Louisiana College: Factors in the Initial Survival of a Later Denominational College

Abstract

The following historical case study considers the initial history of Louisiana College. It utilizes primary and secondary sources, including dissertations, local histories, news articles, speeches, catalogs, yearbooks, and financial statements. The methods employed were historical, but the framework was that of an educationist. Beyond merely telling the story of the initial years of Louisiana College, the goal was to understand what contributed to the college’s perpetuity in light of the mortality of similar institutions. As we face a period of a demography unfavorable to our system of colleges and universities, it is imperative that leaders and the broader stakeholders of particular institutions have a grasp of the factors that lead to institutional health and decline.