This video is part of a series that documents J. Earl Danieley lecturing during the class he teaches each winter term at Elon University called “Elon: Past, Present, and Future.” Danieley discusses a number of topics that relate to the history of Elon University as he lectures in the School of Communications (formally known as the Iris Holt McEwen Library building). In this video, he discusses events at Elon College which include: the one day library move in 1968 from the Carlton Library to the Iris Holt McEwen Library building (now the School of Communications) ending the day with a steak dinner for each person who carried 10 loads of books; and J. Earl Danieley called The American Library Association in Chicago, Illinois for three librarians who would help plan the architectural layout of the new library building. Gerald Orne, a librarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, spoke with J. Earl Danieley and was employed as a consultant. When the Carol Grotnes Belk Library building was completed in January 2000, Elon had a one hour ceremonial event. J. Earl Danieley continued to inform the students of the fire on Thursday, January 18, 1923 in the Administration building that was discovered by William B. (Bill) Terrell between 6:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. J. Earl Danieley believes this 1923 fire benefited Elon in the long run. Danieley says, “We could not have had the Phoenix without the fire. Without the fire, Elon would not have the five new main buildings (Alamance, Mooney, Duke, Carlton, and Whitley Auditorium).” “Isabella Cannon came to visit the campus in January 11, 2001” says J. Earl Danieley, “Isabella Cannon and I did not share the same political views and never discussed politics.” Isabella Cannon gave more than one million dollars to Elon College. Returning to the lecture of the 1923 fire, Elon College President William A. Harper (4th President of Elon) called an emergency Elon Board of Trustees meeting on January 24, 1923 in Harper’s temporary office in East Dormitory with Leon Edgar Smith, the president of the Southern Christian Convention (SCC). During this meeting, they needed to decide how to borrow more money to rebuild Elon College. Danieley says, “The trustees would have been fully justified if they said ‘sorry men, we have tried borrowing money.’” Danieley continues to state that those events such as World War I and the Spanish Flu epidemic hurt Elon College enrollment. Despite the obstacles, Danieley recounts when William A. Harper said “…serious trouble cannot defeat Elon. We will not be defeated. We may be knocked down but we will not be knocked out.” Post fire donors include: the Duke Brothers, Elon faculty and community members, William Wesley Staley, Charles R. Brown, Trustee Col. J. M. Darden, and Michael Orban, Jr. The final estimation to rebuild Elon College was close to $700,000.00 from the original $300,000.00 estimate. After borrowing from numerous sources, Elon College was in debt. Danieley moves on to the subject of the SCC which included the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. Students from the SCC came from all these states to attend Elon College. In 1922, the SCC decided to start another Christian institution in Alabama named Bethlehem College; Danieley felt the SCC could not sustain both academic institutions. Bethlehem College with Marshall Hook as its president became part of Southern Union College. Danieley became a member of the Southern Union College Board of Trustees. Southern Union College could not make it financially with the lack of a physical plant staff, low student enrollment, and faculty who lacked the credentials to teach. George Corley Wallace Jr., became the Alabama Governor in 1963. Wallace decided to begin state supported community colleges in Alabama. The SCC decided to give Wallace the Southern Union College which he converted into a community college. In the meantime, Elon College’s struggle to pay its debt was furthered by a lack of student enrollment due to The Great Depression. Harper, feeling responsible for Elon’s financial troubles, saw no way out and resigned as Elon’s President. Leon Edgar Smith, president of the SCC, felt it was the SCC who owned Elon College. Danieley says, “Smith was a brilliant politician who wanted to be Elon’s president.” Smith maneuvered through five SCC conferences, where he was unanimously voted to be Elon’s 5th president in 1931. Some notable names include: J. Earl Danieley, Iris Holt McEwen, Gerald Orne, Isabella Cannon, William A. Harper, Duke Brothers, William Wesley Staley, Charles R. Brown, J.M. Darden, Michael Orban, Jr., Marshall Hook, Harvey Hook, Frances Hook, Gerald Hook, Ray Hook, George Corley Wallace, Jr., and Leon Edgar Smith.