Paul Waibel

Belhaven College (College History) Paul Waibel

Plagued from its beginnings by fires, financial hardships, and the dismal days of war, Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi, has persevered into the twentyfirst century to become a leading liberal arts institution with one of the South's most diverse small college populations. In this delightful journey into the school's storied past, vintage photographs illuminate the beloved campus, early classes, annual events, and prolific leaders that friends and alumni of Belhaven will recall with fond memories. Founded in 1894 by Dr. Louis T. Fitzhugh, Belhaven College for Young Ladies occupied a large residence and spacious grounds formerly belonging to Colonel Jones Hamilton and named after his ancestral home in Scotland. Just seven months after it opened, the college burned to the ground on February 7, 1895. New buildings were constructed, and the college reopened in the fall of 1896. Fires would also wreak havoc on the school in 1910 and 1927; the school would go on to affiliate with the Presbyterian Church in the early part of the century; and the post-Depression years would find Belhaven facing an uphill struggle to continue operating with minimal funds. Shaken but not defeated, Belhaven continued to grow and with each passing decade gained more national recognition, whether through its renowned music program, its high standards of academic excellence, or the introduction of intercollegiate sports following the school's first admittance of male students in 1954. Although the years have brought numerous changes and Belhaven now rests on the cusp of the computer age, the school's commitment to traditional Christian values still permeates every aspect of a student's education.