Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute. ACU has an annual enrollment of about 5,000 students from across the United States and 60 nations.

History

Abilene Christian University grew from an idea held by A. B. Barret and Charles Roberson to form a school in West Texas. The Church of Christ in Abilene agreed to back the project. J. W. Childers sold Barret land and a large house west of the town and lowered the price with the stipulation that the school would be named in his honor. Childers Classical Institute opened in the fall of 1906, with 25 students.

When Jesse P. Sewell became president of the institute in 1912, the school began using "Abilene Christian College" on all its printed material. In 1920, the school paid the Childers family $4,000 and formally changed the name.

The Optimist, the university's student-run newspaper, was founded in 1912. The Prickly Pear, the school yearbook, was founded in 1916. The campus literary-arts magazine (now The Shinnery Review, formerly The Pickwicker) has been in production since 1933.

In 1927, with the help of a $75,000 contribution from the city of Abilene, the board of trustees purchased 680 acres (2.8 km²) northeast of Abilene. In addition, residents donated 75 acres (304,000 m²) of adjoining land. The new campus opened in the fall of 1929.

From the time its founding to the present, the university has been governed by a board of trustees made up of members of the Churches of Christ. Abilene Christian College operated as an unaffiliated church-related school until December of 1951, when it was granted full accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Abilene Christian University first received school accreditation in 1971 when it became an accredited member of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.^*

On February 22, 1976 the name was changed to Abilene Christian University. The school is celebrating its centennial in the 2005-06 school year.

Mission statement

"The mission of Abilene Christian University is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world."

Presidents

Allen Booker Barret (1906-08)
H. C. Darden (1908-09)
Robertson Lafayette Whiteside(1909-11)
James F. Cox (1911-12)
Jesse Parker Sewell (1912-1924)
Batsell Baxter (1924-1932)
James F. Cox (1932-1940)
Don H. Morris (1940-1969)
John C. Stevens (1969-1981)
William J. Teague (1981-1991)
Royce Money (1991-present)

Notable alumni

Danieal Manning, professional football player
Jordan Blakey, Noted artist and animal rights activist
John Layfield, professional wrestler
Max Lucado, Christian author
Bobby Morrow, Olympic sprinter
Wilbert Montgomery, professional football player
Bonnie Curtis, Movie Producer
Randall "Tex" Cobb, Actor
David Leeson, 2004 co-winner of Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography (first nominated in 1995)
R. Gerald Turner, President of Southern Methodist University

Trivia

In the Madden NFL Series, when a player is being created, Abilene Christian University is the default college when selecting a college for the player information, being alphabetically first of all United States colleges or universities.

External links

Footnote

When James Cox's wife became ill, his brother, Alonzo B. Cox, filled in for him to finish the term.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools | Universities and colleges affiliated with the Church of Christ | Universities and colleges in Texas | Taylor County, Texas