Centennial Timeline

March 1, 1918. Eighty-seven acres in Franklin Springs were purchased for $9000 by six men from the Georgia Conference of the IPHC. The campus consisted of two aging hotels, a skating rink, two pavilions, and several summer cottages – all centered around free-flowing mineral springs.

May 16, 1918. Bishop Joseph King, General Superintendent of the IPHC, described the Franklin Springs property as presenting the “Church the finest opportunity between the two great Oceans. Its importance can scarcely be overestimated.”

November 21, 1918. Reverend George Floyd Taylor (age 37) becomes the first Superintendent of the Franklin Springs Institute (FSI), later to be renamed Emmanuel College, and thus, he is attributed as the first President of the College.

• January 1, 1919.  Franklin Springs Institute (later Emmanuel College) opened its doors to 30 students. The school was founded by Reverend George Floyd Taylor who served as president of the institution from 1919-1926 and again from 1929-1931.
• August 2, 1919.  The first building constructed by the IPHC was dedicated as the Publishing House of the Pentecostal Holiness Church. Later, it was exchanged for the Taylor College Building (also known as the old academic building constructed by Taylor in 1923) and became a part of the College serving first as the Music Building and Post Office, sometimes as a classroom, and in recent years, a Prayer Chapel.  Today, it is the Nash Center for Prayer and Spiritual Formation and is named in honor of Reverend Walter J. Nash.
• September 1923.  The Taylor College Building on Taylor Street was completed and became the center of campus which was east of the original campus. It was later exchanged for the publishing house building. It was demolished in 1967.
• May 1926.  Ty Cobb, a native of Franklin County, made an offer to purchase the College’s property. His plan was to use the property for a training camp for the Detroit Tigers baseball team. He eventually withdrew the offer, but the church indicated it had no interest in selling.
• September 1926.  Reverend Arthur Taylor (age 30) appointed the 2^nd President of the College.
• July 1927.  Reverend Byon Jones (age 31) appointed the 3^rd President of the College.
• May 1929.  The IPHC General Conference appoints the first Board of Education to oversee the College and pledged to make it into a fully accredited junior college.
• September 1929.  Reverend George Floyd Taylor appointed president for the second time. Between his two separate terms as president, he returned to the University of North Carolina to continue his education.
• September 1931.  The College closed temporarily during the Great Depression, reopening its doors in 1933 as a high school and junior college.
• April 1933.  Because FSI was closed, George Floyd Taylor attempted to open a new school in Texas which he planned to call Emmanuel College. This is the first use of this name, and perhaps, this is where President Aaron got the idea to change the name six years later.
• June 1933.  Reverend Thomas Lee Aaron (age 37) appointed the 4^th president of the College.
• October 1938. The College acquired a 14,000-volume library from two colleges that were merging.
• January 1939.  President Aaron decided to move the center of campus away from Taylor Street to its original and current location on Springs Street when he began construction on the Aaron Building.
• June 1939.  Franklin Springs Institute was renamed Emmanuel College, meaning “God with us.”
• September 1940.  The Aaron Building, which now houses classrooms and offices, was occupied in the fall of 1940 under President Aaron who called the building the Administration Building.  It was later named for President Aaron who launched a new era of growth and improvement of the college with the goal of eventually becoming a four-year, accredited institution.
• August 7, 1941.  Aaron announced the addition of the junior year that fall with plans to add the senior year the following fall. There were nine juniors in 1941, but then WWII drained students and faculty and the attempt to move to senior college status was abandoned.
• February 1942.  The College is admitted to the American Association of Junior Colleges.
• November 1944.  A study commission from UGA agreed to accept transfer credit from the College.
• June 1945.  The IPHC General Conference voted to move the College to a larger city and farther west, but the move never happened due to financial constraints.
• September 1948.  The Taylor Building, featuring library, chapel and dining hall, was occupied in the fall of 1948. Following World War II, President Aaron purchased ten government surplus buildings in Charleston, SC. He had them disassembled and transported to Franklin Springs where they eventually became the Taylor Building. President Aaron named it in honor of Reverend George Floyd Taylor.
• January 20, 1950.  Woodard Glenn Drum (age 46) appointed the 5^th President of the College.
• May 2, 1951.  The Layman’s Association was organized and provided fundraising and building expertise to complete Jackson Hall and to build Wellons Hall.
• September 19, 1951.  The Women’s Ministries of the IPHC leads the first “Caravan”, later named the Feast of Ingathering and now known as Vision 4 Education, to EC bringing gifts of money and food.
• September 1953.  Students moved into the newly renovated Jackson Hall which was built in two stages. Construction began on the east end of the building in the summer of 1928. This phase was finally completed and occupied in 1934. The west end was completed in 1953. The following year the building was named in honor of Mr. Arlon Jackson, a long-time supporter of the College.
• September 1958.  Construction began on Wellons Hall in 1957 and was completed by the fall term of 1958. The building was named in honor of Charles R. Wellons, President of the Laymen’s Association, who also served on the board of trustees for 28 years.
• September 1959.  Intercollegiate athletics were introduced at Emmanuel with the College’s first men’s basketball team. Today, Emmanuel is home to 28 collegiate athletic teams and is an active member of NCAA Division II.
• September 1963. The multi-purpose building serving as gymnasium and auditorium was occupied and name the Gymtorium. It began in 1951 as an open-air tabernacle for the Georgia Conference of the IPHC. Donated to the College in 1962, the structure was enclosed in 1963.  In 1973, it was expanded to create additional seating.
• December 1967.  With improvements in faculty and curricula, the college was accredited at the junior college level by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
• June 1970.  Dr. Culbreth Young Melton (age 42) appointed the 6th president of the College.
• March 6, 1973.  The Emmanuel College Board of Trustees approved a four-year School of Christian Ministries (SCM). President Melton appointed Dr. Garnet Pike as the Dean of the SCM. Within two years, the SCM was accredited by the American Association of Bible Colleges.
• September 1975.   Drum Hall was completed and was named in honor of President Emeritus Woodard Drum. This residence hall was built on the west side of the quadrangle and completed the framing of the quad on all four sides.
• September 1981.  The Shaw-Leslie Learning Resources Center, housing the library and archives of the College, was completed debt-free. The building is named in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Irby Shaw and Mr. and Mr. W.N. Leslie.
• June 1983.  Dr. David R. Hopkins (age 41) appointed the 7^th President of the College.
• August 1990.  The Hopkins School of Education Building began as a small residence facility. It was later converted to classrooms and offices for the School of Education and named in honor of President Emeritus David R. Hopkins.
• September 1990.  Several building projects were completed including the Student Activity Building, the baseball and softball fields, and the tennis courts.
• December 1992.  Emmanuel College received accreditation as a four-year institution from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Today the college offers more than 30 majors and 19 minors.
• September 1993.  Melton Hall completed as the first King Street residence hall. The building was named in honor of President Emeritus Culbreth Melton.
• August 1997.  Hartsfield Hall completed as the second King Street residence hall. The building was named in honor of Dr. Kirk Hartsfield who served Emmanuel for over 30 years in various positions, concluding his service as Executive Vice President of the College.
• September 20, 1997.  The Wellons Science Resources Center was dedicated. The building houses science laboratories, classrooms and offices and is named in honor of four brothers from the Wellons family: Russell, William, John, and Calvin.
• May 2, 1999.  The John W. Swails Center was dedicated. The building features an 1800-seat auditorium, conference room, offices, indoor archery range, and storage. The building was named for Reverend John Swails who taught at the College for more than 30 years.
• January 2005.  Dr. Michael S. Stewart (age 49) appointed the 8^th President of the College.
• October 8, 2011.  The first three buildings of the Roberson Towers complex were dedicated. Later the final two buildings were added. The complex is named in honor of C.A. and Pearl Roberson.
• October 2012.  The Shaw Athletic Center was completed. The Center features Williamson Basketball Arena, a volleyball arena, the Roberson Aquatics Center, the Rotondo Bowling Center, and the wellness center. The building is named in honor of Jack and Jane Shaw.
• October 2013.  The Stephens Soccer and Lacrosse Fields were completed. The fields are named in honor of Gerald and Jean Stephens.
• October 2014.  Dr. Ronald G. White (age 64) appointed 9^th President of the College after being named interim president a month prior.
• September 2016.  The Collins Agriculture Center was started and currently includes a greenhouse, hoop house, barn and pasture. Plans call for construction of the primary teaching/laboratory building in spring 2018.
• June 2017.  An outdoor archery range was completed.
• April 19, 2018.  The College was released from over $20 million of debt.
• July 13, 2018.  The College was admitted to full membership in the NCAA Division II and Conference Carolinas.