History Of Tua

History of Arkansas Tech University

Est. 1909

Arkansas ranked 42nd out of the 46 states in annual per capita school funds at a mere $4.97 per student. Citizens started to feel the need for secondary education for their children most ardently. The Washington County Farmers' Union started the concept of agricultural boarding schools. H.S. Mobley was one of the most fluent spokesman for the Union. He believed in vocational education, and he pleaded for schools where students might learn partly by working with their hands at practical farm work under trained instructors. In 1908, the Arkansas Democratic platform endorsed the idea of "farmer's schools" and George W. Donaghey advocated four such schools in his campaign for governor. The bill that was introduced to the Senate was referred to the agriculture committee, which reported the bill back to the House of Representatives on January 30, 1909, with the recommendation that it be passed. The bill passed the House on February 5, 1909, and the Senate on March 23, 1909. It was signed into law as Act 100 by Governor Donaghey on April 1, 1909. By September 30, 1909, the board members had been appointed.

The town wishing to be considered as the location for one of the four schools must offer a minimum of $40,000 and a site of not less than 200 acres. The citizens of Russellville were very interested in meeting these bid conditions. A story in the January 1910 Courier Democrat stated that Atkins had raised $30,000 and 320 acres of land toward a bid for the school, apparently only four towns were in the final bidding; Fort Smith with $40,000 and 200 acres of land; Ozark with $40,000 and 200 acres of land; Russellville with $40,000 and 220 acres of land; and Morrilton with $46,000 and 200 acres of land. It originally appeared that Morrilton went to Ozark with the best bid. However, apparently at the last moment the Russellville delegation led by Judge R.B. Wilson raised its bid by offering free lights and water for three years. Russellville was also favored because of its healthfulness of location, its railroad connections with Dardanelle, Ola, Little Rock, and Fort Smith, Arkansas, its quality of soil, its central location in the district, its proposed site close to town, and its location directly on the water and light lines coming from the dam. February 10, 1910, was a great day in Russellville. Bells and whistles greeted the news from Ozark that the Second District Agricultural School would be established in Russellville.

The first order of business for the Second District School Board of Trustees to do was elect someone to run the school. They elected A.K. Short, instructor of animal husbandry at the University of Arkansas, as principal of the new school. His duties were to issue and sign all requisitions, control all books of the school, direct all labor, have the entire supervision of the faculty, and make a report to the board at the end of each month. The next thing that the trustees did was select the site for the school and the location of the first school buildings.

The Board of Trustees postponed the opening of the fall term until October 26, 1910. But, when October 26th arrived, the buildings were still unfinished. Despite this, the students were allowed to register and classes were begun. There was no heat in the classrooms. The water main to supply Russellville with water had not yet been completed. Since Russellville had promised free water to the school for three years, it fulfilled its commitment by installing a pump in a shallow well on the campus (the Russellville water system was finally put into operation in May 1912).

Suddenly in September of 1911, in his letter of resignation, Principal Short stated that under the present management of the board he had little if any control of the school. Therefore his work could not reach the efficiency of the prior years and he felt compelled to submit his resignation as principal of the school. In the same announcement of the beginning of the fall term of school in 1911 came the announcement of the election of George A. Cole as temporary principal to take the place of A.K. Short. Two weeks later, the Board of Trustees announced the election of George A. Cole as president for a term of four years. Even though Cole received more supervision from the board than he would have liked, he seemed to cope fairly well.

The Pope County Farmers' Union passed a resolution praising President Cole in his work at the Second District Agricultural School. The Union said that not only was Cole giving the best of training to the young men and women, but he was also growing the greatest variety of crops ever grown in the county. Where weeds had grown before, he was producing the best of cotton, corn, peas, peanuts, kaffir corn, and every variety of garden truck.

In early 1916, the board of the Second District School appointed Charles E. Scott as president of the school to succeed George A. Cole. His approach was resented by the Aggie students from the beginning, and his tenure was one of turmoil and soon resulted in open revolt. The Board of Trustees held meetings and interviewed students and faculty members. President Scott felt that the board was meddling and not supporting him so he resigned in disgust.

In June 1916, the board selected Charles G. Lueker as head of the agronomy department and acting president of the school to succeed President Scott. A major task of the Aggie school administration and its supporters was obtaining funds from the state. In February 1917, a group of Russellville citizens went to Little Rock to lobby the Legislature for funds for the Second District School. The results were positive on this occasion. The state Senate did pass a millage tax for the state-supported school.

In March 1917, Acting President Lueker was made president. During his administration, he was a good man and did his best, but war clouds were hovering and enrollment was dwindling. From an enrollment of 350 in 1914-15 the enrollment dropped to 110 in 1917-18. Although President Lueker served for the year 1917-18, he resigned before the year was out.

Because of the unsettled condition of the times, the morale of the faculty, students, and patrons was low. The Board of Trustees felt that unless they could find an unusual leader that the days of the school might be numbered. Their search was fortunate. They elected Hugh Critz and he began his presidential duties in August 1918. Hugh Critz was the answer to their prayer because he was a dynamic personality and a promoter. He had an excellent ability for publicity and public relations. He employed unique methods of discipline and soon became popular with the students, faculty, citizens, and press. Under his leadership,