Shorter College - Argo Yearbook (Rome, GA)

Page 32 text:

Asa Warner Van Hoose Daniel J. Blocker John P. Cooper William D. Furrv T k 1 9

Page 31 text:

PRESIDENT DAXIEL JAMES BLOCKER, A.M., B.D., D.D. The Argo, 192 4 29

Page 33 text:

Shorter Admitted to the Southern Association 10 the Class of ' 24 and to the entire college community, Friday, December 7, will always be a memorable day. It was then that word came from President Blocker, at Richmond, announcing that Shorter had been admitted to membership in the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges. Will we ever forget the thrill of that message? The echo of our yells and songs must be ringing yet. The flaming torches with which we illumined the darkness of Saturday night were a symbol of the fires burning within us of our loyalty and devotion to Alma Mater. Since those high experiences our enthusiasm has not diminished, but sobered somewhat. In the calmness of reflection we have been able to value the significance of our admission and to give due credit to those who made it possible. The Shorter College of today is the result of much labor and toil, patient sacrifice and undaunted courage. Its very establishment in the early seventies, when a college for the higher education of women was a very uncertain experi- ment, was, in itself, a thing of splendid daring. Vet, despite the hard condition of the times, the lack of adequate physical equipment and financial resources, the college lived. It was founded on an ideal and was not destined to die. Years of growing influence and service followed the generous gift of Alfred Shorter. For a number of years the quality of work done honorably justified the confidence and generosity of her benefactors. There was lack, however, of standardization. With the coming of President Van Hoose in 1910 the first real efforts at making Shorter a standard college were begun. Under his administration new buildings were erected, the library built up from almost nothing to 8,000 volumes, the endowment gradually increased, the academy eliminated, and fifteen units required for admission. In the meantime, through the efforts of Dr. Van Hoose and Dean Gaines, the halls were crowded with students who co-operated with President Van Hoose in every way to bring the college up to the required standard. Professor A. P. Hixon, who succeeded Professor Gaines as dean, made a marked contribution on the academic side. He adhered rigidly to the fifteen units entrance requirement and rearranged the courses of study so as to make them acceptable to institutions of university grade. The income of the college had kept pace with the academic growth. In December, 1921, Shorter made application to the Association through Dean W. D. Furry, who had labored in season and out to raise the academic standing. After a very thorough investigation the application was not rejected, but deferred on account of insufficient endowment. In all other points the college qualified. In 1922 application was renewed by Dean Furry, but was again deferred for the same reason. It was now clearly a matter of providing a permanent income from a $500,000 endowment. Contributions from the General Education Board and from the Georgia Baptist Convention assured such an income. Hence, under the presidency of Dr. D. J. Blocker and the deanship of Dr. Furry the application was again renewed in 1923. Even then there were many difficulties in the way, as Dr. Furry outlined. But we were no longer to be denied. The day toward which we had been working and for which we had been waiting, sometimes impatiently, had arrived. At last Shorter was officially recognized as fulfilling from every condition the requirements of a standard college. Is it any wonder that we rejoiced! Without any question mark after them, our diplomas would admit us to all the privileges enjoyed by the graduates of all standard colleges. And yet the day of our admission was not one of rejoicing merely, but of dedication as well. We are determined that there shall be no falling back. We shall hand down to our successors our high heritage ennobled by a devotion to scholarship and to all that makes a real college and thereby justify every effort of those who have advanced Shorter to the front rank among educational institutions in the South. 3.