Our Lady of the Ozarks College[a] is a religious campus in Carthage, Missouri. It began its history as a Methodist Ozark Wesleyan College in 1924, before transitioning to the independent Ozark Junior College in 1932, before becoming Our Lady of the Ozarks College in 1944. Since 1975, it has served as the monastery headquarters of the Assumption Province of the Catholic Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer religious order.
On January 24, 1924, the plot of land on which the institution stands was selected for the new Ozark Wesleyan College, to educate Methodists in the area.[1] A fundraising campaign had pledged $1.2 million ($22millionin 2024) by June, and the college opened on September 16, 1924, as the combination of three prior institutions: Carelton College in Farmington, Missouri, Arkansas Conference College in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and Marionville College in Marionville, Missouri.[1][2] The college was affiliated with the Saint Louis Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.[2] Classes were initially held in houses near campus.[1] Bonsack and Pierce were selected as the architects of the main building on the 27.5 acre campus.[3][4] Construction began in 1925, and the building was dedicated on June 2, 1926.[1] Built of Carthage stone from local quarries in the Tudor Gothic style, it contained offices, library, classrooms, laboratories, an auditorium, and a gymnasium and was built at a cost of ($4.48millionin 2024).[4] The first class graduated in 1929; however, by 1932 the college was experiencing financial troubles and ceased operations.[5][6] Salaries, maintenance, back taxes, and unfulfilled financial pledges due to the Great Depression contributed to the financial troubles.[1] Assets were liquidated, and records were sent to Central Wesleyan College.[7]
Ozark Junior College
In July 1932, it was announced that a new independent school run by a board of trustees, entitled Ozark Junior College, would be established at the former Ozark Wesleyan campus.[7] Local leaders attempted to assure area residents, many of whom had donated for the construction of the college, that the school was legally entirely separate from the prior Ozark Wesleyan College, and had sufficient funds to carry out operations.[8][3] In order to meet mortgage obligations, by 1943 the trustees of the institution sought to sell it, meeting with prospective buyers.[9] The Carthage school district had previously attempted to purchase the property.[3]
The college received affiliation with the Catholic University of America in 1949, allowing its graduates to receive diplomas issued by Catholic University.[12] In 1959, the Oblates constructed a shrine chapel to Our Lady of Fatima.[13]
Due to declining enrollment, the college closed in 1971 and records were sent to St. Henry's Preparatory Seminary in Belleville, Illinois.[13]
Since 1978, the campus has been used annually for Marian Days, a Catholic Vietnamese festival bringing tens of thousands of people to the area. Crowds in recent years have been estimated between 75,000 and 100,000; Carthage's own population is only around 12,500.[17][18][19]
Campus
Immaculate Heart of Mary Shrine
The main building was designed by Bonsack and Pierce, and was built of Carthage stone from local quarries in the Tudor Gothic style.[4] The shrine chapel to Our Lady of Fatima was built in 1959.[13]
Notes
↑ The congregation does not have a formal name for the entire campus, other than the simple "Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer", and the title of "Immaculate Heart of Mary" only refers to one shrine chapel. As such, this article refers to the campus by its last all-encompassing name, Our Lady of the Ozarks College.
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