Founder Charles Henry Hardin | ||
Headquarters Mexico, Missouri, United States Similar Cottey College, Stephens College, William Woods University, Midwestern State University | ||
Hardin College and Conservatory of Music, often simply Hardin College, was a women's college and conservatory located in Mexico, Missouri. The state's first junior college, it was associated with the Missionary Baptist Church of Missouri and operated from 1858 to 1931.
A successor of the Audrain County Female Seminary, the institution was renamed in 1873 for Charles Henry Hardin, later Governor of Missouri. John W. Million was president in 1900 and previous presidents were A. W. Terrill, Priscilla Baird (Mrs. H. T. Baird), and A. K. Yancy. Oscar B. Smith was president from 1930 until Hardin closed in 1931.
Along with seven other women's colleges in Missouri – Stephens, Christian, Lindenwood, Cottey, Howard Payne, William Woods, and Central Female College – Hardin was one of the original members of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges and program. It was designated as Alpha Chapter in 1918, though the chapter was later moved to Stephens when Hardin developed Bachelor's degree programs.[1]
One of its buildings, Presser Hall, has been restored and is used by a community group in Mexico, Missouri. Another building, Richardson Hall, is used by Mexico Public Schools.