Mark In Texas History: ETBU more than 1,000 students strong after more 100 years

MARSHALL, Texas (KLTV) - East Texas Baptist University is still going strong today and is the subject of this week’s Mark in Texas History.

It started with 1912 when the pastor of First Baptist Church in Marshall was granted support for a Baptist college. The College of Marshall started on 100 acres with donations and fundraisers paying for educational buildings on campus.

An educational facility with a gym, labs, library, offices and classrooms was completed in 1916. By 1918, 300 students were enrolled. By the 20s, dorms surrounded the campus.

The college was booming by the time World War II ended. The school changed its name to East Texas Baptist College and began offering bachelor degrees. It switched to its current name in 1984.

In 2015, ETBU received a historical marker designation.

Today, the school has an attendance rate of about 1,700 students. They graduated 211 this past spring.

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