Cuttington University, located 120 miles north of Monrovia, is the oldest private, coeducational, four-year, degree-granting institution in sub-Saharan Africa. It issues degrees in the liberal arts and several technical studies. It has educated generations of leaders for Liberia and indeed for West Africa. Its roots lie deep within the history of the nation, the relationship between Liberia and the United States, and the Episcopal Church.
In the early 19th century, the Episcopal Church in the United States had a great interest in expanding into Africa. After many failed attempts, this was finally accomplished in 1821. On January 23, 1821, Joseph Andrus and Ephraim Bacon along with thirty-three Black settlers set sail for Africa. Joseph Andrus began to build the mission but died a few months after he arrived in Africa.
The establishment period of the Episcopal Church in Liberia lasted from 1821 to 1847. James M. Thomson was the first official missionary. He was from St. Phillips Church in New York, now Harlem. When Thomson arrived in Liberia, he started a reading school for young men.
As the Church in Liberia grew, education was always a major priority. Agents of the American Colonization Society first influenced the pattern of education. Bishop Samuel D. Ferguson wanted to have a manual arts school, a teacher-training institute, and a theological institution for the building of an independent cadre of Liberian clergy. He wanted the Church to rearrange its educational agencies so that the manual, professional, and theological training would be woven into primary, secondary, and higher education. The result of this was the establishment of Cuttington.
In 1885, the treasurer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (The Episcopal Church in the United States), Robert Fulton Cutting, donated $5,000 to Bishop Ferguson "for the establishment of a manual labor farm, which should afford opportunity for practical instruction of the boys in the mission schools and at the same time serve as a pattern for others." Mr. Cutting, financier, churchman and philanthropist succeeded J. Pierpont Morgan as Senior Warden of St. George's Church, New York.
On February 22, 1889, Bishop Ferguson laid the cornerstone of the first building at Cape Palmas. Named Epiphany Hall, it was completed in 1896. With the addition of a divinity school in 1897, the institute was renamed Cuttington Collegiate and Divinity School in honor of Mr. Cutting.
For forty years, Cuttington University provided a traditional education to numerous Liberians and other Africans, particularly those from Sierra Leone and Ghana. Among the initial graduates of Cuttington were notable figures such as two chief justices and three associate justices of the Liberian Supreme Court, along with a minister of education and various other civil servants. These individuals were known for their integrity, high ethical standards, and strong moral and spiritual values, all of which were fostered at Cuttington. These qualities were evident in their professional endeavors, influencing their lives and contributing positively to the nation. However, in 1929, after four decades of operation, Cuttington closed its doors primarily due to financial constraints.
In 1948, Cuttington relocated to its current location in Suacoco, Bong County, situated 120 miles north of Monrovia. The selection of the 1500-acre site was a collaborative decision made by President William V.S. Tubman and Bravid W. Harris, Missionary Bishop of Liberia. Following the relocation, the institution was reestablished in 1949 as Cuttington College and Divinity School, with the Reverend Seth C. Edwards assuming the role of its inaugural president. Among the initial enrollees was Dr. Melvin Mason. Over the subsequent four decades, Cuttington experienced significant expansion, incorporating six distinct degree-granting divisions: education, humanities, natural science, social science, nursing, and theology. Notably, at the time, the University of Liberia in Monrovia was the sole other institution in the country offering bachelor’s degrees, with only a handful more across the entirety of sub-Saharan Africa.
Cuttington has conferred first degrees upon more than 2,000 individuals, along with over six hundred associate degrees and specialized certificates. Among its esteemed alumni are six bishops, three vice-presidents, and a significant portion, comprising 45% of the civil servants who served in the former Liberian government, including five cabinet ministers. Notably, at least half of the junior ministers and 60% of the medical doctors in Liberia received their education at Cuttington. Noteworthy leadership positions continue to be held by Cuttington alumni, as evidenced by the most recent president and vice president for administration of the University of Liberia both being graduates of the institution. Furthermore, the current chief justice of Liberia is also a distinguished Cuttington graduate. Beyond Liberia's borders, Cuttington alumni hold prominent roles primarily in Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, the United Republic of Cameroon, Swaziland, Sierra Leone, and Gambia, with many occupying key positions within governmental structures.
Cuttington maintains strong ties with the Episcopal Church in the United States, fostering a close association with several U.S. college organizations over the years. Notable among these are The Associated Colleges of the Midwest (1963-1968), The Association of Episcopal Colleges (since 1978), and The Partnership for Service-Learning (established in 1988). Additionally, Cuttington has established exchange programs with esteemed institutions such as Kalamazoo, Susquehanna, and Whitworth Universities.
Furthermore, Cuttington has benefited from a consistent influx of Fulbright Scholars and Peace Corps volunteers over the years. During the 1960s, the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations provided significant support. This support continued into the late 1970s to 1989 through the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program. Additionally, the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, established with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in 1989, showed promise until the outbreak of civil war abruptly halted its operations.
In 1989, Cuttington commemorated its centennial milestone. As the academic year ended in December, about a thousand students were busy packing their belongings, while teachers diligently graded papers. However, amidst this routine, unsettling news arrived: rebel leader Charles Taylor, in defiance of Samuel Doe's dictatorship, seized control of Nimba County, situated along the border with the Ivory Coast.
This marked the onset of a civil war. Cuttington University was shut down in May 1990. The majority of faculty and students sought refuge in various regions, including Liberia, the Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, and the United States. By July, the campus transformed into a training hub for 6,000 rebels under the command of Charles Taylor. Despite efforts by the remaining faculty and staff to safeguard vital resources such as the library and student records, extensive looting occurred, resulting in the pillaging of classrooms, dormitories, laboratories, the museum, and the chapel.
The University’s president, Dr. Melvin Mason, and Mrs. Mason endeavored to stay on campus despite facing months of harassment. However, after enduring a day of terror inflicted by an inebriated soldier, they eventually sought refuge in the Ivory Coast. Meanwhile, Mr. Taylor persisted in utilizing Cuttington for his parliament and training program until 1992.
The Association of Episcopal Colleges (AEC), of which Cuttington is a member, along with the Partnership for Service Learning, which had previously sponsored a successful program for U.S. undergraduates at Cuttington, deliberated on how to assist the institution. Between June and November 1991, the AEC offered office space at the national headquarters of the Episcopal Church in New York City. Additionally, in 1991, Dr. Thomas Law, President of Saint Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Virginia, generously provided office and residential accommodations to Dr. Mason, Dr. Henrique F. Tokpa, Vice President for Planning and Development, and Mr. Tonneh E. Tokpah, Comptroller. Subsequently, a board of directors was established for Cuttington-In-Exile, with Dr. Wilbert Le Melle, President of the Phelps-Stokes Fund, assuming the role of Chairperson. Embracing the motto "Keep Hope Alive," they outlined four key objectives for Cuttington-In-Exile:
• Extend support to the faculty and staff who remained on campus in Suacoco, as well as the operational staff in Monrovia.
• Facilitate the placement of senior and junior refugee students in other universities while also providing alternative programs to accommodate nursing and theological students in Monrovia.
• Create opportunities for junior staff members to pursue their education through master's degree programs.
• Develop strategic plans and secure necessary resources to facilitate Cuttington's eventual return to its original campus once peace was restored.
Colleges in Africa and England accepted Cuttington students. In the United States, St. Paul's College, St. Augustine's College (North Carolina), Berea College, and Cornell University were among those that responded generously. Twenty-two students benefited from the program. As the war raged, some students were awarded scholarships and some earned college credits and transferred to Cuttington-in-Exile and graduated.
In 1995, when it seemed that peace was near, The Rt. Rev. Edward Wea Neufville II, who had been elected the Eleventh Bishop of Liberia was installed and enthroned at Trinity Cathedral in Monrovia on January 6, 1996. Attending the ceremony were members of the Episcopal Church Covenant Committee and retired Bishop Donald Hart, who represented the Presiding Bishop. Two days later Dr. Mason and Bishop Neufville and a team of others drove to Cuttington where they found the campus occupied by more than 6,500 displaced persons and a peacekeeping military command.
Remarkably, majority of the buildings remained structurally intact, with only two exceptions. One dormitory had fallen victim to arson in 1994, while another was damaged by a grenade strike. The campus was stripped of essential infrastructure, including electrical fixtures, water pumps, transformers, and various equipment. Additionally, numerous items had been vandalized or destroyed. The once-functional electric generators at Cuttington were reduced to mere frames, symbolizing the extent of the devastation endured.
Despite the challenges, there were signs of hope. The Cuttington community had organized a health-feeding program, providing care for 300 to 500 men, women, and children. Additionally, the impending departure of the peacekeeping force signaled progress, with plans underway to begin resettling displaced persons in February.
Upon returning to the United States, Dr. Mason immediately set about planning the reopening of a modified Cuttington program in Monrovia, slated to commence later that spring. As part of this transition, Cuttington-In-Exile shuttered its operations at St. Paul's College by the end of February 1996, with a sizable portion of essential resources, including office equipment, furniture, and college records, relocated to Monrovia.
In April, Dr. Mason endeavored to return to Liberia; however, his plans were thwarted by the eruption of new hostilities while he was in Abidjan, forcing him to abort his journey and return to the United States. Reports began to emerge of the extensive destruction wrought upon Monrovia. Amid these tumultuous events, Bishop Neufville was evacuated to Sierra Leone, eventually making his way back to the United States. Meanwhile, other clergy either fled to neighboring countries or went into hiding until the violence subsided.
As peace slowly began to reestablish itself, the year progressed with cautious optimism. By August 1996, the Cuttington-In-Exile Committee convened to chart the institution's path forward. Bishop Neufville took proactive steps by appointing a strategic planning committee tasked with formulating a plan for Cuttington's eventual reopening. In the fall, Bishop Neufville, accompanied by his wife and Tonneh Tokpah, returned to Liberia to assess the situation firsthand.
In the following months, Dr. Mason embarked on a six-week visit to Liberia from April to June, laying the groundwork for the next phase of Cuttington's journey. This period marked the beginning of what would become known as the Third Cuttington. (For further details, please refer to Appendix A for the report of Dr. Mason's visit in June 1997).
Nestled 120 miles north of Monrovia, Cuttington University proudly stands as sub-Saharan Africa's oldest private, coeducational, four-year, degree-granting institution. Offering a spectrum of degrees spanning the liberal arts and various technical studies, Cuttington has indelibly shaped generations of leaders not only within Liberia but also across West Africa. Its historical tapestry is intricately woven with Liberia's narrative, the longstanding bond between Liberia and the United States and the enduring legacy of the Episcopal Church.
In the early 19th century, fueled by a fervent desire for expansion, the Episcopal Church in the United States embarked on a missionary journey to Africa. Despite encountering initial obstacles, this vision materialized in 1821 when Joseph Andrus, Ephraim Bacon, and thirty-three Black settlers set sail for Africa. Though Andrus's tenure was tragically curtailed by his untimely demise, the groundwork for missionary endeavors had been laid.
The period between 1821 and 1847 witnessed significant missionary endeavors by the Episcopal Church in Liberia. James M. Thomson, the pioneering missionary, established a reading school upon his arrival, reflecting the Church's commitment to education, heavily influenced by the American Colonization Society. Bishop Samuel D. Ferguson envisioned a robust educational framework encompassing manual arts, professional training, and theological studies, ultimately leading to the establishment of Cuttington.
In 1885, Robert Fulton Cutting, the esteemed treasurer of the Episcopal Church in the United States, bestowed a generous donation of $5,000 to initiate a manual labor farm, laying the cornerstone for what would evolve into Cuttington. Bishop Ferguson ceremoniously laid the foundation stone of Epiphany Hall in 1889, heralding the commencement of a transformative educational odyssey.
Relocating to Suacoco, Bong County, in 1948, Cuttington College and Divinity School persisted in its noble mission. Over the ensuing years, it diversified its academic repertoire to encompass divisions in education, humanities, natural science, social science, nursing, and theology. Cuttington's imprint on Liberia's leadership echelons is palpable, with alumni spanning bishops, vice-presidents, cabinet ministers, and a significant contingent of the nation's civil servants and healthcare professionals.
Despite confronting adversities, including closure during the civil war, Cuttington's resilience has been nothing short of remarkable. Through the unwavering commitment of its faculty, staff, and advocates, the institution has navigated turbulent waters and remained steadfast in serving its community. As tranquility gradually returned to Liberia, initiatives to reconstruct and revive Cuttington gained momentum, propelled by a collective dedication to education and a buoyant optimism for the future.
The odyssey of Cuttington epitomizes the transformative power of education and the indomitable spirit of resilience in the face of adversity. As it embarks on its next chapter, the ethos of Cuttington continues to kindle hope and catalyze progress within Liberia and beyond.
Since its inception in the early 1960s, the mission of the Friends of Cuttington has been to support and make known the University and its students.
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