The Campus mirror. (Atlanta, Georgia) 1924-19??, April 15, 1928, Image 4

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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 (Continued from Page 1, Col. 1) 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 ?