Oakwood University - Acorn Yearbook (Huntsville, AL)

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.rw -1 - ,, ,. ,X . '51 nv' s + ' I . -5 .f .,, . inmate as A, .4 . ' T - -H -lieu . 4 ,. rgys. fs 5 ff. X . f 'Kifx is t H : x, X M4,-is f ' 's 'ii' T I ff: - ,lstfts A 'itil if .1f!J1.sf'1. 53:41 is I' r I 8112.32 ai i 53.2. as ti. rw ..,h Old Mansion, the inost historic building on Oakwood grounds, was built about the year 1815. Andrew faclqson who lived not far north Clrlermitagej often visited Old Mansion,where they raced horses and sold slaves twice a year. children, left without parents, came to the attention of Oakwood oflicials, and on the knoll west of the campus circle, a twofstory orphanage was erected in 1912. The Pines, duplex apartment for teachers, was erected in 1912. In 1914, F. W. Clark, a contractor and Negro member of the faculty, directed the entire work and completed the structure which remained the young women's home for twelve years. In 1915, a new laundry with concrete floors was erected. Augmenting Principal Boyd's program were a barn, silo, wagon house, and cannery, in addition to the saw mill, and tool shed. In the spring of 1913, more than five miles of woven wire fence constructed on cedar post enclosed many acres. And with Madison County aid, the school placed gravel on two miles of the road to Huntsville and graded it. The North American Division Council held a session on the campus in April, 1917, at this meeting Oakwood was elevated from the Oakwood Manual Training School to the status of Oakwood Junior College. President J. I. Beardsley succeeded Principal Boyd in 1917 to 1918, and urged the board to give attention to the inadequate water supply. Twelve cisterns and a pump were installed. The Like Nehemiah, they built the walls in trying times. Civ .., W Z, - i i , 1 s . . 4 A, war, gs, . i V .. 't-L . . . ,, 265594 , , s ' ' 'V ' vb 'wtf what lg! Xls '3' 1. -i s-aiifp ' I 1 0 QV, V ' 4.1 -w'- ' , . ,.. M . Q. ' gi -1 ,.lWwff ' if V JM. ' - mptu , is Y Jlf Al: ' 'fl' J wax f- 'fy ,1 L. X T V I - ,. 1 1 . . if L- qi 'M , I., ' ' '-ff' ' I . . in-ani.. E I J 1 -. l ,, K ,.-.. ,tl x- C: g i?gA?:9,A 5,.,fg9.'bAL- i. W . , i . --sf' I wifi -'-sez'-'n::'...k i- CE '- '- - - - 'H 'z' Y ...L .1...w, ln., Y we ,j,f,., 'fl -, 1 ' -- - i.K..i,.,i...1.n...i. WM . .W -, ,Inv T , T- ,,.v 11: D Y iv .. , . c AN' n-f......,.,'- ' . - W- --1 I swf' i.. fi . A -9'-.... . ws . I .. .. 1 I A . fa. - -. . N 1,15 xi-,L-.,,p5.Y',gfi.w,Qgyg. I f - ' S- - .. -N. ...N i t 4.-r., 1 N.-an-f.s.i?f'-'. -1 -- . -- -. u - .N- . we--i .1 ,. ,isp .- ..' wiv:- I 1. is , -A . v - '. r1.?i:'u, L,,- ..:.' ,Qu.' 1: Eu . LS ix, . .' 1 , , I ,,-I VK ,ls 1 W . . N 5 4- .3 mn!! 1 , A849-J? .Vs .1 ir A H A 'I wb li 5 U ww x V, W.. , I . ,15 , 49. ,mm why!! A,,,:...vf, ', ul,-.R G i 5 ', yy ,LQ A Q h gf' 4 345- -' Mm.- . g::J.,1 ,V Bing ' -3, -14,6 X . -. it , S'-5 4 LM :ill illfri Tani a ' s't'll5'lTfl' h li T' Nh- ' 'rs' if .sl ' ,R 'Aa f 'Q AU ,-.,r.jQ9 ifff.?q'P,fs Ar- 1 ' ,Hui '..Jf W if' V AN. 1. -Qxf.. L: ' .53 5451! l..',,,., wb..g,x .Ag 'yy X. , ' ,X K ' 4 if. iff? - , 14151 - f 1 9.1-Ah-.J '-.1 1. w 't if .-.5 4' 11- ' .1 sc. J if Hifi. 0 ' Y Old Mansion would particularly appeal to the rugged Htypical son of the unadulterf ated frontier , who eventually became the seventh President of the United States. potato house was erected that same year, 1918, and also the teachers' cottage, Shady Nook. ' A rock crusher was purchased in 1925. During the first half of the next year the store and the Normal building were erected. The management during 1924 began selling old cows and purchasing young Jerseys. Many of the sixty which the school owned in 1938 were registered, and it was said Oakwood's dairy ranked second in the entire state of three hundred herds in rickness of milk produced. Pasteurizer and cooling systems were installed. Fire destroyed the dining hall in 1926. The telegraphic message to the General Conference read: Dining hall completely destroyed by fire. Loss 314,000 Insurance 33,500 Using old cannery for temporary dining hall. The General Conference voted an appropriation of 5B15,000, and a 332,000 building was erected to serve as dining hall, kitchen, and a girls' dormitory of 40 rooms. In honor of one of the pioneers, Elder C. A. Irwin, the building was named Irwin Hall. In 1930, a circular reservoir with a capacity of 50,000 gallons was erected on the hill near the spring. Professor J. I. Beardsley was the first Junior College principal. Professor F. L. Peterson was invited by the board A baseball team of 1907, takes time out for the g'Great American pastime gil... J' .VIE W 'JJ ill'-. FA .cue-is

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I I I ISMALL BEGINNINGS I l I l l l 1 I V I I I 1 I I if I I if ii -l lx I if I I I il I I I It I I ll 'I I I IM McBee, Nannie McNeal, Charles Morford, Mary Morford, Thomas Murphy, Lela Peck, Daisy Pollard, Grant Royston, Samuel J. Thomas, Frances Worthington, Harry Pollard. In 1896, there were four buildings on the campus, among which was Old Mansion. The property valuation was S10,157.57. Courses of study were grammar school and special courses . . . School continued in this way under Principals Jacobs 1896f97, Shaw 189899, and Nicola 1899f1904. In the year 1904, the Oakwood Industrial School became the Oakwood Manual Training School, and continued as such until 1917 when it became Oakwood Junior College. Under Principal Nicola and his assistants the school had now been well organized. He says, During my first year emphasis was given to the Colporteur work and during the summer of 1900 nine engaged in it with good success. Summer institutes were held at Oakwood beginning in 1904, and for the next five years were under the direct supervision of the Southern Missionary Society which was still conducting Mission Schools. The superintendent of these schools and Oakwood faculty rendered commendable service in unifying the educational work. Elder A. G. Daniells, President of the General Conf ference, wrote in 1904, after visiting Oakwood that it must be put on a higher plane with better facilities, or disconf tinued. CSee Review and Herald, February 18, 1904.1 This was stimulus enough, and beginning that year new faculty homes were erected. This was the beginning of notable improvement. Oaklawn, first home for the principal, was erected in 1906, as well as the Printshop, the home of the Gospel Herald, a monthly, and of other school literature. Oakwood did not develop without misfortune, for on October 11, 1906, fire destroyed Chapel Hall. Another building was destroyed the same year, but these heavy losses were replaced within two years. The cornerstone for the ,first cement block building was laid in 1902. This building wI'TiEh bears the name Study Hall was for the next thirtyfthree years the Administration Building. Classes were held in some of its rooms, and in its auditorium all chapel exercises and religious services were held. By 1908, Chapel Hall had been replaced by a three' story frame building, Butler Hall, which was used excluf sively as a boys' home for nineteen years. In 1905, the physical plant was worth 815,437-more than double the original price. The oflicials resolved to maintain a sound health prof gram, and when they presented plans to the General Conf ference, an appropriation was granted for a small twof story sanitarium building, which was completed in 1909. In the basement a complete physiotherapy system and a heating and sewer plant were installed. Full equipment for giving hot and cold sprays, salt glow shampoos, full bath fomentations, electric lights, high frequency treatments, diathermy, and radiant heat treatments were given. Doctors N. M. and Stella Martinson were called to superintend this work. They had been trained by the original teachers at Battle Creek, had worked in the treat' ment rooms and laboratories and practiced the art of healing for more than twenty years in the South. The foresight of Principal Boyd was seen in his ex' tensive building program, for during his year 119115 as principal he erected a dining hall. The ever present lesson in the incident of the Good Samaritan is that man is ever surrounded by the neglected, and these also come from the hands of the Creator. Negro Elder G. E. Peters, Secretary Colored Department of the General Coriference fCentery 5 lx? i L !. i l I -l i 'I -1-.4

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-....,,sM 'Thus the walls were finished. during this session to join the faculty. Four of the eleven faculty members were colored. Professor J. A. Tucker came in the summer of 1923, and continued the policy of adding qualified Negro teachers to the facultyg and by 192930 eight of twenty faculty mem? bers were Negroes. Nine of fourteen faculty members in 1932 were Negroes. C01 Small Beginnings at Cakwood The initial conception of Cakwood school would doubtf less have found it diflicult to visualize the magnitude of its present size and scope. Looking at it today, one would also find it hard to see it as it was at its beginning. Oakwood is a splendid example of the truth that it is not so much what we are at the beginning as what we are at the finish. That is not to say that Oakwood is at the Hnishg no telling what it may yet become and what it may do. When the farm of 360 acres was purchased for its prof posed use as a school for colored youth, little favor was shown in Huntsville and vicinity to its purposes or to its promotors. It took a few years to break down the prejudice which at first was quite strong. A change of feeling did come, and visitors came to study its teaching and farming methods. Business men of Huntsville became friendly. The farm, purchased at a cost of 86,480.00 or 318.00 per acre, was considered a fair price. It was much in the condition of most of the South at that time, run down and neglected. The land was well worn out and given over to a heavy growth of underbrush. There was scarcely a rod of good fence. About its biggest boast was that Andrew Jackson had attended parties in its Cld Mansion. The mansion itself was in none too good repair. Its foundation required early attention. That building had to be the main part of the school for some time. In 1901, the sale of fruit and other produce paid all living expenses with S400 to the goodg in 1902, there was a tidy sum of S700 gain. The farm was now one of the best in the section. Chattanooga was a source of needed help when in 1896, the sum of 81,000 was loaned the school by Mrs. A. S. Steele, who was conducting an orphanage for the colored in that city. I well remember her earnest and vigorous pleas in behalf of the work in the South when she had opportunity to talk to gatherings in the North. She helped to inspire interest and courage in the Southern work. It took close financial budgeting to get through school with not a dollar to begin with, as was the case with most students. At first, students were permitted to work their 'K -11 , '1'Z,,. . . WI MU' ,fy Student crmvassers of 1915. way through entirely by their labor of five hours a day. But this could not be kept up if the school was to keep up. In fact, finance was becoming a serious problem to the school itself as its enrollment grew. There was no little feeling with some that the school should be closed and the farm sold. In February of 1902, the Southern Union Conference Session gave study to the schools needs. It was voted to try to make it more nearly selffsupporting and to require tuition in whole or part. Action was taken looking to appealing to friends throughout the world for donations to a tuition fund. It was also voted to raise 3500 for a cottage for the principal, 5250 for an orchard and the preservation of fruit and 31,000 for material for a girls' dormitory. The need for this last item became a very pressing one when in some cases as many as 16 girls were crowded into one room. But this was only one of the urgent needs. A furnace for the school room was badly needed. There was not a bathroom on the placeg and, for that matter, if there had been a bathroom, there was no water for a bath. The water supply had always been a problem. Stock had to be driven three miles to water. The farm was badly in need of implements. Among other needs were a milk house and a laundry. Fruit canning was done in an open shed, if we can say in, when speaking of a mere roof on supports. When in January of 1904, the General Conference President, Elder A. C. Daniells, made his first visit to Cakf wood, he found for himself a situation of considerable conf cern. The sentiment for closing the school was still strong enough to make trouble. It was difficult to get leading brethern to serve as members of the Board. A number of Lum berjaclqs 49'