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Post Info TOPIC: History 099: USM Presidents
Research Associate

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History 099: USM Presidents
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A brief primer on the history of USM’s presidents. It is a somewhat sordid tale and does not reflect well upon the state as a whole.  So what else is new you say? Can you spell intellectual incest?


 


 


#1. Joseph Anderson Cook, the “Father of USM” and who was know to his students as ‘Daddy Joe.’  President: 1911 – 1928.  Originally Mississippi Normal College.


(Although founded March 30, 1910, classes started in September 1912)


 


USM Library named after him.


 


BS / Vanderbilt


Graduate work at George Peabody College for Teachers, Memphis, TN.


 


Came to USM (MNC) from his position as superintendent of the Columbus, MS city schools.


 


March 7, 1924, MNC became the State Teachers College (STC).


 


Sept. 28, 1928, fired by Governor Theodore G. Bilbo.


 


Went on to be the elected State Senator from Lowdnes County for three consecutive terms.


 


 


#2. Claude Bennett. President 1928 – 1933.


 


Main campus auditorium named after him.


 


BA / Trinity College, now Duke University


 


A Bilbo appointment, he came to STC from his position as State Superintendent of Rural Schools & Junior Colleges.


 


In 1932 the State IHL Board was founded and the first order of business was to fire all Bilbo political appointees. Bennett fired in 1933.


 


Alma Hickman in her book Southern as I Saw It said that Claude Bennett “had come to Hattiesburg a suspected man and left, in 1933, a loved and respected educator.”


 


 


#3. Dr. Jennings Burton George. President 1933 – 1945.


A STC alumnus, first president with a PhD..


 


The Commons is named after him.


 


BS / Mississippi Normal College


MS & Ph D / George Peabody College


 


Served in the Army in WWI, was on the front lines when the war ended.


 


February 13, 1940, State Teachers College became Mississippi Southern College.


 


No longer exclusively a teachers college. He proposed graduate work in Education, Home Economics and Music.


 


January 1945. The IHL declined to rehire Dr. George, and no reason was given.


 


Dr. George’s sound fiscal policies and managerial genius steered USM safely through the Great Depression and WWII.


 


 


#4. Dr. Robert C. Cook. President 1945 – 1954. (No relation to Joseph A. Cook)


In 1940, he was the Dean, School of Education at Old Miss. Served as a Captain in the Army in Europe. Returned home to find he was President of MSC.


 


The R. C. Cook Union is named after him.


 


BS / Mississippi State College (now MSU)


MS, PhD / Columbia University


 


Created the Graduate School, Reading Clinic, Latin American Institute (now the ELI), and the Speech & Hearing Clinic. Started the Dixie Darlings. Pushed for a strong Greek system.


 


R. C. Cook was the first president to leave USM voluntarily! He left to become the VP of the Jackson State Times (newspaper) and later started a Life Insurance Company and served on the IHL Board.


 


 


#5. Dr. Richard Aubrey McLemore, Acting President January – August 1954.


“Dr. Mac” was a faculty member at MSC and was a Dean at the time.


 


McLemore Hall is named for Dr. Mac. (That is the old union building for those who do not recognize the official name, it ‘faces’ Lake Byron.)


 


BS / Mississippi College


MS / George Peabody College


PhD / Vanderbilt University


 


In 1957, ‘Dr. Mac’ became President of Mississippi College, serving until 1966. He later became State Archivist…see Dr. McCain.


 


#6. Dr. William D. McCain. President 1955 – 1975.


Dr. McCain came to MSC after serving as the State Archivist from 1938 – 1955.


 


The McCain Graduate Library is named for Dr. McCain.


 


Joined the National Guard in the 1920’s and retired as a 2-star (Brigadier?) General. Served in Europe in WWII.


 


BS / Delta State


MS / Old Miss


PhD / Duke


 


September 1962: Mississippi Southern College to The University of Southern Mississippi


 


 


#7. Dr. Aubrey Keith Lucas. President 1975 – 1996, 2001-2002.


Spent his entire career at USM, except for 1 year at FSU (PhD while asst. Registrar at USM) and a brief stint as President of Delta State.


 


Administration Building named for him.


 


BS, MS / USM Geology


PhD / Florida State University


 


#8. Dr. Horace W. Fleming. President 1997 – 2001.


Served as an Army Captain in Viet Nam, earning a Bronze Star.


 


The only president of USM to have no building named after him on campus.


 


BS, MS / University of Georgia


PhD / Vanderbilt University


 


 


#9 Dr. Shelby F. Thames. President 2002 – present.


Born and raised in Hattiesburg. Has only lived outside Hattiesburg during a two-year stint while he earned his PhD at U. TN.


 


SF Thames Polymer Science Building named after him.


 


BS, MS / USM


PhD / University of Tennessee



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truth4usm/AH

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Great work!  The only quibbly I have is about Peabody College.  It's not in Memphis, as you state, but rather Nashville, TN.  It merged with Vanderbilt University in the 70s.  Here's the history from the Vanderbilt website:


"Peabody College traces its lineage to Davidson Academy, organized in 1785, ten years before the state of Tennessee was founded. Except for shifts of name and location, it continues today. Its emergence in 1875 as a college dedicated to the training of teachers and its relocation to a new campus in 1914 were made possible largely through the beneficence of George Peabody, America's great educational philanthropist, for whom the college was renamed George Peabody College for Teachers. Peabody merged with Vanderbilt University in the summer of 1979 to become its college of education and human development."


http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/about_peabody/history.htm


As a current employee of Vanderbilt, I find it interesting how many USM presidents received their education from Vanderbilt or Peabody College.



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Invictus

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quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
"Peabody merged with Vanderbilt University in the summer of 1979 to become its college of education and human development."


Legitimizing many Vanderbilt athletes, who were allowed to enroll at Peabody prior to 1979.

Bear in mind, of course, that the average defenseive lineman on the Vanderbilt football team would be on a full academic scholarship at USM

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cockeyedoptimist

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 This my post from another thread-what do you think?


 


 



  Reference is made a lot to a national search and an outsider-Has USM ever had someone from outside the South at the helm or in an upper level administrative position? Has it ever had a president from outside Mississippi except for Fleming who didn't fare well. I ask because I don't know, and I also would like to get the very best no matter where he/she is from-but could an outsider work with the system, understand the culture, be accepted in the long term particularly if this person is a change agent? And does the university need a change agent now or someone to "maintain the organization" after this heady period of turmoil? 





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Research Associate

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Sorry about the mistake re: Peabody College. I was not familiar with it and the reference I found listed it as beign located in Memphis, TN.

I was just passing on what I had found digging throught the USM library archives.

I realized that I did not know a lot about our early leadership, so I decided to pursue the brief summary so we would all know.

I was surprised to find that Fleming was the only president who had no prior connection to Mississippi.

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truth4usm/AH

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quote:
Originally posted by: Research Associate
"Sorry about the mistake re: Peabody College. I was not familiar with it and the reference I found listed it as beign located in Memphis, TN. I was just passing on what I had found digging throught the USM library archives. I realized that I did not know a lot about our early leadership, so I decided to pursue the brief summary so we would all know. I was surprised to find that Fleming was the only president who had no prior connection to Mississippi. "

Hey, Research Associate...thanks for all of the info!  I appreciated it (just setting the facts straight about Peabody).  It was in a concise and readable format...thanks for your hard work.


 



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Research Associate

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"Peabody College traces its lineage to Davidson Academy, organized in 1785, ten years before the state of Tennessee was founded. Except for shifts of name and location, it continues today. Its emergence in 1875 as a college dedicated to the training of teachers and its relocation to a new campus in 1914...


 


I re-read what you had posted and my Memphis, TN location might be right after all. As Mr. Cook received his graduate work at  George Peabody in the 1890's and he took over the presidency in 1911, all were BEFORE the relocation to a new campus in 1914. So, at one time was Peabody College located in Memphis?  


I am now curious.



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truth4usm/AH

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quote:
Originally posted by: Research Associate
""Peabody College traces its lineage to Davidson Academy, organized in 1785, ten years before the state of Tennessee was founded. Except for shifts of name and location, it continues today. Its emergence in 1875 as a college dedicated to the training of teachers and its relocation to a new campus in 1914...   I re-read what you had posted and my Memphis, TN location might be right after all. As Mr. Cook received his graduate work at  George Peabody in the 1890's and he took over the presidency in 1911, all were BEFORE the relocation to a new campus in 1914. So, at one time was Peabody College located in Memphis?   I am now curious."

Hmmm....I'm interested, too.  Here's a link to more info:


http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/vrr/peabody.shtml


From what I've skimmed, I don't see any references to Memphis, but will keep looking.  BTW, the current Peabody location is one of the loveliest places at Vanderbilt...lots of beautiful old buildings, wide-open green spaces, and a remarkably restored Wyatt Center as its main focus.  Y'all come on up for a visit, and I'll show you around! 



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YA-ConcernedAlumnus

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http://www.peabodymemphis.com/

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take it back

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#8. Dr. Horace W. Fleming. President 1997 – 2001.



Served as an Army Captain in Viet Nam, earning a Bronze Star.



 



The only president of USM to have no building named after him on campus.


 


 


sidenote: his name was thrown around for the name of the new(er) dorm on the northend of campus.



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LVN

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As a native Memphian, I'd be willing to bet that Peabody College was in Memphis at one time -- the main public library is also named for him.

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truth4usm/AH

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quote:
Originally posted by: LVN
"As a native Memphian, I'd be willing to bet that Peabody College was in Memphis at one time -- the main public library is also named for him."
From the archives of Peabody College (look for link in post above from me), it looks as if it's always been in or near Nashville.  But I know that there is a Peabody Hotel in Memphis, so it makes sense that the library is named after him, too.  Guess the Peabody's got around!

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