Oliver Otis Howard, Autobiography of Oliver Otis Howard, major general , United States army : volume 2

It was during that year that I was called to Cumberland Gap, Tenn., for a lecture. A large hotel with some 600 acres of land, called the Four Seasons, about a mile and a half beyond the village, had, prior to my visit, failed, leaving the property unoccupied. The little Harrow school at the village was in financial distress, owing to the fact that its patrons no longer assembled at the hotel. Hon. Darwin R. James, of New York, the Rev. Fred. B. Avery, of Ohio, and I, with some others, sat one evening on the Harrow school porch. “What shall we do with our school” was asked. I remember to have been walking up and down and thinking of the situation. I stopped suddenly and remarked: “Friends, if you will make this school a larger enterprise I will take hold and do what I can.” Out of the conference has grown the large and thriving institution which is chartered as “Lincoln Memorial University.” The first president of the board was Dr. Gray, editor of the Interior, of Chicago. The 600 acres which embraced the Four Seasons property were purchased, but Dr. Gray's health and strength soon failed him, and I had from him and others an earnest entreaty to take a more active part in the planting and development of the institution. I reluctantly consented, but began to work with all the strength I could muster. I have had associated with me some noble men, and the institution has been steadily progressing until more than 500 of the youth of the mountains are receiving excellent and systematic training. The organizing of the institution, the raising of funds for its plant, the establishment of an endowment, and keeping up the running expenses have