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Published During the College Year by the Students of Spelman College, Atlanta. Georgia
^ ol • ^ ^ April 15, 1931 Number 7
A I I'T V Q O LDEN AEAR S
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“Lift Every Voice,” Scene from Historical Pageant
A Historical Sketch of
Spelman College
Carrie L. Adams, ’34
It is ours to recall the rocks and "ravel
which made for the enrichment of this in
stitution. Keen moments are allotted for
thought concerning the diggers of untouched
ground—ground that was seen to be propiti
ous bv women of vision; ground seen to
be what it was, what it is today, and what
it will be tomorrow. It is ours to recall
those women, coming to Atlanta in 1881, to
invest their lives in the interest of Negro
women’s education.
Miss Sophia Packard and Miss Harriet
Cl i 1 os saw a necessity for the development of
Negro women’s education; therefore, the two
ventured toward untouched soil to invest
their lives; and so it was that, in 1881,
what was termed “The Atlanta Baptist Fe
male Seminary” was founded in the base
ment of Friendship Baptist Church, during
the pastorate of Father Frank Quarles.
This school in the basement, and later in the
<»ld army hospital, “Union Hall,” often
lacked funds, yet it never lacked the neces
sary courage which Miss Packard and Miss
Giles had in undertaking this work and the
perseverance to carry through.
It was through the liberality of Northern
Baptists that it was made possible for such
characters to come south and to render serv
ice, not only for colored people, but for the
entire American civilization.
With the talent of these two women to
plan here, with their ability to execute their
plans, and with the ideas of the two com
bined, a high and noble character was im
parted to the institution. Their tactfulness
drew to them the interest of others. In
places, their dynamic personalities were so
forceful that they tore down racial prejudice,
so that in time they could speak to white
groups in white churches in the interest of
Negro education. The growing interest
spread. The number of people who were
willing to invest interest and funds spread
slowly in the South, but indeed rapidly in
the North.
With eleven students as their first ma
terial, they began the investment. As time
came on the school grew, the number of
students increased, and the course of study
became more extensive; other people’s inter
ests in this broader education grew and
spread, so that what was The Atlanta Bap
tist Female Seminary, through the active in-
tere>t of the Spelman-Rockefeller family, be
came Spelman Seminary in 1883. Gifts from
this family made possible a number of col
lege halls, including the administration
building, which bears the name of Roeke-
(Continued to Page 3)
Founders Day Sermon
On Wednesday afternoon of April 11,
1931, when the academic procession of fac
ulty, visitors and delegates to the Fiftieth
Anniversary exercises had filed into Sisters
Chapel to Verdi’s Triumphant March (from
Aida), the Spelman Glee Club sang 0 Ee-
deemer Divine, followed by scripture reading
by President Harvey W. Cox of Emory Uni
versity. After the hymn, God the Omnipo
tent, President Read introduced Dr. Julian
Lewis, Assistant Professor of Pathology of
the University of Chicago, who delivered the
educational address of the afternoon. Doctor
Lewis has received degrees of Doctor of Med
icine and Doctor of Philosophy from Chi
cago University, and his work proves him
one of the ablest Negro scientists. In dis
cussing Basic Elements of an Education,
Doctor Lewis named three attributes of an
education: intellectuality, social training, and
spiritual values. The first attribute has to do
with knowing about the world’s accumulated
experiences and facts and knowing how to
use knowledge to avoid fumbles, and to make
short cuts to success.
Social training has to do with doing. Col
lege teaches that people cannot live alone.
This training is reflected in the modern
inclination to help the unfortunate and to
remove causes of failure.
Intellectuality and social training satisfy
man’s contact with the outer world. The
spiritual value has to do with character and
inner life. It is a satisfaction when man is
alone with himself.
The problem of finding a type of educa
tion that will bo both cultural and occupa
tional may he solved in one way by agricul
ture, since it is related to many cultural
studies as chemistry, banking, commerce, and
others. College makes clear similar relation
ships between other studies and life so that
culture and occupation may blend in edu
cation.
Following a hymn, and prayer by Rev.
E. R. Carter of Friendship Baptist Church,
with the Spiritual, 0 Seek and Ye Shall
Find, President Read introduced Mr. Jack-
son Davis of the General Education Board
tor an address on llie Negro Woman in the
Schoolroom. He spoke of the way the bless
ings of education have spread from centers
of light, such as Spelman, out into the back
woods and reminded his audience that of the
48,000 public school teachers in the Southern
States, the great, majority of teachers in the
Negro schools are women. He spoke of the
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