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When Chancellor Isaac Crook arrived on the Nebraska Wesleyan campus in 1894, he found the campus consisting of Old Main, surrounded by corn fields and a forest of sunflowers, accessible from the city of Lincoln by a small horse-drawn trolley. 

Chancellor Crook, by all reports, seems to have been open to new concepts, rejecting the prevailing concepts of a woman’s place in the world. So perhaps it was not surprising that on April 15, 1896, a meeting was called by Chancellor Crook with “a view to organize a woman’s guild that shall employ in the interest of the university the intense power of the Methodist women of the state of Nebraska.” At that meeting were some of our Council pioneers, including Zara Wilson (temporary secretary), Mrs. H. T. Davis (who offered the prayer, and would later recall the lusty singing of “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name); Mrs. Nellie Richardson, S. K. Daley and Mary Peebles. At that meeting, they drew up a constitution, outlined a Plan of Work, elected officers and organized the Woman’s Wesleyan Educational Council of Nebraska. The Council was later formally organized at a second meeting in the YMCA Room on April 24, 1896–with Chancellor Crook, J. H. Mickey, President of the Board of Trustees and former Governor of Nebraska, and Dr. W. C. Huntington, who later served as Chancellor.

The Council had lofty goals. They hired an agent at $1,000 per year. She traveled the state with a goal of establishing a chapter in every Methodist church in Nebraska. A few chapters were organized, but most of them did not last long, swallowed up by Missionary Societies, Ladies Aid and other Women’s Clubs.

Dream #1: A Conservatory of Music

In Lincoln chapters were organized at Trinity, Grace, Havelock and University Place. Though the number of chapters organized was disappointing, the agent did manage to get more than 200 “subscriptions” or “pledges” for when a building would be built. As was reported later, many of these pledges were paid during fundraising for the Conservatory. The dream was so strong that in their second year, the Council changed its constitution to state that their purpose was to build a Conservatory of Music.

In the meantime, the Council concentrated on personal development, special “departments” like Bible Study groups, literary groups, garden clubs, sewing or other handiwork groups. Some women planted shrubs and trees on the campus. And there were other projects aimed at cultural enhancement and personal growth. But this did not mean that the Conservatory was not uppermost in their minds and in their discussions–at meetings and at home.

But the university was in deep financial trouble–$92,000, to be exact. So when the women wrote to the Board of Trustees to ask permission to begin to raise funds for their project, the answer was, “Absolutely not. Every dollar raised must go to pay off the debt.” The letter did indicate that the Board was in sympathy with the desire to build the Conservatory, but it just could not be done until the university was free of debt.

So. What did the women do? In an earlier historical compilation, WWEC member Jesse Yost writes: “The women did what women do–they had projects: little yellow and brown sacks were made for women to drop in a penny a day; they had ten-cent teas; they sold Mary Jane aprons and “dustless dusters”; put on dinners; sold subscriptions to the Ladies Home Journal; had an ice cream stand at the Epworth Assembly; popped corn and roasted peanuts and sent children out to sell them.”

Even after it seemed that the debt had been erased, the answer from the Board was still NO. Though money had been pledged, not all had been paid. The women of the Council became impatient, and wrote to the Board again. Finally, by the fall of 1903, the debt had been fully paid. After still having no word, the Council again wrote to the Board, stating that the debt has been paid–it is now time for the Conservatory. It took time, perseverance and persistence, but finally the Council received word that the Board was now “favorable to the Council’s enterprise,” and the women began in earnest to build their dream.

The Board of Trustees then called a meeting and asked, in so many words, “How strong is your commitment to this project? $10,000 worth? If you will pledge $10,000,” (implying, of course, if you do and if you meet that pledge) “we will give you your own room and the privilege of naming the building.” It did not take long for the Council’s response: YES. We accept the challenge–we will pledge $10,000. The women hit the road running. Actually, due to an anonymous gift at the very end of the campaign, the Council donated $11,000.

WWEC was not invited to the dedication of the first unit of the new building. In fact, the Council was not even mentioned by the Chancellor, the Governor, or other members of the Executive Board who participated in the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, the Chancellor did read a paper which had been given to him by the Council, which read, “The name of the building will be the C. C. White Memorial.” A poignant note was attached to the minutes of that day’s meeting: “The Council, uninvited, adjourned in time to attend the dedication of the Conservatory.”

Charles White–always known as C. C. White–was President of the Nebraska Wesleyan Board of Trustees from its formative years until his death in 1895. After his death, his widow and his business partner, A. L. Johnson, donated $25,000 to finish the building.

The building was formally dedicated on April 10, 1906. The story in the Lincoln Star was headlined, “DAY OF TRIUMPH FOR WESLEYAN”--Formal Celebration of the Completion of White Building Was Held.”  The article stated in part: “For today’s ceremony, the auditorium was crowded, down to the last seat. Presiding was ex-Governor Mickey, President of the Wesleyan Board of Trustees. Among those seated on the platform were members of the faculty and members of the Woman’s Wesleyan Educational Council.” One dream realized.

The first official meeting in the Council Room was on December 12, 1906. According to a presentation by Bernice Halbert at the Council’s Golden Anniversary Celebration in 1946, “The Council Room must have looked very gay on that first meeting day: three pairs of lace curtains–donated by Miller and Paine–valued at $27, and two rocking chairs–valued at $25–donated by Rudge and Gunzel–all made safe and secure by two locks donated by Wineland and W. C. Smith of University Place.”

C. C. White Memorial served the Nebraska Wesleyan campus until it was replaced by the Smith-Curtis Administration Building. Jesse writes: “When the walls of C. C. White came tumbling down in 1973, we picked up our piano, salvaged the lock and key to our old room for old time’s sake and moved to the faculty lounge in the Student Center for our meetings. We were surprised at how quickly we adjusted. No more worrying about our rugs wearing out, who would wash the dishes, who had the key. And we enjoyed the pampering of the Food Service–such heavenly desserts.”

Dream #2: A Campus Home for Women Students

Even as C. C. White was being built, the women had not stopped dreaming. There had long been talk of the need for a “home for our girls.” Several properties had been discussed, but nothing was done about university housing for women students–they lived in sorority houses or had rooms in private homes. The Council became very involved in the planning and building of Johnson Hall.

In fact, as an interesting sidenote–Jessie Yost reported that, in 1946, after buying new silver, dishes, etc., for Johnson Hall, the women began to look at the Council Room, and it seemed rather shabby and out of date. So, with ingenuity and creativity, they managed to completely redecorate and refurnish the Council Room. 

Johnson Hall was named for A. L. Johnson. The Johnson family was very active in the Methodist Church and very supportive of ������Ƶ. A. L. was not only the business partner but also the brother-in-law of C. C. White, and served on the Board of Trustees for 51 years. Another of the Johnson sisters was Nellie Magee. (At one point, there were three structures on campus named for members of the Johnson family–C. C. White Memorial, Johnson Hall and Magee Memorial Stadium.)

Johnson Hall was dedicated on February 27, 1948. Members of the Council “presided at the coffee table” during the Open House reception following the dedication. Another dream realized.

In 1972, the Lincoln Journal ran a full-page story with a color photo announcing the 75th anniversary of the Council–the Diamond Jubilee. There were many special events–including a fundraising luncheon with Helen Lowrie Marshall, well-known poet, as guest speaker–and publication of the WWEC Cookbook. Funds raised from the cookbook were donated to the University’s New Dimensions Fund.

Dream #3: Financial Aid for Students

In the early 1930s, a new need surfaced–financial aid for students. The Council began a loan program for students. But as the Great Depression deepened, it was felt that loans were not enough. It was in 1936, at WWEC’s 40th Anniversary Celebration, that the scholarship program we know today was born. The celebration included a variety of activities, but the real focus was the vote to set aside $50 as a start on a scholarship endowment fund.

The plan was to establish a fund of $1,000, with the interest to be used as scholarships. Through gifts of one dollar, the Council hoped to raise $1,250. Each member was asked to secure five $1 gifts. The names of all the donors were inscribed into a book, later published by the Stevensons at Northeast Printers.

The first scholarship–for $25–was awarded in 1937 to Mary Whitney. Another dream realized.

In her presentation in 1946 at the Council’s Golden Anniversary, Bernice Halbert summarized the thread that has connected all the women of WWEC through the decades: “So it goes, and so it has gone for 100 years. The Council is not just a dream come true. It is a long line of dreamers with dreams constantly in the making and constantly coming true.”