Hilltopper Heritage

Timeline

1874 - Old Southern Normal School & Business College founded under the leadership of Professors A.W. Mell (president) and J.Tom Williams.

1889 - Cabell Hall construction completed

1891 - J.R. Alexander becomes president of Old Southern Normal School & Business College.

1892 - Old Southern Normal School & Business College reorganized by the Cherry Brothers as the Bowling Green College & Literary Institute with Dr. Henry H. Cherry as president. School occupied three rooms.

1895 - Bowling Green College & Literary Institute expanded into an entire building. A new charter was secured under a new name -- Southern Normal School & Bowling Green Business University .

1899, November 16 - Southern Normal School & Bowling Green Business University destroyed by fire. School met promptly the next day in leased rooms in business buildings of the city.

1900 - Southern Normal School & Bowling Green Business University built a new building.

1906 -

March 21 - Governor J. C. W. Beckham signs legislation chartering the Western Kentucky State Normal School.

May 7 - A committee appointed by the Governor votes to locate the Western Kentucky State Normal School in Bowling Green.

July 1 - Henry Hardin Cherry becomes President of the Western Kentucky State Normal School.

1907 -

January 7 - Southern Normal School & Bowling Green Business University split into two institutions. One a state run school, known as Western Kentucky Normal School with Dr. Henry H. Cherry as president, and the other, the Business University, a private school run by J.S. Dickey, J.L. Harman and W.S. Ashby.

January 22 -The first classes commence. Herman Lee Donovan, later president of Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky, is the first student officially registered.

December 18 - The Board of Regents approves the issue of a Life Certificate to Miss Flora Stallard, making her Western's first graduate.

1909, February 27 - Western agrees to purchase the campus of the Pleasant J. Potter College. This property became the nucleus of Western's hilltop campus.

1910 -

February 26 - Cornerstone laying ceremonies for the Administration Building (now Van Meter Hall) are held.

May 2 - The first official athletics competition takes place as Western's baseball team defeats Eastern 6-0.

1911 -

February 3-4 - Western moves to the Hill from its location on College Street between 11th and 12th Streets.

July 5 - Business University destroyed by fire. Not more than two recitation periods were missed. Moved to the "Castle" at 12th & College.

1919, January 28 - The ROTC is established at Western.

1920 November 18 - The Board of Regents convenes with its first woman member, Mary Gilmour.

1921 - President J.S. Dickey died and J.L. Harman became president of Business University. J. Murray Hill became vice-president.

1922 - Bowling Green College of Commerce established as a B grade junior college.

March 20 - Governor Edwin P. Morrow approves legislation changing Western's name to "Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College."

September 7 - Edgar Allen Diddle joins Western's staff as Athletic Director and coach of all sports.

September 20 - Western’s first campus bookstore opened in Recitation Hall, at that time the school’s main classroom building (now the site of Cherry Hall). Located on the second floor, the bookstore was authorized by the Board of Regents after students complained of a lack of local book dealers. Western loaned the store manager $1,740 in start-up costs and within two months he reported brisk business and a profit of $500.

1925 - Bowling Green College of Commerce became a senior college of A B grade rating.

1926 - Barracks and Cabell Hall razed

1928 - Bowling Green College of Commerce became a senior college with an A grade rating and gained membership in the Kentucky Association of Colleges & Universities.

1930 - Bowling Green College of Commerce joined American Association of Teachers Colleges.

1931 - President Cherry and family move into president's home, now Craig Alumni Center

1933 - Bowling Green College of Commerce joined the American Association of Commercial Teacher Training Institutions.

1962 - Board of Regents approved the organization of the Community College Division, offering evening college courses and other services to Bowling Green and surrounding communities. BOR 1/18/1962

1965 - Susan Crabtree hired, first African-American not hired as a maid

June 1 - Dr. John Scarborough was appointed Director of the Summer School and Community College.

1966 - James Beck and Mable Anderson early Black faculty members hired

1969, July 8 - The Community College was redesignated the Bowling Green Community College.

1973, June 9 - Dr. Carl Chelf appointed Dean of the Bowling Green Community College. Added to his duties in this new position was supervision of the extended campus classes. The establishment of this deanship was intended to give new emphasis to the increasing role of associate degree programs at Western.

1974, October 26 - Reorganization of the structure of the Bowling Green Community College and Continuing Education program areas begins.

1980, August 16 - Bowling Green Community College and Continuing Education was redesignated the Office of Public Service and Continuing Education, with Dr. Carl Chelf as Dean. Associate degree programs were placed within the appropriate college unit.

1987, January 1 - Community College opens as a part of Western but with separate admissions and curriculum to complement Western.