John Brown University

John E. Brown Jr. was the only son among six children. Growing up, Brown was immersed in the activities of JBU and its sister institutions. During World War II Brown served as a Naval Officer in the Asian-Pacific Theater until 1946. Returning to JBU at age 26, Brown became the youngest college president in the United States and was featured in several major magazines. But Brown did not let his fame inhibit his goals for JBU to have a solid backdrop of sound financial management and academic excellence. "I always say my dad started the college, I came along and sort of held it together, and my son John took it to new heights," said Brown. Brown did far more than simply hold the school together. The astute businessman brought the University from a deficit of millions of dollars to an endowment that paid for almost half of the educational costs of each student. By the 1960s, the faculty had almost doubled in number, and their salaries had increased by almost 100 percent. In the same decade, J. Alvin Brown dormitory was rebuilt and enlarged; the first house in the Broadhurst Village married student housing was constructed; Mayfield Hall opened; and the Murray Sells physical education building was completed. Additionally, one John Brown Jr. From the time he was 11 years old, family circumstances had forced John E. Brown Sr. to work, leaving his education behind. But at the age of 17, inspired at a Salvation Army meeting, he decided to commit his life to Christ. He became nationally known as "Brother Brown" and fully devoted his time to evangelism as an eloquent and convincing preacher. Amidst all of his successes, Brown never forgot his earlier years, and he desired to provide youth educational opportunities that he had been denied. He began to build on his dream of a school where financially disadvantaged young people could attend tuition free. "I call them rich boys and girls, for while they haven't the money to educate themselves, they have what young people of ample means sometimes lack — the will and ambition to work and strive and look forward and climb," Brown once said. With that in mind, the evangelist, his wife Juanita and their family settled in Siloam Springs, Ark. in 1919 where Brown established the Southwestern Collegiate Institute on their property. A year later the name was changed to John E. Brown College and then later to John Brown University. Years have passed since the day those first 70 students and 10 professors walked through the doors of the college, laying a firm foundation for future students. Yet the founder's words still serve to inspire. "The future has for each of us greater privilege, greater opportunity, greater responsibility and greater challenge," Brown said. ONE DREAM, THREE GENERATIONS Special to NWA Democrat-Gazette John Brown Sr. HISTORY 6 John Brown University | 100 Years Proud to serve in the community with a partner in education that goes the extra mile year after year. We appreciate you JBU!!! "Your Hometown Drug Store"

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