Burritt College

Spencer, Tennessee's Burritt College was established in 1848 as part of the Restoration Movement. Funds were raised to establish the school from Church of Christ congregations in Van Buren, Warren, and White Counties. Once enough funds were raised, a charter from the Tennessee General Assembly was passed and the College was established. The college was named in honor of social activist Elihu Burritt. When classes officially began on February 26, 1849 there were 73 enrolled students and three teachers. The first president of Burritt College was Isaac Newton Jones. Jones was a graduate of Warren County's Irving College. Jones left after one year. William Davis Carnes became the second president of the College. Carnes became famous for establishing a coeducational system as well as a strict moral and religious code. Male and female students were now able to sit in the same classes, but the honor code stated that the two genders could not talk to each other outside the classroom. The honor code also prohibited swearing, gambling, smoking, and drinking. Anyone who was caught violating the honor code would be expelled from school. The curriculum was primarily made up of Liberal Arts studies, such as history, math, and science. Bible classes were also an important part of the College's curriculum. Burritt College closed in 1860 following the outbreak of the Civil War. Many of the College's male students enlisted in either the Union or Confederate Armies. A few years after the War, the College reopened. By the turn of the century, Burritt College had an enrollment of more the two hundred students. By the nineteen teens, Burritt College began to face enrollment issues. Bigger schools in Cookeville and Murfreesboro offered prospective students a better curriculum as well as more extracurricular activities. Contributing to this decline also, was the fact that the State of Tennessee pulled all their funding from Burritt College and gave the funds to Tennessee Polytechnic Institute (Tennessee Technological University) in Cookeville, and Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. The Van Buren County School Board stepped up and provided the funds to keep Burritt College afloat for a time, but by 1936 they built a county high school. This was the last gasp for Burritt College, as they permanently closed in 1939. Today only two structures still stand on the once twenty-five acre campus. They include the original entrance to the school which was built in 1848, and the administration building that was built in 1878. This administration building has been altered significantly over the years. Changes include the removal of the third story as well as the removal of the front "tower." These changes have rendered the campus ineligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Today the administration building is home to The Burritt Alumni Museum and the Burritt Memorial Library. The Story of Burritt College is a part of the Upper Cumberland's and The Restoration Movement's rich history that has been all but forgotten.  

Burritt College's Administration Building Then...

...And Now

At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own a historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, nominations to the Century Farms program, and writing text for historic makers. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.