Prickly Pear, Yearbook of Abilene Christian University, 2006 Page: 4
336 p. : ill. ; 32 cm. Includes DVD, 12 cm.View a full description of this yearbook.
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_~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0In 1903, A.B. Barret traveled to Iexas to preach near
Weatherford and Sherman, and his connection at Sherman
eventually led him to accept a teaching position at Southwestern
(Christian College in Denton. During his time at
the college in Denton, Barret's idea for starting a Christian
college in \%est Texas began to form. By 1905, Barret began
site surveys for potential locations of the new Christian college
and narrow ed down the location options to the cities of
\bilene, Ballinger and San Angelo.
After visiting the cities, Barret was convinced that
Abilene was the right place. He succeeded in gaining support
from members of the growing Church of Christ
in Abilene, including one of the churchs members, j.vl
Childers. In February of 1906, Childers agreed to sell some
land to Barret f;,r the school, and the men made a deal that
the school would be named in Childers' honor if (Childers
would reduce the price of the land.
Ihe new (Childers Classical Institute conducted an
opening assembly on Sept. 11, 1906 with 25 students attending.
IIhe new school occupied five alcres of land and had
an administration building that was not completely finished
when classes began in September. Students soon began to
call the building the 'Abilene Chicken (oop" and formed
a bucket brigade to bring buckets of water from a well to
the building each morning because the building was not yet
connected to water lines.
Although the school often had financial burdens, water
shortages, cold classrooms and was on its third president by
the fall of 1909, the school saw growth during
its early years. Enrollment reached 130 students
during the institute's second year and the school
awarded diplomas to its first four graduates in
1909. Under the leadership of H. C. [)arden,
the school's second president, the school built
relationships with the Abilene community and
paid off debts.Faculty members from the
1908-1909 school year sit for a
picture. They were led by the
school's second president, H.C.
Darden.
Students and faculty members
gather in front of a building
on the original campus of
Childers Classical Institute. The
original campus was located on
North 1st Street in downtown
Abilene.7' /!
;t (. uncU/icI I I
A.B. Barret visits Sherman
I xas, and as a result
accepts a teaching position
at Southwestern Christian
College in Denton where
the idea for a (Christian college
in \Vest lexas begins.J.W{ Childers sells land to
A.B. Barret for the new
Christian college. Childers
took $2,200 off the price
of the land if the college
would be named after him.On Sept. 11, 25 students
attend the opening assembly
for Childers Classical Institute.
When the school originally
opened, college-level
work was not yet offered.Four students become
the first to receive their
diplomas from Childers
Classical Institute.I
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Abilene Christian University. Prickly Pear, Yearbook of Abilene Christian University, 2006, yearbook, 2006; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth39882/m1/7/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.