By Faith Endowed: The Story of Maryville College, 1819-1994

408 Pages·1994·19.3 MB·English

by  Carolyn L. Blair, Arda S. Walker

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dr. Carolyn L. 5lair
Dr. Carolyn LouiseBlair, retired Professorof
EnglishandAcademicVice Presidentand Deanofthe
College,cametoMaryvilleCollegein 1948. Shefound
alongandproudtraditionofexcellenceinthe English
Departmentandahighstandardofteachingatthe
College. Shetookithigher.
Anativeof
Leeds,AL, Dr.
Blairgraduated
fromAlabama
Collegein 1943.
Shetaughtat
SylacaugaHigh
Schoolforthree
yearswhile
studyingduring
thesummersat
Columbia
Universityandthe
Universityof
Mexico. Shethen
receivedher
master'sdegree, and laterherPh.D.fromtheUniversity
ofTennessee. Shejoinedthe MCfacultyasAssistant
ProfessorofEnglishin 1946. Shewasnamed
AssociateProfessorin 1960, ProfessorandSecretaryof
the Facultyin 1962,and DeanoftheCollege (titlelater
changedtoAcademicVice President) in 1972. In 1978,
desiringtoreturntoteaching. Dr. BlairbecameChairof
the DepartmentofLanguagesand Literature,aposition
shehelduntilherretirementin 1987.
Dr. BlairwasaFord Foundation FellowforAsian
Studiesin 1964-65andaVisiting ScholarattheBritish
Museum in 1969-70.
Atvarioustimesthroughouthercareer. Dr. Blair
servedonthe MaryvilleCollegeAllCollegeCouncil,the
Curriculum Committee, the Faculty PersonnelStandards
Committee, andthe FacultyLiaison Committeetothe
BoardofDirectors. ButDr. Blairisbestrememberedfor
thequalitiesthatledtoherbeing named"Teacherofthe
Year'in 1981 andagainin 1986. In 1991,theCollege
honoredherwiththe MaryvilleCollege Medallion.

IHE STORYOF MARWILLE COLLEGE 1819 = 1994
'Nowfaith is the substance ofthings hopedfor,
the evidence ofthings not seen."
Hebrews 11:1
BY FAITH ENDOWED
THE STORY OF MARYVILLE COLLEGE, 1819-1994
Carolyn L. Blair
Arda S. Walker
MARYVILLE COLLEGE PRESS
-0^ Maryville, Tennessee
© 1994 Maryville College Press. All rights reserved. Nopart ofthispublication
may be reproduced without written permission ofthe publisher. Manufactured in
the United StatesofAmericaby Quebecor Printing BookGroup, Brentwood, TN.
This book is dedicated to
our students
in appreciation for their
contributions toward our
liberal education
PREFACE
Recently in NewYork two insurance executives met for the first
time. After finishing their business agenda, they turned to small talk.
"Where did you go to college?" asked the older. "Oh, a little college in
Tennessee that you never heard of' was the response. When pressed for
specifics, the younger named Maryville College. One a native of East
Tennessee andthe other ofPennsylvania, they were surprised to tlnd that
they shared an alma mater.
This same scene with essentially the same dialogue has been
played often, even in foreign countries, where Maryville College alumni
have served as missionaries, teachers, diplomats, business executives,
and military personnel. With an enrollment that has rarely exceeded
between eight and nine hundred, the College has extended its influence
throughout this country as well as to remote areas ofAfrica, China, the
Middle East, and the Philippines. How does one explain such an im-
pact?
In the firstplace, the College has deep rootsin Christianity, com-
munity, and the liberal arts tradition-rootsestablished when the country
was young. Of over two thousand four-year colleges now operating in
the United States, Maryville is among the firstfifty established, the third
inTennessee. Its reputation as aschool where one could receive asound
education at a low cost brought a cosmopolitan student body as students
from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, along with inter-
national students, joined those from Tennessee and other parts of the
South.
Yet Maryville remained small by design. In recent years studies
have been made to determine why graduates of small colleges—and not
necessarily those classified as elite-comprise a disproportionate num-
ber of Who's Who entries. The conclusion is that the environment of a
small college is cohesive. Individuals who receive strength from their
community are more likely to realize their potential.
Maryville alumni insist, however, that Maryville College is more
A
than simply a small church-related, liberal arts college. Maryville
senior, attempting to explain its uniqueness, concluded that the differ-
ence could not be put into words. It lies in the people, she said, "and
they have to be experienced."
vi