Birmingham Southern College - Southern Accent Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

Page 20 text:

A Sketch of Birmingham-Southern 1 f 1 ANY leaders of Alabama Methodism have for a number of years seen the great opportunity for a male college in which the united strength of the Alabama and of the North Alabama Conferences is centered. During the sessions of the above named conferences in November of 1917 a decision was all but unanimously reached to make use of such an opportunity through the consolidation of the Southern University at Greensboro, Alabama, and of Birmingham College situated in (he heart of Greater Birmingham. On May 30, 1918, the actual consolidation of these noted and worthy institutions on the former campus of Birmingham College was effected by the action of the Board of Commissioners representing bath conferences. As was eminently fitting, the name chosen for this new- and y t old mstitution is Birmingham-Southern College. At this time the president, who had been previously elected, was authorized by the Commission to proceed with the organization of a faculty, the preparation and publication of a cata- log, and to take other proper steps for the opening of the session of 1918-19. These essential steps of organization had scarcely been taken when the War Depart- ment from Washington placed before the colleges throughout the country new and ex- tensive plans or military training. Birmingham-Southern College entered heartily and loyally into these plans, and under government supervision prepared for the training of a unit of the Students ' Army Training Corps. This training along with the normal work of the college was carried on faithfully till the armistice was signed and the S. A. T. C. was demobilized. Following the demobilization of the S. A. T. C. a unit of the Re- serve Officers ' Training Corps was organized with First Lieutenant Albert L. Shuler as Professor of Military Science and Tactics. The Birmingham-Southern College with its inheritance from Southern University and Birmingham College of a large and increasing endowment, a splendid library of 15,000 volumes, a unified and enthusiastic constituency extending throughout the great State of Alabama and of West Florida, and, perhaps, greatest of all, the Alumni, his- tory, and ideals of Southern University and of Birmingham College, the strength and glory of which any institution might be justly proud, faces the future with bright prospects. The dawning of such prospects appears through the three new departments that have been added, the faculty which has been increased by one-third, the student enrollment, which is one-third greater than the combined enrollment of Southern University and Birmingham College last year, and the provision which has already been made for the construction of a new and commodious brick dormitory for the reception of students at the opening of the sssion of 1919-20. C. C. Daniel, President.