Newspaper Page Text
CAMPUS MIRROR
3
Story of
\\ illiam Jefferson White
Following his work in the secret
schools during the years before slavery
was abolished, as referred to in the last
article, Mr. White went further and
helped establish the first school in Au
gusta, Georgia.
Early in 18(>7 Mr. Richard C. Coulter,
a former student of the National Bap
tist Theological Institute of Washington,
I). C., turned over to Mr. White a letter
from a Dr. Turney, President of the
institution, authorizing the establishment
of a school. A correspondence between
Dr. Turney and Mr. White began. Mr.
White says in part, ‘‘I talked the matter
over with the people and they entered
heartily into the proposition. ... I
began at once to enroll names. . . . We
enrolled . . . men ... no women. A
majority of the men were older than
myself. Thirty-seven names were en
rolled about the middle of February,
1867.”
Dr. Turney was not able to send a
teacher at once and Mr. White was sent
a commission to teach the school himself,
but, though he did not care to do that,
he held the pupils together until he was
able to obtain a teacher. Then he was
appointed by the Freedman’s Bureau to
establish schools for the Negro people
throughout the state of Georgia. He was
thoroughly encouraged in his work with
the interest and help of the people of
the town. Among those who did much
toward helping the early educational
attempts was the mother of Mrs. Jane
Hope Lyons, the Dean of Spelman Col
lege at the present time.
It is from this beginning that what
is now known as Morehouse College has
grown. It was moved to Atlanta several
years after its founding and its trans
ference to the American Baptist Home
Mission Society.
Mr. White was also a pioneer in news
paper work. His efforts in this field
culminated in the first newspaper by
Negroes to continue publication in the
South. In June, 1880, in the meeting
of the National Baptist Convention of
Georgia, a resolution was passed that
the Baptists have a paper of their own.
Although it was also resolved that the
committee would be appointed to get
together and consider the beginning of
the paper immediately, all of the nine
men appointed did not seem to be suf
ficiently interested to start it. Among
the committee were Father Quarles for
whom one of the buildings on Morehouse
College campus was later named, and
Reverend C. H. Lyons, the grandfather
of Miss Lottie Lyons, a graduate of
Spelman College. Mortgaging his home
for the necessary equipment, Mr. White
started work. At first he had to employ
some white labor as there were scarcely
any colored men that knew the printing
Bidding Farewell to an
Old Friend
Many things pass unnoticed until we
know that they will soon be gone. That
is, unless our attention is called to them.
Rome time ago we were reminded that
we were receiving the last view of ‘‘the
barn” and Friday, February 4, reporters,
photographers, teachers, and students
gathered near the old power-plant site
to get a last glimpse of the old smoke
stack that had served so long as a faith
ful friend, and servant. The waiting
was loner, but the event attracted and
held a crowd. Many realized that tbp-'-
were experiencing a privilege that stu
dents in the future can on’v know
through others. The smokestack, like
the barn, was a part of campus historv
that was thou edit of lightly or not at
all until we discovered that it would
soon be cone; then we gathered around
to pay “last respects.” And one dim
dav in the future when we are showing
friends about the camnus and atmroach
one of the most modern equipped gvm-
nasiums in the country, we shall be
proud of the fact that a memory still
lurks of men digging 1 at the base of the
smokestack with a cable around the huge
stack, of a truck going 1 forward with
the cable attached to it. of a giant’s
quivver, of firing bricks, of a great fall
—a thud, and then cht^t. Nothing moxe
except a mass of ruins—that will be
all, but we shall wipe a tear before
moving on to the next building.
business, but just as soon as possible
he replaced these white men with colored
help. Once when the paper was likely
to be late. Mr. White met one of the
former white printers and asked him
whether he would come and he'p him
in the pin-h. The latter said that he
would, but would not work with the
present colored help. Mr. White refused
to have him under these conditions, of
course, and on getting back to Ihe shop
he told the story of his encounter to
his colored workers. They determined
to get the paper out on time and worked
steadily for forty-eight hours and did
so.
The paper was read by a great many
people. It went to the isolated parts
of the country and was, for a long time,
“Double Door”
Maudlyn Stokes ’38
On January 14 and 15, the University
Players offered “Double Door,” by Eliza
beth McFadden, as their second presen
tation of the season, under the direction
of Mr. John M. Ross. This drama of
the selfishness embodied in one woman
was enthusiastically received by the
audiences on both nights.
As Victoria Van Brett, Eloise Usher
gave another brilliant performance, her
interpretation of the spinster who
thought of herself first and foremost
and of others when they could help her
in attaining her ends, immediately im
pressed the audience as that of a cold
and calculating person. The desire to
possess Rip Van Brett and the family
pearls, when thwarted, led to a mental
collapse as the curtain fell on the last
act. Somehow, despite the fact that she
had attempted murder, a surge of pity
was felt for this old woman who was
finally left alone—alone with her pearls.
We take off our hats to Leroy Haynes
for his outstanding characterization of
Rip Van Brett, who was all “brown”
without will-power. It proved most re
freshing and inspiring to see how the
love and confidence of Ann Van Brett,
played by Ivathlyn Johnson, gave to him
the courage to get away from the in
human control of Victoria.
Particularly refreshing, adding humor
to a situation that might have seemed
to be too tense, was the portrayal of
Avery, by Mexico Hembree. She, as
Housekeeper a la mode, was truly con
vincing.
Praise also goes to Dora Mosely as
Caroline Van Brett, the spinster sister,
who had given her life to Victoria Van
Brett, not because she wished to do so,
but because of the terror of being locked
within the vault as punishment for dis
obedience.
On the whole, “Double Door” was
splendid and was greatly enjoyed. The
weak points in the play were skillfully
covered and propped up by the coopera
tion of all members of the cast.
the only medium of contact between
these people and the outside world. It
is the second oldest Negro newspaper
in the United States that is still in
existence. Reverend D. 1). Crawford of
Atlanta is now the editor. At the time
of Mr. White’s death it had missed only
two issues, one when the ollice was under
water and one when it had been burned.
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