Sue Bennett College
Sue Bennett College was a private college in London, Kentucky which operated from 1897 through 1997. It was affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It began life as an elementary school and ended its days as a four-year college.[1]
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[edit] History
Sue Bennett was a nineteenth-century social activist, who longed to provide education opportunities to the low-income citizens of her Kentucky area. She and her sister, Isabel "Belle" Bennett, petitioned local businesses and organizations for support and were successful in obtaining a $20,000 grant from the women of the Methodist Parsonage Society and $20,000 in matching funds from local donors. With those funds in hand they began planning for the school. Sue died before the school opened its doors, but in 1897 Belle Bennett opened The Sue Bennett Memorial School in London, with elementary (and later, secondary) classes.
In 1922 the school became a junior college, and its name was changed to Sue Bennett College. In 1932 it received accreditation.
In 1994 the college became a four-year institution.[2]
[edit] Location
The college campus was located on the southwest side of London, at the intersection of West Fifth Street and South College Street. The combined site covered over 200 acres (80 hectares). The address of the main building was 151 College Street, London KY 40741.[3]
[edit] Closing
On 6 October 1997 the US Department of Education imposed an emergency action against Sue Bennett College, issuing a Notice of Intent to Terminate the institution from participation in the federal student financial assistance programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The College requested a hearing to appeal that proceeding. The appeal was based on SBC's pending litigation versus the Eastern District of Kentucky to have the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools reinstate its accreditation. However, Judge Richard I. Slippen rejected SBC's request (Docket No. 97-143-EA, Docket No. 97-145-ST, dated 10 Feb. 1998), and thus the possibility of continued federal financial assistance was dead.[4]
In December 1997 the United Methodist Daily News issued this statement:
- After 101 years of educating students, United Methodist-related Sue Bennett College in London, Ky, closed its doors Nov. 26, the end of the fall semester. The college was stripped of its accreditation Sept. 22 by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools because of ongoing financial and administrative problems. The school was notified in June that the association had recommended its removal from its list of approved members. The trustees appealed the decision and diligently worked to save the school - including launching a fund-raising campaign - but the appeal was not successful. Without accreditation, no federal or state funds were available to Sue Bennett students and the State of Kentucky withdrew the school's license to teach effective Nov. 26.[5]
Several of the school's programs and many of the school's students were absorbed by nearby Union College and Lindsey Wilson College.[6]
The college was a mission project of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. The land and buildings were owned by the Women's Division, which allowed the school to use them without charge. James Cheek was the school's president at the time of closing.
[edit] Marker
In 2001 after the college closed, a Kentucky Highway Historical Marker was placed at the corner of West Fifth and College streets. One side reads: "Sue Bennett Memorial School, named for Madison Co. promoter, opened in 1897 to educate mountain children. Funded by local people and the Methodists, school taught all grades. Commercial Department opened 1901; county high school 1910-33. Normal school operated, 1900-1910, and became junior college, 1922. Name changed 1930; closed 1997." "Presented by Friends of Sue Bennett"
Other side reads: "SUE BENNETT COLLEGE" "Educated more than 11,000 students, 1897-1997. School leaders; J.C. Lewis, 1897-1917; J.E. Savage, 1915-16; Ms. K.J. French 1916-17; A.W. Mohn, 1917-22; K.C. East, 1922-42; H.V. McClure, 1939; Ms. J. Harrison, 1942-44; Ms. O. Sanders, 1944-58; L. Flynn, 1954; E.F. Hays, 1958-85; J.E. Patterson, 1985-88; Ms. J.K. Stivers, 1988-91; P.G. Bunnell, 1991-97; J. Cheek, 1997."[7]
[edit] Athletics
Richard "Ricky" Warren Troutman was on the 1983 basketball team that lead the nation in scoring.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.bennettcenter.org/SBC.htm Sue Bennett College Alumni Association website, accessed 31 July 2009
- ^ SBC Alumni Association
- ^ http://educationhq.org/college-157784.php Education HQ.org website map, accessed 31 July 2009
- ^ http://www.ed-oha.org/cases/1997-143-ea.html US Dept of Education record, accessed 31 July 2009
- ^ http://www.wfn.org/1997/12/msg00013.html Worldwide Faith News archives, accessed 31 July 2009
- ^ Worldwide Faith News
- ^ Marker researched and written by SBC Alumnus, Carl Keith Greene, Laurel County Historian Laureate.
