Jacksonville College
Jacksonville, Cherokee County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The East Texas Educational Society was formed in the spring of 1899 to establish and maintain a Baptist college in East Texas which would provide academic and cultural training with a religious influence. The group chose Jacksonville for the college because of the convenient transportation offered by three railroad lines and good roads. Property on this site was purchased in July 1899, and work began promptly on the first building. When finished, the structure was the tallest building in Jacksonville. The college opened its doors to 34 students in a temporary space in the fall of 1899, taking up residence in its newly completed facility in November. By the end of the first session enrollment had reached 85. The first Jacksonville College president was the Rev. J. V. Vermillion, former president of East Texas Baptist College in Rusk. Among the first students in the graduating class was future Jacksonville College President B. J. Albritton. The school offered a bachelor of arts degree, placing a strong emphasis on Greek, Latin and math, as well as Biblical and Christian studies. The East Texas Educational Society proposed to transfer control of the college to the Baptist Missionary Association in 1904; in 1908 the transfer was accepted. The school grew steadily throughout the 20th century. The original 1899 structure long referred to as "Old Main" was razed in 1968. New, modern structures were erected as needed. In 1998, Jacksonville College continued to thrive, following in the footsteps of its founders with a program of religious and academic study.(1999)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The East Texas Educational Society formed in 1899 to found a Baptist college offering academic and religious training, choosing Jacksonville for its three rail lines and good roads. The school opened that fall to 34 students in temporary quarters, soon moving into a building that was then the tallest in town, and enrollment reached 85 by the end of the first session. Emphasizing Greek, Latin, mathematics, and Christian studies, it passed to the Baptist Missionary Association in 1908 and grew steadily through the 20th century.
Why it matters
Jacksonville College reflects the wave of church-founded colleges that brought higher education to small-town America at the turn of the 20th century.
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Related people
- · J.V. Vermillion
- · B.J. Albritton
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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