Changes

==College years==

==College years==

Because Cobb graduated from high school at the age of sixteen, he enrolled in 1920 at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, formerly known as Arkadelphia Methodist College or as Henderson Brown College. Cobb refers to  Henderson as "a small [[Methodist]] college ideally suited to my needs. It took only a short time for me to establish my identity and to make numberous friends among my fellow students and with faculty members." He lettered in baseball and was a member of the debate team and reports that he was falsely accused of [[plagiarism]] by an English professor regarding an article he wrote about moonshiners in Montgomery County.<ref>Cobb, pp. 10–12.</ref>

Because Cobb graduated from high school at the age of sixteen, he enrolled in 1920 at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, formerly known as Arkadelphia Methodist College or as Henderson Brown College. Cobb refers to  Henderson as "a small [[Methodist]] college ideally suited to my needs. It took only a short time for me to establish my identity and to make numberous friends among my fellow students and with faculty members." He lettered in baseball and was a member of the debate team and reports that he was falsely accused of [[plagiarism]] by an English professor regarding an article he wrote about moonshiners in Montgomery County.<ref>Cobb, pp. 10–12.</ref>

 

At Henderson, Cobb became an advocate of two-party competition in the political arena as a potential solution to Arkansas' lagging national standing both politically and economically. He graduated from Henderson in 1925 with two bachelor's degrees.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5693|title=Osro Cobb (1904-1996)|publisher=''Encyclopedia of Arkansas''|accessdate=May 29, 2012}}</ref> Cobb reports having read:

At Henderson, Cobb became an advocate of two-party competition in the political arena as a potential solution to Arkansas' lagging national standing both politically and economically. He graduated from Henderson in 1925 with two bachelor's degrees.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5693|title=Osro Cobb (1904-1996)|publisher=''Encyclopedia of Arkansas''|accessdate=May 29, 2012}}</ref> Cobb reports having read:

 

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

the comparative annual ratings of the various states in education [and] per capita income ... and noted to my dismay that Arkansas and Mississippi always seemed to be the last two states. I also observed that most of the outstanding graduates of our colleges were leaving Arkansas for greater opportunities; Arkansas was at a standstill. It became my obsession to help Arkansas throw off its shackles.<br>  

the comparative annual ratings of the various states in education [and] per capita income ... and noted to my dismay that Arkansas and Mississippi always seemed to be the last two states. I also observed that most of the outstanding graduates of our colleges were leaving Arkansas for greater opportunities; Arkansas was at a standstill. It became my obsession to help Arkansas throw off its shackles.<br>  

 

The major factors contributing to the state's problems were:<br>  

The major factors contributing to the state's problems were:<br>  

 

(1) Arkansas manufacturers had to pay three times the rates to ship their goods east as eastern merchants had to pay to send the same goods to Arkansas.<br>

(1) Arkansas manufacturers had to pay three times the rates to ship their goods east as eastern merchants had to pay to send the same goods to Arkansas.<br>

 

(2) In those days, Arkansas was a rock-ribbed, solid, yellow-dog Democrat state. ... political machines were spawned in various counties and they corrupted the elections by any means deemed necessary. .... The Republican Party had to be convinced that it must really work in Arkansas and across the South to help establish a viable, competitive two-party system. There was no chance for Arkansas to move forward until it could become a doubtful state in presidential elections.<ref>Cobb, p. 14.</ref></blockquote>  

(2) In those days, Arkansas was a rock-ribbed, solid, yellow-dog Democrat state. ... political machines were spawned in various counties and they corrupted the elections by any means deemed necessary. .... The Republican Party had to be convinced that it must really work in Arkansas and across the South to help establish a viable, competitive two-party system. There was no chance for Arkansas to move forward until it could become a doubtful state in presidential elections.<ref>Cobb, p. 14.</ref></blockquote>  

Cobb left Henderson for a year when the family lumber mill at Caddo Gap burned—a $100,000 loss. In the summer of 1924, he went to Union County in south Arkansas to work in the oil boom in an office at Norphlet near Smackover. He recalls a bizarre murder case there. A barber in Norphlet offered Cobb some cake that the man's wife had mailed to him from [[Oklahoma]]. The cake was, however, saturated with poison, and the barber quickly died on eating it. On an errand, Cobb delayed eating the cake and later reflected that he "felt the Lord had intervened to take care of me. In fact, I have been spared on several occasions, and I feel there has been a divine protector looking after me."<ref>Cobb, pp. 16–17.</ref>

Cobb left Henderson for a year when the family lumber mill at Caddo Gap burned—a $100,000 loss. In the summer of 1924, he went to Union County in south Arkansas to work in the oil boom in an office at Norphlet near Smackover. He recalls a bizarre murder case there. A barber in Norphlet offered Cobb some cake that the man's wife had mailed to him from [[Oklahoma]]. The cake was, however, saturated with poison, and the barber quickly died on eating it. On an errand, Cobb delayed eating the cake and later reflected that he "felt the Lord had intervened to take care of me. In fact, I have been spared on several occasions, and I feel there has been a divine protector looking after me."<ref>Cobb, pp. 16–17.</ref>

 

Cobb applied for a Rhodes scholarship, but the 1925 appointment went to [[J. William Fulbright]], a student at the [[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville, who later became the UA president and a long-term U.S. senator.<ref>Cobb, p. 13.</ref> Cobb organized a Republican club at Henderson, having received encouragement from some of the faculty members. He became acquainted with Harmon L. Remmel of Little Rock, the Republican national committeeman during much of the 1920s and arranged to have his older friend Remmel to deliver the 1925 commencement address at Henderson.<ref>Cobb, p. 15.</ref>

Cobb applied for a Rhodes scholarship, but the 1925 appointment went to [[J. William Fulbright]], a student at the [[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville who later became the UA president and a long-term U.S. senator.<ref>Cobb, p. 13.</ref> Cobb organized a Republican club at Henderson, having received encouragement from some of the faculty members. He became acquainted with Harmon L. Remmel of Little Rock, the Republican national committeeman during much of the 1920s and arranged to have his older friend Remmel to deliver the 1925 commencement address at Henderson.<ref>Cobb, p. 15.</ref>

==Political career==

==Political career==