When Georgia Baptist Female Seminary, now Brenau University, was getting off the ground, officials looked at nine sites around Gainesville before they chose the present one.

Actually, nobody officially connected with the school or the city made the final selection. Apparently local officials and those connected to the proposed seminary had some interest in all the sites. Therefore, they went to great pains to have a neutral group recommend the best choice.

They appointed a “location board” of people from outside Hall County: Professor E.H. Beck of Dahlonega, Gen. G.J.M. Wilson of Jefferson, J.H. James of Atlanta and the Rev. Thomas Crymes of Toccoa. The group toured the sites in horse-and-buggies and came up with 10 acres bounded on the west by Race Street (today’s Boulevard) and on the south by Spring Street.

The site was described as having “beautiful groves of native forest north and east” of the property. A spring from a former resort ran through it.

School officials reported “no complaints” about the location.

However, there apparently had been some opposition to establishing the seminary in Gainesville despite support from the city council and other leaders in the community. W.C. Wilkes, the first administrator, wrote a series of letters to the public in the local newspaper explaining the reasons for the seminary, how it would be paid for, how much it would cost students and other information before the school would even break ground.

Some of the opposition might have come from the city’s involvement. The city council had promised $25,000 in 8% bonds if other donors would match the amount in private funds. David Butler, president of the board of trustees, wrote that there “ought not be jealousness, antagonism or needless misrepresentation” toward the new school.

The prospect of the college had been discussed since 1873 by the Georgia Baptist Convention. It was not until the convention met in Gainesville in 1877 that it endorsed establishing the school.

Wilkes went around to Baptist churches in the area explaining the proposal and seeking their support and money, collecting more than $7,000. He suggested the state might pitch in as well as other organizations.

His projected budget for the first year had income from interest on the city bonds at $2,000, matriculation fees from 300 students, $3,000; royalties from the music department, $400, for a total of $5,400. That matched the expense total that included $1,250 salary for the president, $1,000 for professors, $600 for a “lady teacher” in higher English and $250 for a “lady teacher” in the common school.

That didn’t account for construction, maintenance, supplies or equipment. For instance, Wilkes said equipment for astronomy and chemistry would be needed, and the music department “must have not antiquated and worn-out pianos, but good instruments.”

The first faculty consisted of Wilkes, the Rev. T.P. Cleveland, Mrs. M.F. Van Hoose and Miss Anne Hornady.

Students would be housed in cottages with an adult woman or boarded in local homes. They would wear uniform clothing. Tuition would be free for one student from each of Georgia’s senatorial districts.

Besides music, science and literary courses, there also would be classes to teach “housekeeping, cooking, sewing and knitting.”

The first senior class of five students graduated June 26, 1879.

That first school year, more than 70 students enrolled from 14 counties in Georgia and Tennessee. Two buildings had been built, including Wilkes Hall, the domed structure that still stands facing Boulevard.

Wilkes died in 1886.

From those struggling 1870s, Brenau University now has campuses in four Georgia locations as well as in Jacksonville, Florida, with both female and male students. Besides the original campus in Gainesville, classes are also held in the university’s downtown building.

Johnny Vardeman is retired editor of The Times. He can be reached at 2183 Pine Tree Circle NE, Gainesville, GA 30501; 770-532-2326; or [email protected]. His column publishes weekly.