- Fire Damages Mansion At Graduate School Tragedy struck Harding 's Graduate School in Memphis July 29 when a fire broke out, destroying most of the contents of its Old Mansion and resulting in more than 1 million in damages. ··The fire started as a result of a short in a wiring junction box,., said Lott Tucker, vice president for finance . The chool lost computers, furniture and books. Of the 100,000 books housed in the structure, 15 ,000 were completely destroyed and the others have been freeze-dried. The Old Mansion's attic and second floor were destroyed and the first floor received water damage. "At one time," Tucker said, ··there was fiv feet of water in the basement ." The fire left wooden floors buckled and the European artistry on the plaster ruined. ··only the interior wa de troyed," Tucker aid. 'The foundation and walls remained trong .., Reconstruction of the Old Mansion provided a challenge. ··our insurance policy insures the replacement of everything a it was. Since \\·e wanted centralized heating and air conditioning, the school had to come up with additional money to pay for the alterations," Tucker said. The Leroy King Mansion, built in the 1930s, housed the administration and faculty offices for the graduate chool. Following the fire , all of these offices were moved to classrooms . "We ran the school from our cramped quarters in the classroom building, but needed to get back into the Old Ian ion as soon as possible ," said Dr. Bill Flatt. However. the cla s schedule continued without interruption. Harding began offering graduate courses at the mon A\·enue Church of Chri t in 1957. The graduate program moved to the present location in 1958. 134 - ] ulie Anderson Tbe Old Mansion at tbe Graduate Scbool i11.\femphis still s1a11ds after fireme11 exti11g11isbed a fire 1chich destroyed the seco11djloor. A reco11 ·1ructio11 project restored the struc/ure tl'bicb housed admi11istralil'e offices. Photo hy]e.f!Montgome1y. Dr. Bill Lambert, director C<fHSBS. and his u ·ife, !Iele11. l'isil u •ith a st11de111 d11ri11g a casual di1111er cit the Harding Academy cafeteria. Lambert e11jq1•ed time tl'ilh stude11ts outside the classroom. Photo l~J ' \Fay11e Atki11so11. Grad School/ SBS Academics --------------- -- Mikefeffress leads singing.forHSBS chapel. The ~pecial Inti 11 i11gprogramjor preachers conducted its ou•11 chapel each day. Pboto h)' Wayne Atkinson .
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