Founded by brothers Addison and Randolph Clark after returning from service in the Civil War, it was originally called AddRan Male and Female Academy when the school was chartered in 1873. It's
first class included 13 enrolled students. The establishment of a coed school was a remarkably progressive step for that time,
when most schools were for either men or for women separately. The school was orignally established in Thorpe Springs, Texas but financial difficulties resulted in a move to Waco from 1895 to
1910, and then relocated to its permanent home in Fort Worth in 1911, where it
still thrives today. The institution was renamed Texas Christian University in 1902; however, to honor the founding brothers, one
of its schools was named the AddRan College of Arts and Sciences.