Living History
Powerful Stories of Real People
PRESERVING HISTORY AND SHARING STORIES
The Memories Collection is a living history project that came about after Mars Hill University’s Sesquicentennial in 2006-7. Since many activities, events, and projects of that celebration had relied heavily on the University’s own archives containing its history, President Dan Lunsford led a discussion shortly afterwards with Sesquicentennial participants to assess the best ways to ensure that the history of the University might be preserved in an even more consistent and orderly manner, now and in the years to come.
As a part of those deliberations, the idea for The Memories Collection came from C. Robert Jones, Professor Emeritus of Theatre Arts. It is an on-going series of video interviews of people—past and present—associated with Mars Hill University. The interviews, while providing the historical elements, also open the doors to a rich and personal tapestry of life at the University and in western North Carolina.
The Memories Collection includes over 100 Interviews
Beginning in 2008, there have been 100 interviews to date. They’ve included 119 interviewees conducted by 20 interviewers averaging one hour each. All were planned and coordinated by Professor Jones. Kristie Hollifield, Director of Media Services, has been videographer, editor, and preparer of the DVDs for the entire series.
Renfro Library
The Memories Collection is housed in the Renfro Library and may be viewed in the Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies located on the lower level of the Library–entrance from Bailey Street parking lot. Contact: Director Dr. Karen Paar (kpaar@mhu.edu, (828) 689-1262. Following is a list of interviews conducted 2008-2019.
Interviewers and Interviewees
We are so grateful to everyone who has made the Memories Collection possible.
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” ~ Albert Einstein
Video Interviews
Our video collection is now available on our website and on YouTube.
The Memories Collection Staff: C. Robert Jones (Director) and Kristie Hollifield (videographer)
A Brief History of MHU
Mars Hill University was founded as the French Broad Baptist Institute in Madison County in 1856 in the days leading up to the Civil War. Shortly thereafter, the name was changed to Mars Hill College, inspired by Acts 17:22, which said, “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill and said, ‘Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.’” The college was chartered by the State of North Carolina in 1859 following its founding by some dedicated but struggling local families who wanted their children educated and instructed in the Baptist faith. A succession of short-termed college presidents struggled to keep the college going over the next three decades.
Following the sixty-nine years of growth under presidents Dr. Robert L. Moore (1897-1938) and Dr. Hoyt Blackwell (1938-1966), the modern era was ushered in by the election of Dr. Fred Bentley in 1966. At the time, Dr. Bentley was perhaps the youngest president of a senior college in the nation. Dr. Bentley presided over a period of dramatic change, paralleling in some ways the changes that were taking place in the nation. He also expanded the College’s outreach programs and its closer identification with the Appalachian region.
After 30 years in office, Dr. Bentley retired in 1996 and was followed by Dr. Max Lennon, an alumnus (class of 1960) and former president of Clemson University. After six years at the helm, Dr. Lennon was succeeded by Dan G. Lunsford, an alumnus (class of 1969) and Dean of the School of Education at the College. His presidency was marked by the addition of the College’s first graduate degree (a Master’s in Education) added in 2011 and which saw its first graduates in 2013.
In August of 2013, the institution changed its name to Mars Hill University, to reflect the institution’s expansion, both in terms of enrollment and variety of offerings. On June 1, 2018, after sixteen years in office, Dr. Lunsford was succeeded by former Coker College Executive Vice President Tony Floyd whose inauguration took place on November 9, 2018.
(Abridged from Mars Hill College History in Brief by MHU Trustee Ken Sanford (class of 1952) – with updated information.)