Soule University
Encyclopedia
Soule University was a private
Methodist university
in Chappell Hill
, a rural community in Washington County, Texas
, United States
. Chartered in 1856, Soule replaced the male department of Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute and was intended to succeed the failed Rutersville College
. The female department became an independent institution, Chappell Hill Female College, eventually outliving Soule and acquiring its campus. Soule University was named after Bishop Joshua Soule
.
informally established during or before 1850. The school was chartered by the Texas Legislature
in 1852 as a non-denominational preparatory school under the name Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute. That same year, Philander S. Ruter, son of Methodist missionary Martin Ruter
, was elected president of the school. In 1854, Chappell Hill's charter was amended to affiliate the school with the Methodist Church.
The Methodists had been seeking a replacement for the financially unstable and scandal-ridden Rutersville College
and identified Chappell Hill as the site for a new institution of higher education. The Methodist Church took great pains to ensure the new school was under the authority of the Methodist Church, attributing some of Rutersville College's failures to the school's independent legal status.
In 1856, Soule University was chartered as a Methodist-affiliated university and all students in the male department of Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute were transferred into Soule's preparatory department. Classes began in September 1856 with seven academic departments. Originally located in the former buildings of Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute, the university built a new building on donated land in 1858 to separate itself from Chappell Hill Female College.
Soule closed in 1861 at the start of the American Civil War
with most students joining the Confederate Army. During the war, the Confederacy used Soule's campus as a hospital. When the university reopened in 1865, the classrooms and library had been badly damaged and most of the school equipment had been lost. The economy of the Chappell Hill area was devastated after the war, limiting the university's sources of funding. When an outbreak of yellow fever
in Chappell Hill grew into two epidemics, Soule's student population dropped precipitously and never recovered.
In an effort to broaden the university's reach, Soule opened Texas' first medical school in 1865. The school, located in Galveston
, was self-sustaining and eventually severed connections with Soule to become the Texas Medical College and Hospital, now the University of Texas Medical Branch
.
The epidemics combined with financial troubles led Soule University president Francis Asbury Mood to petition the Methodist Church to found a new “central university for Methodism” with the full backing of all five Methodist conferences in Texas. The resulting school, originally named Texas University but chartered as Southwestern University
, assumed the role for which the Methodist Church had originally founded Soule. The Church declared Southwestern to be Soule's successor in 1873 and the Texas Legislature transferred Soule's charter to Southwestern in 1875.
Local supporters in Chappell Hill kept Soule open for over a decade after the school's charter was transferred to Southwestern. By 1873, Soule had paid off all debts and was seeking to start a law school in another city, despite recently releasing its neglected medical school in Galveston. The university was renamed Soule College in 1878 but enrollment continued to decrease until only 29 students remained in 1887. In that year, Soule approached Southwestern with a proposal that Soule become a correlated school
of Southwestern. The proposal was rejected.
Soule University closed in 1887. Soule's campus was used by Chappell Hill Female College until it closed in 1912.
, the Alpha Society and the Adelphi Society. A chapter of the Phi Gamma Delta
fraternity was chartered in 1861 before the university closed at the start of the Civil War. The chapter disbanded in 1866 when returning members of the fraternity transferred to Washington and Lee University
. Soule's newspaper, the University Stylus, was established in 1871.
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
Methodist university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in Chappell Hill
Chappell Hill, Texas
Chappell Hill is a small rural community in the eastern portion of Washington County, Texas, United States. It is located along U.S. Highway 290 roughly halfway between Brenham and Hempstead. Chappell Hill is located inside Stephen F...
, a rural community in Washington County, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Chartered in 1856, Soule replaced the male department of Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute and was intended to succeed the failed Rutersville College
Rutersville College
Rutersville College , was a coeducational college located in the unincorporated community of Rutersville in Fayette County, Texas, United States. Chartered under the Republic of Texas in 1840, Rutersville College was Texas's first institution of higher education...
. The female department became an independent institution, Chappell Hill Female College, eventually outliving Soule and acquiring its campus. Soule University was named after Bishop Joshua Soule
Joshua Soule
Joshua Soule was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church , and then of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.-Birth and rebirth:...
.
History
Soule University began as Chappell Hill Institute, a private preparatory schoolUniversity-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
informally established during or before 1850. The school was chartered by the Texas Legislature
Texas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
in 1852 as a non-denominational preparatory school under the name Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute. That same year, Philander S. Ruter, son of Methodist missionary Martin Ruter
Martin Ruter
Rev. Martin Henry Ruter, D.D. was a prominent Methodist minister, missionary and educator of the early 19th century....
, was elected president of the school. In 1854, Chappell Hill's charter was amended to affiliate the school with the Methodist Church.
The Methodists had been seeking a replacement for the financially unstable and scandal-ridden Rutersville College
Rutersville College
Rutersville College , was a coeducational college located in the unincorporated community of Rutersville in Fayette County, Texas, United States. Chartered under the Republic of Texas in 1840, Rutersville College was Texas's first institution of higher education...
and identified Chappell Hill as the site for a new institution of higher education. The Methodist Church took great pains to ensure the new school was under the authority of the Methodist Church, attributing some of Rutersville College's failures to the school's independent legal status.
In 1856, Soule University was chartered as a Methodist-affiliated university and all students in the male department of Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute were transferred into Soule's preparatory department. Classes began in September 1856 with seven academic departments. Originally located in the former buildings of Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute, the university built a new building on donated land in 1858 to separate itself from Chappell Hill Female College.
Soule closed in 1861 at the start of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
with most students joining the Confederate Army. During the war, the Confederacy used Soule's campus as a hospital. When the university reopened in 1865, the classrooms and library had been badly damaged and most of the school equipment had been lost. The economy of the Chappell Hill area was devastated after the war, limiting the university's sources of funding. When an outbreak of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
in Chappell Hill grew into two epidemics, Soule's student population dropped precipitously and never recovered.
In an effort to broaden the university's reach, Soule opened Texas' first medical school in 1865. The school, located in Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, was self-sustaining and eventually severed connections with Soule to become the Texas Medical College and Hospital, now the University of Texas Medical Branch
University of Texas Medical Branch
The University of Texas Medical Branch is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, United States, about 50 miles southeast of Downtown Houston...
.
The epidemics combined with financial troubles led Soule University president Francis Asbury Mood to petition the Methodist Church to found a new “central university for Methodism” with the full backing of all five Methodist conferences in Texas. The resulting school, originally named Texas University but chartered as Southwestern University
Southwestern University
Southwestern University is a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Georgetown, Texas, USA. Founded in 1840, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church although the curriculum is nonsectarian...
, assumed the role for which the Methodist Church had originally founded Soule. The Church declared Southwestern to be Soule's successor in 1873 and the Texas Legislature transferred Soule's charter to Southwestern in 1875.
Local supporters in Chappell Hill kept Soule open for over a decade after the school's charter was transferred to Southwestern. By 1873, Soule had paid off all debts and was seeking to start a law school in another city, despite recently releasing its neglected medical school in Galveston. The university was renamed Soule College in 1878 but enrollment continued to decrease until only 29 students remained in 1887. In that year, Soule approached Southwestern with a proposal that Soule become a correlated school
Feeder school
Feeder school is a name applied to schools, colleges, universities, or other educational institutions that provide a significant number of graduates who intend to continue their studies at specific schools, or even in specific fields....
of Southwestern. The proposal was rejected.
Soule University closed in 1887. Soule's campus was used by Chappell Hill Female College until it closed in 1912.
Student life
The university was home to at least two literary societiesCollege literary societies (American)
College literary societies in American higher education were a distinctive kind of social organization, distinct from literary societies generally, and they were the precursors of college fraternities and sororities. In the period from the late eighteenth century to the Civil War, collegiate...
, the Alpha Society and the Adelphi Society. A chapter of the Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
fraternity was chartered in 1861 before the university closed at the start of the Civil War. The chapter disbanded in 1866 when returning members of the fraternity transferred to Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
. Soule's newspaper, the University Stylus, was established in 1871.