Spokane's Own Spokane University

SPOTLIGHT ON THE SPOKANE REGION 

By Kris Krell

Spokane's Own Spokane University

After high school, I  attended Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC) for two years and then transferred to Eastern Washington University to finish out the last two years to obtain my teaching degree.

Back in 1972 when I transferred to Eastern, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do for my work life, except that I wanted to work with kids.  In that day, women who worked outside the home were either secretaries, school teachers, bookkeepers, or nurses—I knew that none of those options were what I wanted to be.  I went through five advisors at Eastern trying to get a different answer as to what I could do in working with children. I finally gave up and accepted that those options my advisers gave me were my options!  My mom always said, “don’t be a secretary, so I became a teacher—but it wasn’t the right choice for me at that time!  Had I been a more assertive young woman, perhaps I could have figured out how to get past that mind set of what a woman was able to do and pursued my life’s work in a different way.  I am so glad that women these last 30 plus years can pursue any work they want to.

Anyway, as I’ve researched information for the blogs, I found that in 1913, Spokane had its own university—and not the ones we are familiar with today!  In fact, Spokane University was the first university in the Valley.  

Spokane University was founded by Benjamin E. Utz September 15, 1913, a four-year liberal arts University and nonsectarian.  (Note: Prior to the founding of Spokane University, Utz founded Spokane Bible College in 1912, established to train ministers for the Disciples of Christ (Christian) Church.).  

Spokane University was divided into three colleges:  Bible College, Liberal Arts, and Fine Arts.

Classes at Spokane University were very small—average class size was six students. The student body averaged 111 students, 65% of whom were Disciples.  1927 enrollment was 127 students.  The Spokesman-Review  reported at that time that more than half of Christ Church pulpits in Spokane were filled by Spokane University alumni, faculty, or students.  So, 45% of Spokane University graduates were involved in religious work, and 90% were participating in compassionate work.  

Spokane University had (1) a Science Building that held administrative offices, classrooms, and library; (2)  Redford Hall, a three-story brick building, used for the women’s dormitory (where did the men stay?), reception area, and dining hall; and (3) the Gymnasium. Spokane University also had pep band, an orchestra, and a glee club.  Students also became involved in intercollegiate debate as early as 1922. 

Spokane University was also involved in sports.  The team name was Crusaders, and the colors were purple and white.  The University was the first member of the Spokane Intercollegiate Conference and later a member of the Columbia Valley Intercollegiate Conference. Sports were football, basketball, track, tennis, and baseball.  The Spokane Daily reported in 1925 that the University had the following championships: baseball (4), basketball (2), tennis (2), and football (1).  Conference rivals were:  Whitworth, Cheney Normal (now Eastern), Lewiston Normal (now Lewis and Clark), and Columbia and Spokane Colleges—no longer existing.

Spokane University educated hundreds of students including Clyfford Still, one of the leading artists in the first generation of the Abstract Expressionism painting style (think Jackson Pollock for one). Clyfford Still spent his childhood years in Spokane, and he graduated from Spokane University in 1933.  Degrees were bestowed on 112 men and 100 women.  46 of the men were ordained.  Other alumni worth noting are:   Donald H. Magnuson, attended 1926 to 1928, a 5-term Representative in the United States congressional delegations from Washington, and George B. Thomas, professor of mathematics at MIT and author of a classic calculus textbook

Spokane University experienced financial problems throughout its history.  In 1920, a $600,000 gift was granted to the University.  However, in 1924, the gym burned and was rebuilt.  Also, in 1924, the University held a fund raising drive to raise $250,000 for an endowment.  By 1927, the University had increased its student enrollment that required more money to run the school, had $91,000 in accumulated debt that needed to be paid off, and still had the need of an endowment fund for future expenses. 

The beginning of the Great Depression increased their financial problems, and so 1933 was the last graduating class from Spokane University.   In 1934, Spokane University merged with Eugene Bible College (now Northwest Christian University).  

There are conflicting reports of what happened to the facilities of Spokane University.  Some articles state the University’s facilities were sold or leased to the newly formed Spokane Junior College for two years and moved to the South Hill.  In 1936 some of the building contents were sold at auction.  In 1946, the buildings were sold to be used as a sanitorium.  One article states that the Science Building in now the Adminstrative Building for the Sunshine Gardens Nursing Facility at 9^thand Herald Streets in the Valley; another article stated that the Spokane University became University High School from 1960 to 2002.

University Road was named for Spokane University.

Sources:  lostcolleges.com, Spokane Historical, Wikipedia