Milligan College Archivist, Lindsay Kenderes hopes you will come by the main floor of the P.H. Welshimer Memorial Library to see two exhibits on display for Homecoming 2017.
A Vision For Milligan
This exhibit reveals an early history of Milligan College, with Rev. Wilson G. Barker arriving at Buffalo Creek Christian Church and establishing the Buffalo Male and Female Institute in 1866. Lawson White Hampton was a student at the Buffalo Institute around 1870-1871 and the Holloway Archives has his original class notebook featuring writings from his Composition Writing and Reading class. “To have an example of a student’s work from the early years of the Buffalo Institute is a rare find in the Archives,” said Kenderes.
Another exciting item on display is Dr. Josephus Hopwood’s telescope, which was given to him by Wilkie Snyder Bishop. Earlier this semester, on the day of the solar eclipse (August 21, 2017), Anne E. Bishop, with her nephew James Allen Bishop and family, donated this telescope to Milligan College. In 1915, Dr. Hopwood returned to Milligan to serve a second term as president. While on a walk on Emmanuel Hill he became acquainted with a little boy playing in the woods. This boy was 9-year-old Wilkie Snyder Bishop. Dr. Hopwood was intrigued by the telescope Wilkie was playing with. Wilkie shared his telescope and Hopwood used it to gaze across the valley toward Milligan College. After returning home, Wilkie’s father encouraged his son to give his telescope to Dr. Hopwood. The telescope was returned to the Bishop family after Hopwood’s death in 1935.
“I think this telescope signifies Dr. Hopwood’s vision for what Milligan College has become today. Milligan has united with Emmanuel Christian Seminary, on the spot where Wilkie Snyder Bishop shared his telescope with Dr. Hopwood. I think this was a foreshadowing moment of what Milligan now represents,” said Kenderes.
Class of 1967: Reminiscing Milligan Life 50 Years Ago
Each year at Homecoming, alumni return to unite with classmates from their graduating year. This year, the Archives celebrates the Class of 1967’s 50th Reunion by showcasing an array of student life photos and documents they would have experienced during their time at Milligan. “I think students would be surprised by some of these photos, including one showing a student with a typewriter on Pardee lawn, and a classroom photo with some students wearing ties.”
