Scarritt College
Belle H. Bennett Memorial – Scarritt College for Christian Workers
1008 19th Ave. South
“The Belle H. Bennett Memorial constitutes the central group of buildings of Scarritt college for christian Workers. It was erected from funds raised by the women of the methodist Episcopal Church, South, in honor of Belle H. Bennett of Kentucky, who was the founder of the institution. It has been widely recognized as one of the most beautiful group of education buildings in this country”
Scarritt Bible and Training School was founded in Kansas City, Missouri for the purpose of training young women who were going into mission work.
In 1924 the school moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and became Scarritt College for Christian Workers. The administration Building, Bennett Hall, and the Tower, known collectively as the Belle Bennett Memorial were built in 1928 with funds raised by the Women’s Missionary Societies and the Methodist Episcopal Church South. In 1952 the college became the first white, private college in Tennessee to admit Black students who were U. S. citizens, and in 1964 , when National College in Kansas City closed, the alumni/ae records and a staff person came to Scarritt.
In 1980 The Scarritt College for Christian Workers closed and The Scarritt Graduate School was opened in 1981. Both schools served to educate and train students for international and domestic church and community positions. In its last years as Scarritt Graduate School, the school conferred degrees in Church Music and Christian Education. In 1988 , due to low enrollment, Scarritt Graduate School closed. It was then that The Women’s Division, affiliated with the General Board of Global Ministries of United Methodist Church, bought the property; renovated the buildings; and opened Scarritt-Bennett Center. -source-
Historic Nashville 