President's Home (1969)

For a President's home, the College had used the structure erected in 1936 during Joseph P. Womack's administration. In January, 1969, the College acquired a new home for the President, a gift from Farrar Newberry, who in his “Last Will and Testament” had specified that the property go to the College under these conditions: "Subject to the life-estate interest of my beloved wife, Lila Lee Thomasson Newberry, I leave our home-place, land and buildings only, to Henderson State Teachers College, to be used as the President's Home, said property being Lot 2, Block 5 and the north five feet of Lot 3 of Block 5, of Maddox Addition to the City of Arkadelphia, Arkansas. I am not restricting the use of the homeplace solely as the President's Home, and it may be used by the College for any purpose for which it is suitable EXCEPT AS A DORMITORY".

According to data on their tombstones in Rose Hill Cemetery in Arkadelphia, Farrar Newberry was born on July 30, 1887, and died on July 31, 1968, at age 81; Lila Lee Thomasson Newberry, born on September 18, 1891, and died on February 7, 1969, at age 77.

After essential repairs to the house, Dr. and Mrs. M. H. Russell were the first to live in the new residence for the President and his family. Of Colonial design harmonizing with many of the buildings on the campus, the red brick building of two stories is located at 1057 Henderson Street across from the south lawn.