Bethel College (Kentucky)

Bethel College was the name of two related Baptist-affiliated colleges in Kentucky. The college opened in 1854 and operated under various names before closing in 1964. Throughout most of its history, the Hopkinsville campus was a women's college while the Russellville campus was a men's college. Both campuses became coeducational before closing.

Baptist minister Samuel Baker is credited with coming up with the idea of establishing Bethel College in southcentral Kentucky.^[1] Baker came to Russellville, Kentucky in 1841 as the minister of the Baptist church and took a similar position in Hopkinsville, Kentucky five years later.^[1] In addition to preaching at the Hopkinsville Baptist Church, Baker chaired the education committee of the Bethel Association of Baptists.^[1] The Baptist Association of Southwestern Kentucky approved the establishment of a college in Russellville in September 1849.^[2] The school received its charter from Kentucky in 1851.^[3]

Construction on the central building began in 1852.^[2] The Russellville campus opened as Russellville Male Academy on January 3, 1854.^[1][2] Its first principal was B. T. Blewitt.^[4] A new charter was secured, and the high school became a college in 1854.^[4]

The college closed from 1861 to September 1863 during the Civil War.^[2][4] The Confederate Convention met there in 1861, and it was also used as a hospital.^[5]

By 1910, the college had an endowment of $102,930 ($3,473,520 in 2024 money).^[2] The college changed its name in 1917 to Bethel College.^[6] It became co-educational in 1923.^[5] However, the college had debts and could no longer compete with larger colleges.^[7] It closed in January 1933, after the fall graduation.^[5] The college's enrollment peaked at 213 students.^[7] In June 1933, the college merged with Georgetown University.^[7]

After the boy's school in 1854, Baker outlined the case for a similar institution for young women at the association's annual meeting.^[1] A charter was received for the Baptist Female Institute, and efforts were made to raise the $30,000 needed for campus and buildings.^[3] Construction began in 1854.^[3] The institution opened as Bethel Female High School in 1856.^[3] Its first president was W. F. Hill.^[3]

It was rechartered as Bethel Female College in 1858, under the Green River Educational Convention.^[3] During the Civil War, the college closed for two years.^[8] The Hopkinsville campus was used as a hospital during a black measles epidemic from 1861 to 1862.^[8] In 1884, the study body averaged 100 women, with 35 being boarding students.^[3] Between 1874 and 1884, 68 students graduated.^[3]

The college changed its name on July 2, 1917, to Bethel Women's College.^[9] During World War II, the college closed from 1942 to 1945 and its rooms were rented to Camp Campbell army officers.^[8]

On August 22, 1951, the college became co-educational and changed its name to simply Bethel College.^[10][8] It closed in 1964.^[1][8] Some 1,770 students graduated from the college.^[8]

Bethel Men's College was on the western outskirts of Russellville, Kentucky.^[2] The campus consisted of sixteen acres.^[5] It had five buildings, including the Main Hall, two dormitories (Nimrod Long Hall and Long Hall), a library and gymnasium, and the president's house.^[7][5] Its athletic field was called Brookside Park.^[5] Its buildings were demolished in 1868.^[5]

Bethel Female College, later Bethel College, was located forty miles away on six acres in the western suburbs of Hopkinsville, Kentucky.^[1][3] Its address was located on West 15th Street between Main and Canton streets.^[8] Its main building was a three-story brick structure with a basement.^[3] It had the capacity to board sixty students.^[3] Most of the Hopkinsville campus razed in 1966; its former gymnasium remains as of 2019.^[8]

One of the goals of Bethel Male College was to educate ministers and teachers.^[4] It was a four-year college from 1917 to 1920.^[5] From 1921 until its closing in 1933, it was a junior college.^[5]

The Bethel Female College included a School of Languages, ancient and modern; School of Mathematics, pure and mixed; School of English, including belle letters and mental and moral sciences; School of Natural Sciences, and the School of Fine Arts.^[3]

Bethel Men's College had a chapters of Alpha Kappa Phi, Alpha Tau Omega, Kappa Sigma, Phi Gamma Delta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Sigma Nu fraternities.^[7][11][12] The college had two literary societies, the Philomathian Literary Society, established in 1856, and the Washington Literary Society, formed in 1858.^[11] It had yearbook and student newspapers, both called Blue and Gold.^[7]

Bethel College's primary sport was baseball.^[7] It also had a basketball team that won 26 games in the 1926-1927 year.^[7] Bethel College had a football program from 1894 to 1931.^[7] It was the state champion in 1899.^[7] It played against Cumberland College, Western Normal College, Union College, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee Tech, Oakland City, Evansville, Lindsey Wilson, Transylvania, Hanover, the University of Tennessee, and the University of West Virginia.^[7]

• Ben M. Bogard, clergyman, founder of the American Baptist Association.^[13]

• The History of Bethel College and Russellville Male Academy (pdf). Kentucky Education Collection, University Archives, University of Kentucky.

36°51.793′N 87°29.555′W / 36.863217°N 87.492583°W / 36.863217; -87.492583