Central Methodist University (formerly known as Central Methodist College and Central College, as well as by its abbreviation CMU) is a private university in Fayette, Missouri. CMU is accredited to offer master's, bachelors, and associate degrees. While affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the university does not impose any religious requirements on its students.
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History
On April 13–14, 1853, Central Methodist University was founded by Nathan Scarritt and David Rice McAnally. The Methodist Episcopal Church, South received the campus of the defunct Howard College in 1847. Initially founded as Howard High School, the Howard Female College and Central College were subsequently formed. The college was chartered by the Missouri General Assembly on March 15, 1855. It came about due largely to the diligent work of Nathan Scarritt and David Rice McAnally. Classes began on September 18, 1857, on a 1-acre (0.405 ha) campus with an enrollment of 114 students and a faculty of three. Samuel C. Major was the first graduate, in 1858. In about 100 years the school grew to a campus of 55 acres (22.3 ha), enrollment of over 1,000 students and a faculty of 65. In 2004, it was granted university status and changed its name accordingly.
1864 Battle of Fayette
The battle occurred on September 24, 1864, when two bands of Southern sympathizers attacked the Union troops stationed in Fayette; it ranged across the town to end on what is now the college's campus. The guerrillas were led by William "Bloody Bill" Anderson and George Todd, and included among their number were Frank and Jesse James, of outlaw fame.
Somewhere between 30 and 50 Union soldiers faced off against the 250 guerrillas, who had disguised themselves with uniforms taken from dead Union soldiers.
Only 75 members of the large guerrilla party charged the barricaded troops. Though Anderson and Todd lived on to terrorize Union troops across the state before their deaths, the ill-conceived attack had deadly consequences: after three charges, thirteen of Anderson's men were dead and another 30 were wounded. Only 1 (some accounts say 3) of the Union soldiers were killed, and another five wounded.
In later years, Frank James said that the Fayette fight made him "the worst scared I ever was during the war." In his brief description of the fight, he said, "We charged up to a blockhouse made of railroad ties filled with portholes and then charged back again. The blockhouse was filled with Federal troops and it was like charging a stone wall, only this stone wall belched forth lead."
On October 14, 2007, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources commemorated the battle by placing a marker on the Central Methodist University campus.
Campus
Central Methodist's main campus is in Fayette, Missouri. Notable features include Linn Memorial United Methodist Church, Swinney Conservatory, Brannock Hall, Little Theatre, Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art, and Quadrangle (aka "The Quad"). The college also has the Morrison Observatory next to the president's home across the street from the Fayette city park. On-campus cultural attractions include the Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art, Stephens Museum, concerts presented by the Swinney Conservatory of Music, and productions hosted in the Little Theatre or on the Quad. The 2004 film Killer Diller was filmed on campus and in various other locations owned by the university.
The Central Methodist College Campus Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It encompasses 11 contributing buildings. They are Classic Hall (1911), Howard-Payne Hall (1852, 1889, 1921), Givens Hall (1848–1850), Brannock Hall (1856), Cupples Hall (1899), Clingenpeel Physical Education Building (1906), T. Berry Smith Hall (1890), Swinney Conservatory of Music (1927), Paul H. Linn Memorial Methodist Church and Cross Memorial Tower (1929–1931), Rice H. Cooper Parish House (1927), and Morrison Observatory (1875, 1935).
Buildings located on campus
Brannock Hall
Brannock Hall was built in 1856. It stood through the Civil War and functioned as Fayette's weather center. Brannock sat empty from 1911 to 1914. It was then remolded into a boys' dormitory. In 1928 it became the administrative building on campus.
Howard-Payne Hall
Howard Payne Hall was built in 1851 boarding house for women by William T. Lucky and Nathan Scarritt. The north wing was added from the burnt bricks that used to be Howard High School. The north wing was used to house classrooms. In 1859, Howard High School was chartered into Howard College. Eventually Central bought Howard College and it became a female dorm. Howard Payne Hall was closed for several years due to the use of soft bricks during its construction. In 1981, the building was reopened and used as a co-ed dorm and is still used this way in the present.
Givens
Givens is the oldest structure on the CMU campus built in 1848–50. In 1903 it was used as a resident building for Howard Payne College presidents. In 1928 it was turned into a residence hall for Howard Payne female faculty. Givens has served the campus in many different ways. one way being that it was used in World War II as the Navy sick bay, and has also been used as a residence building for female students. It is now used to house alumni and guests.
Cupples Hall
Built in 1896 by Samuel Cupples as a dormitory for men. In 1927 Cupples became a library to house the George M. Smiley collection. In 1969–70 it was renovated, and a new addition was added that doubled the size of the library and allowed for the placement of The Little Theatre below.
Classic Hall
Classic Hall was built in 1911 and was considered to be the great learning center on campus. It was originally constructed to help keep Howard Payne College a self-contained college for women. This allowed Howard Payne to become strictly a dormitory. Classic Hall was used to house classrooms, performances, and a women's literary society. In 1981, it was shut down due to declining enrollment and a weakening structure. Classic Hall was renovated and reopened in 2012 as a home for Fine Arts.
Regional campuses
The university also has several regional locations for continuing and graduate education programs in the Missouri communities of Clinton, Columbia, Dexter, Lake of the Ozarks, Linn, Macon (2010), Neosho, Park Hills, Poplar Bluff, Sedalia, St. Louis, Trenton, Union and Waynesville.
It also has an extensive online program and partnerships with several community colleges in Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois.
Athletics
The Central Methodist athletic teams are called the Eagles. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) since the 1991–92 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1971–72 to 1985–86. The Eagles previously competed as an NAIA Independent from 1986–87 to 1990–91; and in the Missouri College Athletic Union (MCAU) from 1924–25 to 1970–71.
Central Methodist competes in 21 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, soccer, track & field, and wrestling; basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field, volleyball and wrestling; and co-ed sports include competitive cheer, competitive dance and eSports.
Fight song
In the late spring of 2006, Central Methodist University adopted an official fight song written by Andrew Glover, a 1983 alumnus of Central Methodist College, called Fighting Eagles. The previous unofficial fight song had been Hail, Victory written by Central College alum and former drum major Robert Earl Stepp.
Notable alumni
Abel Muzorewa, Prime Minister of Zimbabwe
C. Fred Bergsten, American economist, author, and political adviser
Frank P. Briggs, United States Senator from Missouri
Murun Altankhuyag, professional soccer player and member of the Mongolia national football team
Bill Chott, American actor and comedian
Douglas A. Foster, religion historian at Abilene Christian University
William Gillock, music educator and composer
Boone Guyton, naval aviator
David Holsinger, American composer and conductor
Michael Johnson (attended), wrestler; The Ultimate Fighter 12 finalist, MMA fighter, currently competing in the Lightweight division of the UFC
Samuel C. Major, Democratic U.S. Representative from Missouri
Wendell Mayes, playwright and screenwriter
William Fletcher McMurry, eponym of McMurry University
Danielle Moore, French-born Missouri Republican state representative and member of NAACP
Daniel Leeper Mumpower, medical missionary to the Congo and early recorder of the Otetela language
Ira Richardson, president of Northwest Missouri State University and Adams State College
Notable faculty
Keith E. House, dean and professor, Swinney Conservatory of Music
Nannie Louise Wright, dean, Swinney Conservatory of Music