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Vol. XXXIV, No. 7 The Voice of Black Womanhood Atlanta Georgia-Spelman College May, 1981 The Spelman Story A Dedication to the Past and A Toast To The Future SPELMAN COLLEGE 1881-1981 A Century of Service To Women Who Achieve By Diane Moss Sr. Reporter Spelman College is a renowned institution dedicated to the educating of black women. The school was founded April 11, 1881 by two women, Sophia B. Packard and Harriet Giles. They came south to study the “living conditions among the freedmen in the south.” Upon their arrival, they were astonished at the lack of educational opportunities here in the south. Determined to do something about the situation, these two women commissioned money from up north for their cause. They approached churches and pleaded their case. Medfords First Baptist Church contributed a sum of $100.00. It was here that Spelman made contact with its most generous contributor, Mr. John D. Rockefeller. Mr. Rockefeller emptied his pockets and told Misses Giles and Packard that if they, would stick with it, they “would hear from him again.” The two ladies returned to Atlanta to open their school in the basement of Friendship Baptist Church with $100.00 and eleven students. In L884, the institution came to be known as Spelman Seminary, named for Mrs. Harvey Spelman, Mrs. Rockefeller’s mother. This came to be on the third anniversary of the school. Later, the first major construction on the campus of Spelman Seminary was underway. It was a $40,000.00 brick building named for the donor himself, John D. Rockefeller Hall. The next major construction project on the campus was appropriately named for the hard working and dedicated co founder Sophia Packard, and was completed in 1887. At the time of the new building, Ms. Packard was working on getting a state charter for the school. Her work was not in vain, Spelman Seminary was granted a state charter in 1888 and as a demonstration of their gratitude, the first official Board of Trustees voted Sophia B. Packard the first president of Spelman Seminary. Miss Packard died June 21, 1881 at the age of 69. Under the direction of Miss Packard with the help of Miss Giles, the school they found ten years ago had grown from a school of 11 students held in the basement of a church to an institution of high learning enrolling 800 students with 30 teachers and property valued at $90,000. Harriet Giles assumed the duties of president after the death of her constituent. She was to serve as president of Spelman for the next eighteen years. Her administration saw many trying times both locally and nationally, but for Spelman they were years of progress. In 1901, under the direction of Miss Giles, Spelman Seminary conferred its first college degrees and in 1906. its 25th anniversary was celebrated. At this time, Spelman was fulfilling the needs of thousands of black women, from grade to trade to college. On Nov. 12, 1909, Harriet Giles died in office at age 76. The next president of Spelman was Miss Lucy Hale Tapley. It was under her supervision that Spelman was to discontinue the elementary school. She informed the patrons that Spelman would offer “curricular in secondary elementary . . . and home economics education.” The most noted achievement under Miss Tapley’s administration was Sisters Chapel, named for Mrs. John D. Rockefeller and her sister. The chapel was officially dedicated in May. 1927, by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. At this time. Miss Tapley resigned as president of Spelman College and was named President Emeritus. Miss Florence Matilda Read was named president and served in the office for 26 years. It was under the leadership of Miss Read that Spelman began to establish an endowment fund and use the interest to defray the cost of operations, and she also believed that Spelman could become a “first rate” liberal arts college. In April 1929,in President Read’s office, the “Agreement of Affiliation” was signed by Spelman, Morehouse, and Atlanta University. And in 1947, Spelman was placed on the approved list of colleges and universities. TTiis opened the doors for Spelman women to the best graduate schools in America. Albert E. Manley was the fifth president of Spelman College and the first man to hold the position. Dr. Manley made known his belief that women are as capable of leadership as men and that such leadership, to be effective, should be backed up by knowledge. He emphasized the achievement of excellence in all aspects of life. Dr. Manley’s administration accomplished many things. For instance, opportunities were made available for students to study abroad and to be given leadership training through participation in an effective Student Government Associ ation. Dr. Manley retired from Spelman College in 1976. The year is 198 Land Spelman has just been blessed to celebrate 100 years of service to black women who achieve. Dr Donald Stewart is Spelman’s sixth pj^sident in the school’s 100-year history. Spelman is considered an institution among institutions and has only a mild challenge to survive, because, through it all, we are family. Misses Packard ' Giles would be amazed, proud, ar enthusiastic about the future of Sp tmiu n College.