Burritt College, Educational institution in Spencer, Tennessee.
Burritt College was an educational institution in Spencer, Tennessee, with a 25-acre campus featuring dormitories, classrooms, and a chapel where students gathered. The buildings were arranged to support daily academic and community life for residents on the grounds.
The college was founded in 1848 and became one of the first coeducational institutions in the South under the direction of the Churches of Christ. It opened doors for women to attend higher education when this was rarely available in the region.
The college served as one of the early places in the South where men and women studied together on equal terms. Walking through the grounds today, visitors can sense how this choice shaped the daily life of students who lived here.
The 25-acre property was large enough that students could walk between buildings and enjoy open space during the day. The self-contained layout meant that most daily needs were met on campus, so visitors can understand how isolated student life was from the town.
A former college president, William Davis Carnes, successfully pushed for a law that banned liquor sales within four miles of the school in unincorporated areas. This remarkable effort shows how the institution extended its influence far beyond the campus gates to protect its community.
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