Centre During the Age of Lincoln
Exhibition Designed by Anastasia Knight, Class of 2003
Centre Presidents
 JOHN C. YOUNGFOURTH PRESIDENT OF CENTRE COLLEGE John C. Young served as Centre's president from 1830 to 1857. He also served as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Danville and later became the first pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church, formerly located on the corner of Third Street and Broadway. |
 LEWIS WARNER GREENFIFTH PRESIDENT OF CENTRE COLLEGE Lewis Green was one of Centre's own. He was a graduate of the class of 1824, served as the Professor of Belles-Lettres, or English Literature, and Political Economy, or Political Science, from 1832 to 1834, the Professor of Belles-Lettres and Vice-President from 1837 to 1840, and finally as the President from 1857 to 1863. It is plausible that he died from typhoid fever contracted at the hospital within Old Centre. |
 WILLIAM L. BRECKINRIDGESIXTH PRESIDENT OF CENTRE COLLEGE William Breckinridge served as the Professor of Ancient Languages from 1831 to 1836 and as President from 1863 to 1868. This photograph was taken in 1865. |
Centre Campus
 OLD CENTREBuilt in 1820 by Robert Russell, Jr., Old Centre remains the most lasting image of the college. After the construction of the first Sayre Library, Old Centre became known as College Home, as it was no longer primarily a classroom building. The photograph is taken from an 1879 Centre Courant, the college's magazine of the time. |
 HILLCRESTHillcrest was originally built in 1825 as a refectory, or boardinghouse, for students and was located to the east of McReynolds Hall. Most students at Centre during the nineteenth century boarded with Danville families as the college did not have adequate housing on campus for them. Hillcrest became the President's home in 1831, during the term of John C. Young, and remained as such until the college purchased Craik House in 1937. It was demolished in 1969. |
 SAYRE LIBRARYThe first Sayre Library was built in 1862 as a gift from David Sayre, a Lexington businessman. The octagonal structure was located slightly to the east of Breckinridge Hall. At its inauguration in June of 1862, it contained two thousand volumes. The building was demolished in 1893. This image is taken from an 1879 Centre Courant. |
Centre Faculty
 ORMOND BEATTYSEVENTH PRESIDENT OF CENTRE COLLEGE Ormond Beatty's dedication to Centre College can be seen through the sheer number of years he served Centre. He was a graduate of the class of 1835 and returned the next year after earning an advanced degree at Yale University. After his return, he served as the Professor of Chemistry and Natural Philosophy from 1836 to 1847, the Professor of Mathematics from 1847 to 1852, the Professor of Physics and Chemistry from 1852 to 1872, the Professor of Metaphysics and Political Science from 1872 to 1886, the Professor of Metaphysics and Logic from 1886 to 1890, the President pro tem from 1868 to 1870, and as the President from 1870 to 1888. This photograph dates from 1860. |
 ROBERT PATTERSONRobert Patterson served as the Professor of Mathematics from 1858 to 1864. This photograph was taken in 1860. |
 WILLIAM McKNIGHTWilliam McKnight was the Professor of Belles-Lettres and Political Economy from 1860 to 1864. This photograph also dates from 1860. |
| Other faculty during this time period were Jacob Cooper and James Matthews, both Professors of Ancient Languages. When one taught Ancient Greek Language and Literature, the other taught Latin Language and Literature. Jacob Cooper also became the Professor of Modern Languages, having previously taught private lessons in Hebrew, Arabic, and Sanskrit. |