New Grouped Tag for GBLSU History

The Origin and Early History of the Graduate School of Banking at LSU

Founder_Orrin_Swayze_right_from_Jackson_MS_with_President_William_Walker_Dothan_AL

In the late 1940s, a Mississippi banker named Orrin Swayze set out to find a place to develop a school for bankers.  He visited with administrators of numerous schools and universities in the state of Mississippi and other states.  Despite his admirable intentions of providing valuable and concentrated banking knowledge to southern bankers, he couldn’t win approval to host the Graduate School of Banking sessions at any Mississippi institution.

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Graduate School of Banking at LSU – A Photographic History

describe the imageThe Graduate School of Banking was founded in 1950 by a small group of bankers, lead by Mississippi Banker Orrin Swayze, from the First National Bank of Jackson, and several executives of state banker associations.  Rejected by several universities as hosts, the school was accepted by LSU and 99 bankers arrived at the un-air conditioned Hatcher Hall on campus in August, 1950 to begin their professional education.

The founders very early established a “learning environment” for the school which was challenging because of the “convention environment” the industry was accustomed to. Mandatory class attendance, examinations, home work, and academic discipline became hallmarks of the school, a tradition which has been maintained through its history.

Originally sponsored by nine southern banker associations,  endorsement of the school grew very rapidly to fifteen associations.  Over 15,000 bankers have graduated from the program and virtually every bank in the sponsoring states has a senior officer who proudly displays a school diploma on the office wall.

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