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THE PANTHER
3
Methodists Named for
Commencement Addresses
Two outstanding exponents of
Methodism will be the principal
speakers for the events of commence
ment at Clark College’s eightieth
commencement exercises.
Bishop J. W. E. Bowen
Bishop John Wesley Edward Bow
en, Resident Bishop, The Atlantic
Coast Area, The Methodist Church,
Atlanta. Georgia, will deliver the
baccalaureate address Sunday, June
4.
Methodist Background
Bishop Bowen is the son of the late
Dr. J. W. E. Bowen who for forty
years was a professor at Gammon
Theological Seminary. He was born
in Baltimore. Maryland, where his
father at that time was pastor of
Centennial Church. His elementary
education and early preparatory
Bishop Bowen and Dr. Davage
to Challenge Seniors
training was received at Clark Uni
versity. Later, he attended Phillips
Exeter Academy, graduating in 1907.
In 1911, he received the bachelor’s
degree from Wesleyan University,
and in 1913 Harvard University
awarded him the Master’s degree. He
has done four years post-graduate
study at Harvard and two years semi
nary work at Gammon Theological
Seminary. He was licensed a minister
in 1907 at Exeter. New Hampshire,
ordained Deacon in 1917 and made
Elder in the Atlanta Conference one
year later.
During World War I Bishop Bow
en served as an Army chaplain. For
three years following, he was a
field worker of the Board of Sunday
Schools of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. His pastoral experience in
cludes work in many principal cities.
He is a member of Alpha Phi Al
pha Fraternity, Sigma Pi Phi Frater
nity. and a 33 degree Mason.
His wife. Mrs. Margaret Davis
Bowen, was for many years a teacher
in the public schools of Cincinnati,
Ohio, and principal of Gilbert Acade
my, New Orleans, La. They have one
son, J. W. E., Jr., a student at the
University of Southern California,
Los Angeles.
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
The commencement address will be
brought by Dr. M. S. Davage, Secre
tary, The Department of Educational
Institutions for Negroes, The Board
of Education, The Methodist Church,
Nashville, Tennessee.
He is in a unique way a son of
Methodism since he was born in a
Methodist parsonage and received his
undergraduate training in a Meth
odist school, New Orleans University.
For a number of years he was busi
ness manager of the Southwestern
Christian Advocate. He has also
served as president of Rust College
in Holly Springs, Mississippi.
Samuel Huston College, Austin, Tex
as, and at Clark College. It was from
Clark that he was called to his present
position in Nashville.
Today, Dr. Davage is perhaps rec
ognized as the most outstanding lay
man of color in the Methodist Church.
The honors which have come to Dr.
Davage in recognition of his out
standing work in the field of edu
cation have been many. He is the
recipient of several honorary degrees,
and recently Bethune-Cookman Col
lege, Daytona Beach. Florida, gave
him a citation in recognition of his
outstanding educational leadership.
Dr. Davage has been a member of
the General Conference of the Meth
odist Church since 1912. For practi
cally all of this period he has been
a member of the Cook Committee of
the General Conference.
Doctor Matthew S. Davage