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VALDOSTA’S EDUCATIONAL VICTORY
The New “South Georgia State Normal College" is Nearing Completion—The “Metropolis of the Pines" is Enthusiastic
Over the Institution.
ALDOSTA has always been valiant
—and it is little wonder that she
is usually victorious! She num
bers among her leading citizens a
very large proportion of men of en
terprise, men of means, and, like
wise men of sturdy character.
The planting of the new “South
Georgia State Normal College there
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has quickened the educational pulses, not only
of Valdosta, but of all that section of the state.
There is a general feeling, too, that in estab
lishing this long-needed institution, the state
is giving a ‘‘square deal” to South Georgia.
In that section south of the center line of
the state, there is some sixty per cent oi* the
state’s area, and over forty per cent of the
population. That section pays nearly one-half
of the taxes of the state now, and its wealth
is rapidly growing; yet until this school was
founded, not a single one of the state’s institu
tions of higher learning was south of the mid
dle line. It is a well known truth that the in
fluence of any school, like the light of a lamp,
shines brightest nearby, and “ varies inversely
as the square of the distance.” So South Geor
gia has not heretofore had anything like an
even chance at the higher educational facili
ties provided by the state. Nobody meant any
harm by it —and South Georgia herself, was
perhaps most to blame for not pushing her
claim. But things seem now in a fairway to
be evened up. The state is squarely behind
the new college. The charter granted is prac
tically a carte blanche to the board to go forth
and do what seems best for the higher edu
cation of the state. The appropriation for
its maintenance was one of the most popu
lar appropriations of any kind before the Legis
lature last summer; and that means that “the
powers that be” mean to do well by South
Georgia, now that they have made a start.
The local community is also enthusiastic
over the enterprise. Indeed, the citizens of
Valdosta have done vastly more than has been
done by the home town of any similar institu
tion in the state. And the authorities of the
college are determined that its standard of
scholarship and usefulness shall be held high.
Whether in its purely collegiate courses, its
normal courses, or in its domestic science
courses, or its arts courses, the young women
of the State will find here as good training as
can be had anywhere.
Hon. W. S. West—Father of the School.
The school was created by legislative act in
1906. Hon. W. S. West, one of the “first citi
zens” of Valdosta, then president of the Senate,
was father of the bill, and it was due largely to
him that the school was founded at all, and
founded at Valdosta. It is remembered that
after Col. West left the president’s chair and
made a speech in behalf of his bill, the Senate
naid him the very unusual compliment to vote
for the founding of a big educational institu
tion without a dissenting vote, With no ap
propriation for buildings or maintenance at
that time, and with the state treasury mighty
low, the enterprise lay dormant till the spring
of 1911.
At the meeting of the State Teachers’ As
sociation, in Macon, in 1911, resolutions were
enthusiastically passed urging the legislature to
put life into the school at Valdosta. A little
later the Association of County School Officials
at Valdosta, took similar action. All along
Chancellor D. C. Barrow, of the University,
with his broad grasp of the state’s educational
possibilities, had seen the need of the college,
and had patiently worked to put it in opera
tion. When the time was ripe he threw his
great strength into the movement. Senator
Hoke Smith, then recently elected Governor,
The Golden Age for December 12, 1912.
By WILLIAM D. UPSHAW, Editor.
became greatly interested and threw the weight
of his powerful influence in behalf of the school.
Valdosta Did More Than She Promised.
At last Valdosta got thoroughly aroused, and
when the legislature met Messrs. Converse and
Ashley, the representatives from Lowndes
county, were able to present a proposition to
the legislature and get that body to act. Val
dosta was to give a campus of fifty acres of
land and $5,000.00 a year for ten years; the
State was to give $25,000 for building and
$5,000 for equipment.
Soon after the legislature adjourned the
Board met and accepted one of the state’s of
fers, and herein Valdosta began to show that
she meant business. The Board liked best a
site on the principal residence streets of the
city. This site was sixty acres, ten more than
had been promised, and cost nearly $30,000 —
some three times as much as had been sup
posed; but the citizens without the least hesi
tation proceeded to hand over the site —and
then forgot to crow about it!
The Board began work in a most deliberate
and sensible way. After accepting the site,
they decided the next step was to get a presi-
MR. R. H. POWELL.
President of the College.
dent and have him look after the professional
aspect of the work from the start. Accord
ingly they gave themselves a reasonable time
to look about for a suitable man. On Decem
ber 12, 1911, they met again and elected as
president Prof. Richard H. Powell, who had won
his spurs as Supervisor of Rural State Schools.
A teacher of large success, “a scholar and a
gentleman,” and an educator who believes that
Christian character is the foundation stone of
the best education, President Powell is indeed
the right kind of man to shape the policies and
direct the activities of such an institution.
Asked by The Golden Age for a statement
about the plans and prospects of the school
over which he is to preside, Mr. Powell said:
“I am enthusiastic if anything,” said Presi
dent Powell, “but I’ll confess that the wise,
big-hearted way in which Valdosta has gone
about building this greatly needed institution,
stirs me through and through. Their selection
of a president a year before the college opened
shows how they mean to defer to his leader
ship and hold up his hands. The money and
time spent in the competition for the archi
tectural designs have been rewarded in a plan
than which, I verily believe, there is nothing
better among the school plants of America. Mr.
W. A. Edwards, of Atlanta, was the lucky
genius, and by his unique design the institu
tion shows complete at any stage, and yet it
can expand to take care of almost any num
ber of students.
The style of architecture is a very beautiful
Spanish Mission, which is perfectly adapted to
the climate and landscape, and also to the
needs of the school. Perhaps no other style of
architecture gives as good lighting and ventila
tion.
Enterprising Public Spirit.
Just here was met an obstacle which for a
time bade fair to make a good deal of trouble,
but which in the end was a great good. The
state had appropriated $25,000 for building.
The first house, as planned, would cost $50,000.
The city of Valdosta, though, was to pay $5,000
a year for ten years, and Hon. W. L. Converse
cut the knot by lending the trustees enough
money at once to put up the house as planned
—another display of fine spirit that forgot to
get blown abroad. And so, without bluster
or spread-eagle display of any kind of sensa
tion, there is now nearing completion one of
the most satisfactory college buildings in the
land. It is wholly in keeping with the thor
oughness that has characterized everything the
Board has done. It is of absolutely sound con
struction —simple, solid and strong. There are
no gew-gaws or jim-cracks about it. The
money has all been spent for service, and not
for show, and the result is—exceptional beauty
as well as unusual serviceableness.
After the building was well begun, came the
task of getting a fit appropriation to maintain
the school. Though the state treasury this
year was in possibly the worst condition it
had been in for many years past, an appropria
tion of $25,000 maintenance for 1913 was grant
ed the school. This appropriation was large
enough to assure the state a strong, vigorous
service by the college from the start.
While the contractors have been building
the house, the president has been collecting a
faculty and securing equipment for the build
ings. Here the same rule has applied— the
best to be had is just good enough; and where
the best can’t be afforded yet, the work pauses.
The result is that there are a few departments
not represented that will come later, but the
essentials are strongly provided for. In equip
ment, not much has had to be cut off. There
are in the dormitory the best lights, ample
baths, strong and tasteful furniture, excellent
sanitary mattresses, and A-l kitchen equip
ment, which insures wholesome food.
In the school room has been placed the
strongest and most hygenic steel furniture.
The school does not believe in doing things
for a day. It lias one of the best equipped Do
mestic Science laboratories in the South. In
the other laboratories and in the library it has
gone as far as it could on the best, and it has
the essentials in both.
The course of study and the student life are
based on the same foundation as the material
equipment. As solid service and beauty of
building were secured through useful construc
tion, so culture is sought in useful knowledge
and service. As is said in the announcement
issued recently, it is the foundation stone of
the work that an institution of a Christian state
must be a Christian institution. The first
function of the school is to help perpetuate the
best ideals of Southern Christian character. To
have been one of the charter members of the
new college will, in years to come, be a matter
of great pride to the young ladies who are so
fortunate as to enter at the first session of this
promising South Georgia institution.
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