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dollars had to be borrowed to complete the Castle building. After
endeavoring for a few years to conduct a college, the trustees of
the Montgomery Masonic College, finding themselves hopelessly
involved, offered to transfer the college to any reliable and
responsible association of persons, approved by the Lodges, who
would pay the liabilities of the college, amounting to about nine
thousand dollars, and who would agree to sustain a first-class
male college and academy in Clarksville.

The Presbyterian Church of Clarksville and the Presbytery
of Nashville became interested in this offer through President
W . M . Stewart, the president of the college, a man who was
both a prominent Mason and a prominent Presbyterian. Thus
the Synod of Nashville became interested, and in 1855 accepted
the offer of the Trustees of the Montgomery Masonic College
upon the terms stated above. President W . M . Stewart was
continued as president of the new college, and it was called in
honor of him. Thus, in 1855, Stewart College came into being
as a Synodical institution.

Three years later President Stewart resigned and was suc-
ceeded by the Rev. R. B. McMulIen, D . D . The need of a dormi-
tory was soon felt, and i n 1860 Robb Hall was erected. The
Hall was named in honor of Colonel Albert Robb, one of the
Directors of Stewart College, one who had made a g i f t of land
and who had urged the construction of the dormitory.

During the Civil W a r the college exercises were suspended;
and part of the time the grounds and buildings were occupied by
Federal troops, who were not careful to keep the college prop-
erty intact. Indeed, it required some thousands of dollars to
make the buildings again habitable.

Upon the death of President McMulIen, Professor W . M .
Stewart again assumed the duties of the presidency. I n 1870
he was succeeded by Dr. J. B. Shearer, under whose administra-
tion occurred the incorporation of Southwestern Presbyterian
University.

Before the war. the educational policy of the Presbyterian
church included a program of one first-class college f o r each
synod. There were f o u r synods, each of which maintained a
college or the nucleus of a college. The effect of the war upon
these institutions was utterly destructive; and in view of the