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Prospective Student Visiting Student Parent Alumni & Friend Visitor Current Student Faculty & Staff International Learner About Academics Admissions Athletics Student Life Aid / Scholarships Locations Apply Pay Deposit Library Transcripts Alumni / Giving Canvas myCMU Eagle Mail About CMU The History of Central The History of Central Fayette has long been an area of education. The first school appeared in 1823 followed by the Fayette Academy in 1825. Howard College was approved by the Fayette community in 1835 but floundered after Fayette's bid to be the location of the University of Missouri was passed up in favor of Columbia for monetary reasons. After it was sold, the Howard College building was deeded to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1847 by Capt. William Swinney. After the changing of hands, Howard High School was established and later evolved into both Howard Female College and Central College. About CMU Accreditation Mission The History of Central On April 13, 1853, Central College was founded by Nathan Scarritt and David Rice McAnally. The University was chartered on March 15, 1855, and the first classes were held September 18, 1857, with one building on one acre of ground, 144 students, and 3 faculty members. Central College was to be the only Methodist Episcopal Church South supported college in the state of Missouri and efforts to unify the educational interests of the church led to the absorption of Howard-Payne College by Central College in 1922. This merger was quickly followed by the concentration of all educational interests of the church in Missouri. Following this plan, the Central College for Women at Lexington, Scarritt-Morrisville College at Morrisville, and Marvin College at Fredericktown were closed in 1924-25, and Central College acquired their assets. In 1939, with the merger of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and the Methodist Protestant Church, Central College was designated as the one undergraduate educational institution in Missouri for what later became the United Methodist Church. In 1961, the Board of Curators changed the College's name from Central College to Central Methodist College. In 1989, Central Methodist College, in cooperation with Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri, began baccalaureate degree completion programs which afford opportunities for citizens of that region, who have completed their AA degree (or who have 60 hours of college credit), to earn a bachelor's degree. In 1994, Central Methodist College, in cooperation with East Central College in Union, Missouri, began baccalaureate degree completion programs at ECC so that citizens of that region could earn a bachelor's degree. In 1996 the College began offering the Master of Education degree on all three campuses. Since that time, CMU has established partnerships with Crowder College, Jefferson College, Linn State Technical College, Metropolitan Community College-KC, Moberly Area Community College, North Central Missouri College, Ozarks Technical Community College, St. Charles Community College, St. Louis Community College, State Fair Community College (SFCC), Three Rivers College (TRC), and other corporate partners. CMU has articulation agreements with every public community college in Missouri. In May 2004, the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the institution to Central Methodist University. This name change recognized the growth in graduate and extended studies programs and more appropriately describes the Central Methodist University of the 21st century. Brannock Hall Brannock Hall is one of the oldest buildings on campus. This picture was taken around 1900. Centenary Chapel and T. Berry Smith (then Old Science Hall) can be seen in the background. Central College The history at CMU is prevalent throughout campus. Columns on campus still say College. Looking toward downtown Looking from the Brannock porch towards downtown. Howard-Payne Hall can be seen on the left. Commencement 2003 Led by the faculty, the graduates of 2003 get ready for Commencement. Stedman Hall Stedman Hall in 1964, not long after it opened. Stedman was renovated in 2018. T. Berry Smith Hall Photo taken in 2011. 877-CMU-1854 411 Central Methodist Square, Fayette, Missouri 65248 Accreditation Coronavirus Information Employment Event Calendar Campus Safety myCMU Canvas Eagle Mail Faculty & Staff Directory Terms of Use & Privacy Policy Central Methodist University Copyright