HISTORY MINUTE

HISTORY MINUTE

George Stuart Benson was born on a farm in Dewey County in far western Oklahoma in 1898. His education was one of hard work on a dry, dusty farm on the Great Plains and the local public schools. As a young man, he enrolled at Oklahoma A&M College in Stillwater (which is now Oklahoma State University). After a couple of years, he transferred to Harper College just across the state line in southern Kansas. This new college would soon lead Stuart on a path to Arkansas, where he became a noted leader in education.

Harper College and Arkansas Christian College, then located in Morrillton, were two colleges run through the Church of Christ. However, both were struggling institutions. In 1924, both colleges agreed to merge with one another and share resources. The new college was rechristened Harding College after the recently deceased Church of Christ preacher and educator James A. Harding. Benson joined faculty and students on the journey from Kansas to Arkansas. Benson graduated the next spring as part of the first class of the new Harding College.

 

 

 

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