HIXSON, Fred Whitlo - Putnam

Looking Backward – Fred Whitlo Hixson, 50, president of the University of Chattanooga from 1913-1920, died 25 years ago.  Acute spinal arthritis ended his life. He died at Meadville, PA where he was president of Allegheny College.  He resigned the presidency of the local university to accept the Allegheny presidency. In 1924 the PA college was one of the oldest and largest educational institutions of the Methodist Church.  Dr. Hixson was born Nov 24, 1874 at Hill, Ind and graduated at DePauw University in 1899 with Phi Beta Kappa honors.  He served conspicuously some of the leading pastorates in Indiana and was a delegate to several general conferences and was a member of the United Methodist Church important committees.  During his administration in Chattanooga many of the present buildings on the campus were constructed; the gymnasium, the quadrangle, consisting of the university and science hall and the John A. Patten Memorial Chapel.  All models of college architecture – these buildings stand as a monument to his rare good taste, high ideals and painstaking care.  Dr. Hixson was a man of high standards universally loved and respected by the student body and countless friends throughout the country.  His funeral was held in Meadville.  A representative of the board of trustees of the University of Chattanooga attended the services. Surviving Dr. Hixson was his devoted wife and two sons, one, Jerome, an instructor in DePauw University and the other, Robert then a student in Allegheny College. – kbz