Classroom

<div>Niswonger Commons incorporates two historic buildings (the gymnasium and Simerly Student Union Center) on campus to create an updated center for student activity. Almost 100 years ago where Niswonger Commons now stands used to be the Tusculum Gymnasium. The ‘old gym’ was constructed in 1927.1</div><div>The original gym housed several of Tusculum College’s sports teams including the swim team and the basketball team. In 1968, a loan was negotiated for a new Student Union building to replace an earlier structure located between Annie Hogan Byrd and Katherine Hall.2&nbsp;Construction was completed in 1970. The initial vision was to provide a space that included a cafeteria, snack bar, recreation rooms, a bookstore, and several offices and banquet halls.1</div><div>In 1977 the building was renamed as the Simerly Student Union building in honor of Robert Jennings Simerly and his mother Mary Benton Mitchell Simerly. The&nbsp;Simerlys&nbsp;had developed connections with Tusculum through a Presbyterian secondary school that had ties to Nettie McCormick and Charles Oliver Gray.1</div><div>Niswonger Commons officially combined the two buildings into a new structure in 1999. The building is named after one of Tusculum's contemporary benefactors, Scott M. Niswonger.&nbsp; </div>

Photo of a student on the basketball team in the old gymnasium

Members of the basketball team in the old gymnasium

A basketball player in action in the old gymnasium

Club Fair inside of the Simerly Student Union building

Dedication ceremony and renaming of Simerly Student Union, 1977

A glimpse of the student dining hall inside of Simerly Student Union

Aerial view of the connected gymnasium and Simerly Student Union

Reconstruction of Niswonger Commons, 1990s

Combining the old gymnasium and the Simerly Student Union, this building is a hub of student activity. Inside one can find the Bookstore, an updated dining hall, several classrooms, Campus Safety, student programs, a U.S. Post Office, Chalmers Conference Center, Pioneer Arena, and the newly constructed Chick-Fil-A.

Niswonger Commons

Instructor

A walking tour of the historic Tusculum University campus, Tennessee's oldest institution of higher education, created by students of the Museum Studies program.

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) was a famous and influential orator, politician, lawyer, and teacher during the Roman Republic. He established an academy in the Athenian style at his villa in the small town of Tusculum near Rome. There, he defined principles of civic virtue he deemed important to a republic, such as voting, volunteering, serving the community, and working continuously to achieve excellence. Cicero’s writings were particularly influential in the early American republic as politicians and educators sought to imitate classical examples in building their new republic.1&nbsp;&nbsp;Reverend John Witherspoon, American Congressman and signer of the American Declaration of Independence, named his country estate “Tusculum” as a way to pay homage to the man whose writings greatly influenced his own political ideology. Witherspoon also served as the president of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University, at the same that Samuel Doak attended the college. During his time at the college, Witherspoon became a well-loved and respected mentor to Doak in both his education and his political thinking and civil service. After graduating in 1775, Doak set out for the southwest frontier.2In 1785, Samuel Doak’s wife Esther gave birth to a son, Samuel Witherspoon Doak. Samuel W. Doak followed in his father’s footsteps and became a Presbyterian minister, serving at Mount Bethel Church outside of Greeneville for 31 years. Like his father, he was also an educator. In 1818, father and son co-founded a new academy in a rural district east of Greeneville. They called the academy Tusculum as both a tribute to the father’s alma mater and a way to honor the principles of civic virtue outlined by Cicero.The school attracted students from the surrounding farming region. Sessions ran year-round, except for two four-week vacations in the spring and autumn. In 1820, the fee to attend was $5 per session, and the Doaks accepted payment in both coin and goods such as hides, grain, livestock, and other useful commodities. “Old Sam,” as he was known, taught Latin, Greek, and metaphysics. Other curriculum included grammar, oratory, and other classical and theological knowledge. Class sizes varied over the 26-year lifespan of the academy, with as few as four to as many as seventy students in attendance during any given session. Samuel W. Doak assumed leadership of the the academy after his father’s death in 1829.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 1835 Doak built a two-room academy building adjacent to his family’s homestead. After a new building (Old College) was erected in 1841 and Tusculum College was chartered in 1844, the academy continued to serve the needs of youths in the local community. By the late nineteenth century the academy had evolved into a preparatory department for the college.3A replica of the 1835 academy building was constructed as part of the Doak House Museum on the Tusculum College campus. Today it is used for tours and museum programming.

Named after the villa and academy of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Tusculum academy was founded in 1818 by father-and-son duo Samuel Doak and Samuel W. Doak. Along with classical and theological curriculum, the Doaks emphasized the principles of civic virtue outlined by Cicero, an emphasis which still persists at Tusculum University today. The replica academy building currently standing is a part of the Doak House Museum on the Tusculum University campus.


Doak House Museum and the Tusculum Academy

Although they were respected as an important component of the Tusculum's curriculum, the sciences as a whole were never grouped together under a single program until the construction of Tredway Science Building. Because they could be divided into their respective disciplines of chemistry, botany, and biology, the natural science classes were continuously scattered across campus. For example, “McCormick 24” was famous for decades as a biology lab. Virginia Hall housed an array of science activities, and from 1928-1930 the Old College building served as the chemistry department.It was not until 1928 that the board of trustees decided that it was time to concentrate the natural sciences under one roof. As a last major family gift to the college, Cyrus McCormick II provided enough funding to launch the project, and on September 3 the board of trustees approved the funds for the construction of a science hall. Despite the initial availability of funding, construction and operation costs soon overran the original budget. Increasingly intensified fundraising efforts, including the sale of bonds, were continuously impeded by a lack of patronage and the Stock Market crash on “Black Friday”, October 29, 1929.The project was finally completed in 1930. Known simply as “The Science Building,” it was dedicated on June 2. Following renovations and refurbishing in the 1960s and 1980s, the building was rededicated on April 3, 1989 in honor of alumnus and the second benefactor of the College, William L. Tredway of Chester, New Jersey.1By giving the sciences their own building, Tredway allowed for the creation of a Bachelor of Science degree and specific majors within the sciences at Tusculum. Following the same ideals, Tusculum University celebrated the opening of the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math on October 19, 2017. The new building currently houses the chemistry, biology, environmental sciences, nursing, physics, math, and computer sciences programs. Renovations to the Tredway Science Building began soon after the opening of the Meen Center in preparation for future use by the College of Business and the College of Education.

Featuring an impressive entryway with Ionic columns and an elaborate Greek entablature, the Tredway Building was erected in 1930 to house natural and physical science classes. The addition of such a building to the Tusculum campus reflected a growing diversity of studies available to students by the mid twentieth century. Today, the sciences have moved to the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center (2017), where they are joined by Tusculum's College of Medicine. 

Treadway Science Building

Tusculum's first library was located in the Old College building and was later moved to McCormick Hall in 1887. The collection at that time included over 8,500 books, many of which were collected at the end of the 18th century by the founders of Greeneville College, Hezekiah Balch and Charles Coffin.1 

The present-day library has its
origin during the presidential tenure of Dr. Charles Oliver Grey, who served as president from 1908-1931. At that time, steel mogul Andrew
Carnegie gifted library buildings to different institutions and localities across the United States.
Tusculum received funding from Carnegie for a new library in 1910 and the handsome building was named Carnegie Hall to honor the benefactor.1 In addition to classrooms
and offices, the building also served as a gymnasium.2 This explains
the unique architecture of what is now the main reading room. The walkway that
circles above the room was at the time an indoor running track, much different
from the presidential portrait gallery one sees today. In 1927 the new gym was
completed and the library was then able to take up the entirety of the building. The growth of the library collection mirrored the growth of the student body. In 1921, the library contained 10,000 books. By
1936, Tusculum possessed 15,000 books.
Students congregated in the library to study and engage in various
social activities. In 1939, the library changed its name slightly to Carnegie Library.1

In the more recent past, the
library has had several name changes and additions. In 1991, the library’s name
was changed to Tate Library, in honor of the valedictorian of Tusculum’s 1894
class, Albert Columbus Tate. In 1996, the library acquired internet access and joined
the Central Library consortium of the Appalachian College Association. Since
then, the library has obtained over fifty database subscriptions and 200,000
online book titles. The library was renovated in 2006 and was called the
Library at Tusculum College. In 2008, it was renamed again as the Thomas J. Garland Library.3

Thomas J. Garland Library is one of the structures within the Tusculum University National Historic District. It has served as the school's library since 1910, after Andrew Carnegie donated funding for the building. The library received a substantial addition in 2006 and is also home to the Tutoring Center, Counseling and ADA Services, Veterans Services, faculty offices for the Department of Civic Studies, and student classrooms. 

Thomas J. Garland Library

The flagpole and stone Arch that can be seen on a
walk from the front doors of McCormick Hall are representative of the Tusculum's service during the First World War. Following the declaration of war against
Germany in April of 1917, a patriotic fervor swept through the school as
it did the rest of the country. The Arch and flagpole&nbsp;
represented Tusculum's effort to, “do its part” as they saying went.1

Tusculum was active in many ways during World War
I, anxiously helping to aid the war effort both before and after America’s
declaration. In the summer of 1915, Mrs. McCormick generously purchased 75
acres of land that adjoined the southern part of the school grounds. Tusculum administrators decided it would be best suited for agricultural purposes, which was in keeping with the, “Food Will Win the War”, slogan popularized by the government. According to
the plan, students who worked on the farm would gain a knowledge of scientific
agriculture and help pay their tuition through canning and crop sales. By 1917,
Tusculum hoped for a profitable farm featuring home-made bread and beef in the
cafeteria. In the five years it operated however, the farm never once made a
profit, losing an average of $1,500 each year. By 1919, the college gave up on
the idea behind the farm and leased the land to a local farmer.1

Food was not the only way the Tusculum attempted to
help. On campus students, faculty and staff established a unit of the Student
Army Training Corps (S.A.T.C), which trained students for military service.1 

Tusculum also supported the Red Cross.This was one of the
few activates where women could contribute as much support as men. The Red
Cross offered training workshops in first-aid, which drew thousands of
Greene County residents. Student and faculty demonstrated their commitment through contributions to the United War Work Fund, which raised
$1,020 in November 1918.1

Sixty-eight men served the armed forces, including seven
faculty, eighteen alumni and forty -three undergraduates. Five did not return from battle. In 1921, a new flag base was dedicated in
their honor. The base was rebuilt in the 1960s but still retains the original
plaques featuring the names of the five students killed in action. <div><div>

</div>

</div>

The Arch and flagpole represent Tusculum's dedication and sacrifice during the First World War. The Arch was built in 1917 to demonstrate the school's patriotism. Five Tusculum students were killed in combat overseas and are remembered at the flagpole, which was rebuilt in their honor. 

Flagpole / Arch

In 1883, three Tusculum graduates: George W.
Baxter, John R. Gass, and Alexander Colie enrolled at the McCormick Seminary in Chicago. There, they met Dr. Willis G. Craig, a professor and pastor to the family of Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the mechanical reaper. Tusculum invited Dr. Craig to speak at commencement in the spring of 1884. Upon his return to Chicago, Craig urged his wealthy parishioner to consider the small college as a worthy recipient of the industrialist's philanthropic giving. Cyrus McCormick, died soon thereafter, but his widow, Nettie Fowler-McCormick vigorously continued her late husband's philanthropic efforts. Fowler-McCormick was a devout
member of the Presbyterian Church and regular donor to Board of Aid for
Colleges and Academies of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. She was
impressed by Tusculum in part because of the humble backgrounds of most of its students, many of whom were first-generation college students.1&nbsp; On December 6th, 1884, Nettie
Fowler-McCormick donated $7,000 to Tusculum College to construct a new building. Fowler-McCormick stipulated that the building not cost more than
$10,000 and that it be completed within two years of receiving
the gift. Three years later, in 1887, McCormick Hall was completed and opened.1&nbsp;McCormick Hall was the second brick building on campus and replaced the Old College building as the
primary academic facility.2

In 1969, students went on strike and occupied the first floor of McCormick Hall. Students held McCormick Hall day and night from
December 11th to December 13th. The protest
ended peacefully when the College President agreed to relax several rules governing student behavior.

McCormick Hall was built in 1887 with a generous donation from Nettie Fowler-McCormick. It was the second brick building on campus and replaced "Old College" as the primary academic structure on campus. Today, over one hundred and thirty years later, McCormick Hall houses the Office of the President, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Business Office, and the Office of Human Resources.

McCormick Hall

By the
early&nbsp;1900s, Tusculum had an influx of women students and few
places to house them. It was decided by then President Samuel A. Coile, that a
new building would be constructed strictly for women. With the help of $10,000
from Mrs. Nettie Fowler McCormick, the building was announced in March of 1901.
Virginia Hall was named in honor of the McCormick's youngest daughter, Mary
Virginia McCormick.
The building and its construction were designed
by Louis H. Sullivan, a dear friend of the McCormick's who often did work for
them.&nbsp;Virginia Hall was Tusculum's first “modern” building,
featuring the addition of baths, furnace heat and fire escapes. The building
even included some of the first flush toilets in the area.1 Mrs.
McCormick was very influential in the design of the interior of the building.
“No details were too small for her interest and concern; no practice of
contractor or superintendent escaped her attention”.1&nbsp;When the time came to furnish
the building, Mrs. McCormick chose pieces that fit her sense
of value and taste. She went as far as to write to Tusculum’s President,
asking that that a piece of varnished woodwork be mailed to her so that she
might better choose bureaus and washstands that would “harmonize” with the
surrounding furniture and rooms.1

The addition of
Virginia Hall marked an overall change in campus life and curriculum. The
McCormick’s donated an additional $6,000 in 1902 that built a heating and
power plant not just for Virginia, but also Craig and McCormick Halls.1 Virginia also ushered in a new and significant innovation in curriculum.
Tusculum not only used this building for women’s dormitories, but also for the newly established program of “domestic sciences”.1 Mrs. McCormick thought this study was indispensable for the
many young “mountain girls” that attended the College. She would even paid the salary of the instructor purchased all supplies
and equipment needed.

The course of study, which was not part of a college degree program, taught enrolled women how to cook and sew garments. President Coile
was able to report on the success of the programs first year, “Our young girls
are now cooks as well as experienced matrons, and are cutting fitting, and
making their own garments.”1&nbsp;The program’s ultimate success
can been seen in President Coile’s last year, 1906-07, when 99 women were
enrolled in the program. 

&nbsp;

 <div><div>

</div>

</div>

By the early 20th century, Tusculum recognized the need to accommodate it's growing population of female students. To meet that purpose, and with the financial assistance of Nettie Fowler-McCormick, Tusculum erected a new building in 1901. Designed by influential Chicago architect Louis Sullivan, Virginia Hall was the first women's dorm, home to the domestic science program, and eventually served as a campus dining hall. Today, Virginia is home to the Admissions Office, Registrar's Office, University Marketing, and the Department of English. 

Virginia Hall

Morgan Hall once stood where Annie-Hogan stands today.
Morgan Hall was constructed as a private residence for the Lawrence family in the late 1880s, approximately the same time McCormick Hall was constructed. The
twelve-room Queen-Anne style building was later purchased by Tusculum to serve as a dormitory for twenty five of the college's female students. Later, Morgan Hall was home to the music department before being demolished to make way for Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center in the early 1960s. This section of campus was also home to the Old Student Union, often referred to as the "SUB" by students. The SUB was a wooden frame structure erected after World War II and was located across the street from Virginia Hall and the campus Post Office. The SUB was a popular destination for students and contained a soda fountain, lunch counter, booths, and served student favorites including burgers, fries, soda, and ice cream. The SUB was moved after Annie Hogan Byrd and Katherine Hall were built.

Built in 1965, Annie-Hogan Byrd is currently home to Tusculum Arts Outreach, the Office of Institutional Advancement, and the university's chapel. The building features a 700 seat auditorium where students and the community enjoy plays, concerts, and lectures. Those seeking the Behan Arena should locate the basement doors adjacent to the parking lot 



Annie-Hogan Bryd Fine Arts Center

After World War I, a baseball team called
the “Old Carter Nine” sprang up in Greene County, Tennessee. This&nbsp; team developed into
a nationally recognized community baseball organization. Greene County
community baseball at its peak in the 1950s featured four leagues and thirty-two teams. Greeneville community baseball was not just for adults. In the 1950s, there were several “Teener Leagues” that were formed for
local youths. Greeneville teams had a successful run in the Appalachian
League in 1938 when the Greeneville Burley Cubs won the League Championship
against the Kingsport Cherokees in a sweep.

The Magnavox team played semi-professional
baseball in Greeneville from 1955 to 1971. Most of the team were local men who worked for the Magnavox television plant in Greeneville. For seven years they
represented Tennessee and Kentucky at the National Baseball Congress and each
year they were awarded the honor of “Kings of National Baseball Congress.”

A Negro League team also called Greeneville home. The team traveled for games from Asheville to Knoxville and all the way to Middlesboro, Kentucky. The Greeneville team even made the trek to Birmingham, Alabama to
play the Black Barons, which was the team for whom Major League Baseball legend Hank Arron first played.

Pioneer Park, home of the Greeneville Reds, was first opened in 2004. From 2004-2017, it was the home of the Greeneville Astros, a franchise in the Rookie-Level Appalachian League.  In 2018, the Greeneville Reds replaced the Astros as Greeneville's Appalachian League team. Pioneer Park is also home field for the Tusculum Pioneers baseball team.

Pioneer Park

James H Willis,
who had recently completed building McCormick Hall in 1887, was selected by the Board of Trustees to construct Craig hall, Tusculum's first dormitory, in 1890. Nettie Fowler-McCormick gave $<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: null">3,500&nbsp;</a> toward
the project, local fundraising efforts generated $<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: null">1,839.94</a>, and t<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: null">he Presbyterian Board</a>
gave $2,666 for the project. With total funding of $<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: null">8,355.94 secured,</a> Craig Hall was completed in December of 1891.

In 1892, seventy<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: null"> students (all men) called the new building home.</a> With the new dorm, the days of students living in small cabins and preparing their own meals were over. Originally, the building featured a balcony above
the front door and through much of its early history a<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: null"> water tower that met the college's needs for indoor plumbing sat behind the building.</a> Throughout the twentieth century, Craig Hall served as the men's dorm on campus. Residents styled themselves "The Men of Craig" and were active sponsors of campus activities. Declining enrollment and deferred maintenance led to a temporary closing of Craig in the 1980s. The renovated building was reopened in the fall of 1992 and renamed as Welty-Craig in 1998 in honor of Stanley R. Welty.

The first dormitory on Tusculum's campus, Craig Hall was completed in 1892. The new dorm was the second structure on campus funded through the philanthropy of Nettie-Fowler McCormick and it was named after her pastor, Reverend William Craig, DD. It was Craig who introduced the Tusculum alumni enrolled at McCormick Seminary to Mrs McCormick. In 1998, after extensive renovations, the residence hall was renamed to honor Stanley R. Welty, a Board of Trustees Chairman and benefactor of Tusculum. 

Welty-Craig

Old Oak is an imposing feature on campus and place where students gather for recreation and sometimes class.

The Lantern Festival traditionally took
place on the night before Commencement. Seniors wore academic regalia and
carried lanterns in a procession to an outdoor stage next to the Old Oak tree.
They placed the lanterns in a T-shape on the tree before reminiscing about their experience at Tusculum,and then passing their robes on to the juniors. The festival was held beneath Old Oak from 1950s to the 1970s, but has since been moved indoors.2 

The Old Oak Festival is a
celebration of the University and the local area. Local musicians, crafters,
and vendors come to the festival to present their skills and their wares. It
began in 1975 as a part of the Folk Revival of the 1970’s and ended in
1992. It was revived in 2011 and continues to be a successful festival with
lots of community interest and visitors.

The tree is believed to be between
250 and 300 years old. It measures over 100 feet tall and boasts a circumference
at the trunk of 23 feet and a spread in the canopy of 110 feet. IOld Oak is listed as a landmark tree by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council.1

The Old Oak, is over 100 feet tall and may be 300 years old. It has been a resident of the campus since before the University's founding. The oldest building on campus, Old College, sits adjacent to it and the annual Old Oak Festival draws upon the tree for its inspiration.

Old Oak Tree

<div>"Old College" is the oldest academic building on campus.&nbsp;It was not called by its current name until after the construction of McCormick Hall in 1887. Built in 1841, Old College served as the center for&nbsp;nearly&nbsp;all of Tusculum's early activity.2 Oral tradition suggests&nbsp;that Samuel Doak’s slaves handmade each brick and in return were given their freedom upon the building's completion.1&nbsp;Tuition in 1847 was $10 per&nbsp;term,&nbsp;not including room and board.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>The building originally held a chapel, class rooms, two literary&nbsp;societies,&nbsp;and the library. Boarding was not initially provided in Old College. Students had the choice of either boarding with a nearby family or renting a cabin on campus for a small fee. Although severely damaged by soldiers who occupied the building during the Civil War, it was returned to service when Tusculum merged with Greeneville College in 1868.1&nbsp;</div><div>In 1892 the building was redesigned so that the chapel was converted into a dining hall and the&nbsp;upper floor&nbsp;was divided into two rooms. For much of the twentieth century the building served as faculty apartments.&nbsp;In 1992 the second floor was converted to store the Coffin Library Collection and the University Archive and the ground floor was developed as exhibit space. </div>

Built in 1841, Old College is the oldest academic building on campus. Curious students and the general public can find answers inside about Tusculum’s history from 1794 to the present. The building is home to the Museum Studies Program and The President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library

Tusculum University Walking Tour

Niswonger Commons

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources