Prairie View A and M University - Pantherland Yearbook (Prairie View, TX)

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Prairie View 1926—1946 As Principal Banks moves into his twentieth year at Prairie View and as Prairie View changes from college to university it becomes fitting and proper to review Principal Banks’ leadership. NON-MATERIAL In September 1926 Prairie View had one Master degree on the faculty. I-ess than half of the regular teachers had the Bachelors degree. Today Prairie View has 7 teachers with the Ph.l). degree, 63 with the Masters degree and 29 with the Bachelors degree. Twelve have certificates from some of the best schools available. The R.O.T.C. has become a Senior unit and is staffed with six persons. In order to be of service to the citizens of the state numerous conferences have been initiated at Prairie View during Mr. Banks administration. The Annual Educational Conference, usually held early in March, is perhaps the most outstanding one. The printed volumes of the conference are in demand the world over. More than 2000 off campus |x rsons came to the conference before the war. In 192') salaries of Directors of divisions were less than $2,000.00 |K r year. Today they are about double that amount. Salaries of other employees have lx en raised from 60 per cent to 100 per cent. Prairie View had no rating in 1926 but it is now rated Class “A” by the Texas State Department of Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.lt is also approved by the American College of Surgeons. Work leading to tin- Masters degree is offered. MATERIAL A list of some of the more im|»ortant material improvements is being given: 1928 Evans Hall—$100,000.00 1928 The Farm Shop Building—$1,800.00 1929 The Hospital $100,000.00 1930 The Industrial Engineering Building—$90.- 000.00 1931 The Education Building $75,000.00 1933 Anderson Hall $56,000.00 1934 The Greenhouse—$1,000.00 1932 Hermitage—$2,477.74 1932 Britain-- $2,477.73 1935 Alta Vista $2,770.10 1936 The Incubator House $17,000.00 1936 The National Youth Administration Dormitory for Girls—$3,411.34 1937 The National Youth Administration Dormitory for Boys- $3,792.74. 1938 The Gymnasium-Auditorium—$55,000.00 1939 The Dining Hall -$100,000.00 19-10 Farm Project Unit (2)—$3,600.00 1941 Schuhmacher Hall $50,200.00 1941 Filling and Fin Station $4,400.00 1942 National Youth Administration Dormitory No. 3—$1,700.00 1942 New Farm Shop Building -$2,300.00 1944 Gift of $100,000.00 worth of N. Y. A. sliop equipment. 1945 Library Building -$200,000.00 Cottages for teachers $30,000.00 1946 Girls Dormitory- -$150,000.00 under construction. 27

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Agriculture The Texas Association of New Farmers of America OSCAR J. THOMAS TrjK-twr-Iraincr in Aicrieultuir Education, Slate NT A Adviser. Former I'timitul. O. J. Thomas lli !. School. (Umrron, Trial. B. S., M. S„ Prai-tir View. Adi-sored Study, University of Chicago ami Cohmtiu University. The Texas Association of New Farmers of America is a state organization of affiliated local chapters in schools having organized instruction in Vocational Agriculture under the provision of the National Vocational Acts. It is designed to recognize and encouragr the natural instincts and tendencies of hoys to organize themselves into groups and put enthusiasm and pleasure into their work and play. This organization affords excellent opportunity for teaching students in group leadership. Vocational Education in agriculture of which the N. F. A. is a part is sponsored by the State Board for Vocational F.ducation, Division of Vocational Agriculture, Austin, Texas, R. A. Manirr, Director in Cooperation with the Division of Agriculture, Prairie View University, G. I.. Smith, Director. During World War II the N. F. A. organization played an important part in helping bring victors' to the allies by serving in armed forces, producing and conserving food, salvaging needed scraps, repairing farm machinery conserving human and natural resources developing morale and by purchasing war stamps and bonds. So outstanding was the N. F. A.’s contribution to the War Finance Program that a special Citation was made to the National N. F. A. by the United States Treasury Department. At present there are 157 local N. F. A. Chapters in Texas with 4,000 active members. These chapters are grouped into seventeen district federations. The State Office is located at Priiric View University with O. J. Thomas, Teacher Trainer in Agriculture Education, State N. F. A. Adviser. For the Fiscal year 1945-1916 the State Executive Cabinet of the organization are as follows: President, Monroe Knighton, Newton; Vice President, Hilton, Center Point, Pittsburg; Secretary, Spurgeon Smith, Cause; Treasurer, Walter Green, La Grange; Reporter, Rosco Smith, Clemmons, Nechcs, Texas. The advisor - committee is as follows: George Hurt, Assistant State Supervisor, Ex-officers; O. J. Thomas,State Adviser; E. E. Collins, S. E. Palmer, Gus Jones, W. D. Thompson and Paul Rutledge, Area Supervisors who serve as advisers in their respective areas. In the promotion of its reerration program a State Basketball Tournament is sponsored each year. The accompanying picture is the likeness of the St. Paul Shiloh, Oakwood, Texas 1945 Champions, R. D. Young, Adviser and Miss Rubye Nichols, Principal. Oakwood won again in 1946. 26

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Division of Arts and Sciences The Division of Arts and Sciences seeks to prepare students for a wide variety of intellectual pursuits and for entrance into professional and other graduate studies. It offers full programs of study in Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Economies, Education, English, French, Government, History, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education. Physics, Sociology, Spanish. It also provides pre-professional training for students of den-istry, law and medicine. Freshman and sophomore courses are designed to provide fundamental training in the humanities, social sciences and sciences, to supply the student with a basis for an intelligent choice of his field of specialization or concentration, and to give preparation for advanced work. The junior and senior years offer more socialized work and op|x rtunity for the further development of the student's individual talents and aptitudes in the field of his choice. The Division is divided into ten departments: I. Economics and Business Administration; II. Education; III. English; IV. History. Philosophy, and Political Science; V. Mathematics; VI. Modern Foreign I ang-uages; VII. Music; VIII. Natural Sciences; IX. Physical Education; X. Sociology. The faculty is comj osrd of fifty full-time members holding the doctorate and degrees of Master of Arts and Master of Science. 2H