Charles "Dude" and Marjorie McMillan Hall of Sponsors Scholarship Established

Dana McMillan Jacob, daughter of Fayette legends Charles “Dude” and Marjorie, '48, McMillan, and her husband Gus Jacob have established a Hall of Sponsors Scholarship in Dude and Marjorie's name. The scholarship will be awarded to an education major from Howard County, with a preference for a graduate of Fayette High School.

Dana wanted to honor her parents and could not think of a more fitting tribute than to establish the scholarship. The Fayette and Central community meant everything to Dude and Marjorie, and they were as deeply woven into both as one could be.

Margorie McMillan was a member of the Class of 1948, and, after delaying her education for a time with family, she would graduate from Central in 1972 and spend 17 years in the Fayette School District. Many of her students who graduated from FHS would further their education attending Central.

Dude McMillan was a businessman in Fayette who owned and operated McMillan’s Café a.k.a. the infamous “Mac’s.” The stories are legendary of alumni who credit Dude for helping them overcome challenging times while at Central and encouraging them to stick with their path and continue their education. Some would even refer to Dude as “Professor.” The subsequent friendships he cultivated would prove to be lifelong. Hundreds of Central alumni would not consider coming to Fayette without stopping by to see Dude.

The story of Mac’s would begin in 1928 with Dude’s father and uncle as proprietors. The original business was known as “McMillan Brothers” and was the local bar. Students would patron the establishment then as well. To survive prohibition, the name would be changed to “McMillan’s Café.” With “Café” in the title, there was less likely to be trouble from being known as a bar. Mac’s would also accept checks, and for students alike, would also be much less alerting as Café on the records back home.

Mac’s was part of the community from 8:00 am to 1:00 am. The mornings would bring the local “coffee crew,” where Dude would serve a warm cup of coffee at 10 cents per cup, as he prepared for the day ahead. Lunch would be available with pizza, hot dogs, and sandwiches and a pool table in the back room where high school students would gather after school. Once evening business was in full swing, there would always be a latent group of young Central men who had dropped their dates back off at Central to meet curfew at the women’s dorm only to continue their evening at Mac’s. Central was most aware of the student patronage and even established a rule in the student handbook, noting patronage at Mac’s would bring consequences of dismissal if caught. Dude never took offense and would see it as the best advertisement ever.

If you would like to make a gift in honor of Dude and Marjorie, for the Charles "Dude" and Marjorie McMillan Hall of Sponsors Scholarship, please go to https:// givetocentral.org, or send your check to Central Methodist University, Dude and Marjorie McMillan HOS Scholarship, 411 Central Methodist Square, Fayette, MO 65274.