Oakley School

The Millard and JJ Oakley School of Humanities, Education & the Arts (OSHEA), is home to a variety of subjects spanning the social sciences, humanities, creative writing, public service,  education, and fine arts degrees. These degrees serve several of the noble professions: teachers, law enforcement, and public service, though in fact any degree offered in this school prepares students for success across any professional goal.

Rudy School

University Medical Center generously provided an area for the Learning Resource Laboratory, major educational equipment, and supplies needed for nursing skills simulation. Many other facilities and organizations in the Middle Tennessee area contributed seed money, student scholarship money, or equipment/supplies to enable Cumberland to meet the needs of the Middle Tennessee area for well-prepared nurses. In 2004, the school’s name was changed to the Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing in honor of Dr. Jeanette Cantrell Rudy, a retired nurse and longtime friend and benefactor of Cumberland University.

Doris and Harry Vise Library

Harry Vise was born in 1921 in Colbenz, Germany, and was the only son of a scholarly Rabbi. As anti-Semitism grew in Germany, the Nazis raided the Vise home. Young Harry escaped out a window and made it across the border into Holland, but his father, Rabbi Vise, was placed in a concentration camp in 1939. 

Once Rabbi Vise was released from the camp, the Vise family subsequently immigrated to the United States. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, a Cumberland University alumnus, was instrumental in getting Rabbi and Mrs. Vise out of Nazi Germany and arranging their entry into the United States. However, Harry encountered complications with his visa, and in order for him to join the rest of his family in the U.S., he would require the intervention of Secretary Hull. At the time, Harry was 18 years old, and Secretary Hull sent a launch to retrieve Harry as the ship carrying the Vise family neared New York Harbor. When his parents disembarked in New York, Harry was waiting for them on the dock. 

After arriving in the U.S.,  the Vise family moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, and Harry began working in an entry-level position at Acme Boot Company.  He was a diligent worker and an assiduous learner. Eventually, Harry founded the Texas Boot Company in Lebanon, Tennessee, and had four Tennessee manufacturing plants. Harry was a successful businessman, father, and philanthropist.

He maintained an active leadership role with Cumberland University. Harry agreed to join the Cumberland Board of Trust only after being assured the University accepted African-American students. Mr. Vise and his wife Doris made the contribution that led to the construction of the Harry and Doris Vise Library, which broke ground on September 26th, 1988. “It is my desire that when the new library is created, it will stand in Lebanon as a house of learning for all people for years to come,” Harry Vise said, expressing his hopes for the library during its construction and demonstrating his commitment to the students of Cumberland and the citizens of Lebanon.

The legacy of the Vise family philanthropy continues. Ms. Joyce Vise, his daughter, funds a scholarship for immigrant students at Cumberland University: The Harry and Doris Vise Scholarship, a part of Equal Chance for Education.

Commemorative Benches

Alfred Adams Family

Joyce and Bill Barry Family

Gordon and Pat Bone Family 

Dr. and Mrs. Joe Bryant Family 

Barry James Family

Moscardelli Family

Jim Carroll Family

There are more opportunities to honor your family and their legacy by purchasing a bench.  If you are interested in hearing more about this opportunity, contact Jenny Bennett, jbennett@cumberland.edu. 

World War II Monument

1 September 1939 The world plunged into its second war after Nazi Germany attacked Poland on 1 September 1939. The United States was able to remain politically neutral for two years until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941. Many Cumberland University students responded to this attack and enlisted to protect and serve their country. As the number of enlisted servicemen grew, Cumberland’s enrollment declined. 24 June 1942 Tennessee Governor Prentice Cooper, announced nine Tennessee counties would be utilized by the Second Army for war maneuvers. On 25 July, the War Department selected Cumberland University as the Headquarters for Army Ground Forces field problems, known as the Tennessee Maneuvers. Over a span of four years, nearly 850,000 soldiers from 25 US Army divisions participated in war maneuvers throughout Tennessee.  29 July 1942 Cumberland University Business Manager, Sam Bone, announced the Army occupation would not interfere with the academic school year but the campus would be shared. Several hundred officers and enlisted personnel would live and work on campus. Observers from armies of the United Nations would live in two fraternity houses. Men would use the gymnasium, now Labry Hall, the dining hall, which was located in Memorial Hall, and select dormitories as offices and sleeping quarters. Tents were pitched all across campus. The Army occupation of Cumberland University came during the school’s centennial year. Throughout the maneuvers, the university continued to operate as a place of higher learning with soldiers and students mingling on the 50 acre campus. 

In the fall of 1941, Cumberland University President, Dr. Laban Lacy Rice issued a message of welcome to the 2nd Army Officers: 

“At the beginning of its 101st year of academic work, Cumberland University is delighted to play host to the armed forces of our nation by putting at their disposal the university campus, class rooms in Memorial Hall, and a considerable portion of the men’s dormitory. The university authorities, in fact, with pleasure have turned over to the government all facilities except those needed for the carrying out of academic work. The faculty and student body with gracious loyalty will accept whatever slight inconveniences may arise in the course of these two months, and count it as a rare privilege to be in a position to correlate activities with the government in it’s all out efforts to win the war and put an end to tyranny.” 

More than 200 men and women from Cumberland served their country; 24 lost their lives.

On May 8, 2012 Cumberland University awarded veterans of the Tennessee World War II Maneuvers with Honorary Masters of Military Arts degrees for their service and sacrifice. In all, 72 veterans or the families of deceased veterans received honorary degrees.

On November 11, 2019 celebrated a rededication of the WWII Maneuvers monument. Cumberland University gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Cato, Ms. Heather Bay and Lt. Col. Jim Henderson (Class of 1985). 

Pictured: James L. Bass and Dr. Gordon Petty

Cordell Hull Statue

In an address delivered at Washington, DC, May 5, 1934, U.S. Secretary of State Hull, speaking of Cumberland University, said: “This school was created at a vital stage of our history to meet crying educational needs. Let me here assert with all emphasis, however, that urgent and important as those needs were at that juncture, the necessity for the educational services of Cumberland University is immeasurably more important and imperative to-day than it was a hundred years ago.”

In another connection, speaking of the Law School in particular, he said: “No greater law teachers than Judge Nathan Green and Dr. Andrew B. Martin ever sat before a class of law students in any university in this nation.” 

Dr. H. Bert Coble Memorial Pipe Organ

The university chose to name the organ in memory of a dearly beloved music faculty, Dr. H. Bert Coble, because of his significant contributions to the Cumberland music program and the countless lives he touched during his time on our campus.With the contributions of many of Dr. Coble’s students, friends and family, Cumberland installed this new pipe organ in Baird Chapel in 2018. 

Soon after Mrs. Coble, Dr. Coble’s wife established the Dr. H. Bert Coble Memorial Instrument Maintenance Endowment Fund at Cumberland University. This endowment fund provides financial resources for the care and maintenance of the Pipe Organ, and two pianos, one of which is a signed Steinway. 

Dr. Coble impacted the lives of many scholars at Cumberland University and for that we are truly grateful. Upon his retirement in 1988, Dr. Coble established the Bert Coble Singers. This group of community singers compiled of both Dr. Coble’s former students and lovers of music are still performing over thirty years later. The group performs annually to a sold-out crowd in Baird Chapel. Since 2018, the pipe organ bearing his name has accompanied the singers. 

Portrait Preservation Project

Nathan Green – one of the larger and most in need of repair portraits measuring 92 x 58 prior to restoration.  Tennessee’s fifth oldest institution of higher learning, Cumberland University, founded in 1842, boasts many distinguished scholars. Gracing the halls of our oldest building, Memorial Hall, are numerous historical portraits. These portraits include former university presidents, notable scholars and alums. Including Cordell Hull, United States Secretary of State and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945. A group of dedicated volunteers worked diligently to ensure these beautiful and uniquely Cumberland portraits are preserved and cared for. Thanks to their determination, nearly 20 portraits were repaired and restored with an investment of approximately $100,000.

Notable artists in the collection include: 

Lloyd Branson (1853-1925) Branson painted numerous prominent figures in politics, business, and education, but some of his most notable work portrayed “work” itself. Born in East Tennessee, Branson came of age in a community experiencing the wrenching transformation caused by the Civil War and the extraordinary growth that followed. The young artist’s unmistakable talent created the opportunity for him to move to Manhattan to study at the National Academy of Design, where he honed his skills and won acclaim. The Tennessee State Museum houses two of Branson’s paintings in its collection, The Gathering of the Overmountain Men at Sycamore Shoals and World War I hero Alvin York. 

Washington Bogart Cooper

He had no formal training as an artist, yet he is known as “the man of a thousand portraits.” According to his account books, he averaged 35 to 40 portraits for the years 1837-1846. The Tennessee Historical Society commissioned Cooper to paint many prominent citizens including every Governor of TN except Joseph McMinn and Andrew Johnson.