The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1914-01-01
PRINTS SKETCH OF
CONWAY EDUCATOR
DR.. CONCER'S BUSY LIFE
is INTERESTINGLY RECOUNT
ED IN ARTICLE BY REV.
J. B. SEARCY.

The busy life of DR.. J. w. Conger,
president of Central College of this
city, is Interestingly related by DR..
j. B. Searcy in sketch appearing in
the Baptist Advance this week. The
article, which is one of series con-
corning prominent Arkansas Baptists,
is reproduced below:
John William Conger was born in
Jackson, Tenn, in 1857. His ances-
tors were Alsatian Hugenots and
moved to New Jersey before the Rev.
dictionary war in order to escape per-
secution. The Patriot Army in the
Revolution contained 100 members of
the Conger family. DR.. Conger's
grandfather was a man of scientific
turn of mind, was regular contrib
utor to the Scientific American, and
was the inventor of the Turbine Wat
err Wheel
DR.. Conger's early education was
under the guidance of private instruc-
tors. Later on he spent six years in
the Southwestern Baptist University
lnow Union University, graduating
in 1878 with the degree of bachelor of
arts. In his class were DR.. 0. l..
HALEY and Hon. J. w. N. Burkett,
beth now in Texas. He afterwards
received from the same school the de-
gree of master Of arts and of LID.
He also attended the Tennessee State
University at Nashville, Tenn, in the
educational department, and received
honorable recognition.
In 1880 he was elected president of
the Odd Fellows College, Humboldt,
Tenn. In three years he built the col
legc into a strong school with over
400 students. In the early part of the
summer of 1888 he was one OF the
organizers and promoters of great
summer normal at Jackson, Tenn,
which numbered among its instructors
some of the leading men of the south
ana SucH Ilcu DIS IduSio al hSA VI
Chicago. In the same summer he
moved to Arkansas and led in the or
ganization of Searcy College as pri-
yate enterprise. At once the school
sprrng into prominence and within
two years there was splendid organ
ization with more than 800 pupils in
attendanee. This was practically the
beginning VI aggressive work in high
er educatiofs I'M Arkansas.
DR.. Conger was married in 1882 to
Miss Carrie Mckinney, daughter of
Judge Mckinney Of Purdy, Tenn. She
lived only a few months after the
marriage. In 1884 he was married to
Miss Tennie Hanaiton, daughter of
Dir. E. E. Hamilton of Memphis, Ten
1essee. As the result of this mar
'iage they have four children.
In the summer of 1886, without APP
,licatisn, DR.. Conger was chosen as
PRESIDENT to lead in tine organization
# a statewide Baptist eollege for Ar
afterwards named ouachlta
College. The board of trustees were
n constant prayer day and. nlght Tor
eadership. A number OF names were
PRESENTED and there we've nnrfsoer
f applications but withoatf argument
)r. Conger was unanimously elected,
nd notified by telegram while he was
n Tennessee; and accepted He came
o Arkansas aud took charge Gt the
ollege without a building, excepting
n old Frame, one and haif-stafies'
Without furniSalre, without "A member
f the board af trustees in the town
nd without maney. The school open
a the first day with 100 pupils and
or u years thsTe was no BREAK Ill ies
,ropress. Every year marked some
until the college became
he largest ami best-equipped' college
n the state. with four good academies
to the board of trustees 10
.ated at strategic points. Inc COL
eye enjoyed patronage OF mere thah
100 pupils the last six or eight years
# his administration, and more than
100 boarders during the last TWO years
,afore he left He had nnuch TO DO
with the organization of what is
,,oyp as the affiliated systam, in
ending Ouachita, Central, and the
four academies, which had an enroll
ment of more than 400 students, When
he left Ouachlta there was an lndeot-
edness of $4,000, interest paid, anal
all the academies out of debt
President Conger had been offered
MANY positions in the college world