The log cabin Democrat., 1922-03-02

Burrow continued in the presidency for three years. Rev. w. V. Harlan
 whose name to this day remains {
 household word in Arkansas Meth
 odism, was appointed financial agen
 and continued in that capacity fol seven years, three years of which he devoted his entire time to building up the institution. His earnest ad
 vocacy of Christian education," says J. H. Shinn, former state superin-
 tendent of public instruction, in his History of Education in Arkansas
 provoked widespread interest ana not only built up the one institution but indirectly laid foundations upon l which others have been established.
 In June 1877 a reorganization of the institution was effected and Dr. A. c. Millar, then president of the 1 Neosho Collegiate Institute in Mis- sour, came to the presidency. Under 1 his leadership the name was changed i to Hendrix College in 1889, this ac- tlon being taken Tn honor of Bishop E. R. Hendrix who was at that time the president of the Arkansas confer ences. Dr. Mllar believed that the college was badly located and de- sired new institution near the center of the state. The city of Conway raised fund of $55 900. the prop erty of Altus was sold to the citizens for $500, and in 1890 the nstitu- tion was moved to it's present loca- tion
 Conway is the exact geographical center of Arkansas. It is the Athens of the state, being the home of Hen drix College, Central College for Women, and the State Normal School It is an interesting fact that this town, now the cultural cap ital of the state, is on the very spot where, according to one tradition, Colonel Faulkner encountered the original of "The Arkansas Traveller" The county bears the name of the author of that famous story and the town itself is named for the governor who first suggested the idea of using
  cation. There also Ope Read wrote the novels which were so widely cir culated 20 years ago.
 There is no college in the South that has had greater influence on the general development of it's state than has Hendrix College upon the progress of Arkansas; there is no educator in the country who has been a more influential factor for good in the state which he was a citizen than has Dr. A. c. Millar in Arkansas Hendrix College is today practically monument to his unceasing and self sacrificing toll, while in every section of Arkansas his influence has been felt Tor good. The college has had but three presidents and Dr Millar personally trained both of his successors.
 When Dr. Millar became president of Hendrix College 30 years ago, he interpreted his duties in the light of he general needs of the state. At that time Arkansas needed above all other things an adequate and efficient system of public education and a statewide system of good public highways, and it was his determina- tion that the college he had virtually founded should be the instrument of realizing them. When he entered public life in Arkansas there were nearly 450,0O0 children of school age in the state, but the average school attendance was only 100000. The en- tire state had only 4,000 schools of every kind, the single room log hous- es exceeding the brick structures six to one-the former were even being constructed annually in more tEal double the proportion of the latter.
 Large numbers of these schools maintained sessions for only two or three months during the year, while teachers were poorly paid and had but little mental equipment for thei1 task. Arkansas had no Normal School for training it's teachers and did not build one for 20 years after the founding of Hendrix College.
 The institution over which Dr. Mil lar presided offered no technical courses in education, but it maintain ed it's standard, upheld the highest educational ideals, and practically typed education in Arkansas. And it is not too much to say that this institution in its 30 years of service to the state has done more for public education than any other college in the commonwealth, It produced it's own presidents to succeed Dr. Millar, the state superintendent of public in structlon and deputy superintendent large numbers of college president and professors and great multitude of teachers in the public schools. The state has recently launched a For ward Eduaction Movement" in every county, for the purpose of completely