Howard University - Bison Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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Bottom (1st) row; Mrs. Ii. Hodges, Mrs. D. llort. Miss M Fleming, Mrs. G. Shepherd, Miss J. Thomas, Miss D. McAl lister; 2nd row; Miss K Parks, Mrs. T. Halliday, Mrs. S Brown, Mrs. E. Ellis, Mrs. B Smith; 3rd row Mrs G. Whit mire, Miss W White, Mrs. O. Nabors, Miss C Robinson Mrs. S. Braucr. and Mr. M. McCray, 4th roes. Mrs. H. Brown, Mr. M. Stephen, Miss R Wcslgap. Mr. J. Pryor, Mr. J. Johnson, Miss M. Parker; 5th row: Mr. J. Duff, Miss K. Hayes, Miss B Jackson, Dr N. Stevens. Founders Library, serving the University community as its research center and housing over 240.000 volumes in all fields of learning, gives the undergraduate access to tts many services through its reference and circulation departments. The Office of the Advisor to Foreign Students serves as a clearing house for all matters which pertain to students from other lands. Information regarding visas, eligibility for part time employment, and other questions thai arise may be obtained from this office. Ernest J Wilvon. Adviser to Foreign Students

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In the beginning... General Oliver Oris Howard Howard University, located in the Nation's Capital, was conceived in a prayer meeting of the First Congregational Church of Washington, D. C. The idea which cave birth to Howard University grew out of the Monthly Concert of Prayer for Missions, which was held in the First Congregational Church. November 19. 1866. On the following evening, ten persons assembled at the home of H A. Brewster and decided unanimously to establish an educational institution, in view of the pressing demand of the southern field, according to the words of the resolution which was passed Action was taken at the meeting giving the school the designation of the Howard Theological Seminary, after General Oliver Otis Howard, who had been active in the organi7ation of the project General Howard personally protested having the honor accorded him. but accepted it reluctantly when the others present insisted upon using his name for the new institution At a meeting on January 8. 1867. the name of the school was changed to Howard University. Oliver Otis Howard, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, was appointed colonel of a Maine Regiment in 1861. After service which distinguished him at Bull Run, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. Following his services at Fair Oaks and Antietam he was promoted to the rank of major general. He was assigned to the command of an army corps in the Army of the Cumberland and then to the command of the Army of the Tennessee. He accompanied General Sherman on his march to the sea and was present at the surrender of General Johnston near Durham. North Carolina, in 1865 He w as appointed commissioner of the I’rccdmcn's Bureau in 1865 and remained in this office until 1874. It was while serving in this capacity that he began his interest in a university for the Negro population He was regarded by a contemporary as the American Philanthropist, the Commissioner of the Frccdmen’s Bureau, the true tnend of the downtrodden and oppressed of every color and nation of the earth ' General Howard was the third president of Howard University. During February, 1867, the organization of the University was carried rapidly forward, and plans were made for the application for a charter from the Congress of the United States. The first draft of the application. presented January 26. 1867, was amended on February 6; and, having passed the Senate and House of Representatives of the Thirty-ninth Congress, it was approved by President Andrew Johnson on March 2, 1867. The anniversary of this day is annually observed at the University as Charter Day. The act to incorporate Howard University declared that there be established and is hereby established in the District of Columbia, a university for the education of youth m the liberjI arts and sciences under the name, style, and title of The Howard University. The incorporators included Samuel C. Pomeroy. Charles B. Boynton. Oliver O. Howard. Burton C. Cook, Charles H Howard, James B. Hutchinson. Henry A. Brewster, Benjamin F Morris, Danforth B. Nichols, William G. Finney. Roswell H. Stephen, I M Cushman. Hiram Barber. F. W. Robinson, W F Bascom. James B. Johns ton. and Silas L I.oomis. They were declared a body politic and corporate with perpetual succession in deed or m law to all intents and purposes whatever by the name, style, and title of The Howard University. The charter also authorized rhe establishment of the Normal and Preparatory. Collegiate. Theological. Medical. Law. and Agricultural Departments On May 1, 1867, the Normal jrul Preparatory Department opened with four white girls as students, children of Trustees, in a leased frame structure on the cast side of Georgia Avenue below V Street. The Reverend I’dward F William a graduate of Yale College and Princeton Theological Seminary, was appointed principal. The school steadily increased hi enrollment, so that by the close of the first term the number had grown to ninety-four. Shortly after the opening of the school, the incorpo rators negotiated the purchase of ISO acres of the land, which included the present vile of the University. The greater portion of the money for this purchase was obtained through the judicious sale of huilding lots and through funds of the Federal Government, under the authorization of General Howard. The first Catalogue of 1867 described the new undertaking from its physical appearances as follows: Upon the crow ning summit of the heights overlooking the City and surrounding country, in plain view of the Washington public buildings, the University buildings arc being erected, which, when finished, will he an ornament to the Capital While the principal difficulty of the University in this early period was a financial one. the University's annual report of 1868 1869 stated that the financial conditions of the University were satisfactory and that the buildings and grounds were free of