The gorgeous Late Victorian Romanesque Revival Main Building of Friends University was built in 1886 as the main building for Garfield University. That college and a successor effort failed. The campus and buildings were later offered to the Society of Friends. Friends University opened in 1898.
Transcribed from volume I of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. (
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"Garfield University.— The idea of erecting a university in memory of President Garfield originated with W. B. Hendryx, a personal friend of Mr. Garfield. There seemed to be no opportunity for establishing such a school in the east, so Mr. Hendryx came to Kansas and after some consideration the matter was taken up by the Christian church. The college committee of that body, consisting of A. J. Thompson, R. F. Lotz, W. D. Stone, Walter Chenault and Howard Rash, made a report to the Kansas convention of the church at Wichita on Oct. 7, 1886. The report stated that the committee believed $100,000 could be secured for the location of the college, if the committee could guarantee that the church would raise an additional $100,000
Of the several locations considered, Wichita was chosen. That city named, organized and chartered Garfield University, with a board of nine directors, and secured options on desirable college sites. On May 29, 1887, a contract was signed by the directors and the college committee, by the terms of which the board was to erect a university building on a 23 acre campus in the southwest part of the city, the building to cost not less than $75,000, nor more than $100,000. Instead of following the original plan, work was begun on a five-story building, covering three-fourths of an acre of ground, and in the second report of the committee this statement is found; "It is now certain that the building will cost not less than $200,000."
Mr. Hendryx, who had been elected business manager, secured funds to carry on the work and efforts were made to complete the north wing of the building in time to open school in the fall of 1887, but this was found to be impossible. The board then secured another building near the university, and there the first classes were held, with Dr. Harvey W. Everset as chancellor. A faculty of twelve persons was selected, and the following departments were provided: preparatory, normal college of letters and science, college of music, college of Bibical theology, and school of art. The law school was opened in Sept., 1888, and the college of medicine the following December. Some 500 students were enrolled in 1889 and the faculty was increased to forty members. In 1890 a business college of Wichita was affiliated with the university, which swelled the enrollment to over 1,000.
In the meantime the Wichita "boom" began to decline, property values decreased, and the land belonging to the university could not be sold without great sacrifice, which meant ruin to the institution. A mortgage of $65,000 was placed on the building and grounds, but the business depression continued and at the close of 1890 the university had no funds to continue its work. The university, therefore, closed its doors after three years in which it had gained an enviable reputation among the institutions of its class.
Mr. Hendryx was not willing to give up the fight, and succeeded in interesting Edgar Harding, a wealthy resident of Boston, Mass., in the college. In Feb., 1892, Mr. Harding assumed all outstanding indebtedness—some $125,000—and settled the claims of all creditors. A new charter was obtained, a new board of trustees assumed the management, and the name was changed to "Central Memorial University," the name Garfield to be retained as a general designation. On March 28, 1892, the university again opened its doors. Subsequently the property of the institution passed into the possession of James M. and Anna Davis, who donated it to the "College Association of Friends."
Later in the same volume: (
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Friends University.— As early as 1875, the Kansas yearly meeting of Friends expressed a desire to establish a school of collegiate rank, and several Friends academies were organized, but no college. In 1891 the College Association of Friends was organized and a charter secured from the state legislature granting authority to establish and maintain a college. Several thousand dollars' worth of stock had been subscribed, when James M. and Anna T. Davis, of St. Louis, became interested in the movement and gave to the Kansas yearly meeting of Friends, the property at Wichita, formerly owned and occupied by Garfield Memorial University. The gift was accepted, a board of directors was at once appointed, the college opened in Sept., 1898, and the same fall the yearly meeting took upon itself the obligation of maintaining the institution.
The campus consists of 15 acres. The main building is of brick, five stories high, 234 feet long and 200 feet deep. It covers three-fourths of an acre of ground and contains 66 recitation rooms and halls. The main chapel seats 3,000 people. A dormitory known as South Hall provides accommodations for about 50 women, and North Hall is a similar dormitory for men. Besides the regular college course there is the Bible school, school of education, school of music, commercial school and preparatory department. Since the Friends took charge the school has prospered. Edmund Stanley was elected president and he is ably assisted by 16 instructors in the various branches." [end]
The Friends University clock is inset in a heavily ornamented castle-like clock tower. the face is a round, white disk. The clock features Arabic numerals and plain hands.
The clock tower is also NGS Benchmark HF1218: (
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