Hinds Community College - Eagle Yearbook (Raymond, MS)

Page 10 text:

Superintendent ' s home, 1917 In The Beginning 1917-1918 Founded as a County Agricultural High School in 1917 with the expressed purpose of providing educational op- portunities at low cost to students willing to work, the school was built on the old home site of J. R. Eggleston, captain of the Merrimac of Merrimac and Monitor fame. W. N. Taylor was elected as the first superintendent. The campus that first year consisted of the Administration Building, two dormitories, then later a power plant, one barn and 74 acres of land — all valued at $86,663.69. The original board consisted of H. V. Watkins, Jack- son, president during his tenure of office from 1918 until his death in 1944; C. S. Spann, Raymond (1918-1923); F. M. Coleman, Jackson, secretary by virture of his position as county superintendent of education (1918-1936) ; D. C. Simmons, Utica (1918-1936); and D. W. Graham, Bolton (1918-1936). The school had an enrollment of 118 students, taught by a staff of eight faculty members, and was admitted to membership in the Southern Association of Secondary Schools during the first year of its existence. First campus building — Administration Building — built at a cost of $21,434.54. This building later became known as the old science building.

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This is a book about a school: a remembering of yesterday, a seeing of the present, a looking forward to tomorrow. Forty-four years ago there was no school: only the rolling, tree-studded hills — that, and a dream of a pro- gressive educational institution which would someday take its place among the nation ' s outstanding colleges. Forty- four historical years have passed and that dream has be- come a reality. Hinds Junior College has had four outstanding presi- dents, W. N. Taylor, R. E. L. Southerland, G. J. Cain and G. M. McLendon. But the past twenty-four years have be- come known as the McLendon era, the years of constant progress, of a campus jarred with the movement of con- struction and changing of scenes. Under the McLendon administration the old has been replaced by the new. The campus has grown from an original few buildings to more than thirty, and construc- tion is now undergoing a remarkably rapid pace. It is for these reason that the 1962 EAGLE respect- fully dedicates this forty-fourth anniversary edition to President George M. McLendon, a foresighted chief execu- tive whose administration represents an unending caval- cade of great teachers, great visions, and great realizations.

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., rw » g«™iur; v v»f ? ' f vr TT i,, ty WXn • ), tv ' f] ll-«e f»ll » » l » il»» .»u - - iWi ijff It. Mil 1IU ■ .. %4L3 R. E. L. Southerland 1918-1930 Dormitory A — the first dormitory for women. G. J. Cain 1930-1938 Dormitory B — the first dormitory for men. It was decided in the first year to introduce mili- tary training, and to require all boys to take the train- ing. A competent instructor was engaged, and all boys were furnished military khaki uniforms. The Raymond Drug Company was the authorized agent of the school for the sale of textbooks. Books used were those adopted by a state commission for use in all agri- cultural schools of the state. The retail dealer was re- quired by law not to sell the books at more than 15 per cent above the wholesale price. Since the school was co-educational, certain restrictions were imposed between the boys and girls. It was not deem- ed wise, however, to separate them entirely. They took their meals together and recited together in the same class rooms. At frequent intervals, on Saturday evenings or Sun- day afternoons, the boys came to the girls ' dormitory for an hour or two together. Aside from this, communication between the boys and girls was limited to the demands of common courtesy. Superintendent Taylor resigned in the spring of 1918 because of illness in his family. R. E. L. Southerland was made acting superintendent for the remainder of that ses- sion and was then elected superintendent. The entire Hinds campus in 1917-1918.