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THE CAMPUS MIRROR
TWO NOBLE WOMEN
(Continued from Page 1, Col. 2)
these women finally went out to found a
school at whatever place the need seemed
greatest.
Coming to Atlanta they consulted hr. Rob
erts, who directed them to Father Frank
Quarles, the leading Negro minister of the
city. Kven as they rang at Father Quarles’s
door, he was on his knees praying for some
means of bettering the condition of the
women of his race—this had long been, with
him, a subject of earnest thought and prayer.
The two women were gladly received and
assured of his hearty cooperation. He help
ed them solicit means, interested people of
the city in their enterprise, and offered them
the basement of his church to serve as their
first school room.
Forty-seven years ago, April 11, 1881, the
torch of enlightenment for the Colored wom
en of Atlanta began burning in that dark,
damp, and dingy basement of Friendship
Baptist Church. There were two teachers,
Misses Packard and Giles, and eleven pupils,
the most of them grown. In three months
the number attending had reached eighty.
These women remained in Atlanta during
the summer, giving instructions, holding meet
ings, and helping the Negro women in many
ways.
Father Quarles went North to solicit aid
for the school, but died because of the cold
climate. On going, he said: "I am going
North for you. I may never return. Re
member, if I die, I die for you and in a good
cause.” To his people he said, “Take care
of these ladies who have come to us as an
gels of mercy. Don’t let them suffer.”
Unmoved by doubt and lacking foresight
of future success, they reopened the school
in the Autumn of 1881, with 175 pupils, one
third of whom were between the ages of
25 and 50 years. Ambition and perseverance
were exhibited by the people who walked
seven and eight miles to the school regard
less of ridicule and scorn. Earnestness and
love were shown by all who attended this
school in the dark and uncomfortable base
ment. It had planks for benches but no
desks; the floors were decayed; and the air
was often thick with smoke caused by faulty
stove pipes.
In 1882 the Home Mission Board appoint
ed Misses Packard and Giles. Miss Sarah
Champney was sent as a third teacher, but
had to use for her classroom the coal bin
with one small window.
Misses Packard and Giles, spending the
next summer in the North, secured the in
terest of Mr. John D. Rockefeller, who gave
all he had with him at a meeting in which
they spoke. “Are you going to stick?” he
asked. “If you do, you will hear from me
again.”
Unable to secure a larger place, they be
gan the third term in 1882, in ihe same base
ment. In December Miss Caroline Grover,
the fourth teacher, was sent and she had
to crowd her class into the main room where
two other classes were taught.
Seeing that the basement would no longer
accommodate the pupils, means were sought
SPELMAN’S GROWTH
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thousand dollars toward the purchase of the
ground. Later, on the third birthday of the
school, Mr. Rockefeller with his family vis
ited Miss Packard, learned that since less
than half of the purchase price had been
raised, the school would soon have to be
abandoned, and gave the balance needed. The
name of the school was then changed to
Spelman Seminary in honor of Mr. and Mrs.
Spelman, the father and mother of Mrs. John
I). Rockefeller, who had been for more than
forty years steadfast friends of the Colored
race.
The largest of the five frame buildings,
which had been built for a soldiers’ hospital
and continued to be so used for several years
after the war, was renovated and made to
serve as a combination of chapel, class rooms,
dining room, and dormitory. Because of its
many uses it was named Union Hall. It
stood where Giles Hall now stands, and from
the wide piazza, which surrounded it one
could get a fine view of Kennesaw Moun
tains in the distance. This building was de
stroyed by fire, June 24, 1887.
In the year preceding this loss, the first
brick building on the campus had been dedi
cated. Deacon and Mrs. Mial Davis gave
the first thousand dollars toward this much
needed building, which was named Rocke
feller Hall in honor of Mr. John D. Rocke
feller, Sr., who had made the largest con
tribution. This building contained Howe Me
morial Chapel, which was finished and fur
nished by Rev. William Howe, of Cambridge-
port, Mass., and was named in honor of his
wife, Mrs. Angelina Howe. Mr. Howe was
the chief speaker at the dedication of Rocke
feller Hall. May 18, 1886.
In October, 1887, ground was broken for a
second new building to take the place of
to find a new place. A tract of nine acres
of the present site of the school was bought
and the basement school was ended.
These basement days were happy ones. Al
though the stovepipe sometimes fell and it
rained so that grainbags had to be secured
for the teachers to stand on, and on cloudy
days the light was too dim to read by, still
it was not too dark to pray, and discour
agement was totally absent.
Great achievements come from small be
ginnings. We enjoy privileges, happiness and
comforts after some pioneer has suffered
and died to provide them. God bless the
saints who lit the torch of Spelman!
Union Hall. It was called Packard Hall for
one of the founders and among other ac
commodations it had a bell tower for the
campus bell and there was space for
Quarles Library—named in honor of Father
Quarles. Packard basement contained a com
modious dining hall and in the annex were
the kitchen, pantries, sewing room, and print
ing press. Packard Hall was dedicated in
1889.
The State of Georgia granted a charter in
1888 to a group of friends of Spelman Semi
nary, who became trustees of the insti
tution.
Mr. Rockefeller gave $3,5(X) in 1890 for
the erection of a laundry. In 1911 a sec
ond story was added at an approximate cost
of $3,500 more from the same source.
Giles Hall, named for Miss Harriet Giles,
was dedicated December 1, 1893. This build
ing accommodated the elementary and the
normal training schools with class rooms and
(Continued on Page 6, Col. 1)
THE FOUNDERS’ DAY
ADDRESS
Paying tribute to the founders of Spel
man College, Mrs. Bethune said, “It was a
great task for the pioneers to dare to start
this institution for the rounding out of the
lives of the Negro womanhood of America,
especially of the South.”
She spoke of the high courage needed for
the enterprise in 1881, of these women “leav
ing homes, friends and comforts to come to
people, many of whom misunderstood them,”
and who were less than two decades out of
slavery.
Regarding the use that Negro boys and
girls have made of their opportunities, Mrs.
Bethune spoke of their eagerness to extend
their opportunities to others less interested.
Her apt description of the quality of these
opportunities was, “I thank God that we
:an stand at this forty-seventh anniversary,
lot getting the drippings and trimmings, but,
ndeed, the dish is being passed and we are
jetting some of the same good meat that
other people are getting.” It is for you
and for me to demonstrate to the world that
we can and do appreciate, and that we can
and do take in the best that can come from
the educational world.
“No race can rise higher than its women,”
said Mrs. Bethune. “Just as we go up, we
carry the entire race with us. We are de
pending and relying on you to prove to the
world that the investment in education being
made in you is worth these costly efforts.”
With all of these advantages, the students
were asked to keep the spirit of unselfish
ness burning fervently in their hearts.
“Take in, that you may give to others. Train
roundly in head, hand and heart, that the
masses may be served.”
She said in part, “Every child, regardless
of creed, class, or color, ought to have his
chance to rise. An education repays any man
or woman who puts forth the effort to get
it. It draws out the best there is in one."
Will the Spelman students prove worthy
of the investment of toil and effort made
in them ?