Benjamin Franklin Riley
Dr Benjamin Franklin Riley (born July 16, 1845 in Pineville, Alabama, died 1925 in Birmingham) was president of Howard College, from 1888 to 1893.
Riley was born the son of Enoch George Riley and his wife Sophronia on a farm in Pineville in Monroe County. He was a graduate of Erskine College, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Crozer Theological Seminary. In addition to being a noted pastor, he also served as editor of the Alabama Baptist newspaper and authored several books on the history of the state.
He took over the presidency of Samford University from James T. Murfee in 1888, just after its controversial move from Marion to a new campus in the East Lake section of Birmingham near Ruhama Baptist Church. He accepted the position after three earlier nominees withdrew their names and went to work immediately to shepherd the college through a deep financial crisis. The trustees considered abandoning the relocation to Birmingham, but never pulled the plug.
Riley oversaw the refurbishing of the old Ruhama Academy building that was donated to Howard and initiated the construction of the brick edifice that would become known as Old Main. He also directed the purchase of cattle and the planting of gardens to help supply the dining hall. He petitioned the board of trustees to allow the construction of tenant houses on campus, to be operated by Baptist women for profit and help increase the nearby population, the value of the campus property, and the goodwill of state Baptists. This plan was never carried out.
Riley had to work tirelessly and traveled at his own expense to recruit students, secure promised assistance from the city and squeeze donations from the Birmingham community. An 1893 fundraising campaign netted only $500 of $2000 needed to sustain the operation of the campus. The record number of students enrolled that year required deferred tuition to be able to attend and Riley had to ask the trustees to borrow to keep classes in session.
He resigned in 1893 to accept a job as professor of English literature at the University of Georgia and was succeeded by Arthur W. McGaha.
Publications
- Riley, Benjamin Franklin
References
- "Benjamin Franklin Riley at Samford.edu