Sue Bennett College was a private college in London, Kentucky

London, Kentucky

-Education:All of the following schools are administered by the Laurel County School District.-Primary schools:* * * * * * * * * * * * -High schools:* * -Colleges:* Laurel Technical College* * -Notable natives:...

 which operated from 1897 through 1997. It was affiliated with the United Methodist Church

United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...

. It began life as an elementary school and ended its days as a four-year college.

History

Sue Bennett was a nineteenth-century social activist, who longed to provide education opportunities to the low-income citizens of her Kentucky area. She and her sister, Isabel "Belle" Bennett, petitioned local businesses and organizations for support and were successful in obtaining a $20,000 grant from the women of the Methodist Parsonage Society and $20,000 in matching funds from local donors. With those funds in hand they began planning for the school. Sue died before the school opened its doors, but in 1897 Belle Bennett opened The Sue Bennett Memorial School in London, with elementary (and later, secondary) classes.

In 1922 the school became a junior college, and its name was changed to Sue Bennett College. In 1932 it received accreditation

Accreditation

Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.Organizations that issue credentials or certify third parties against official standards are themselves formally accredited by accreditation bodies ; hence they are sometimes known as "accredited...

.

In 1994 the college became a four-year institution.

Location

The college campus was located on the southwest side of London, at the intersection of West Fifth Street and South College Street. The combined site covered over 200 acres (80 hectares). The address of the main building was 151 College Street, London KY 40741.

Closing

On 6 October 1997 the US Department of Education imposed an emergency action against Sue Bennett College, issuing a Notice of Intent to Terminate the institution from participation in the federal student financial assistance programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The College requested a hearing to appeal that proceeding. The appeal was based on SBC's pending litigation versus the Eastern District of Kentucky to have the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools reinstate its accreditation. However, Judge Richard I. Slippen rejected SBC's request (Docket No. 97-143-EA, Docket No. 97-145-ST, dated 10 Feb. 1998), and thus the possibility of continued federal financial assistance was dead.

In December 1997 the United Methodist Daily News issued this statement:

After 101 years of educating students, United Methodist-related Sue Bennett College in London, Ky, closed its doors Nov. 26, the end of the fall semester. The college was stripped of its accreditation Sept. 22 by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools because of ongoing financial and administrative problems. The school was notified in June that the association had recommended its removal from its list of approved members. The trustees appealed the decision and diligently worked to save the school - including launching a fund-raising campaign - but the appeal was not successful. Without accreditation, no federal or state funds were available to Sue Bennett students and the State of Kentucky withdrew the school's license to teach effective Nov. 26.

Several of the school's programs and many of the school's students were absorbed by nearby Union College

Union College (Kentucky)

Union College is a four-year private college located in Barbourville, Kentucky. The college, founded in 1879, is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Union College is a small liberal arts college in the Appalachian Mountains...

 and Lindsey Wilson College

Lindsey Wilson College

Lindsey Wilson College is a private four-year college affiliated with the United Methodist Church in an open ecumenical atmosphere. The 45 acre campus is located in Columbia, Kentucky. The school currently offers associate degrees in 11 areas of study, bachelor degrees in 20 areas of study and...

.

The college was a mission project of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. The land and buildings were owned by the Women's Division, which allowed the school to use them without charge. James Cheek was the school's president at the time of closing.

Marker

In 2001 after the college closed, a Kentucky Highway Historical Marker was placed at the corner of West Fifth and College streets. One side reads: "Sue Bennett Memorial School, named for Madison Co. promoter, opened in 1897 to educate mountain children. Funded by local people and the Methodists, school taught all grades. Commercial Department opened 1901; county high school 1910-33. Normal school operated, 1900-1910, and became junior college, 1922. Name changed 1930; closed 1997." "Presented by Friends of Sue Bennett"

Other side reads: "SUE BENNETT COLLEGE" "Educated more than 11,000 students, 1897-1997. School leaders; J.C. Lewis, 1897-1917; J.E. Savage, 1915-16; Ms. K.J. French 1916-17; A.W. Mohn, 1917-22; K.C. East, 1922-42; H.V. McClure, 1939; Ms. J. Harrison, 1942-44; Ms. O. Sanders, 1944-58; L. Flynn, 1954; E.F. Hays, 1958-85; J.E. Patterson, 1985-88; Ms. J.K. Stivers, 1988-91; P.G. Bunnell, 1991-97; J. Cheek, 1997."

Athletics

Richard "Ricky" Warren Troutman was on the 1983 basketball team that lead the nation in scoring.