N. B. Hardeman - The Roots of Freed-Hardeman

The Roots of Freed-Hardeman

Because of the lack of funding from private sources, mostly a result of the withdrawal of members and opposition to the use of musical instrument in worship, Georgie Robertson ceased operations after the 1906-1907 school year.

Hardeman and A. G. Freed, the former president of Georgie Robertson College and subsequently the president of the since defunct Texas Southwestern Christian College, Freed were approached by local businessmen about opening a new institution of high learning. Wanting the new facility to remain in Henderson, Freed and Hardeman offered to purchase the land and buildings of Georgie Robertson. However, the entity that owned the land and buildings, the Tennessee Missionary Association, a branch of the Christian Church, refused the offer because of the ongoing dispute between the Christian Church and the Church of Christ. Hardeman and Freed hence purchased land across the street from Georgie Robertson, with their own monies. Construction then began on what is now known as the Old Main Building. Because construction was underway on the new school, the 1907-1908 academic year was conducted in local businesses along Front Street. Several years later, some of the oldest buildings along Front Street were razed for redevelopment. A notebook filled with class notes belonging to A.G. Freed was found on an upper floor. In the fall of 1908, NTN&BC opened for its first school session in its final location. Freed became the first president of NTN&BC, and Hardeman became vice president.

The former lands and buildings of Georgie Robertson College were later donated to the Chester County school system and served as the county high school and later an elementary school. Hardeman, meanwhile, continued to serve as the public school superintendent. In 1963, the buildings were sold to Freed-Hardeman by the school system and renamed the Milan-Sitka Building, in honor of the Churches of Christ at Milan and Sitka, Tennessee, which had raised funds for the purchase. Primarily used by the theatre, business, and mathematics departments, the building was demolished in 2004. The new Bulliner-Clayton Visual Arts Center, built on the site of the old Milan-Sitka Gymnasium, opened at the beginning of the Fall 2007 semester. The original gymnasium floor serves as a patio to the new building.

In 1919, NTN&BC was purchased from Freed and Hardeman, and a board of trustees composed of Church of Christ members was authorized to operate the college. By unanimous decision, NTN&BC was renamed in honor of the two founders and became Freed-Hardeman College. The building, known as the Main Administration Building (later, Old Main), was designed by local architect Hubert Thomas McGee. McGee was originally from Chester County, but had moved to Memphis, Tennessee, by 1910. He was the architect for the original Georgie Robertson building and eventually designed ten buildings for the school. His most well-known building is the Clarence Saunders estate, the in Memphis.

Hardeman kept busy with his duties with Freed-Hardeman College and the Chester County schools. He was also was a widely regarded preacher and speaker. He was often invited to hold gospel meetings throughout the country; some of the revivals lasted for several weeks. One meeting that lasted a week at the Union Avenue Church of Christ in Memphis resulted in ninety-four baptisms with fourteen others after the close of the revival.

Hardeman was a prolific debater for the cause of Christ. His first such exchange occurred when he was twenty-five; he had been preaching for only two years at that time. His debate with the Missionary Baptist clergyman, Ben M. Bogard of Little Rock, Arkansas, was considered one of his finest performances in the exchange of theological views.