After being pastor for the First Methodist Church of Chattanooga and doing missionary work, Judson Hill and his wife Laura moved to the Morristown area.
Hill had an urge to do work in the South after training at Madison University (now Colgate) and Cozier Theological Seminary.
Once appointed president, the tedious job of building and maintaining the school began.
 Under Hill's leadership, the college grew to over three hundred students by the turn of the century.
To raise money for needed classroom buildings and dormitories, Hill secured funds from northern philanthropists such as Andrew Carnegie, the McCormick's and Swift's of Chicago, and the Kellogg's of Battle Creek, Michigan.
In addition, Hill solicited contributions from local merchants and sought improved relations with the city.
Through his successes in fundraising, Hill was able to launch a major expansion and building program for the college that included the construction of dormitories, classrooms, administrative offices, and a dining facility.
The school also acquired a 300-acre (120 ha) dairy farm.
 Lobbying with the community through various means also helped to ease tensions, foster cooperation, and land considerable praise for the work and dedication the school provided to the growing number of students and the community at large.

Hill's improvements at the school occurred within the larger context of the Jim Crow South.
Most whites saw little need for and imposed resistance toward African American education, especially higher education.
Many northern and southern leaders, and even some black educators such as Booker T. Washington, tried to compromise with the white society by channeling African Americans into industrial and vocational education.
Following this trend, Hill introduced industrial training and, by 1901, the college was renamed Morristown Normal and Industrial College.
Some of the industrial courses offered for male students included woodworking, brick-making and masonry, carpentry, iron-molding, shoemaking, broom manufacturing, and agricultural training.
For the females, domestic science classes included sewing, cooking, and serving techniques.
The products created in these classes, such as brooms, were sold across the United States, and the profits were then given back to the college.
For the remainder of Hill's presidency, industrial education was the central focus of the Morristown curriculum, decreasing the earlier emphasis on teacher and clergy training.
 Hill's death in 1931, coupled with the onset of the Great Depression, brought dramatic changes to the college.
After being pastor for the First Methodist Church of Chattanooga and doing missionary work, Judson Hill and his wife Laura moved to the Morristown area. Hill had an urge to do work in the South after training at Madison University (now Colgate) and Cozier Theological Seminary. Once appointed president, the tedious job of building and maintaining the school began.  Under Hill's leadership, the college grew to over three hundred students by the turn of the century. To raise money for needed classroom buildings and dormitories, Hill secured funds from northern philanthropists such as Andrew Carnegie, the McCormick's and Swift's of Chicago, and the Kellogg's of Battle Creek, Michigan. In addition, Hill solicited contributions from local merchants and sought improved relations with the city. Through his successes in fundraising, Hill was able to launch a major expansion and building program for the college that included the construction of dormitories, classrooms, administrative offices, and a dining facility. The school also acquired a 300-acre (120 ha) dairy farm.  Lobbying with the community through various means also helped to ease tensions, foster cooperation, and land considerable praise for the work and dedication the school provided to the growing number of students and the community at large.
Hill's improvements at the school occurred within the larger context of the Jim Crow South. Most whites saw little need for and imposed resistance toward African American education, especially higher education. Many northern and southern leaders, and even some black educators such as Booker T. Washington, tried to compromise with the white society by channeling African Americans into industrial and vocational education. Following this trend, Hill introduced industrial training and, by 1901, the college was renamed Morristown Normal and Industrial College. Some of the industrial courses offered for male students included woodworking, brick-making and masonry, carpentry, iron-molding, shoemaking, broom manufacturing, and agricultural training. For the females, domestic science classes included sewing, cooking, and serving techniques. The products created in these classes, such as brooms, were sold across the United States, and the profits were then given back to the college. For the remainder of Hill's presidency, industrial education was the central focus of the Morristown curriculum, decreasing the earlier emphasis on teacher and clergy training.  Hill's death in 1931, coupled with the onset of the Great Depression, brought dramatic changes to the college.
Morristown College