List of presidents of Centre College explained

Centre College is a private liberal arts college located in Danville, Kentucky. It was founded by leaders of the Presbyterian Church, an affiliation it still loosely maintains, and was formally chartered by the Kentucky General Assembly on January 21, 1819. Isaac Shelby, the former governor of Kentucky, chaired the school's first board of trustees, which met for the first time in February 1819. Centre's first president was James McChord; although he died two months after his election before actually having taken the role, he is still recognized as the school's first leader.[1] For much of the school's history, the college required its president and most of its board members to be Presbyterian; this requirement ended in 1969 during the tenure of Thomas A. Spragens, one year after Centre withdrew from the Kentucky Synod.[2]

The close relationship with the church is evident in Centre's history, as Spragens, the school's seventeenth president, was the first who was not a member of the clergy; even then, he was a Presbyterian elder from age 29.[2] Fourteen of the school's first sixteen presidents were Presbyterian ministers (excepting only Ormond Beatty and Charles J. Turck),[3] though none since Spragens have been. Three presidents—John C. Young, William L. Breckinridge, and William C. Young—held positions as moderator of the General Assembly in the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.[4] Five Centre presidents have died in office: both Youngs, who were father and son, McChord, Lewis W. Green, and William C. Roberts.[1] [5] [6] John C. Young, who held office for nearly 27 years, is the longest-serving president in Centre's history. Spragens, who held the position for 24 years, and John A. Roush, who held it for 22 years, had the next-longest tenures in office. The 21st and current president of Centre College is Milton C. Moreland, who has held office since July 1, 2020. He is an archaeologist by training and was formerly the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Rhodes College. In 2022, the president was the highest-paid employee at the school, with a total salary of $395,807.[7]

Craik House has been the residence of the college president for most of the time since the school bought the house in 1937.[8] Originally built in 1853, the Italianate-style home was first owned by William Moore, a Danville farmer, and later by George Welsh, a merchant and member of Centre's board of trustees. When the college purchased the house using funds from a donation given by Henry Nelson Craik, an 1890 Centre graduate, the building was renamed for him.[9] President Robert L. McLeod was the first to occupy the house, but during the 1940s consultants recommended the house be abandoned due to obsolete utilities and the inadequacy of its layout for hosting large receptions. For about ten years thereafter, the house was unused, until it was renovated in 1958 in preparation for the arrival of President Spragens to once again serve as the president's home. It underwent further renovations in 1982 and 2021.[10] [11] From 1831 to 1937, all presidents from John C. Young to Turck lived in Hillcrest House during their presidencies.[12] Hillcrest later served as a faculty residence, a student residence, and an academic building for various periods before being demolished in 1969.[12] [13]

Presidents

NameTerm in officeNotes
1 James McChordFounder of Second Presbyterian Church (Lexington, Kentucky);[14] died before officially assuming the presidency, but still considered the first president
2 Jeremiah Chamberlain1826President of the College of Louisiana (1826–1828); founding president of Oakland College (1830–1851)[15]
3 Gideon Blackburn1830[16]
4 John C. Young1857Pastor of Danville Presbyterian Church (1834–1852); moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly (1853); Centre's longest-serving president
5 Lewis W. Green1863Centre alumnus (1824);[17] president of Hampden–Sydney College (1848–1856); president of Transylvania University (1856–1857)
6 William L. Breckinridge1868Moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly (1859); president of Oakland College (1860–1861)[18]
7Ormond Beatty1888Centre alumnus (1835); the first Centre president who was not a minister
8 William C. Young1896Centre alumnus (1859); moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly (1892); son of fourth president John C. Young
9 William C. Roberts1903President of Lake Forest University (1886–1892)[19]
10 Frederick W. Hinitt1915President of Parsons College (1900–1904); president of Washington & Jefferson University (1915–1918)[20]
11 William Arthur Ganfield1921President of Carroll College (1921–1939)
12 R. Ames Montgomery1926President of Parsons College (1917–1922)[21]
13Charles J. Turck1936President of Macalester College (1939–1958)[22] [23]
14 Robert L. McLeod1945[24]
15 Robert J. McMullen1946Centre alumnus (1905); president of Hangchow Christian College (1938–1942)[25] [26]
16 Walter A. Groves1957President of Abadan Institute of Technology (1957–1961)[27] [28]
17Thomas A. Spragens1981President of Stephens College (1952–1957)[29]
18Richard L. Morrill1988President of Salem College (1979–1982);[30] president of the University of Richmond (1988–1998)[31] [32]
19Michael F. Adams1997President of the University of Georgia (1997–2013)[33]
20John A. Roush2020[34]
21Milton C. Morelandpresent[35]

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: James McChord, Centre College President (1820) . CentreCyclopedia . . March 2, 2024 . February 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220225214832/https://sc.centre.edu/ency/m/mcchord.html . live .
  2. News: Brock . Herb . President Spragens recalls his career at Centre College . April 9, 2023 . . November 15, 1981 . . 19, 26 . . April 10, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230410045115/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-advocate-messenger/122560910/ . live. Story continued on page 26 here (Archived here)
  3. Web site: Charles J. Turck, Centre College President (1927–1936) . CentreCyclopedia . . November 8, 2023 . November 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231108163057/https://sc.centre.edu/ency/t/turck.html . live .
  4. News: May 23, 1853 . Presbyterian General Assembly – (Old School.) . 8 . . live . June 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220602050122/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103010090/presbyterian-general-assembly-old/ . June 2, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  5. Web site: Johnson . Diane . April 8, 2015 . The story behind the name: The Youngs of Young Hall . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20220225220326/https://www.centre.edu/meet-youngs-behind-young-hall-story-behind-name/ . February 25, 2022 . Centre College.
  6. Web site: William C. Roberts, Centre College President (1898 - 1903) . CentreCyclopedia . . March 2, 2024 . May 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220513044419/https://sc.centre.edu/ency/r/roberts.html . live .
  7. Web site: Nonprofit Explorer: Centre College of Kentucky . . May 9, 2013 . March 2, 2024 . March 3, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240303211248/https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/610444671 . live .
  8. Web site: Craik House . CentreCyclopedia . . January 31, 2024 . January 31, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240131225705/https://sc.centre.edu/ency/c/craik.html . live .
  9. News: Craik House, Centre presidents' home, now completely remodeled, inside and out, and ready for another century of use . February 28, 2024 . . October 26, 1958 . . 138 . Newspapers.com.
  10. News: Centre opens houses to benefit United Way . February 28, 2024 . . November 2, 1997 . . 3 . Newspapers.com.
  11. Web site: Coffee with the Miltons: Craik House . . February 28, 2024 . February 6, 2021 . January 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121165441/http://alumni.centre.edu/s/285/bp20/interior.aspx?sid=285&gid=1&pgid=3177&cid=8488&ecid=8488 . live .
  12. Web site: Hillcrest House . CentreCyclopedia . . January 31, 2024 . January 31, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240131225705/https://sc.centre.edu/ency/h/hillcrest.html . live .
  13. News: 'New look' at 150-year-old Centre College . February 28, 2024 . . March 14, 1969 . . 9 . Newspapers.com.
  14. Web site: Combs . Jim . History: 1813–1820, The Early Years . Second Presbyterian Church . April 25, 2022 . March 22, 2010 . April 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220415003647/https://www.2preslex.org/about/history/ . dead.
  15. Web site: Jeremiah Chamberlain (1794–1851) . Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections . . March 3, 2024 . 2005 . December 10, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231210111356/https://archives.dickinson.edu/people/jeremiah-chamberlain-1794-1851 . live .
  16. Web site: Nichols . David A. . Gideon Blackburn (1772 - 1838) . Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture . . March 3, 2024 . October 8, 2017 . March 3, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240303051012/https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/gideon-blackburn/ . live .
  17. Web site: Lewis W. Green, Centre College President (1857–1863) . CentreCyclopedia . Centre College . May 6, 2022 . May 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220513044359/https://sc.centre.edu/ency/g/green.html . live .
  18. Web site: Waugh . Barry . William L. Breckinridge, 1803 - 1876 . Presbyterians of the Past . January 29, 2023 . November 2, 2015 . February 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220225215007/https://www.presbyteriansofthepast.com/2015/11/02/william-lewis-breckinridge/ . dead.
  19. Web site: History of the College . . March 3, 2024 . March 1, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240301002015/https://www.lakeforest.edu/about-us/history-of-the-college . live .
  20. Web site: Frederick W. Hinitt, Centre College President (1904 - 1915) . CentreCyclopedia . . March 3, 2024 . April 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230406043407/https://sc.centre.edu/ency/h/hinitt.html . live .
  21. News: Centre College president resigns; act expected to end bitter campus strife . January 30, 2024 . . March 10, 1926 . . 1 . . February 6, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240206054546/https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/?next_url=/ezproxy/r/ezp.2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3c3BhcGVycy5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS90aGUtbGV4aW5ndG9uLWhlcmFsZC8xMzk5MzQ0MzEv . live .
  22. Gonzalez-Campoy . Rebecca . Charles Turck: He raised the flag of internationalism . Macalester Today . . . May 1, 1997 . 9 . March 3, 2024 . March 1, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240301063303/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/46720654.pdf . live .
  23. News: Stahl . Matt . Charles Joseph Turck, ex-Centre president, dies . November 9, 2023 . . January 15, 1989 . . 48 . . November 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109173722/https://www.newspapers.com/article/lexington-herald-leader-obituary-for-cha/134898186/ . live .
  24. News: Ex-Centre president Robert McLeod dies . March 3, 2024 . . September 1, 1998 . . 14 . Newspapers.com.
  25. Web site: Biographical Index of Presbyterian Church U.S. Missionaries to China - McMullen, Rev. Robert Johnston, D.D. . Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat . https://web.archive.org/web/20221203165733/http://www.phcmontreat.org/bios/Bios-Missionaries-China-1900-1920-PCUS.htm . March 3, 2024. December 3, 2022 .
  26. News: Ex-Centre president dies in North Carolina . March 3, 2024 . . October 28, 1962 . . 1 . Newspapers.com.
  27. Web site: Walter A. and Estelle Crawford Groves Papers: 1925–1930 . Skillman Library . . August 2, 2023 . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729024322/https://sites.lafayette.edu/lafayetteinpersia/files/2019/03/groves_revised_with_addition.pdf . live .
  28. Groves . Walter . LeDoux . John . Dr. Walter Groves: Oral History Interview, Part 1 . April 22, 1983 . . September 7, 2023 . September 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230907170807/https://sc.centre.edu/sc/digital/pdf/20202_12a.pdf . live .
  29. Web site: Davis . John T. . Thomas Spragens, Centre 'giant,' dies . . March 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080919131249/http://www.amnews.com/public_html/?module=displaystory&story_id=19462&format=html . September 19, 2008 . February 13, 2006.
  30. News: 12 still in running for Salem presidency . March 3, 2024 . . February 13, 1982 . . 9 . Newspapers.com.
  31. News: President to step down at University of Richmond . March 3, 2024 . . March 8, 1997 . . B5 . November 16, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191116105034/https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1997/vp970308/03080313.htm . live .
  32. News: Morrill picked as UR president . March 3, 2024 . . April 23, 1988 . . 5 . Newspapers.com.
  33. Web site: Jackson . Tom . UGA president Adams announces plans to step down next year . UGA Today . . March 3, 2024 . May 3, 2012 . October 2, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231002151157/https://news.uga.edu/uga-president-adams-announces-plans-to-step-down-next-year/ . live .
  34. News: OU honors John Roush with degrees . March 3, 2024 . . June 23, 2020 . . A5 . Newspapers.com.
  35. Web site: February 5, 2020. Centre College names Milton Moreland as new president. August 23, 2020. AP News. February 6, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200206222136/https://apnews.com/fb6e01ea2dffb3ee8d2d156b3e4e8067. live.

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