Athenians' Spirit

The spirit of the people living in Concord Church (later renamed Athens in 1896) that played an important part in the location of the normal school here prevailed well into the 20th century. It best can be described by giving some of their accomplishments and contributions for the benefit of the town and the students of the new normal school.

Recognition begins, perhaps, for William H. Martin, who, , along with his wife Martha Ann, conveyed to the State of West Virginia the land upon which to erect the first Normal School building. He was the grandson of John Martin, Sr., one of the earliest settlers in the Athens area who in 1829 settled on Laurel Creek in the area of the Athens Dam.

Throughout the years, many have been recognized for their contributions to the cause of what is now Concord College.  For William H. Martin, it came after his death on January 20, 1909, when classes were dismissed at Concord, and the entire student body marched in a funeral procession to show the respect that the community and the school had for the donor of the land that made the normal school possible. He is buried in the Martin family cemetery on the point of a hill overlooking Laurel Creek. It is at the end of the road, extending from Route 20 at the Athens Fire Station and passing through the Athens Cemetery.

Since no State funds were appropriated for either the land or for the construction of the first Normal School building, historians have also recognized five families --- the Fanning, French, Holroyd, Martin, and Vermillion families --- as principally responsible for meeting the challenge of raising the necessary funds through subscription and getting the school established.

There were no dormitories until 1891, so many residents opened their homes to provide living accommodations for the students, and for the same purpose, hotels were built.  The Mountain House was the center of activity for the community, and next to it on the former site of Bradley’s Drug Store was “Loafers Joy”, a favorite place for students at that time. 

In 1883, the Alumni Association was organized, and it was then called the Concord Normal School Reunion.  It held its first banquet in 1906 at the Massie Hotel, later to become Roy Beckett’s property and now the location of CVS. Doctors and dentists located here to provide medical and dental services. Hack services were established as early as 1889, and in 1904, an attempt was made to build a “trolley line” from Athens to Princeton.  Still later, bus and taxi services were available to meet transportation needs.

In 1905, the Bank of Athens was established to provide financial services.  In 1906, the Town of Athens was incorporated to meet the growing needs of the community, of which the students were a part. 

Then, in 1910, when fire destroyed the Normal School’s only building, residents made storerooms, church rooms and lodge rooms immediately available for classes to meet.  Athens physician Dr. David H. Thornton headed a committee to seek to rebuild the Normal School in Athens.

In 1911, when a new site was needed for the school at no cost to the State, the Vermillion family gave 26.4 acres for a new campus and to this additional acreage has been added, resulting in the present campus of about 116 acres, all of which was once part of the Vermillion family farm upon which Dr. James R. Vermillion settled in 1845.

Also about 1912, a Dry Goods and Notions Store was opened by John Matt Cook in the present Sweet Shop building.  In the house next to the Sweet Shop, Miss Ada Pauley operated a very successful boarding house for students and faculty. In 1922, she started to build a hotel-style, off-campus dormitory for men, but after running into financial difficulty, she sold the unfinished building to other parties, who in 1925 sold it to the Board of Control. The building was completed in the summer of 1926 and opened as Sam Holroyd Hall, the second dormitory for men.

About 1933, “Doc” Ferrell began operating the Sweet Shop, and it was the favorite meeting place for students until the student union was established on campus. In 1947, Woodrow Thomas, an alumnus, built and operated the Athens Theater. Before this, students went to Princeton to see the movies at the Royal Theater.  

In the 1962, Garland Elmore built his Campus Lodge for Concord students as an attractive alternative to dormitory accommodations.  In 1975, with no doctors practicing in town, the people of Athens and its surrounding area raised the necessary funds to establish the Athens Medical Center on what was previously the Elmore property. It served the medical needs of the residents in the community and the students of Concord College. And of course the doors of the local churches have always been open to meet the spiritual needs of the students.

To these and to countless others whose efforts, contributions, sacrifices, participation and support have been vital to the life of Concord College, acknowledgment and appreciation was expressed in a greeting given by Professor Charles K. Baxter, Senior Faculty Member, at a convocation held to celebrate the 100th birthday of Concord College. It was also a time of turmoil, caused by a proposed merger of Concord College with Bluefield State College.  His words: 

          

PRESIDENT MARSH … FACULTY … STUDENTS …. AND FRIENDS OF THE COLLEGE

ON THIS DAY … OUR HEARTS AND MINDS RETURN A HUNDRED YEARS … TO HONOR THE HANDFUL OF FAMILIES … WHOSE VIVID THOUGHTS AND IMAGINATIONS … AND WHOSE INTENSE STRUGGLES AND SACRIFICES … MADE THIS INSTITUTION POSSIBLE.

ON THIS DAY … WE GIVE A RESOUNDING APPLAUSE … TO THE FIRST FACULTY … AND TO THE FIRST STUDENT BODY … WHO IN THE MOST MODEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES … KINDLED THE FLAME OF KNOWLEDGE … SO THAT OTHERS COULD LIGHT THEIR CANDLES.

ON THIS DAY … WE EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION … TO THE HUNDREDS OF FACULTY … AND TO THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS … WHO DURING THE PAST CENTURY … LIGHTED THEIR CANDLES … IN THE LIFE OF THE COLLEGE.

ON THIS DAY … AND ESPECIALLY DURING THESE DAYS … OF CRITICAL ISSUES … AND OF POSSIBLE CHANGES … TO YOU … AND TO ALL WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH CONTINUING THE LIFE OF CONCORD COLLEGE … I BRING A CONTEMPORARY GREETING … FROM A CONTEMPORARY FACULTY:

DON’T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT ALL THOSE CANDLES;  JUST MAKE SURE THE FIRE DOES NOT GO OUT !

Much of the early history of Athens and Concord, as well as countless photos that appear in Athens We Knew were collected by Charles Baxter and contributed to this website by his son, David Baxter.