HSU Insider

HSU Hall of Leaders to Induct Five

• By Dave Coffield
• Posted March 28, 2007 10:56 AM
• 1 Comment

Graduates and individuals associated with our University make up a significant part of its identity as a great institution. To honor those whose service and distinguished accomplishments exemplify the values and character of Hardin-Simmons University, the HSU Hall of Leaders was established in 2001 as a permanent reminder of who we are as an institution.

Made possible by the generosity of Doyle and Inez Kelly, of Houston, Texas, the facility includes a first-floor circular corridor where the likenesses and contributions of these remarkable people are on perpetual display. Inductees, guests, and families will attend a luncheon in their honor at noon, March 30, then the city of Abilene is invited to join in the induction of these great leaders at the award ceremony in Logsdon Chapel at 12:45.

After careful consideration, HSU announces five inductees for 2007 whose distinctive accomplishments elevate the ideals of the University.

George Anderson

George S. Anderson was born on October 18, 1871, in Salado, Texas, the fourth of seven children to Captain Vachel and Malvina Anderson. He traveled with his father and older brother in a covered wagon to Fisher County, where his father was a partner in the establishment of the town of Roby.

In 1888, Anderson was hired as a printer’s apprentice for The Fisher County Call, performing various duties such as mixing tubs of ink and fetching type in the newspaper office. Over the next two years, he advanced to typesetter, assistant pressman, ad salesman, and then became co-owner of the paper.

In the summer of 1894, Anderson joined the staff of the Abilene Reporter, a weekly newspaper published by Abilene Printing Company. In 1895, the Abilene Printing Company was placed in receivership with Anderson acting as receiver. In 1896, he increased the Reporter’s publication rate from weekly to daily, and it became the Abilene Daily Reporter. Anderson soon sold his receivership and became business manager, and later editor, of the newspaper and the printing business.

In 1902, upon the incorporation of Abilene Printing Company, Anderson became its president, until 1932, when he stepped aside and became secretary of the corporation. In 1920, the newspaper part of the business was separated from the job plant and manufacturing end, and in 1924 was incorporated as the Abilene Printing and Stationery Company, of which became president and general manager.

At the time of his death in 1964, George Anderson continued to serve as chairman of the First National Bank board of directors, chairman of the board of directors of The Reporter Publishing Company, and president of Abilene Printing and Stationery. Additionally, he was at that time senior trustee and executive committeeman of Hardin-Simmons University, serving the longest term of any HSU trustee, 61 years. Anderson had long supported Hardin-Simmons both financially and with his time, and in 1957, shortly after the death of his wife Minnie, the men’s dorm, Anderson Hall, was named in their honor.

Dr. Thorn

Dr. William Ernest Thorn, a McAlester, Oklahoma, native served Baptists throughout the nation since his first pastorate in Panhandle, Texas, in 1951. He enrolled at Hardin-Simmons University in 1941, but joined the U.S. Navy to serve during World War II. Thorn returned to the Forty Acres in 1946, and became part of the 1948 Cinderella football team that played in four bowl games in one year. Vice president of his freshman class and president of the Baptist Student Union, he graduated in 1948 majoring in Bible. He served in several Texas Baptist churches until, in 1964, he became pastor of the large congregation at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Wichita, Kansas, a church his father, founded.

In 1976, Dr. Thorn became president of Dallas Baptist University, where he served until 1979.
He served as vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and was a member of its Executive Board. He was president of the Kansas Convention of Southern Baptists, a trustee of Buckner Baptist Benevolences, and a member of the Southern Baptist Mission Board (now International Missions Board) and the Board of Development of Dallas Baptist University.

A prominent public speaker, he and his wife Jessie traveled extensively, sometimes making over 300 appearances a year. Bill has authored over 23 books, including Dairy Queen Think Tank, and Wake Up, Make Up, and Go.

At Hardin-Simmons, Dr. Thorn has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Greater Hardin-Simmons Expansion Program, the Board of Development, and the Lettermen’s Association for football. In 1972, he was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree from his alma mater, and in 2004, was named a Distinguished Alumni. He holds a total of four honorary doctorates, has received five presidential commendations, and in 2001, he received the Texas Baptist Elder Statesman Award.

He and his wife, Jessie, have four daughters: Jenny Boyko, Martha Popplewell, Becky Baker, and Karen Morris.

Dr. Hemphill

A dynamic Baptist leader, Dr. Lee Hemphill had a significant impact on the growth, development and stability of Hardin-Simmons University. The late Dr. Hemphill, vice president emeritus at HSU, came to the University from a pioneer ranching-banking family in Coleman, Texas. In 1943 he was called as pastor to First Baptist Church of Littlefield where he served for 16 years. While serving as a pastor, he was elected by the Baptist General Convention of Texas to serve as a trustee at Wayland and Howard Payne universities.

He returned to HSU in 1959 to accept a position as the University’s first Vice President for Development. Dr. James Cantrell, former president of the Baptist Foundation of Texas, Dallas, credited Dr. Hemphill with leading HSU as it became the first Baptist institution to organize a full development department. He served in this position until 1968 and as Vice President for Deferred Giving until 1975.

Dr. Hemphill was a member of the executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and served as second vice president of the BGCT. He was vice chairman of the Texas Baptist Children’s Home at Round Rock, president of Baptist District 9, the Plains Baptist Assembly and the Texas Baptist Development Officers Association. Dr. William Pinson, former executive director and CEO of the Baptist General Convention of Texas says, “Dr. Hemphill through his long-time significant roles in Hardin-Simmons University and the Baptist General Convention of Texas enabled a host of persons to become effective leaders in churches, associations of churches, Convention entities, and on mission fields throughout the nation and the world.�

He received honorary doctorate degrees from two universities, Howard Payne University in 1952 and Hardin-Simmons University in 1958. He was the 1968 recipient of the Alumni Association’s Keeter Award. Dr. Hemphill played a major role in the establishment of the HSU Board of Development, the Board of Young Associates, the Academic Foundation, the Cowboy Band Foundation, the School of Music Founation, and the HSU President’s Club.

Dr. Hemphill and his wife, Lunelle Nix Hemphill, were major contributors to the construction of Nix Hall. In 1966, they endowed “The Cornerstone Series� Bible lectures in honor of his parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Hemphill of Coleman. In 1986, the Hemphills furnished the Business Reading Room in the Richardson Library. Following Lunelle’s death in 1987, an endowment was established by the Hemphill family to honor her and to provide an opportunity for students to be involved in mission outreach projects. He later married Koreen Willcox Logsdon and the couple made the major naming gift for the Lee Hemphill Music Building.

Dr. Flamming

Dr. Peter James Flamming, son of a Baptist pastor, came to Hardin-Simmons University on a football scholarship in 1951. President of the senior class, he met Shirley Northcutt, the daughter of the former pastor of First Baptist Church in Abilene. They were married in 1955, shortly after Jim’s graduation. Dr. Flamming heard the call to ministry during his college years and the newlyweds began their ministry in Eastland, Texas, at Bethel Baptist Church. While serving at Bethel, Dr. Flamming earned the bachelor of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth in 1959, and in 1963, his doctor of theology degree.

After serving as the director of the Baptist Student Union and as a Bible teacher at Texas Women’s University in Denton, he became associate pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church and then Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas, before accepting the pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Abilene in 1966. Dr. Flamming remained as pastor of FBC Abilene for 17 years, serving on the Board of Trustees for HSU and Hendrick Medical Center, and as chairman of the executive committee for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, preaching the annual convention sermon in 1972. Elected as a vice president of the BGCT, he also served as a member of the Foreign Mission Board.

In 1983, the Flammings were called to First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia. Founded in 1780 during the Revolutionary War, it remains a vibrant historical inner-city church. After serving the congregation and community of Richmond for over 23 years, he retired as pastor of First Baptist Church of Richmond on December 31, 2006.

He served on the Board of Trustees for Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University, and the Baptist World Alliance General Council, preaching for the Baptist Hour on radio and television. His books include The New You, God and Creation, Poking Holes in the Darkness and Other Sermons You Can’t Sleep Through.

In 1981, Dr. Flamming was named as one of the ten most influential leaders in Abilene, the only clergyman chosen. His other awards include an honorary doctorate from HSU, the Distinguished Alumni Award, also from HSU, the W.T. Conner Award as Outstanding Student in the School of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the 2001 Humanitarian Award presented by the National Conference for Community and Justice.
He and Shirley are the parents of three children: J.D., Dave (who passed away in 1991 of leukemia), and Doug.

Dr. Fletcher

Jesse Conrad Fletcher, a San Antonio native and Texas A & M graduate with both master and doctor of divinity degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, served 15 years with the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention beginning in 1960. During his tenure at the board, he traveled extensively gaining insight into personnel and missions needs.

Dr. Fletcher assumed office as the 12th president of Hardin-Simmons University in 1977. He served as president until 1991, as chancellor from 1991 to 2001, and president emeritus since 2001. During his fourteen years as president of Hardin-Simmons University, the second longest in history, Fletcher led the institution to reorganize into a university academic structure and to establish and endow schools in education, theology and nursing. Other highlights include adding seven new facilities and numerous renovations, quadrupling endowments, significantly increasing faculty salaries and enrollment. During his 10 years as chancellor, Fletcher has held a professorship in the Logsdon School of Theology, aided development efforts, and represented the University in numerous academic and community roles.

A recognized Baptist historian, Fletcher has written 10 books chronicling Baptist histories. Among them is Bill Wallace of China, which came out in 1963, went into 10 hardback printings, numerous foreign editions and paperback, before being filmed as a movie 1968. In 1994, Fletcher’s history, The Southern Baptist Convention, was published to mark that denomination’s sesquicentennial.

Dr. Fletcher has served as a trustee of Golden Gate Baptist Seminary, and was elected to the General Council of the Baptist World Alliance. He was named a distinguished alumnus of Southwestern Seminary, and was elected to preach the convention sermon at the 1978 Southern Baptist Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. In August of 2002, he received the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ George W. Truett Award for Religious Freedom.

Jesse has been president and campaign director of Abilene’s United Way; vice chairman and founding director of the Community Foundation of Abilene; co-chairman of Abilene Choosing Tomorrow Now (a city planning group); chairman of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce; vice chairman of the Military Affairs Committee; was twice interim director of the Grace Museum as well as chairman of its board and currently is immediate past president and a founding director of the Abilene Psychiatric Center. Jesse and Dorothy have two children, Jordan Scott of Lubbock and Melissa Dupree of Abilene. The Fletchers have five grandchildren.