Tennessee State University - Tennessean Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

Page 27 text:

The Speech and Drama Program. - During the first year of the Davis administration in 1943 the Depart- ment of Speech and Drama was formally established. However, long before this time Miss Laura M. Averitte had initiated speech and drama courses within the English Department, and cocurricular dramatic activities as part of the student activities program. But the formal Department of Speech and Drama did not come into existence until the President requested it in 1943. Due to retirement the University lost the services ofDr. Poag in 1974. He was succeeded by a member of his faculty, Dr. Jamye Williams. But during the years that intervened between 1943 and 1974 Dr. Poag provided the leadership which caused the University to achieve widespread fame for its theatrical productions. Looking backwards to the point at which the illustrious career of Dr. Thomas E. Poag began to materialize at Tennessee A8LI., one finds an ideal match between the setting he entered in 1939 and the pressing interests which he possessed. Miss Averitte and her colleagues in the English Department had established the little theatre concept in theory and practice and had developed an active ehildrents theatre program. Composers OfIhe t'Alma Mater. - Homecoming 1949 was made very special by members of the Alumni Association when they honored Clarence Hayden Wilson, who was a student in the early days ofTennessee A. and I. State College. He composed the music ofthe Alma Mater. Mr. Wilson, who returned for this ocea- sion was serving as president ofthe National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. and as a music teacher in the St. Louis Public School system. Also recognized at this time was Miss Laura M. Averitte, English Pro- fessor. Miss Averitte, an alumnus ofthe class of 1918, was recognized for making two very OUISIBHding COT!- tributions. She wrote the lyrics to the Alma Mater which were set to music so beautifully by Mr. Wilson. Miss Averitte was also the originator of the Childrents Theatre. She was a devoted and dedicated 1630116? until she retired in 1966.