sports commentator and former artistic gymnast. Johnson was one of the first American gymnasts to win a major international medal, known for her longe ...

(1959-) - American olympic gymnast, silver and gold medalist

Faculty and staff

* Katherine Jackson French (1875-1958) - ballad collector *

Earle Labor Earle Gene Labor (March 3, 1928 – September 15, 2022) was an American writer. A George Wilson Professor (Emeritus) of American Literature at Centenary College of Louisiana, his research and teaching career was devoted to the study of the Ameri ...

– Official biographer of novelist

Jack London John Griffith Chaney (January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to ...

; curator of the Jack London Museum in Shreveport. *

Walter M. Lowrey Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...

– Louisiana historian * Arthur C. Morgan – sculptor

Other

(1921–2010) –

Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...

survivor; Attaway Fellow in Civic Culture; Honorary

Doctorate of Humane Letters The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (; DHumLitt; DHL; or LHD) is an honorary degree awarded to those who have distinguished themselves through humanitarian and philanthropic contributions to society. The criteria for awarding the degree differ ...

in 2002; Van Thyn Endowed Professorship Image:Centenary College sign IMG 1375.JPG, Entrance to Centenary College in Shreveport Image:Magale Library, Centenary College IMG 1373.JPG, Magale Library at Centenary College Image:Irene K. Wright Math Bldg., Centenary College of LA IMG_2366.JPG, The Irene K. Wright Mathematics Building is across the street from Magale Library. Image:Fine Arts Building at Centenary College IMG 1378.JPG, Anderson Choral Building at Centenary College Image:Meadows Museum at Centenary College IMG 1381.JPG, Entrance to Meadows Museum at Centenary College

References

External links

*
Centenary College Athletics website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Centenary College Of Louisiana Liberal arts colleges in Louisiana University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana Educational institutions established in 1825 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Buildings and structures in Shreveport, Louisiana 1825 establishments in Louisiana National Register of Historic Places in Caddo Parish, Louisiana Private universities and colleges in Louisiana