Clarendon, Donley County
On April 2, 1898, the first college in the Texas panhandle, Clarendon College and University Training School (Clarendon College), was organized by the Methodist Church Conference. The college’s doors opened in the town of Clarendon on September 5, 1898, and for the first few years, courses were offered for students ranging from first grade through college. The college graduated its first class in 1904. On February 21, 1903, the Clarendon College Bulldogs played one of the earliest football games ever held in the Texas panhandle, beating the Goodnight College Buffaloes 16-10. Dr. George S. Slover oversaw an expansive period as president and led Clarendon to become a senior college on September 14, 1926. Clarendon conferred 28 bachelor’s degrees before returning to junior college status and coming under the direction of the Clarendon School District in 1927. Under president Kenneth D. Vaughan, the college separated from the public school and a county-wide college district was formed in 1965. An endowment from Sisters Etta and Ida Harned allowed the college to move from its historic location and build the modern campus in 1968. Clarendon College opened its first satellite center in Pampa in 1978 and later opened centers in Childress and Amarillo. Clarendon College remains a cultural center of Donley County and the region and continues to provide students in its service area an opportunity for higher education. (2015)