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Page 6
The Wolverine Observer
March 18,1980
FOUNDER'S DAY 1980
Historical Profile
Morris Brown College was founded by the African
Methodist Episcopal Church in 1881. Evoked by Steward
Wiley, a lay member of the Big Bethel A.M.E. Church
in Atlanta. The Reverend Wesley John Gaines codified the
idea into a resoultion calling for the establishment of an
institution for the "Christian education of Negro boys
and girls" in Atlanta.
Steps toward the fulfillment of the AME's dream of
owning their own school began with an invitation to the
Georgia Annual Conference to join the North Georgia
Conference in the endeavor. The invitation was extended
on January 19, 1881 and on February 1, 1881 trustees from
both conferences assembled at Big Bethel in Atlanta to
select an appropriate site for the proposed institution. They
chose to purchase land at Boulevard and Houston Street
in northeast Atlanta. In May, 1885, the State of Georgia
granted a charter to Morris Brown College of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church. With this act, the institution
gained legal identity.
On October 5, 1885, the doors of Morris Brown College
opened to nine teachers and one hundred and fifteen students.
Mrs. Mary McCree served as the first principal and A. St.
George Richardson served as the first president. In the
94 years which have elapsed since Wesley John Gaines read
his resolution, Morris Brown has been guided by three
principals and twelve presidents.
1885- 1886 Mrs. Mary McCree Principal
1886- 1887 Mrs. Alice D. Cary Principal
1887- 1888 The Reverend E.W. Lee Principal
1888- 1892 Professor A.S. Richardson Principal
1892-1896 Professor A.S. Richardson President
1896-1904 The Reverend J.M. Henderson President
1904-1908 The Reverend Joseph S. Flipper _. President
1908-1911 The Reverend E.W. Lee President
1911-1920 The Reverend W.A. Fountain, Sr President
1920-1928 The Revferend J.H. Lewis President
1928-1950 The Reverend W.A. Fountain, Jr President
1950- 1951 The Retffcfend Edward C. Mitchell President
1951- 1958 The Reverend John Henry Lewis President
1958-1965 The Reverend Dr. Frank Cunningham . . President
1965-1973 The Reverend John A. Middleton President
1973- Dr. Robert Threatt President
Significant strides in the history of the development of
Morris Brown can be identified with the following dates |
1894—The organization of the Liberal Arts College.
1894—The addition of a theological department for the
training of ministers.
1932—The merger of Williams Business College making
possible the Departments of Business Administration
and Secretarial Science.
1932—The "Big Move" from the old site at Boulevard
and Houston to the present campus at West Hunter and
Tatnall Streets.
1942—Class A rating. by the Southern Association of
Colleges and Secondary Schools.
1959—Full membership in 1 the Southern Association of
Colleges and Secondary Schools.
Today Morris Brown has grown into an institution
with a faculty and staff of 196 and a student body of 1600
from 28 states and 5 countries. The physical facilities
are numerous and include a Student Union Building,
J.A. Middleton Complex and Griffin-Hightower Science
Building. Fountain Hall, the oldest structure on campus
has been declared by the Department of the Interior as
the twenty-fifth national landmark in Georgia.
The academic curriculum covers four broad divisions
of knowledge and includes majors in 28 fields. Graduates
of the College are numbered among the leaders in the
United States and abroad.
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Oftorwxpins March 31, 1980
What Does Morris Brown College's
Founder's Day
"Founder's Day? Oh wow!!
I'm neutral on the subject. I
think it's significant in the fact
that it celebrates the founding
of Morris Brown, but I really
don't have a feeling for it.
History isn't the key to the
future of Morris Brown."
Robert Carter
"It's good! Many students
should be edified by it. It's
good to know your school's
history."
Rev. Kevin K. Owens
"Founder's Day in my
opinion is the greatest day in
Morris Brown's history
because if it wasn't for our
forefathers no one would be
going here now! I think it's just
great!"
Ronald Byrd
"It's a time of the year when
we the members of the Morris
Brown College family take
time out to view our past. It is
also a time for us to be grateful
for the progress that we have
made throughout the years."
Scottie Swinney
"Founder's Day?, I have no
idea." \
Stephen Harris
Mean To You?
"Although I don t attend
school here I think it s a
historical event for any black
institution that should be
respected." R
"You know, it's just a day
when Morris Brown was foun
ded, and I'm proud of it."
Charles Blake
"Reliving the men that
discovered Morris Brown."
Sharon Reec
"Founder's Day is like going
over the past digging up roots
and letting students know
what happened here at Morris
Brown in the past."
Clark Dooley
"It's a day that makes all ,
students aware of what the
cause is really all about and to
be proud of their heritage.
.Michael Bums
"It's a remembrance of the
founders who founded this in
stitution and respecting them
for what they did during a
very hostile period-the 1880's.
It gives me pride in knowing
that a black institution has
survived for 99 years and we
as blacks have supported it."
Marbury D. Keys III
Founder's Day—What It Should Mean!
You know, it's amazing as
well as a lot of fun to ask the
question, What deos Morris
Brown College Founder's Day
mean to you? and get some of
the responses as I did.
Would you believe there
were Brownites who preferred
to make no comment at all?
And some of those who did
comment spoke of the event as
b.eing meaningless to them. Of
course, as always there were
those who did not have time to
answer any questions. Why,
there was even a popular
young lady of this campus
who said that if she were not
already involved in various
Founder's Day activities she
would not even take any part
in it.
However, overall the
responses were good. But due
to the fact that some thought
of the event as meaningless, I
think it's necessary to
acknowledge what Founder's
Day should mean to them.
Whether you are a freshman
or a senior you should have
some concept of what Morris
Brown's Founder's Day is.
There is simply no excuse for it
not to mean anything to a
Morris Brown student.
Founder's Day (March 18) is
like celebrating a birthday.
Celebrating the founding of a
predominantly black in
stitution founded by blacks.
This alone should mean a lot
to you not only as a brownite
but as a black.
Why should I care about
this you ask? Well, if you do
not care, not only do you lack
pride in your racial heritage,
but if you are black you lack
pride within yourself.
You as a brownite should
also have respect for the
forefathers who put Morris
Brown into existence. Let us
face it, if it were not for them
neither you nor I would be
here. These men and women
that made an all-out effort to
"make" this school receive
unlimited recognition and
should never be forgotten.
Remember, a school is only
buildings which are used to
educate people. We the people
make the school. Its future, as
well as its history is important.
You, the future of Morris
Brown, determine its existen
ce.
In the Beginning
By Tamara Macon
It is now called the Ad
ministration Building, initially
constructed in 1905 and used
as the Carnegie Library facility
of Atlanta University. It was
not until 1932 that the Ad
ministration Building became
occupied by Morris Brown-
College and its administrative
suites.
Still standing tall at its
original location on the
southside of the campus near
Tatnall and Walnut Street, the
Administration Building has
been renovated several times
in effort to make the building
more suitable for the ad
ministrative staff.
The year 1920, the frame, a
two story single structure,
lined with brick and wood, fir
st served as office and
classroom space for the Art
Department, but is presently
being occupied by the History
and Political Science Depart
ment.
The Joe Louis gymnasium, a
single level wood constructed
building, named after the
famous Joe Louis, was
acquired in 1945. It still stands
today, yet is only used for
recreation purposes.
J.R.B., Julian Robinson
Building was named after
Julian Robinson dean of men
in 1929. This building was
acquired in 1946 for the usage
of the Education Department.
1968 was the year, the
Jordan Thomas Library was
the Building designed to pro
vide specialized support for
undergraduate curriculum. It is
primarily a resource center,
constructed to support the
aims, goals, and the
educational program adopted
by Morris Brown faculty and
administration. As of July
1978 the ' library collection
contained the following 55,500
books, 401 titled periodicals,
35 subscription newspaper,
2,372 bound periodicals, 1,746
reel micro film, 325
phonodiscs, and 3,355 pam-
plets.
The latest addition to
Morris Brown campus is the
John Henry Lewis gymnasium
built in 1976. It was named in
honor of a president, Dr. John
H. Lewis, who served as
president of Morris Brown
twice 1928, 1951-1958. The
three octagon shape building
consist of a spacious gym-
naisum that has a seating
capacity of 2,800, a Olympic
size swimming pool and
se\ >ral classroom facilities.
"Half the promises people say
were never kept were never
made." E. W. Howe