Parsons College was a private liberal arts college from 1875 to 1973 located in Fairfield, Iowa.

The school was named for its wealthy benefactor, Lewis B. Parsons Sr., and was founded in 1875 with one building and 34 students. Over the years new buildings were constructed as enrollment expanded. The school lost its accreditation in 1948 but regained it two years later. In 1955 the school appointed Millard G. Roberts as its president and this began a period of rapid expansion with the student population rising as high as 5,000 by 1966. There was a turning point, however, in 1966 when Life magazine published an article criticizing the college and its president. In the spring of 1967, the school lost its accreditation and Roberts was asked to resign as president. Although they regained their accreditation in the spring of 1970, enrollment had quickly declined and the college floundered with $14 million in debt and closed under bankruptcy in 1973.

History

1875 to 1954

Parsons College was named for Lewis B. Parsons Sr., a wealthy New York merchant who died in 1855 and left much of his estate as an endowment for an institution of higher learning in Iowa. His sons, the executors of Parsons' estate, considered a number of possible locations for the school and 20 years later chose a tract of land just north of Fairfield. The residents of Fairfield promised $27,516 towards the college, and its committee paid W. H. Jordan $13,000 for Henn Mansion building and 20 acres of land.

The first football game played at Parsons was on September 16, 1893. Parsons won by a score of 70-0. This monumental win prompted the construction of Blum Stadium for the 1894 season. In 1896 Daniel E. Jenkins became college president at the age of 30 and was the youngest of the 16 who held the title during the school's 98-year history. Ankeny Hall contained the chapel, the library, and the classrooms when it was destroyed by fire in August 1902, leaving the college with only two buildings: Henn Mansion and a newly constructed women's dormitory called Ballard Hall. In 1967 the NCA revoked the college's accreditation citing "administrative weakness" and a $14 million debt. Roberts responded with threats of a lawsuit, but the faculty voted 101 to 58 to remove Roberts from his position. In June 1967 the board of trustees asked for his resignation. William B. Munson became acting president for two months and was succeeded by Wayne E. Stamper, who served from 1967-1968. However, enrollment dropped to 925 students, and the school went into bankruptcy - permanently closing in 1973. Over the years Roberts had created satellite colleges that operated under the leadership of Parsons. They were Lea College in Albert Lea, Minn., John J. Pershing College in Beatrice, Neb.; Charles City College in Charles City, Iowa; College of Artesia in Artesia, N.M.; Hiram Scott College in Scottsbluff, Neb.; and Midwestern College in Denison, Iowa. However, by 1973, all had fallen into bankruptcy.

Notable alumni

  • William E. Andrews, U.S. congressman from Nebraska
  • Ron Cochran, network television anchor
  • David T. Fischer, former United States ambassador to Morocco
  • Rich Folkers, MLB pitcher
  • Maruta Gardner, educator and community activist
  • H. Robert Heller, economist, banker, and Federal Reserve Board member
  • Mike Hennigan, former NFL player and college football coach (Tennessee Tech)
  • Carol M. Highsmith, America's documentarian – America Collection in the Library of Congress
  • Richard L. Lawson, United States Air Force general
  • F. Dickinson Letts, U.S. congressman (Iowa) and federal judge
  • Rhine McLin, 54th mayor of Dayton, Ohio
  • Allen E. Paul, Indiana state senator, Republican representing District 27 from 1986 to 2014
  • Claude R. Porter, member of the Iowa General Assembly and United States Attorney
  • Don Reinhoudt, American powerlifter and strongman.
  • Bob Stiller, founder of Keurig Green Mountain coffee company now Keurig Dr Pepper
  • Jim Todd, MLB pitcher
  • Marcia Wallace, Emmy award-winning actress (The Bob Newhart Show, The Simpsons) and game show panelist

References

  • Parsons College Directory
  • Parsons College.org
  • Defunct Iowa Colleges
  • Academic records for defunct Iowa colleges
  • The Rise and Fall of Parsons College