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Henry Cherry - People
son of George Washington & Frances Martha (Stahl) Cherry was born in Warren County, Kentucky. -
Ogden Hall - Building
built ca. 1870 as a private residence for the Thomas Calvert family. Ogden Hall was located on the "Ogden College" portion of campus. The building was originally built to be a residence; however, it was never occupied. Later, the hall was used for offices by the Extension and Field Services and for classrooms for the Department of Government. The building had high ceilings, tall windows, and winding staircases. -
Robert Ogden - People
dies in Warren County, Kentucky. Ogden was born in Loudon County, Virginia in 1796 and was a successful planter. He never married and established the Ogden College in his will. -
Southern Normal School & Business College - Founding Institution
was created when A.W. Mell and Tom Williams left the Glasgow Normal School and moved to Bowling Green. It was originally called the Southern Normal School & Business College, but in the 1886 charter the name was changed to Southern Normal School. From 1890-1892 the school went through a succession of management changes being overseen by H.A. Evans, W.J. Davis, J.R. Alexander and H. McD. Fletcher. -
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Southern Normal School & Business College - Founding Institution
Begun in Glasgow the Southern Normal moved to Bowling Green in 1885 and went through several administrators and name changes before becoming Western Kentucky University. See <a href=http://www.wku.edu/library/archive/bib46.php">Southern Normal School Bibliography</a> for history and documents. -
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Glasgow Normal School - Founding Institution
See Glasgow Normal School Bibliography for detailed history and documents. -
Glasgow Normal School - Founding Institution
opens to the public under the ownership of Professor A. W. Mell (1855-1931). When first established it was chiefly a common school, but was chartered under a board of trustees on March 9, 1876 as the "Glasgow Normal School." Read Statements & Principles -
Glasgow Normal - Founding Institution
The Kentucky General Assembly grant the Glasgow Normal a charter. -
Ogden College - Founding Institution
opens with President James Wightman presiding. A charter was obtained from the state legislature on March 8, 1878. The school was located on Thomas Calvert's farm in a building originally used by Warren College. In 1923 Perry Snell pledge $20,000 for the construction of Snell Hall which had an estimated cost of $50,000. -
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Ogden College - Founding Institution
See Ogden College Bibliography for detailed history and documents. -
Glasgow Normal - Founding Institution
enrolls over 300 students -
Cabell Hall - Building
built as a home for the president of Potter College, Benjamin Cabell. The building was used as the Music Hall from approximately 1911 to 1926. The School of Music was located on the first floor of the hall. The School of Domestic Science and Arts was located on the second floor. -
Recitation Hall - Building
opens, main building of Potter College for Young Ladies. It provided space for classrooms, library, dining hall, parlor and dormitory rooms for the students. When WKU purchased Potter College in 1909 the building became known as Recitation Hall and served the campus as a classroom building until it was torn down in 1936 to make way for Cherry Hall. -
Potter College for Young Ladies - Founding Institution
opens with Rev. B.F. Cabell, president. Potter College, "a School of High Order for Young Ladies," received its charter from the state of Kentucky in 1889 under President Reverend B.F. Cabell. A subscription based school, Pleasant Potter donated the majority of funds after which the trustees named the school for him. The college offered degrees in religion, art, literature and music. Students participated in two literary societies, Hypatian and Ossolian as well as the YWCA. -
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Potter College for Young Ladies - Founding Institution
The college consisted of seven acres on Vinegar Hill "west of the city . . . sufficiently removed from the noise and distraction of the city to secure the quietness and retirement of a country location and at the same time sufficiently near to have all the city advantages." The school closed in 1909 and the property sold to the growing Western Kentucky University. -
Glasgow Normal - Founding Institution
closes. -
J.R. Alexander - People
named president of the Southern Normal School & Business College. -
Southern Normal School & Business College - Founding Institution
is reorganized by Cherry brothers as Bowling Green College & Literary Institute. -
Paul Garrett
born in Waddy, Kentucky. He served as WKU's second president 1937-1955. -
Bowling Green College & Literary Institute - Founding Institution
secures new charter and name - Southern Normal School & Bowling Green Business College. -
E.A. Diddle - People
born in near Gradyville, Kentucky the son of John Haskins & Mary Elizabeth (Hughes) Diddle. He coached men's basketball teams from 1922 to 1964 with a career record of 759-302. -
Diddle Dorm - Buildings
built as a home to Richard Underwood, who designed it. Western Kentucky University acquired the house in 1923. Used as living quarters for E.A. Diddle family and basketball players. -
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Western Kentucky University
WKU has had five name changes through the years:
Western Kentucky State Normal School 1906-22
Western Kentucky State Normal School & Teachers College 1922-30
Western Kentucky State Teachers College 1930-48
Western Kentucky State College 1948-66
Western Kentucky University 1966-present -
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Henry Cherry - People
served as president of WKU until his death in 1937. -
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Bowling Green Business University - Founding Institution
Created when the Southern Normal School was split into two entities, Western Kentucky State Normal School and Bowling Green Business University. In 1963 BGBU closed due to falling enrollment. It was brought into WKU as the College of Commerce. See Bowling Green Business University Bibliography for detailed history and documents. -
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E.A. Diddle - Basketball Coach
serves as men's basketball coach. He compiled a career record of 759 victories and 302 defeats and took his teams to ten OVC championships, eight National Invitational Tournaments and three National Collegiate Athletic Association tournaments. WKU's Diddle arena was dedicated November 7, 1963 in his honor. -
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Paul Garrett - People
serves as second president of WKU until his death. -
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Kelly Thompson - People
served as WKU's third president until his retirement. -
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Dero Downing - People
serves as fourth president of WKU until his retirement. -
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John Minton
serves as WKU's fifth president while search is conducted. -
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Donald Zacharias - People
serves as WKU's sixth president. -
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Paul Cook - People
served as interim president from Donald Zacharias' resignation until Kern Alexander's election on December 14th. -
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Kern Alexander - People
named WKU's seventh president on January 25th, he did not take office until May 15th because of commitments to the University of Florida. -
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Thomas Meredith - People
serves as eighth president of WKU. -
Barbara Burch - People
named interim president upon Thomas Meredith's resignation. Serves from May 12th through September 12th, 1997 -
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Gary Ransdell - People
served as WKU's ninth president
