Howard University - Bison Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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H. U. BISON 1925 i% - y.— : — —)t - =K - —H i - iC= - ;t j result of the effort, the Seventeenth Provisional I raining Camp was established at Des Moines, from which six hundred and fifty-nine men ninety-five of them Howard Alumni—were commissioned for service in the National Army Howard University also organized the first colored unit of the National Army Training Detachment, which gave technical training in radio-telegraphy, carpentry and motor mechanics I ator. through similar initiative on the part of the University, in the summer of 1918 there was secured from the authorities of the War Department an enlargement of plan by which a special instruction camp was held at Howard for four hundred and fifty-seven representatives from seventy three of the colored schools and colleges From this instruction camp— conducted entirely by colored officers —three hundred and twenty qualified military instructors were graduated September 14. 1918 forty-seven of them being faculty representatives from the several schools. In this way the Student Army Training Corps facilities were open to the colored colleges, so that Howard University was the parent unit of the formally organized units as well as the informal military instruction so widely organized in our schools Until the demobilization of the corps in December. 1918. the University main tained very creditably both branches—the vocational and the collegiate enrolling eight hundred and nine men: and immediately after the dissolution of the S A T C.. an active R O 7 C. unit was organized This has since been enlarged and perpetuated through a ruling making physical and military training cumpulsory for male students of the University. On June 4. 1918. Dr. J. Stanley Durkee was unanimously elected President of the University. One of his first acts was the abolition of the secondary school and normal schools. This was a bold step and met with much opposition. but it proved beneficial and the University continued its growth. Dr. Durkee has worked unceasingly for the good of Howard. With the hearty co-operation of the Trustees and Faculty, he has dared make changes and additions which to the public often seemed not only radical, but impossible. 1 he undergraduate work was divided into Junior and Senior College and the Senior College was subdivided into the various schools. Additions were made to the official staff, and offices with modern equipment were established. The semester system gave place to the quarter system, and in 192 a fourth quarter was added, begining a summer session which offers great opportunity to teachers and students who are unable to attend the regular sessions In l( 21 Evening Classes were established with an enrollment of forty-six. This has now been increased to about three hundred. In 1922 Miss Lucy D. Slowe. one of the leading women of the race, was elected Dean of Women, and her experiments in self-government have done much to establish a high code of honor among the women. Fngt I?

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1925 BISON H. V. given them, and realizing ibe great benefits which would result from making Howard such an institution gradually added to the normal department the following schools: Medicine. Law. Theology. Dentistry. Pharmacy. Music. Ilducation. Liberal Arts. Applied Science. Public Health and Hygiene, and Commerce and f inance. In the organization of the School of Commerce ami Finance. George William Cook, now Dean of the School, played an important part. Dean Cook has been at Howard iO years, and has served the University in many capacities. Under his guidance and influence this School is rapidly becoming one of the most important in the University. The years of the greai war marked an epoch ir. the life and development of Howard University By virtue of her position at the Capital and her relationship to the Government. Howard has always claimed, and to a great extent enjoyed, tlx- acknowledged position of leadership among the schools for the higher education of the Negro. The war gave cause and opportunity, however, for definitely fixing that role and for material progress, in reputation and influence. as a national institution. In the spring of 1017 Howard became the center of the campaign for officer training facilities for colored men. and as a Howard in mi Old Days I’mji 16

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1925 B I S O S v H. U. In addition to the changes in the curriculum and organization of the University, many improvements in the buildings and grounds have been effected. Among these were the erection of a greenhouse at a cost of $8,000. and the new Dining Hall at a cost of $201,000. Attractive flower beds and well Kept lawns add to the beauty of the campus. The planting of trees the reclaiming of the lands overlooking the reservoir, the improvement of the lighting and heating systems and the laying of concrete walks leading to the various buildings are some of the recent improvements effected on the campus. Many of these changes were made during the year 1922-23. at which time the appropriation for improvement of grounds was raised to $4 2,300. The financial side of the University has attained a growth similar to that of the various departments Except for the students in the School of Medicine, no charge was made lor tuition until 1904. In that year a tuition fee of $10 was required In 1924 the tuition was raised from S23 to S33 jxrr quarter. During the administration of President Patton—1876-1887—Congress appro priated SI0.000 toward the current expenses of the University This appropriation was gradually increased so that by the fiscal year ending July 1 1924. the appropriation was $363,000 The campaign for the medical endowment of $300,000 proved a great success. Generous pledges were made and many of them have already been paid The friends of Howard rallied to her side, and it is believed that the payments will continue to be made just as promptly as were the pledges. On March 2. 1923. a bill passed both Houses of Congress authorizing the appropriation of $370 000 for a new medical building It is interesting to note that this appropriation was made on Charter Day. while Faculty. Alumni and students joined in the celebration of the fifth-eighth anniversary of the foundation of Howard. Neither is the spiritual life of the students neglected at Howard. Although the University applies its liberal policy to religion, it is distinctly a Christian institution. It is not aided by any denomination, nor is jny denominational preference shown toward members of the Faculty or student body. Howard i« rather Pan-denominational. for all sects and creeds are represented Even the School of Religion is non sectarian and the student graduating therefrom is so trained that he may enter the church of his choice. Active branches of the Y. M. C. A. and Y. V C. A are also vital forces on the campus. The weekly prayer meetings, vesper services and daily chapel exercises give the students additional opportunity for spiritual development and worship The campaign for S300.000 for the erection of a School ol Religion Building is being pushed steadily ahead, and it is hoped that the successful putting over of this campaign will place the School of Religion in its rightful place in the spiritual life of the University.