This week on Retracing Our Roots, we’ll explore the lasting impact of the Truman family on education in the Ozarks, and how their contributions continue to shape the region today.
The story of Professor A.J. Truman and his family weaves a fascinating narrative into the educational history of the Central Ozarks. In 1856 Professor J.S. Howard founded the Mountain Home Male & Female Academy. Howard was joined by Professor. A.J. Truman, along with his wife, Mary, to spearhead efforts to bring formal education to the region. They played a pivotal role in shaping the area's intellectual landscape during a time when education was still sparse in rural Arkansas. Over time, the college became a crucial institution for training teachers, not only for Mountain Home but also for the surrounding areas.
Next, the Truman family faced tragedy when their eldest son, Andrew Calhoun Truman, died in Little Rock at just 13 years old while serving as a Senate page in Little Rock. Andrew's death marked a somber chapter in the family’s life but also underscored the sense of duty and public service that ran deep in the Truman household.
Lastly, the Mountain Home Baptist College was a significant educational institution in Baxter County, Arkansas, from 1892 to 1933. By 1927, it boasted 265 students, indicating its growth and importance to the local community. Its library, which housed 7,000 volumes, reflected a serious commitment to academic and spiritual education. The college’s high school attained grade-A status, while the junior college received formal accreditation from the American Association of Junior Colleges, highlighting its strong academic reputation. On its forty-acre campus, the college had expanded to include twelve buildings by 1927, illustrating the physical and institutional growth of the college over the years.
