Tarkio College
| Tarkio College | |
|---|---|
 Tarkio College, circa 1910 |
|
| Active | 1883–1992 |
| Type | Private |
| Religious affiliation | United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America |
| Location | Tarkio, Missouri |
| Sports | basketball |
Coordinates: 40°26′35″N 95°23′32″W / 40.443032°N 95.39234°W
Tarkio College was a college that operated in Tarkio, Missouri, from 1883 to 1992. The institution was supported by the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America[1]. It closed after filing for bankruptcy protection in 1991.[2]
Samuel C. Marshall was the first president and William E. Walker served as the last president.[2]
The Tarkio College mascot was the owl. The school colors were purple and white, and the college's motto, often attributed to its founder, gentleman farmer David Rankin, was "Set Fire, Tarkio!"[2]
Tarkio College won the 1940 NAIA Division I Men's basketball championship, defeating San Diego State 52-31[2].
Brewer and Shipley named their most famous album, Tarkio, after this college in 1970, featuring the song "One Toke Over the Line".
One of the school's most famous structures was the Mule Barn Theatre, an octagon-shaped structure used originally to house mules. It was on the National Register of Historic Places but was destroyed in a 1989 fire.[3]
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[edit] Educational records
After the college closed, student transcript records were transferred to Northwest Missouri State University, where they can be requested through the Registrar's Office at 800 University Drive, Maryville, MO 64468[4].
[edit] Notable alumni
- Tarkio College alumnus Wallace Hume Carothers (1896–1937) obtained his four-year degree at Tarkio College. He later taught at Harvard University and is credited with the discovery of the artificial polymers nylon and neoprene.[5]
- Another chemist, Carl Djerassi, attended Tarkio College shortly after his arrival in the U.S. as a refugee from Nazi-controlled Vienna. He completed his undergraduate education at Kenyon College, then got his PhD from the University of Wisconsin.
- Anthropologist Edgar Lee Hewett (1865-1946) received his degree in pedagogy from Tarkio College. He is remembered for helping to bring about the Antiquities Act that enabled preservation of archaeological sites as United States national monuments. He was also the first president of the New Mexico Normal School, whose current name is New Mexico Highlands University.[6]
- Tarkio College alumnus Dr. Phillip D. Creighton became president of Pacific University in 2003.
- US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) attended the college for one year before moving on to Santa Fe College.
- Esmark Industrial Group CEO David A Luptak graduated from Tarkio College and went on to Law School at the University of Pittsburgh.
[edit] Future
After Tarkio College closed, the library books were purchased by and moved to Lancaster Bible College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There were also several attempts to find alternative uses for the property, including early discussions about the possible founding of a new institution, Tarkio Valley College. Initially, Youth Services International, Inc. operated Tarkio Academy, a residential and community-based educational program for juveniles between 1995-2004.[7]. | North Central Missouri College and Linn State College then announced an exploration of options for a new jointly operated technical college in early 2006. This was soon followed by reports that the property would become the Midwest Institute of Energy, a private college[8]. The institute missed its original planned opening and as of early 2009 had not opened.
[edit] References
- ^ Williams, Walter (1901). The State of Missouri. pp. 197–210. ISBN 097987145X.
- ^ a b c d Craig, Cathryn; Naylor, Jone (1992). Tarkio College, 1883-1992: "An Illustrated History of the Crown of the Hill". Family First Publications.
- ^ http://www.dalejtravis.com/rblist/rbmo.htm
- ^ NWMSU holds the repository of transcripts from Tarkio college, as well as Platt College. [1]
- ^ Hermes, Matthew (1996). Enough for One Lifetime, Wallace Carothers the Inventor of Nylon. Chemical Heritage Foundation. ISBN 0-8412-3331-4.
- ^ Fisher, Reginald (July 1947). "Edgar Lee Hewett". American Antiquity 13 (1): pp. 78–79.
- ^ Belleville News-Democrat (February 13, 2006). "Old Tarkio College library considered for possible tech college". Belleville News-Democrat.
- ^ St. Joseph News-Press & Gazette Company (July 18, 2006). "Former Tarkio College will become energy institute". St. Joseph News-Press & Gazette Company.
[edit] External links
- Tarkio College Alumni Association
- First Bank v. Tarkio College – bankruptcy decision from the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals
- Pictures of Tarkio College
- A College Acts in Desperation And Dies Playing the Lender – New York Times story about acts of fraud committed by Tarkio College]
