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| Engaging a dressmaker,
Mrs. Dawes explained, was only the first step in the big
undertaking. There were the many shopping excursions to
select yardage of cottons and silks; all the trimmings
needed for each garment, the many visits to be made to
the dressmakers for fittings, once the garments were
underway. Also, slow transportation had to be reckoned
with, although the Shawnee Branch from Broughton to
McLeansboro facilitated this problem. It took all summer
for a co-ed to get her wardrobe in readiness for the trek
to college, 1901. Nell Porter Dawes was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Porter, early settlers near Broughton. She became an accomplished pianist and her sister Ella, a talented elecutionist, well known in this area. Profiles of Ewing College Ewing College, now extinct, was located in Franklin county, seven miles north of Benton. It began as a "high school" with classes conducted in "Frizzell's Prairie," (later Ewing) Baptist church and was thus Incorporated December 25, 1867. John Washburn, A. M., and later Doctor of Divinity, from Tennessee, established the Institution. In 1870 a substantial brick building was erected and another erected in 1874. In 1877 the school was made denomonational and placed under the auspices of the Baptist of Southern Illinois. It was raised to the standard of a fine arts college. Dr. Washburn was its first president, followed by J. W. Patton for one year. William Shelton, D. D. and later L. L. D., then served as president before becoming Chancellor in charge of raising an endowment for the college. Dr. Washburn served three different times as president. (Incidentally, he was the father of the late Aurelia Washburn Wright of McLeansboro, and grandfather of Norval Wright.) (Documentary data given above was gleaned from the "Baptist Banner Print" printed in 1880. In 1890 the Carnegie Memorial Library was built; seven buildings in all were erected, three of them being dormitories. Willard Hall was the Administration building, where in 1896, William Jennings Bryan, "Free Silver" presidential candidate gave the commencement address. His mother was a matron at Ewing college. The peak year of enrollment was in 1909 with 800 students, which included young people from all over the state and some from out of state. Many of McLeansboro's prominent business men and educators of the 19th century were educated at Ewing. The college always had a good football team and often played Teacher's Normal at Carbondale and other small colleges that flourished in Southern Illinois at the turn of the century. Now, as one drives thru the quiet, tree shaded streets of the little village of Ewing, the only visible evidence of the once proud center of learning is a memorial which has been erected at the eastern edge of the campus. The monument contains the names of the men who served as presidents, as follows; Dr. Patton, Dr. William Shelton, Dr. J. A. Leavitt, Dr. Wm. A. Matthews, Dr. E. L. Carr, Mr. Arthur E. Summers, Dr. H. M. Tipsworth, Dr. H. A. Smoot, Dr. A. E. Prince, acting presidents professor Wilson and August Grisel. At the base, large stone letters are arranged to give the message: "Ewing College, 1874. ______*______ Thank you Silvetta Parsons for the above article |