Alumni news
The Conservatory and the merger of Howard-Payne and Central by David Samson Like many alumni, I have enjoyed seeing the renovation process of Classic Hall. As a graduate of the Conservatory, I have especially loved seeing pictures and videos on Facebook of the band and choir enjoying their new rehearsal spaces. I was fortunate to see some of the renovation first hand as I was on campus in 2010 and 2011 doing research for my dissertation on the history of the Swinney Conservatory. Through my research I not only learned about the history of the “Con,” but about Central and its relationship to and eventual merger with HowardPayne College where Classic Hall first belonged and where Central’s music department began. Central and Howard-Payne Colleges both have fascinating early histories. Even though Central was never founded as an all-male school, the circumstances of Central’s development alongside Howard High School (which eventually became the all-girls Howard Female College) caused the separation of the sexes during the years following the Civil War. While Howard-Payne College was still a separate entity in 1911 when Classic Hall was built, the two schools were deeply connected to one another. At this time, men and women from the two schools often dated and married one another, students took classes from both schools and even some professors taught at both schools. The music department, established at Howard-Payne in the 1880s, Music studio in Howard-Payne was thriving under the leadership of N. Louise Wright (who had taken over in 1906 and would remain the head of the department at Howard-Payne and later Central College until her retirement in 1952). While Howard-Payne’s music department was housed in the building that is now the north wing of Howard-Payne Hall, Classic Hall’s auditorium with its new Steinway grand piano and pipe organ, was used to host student and professional recitals. These events were highlights of Fayette’s 46
Fall 2012
social scene and were well attended by students of both schools. With the two colleges intertwined so much, it was only a matter of time before the schools merged. This, however, was not an easy thing to accomplish. An early attempt by the Missouri Conference of the Methodist Church in 1899 to force officials of Howard-Payne College to give control over to Central was met with fierce opposition. In 1913, under the leadership of Central President Paul H. Linn, the beginnings of a merger took hold. From 1913-1917 Linn steadily expanded course offerings available to Howard-Payne students. In 1918, the two schools announced a proposed affiliation deal that would allow
1915 Central College Orchestra
students from either school to take courses at the other. Since Howard-Payne had an established music department, it likewise incorporated Central students by offering lessons, including them in its vocal ensembles and providing them roles in their musical productions. Students at Central had started their own musical ensembles such as the band, glee club, and orchestra in the early 1900s as an offshoot of their literary societies Phi Alpha and the Aristotelian Society. As these music groups grew, instructors at Howard-Payne became more involved. Along with conducting the Howard-Payne College Band, HowardPayne instructor A. Delos McCampbell also served as director of Central’s band (1916-1919) and orchestra (19171919). An attempt by Central to establish its own music department under McCampbell failed due to the start of World War I and McCampbell’s departure in 1919. In 1922, Howard-Payne curators voted to officially affiliate with Central. While the merger was effectively completed in 1923, the issue of transferring Howard-Payne’s endowment money was not settled until 1927. President Linn passed away in 1924 and was succeeded by Bishop William F. McMurry. Even before the merger, plans had been set in motion for the building of a conservatory for the students of Howard-Payne. In 1922, Kansas City Banker Edward
Central Methodist University
Talon