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THE MAROON TIGER
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HAS FOUNDER'S DAY ANY WORTHWHILE
SIGNIFICANCE?
By W. H. Sullivan, ’34
Founder’s Day at Morehouse in 1933 has a greater
significance than ever before in the history of the In
stitution. Perhaps to make such an assertion without pre
senting obvious, concre : e proof would probably evoke
some question in regards to the truth of the statement.
This I shall attempt by penning some of the most im
portant observations that have been mine since September,
.1926, to February, 1933.
"At the beginning of the 1926-1927 term, I entered
the first year high school class at Morehouse College.
It seemed that there were as many below as above
freshman classification. Nevertheless, this was not an
abnormal proportional division of the student body. The
campus had only five unattractive structures, some of
which were connected by cinder paths. Sale Hall not
only accommodated all the administrative offices, but
all of the college classes except those in biology, chem
istry, and physics, which occupied the Science Building,
but were never over-crowded. The faculty only had
the prestige of one M. A. Some were deprived of the
distinction of an A. B. The classroom information for the
students was confined to about half the top floor of
Quarles Hall, which was approximately the size of two
large dwelling rooms; this was designated, Library. The
other two floors were “prep” facilities. Notwithstand
ing the then existing conditions, which appear now
crude and undeveloped, Morehouse was a recognized
college of Liberal Arts. Its graduates were recognized
as highly educated, efficient and worthy men. This is
substantiated by the accomplishments of such men as
Presidents Mordecai Johnson of Howard University,
John Davis of West Virginia State College who has
been considered by the President of Our Democracy to
serve on several commissions, Dr. Brawley of Howard
University and many others have achieved praiseworthy
prominence in various fields of endeavor and profes
sions.
But only casual observations today would reveal pro
gress and proficiency almost incredible to the superb,
human imagination. Since 1930 only students of col
lege classification have been able to gain entrance to
Morehouse. In the same year originated a student
council which granted the student body representation
in the activities and regulations by which they were
governed. The canfpus has begun to assume an attrac
tion unequaled in its existence with a systematic ar
rangement of trees and shrubbery and beautiful “walks.”
This means that only the athlete will be familiar with
the cinder path. The marvelous Administration Build
ing recently completed not only serves Atlanta Univer
sity. but Morehouse and Spelman or the other two affiliat
ed institutions. To visit some of the classrooms on
Spelman or Morehouse campus one would think himself
in the midst of co-education, thus no more one-build
ing classes but short walking exercises makes the
spacious rooms at Spelman also available. It seems
quite remarkable that a faculty which only five years
ago could boast of merely one M. A. can now prido
itself in having two Ph. D.’s, ten more pending at an
early date and hardly a member with less than two
degrees. Today, jointly with the two other affiliated in
stitutions, Morehouse shares the new Atlanta University
Library, which impresses the eye with architectural
grandeur and splendor. Such an edifice would meet the
hearty approval of the most critical Greek master.
Not all the progress of Morehouse College has been
so materialistic; success and prominence along other
diversified phases of welfare have been realized. The
endowment endeavor must not pass unnoticed whose
favorable and fruitable termination means the complete
independence of our dear Alma Mater. Recently our
quartette entertained the President-elect at his birthday
festivities. Such distinction is a rare occurrence in the
lives of struggling Negro youths. The most recent
achievement came in last January when Morehouse Col
lege received “A” rating. This attainment, the highest
recognition given any college in America, only increased
the number of such rated Negro colleges to six. The
task that confronts all alumni and undergraduates is
maintaining a standard deserving of such prestige.
Fellow students, to us this Founder’s Day should
have a greater significance than to any previous stu
dent body. We are the recipients of a splendid herit
age for which “Dear Old Morehouse” has striven since
1867. Probably it would seem the height of impru
dence to speak of surpassing the contributions of some
of the former sons of Morehouse. If we only approach
their success and renown we shall have wrought well,
I am wondering if some of us who are so fortunate
as to be endowed with such divine appreciation of the
beauty in nature, by which Wordsworth was so vividly
characterized, and those of us who harbor such singu
lar admiration for architectural feats as distinguished
the old Greek masters, those who harvest great pleas
ure from strolling like the Persians who delighted in
an afternoon spent promenading about the beautiful
“walks” in the gorgeous garden of the qourt, won’t find
ourselves strolling along the endless, cuyvelinear “walks”
over the campus, which is adorned with such magnifi
cent edifices as the new Administration Building, the
new Library and which will soon be arrayed with Mother
Nature’s contribution of grass and green trees, complete
ly lost in a trance of esthetic ecstasy, when there will be
many lessons anxiously awaiting our return.
Shall our Alma Mater, who can boast of training
about twenty-one college presidents, numerous physi
cians, lawyers and outstanding men in other profes
sions, suffer the same sad plight of the Roman Em
pire? Will we jeopardize such a hopeful future with
frivolous, worthless, hedonistic aspirations, which induce
indolence, incapabilities, and mental degeneracy? Will
we be proverbial parasites, leeches and blood-suckers
whose only virtue is the rapidity of destruction of the
utility that reality affords by the conscientious striv
ing of some ambitious personality? Or will the high
ly cherished ideals of our Alma Mater find warmth in
our bosom? Will we not be the personification of them,
upholding, maintaining and preserving the dignity, effi
ciency, scholastic attainment, acclaimation and venera-
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