Pritchett College
Encyclopedia
Pritchett College was a small institution that operated in Glasgow, Missouri
from 1866 until 1922. It was founded as Pritchett School Institute and became known as Pritchett College after 1897.
city council were James O. Swinney, Henry C. Cockerill, and Joshua Belden.
Carr W. Pritchett
, formerly a faculty member at Howard College
in Fayette, Missouri
, was hired to serve as the first president and the institution was known as Pritchett School Institute. The school was Christian, non-denominational and admission was open for both males and females. Initial enrollment was 146 students.
Swinney later donated money to purchase new grounds and a three story brick building served 200 students in 1869. The original buildings were sold to Lewis College
. C.W. Pritchett retired and was succeeded by Oren Root, Jr. as president from 1873-1876. There were 160 students in 1876. The institution offered preparatory, collegiate, and post graduate courses and there were fifty graduates in the first ten years, with twenty-four receiving the B.A.
degree and two the M.A.
degree.
Resources were limited and the trustees of Pritchett explored the possibility of merger with a proposal to move Central College
to Glasgow
in 1878. Several unsuccessful attempts were also made to merge with Lewis College
, the latest in 1880.
Upper-level college courses were no longer offered after 1917 and Pritchett College was then considered to be a junior college. It ceased operation after June, 1922.
secured a generous donation in 1874 from Berenice Morrison to purchase equipment and construct a building for an observatory. Work began in early 1875 and a telescope was mounted within a year. Dr. Pritchett continued as director of the observatory following the end of his presidency and served until September, 1905. He conducted some remarkable research with the assistance of his two sons and others. Many have claimed that Pritchett discovered the "Great Red Spot". In fact, he made observations of the Spot, but did not discover it. Observations of the “Great Red Spot on Jupiter,” are probably the best known, and Dr. Pritchett was designated as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
of England.
The observatory was not used after 1907 and was eventually moved to Central College
in Fayette, Missouri
in 1936.
Glasgow, Missouri
Glasgow is a city in Chariton and Howard counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 1,263 at the 2000 census.The Howard County portion of Glasgow is part of the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
from 1866 until 1922. It was founded as Pritchett School Institute and became known as Pritchett College after 1897.
History
The first classes were conducted in the 1866-67 academic year at 3rd and Market Streets in buildings that previously housed Glasgow Female Seminary. Rev. James O. Swinney provided funds and organized the school. The first Board of Trustees appointed by the GlasgowGlasgow, Missouri
Glasgow is a city in Chariton and Howard counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 1,263 at the 2000 census.The Howard County portion of Glasgow is part of the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
city council were James O. Swinney, Henry C. Cockerill, and Joshua Belden.
Carr W. Pritchett
Carr Waller Pritchett, Sr.
Carr Waller Pritchet, Sr. 1823-1910 was an American educator and astronomer. He was the first President of Pritchett College in Glasgow, Missouri and the first director of the Morrison Observatory, also in Glasgow. C. W...
, formerly a faculty member at Howard College
Howard-Payne Junior College
Howard–Payne Junior College was a women's college located in Fayette, Missouri. Affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, it opened in 1859 and closed in 1927.-History:...
in Fayette, Missouri
Fayette, Missouri
Fayette is a city in Howard County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,793 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howard County. It is in the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, was hired to serve as the first president and the institution was known as Pritchett School Institute. The school was Christian, non-denominational and admission was open for both males and females. Initial enrollment was 146 students.
Swinney later donated money to purchase new grounds and a three story brick building served 200 students in 1869. The original buildings were sold to Lewis College
Lewis College
Lewis College was a small institution that operated in Glasgow, Missouri from 1867 until 1892.-History:The college was founded by two brothers, Benjamin W. and James W. Lewis. The Lewis family were active members of the Methodist Church and supporters of the Union during the Civil War...
. C.W. Pritchett retired and was succeeded by Oren Root, Jr. as president from 1873-1876. There were 160 students in 1876. The institution offered preparatory, collegiate, and post graduate courses and there were fifty graduates in the first ten years, with twenty-four receiving the B.A.
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
degree and two the M.A.
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
degree.
Resources were limited and the trustees of Pritchett explored the possibility of merger with a proposal to move Central College
Central Methodist University
Central Methodist University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Fayette, Missouri. CMU is an accredited four year institution of higher education and offers masters, bachelors, and associates degrees...
to Glasgow
Glasgow, Missouri
Glasgow is a city in Chariton and Howard counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 1,263 at the 2000 census.The Howard County portion of Glasgow is part of the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in 1878. Several unsuccessful attempts were also made to merge with Lewis College
Lewis College
Lewis College was a small institution that operated in Glasgow, Missouri from 1867 until 1892.-History:The college was founded by two brothers, Benjamin W. and James W. Lewis. The Lewis family were active members of the Methodist Church and supporters of the Union during the Civil War...
, the latest in 1880.
Upper-level college courses were no longer offered after 1917 and Pritchett College was then considered to be a junior college. It ceased operation after June, 1922.
Morrison Astronomical Observatory
C. W. PritchettCarr Waller Pritchett, Sr.
Carr Waller Pritchet, Sr. 1823-1910 was an American educator and astronomer. He was the first President of Pritchett College in Glasgow, Missouri and the first director of the Morrison Observatory, also in Glasgow. C. W...
secured a generous donation in 1874 from Berenice Morrison to purchase equipment and construct a building for an observatory. Work began in early 1875 and a telescope was mounted within a year. Dr. Pritchett continued as director of the observatory following the end of his presidency and served until September, 1905. He conducted some remarkable research with the assistance of his two sons and others. Many have claimed that Pritchett discovered the "Great Red Spot". In fact, he made observations of the Spot, but did not discover it. Observations of the “Great Red Spot on Jupiter,” are probably the best known, and Dr. Pritchett was designated as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
of England.
The observatory was not used after 1907 and was eventually moved to Central College
Central Methodist University
Central Methodist University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Fayette, Missouri. CMU is an accredited four year institution of higher education and offers masters, bachelors, and associates degrees...
in Fayette, Missouri
Fayette, Missouri
Fayette is a city in Howard County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,793 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howard County. It is in the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in 1936.
Presidents
- Carr Waller PritchettCarr Waller Pritchett, Sr.Carr Waller Pritchet, Sr. 1823-1910 was an American educator and astronomer. He was the first President of Pritchett College in Glasgow, Missouri and the first director of the Morrison Observatory, also in Glasgow. C. W...
(1866 - 1872) - Oren D. Root (1873 – 1876), brother of Nobel Prize recipient Elihu RootElihu RootElihu Root was an American lawyer and statesman and the 1912 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the prototype of the 20th century "wise man", who shuttled between high-level government positions in Washington, D.C...
- R. Thompson Bond (1877 – 1880)
- Joseph Henry Pritchett (1881 – 1884), younger brother of Carr Waller Pritchett
- Joel Sutton Kendall (1885 – 1894), later served as first president of North Texas Normal SchoolUniversity of North TexasThe University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
- C. C. Hemenway (1894 – 1904)
- Uriel Sebree HallUriel Sebree HallUriel Sebree Hall was a U.S. Representative from Missouri, son of William Augustus Hall and nephew of Willard Preble Hall....
(1905 – 1917), U.S. Congressman from 1893 - 1897 - Oscar DahleneOscar DahleneOscar J. Dahlene was a college football player and coach from the United States. He would later become the eighth president of Pritchett College in Glasgow, Missouri from 1917 until 1920.-Playing history:...
(1917 – 1920) - Elizabeth Jeffreys (1920 - 1922)
Noted Faculty
- H. Clay Harvey, taught mathematics at Pritchett (1894-1900) and at Kirksville State Teacher's CollegeTruman State UniversityTruman State University is a public liberal arts and sciences university in Missouri, United States and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. About 6,000 students attend Truman, pursuing degrees in 43 undergraduate and 9 Graduate programs. It is located in Kirksville in...
(1900-1912); served as Superintendent of Schools in McAllen, Texas (1914-1917) - George F. Kuemmel, Music
- Susan F. Smith, Modern Languages, Drawing, Painting
- Samuel H. Trowbridge, Natural Science
Noted Alumni
- Henry Carr Pritchett, Texas Superintendent of Public Instruction (1890), Professor of Mathematics and later, president of Sam Houston Normal InstituteSam Houston State UniversitySam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first...
(1881-1908) - Henry Smith PritchettHenry Smith PritchettHenry Smith Pritchett was an American astronomer and educator.-Biography:Pritchett was born on April 16, 1857 in Fayette, Missouri, and attended Pritchett College in Glasgow, Missouri, receiving an A.B. in 1875. He then took instruction from Asaph Hall for two years at the US Naval Observatory...
, President of MITMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching