Mercer University - Cauldron Yearbook (Macon, GA)

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Hardman Art Duildi’V) at iM jhl Education Building in snow Kathy Cutter Manlyn Sutton Fred Moye and Renee Horton

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WMA radio tower atop Willingham Chapel Mercer: 1910-1950 In 1911. Mercer (Iniverslty be gon putting out a full scale year- book — the CAULDRON. A pre- vious effort, the KINETESCOPE, had been published by the Senior class from 1897 1901. Mercer also set up radio station WMAZ which was owned by the University and operated out of Willingham Chap el by students. The call letters, still m use today, stand for Watch Merce Attain Zenith.' The CLUSTER, the school news- paper. began publication in 1920 or 1921 T lie pao from the firs! CAUl.fWON. published to 1911 In 1918 the University began ad mitting women, with the first sorority being established on campus in 1930. In 1981. officials tendered the univer sity buildings and equipment to the Secretary of State insofar as they might be of service to the nation dur ing World War I. A Student Army Training Corps was established in October of 1918, but discontinued in the spring of 1919. In 1919 the Mercer University Ideal which began with the inscrip- tion Large enough to meet every standard, small enough to meet ev- ery student was first published in the catalog During this period of Mercer’s existence the school was suffering a number of financial woes and operating at a loss. In 1941. a new war was beginning and Mercer made application for an R.O.T.C unit to be established on campus, which was activated in 1947 Mercer was one of only nine colleges in the Southeast selected to give aviation instruction in the Na- vy's War Training Service Program. In recognition of service rendered for national defense, the Maritime Com- mission launched the 606 Mercer University Victory ship in March of 1945. Sports were not faring well at Mer- cer during this period and finally closed down altogether. Intercolle- giate sports resumed in 1946 with the exception of football. Chert Franca Jarrell Dickey Snow lady and friends Chris teeth, Mr Pool, and t ou j W ill ford Prolog 7

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' Mercer: 1950-1983 From the Sports section ot the I%2 caoi i »on In 1959. under the presidency of Spright Dowell, the Southern School of Pharmacy was ac- quired. Taking over the presiden- cy of Mercer in 1960. Rufus Harris immediately faced two of the most controversial issues ever to hit Mercer: integration and wheth er Mercer could accept Federal grants. A year before the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Mercer trustees voted for integration Sam Jerry Om was the first black to enter Mercer in 1963. but a transfer stu- dent. Cecil Dewberry, was the first black to graduate from Mercer, re- ceiving the AB degree in 1965 The trustees also chose to accept Federal grants. Atlanta Baptist College merged into Mercer in 1973. becoming the College of Arts and Sciences Also in 1973. the Law School celebrat ed its Centennial with then Presi- dent Richard Nixon as the fea- tured speaker. In August of 1982. the charter class for Mercer's newest school, the School of Medicine, reported for Convocation and classes. In 1983 Mercer now consists of five schools in Macon and Atlanta: the College of Liberal Arts on the main campus in Macon; the Law School and School of Medicine, also in Macon: and the Pharmacy School and College of Arts and Sciences in Atlanta. In the last 150 years. Mercer has come from a small institute operating out of log cabins with 39 studpnts to a well- known University of over 5.000 students on several campuses. Wouldn't the founding fathers be surprised! Chen Franci» The btfl w of 1967