The nurse was speaking of little Mattie Myers, who lived in the old Kentucky town of Stanford. The child was seldom to be seen engaged in those sports natural to children. She was grave, quiet, thoughtful. Her one amusement was found in her family of dolls; she was always their teacher, and they were daily going to school to her. For companions, she chose those who were much older than herself, and she would sit by the hour, soberly listening to theological discussion, weighing, in her infant mind, the arguments of learned men. Her mother was dead, but Mattie could recall her sympathetic touch, and tender smile. It seemed to her that out of the shadow of death her life had emerged, to be clouded by new losses. One after the other, her two sisters were taken from her. Then the brother, who was her only intimate companion, went to another town to teach school. Mattie found herself the only young person in the large house of her wealthy father. Of course she received all care; her slightest wishes were granted; the love of her widowed father was doubly hers, because of his bereavements. But the little girl was very lonely. When the flowers sent forth their perfume on the warm Kentucky breezes, she was reminded of three graves; and when the sunshine gilded the level pike leading toward Lancaster, she felt as if her brother Joe were calling her to come and nestle against his loving breast.

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Columbia College, formerly known as Christian College, was founded in 1851 in the small frontier town of Columbia, Missouri. Touted as the first women's college west of the Mississippi River, Columbia College emerged as virtually a sister college to the University of Missouri, sharing leadership, faculty, and curriculum. Covering each of the school's presidential administrations, Columbia College examines all aspects of the college--academic, administrative, financial, athletic, and student life. Particular emphasis is placed on the role various individuals played over the years. Although created through the zealous efforts of progressive leaders of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the college was bound by its charter to be nondenominational--an issue that sometimes led to passionate sectarian quarrels within the fledgling institution. Despite pre-Civil War political differences, denominational rivalries, and personality clashes, the college struggled to survive. Through 150 years of continuity and change, Columbia College has tenaciously upheld its liberal-arts tradition as a teaching-centered institution, seeking innovative ways to broaden educational horizons and meet the needs of new generations. From the sheltered environment of Christian Female College, Columbia College has evolved into a modern coeducational institution with twenty-four military and civilian extended campuses across the United States and in Puerto Rico and a thriving evening campus that specializes in adult education. Columbia College will be of great interest to Columbia College alumni, as well as to anyone with an interest in liberal arts and adult education. Those wishing to preserve the endangered tradition of the small private college will find the Columbia College experience not only an inspiration, but also a lesson in creativity, loyalty, and dedication.