Kansas Wesleyan University history

1887: H. M. Mayo is the first graduate of Kansas Wesleyan.

1889: The Zetagatheon Society for women and the Delphian Society for men are formed.

1890: Two student publications, the Wesleyan Lance and the Kansas Wesleyan Advocate, merge to form the Wesleyan Advance.

1891: C. W. Burch is the first graduate to complete all of his work at Kansas Wesleyan.

1892: T. W. Roach is contracted to develop a commercial (business) department in downtown Salina, later becoming the Kansas University of Commerce, then the Kansas Wesleyan College of Commerce, and even later the Kansas Wesleyan Business College.

1893: The first informal “pick-up” game of football is played against Baker University.

1903: First season of football with 6 games is played, with a student coach.

1904: Kansas Wesleyan opened its first residence hall, Schuyler Hall, named in honor of a much-loved university founder, Doctor Aaron Schuyler.

1908: Carnegie Science Hall opens.

1911: Glenn Martin flies his self-built plane over southern Salina, near campus.

1916: King Gymnasium is completed.

1918: Kansas Wesleyan contributes to the First World War by conducting the “Student Army Training Corps.”

Dan Bolen attended KWU from 1920-22.

It is renamed Lockwood Hall in 1922 and serves as the fine arts and humanities building for another 37 years.

Thanks to a generous donation of $25,000 by E.C. Sams, the president and chairman of the board of J.C. Penney, the $50,000 was raised by 1925.

On May 30, 1926 Sams Chapel was dedicated in honor of E.C. Sams’ parents.

1928: The Grafton-Club mural “The Coming of the Pioneers” in Sams Chapel is dedicated.

The dedication and celebration of the completed Hall of the Pioneers, for all of the pioneers who gave their time and funds to maintain the university, took place on September 14, 1930.

Glenn Martin 1933 Visit for KWU Honor – Salina Journal

1936: Marking its 50th anniversary, KWU has grown to 24 faculty members and a student body of 450.

Aerial View of Salina before 1948, possibly earlier

1951: Pfeiffer Hall for Women is dedicated.

Sams Hall of Fine Arts (1952—present)

1953: Earl C. Sams Hall of Fine Arts is dedicated.

1956: KWU earns accreditation through the North Central Association, now called the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The University continues this accreditation today.

1958: KWU is accredited by the North Central Association.

1959: Lockwood Hall is torn down.

1961: Wilson Hall opens.

1968: Women’s athletics begins with the formation of the Association of Kansas Women’s Intercollegiate Sports.

1969: Peters Science Hall is completed.

1979: Muir Gymnasium is built.

1986: The KWU Athletics Hall of Fame is launched with 100 inductees to celebrate KWU’s 100th anniversary.

1987: King Gymnasium burns down.

1994: Woodworth fund is established when Alumni G. Walter “Woody” Woodworth, ’24, and Elizabeth “Betty” (Cuningham) Woodworth, ’26, bequeath part of their estate to support purchase of library materials and for scholarships.

2000: Memorial Library is reopened after a semester of extensive renovation, including removing the card catalog, moving offices, and installing the Terry Evans collection of photographs.

In September of 2004, students began to move in to the building even though only two of the four floors were completed.

2006: The first Project HERO (Helping Everyone Reach Out) day, the brainchild of two seniors, is organized by the Student Activity Board, and continues annually giving KWU students an opportunity to give back to the local community through community service projects.

On Monday, October 10, 2010, Kansas Wesleyan dedicated a bronze coyote in memory of Dan Bolen. the location, south of the Memorial Library, will be known as “Coyote Corner”.

2011: The Albert Nelson Student Success Center opens in Memorial Library.

"Earl Corder Sams and the Rise of J. C. Penney" by David Delbert Kruger from Kansas History (Autumn, 2012)

2014: Wesleyan Journey program is launched.

2015: KWU forms the only marching band in the KCAC.

2016: Three fully online degrees are launched: Bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice and Emergency Management and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.