North Carolina Central University - Eagle Yearbook (Durham, NC)

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HIS DREAM BECOMES A REALITY The school, known as the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua, was established in 1910 on a 25 acre tract, forming part of the present site. The land was a gift largely of white people of Durham. By 1912, 10 buildings had been erected. Private donations and student fees were the institution ' s only support, and the latter had to be kept at a minimum. Board and room cost $7.00 per month; tuition $1.00 for the same period. A teacher or professor earned $500 to $1,000.00 a year. Designed as a college, it was found necessary to include a high school course, so the institution, at first combined a high school, 4 year college, training school for country ministers, commercial school, and home economics school. The history of the early days of Dr. Shepard ' s enterprise is a story of adventure and faith. There were years when he had to borrow money to keep the school open to pay the teachers. His wife, Mrs. Annie Day Shepard, went to the kitchen and cooked for teachers and students in the early hard days. So far behind in payments of one school ' s obligation had he gotten. Dr. Shepard did not come into Durham. In 1915 the financial difficulties became so great that the school had to be sold and reorganized. In this second stage of its development, the institution was known as the National Training School. During the crisis. Dr. Shepard met one of his associates, C. C. Amey, later business manager of the school in a drug store on Mangum Street. They were opening mail, and out of one envelope fell a check, from a plain folding book. They noticed $25 on it and some zeros following it, but they couldn ' t imagine anyone sending $250. Close examination showed that it was for $25,000 from Mrs. Russell Sage of New York. This money made it possible for the property to be bought back. The gift saved the day. The school had begun to attract the attention of observers throughout the South, when the First World War dumped it into another financial depression. To insure the survival of the school THE LOG CABIN WAS USED AS A RECREATIONAL FACILITY DURING THE EARLY YEARS OF NCCU

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FRONT VIEW — ADMINISTRATION BUILDING — N.C. COLLEGE FOR NEGROES JAMES E. SHEPARD INVISIONS A SCHOOL James E. Shepard, his dream our hope James E. Shepard, his vision our heritage From the Washington office he went to the staff of the International Sunday School Conven- tion, where he caught the vision of his life work and formed the association which enabled him to start the venture. He became convinced of the need for trained black ministers to act as lead- ers for the race, and soon afterwards set about raising money to establish a training school. In the consciousness of this need was born and sustained a faith that carried him through vast difficulties to final achievement. For in 1910 those dreams gave way to reality and at last, out of pain and suffering, hardship and prayer, a school was opened for his people. His dream became a reality. FIRST BUSINESS EDUCATION CLASS OF NORTH CAROLINA COLLEGE MAY 23, 1912 laflE BE

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