Newspaper Page Text
The Campus Mirror
5
New Ntlanta University Library Opens
Ihe Moving of Quarles
Gleaner Simmons, '32
In 1928, Quarles Library was moved from
Packard Hall to the basement of Laura
Spelman Rockefeller Hall by the students of
Spelman College. Each girl helped to carry
the books across the campus from Packard
to Laura Spelman by taking an armful at
a time. When the last books arrived the
library was ready for use.
The second moving, which was begun April
23rd of this year, was carried on in quite
a different manner. Instead of the students
moving the books, a truck and a company of
men were secured for that purpose. To stand
and watch those men as they took the books
down from the shelves in the stacks and
loaded them on the truck made one feel a
sensation of progress and achievement; in
other words, it was a happy sort of sensa
tion. The occasion was an event in the mak
ing of history.
Every student who is now living on Spel
man campus should feel proud of the fact
that she is a part of the institution, for
Spelman, along with Morehouse College and
Atlanta University, is surely making history.
Each student who is now an eyewitness to
the making of (he University can anticipate
the future, when he shall have advanced in
years, and can be telling of those days past,
when the University was young. A vision
of the future University covering all the
territory between the three institutions,
which is now dotted with homesteads, is
quite in keeping with the progress that the
three institutions have made in the last three
years. The new library is a magnificent
building with every modern device necessary
for the convenience and enjoyment of a well-
equipped library. The very atmosphere of
quietness is conducive to diligent study and
concentration.
Convocation
Preceding the exercises of dedication of
the new library, a special convocation was
called on tlx* night of April 29th. Dr. Will
W. Alexander presided over the meeting and
set a keynote of brevity and of acceptable
informality. Mr. Kendall Weisiger, chair
man of the Atlanta University Building
Committee, made the address of welcome.
The principal speaker was President
George Cutten, of Colgate University, who
prescribed the proper use ot leisure to pre
vent the destruction to which biologists say
man is doomed because of his abnormal men
tal and physical development. Some form of
mental escape from the routine of life,
physical recreation and mental satisfaction
derived from the pursuit of an intellectual
hobby or from artistic self-expression are
three elements that an intelligent use of
leisure should contain.
Greetings were brought by representatives
of a number of educational foundations and
religious organizations which have contrib
uted to the advancement of education. Among
these speakers were: George R. Arthur,
of the Julius Rosenwald Fund; W. T. B.
Williams, of the Slater Fund; Dr. F. N.
Parker, of the Jeanes Fund; Mrs. Katherine
Westfall, of the Woman’s American Bap
tist Home Mission Society; Dr. M. J.
Holmes, of the Board of Education of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and President
William A. Fountain, of Morris Brown Col
lege, representing the African Methodist
Episcopal Church.
Reverend E. R. Carter, Pastor of Friend
ship Baptist Church, offered prayer. Scrip
ture was read by Reverend W. J. Faulkner,
pastor of the First Congregational Church.
President M. S. Davage of Clark Univer
sity, pronounced the benediction.
Class History
(Continued from Page 4)
voted much time to the campus activities.
The Y. W. C. A. organized some special
clubs for Freshmen. They were: The Dis
cussion Group, the Book Group, the Dra
matic Club, and the Athletic Group. The
Discussion Group, under Miss Perry’s direc
tion, became acquainted with many of the
social and economic problems that influence
prosperous living. The Dramatic Group, di
rected by Miss Cooke, presented a one-act
play, Plumes, written by Georgia Douglas
Johnson, and Lawrence Hausman’s The
Chinese Lantern. Beatrice Tucker, by care
ful instruction, prepared the athletic group
to challenge any basketball team in the
school. We were not behind in scholarship
for, besides having a number of our members
or the honor roll, the class carried a higher
number of A averages than any other college
class that year. We found great delight in
our courses, especially English, which was
guided by Miss Neptune; Biology—roaches,
worms and moss—with Doctor Wallace and
Miss Gay; Home Economics with Miss
Yackle; and European History with Mrs.
Curry. Despite all the dates we learned,
maps we drew, themes we wrote, house plans
we made, and the microscopes we had to
peep through, to say nothing about the
throat and tongue exercise we had in Speech,
we came to the end of our first college year
with a fuller understanding of the past and
a brighter outlook for the future
In September of ’29 we returned to Spel
man with new vigor and brighter ideas.
However, we numbered only fifty-six at that
time. This year there were some interesting
changes to greet is Sophomores. Morehouse
and Spelman had exchange of professors.
This offered an opportunity for students of
both colleges to have a larger choice of
courses. The number of men teachers on
(Continued on Page 7)
Dedication Exercises
In spite of showers that prevented the
exercises being held in the open air, in
view of the library, the new library was
officially dedicated in Sisters Chapel at 2 :30
P.M. on April 30th. An academic proces
sion of the faculty and trustees of Atlanta
University, Morehouse and Spelman, and
representatives from other institutions of
Atlanta, marched from Rockefeller Hall to
the chapel. When the speakers and platform
guests had taken their places; the audience
sang the Doxologv. President Harvey War
ren Cox, of Emory Univresity, read the
scriptures. Greetings from friends and other
colleges were read.
The Morehouse Glee Club sang I’m Going
Down to the River of Jordan and Glory,
Glory, Hallelujah.
James Weldon Johnson, Professor of Cre
ative English at Fisk University, a gradu
ate and a trustee of Atlanta University,
spoke for the alumni of Atlanta University,
describing the library as the heart of this
university which is to help erase ignorance,
bigotry and intolerance.
After the selection, Except the Lord Build
the House, by Gilchrist, President Hope pre
sented the keys of the library to Mr. Dean
Rage, president of the Board of Trustees of
Atlanta University. In response, Mr. Sage
described the library as an “abiding home
of that freedom of thought which denies
prejudice, prompts the search for wisdom
and fights an eternal battle against the
destructiveness of ignorance and the dead
ness of materialism.”
Reverend Howard Thurman, Religious
Adviser, Morehouse-Spelman Colleges, of
fered the prayer of dedication, followed by
the spiritual Great Day, sung by the More
house-Spelman Chorus.
Senator Frederic C. Walcott, of Connec
ticut, in the dedicatory address, reviewed the
history of the Negro in America down to the
present, including the high points in the de
velopment of Atlanta University and its
“nerve center”, the new library.
The audience rose to sing the Negro Na
tional Anthem. After the benediction by
President James R. McCain, of Agnes Scott
College, the company went to inspect the
library.
Impression of the Library
Florie Jackson, ’35
Standing tall and palace-like from with
out, the library within seemed like a great
cathedral ready for worshipers. The walls,
the grey mirror-like stairs, and the globed
domes that terminated the vast space from
ceiling to floor were massive in their beauty.
1 felt humble and filled with awe by the
greatness of this structure, ami instantly,
inspired resolutions came surging up. 1
determined to accept all that it had to offer