History of ASU-Beebe by Chancellor Dr. Eugene McKay
The College at Beebe began as the Junior Agricultural School of Central Arkansas in 1927. In 1931, the name was changed to Junior Agricultural College of Central Arkansas, and a college curriculum was established. The college became a branch campus of Arkansas State College in 1955 and got its present name in 1967 when Arkansas State College became Arkansas State University. Act 90 of 2001 by the Arkansas General Assembly removed the term "branch" from legislation affecting ASU-Beebe and thus the institution is known by its current name, ASU-Beebe.
I. Junior Agricultural School
In 1927, Dr. W. H. "Bill" Abington, a Beebe doctor and influential member of the state General Assembly, managed to pass legislation establishing an agricultural school in central Arkansas.1 The legislation did not specify that the school would be in Beebe, but it was so worded that Beebe was the only town in central Arkansas that met all of the criteria. Act 132 said the school would be within 50 miles of the center of the state and would be at least 70 miles from another agricultural school. The town to get the school would have to donate at least 320 acres of land near a hard-surfaced road within two miles of a railroad.2
The legislation further stated that courses would include experiments and lectures on agriculture, horticulture, poultry, dairying, truck farming, small fruit growing, and marketing of farm products. The principal of the school would be a graduate of an agricultural school. After the first building was built, subsequent structures were to be built by the students. There was to be no tuition charge. Finally, Act 132 provided that "This school shall not attempt to enter the field of the college." The legislation was signed by the governor March 8, 1927.
According to R. V. Powell of Beebe, a public meeting was held on the second floor of the variety store to discuss the school. The group was told that "Dr. Abington had brought us a baby and it was up to us to nurse it and to bring it to fruition."3
On August 3, 1927, the Junior Agricultural School Commission met in Parlor "B" of the Marion Hotel in Little Rock to select a site. A group of Beebe citizens, including W. H. Abington, E. C. Warren, O. O. Olmstead, M.D. Shue, E. B. Doss, and R. V. Powell, attended the meeting. When bids for the school were requested, Beebe offered the only bid. Much of the land was donated by E. H. and W. H. Abington.4
The governor appointed a five-member board selected from 10 counties in central Arkansas that the school was supposed to serve.5 E. H. Abington "Doc Gene" Abington, a Beebe doctor, banker and brother of Doc Bill, was appointed to the board and served as its president for several years. He was also authorized to operate the farm and later experimented with raising various crops including peaches and field crops.6
Classes began, and in a letter to Ed Robinson, secretary to the board, E. H. Abington stated that "38 students were enrolled in the agricultural school, none from the Beebe school district."7 At the January 16, 1929 meeting, the board voted to seek $175,000 in the next biennium to build an administration building and dormitory. At the April 26, 1929 meeting, Mr. William R. Curry was hired as supervisor of the schools of Beebe and head of the agricultural school at a salary of $2,700.
II. Junior Agricultural College
A junior college curriculum was established for the fall of 1931 with the first college class graduating in the spring of 1933. Tuition was $7 per semester. According to an announcement for the 1932-1933 school year, the Junior Agricultural College was 1/4 mile from Beebe and had three brick buildings, including a girls' dormitory. The school boasted a "well selected library and a full-time graduate librarian," claimed to meet the standards of accrediting agencies, and planned to offer inter-school athletics. Seven courses had been offered in 1931-1932 and 14 would be offered in 1932-1933 for a total of 94 semester hours.8
The curriculum was impressive: five courses in English, four in history, two in German, algebra, solid geometry, plane trigonometry, analytical geometry, two in botany, two in chemistry, and two in physics. Sixty-four hours were required for a degree. The announcement also said that the college offered a high school department that received Class A rating the year before and had been admitted to North Central. College tuition was $7 per semester, and room and board was $11 per month.
J. T. McGill became superintendent of the Junior Agricultural College and the Beebe Schools. McGill, who had played football at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, formed a football team that played at least one year for the Beebe College.10
The college continued in the 1930's and 1940's with small enrollments, but Doc. Bill managed to keep the appropriations coming. The college was set-up to enable economically disadvantaged students to get a two-year college education. The college began running buses, as many as five some years, to various areas to pick up students who could not afford to live on campus. One bus went to Bradford, one to Romance, and another to Hickory Plain.11
Out of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal came State Hall, still the administration building for the campus. The building was started in the mid-30's and finished in 1939 by the National Youth Administration. In the 1930's and 1940's the college and high school shared facilities and occasional teachers. At one time the Beebe high school met on the first floor and the college on the second floor of one building.12 The high school used the college gym until the merger with Arkansas State forced separation of facilites.13The librarian served both the college and the high school for several years, and A. S. "Bro" Erwin, Beebe's legendary basketball coach, coached both high school and college teams for a few years.14
After W. H. Abington's death in 1951, the fate of the school became very uncertain. Boyd Johnson, president of the college, said that it took a heroic effort on his part and other supporters to get appropriation in 1952. When the appropriation came before the legislature, some legislators wanted to abolish the college, and a committee was formed to investigate the school. The committee was chaired by Representative Williams, who reported back to the legislature not only that the college should receive its appropriation but that the appropriation should be increased.15
III. Arkansas State College-Beebe Branch
To secure the future of the college, the board began looking for a senior institution with which to become associated. Apparently the board approached several college presidents, including those at University of at Fayetteville and State Teachers' College (now UCA), without success.
B. E. Whitmore, president of the college, and members of the board visited Dr. Carl Reng, president of Arkansas State College in Jonesboro, to discuss a possible merger. Reng asked for a few days to think about the proposition; and through a friend in Little Rock, Rend discovered that Doc Bill Abington, before his death, had been able to pass a wine tax that could be used only by the college at Beebe. Over $80,000 had accumulated in this fund. Reng believed that the $80,000 would be sufficient to repair the building and that he could get an operating appropriation. Therefore, he agreed to the merger.
Reng admits that his reasons for accepting the merger were not altogether altruistic. Even then, he wanted to change the name of the Jonesboro campus from Arkansas State College to Arkansas State University and he believed that the added political clout the Beebe College brought with it would help him do so.16
On July 1, 1955, Junior Agricultural College of Central Arkansas became a branch campus of Arkansas State. A major re-organization took place. Instead of operating under a local board, the college came under the supervision of the Arkansas State Board of Trustees with a statewide mission. The title of chief administrator was changed from president to dean in keeping with the titles of administrators on the Jonesboro campus. Busing and girls' basketball were discontinued.17 Boyd Johnson had started a girls' basketball team here, but Jonesboro did not have one. Another interesting change related to agriculture. Although the college had been called an agricultural school for years, it apparently had not offered any agricultural courses. Its program had always been a junior college transfer program.
The college and the Beebe Public School system had shared facilities like two brothers or at least like good neighbors. Being a part of Arkansas State, the college had to separate its property from the high school and could operate only its own facilities.
Although several significant changes occurred as a result of the merger, it is important to note the things that did not change. The Jonesboro campus did not swallow up the Beebe campus or treat the Beebe campus as a stepchild as many people in Beebe had feared it would. A great deal of autonomy remained with the Beebe campus. President Reng said that he tried to select competent people to run the Beebe campus and then he did not attempt to dictate to them how to operate it. Beebe continued to receive a separate biennium appropriation; and it became much easier to obtain.When B. E. Whitmore left the college in 1956, President Reng hired J. Ernest Howell to be dean of the college. He remained until 1964 and saw the beginning of the expansion in facilities and enrollment that would continue in the 1970's.
In the 1960's the college was touched by the hippie movement, integration, and the Vietnam War. The hippie movement had little effect on campus except it perhaps resulted in a more relaxed dress code and men with longer hair. Integration was accomplished so easily and quietly that it would be easy to overlook it. Warren Harshaw, the first black student at the college, came in 1965 and graduated in 1967. He was so popular with the student body that he missed being elected Mr. ASC by one vote.18 He was a good basketball player, too.In 1986, a group of black students on campus formed the Warren Harshaw Organization in his honor. The Vietnam War had an immediate impact on campus and helped double the enrollment from 184 in 1964 to 445 in 1966. College students were not being drafted, and many young men found college campuses preferable to Vietnam.
The increased enrollment secured the future of the college. Walter England became dean in 1964 and served in that capacity for 13 years. Mr. Angel, Commissioner of Higher Education, once told Englandthat he had intended to recommend that the Beebe College be closed because of low enrollment but that the increased enrollment had caused him to change his mind.19 Enrollment continued to grow under England's leadership and new buildings were added in the 60's and 70's. The J. Ernest Howell cafeteria and girls' dorm were near completion when England came in 1964. In 1967, the college became Arkansas State University-Beebe Branch, a name change that enhanced the status of the college. In 1968, Quapaw Hall, a new men's dormitory, was completed. The Math and Science Building and the new Abington Memorial Library were finished in the early 70's. Forty acres of land were purchased north of the campus and a new fine arts-P. E. complex to be called University Center was started in the mid 70's and finished in stages by the early 80's. It was renamed the Owen Center in 1995.
At England's retirement as dean, William Echols, the dean of instruction, became chancellor. The title was changed from dean to chancellor because heads of other branch campuses in the state were called chancellor. Echols soon left the university to pursue a doctorate.
In 1981, W. H. "Bill" Owen, Jr. became chancellor. Having been raised in Beebe, Chancellor Owen again brought to the college a strong commitment from the community. Echols, England, and Howells had worked to bridge the gaps that some people in the community may have felt since the merger in 1955.Having a local man again in charge of the Beebe campus pleased many Beebe residents, especially since the new chancellor's wife is the granddaughter of W. H. Abington.
Thirty years of association with Arkansas State University brought security and growth to the Beebe college.The enrollment increased dramatically and the number of new buildings surely exceeded the wildest hopes of the founding fathers.
Legislative Act 496 of 1985 created the Arkansas State Technical Institute (ASTI) to be located on the ASU-Beebe campus. Money was appropriated to hire a staff to set up a curriculum leading to an Associate of Applied Science Degree. The Advisory Council appointed by Governor Bill Clinton met in November 1985.In January 1986, Dr. Donald Cain was selected as Dean of ASTI.In the fall of 1986 the first pilot classes were offered in quality assurance technology.
As the campus at Beebe continued to experience growth and change, this included the addition of other campuses and curricula to expand ASU-Beebe's mission. Act 1244, enacted by the General Assembly in 1991, established the merger of White River Technical College and ASU-Beebe to create ASU-Newport, as an integral part of the ASU-Beebe system. However during the spring of 2000, the ASU Board of Trustees, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, and the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the status of ASU-Newport as a stand-alone campus pending completion of stated milestones. ASU-Newport has now met all the stand-alone requirements and now reports directly to the ASU-System Board of Trustees and President.
ASU-Heber Springs, a Center of ASU-Beebe, was established in response to the community's desire to have a two-year college presence in Cleburne County. Although continuing education classes had been offered in the area for several years, local community leaders contacted the president of the ASU system in 1997 expressing interest. The University conducted a Needs Assessment among several entities in the community and the surrounding areas. It was concluded that Cleburne County would benefit from a two-year college due to the geographic area and local support. In the legislative session of the 1999 Arkansas General Assembly, ACT 426 of 1999, officially established ASU-Heber Springs, a Center of ASU-Beebe.
Act 90 of 2001 by the Arkansas General Assembly removed the term "branch" from legislation affecting ASU-Beebe. Effective July 1, 2003, Foothills Technical Institute in Searcy merged with ASU-Beebe to become ASU-Searcy, A Technical Campus of ASU-Beebe. The institution, with its campuses in Beebe, Heber Springs, Searcy, and at the Little Rock Air Force Base, is now referred to as Arkansas State University-Beebe, and functions as an operationally separate institution of the ASU System.
Physical changes on the Beebe campus have reflected decades of growth. The Abington Library, the fine arts and physical education facilities, a mathematics and science laboratory and classroom building, and the Advanced Technology Center were added before 1991.
Facilities that have been added since 1991 include the Business and Agriculture building, the Agriculture Technology building, the University Center building, the Student Center, a building to house the physical plant and purchasing, construction of new farm buildings following destruction by a tornado, renovation and expansion of the Abington Library, renovation of the former cafeteria area into a Music Center, and expansion of the Advanced Technology Center to accommodate rapid expansion in computer systems technology. Renovation of existing facilities in State Hall during 2003 provided additional classroom and office space. These facility additions highlight continuing efforts to expand the campus facilities as a part of the institution's long-range planning process to keep pace with expansion of the institutional mission. The campus' original library, which later served as bookstore and student center, was remodeled in 2004 to house the Institutional Advancement Office and named the Ruth L. Couch Center. A new academic building to house math and science programs is currently under construction.
Anticipating growth of ASU-Heber Springs, the Cleburne County Economic Development Council, the county government, and ASU officials created a joint partnership to erect a temporary skills training center. After initially opening in a downtown location, the campus moved to the John. Latimer Skills Training Center in January 2002. This center is a 25,000 square foot multi-functional facility, housing ten classrooms, two computer labs, and a large industrial-type training room that can be converted for classes to meet the training needs of local industry. Since the Center now has a source of funding from a Cleburne County sales tax, which produces over one million dollars a year for the school, plans for a permanent campus were developed. Additionally, 249 acres of property on Sugarloaf Mountain were acquired to provide a permanent location for the campus. A master plan for the permanent campus was developed and construction for a permanent campus at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain began in 2006.
With the merger of Foothills Technical Institute with ASU-Beebe, as ASU-Searcy, A Technical Campus of ASU-Beebe, all the physical assets belonging to Foothills Technical Institute were also transferred. An additional 17 acres of property adjacent to the Searcy campus were recently acquired. A master plan for the Searcy campus is under development and reconstruction has begun.
ASU-Beebe programs at Little Rock Air Force Base operate under a Memorandum of Agreement with the United States Air Force, which provides facilities used by ASU-Beebe and the other higher education institutions, which operate programs as a part of the Little Rock Air Force Base Education Center. Plans have been developed to construct a new education center building, which will include space for ASU-Beebe programs. Efforts are being made to secure federal military construction funds for this project. Additionally, the citizens of Jacksonville approved a local tax, part of which will provide five million dollars toward construction of the new education center, which is planned to be constructed on Air Force property, but outside the main gate of Little Rock Air Force Base. Recent announcements under the Base Realignment and Closure Commission reflect a commitment on the part of the Department of Defense and the Air Force to strengthen the role of Little Rock Air Force Base in meeting national defense needs and commitments.
By 2007, 80 years after its founding, ASU-Beebe can boast that it is the oldest two-year institution in Arkansas and that it consistently awards more associate degrees than its sister institutions. With its several campus locations, ASU-Beebe serves more than 4000 students for college credit and another 5000 non-credit students through programs such as continuing education, adult education, and industry training.
Notes
1 Boyd Johnson, Interview, May 23, 1983. Johnson was president of the college in the early 1950's.
2 Lee A. Dew, The ASU Story: A History of Arkansas State University 1960–1967. (Jonesboro: Arkansas State University Press, 1968), p. 195.
3 R.V. Powell, Interview, February 2, 1982.
4 Chancellor's Archives. The chancellor has a collection of materials–board meeting minutes, announcements, etc.–related to the history of the college. In these archives is a letter dated May 3, 1928 from Governor Harvey Parnell recognizing W.H. Abington, E.H. Abington, and Citizens Bank as having warranty deeds for the agricultural school.
5 Dew, p. 195. The 10 counties were Lonoke, Prairie, White, Pulaski, Grant, Saline, Cleburne, Stone, Independence, and Hot Springs.
6 Board Minutes, February 21, 1928.
7 Chancellor's Archives. August 10, 1927. Board Meeting minutes mention 49 students.
8 Chancellor's Archives.
9 Minutes from board meetings in 1932 show that 50 students were transported from Heber Springs at a cost of $30 per student per term to the Heber Springs Schools.
10 A.S. Erwin, Interview, December 20, 1982.
11 Eugene Campbell, Interview, August 17, 1983.
12 Opal Coleman, Interview, February 4, 1982.
13 Edgar Kirk, Interview, June 15, 1982.
14 Doris Barnes, Interview, September 30, 1982.
15 Boyd Johnson.
16 Carl Reng, Interview, June 24, 1983.
17 Marvin Speight, Interview, February 11, 1982. An article in the college paper for September 23, 1955 quoted Speight as saying that "American Associationof Health, Physical Education and Recreation does not approve of basketball as an intercollegiate sport for girls on the basis that it is too strenuous an exercise for the 'weaker.'"
18 W. H. Owen, Jr., Interview February 5, 1982.(Owen was dean of students at the time.)
19 Walter England, Interview, February 10, 1982.