15 The History of Harding University administrators made changes and additions to the institution and campus life. Football was not a part of the new campus, there was an opening of the Harding College Press — which printed the college bulletins and catalogs — and tuition continued to increase to make up for the move to Searcy. “It is our heart’s desire and prayer so to direct Harding College in every branch of activity, that our Great Father can approve and bless the institution. We are delighted to please friends, but we forget this in our zeal to please Him whom we serve and to whom we entrust all” - J. N. Armstrong, truthseeker, July 1935, as quoted in F.W. Mattox. The Benson Years Armstrong announced his decision to retire after 30 years of service in Christian Higher Education in 1936, and George S. Benson was named to assume the role of president. Benson was a 1923 graduate of Harper College and a 1925 graduate of Harding College. He served as an instructor in Harding’s first year before graduating. Following graduation from Harding, Benson and his wife, Sallie Benson, left for China to serve as missionaries with the Chinese Missions in Canton, China. Benson became president, along with a debt of $68,000. He intended to disseminate the debt by Thanksgiving 1939, just three years into his presidency. On that day, Benson presented the canceled mortgage to Armstrong. F.W. Mattox described what followed: “Following the dismissal of the assembly the entire group of students and friends stood, in a drizzling rain, on the front campus and saw Mr. Armstrong drop the mortgage on a hurriedly built bonfire.” After the burning of the mortgage, Benson continued to build Harding College as an institution. His presidency brought the construction of new buildings, dormitories and facilities all over the campus. Benson raised money and reached out to donors to help fund the building of a new library, gymnasium, student center and two dormitories — one for men and one for women. After asking for $1,500,000 in 1946, Harding College reached its goal for the new construction in 1950. As funds were continually raised, the men’s dorm, Armstrong Hall, was built to recognize and honor J.N. Armstrong. Benson’s leadership saw the construction of the Administration building and a Fine Arts building built from the brick of the original Godden Hall. In a four-year time period, Benson brought eight new buildings to the Harding College campus. Benson led in years of expansion and growth, working toward making the Searcy campus the permanent home for Harding College. In 1954, Harding College received full accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. This meant students wouldn’t fear whether other associations in the country would accept their credits. This accreditation dramatically increased enrollment, with an average of 60 new students each year for the following decade. Benson appointed Dr. Clifton Ganus Jr. as the Harding College vice president in 1956. It was during this time and development that Harding College joined the athletic Intercollegiate Conference. After a decade of dedicating his life to the students and faculty of Harding College, Benson retired in 1965 and appointed Ganus as his successor. The Ganus Years Dr. Clifton L. Ganus Jr. was declared president of Harding College in 1965 after serving as vice president alongside Benson. With the Ganus Student Center named after his father, Clifton L. Ganus Sr., Ganus was more than accredited as the new president. Ganus graduated from Harding College in 1943, where he was the editor of the Petit Jean yearbook. He soon became a preacher in Mississippi. After preaching for two years, Ganus earned a master’s degree from Tulane University in 1946. Ganus returned to Harding College in 1946 to begin teaching in the history department before soon becoming chairman of it. He continued to pursue a doctorate while teaching before being officially named the vice president of Harding in 1965. Ganus’ inauguration was the first official inauguration of a Harding president and was held on September 18, 1965. Ganus’ presidency was driven by excellence in all areas. During his time, the Petit Jean and The Bison received All-American ratings from the Associated Collegiate Press. In addition to academic success, the institution grew as new facilities were built and athletics excelled. Through the growth of the college, Ganus led Harding to obtain university status in 1979. As the new decade began, Harding College officially became Harding University. Throughout the rest of Ganus’ presidency, Harding began establishing study abroad programs. In 1980, a campus in Florence, Italy, opened allowing students to take classes and spend a semester immersed in Italian culture. In 1985, Ganus introduced the Walton Scholars program Chapel in the Godden Hll Auditorium. Prior to the Administration building. President Benson passes off a stack of mortgage documents to the bank representative. George S. Benson in later years. Clifton L. Ganus Jr.
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