Phillips University was a

private university Private universities and private colleges are higher education institutions not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. However, they often receive tax breaks, public student loans, and government grants. Depending on the count ...

Enid, Oklahoma Enid ( ) is the ninth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Garfield County, Oklahoma, Garfield County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 51,308. Enid was founded during the openin ...

. It opened in 1906 and closed in 1998. It was affiliated with the

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...

. It included an undergraduate college and a graduate

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...

. The university was also home to the Enid-Phillips Symphony Orchestra, and its campus regularly hosted events for the Tri-State Music Festival.

History

Originally named Oklahoma Christian University, the school was founded by Ely Vaughn Zollars on October 9, 1906. Enid-area businessmen raised $150,000 and purchased a campus east of Enid. Though ultimately the university would base its teachings on the Disciples of Christ denomination, the committee to bring a university to Enid had a more diverse religious background: Edmund Frantz (Presbyterian), Frank Hamilton (United Brethren, Disciple), Al Loewen (Jewish), J.M. Pieratt (Disciple), and Everett Purcell (Presbyterian).Rockwell, Stella, ed., Garfield County, Oklahoma, 1907-1982, Vol. I, Garfield Historical Society, Josten's Publishing Company, Topeka, Kansas. 1982. pg 26-27 Funding for the operation of the university was supplied by Thomas Wharton Phillips of

Butler, Pennsylvania Butler is a city in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is north of Pittsburgh and part of the Greater Pittsburgh region. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,502. Butler is named after Major General ...

and the

Disciples of Christ The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...

Churches of Oklahoma. Following Phillips' death in 1912 the university was renamed in his honor.Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture
, Oklahoma Historical Society Online Edition, Oklahoma State University Library Electronic Publishing Center During World War II, the Permanente ship builders manufactured a victory ship named after the university called the SS Phillips Victory (VC2-S-AP2, MC Hull Number 758)."Mrs. Stettinius Christens Ship", The Oakland Tribune, May 27, 1945, pg A-7 Oklahoma Christian University held its first classes September 17, 1907. The first year's enrollment was 256 students, and of the freshman class, only 20 had completed high school.Burke, Bob, and Franks, Kenny, "Oklahoma Christian University", ''In Reverence We Stand: Memories of Phillips University'', Oklahoma Heritage Association, 2003 Phillips High School was created in 1907 as a preparatory school at the same time to prepare students for college-level courses, and continued operations until 1925. The school became affiliated with the North Central Association of Colleges on March 23, 1919, and in the American Association of Colleges in 1920.McCash, Isaac Newton,
History of Phillips University
'' In 1987, Phillips Graduate Seminary incorporated as a freestanding institution independent of Phillips University. It is now known as Phillips Theological Seminary, and is located in

Tulsa Tulsa ( ) is the second-most-populous city in the state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tul ...

, Oklahoma. Currently, Phillips Theological Seminary houses the transcripts of the alumni of Phillips University. Phillips University also ran a graduate business school which awarded MBA degrees, and was well recognized in the states of Oklahoma and Texas. It also had a large international community of students from more than 20 countries.

Bankruptcy, closure, and Legacy Foundation

Due to financial problems and decreasing enrollment, Phillips filed

Chapter 11 bankruptcy Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ( Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, w ...

on April 1, 1998, and closed its doors four months later.Northern Oklahoma College moves on Enid campus
, ''Associated Press'', June 18, 1999. After the bankruptcy of the university in 1998, the liquidation of assets yielded $3 million in funds for the formation of the Phillips University Legacy Foundation, which, in honoring the legacy of the university, awards scholarships and provides leadership development opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students attending Disciples of Christ-related colleges and universities. They also administer leadership programs such as the Annual Leadership Development Conference and the Volunteer Leadership Projects. The Phillips University Alumni and Friends Association also exists, serving as a voice of alumni and friends, communicating, preserving, and perpetuating the heritage of Phillips University. The seminary survives as the Phillips Theological Seminary in

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa ( ) is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, second-most-populous city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the List of United States cities by population, 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The po ...

, which also houses transcripts for alumni of Phillips University. The former campus was purchased in June 1999 by Northern Oklahoma College (NOC), a public college, for $6.1 million (split $1.9 million paid by the city of Enid, $800,000 by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, and $3.4 million by NOC). NOC, based in

Tonkawa, Oklahoma Tonkawa is a city in Kay County, Oklahoma, Kay County, Oklahoma, United States, along the Salt Fork Arkansas River. The population was 3,015 as of the 2020 United States census. History Named after the Tonkawa tribe, the city of Tonkawa was foun ...

, phased the entire property into use as a

satellite campus A satellite campus, branch campus or regional campus is a campus of a university or college that is physically at a distance from the original university or college area. This branch campus may be located in a different city, state, or country, ...

Presidents

* Ely Vaughan Zollars (1907–1915) * Isaac Newton McCash (1916–1938) * Eugene S. Briggs (1938–1961) * Hallie G. Gantz (1961–1972) * Thomas E. Broce (1973–1975) * Samuel E. Curl (1976–1979) * Joe Robert Jones (1979–1988) * Robert D. Peck (1989–1993) * Donald F. Heath (1994–1995) * Sheldon E. Elliott (1995–1996) * G. Curtis Jones (1996–1998)Burke, Bob, and Franks, Kenny, "Presidents and Chancellors of Phillips University," ''In Reverence We Stand: Memories of Phillips University'', Oklahoma Heritage Association, 2003, p. 183

Athletics

Phillips University founders cornerstone

The school's sports teams were called the Haymakers. For one year, 1920, the school was a member of the Southwest Athletic Conference. Between 1917 and 1920, John Maulbetsch was the head football coach at Phillips University. Maulbetsch was an All-American running back at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

in 1914, where he earned the nickname the "Human Bullet". With his name recognition, he was able to recruit big-name talent to Phillips, including future Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Owen, and future United States Olympic Committee President

Doug Roby Douglas Fergusson Roby (March 24, 1898 – March 31, 1992) was an American sportsman and Olympics official. After playing football at Phillips University and the University of Michigan, he worked for American Metal Products Company, an automobil ...

. Maulbetsch quickly turned Phillips into a major contender in the southwest, as his teams beat Oklahoma and Texas and lost only one game in the 1918 and 1919 seasons. The 1919 team, known as "Mauley's Iron Men", was considered by many experts to be the finest football squad in the southwest that season.Jim Strain
The Iron Men Of Phillips Used Just 12 Players In Upsetting Mighty Texas
, ''Sports Illustrated'', October 19, 1981, Accessed June 4, 2010. After defeating the

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

and

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

football teams, the "Haymakers" gained a reputation as “one of the strongest teams in the southwest.” When Phillips defeated Texas 10–0 in

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

in October 1919, the Longhorns had not lost a game since 1917. One Texas newspaper reported that Phillips had "whitewashed the Longhorns in their own corral." As a result of Phillips' success, it was admitted to the Southwest Conference for the 1920 season. With the loss of several key players from the previous squads, Phillips fell to 4–5–1 record, failed to score a single point in conference play and immediately dropped out of the conference. Maulbetsch was hired to coach Oklahoma A&M in 1921. Unable to sustain its previous success, the program's reputation faded; the school finally closed the program in 1933. Subsequently, Phillips University baseball and basketball teams were in the NAIA. From 1952 through 1981, Phillips University baseball teams dominated their division. Coached by Dr. Joe Record during this period, the Haymakers compiled a 648–294 record for a .688 winning percentage. Three of Record's teams went to the NAIA World Series. He was the NAIA Coach of the Year in 1973, and inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1975.

Phillips University Japan

In 1989 Phillips University opened a branch campus at the Kyoto Institute of Technology and Science in Japan. Students at the Japanese campus earned credits towards a Phillips degree, and were required to complete a one-year residency on the Enid campus. Faculty members from the Enid campus taught some classes in Japan. The arrangement also allowed students from the Enid campus to earn part of their required credits abroad at the Osaka campus. In 1992 Phillips University filed suit against Phillips Japan Co., Ltd, the private entity which ran its academic programs in Japan, along with the Kyoto Institute of Technology and Science, and Tanezo Yamasaki, chief director of the institute. The suit alleged that the defendants failed to pay taxes to the Japanese government, withheld funds due to Phillips University to pay some taxes which they were responsible for paying according to the contract, and alleged unauthorized use of the Phillips University name. In April 1995, Phillips University International (PUI) was created with the new purpose of taking American education in Japan a step further by creating a new bilingual and bicultural academic program. In the fall of 1996, PUI moved its campus to a growing suburban area of

Kyoto Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Kyoto Prefecture has a population of 2,561,358 () and has a geographic area of . Kyoto Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the northeast, Shiga Prefecture ...

, Kyotanabe City, and became an independent educational entity under the new name of Kyoto International University.

Notable people

Alumni

Joseph Bunn Joseph Ray Bunn Stallins (born May 18, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. At 6'6" tall and 232 lbs. (105 kg) in weight, he played at the power forward and center positions. Professional career Bunn played colle ...

– professional basketball player * James Clark Brown - minister (

New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is List ...

;

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

;

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

;

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

) * Merwin Coad – U.S. Representative from Iowa * Pete Earley – journalist and author * Beverly Roberts Gaventa –

New Testament The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...

exegete Exegesis ( ; from the Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Biblical works. In modern usage, exegesis can involve critical interpretation ...

and

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

* Carol Hamilton - Oklahoma Poet Laureate (1995-1997) *

Michael Hedges Michael Alden Hedges (December 31, 1953 – December 2, 1997) was an American acoustic guitarist and songwriter. He was known as a virtuoso who used unorthodox playing techniques, and much of his output was classified as new age music. Hedges ...

– musician *

Shirley Knight Shirley Knight Hopkins (July 5, 1936 – April 22, 2020) was an American actress who appeared in more than 50 feature films, television films, television series, and Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in her career, playing leading and char ...

– actress * Julie Ledgerwood – chief of the Clinical Trials Program at the Vaccine Research Center of the

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID, ) is one of the 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. NIAID's mis ...

, led first human trial to test the

Ebola vaccine Ebola vaccines are vaccines either approved or in development to prevent Ebola. As of 2022, there are only vaccines against the Zaire ebolavirus. The first vaccine to be approved in the United States was rVSV-ZEBOV in December 2019. It had ...

* John Levi – professional football player * Pat Moran McCoy – jazz pianist * John Newbold "Happy" Camp – U.S. Representative from Oklahoma * Daniel Nicholson – legal research and writing professor * Bill Owen – professional football player * Steve Owen – professional football coach * Susan Pamerleau, retired

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

major general and the Republican

sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

Bexar County Bexar County ( or ; ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in South Texas and its county seat is San Antonio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,009,324, making it the state's fourth-most populous county. Bexar County ...

Oral Roberts Granville Oral Roberts (January 24, 1918 – December 15, 2009) was an American Charismatic Christianity, Charismatic Christianity, Christian televangelist, who was one of the first to propagate Prosperity theology, Prosperity Gospel Theo ...

– televangelist *

– U.S. Olympic Committee president * Lawrence Schovanec -

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public university, public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship instit ...

president * Paul F. Sharp - professor and college administrator * Everett Shelton – University of Wyoming basketball coach * Jim Spainhower – Missouri State Treasurer * Henry E. Stubbs – U.S. Representative from California * Harold Taft – television meteorologist * Bess Truitt - Oklahoma Poet Laureate (1945-1963) *

John Turner John Napier Wyndham Turner (June 7, 1929September 19, 2020) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Canada from June to September 1984. He served as leader of the Liberal Party and leader of the Opposit ...

– professional basketball player * James W. Valentine – paleontologist *

George H. Wilson George Howard Wilson (August 21, 1905 – July 16, 1985) was an American attorney, FBI agent, United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Oklahoma, and judge. Early life and education Born in Mattoon, Illinois, Wilson m ...

– U.S. Representative from Oklahoma

Faculty

* Bill Quayle, tennis coach and associate professor from 1972 to 1979; left to become athletics director at

Emporia State University Emporia State University (Emporia State or ESU) is a public university in Emporia, Kansas, United States. Established in March 1863 as the Kansas State Normal School, Emporia State is the third-oldest public university in the state of Kansas. E ...

from 1979 to 1999.

References

External links

Phillips University Legacy FoundationPhillips University Alumni and Friends Association
{{Coord, 36, 23, 49, N, 97, 50, 41, W, format=dms, display=title, type:edu_region:US-OK Defunct private universities and colleges in Oklahoma Defunct universities and colleges affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Universities and colleges established in 1906 Educational institutions disestablished in 1998 Schools in Enid, Oklahoma Phillips Theological Seminary 1906 establishments in Oklahoma Territory 1998 disestablishments in Oklahoma