Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/479

 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 419 is supported largely by tuition fees and vol- untary gifts. Elmwood Seminary Elmwood Seminary, under the control of the Presbyterian church in Farniington, was established through the work of Rev. James A. Creightou, at one time supply of the Farm- ington Presbyterian church. "While engaged in the duties of this position he became im- pressed with the importance of an institution in Southeast Missouri under the control of the church for the education of women. He accordingly prepared plans for the institu- tion and submitted them to the Presbyteries of Potosi and St. Louis in April, 1886. The plans were approved by the two Presbyteries and Mr. Creighton began the work of secur- ing property and buildings for the location of the school. He was successful in securing the property in Parmington known as the Cayce place, and the school was opened in September, 1886, in the old residence on this place. It was conducted in this building for several .years, but it became evident that if the school was to succeed to a very great ex- tent a new building must be erected suited to school purposes. The work was imdertaken in September, 1889, and the building com- pleted in June, 1890. This building is 45x80 feet in size and four stories in height, including the basement. Together with the heating, lighting and fur- nishing it cost about $20,000, all of which was contributed, with the exception of .$500, by the people of Parmington. The new seminary which was called Elm- wood, was placed in charge of Rev. A. W. Wilson, who was not only a minister, but also an experienced teacher, and was fortunate at the time in having two daughters to assist him in the work of instruction. Circum- stances, however, compelled him to resign the position after some years of successful work and he was succeeded by Miss SaUie H. Holli- day, under whose direction the school had a very prosperous period of growth. Presidents of the institution since that time have been Miss Helen Montgomery, Miss Maude Mont- gomery, and Miss Lula May Winn, who is now at the head of the school. The attendance averages about 120 and the school is known for the close attention given to its students and the thoroughness of its work. It fills a dis- tinct place in the educational system of the southeast. Pabmington College For a time an institution known as Parm- ington College was conducted in Parmington by E. P. Jennings. It was established in Sep- tember, 1886, and was imder the control of the Franklin Association of Baptist churches. The school was conducted in a two-story brick building which stood on the lot now occupied by the new high school building. This building had been erected in 1883 by J. S. Gashwiler who erected it and conducted a school until 1886. This Parmington College had a precarious existence for several years. It usually had an enrollment of 75 or 100 students but was never in a prosperous con- dition. The building was destroyed by fire about 1894, was later rebuilt and again was destroyed by fire, and the school finally closed about the year 1900. IMabvin Collegiate Institute jMarvin Collegiate Institute, an educational institution imder the control of the Methodist Episcopal church. South, was organized in 1867 at Caledonia in Washington coimty. For many years the institute, which was then called Bellevue Collegiate Institute, was oper-