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Volume 6 Relation of U.B/EUB Virginia Conferences to Shenandoah University Dec. 26, 2013
information actually reported to the Conference is summarized in Table 3 (above). In the 6-year period
1925-1931 the debt grew from $52,029 to $67,866, that is, by $15,837 or at the rate of $2,640 per year.
The growth in debt over the next 3 years was $12,161 per year! The peak of debt was $107,000 at the
end of 1934-35 (during the Great Depression). The clamor against Shenandoah ranged from banks to
small shops not paid for providing food to the students, not to mention deferred salaries to faculty and
staff.
One can quite understand why the Conference accepted the situation as dire and the only solution
to be liquidating the Endowment Fund to pay off creditors at levels deeply below what was owed, cash
being so scarce everywhere. That liquidation and subsequent efforts by the Conference Liquidating
Committee reduced the outstanding debt by $55,000 in 1935-36 and another $6,029 in 1936-37.
Thus, the Endowment Fund exchanged well-invested Conference assets for first and second
mortgages of Shenandoah property (totaling $45,980), whose income from Shenandoah (whether
actually paid over or not) went immediately back to the College-Conservatory to pay or offset current
bills. This situation continued until the Dayton property was sold in 1960.
6. Shenandoah College and Shenandoah Conservatory of Music (SC&SCM;), 1937-55
1937 Incorporation of the Conservatory of Music. The Music Department of Shenandoah
College had always been outstanding and had
made the College known far and wide for its
excellence in this field (the SCI picture at the
right is from about 1900). The Board of Trustees
felt that the Conservatory had grown sufficiently
in strength to offer 4-year coursework leading to
a Bachelor’s Degree, but it could not do that so
long as the College itself held only junior college
rank and was therefore unable to offer degrees
itself.
To overcome this difficulty, the Board authorized the separate incorporation of Shenandoah
Conservatory of Music on April 5, 1937. The charter gave the Conservatory the privilege of granting
the degrees of Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees. Thus, one of the
outstanding music schools in the state and region became the only one offering degrees in music. The
Conservatory immediately applied for membership in the National Association of Schools of Music. In
1940, after much effort, President Miller and the Board of Trustees secured approval from the State
Board of Education for Shenandoah Conservatory to confer degrees in various musical subjects. In
December 1940, the National Association of Schools of Music approved the Conservatory as an
associate member. [Wilkins, p. 21]
On January 19, 1940, President Miller recommended that the High School Department be
dropped as there were few interested students. The High School Department was discontinued at the
end of the 1940-41 school year. Wade S. Miller served as president until the end of the 1941-42 year.
[Wilkins, p. 21]
In 1944 the Conservatory of Music finally received notification of its acceptance into full
member in that Association, with the reservation that the College Department make immediate
application for membership in the Southern Association of Colleges, the regional accrediting agency.
Miller, et al., on History of S.C., 1875-1950 31
information actually reported to the Conference is summarized in Table 3 (above). In the 6-year period
1925-1931 the debt grew from $52,029 to $67,866, that is, by $15,837 or at the rate of $2,640 per year.
The growth in debt over the next 3 years was $12,161 per year! The peak of debt was $107,000 at the
end of 1934-35 (during the Great Depression). The clamor against Shenandoah ranged from banks to
small shops not paid for providing food to the students, not to mention deferred salaries to faculty and
staff.
One can quite understand why the Conference accepted the situation as dire and the only solution
to be liquidating the Endowment Fund to pay off creditors at levels deeply below what was owed, cash
being so scarce everywhere. That liquidation and subsequent efforts by the Conference Liquidating
Committee reduced the outstanding debt by $55,000 in 1935-36 and another $6,029 in 1936-37.
Thus, the Endowment Fund exchanged well-invested Conference assets for first and second
mortgages of Shenandoah property (totaling $45,980), whose income from Shenandoah (whether
actually paid over or not) went immediately back to the College-Conservatory to pay or offset current
bills. This situation continued until the Dayton property was sold in 1960.
6. Shenandoah College and Shenandoah Conservatory of Music (SC&SCM;), 1937-55
1937 Incorporation of the Conservatory of Music. The Music Department of Shenandoah
College had always been outstanding and had
made the College known far and wide for its
excellence in this field (the SCI picture at the
right is from about 1900). The Board of Trustees
felt that the Conservatory had grown sufficiently
in strength to offer 4-year coursework leading to
a Bachelor’s Degree, but it could not do that so
long as the College itself held only junior college
rank and was therefore unable to offer degrees
itself.
To overcome this difficulty, the Board authorized the separate incorporation of Shenandoah
Conservatory of Music on April 5, 1937. The charter gave the Conservatory the privilege of granting
the degrees of Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees. Thus, one of the
outstanding music schools in the state and region became the only one offering degrees in music. The
Conservatory immediately applied for membership in the National Association of Schools of Music. In
1940, after much effort, President Miller and the Board of Trustees secured approval from the State
Board of Education for Shenandoah Conservatory to confer degrees in various musical subjects. In
December 1940, the National Association of Schools of Music approved the Conservatory as an
associate member. [Wilkins, p. 21]
On January 19, 1940, President Miller recommended that the High School Department be
dropped as there were few interested students. The High School Department was discontinued at the
end of the 1940-41 school year. Wade S. Miller served as president until the end of the 1941-42 year.
[Wilkins, p. 21]
In 1944 the Conservatory of Music finally received notification of its acceptance into full
member in that Association, with the reservation that the College Department make immediate
application for membership in the Southern Association of Colleges, the regional accrediting agency.
Miller, et al., on History of S.C., 1875-1950 31
