Hendrix College
Hendrix College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located in Conway, Arkansas. Hendrix offers thirty-one undergraduate majors, more than thirty minors, and a master's degree in accounting. The current core curriculum, called the Hendrix Odyssey Program, is founded on experiential learning.
Contents
Academic Divisions and Departments
Hendrix Natural Sciences
- Hendrix Department of Biology
- Hendrix Department of Chemistry
- Hendrix Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
- Hendrix Department of Physics
Hendrix Humanities
- Hendrix Department of Art
- Hendrix Department of English
- Hendrix Department of Foreign Languages
- Hendrix Department of Music
- Hendrix Department of Philosophy
- Hendrix Department of Religion
- Hendrix Department of Theatre Arts and Dance
Hendrix Social Sciences
- Hendrix Department of Economics and Business
- Hendrix Department of Education
- Hendrix Department of History
- Hendrix Department of Kinesiology
- Hendrix Department of Politics and International Relations
- Hendrix Department of Psychology
- Hendrix Department of Sociology/Anthropology
Hendrix Interdisciplinary Programs
- Hendrix Department of Africana Studies
- Hendrix Department of American Studies
- Hendrix Department of Biochemistry/Molecular Biology
- Hendrix Department of Environmental Studies
- Hendrix Department of Film Studies
- Hendrix Department of Gender Studies
- Hendrix Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
Pre-Professional Programs
- Hendrix Dentistry Program
- Hendrix Engineering Program
- Hendrix Law Program
- Hendrix Medicine Program
- Hendrix Ministry Program
- Hendrix Pharmacy Program
- Hendrix Public Health Program
- Hendrix Social Work Program
- Hendrix Teacher Education Program
- Hendrix Veterinary Medicine Program
Other Minor Degree Programs
- Hendrix Africana Studies Program
- Hendrix Art History Program
- Hendrix Art Studio Program
- Hendrix Classics Program
- Hendrix Dance Program
- Hendrix Education - Early Childhood and Middle School Program
- Hendrix Education - Secondary Program
- Hendrix Film Studies Program
- Hendrix Gender Studies Program
- Hendrix International Business Program
Master's Degree Programs
Athletics
Hendrix College is a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
School History
Hendrix was established on October 30, 1876, as Central Institute in Altus, Arkansas, at a place marking the highest point between the cities of Little Rock and Fort Smith. The founder of Central Institute was the Reverend Isham L. Burrow. In 1881 the name of the school was changed to Central Collegiate Institute. It became an affiliate of the Southern Methodist Church in Arkansas in 1884. In June 1889 the school's name changed again, to Hendrix College, in honor of Bishop Eugene R. Hendrix.
The school struggled at Altus, largely over differences of opinion in the running of the school. Moving Hendrix elsewhere was first discussed by delegates to the Arkansas Methodist Conference of November 20-25, 1889, in Conway. At this time local Conway minister E. A. Tabor began encouraging the delegates to consider his town as the new home for the school. At a trustees meeting in March 1890 three finalists were considered: Arkadelphia, Conway, and Searcy. On the fifty-first ballot Conway was selected. The trustees were swayed by an offer of $10,000 from local resident Captain W. W. Martin, and $62,000 pledged by other local citizens.
For the convenience of students the thirty-six acre campus was located about seven blocks north of the railroad station. The land, on the highest ridge in town, came from a deed by J. E. Martin. Fifty-one more acres was added by purchase from J. M. Allinder on April 16, 1890. College classes began as scheduled in three brick buildings in September 1890. Students lived in six wood-framed cottages on the east side of campus. Tabor Hall was named for E. A. Tabor and held a kitchen, dining hall, and classrooms. The two other buildings, North Dormitory and South Dormitory, served as residences. An original President's Home was also hastily constructed. All three were built by architect George W. Donaghey. Some of the rose-colored brick came from local brick mason J. W. Firestone. Other brick came from Henry Stapleton.
There were approximately 162 students in the first enrolled Hendrix freshman class in Conway. Local Sunday church attendance was expected, and each day during the week the faculty members led mandatory chapel services. On so-called "declamation days" students recited memorized pieces. Fresh clothes were supplied by local Chinese laundryman [[Lee Moy].
In 1891 the Main Hendrix Administration Building was finished near the south edge of campus. The three-story building had a clock tower and a basement. The first floor of the building contained the president's office, a study hall, science classrooms and laboratories, and history classrooms. The second floor held the library and more classrooms. The third floor was occupied by the Harlan Literary Society, the Franklin Literary Society, a chapel, and the local YMCA Hall. A gymnasium was organized in the basement, complete with hot and cold running showers. The gymnasium was furnished with dumbbells, Indian clubs, parallel bars, and horizontal barrs. Here students were drilled in calisthenics and "systematic" gymnastics. A stage was added to the chapel in 1907. The tower burned twice in the 1920s.
Around 1895 Colonel Charles F. Martin was hired as the schools first athletic director. Martin organized the Cadet Corps and a tennis club.
In 1903 a preparatory program first started in Altus was restarted as the Hendrix Academy. The school graduated its first Rhodes Scholar in 1910.
Presidents of Hendrix College
- A. C. Millar (?-1902)
- Stonewall Anderson (1902-1910)
- A. C. Millar (1910-1913)
- John Hugh Reynolds (1913-
References
- Myrtle E. Charles, "Early Days at Hendrix College, 1887-1910," Faulkner Facts and Fiddlings, 2.4 (October 1960): 5-24.
