FREED-HARDEMAN COLLEGE Pre-1950 Freed-Hardeman University exists today because of N. B. Hardeman and A. G. Freed. Their sacrifices brought into being Freed-Hardeman College/University. They skillfully and sacrificailly navagated it through the great depression and the war years. Freed was an exceptional teacher and N. B. Hardeman was one of his favorite students. At one time it was estimated that one out of four preachers in the churches of Christ had attended Freed-Hardeman College. Their attraction to the College was to study under one man, who was considered to be the gretest living preacher at that time, N. B. Hardeman. Until 1950 the school was primarily under the guidence of Freed, or Hardeman, with the exception of two years. The school was exceptional for its time. Well kept and clean, with classrooms always in order. The students who attended were focused on spreading God's Word. It was said that you went to Freed-Hardeman College to become a preacher or a preacher's wife. My parents attended Freed-Hardeman as did my aunt and uncle during the N. B. Hardeman years. Growing up, I learned to believed from casual conversations, that N. B. Hardeman was bigger than life itself. And I would hear stories of his daughter, (Mary Nell), who taught exacting english, and how she would quote long passages from the text book without looking, and she referenced pages and paragraphs without opening her book. I remember hearing how the students marched into chapel to the sound of a piano playing. They would also line up before entering the school cafateria. Those who attended in those years held these and other memorys with great fondness. The fondness with which the school was spoken of during the N. B. Hardeman years, gave it an aura of utopia. Hearing the school discussed among the many graduates I had occasion to speak with over the years, left me wanting to be a part of that world. Of the many who graduated prior to 1949, that I have met and spoken with, I have never heard an unkind word or serious criticism toward the school or N. B. Hardeman. And I grew up in a world flooded with Freed-Hardeman graduates. Needless to say, N. B. Hardeman and Freed-Hardeman College were both adored by the vast majority of those who attended, which is evedenced in it's success. 1950 In 1949 N. B. Hardeman knew his time as President of Freed-Hardeman was drawing to an end. He hired George W. DeHoff to replace him as president and was making arrangements for the transition. Large numbers of students enrolled in the college, as the focus was changing from preaching to liberal arts. Many of the students resented the old world traditions and desired to be more like the secular and state run colleges and universities of the day. As a result a small movement begin to grow within the student body to "kick the old man out". Several students and a few faculty who saw opportunity for advancement, began a plan to remove N. B. Hardeman. False rumers were deliberately started to force him to resign. Unrest was promoted from within the student body. The Board of Directors was called in to settle the matter. According to reliable family sources, N. B. Hardeman sat in his office in Ole-Main, late into the evening waiting for the decision from the Board. He told the Board of Directors that he would abide by their decision. The Board believed the false rumers and asked the elderly gentelman to resign. Broken hearted he left without a fight. The family said his only comment was, "Well, if it haden't been worth anything they wouldn't have wanted to take it from me." The Christian gentelman was shown the back door with no or little comment from the school. To this day the school claims that he resigned of his own accord, which multiple sources confirm is completely false. Over the years he received personal appologies from the majority of those responsible for his unjust departure. The Hardeman archives contain numerous letters written by sorrowful students and faculty for their part in his departure. The College and the Board of Directors never apologized for believing the false rumers that resulted in his firing. A personal apology was recieved from a former President of Freed-Hardeman for the part he played in promoting "the lies", but the College and it's Board never admited any wrong doing. The following is just one example of the numerous apology letters recieved by N. B. Hardeman for his firing. When students and faculty would reach out to him to apologize for their part in the lies, he would immediately accept the apology, but always asked that the apology be as public as the offence. This letter was published by a student in the Gosple Advocate. The Hardeman Archives contains the original copy of this letter, with a paragraph that was left out. N. B. Hardeman requested that one of the paragraphs be left out of the public printing. "Dear Brother Hardeman and family: In the name of Jesus I beg you to forgive all my sins against you. With reference to the episode at Freed-Hardeman College in 1950 I freely confess my sins in talking when silence was demanded, in having at times a harsh attitude and thinking unjustifiably that it was justified feeling I had been mistreated. I hate to refer to the devilish, Satanic reports that were involved even long enough to say that I detest and do not believe any part of them, but for your sake and mine this statement must be in this letter. You have my very highest respect and admiration. The severest transgression of my youth was my sin against you in 1950. I beg you to forgive me and I believe the Lord has. Knowing your character, I have full confidence that you, too, will forgie me. I can think of nothing that you could suggest that I wouuld not do to help, little or much, to erase from your lives the sadness and heartaches that I have caused. Brother Hardeman should be honored in public cremony at Freed-Hardeman College. Without your permission I would not be so presumptuous as to do anything toward fulfilling this idea, though I would be more than willing to sit through the ceremony in sackcloth and ashes. I would gladly do anything you would permit to bring to him the honor he so justly deserves. I beg you to forgive me. His grace be with you forever," Signed: Carroll Wrinkle Post 1950 N. B. Hardeman remained silent over his treatment by the College, with grace and kindness toward those who mistreated him. His three children however, were outspoken, regarding what they felt to be an injustice toward their beloved father. The College remains defenseve regarding their treatment of N. B. Hardeman to this day. In their recient official history of the school they chose not to celebrate; his Tabernale Sermons, His Lectures, His Debates, His fund raising to keep the school afloat during the great depression, his celebrated speaking abilities or his teaching skills. In the official history, they focus on the lies that were used to remove him as President. The history does not make it clear that the accusations were lies, based on rumers. They use unnamed sources to discredit him as well. No other personality in their official history is treated in such a way. Many were upset because the only living member of the family who lived in the same house with N. B. Hardeman as a young child, was not interviewed for the history, but several unnamed sources with negative input were used in what is said to be a history of the school. One Hardeman family members told me, "we know he, (N. B. Hardeman) was just a man and therefore possessed human frailties, but we refuse to stand by when old, disproved lies, are retold." Virtually all negative comments regarding the man revolved around the student uprising of 1950 and the attempt to remove him from office. And every one of those negative rumors has a letter of apology and an admission of lies or wrong doing associated with it. There is one certin fact! Truth lives now and through eternity. Truth is victorious. N. B. Hardeman in his quiet dignity understood this fact.