Norwich bulletin., 1910-08-23
DR.. AGARD PRESIDENT
OF TILLOTSON COLLEGE
Institution Started by Connecticut
Minister Who Was Pastor at Put
nam Twenty seven Years.

At the close of the civil war when
the colored race was bundled uncere-
moniously out of the position that ii
had hitherto occupied and thrown on
its own resources. the memb ers OF
that race found themselves in
mighty uncomforta BILE position. With
their indenendence came the ueces-
sity of providing themselves and their
families with the articles necessary
to maintain life and to which they
had hitherto given no thought They
were like a body of children suddenly
thrust out of the parental home and
told to shift for themselves. They
had no means with which to tide
themselves over a dull time until they
could procure labor the proceeds of
which would enable them to exc out
living.
To counteract this Sate of affairs
and to secure the race against Geteri-
grafton, certain bodies of persons,
among them being the American mis-
sionary association, set to work to
found schools and colleges for the ed
ucation of the colored race, whereby
they would be enabled to learn trades
and when possible, professions, by
which to support themselves in an in
dependent manner. AS the result of
the labors on the part of these pub
lie spirited citizens many schools are
established and among them. BY the
American missionary association Til
lotsOn college. sat Austin, Texas.
Tillotson college was founded thirty
years ago largely through the efforts
and contributions of Rev. George JEFF
frey Tillotson Mr.. Tillotson was a
Congrega tional minister who spent
most of his life as a devoted and sue
cessful pastor in Connecticut. He was
born in Pennington. Conn. February
5, 1905. and spent his early boyhood
on his fathers farm He graduated
from the academy in Westfeld in 1921.
from Yale college in 1925, and stuGied
theology at Andover, and at the Yale
divinity school being graduated from
the latter in 1880. He taught a year
in Brooklyn Conn.,, and over twelve
years in the academy at Ellington,
Conn, and then at the academy in
Falmouth. Besides other pastorates,
he was for p years in Putnam. He
tive pastor and took up the work Of
founding a school in the south for the
training of colored teachers for the in
struction of their own people. He made
a tour of the south in search Of a suit
able place for such an institution.
Austin, Texas, was at length chosen
and a location procured where a sub
stantial structure of brick and stone
was erected. the entire expenditure
being about $4,000.
The new Tillotson collegiate and
normal institute was opened TO stu
dents in 1881. the first president be-
ing Rev. William f. Brooks. NO
came from the Congregational church
of West Haven. Conn. Among the
succeeding presidents were Rev. Hen
ry l.. Hubbell. Rev. William Z.
Brown. Rev. Winfield S. Goss and
Rev. Marshall r. Gaines
The present president of the col
lege, DIR. IsaactM. Agard, was born
in Connecticut DIR. Agard was grad
uated from Monson academy and la
ter from Amherst college with the
class of 1873 He was principal of the
Rockville high school of Rockville
Conn, Nbr nearly twenty years. and
was twice president of the COnnecti-
cut classical and high school teachers
association and director in the Con-
necticut council of education He
took up the work of the presidency of
Tillotson college four years ago and
since that time he has grown con-
in success and in the esteem
of the college and the American mis-
Sionary association.