Central Heating Plant

In 1936, Henderson inaugurated its most extensive program for buildings to date, after receiving approval for an allotment of $278,000 on September 30, 1935, from the Public Works Administration for the construction of an apartment-dormitory for women, a dormitory for men, a home for the President, and a central heating plant.

However, because of legal tangles and various other delays, the College did not receive the work order until March, 1936. Once begun, the work continued on schedule. R. T. Higgins of Hot Springs, the contractor for the project, hired about 150 men so that the work could continue simultaneously on all four buildings.

Situated in the ravine under the recently constructed walk-bridge leading to the men's dormitory, the central heating plant is northwest of Womack Hall. A rectangular, flat-roofed utility structure of red brick, the plant housed the essential machinery and equipment to heat all buildings then on the campus except the President's home and Haygood Gymnasium.

Formerly, buildings on campus had been heated by boilers in the basements of Huie Library and Mooney Hall. Since the new plant used natural gas to heat the boilers, the College no longer had to use wood as fuel.

The College dedicated the plant as one of five new buildings in a special ceremony in the College Auditorium at 1:00 p.m. as part of the Homecoming events on Saturday, October 31, 1936. Several dignitaries were present at the ceremony. United States Senator Hattie Caraway of Arkansas, a special guest, spoke briefly. Attorney General and Governor-elect Carl Bailey delivered the principal address. In his talk, President Womack stated that the "whole credit for the expansion of Henderson did not rest in his hands but also with the legislature and the Board of Trustees".

Reporting to the Board on May 31, 1937, President Womack informed them that, "through misunderstanding on the part of the architect, the heating plant was located on land not belonging to the College. Since the land should by all means belong to the College," President Womack bought it and "another parcel of land to get full possession of a little stream running through the campus, and of a grove of beautiful pines".

At the Board meeting on May 31, 1937, President Womack told the Trustees, "The deed is in my name, but I shall be glad to sell it to the College, since I have no use for it". The Board then voted "to borrow $5,600, or as much as may be necessary to complete [Proctor Hall], from J. P. Womack at 4% interest." By a vote of 4-1, the Trustees then amended the motion to include $2,150 in the loan for the purchase of land now held by J.P. Womack for the College". At the time, all Trustees and the President seemed satisfied with the agreement.

However, in a turn of events, in a Warranty Deed dated June 1937, Joseph Pitts Womack and Lottie B. Womack, his wife, for the sum of $1.00 conveyed to the Board of Trustees of H.S.T.C. the parcels of land for which President Womack had paid $2,100. The grantors gave the tracts to H.S.T.C. "in consideration of the love and interest which they have for said institution, and the further condition that said College pay them or either of them four per cent per annum on the value of said lands so long as they, or either of them, may live." The interest of $88.00 was first due on March 23, 1938, and annually thereafter.

"In case of any violation or non-observance of the conditions" set forth in the Deed, then the Deed became null and void; and "the said premises shall then and there and wholly revert to the grantors herein".

The next year, when the Board ousted Womack as President on May 24, 1938, the Trustees authorized the business manager "to pay interest to Mr. Womack under the contract"; they also voted to "make arrangements to repay all money due Mr. Womack".

For reasons not recorded, the Board voted on January 21, 1941, "to defer action on the payment of interest to Mr. J. P. Womack on loans made by him to the College." At their meeting on April 18, 1941, after the reading of a letter from Lyle Brown, attorney, "relating to a deed and payment for certain land and a memorandum relating to interest payments to Mr. J. P. Womack," E. K. Edwards moved that a committee of three be appointed to negotiate with Mr. Womack "to effect a settlement of both matters and to get a clear title to the land." The Board passed the motion unanimously.

On May 2, 1941, following a report by the Committee, the Board passed a resolution "…to the effect that if J. P. Womack would make a new deed to the College, showing a clear title to the lot on which the heating plant is located, the College would then reimburse J. P. Womack for the purchase price of $2,150.00 at 4% interest from date of purchase to date of settlement; further, that 4% interest on the $5,700.00 used for the completion of Proctor Hall be deferred for further study".

On May 14, 1941, for the sum of $2,150.00, J.P. Womack and Lottie B. Womack granted the Board's request for a clear title to the land.

Expansion of the central heating plant in 1951 cost $28,500.00. In 1973, a new Central Steam Plant unit was added to the old Steam Plant, which would serve as a standby unit and be available as expansion space.