Tennessee State University - Tennessean Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

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Physical and Fiscal Devefopmem. e A university is more than bricks and mortar. But the bricks and mor- tar fashioned into buildings determine in many important ways the nature ofthe instruction, research, and service which is possible within a university. The college, which was transformed into a university during the Davis years, was housed in thirteen major buildings when Dr. Davis was inaugurated in 1943. When it became a university in 1951 three additional buildings had been constructed for the engineering and technology programs. A cafeteria capable of serving the total student body had been constructed as an an- nex to the Womenis Vocational Building, and was dedicated as the Jane E. Elliott Cafeteria. Mrs. Jane E. Elliott was Director of the Cafeteria when Dr. Davis was appointed President. The program of student ser- vices had also acquired another, the Student Health Service Building which enabled the University to free its residence halls ofelinieal units. J'lrrul'mn'u IHIHH'HR HurmHvry Um 'c Hnrmffnrt' Before the end ofthe decade of the 19505 five additional new buildings were constructed and opened for service. Cfemem Hall, a dormitory for male students, was completed during the summer of 1957 at a cost of $558,337.50. This building was named for a Governor ofTennessee, The Honorable Frank G. Clement. Hankat' Hall, a dormitory for female students was placed in a service at the beginning of the fall quarter of the 195?-58 academic year. Named in honor of Mrs. Edna Rose Hankal, a dedicated and well-loved Dean of Women when Dr. Davis was appointed President, this building cost $542,236.90. Ciay HaU. the Education Building. was completed in 1958 at a cost of $500,000. In addition to its primary service of housing the teacher-education program, it perpetuates the memory of the service of Mr. R. E. Clay tDaddy ClayJ and his long period of service as the campus Sunday School leader and as the State Developer ofNegro Education. The original unit of the Student Union Bait'dfng was completed and occupied at the beginning of the fall quarter of 1959. It housed at that time the major administrative staff for student affairS, the post office, a bookstore, a cafeteria-snaek bar, a student lounge, a recreation hall, and an academic hall of fame. The cost of construction for the building was $500,000. Construction of the Chemistry Buifding was begun as the decade of the 195015 ended. In his Annual Report, dated August 1, 1960, President Davis stated that the new Chemistry Building would cost $500000 and would house both the Chemistry and the Mathematics programs. 27'

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Lyceum Features. - In the early forties and fifties, black artists, regardless of their calibre, were not readily welcomed to the concert halls throughout the country and even less in the deep SOUlh- The 0011333 auditorium, therefore, served as a concert hall for the local black citizenry who were interested in etilturetl events as well as the college students. Among the celebrities presented at Tennessee A. and 1. State UanCI'Sl- ty who became immortal memories were the following: Dorothy Maynor 1953 Lois Towles 1954 Marian Anderson Ray Charles 1961 Jackie Wilson 1961 However, the Lyceum features of this period were not limited to artists from the popular musu: field. During 1961, presentations included the Shakespearean Play, uThe Merchant of Venice,n performed by the Players Incorporated, a touring company, and the Johnson Dancers from New York City. The hycettm series also included the DePaur Chorus, the Krakow choir and violinist Charles Treger. The Universuy Presented one ofits own in concert in 1967. She was a young lady by the name of Carla Thomas who wrote and sang as a recording artist while a freshman at the University. 091193013133 PerformingArtists. w After thirty-one years of existence the colleges reputation in the realm 0f performing arts had become widely admired and acclaimed. Mrs. Marie Brooks-Strange had brought the Concert Singers to the epitome of artistic perfection, and Miss Laura M. Averitte had organized dramatic groups for all ages. What was more important for the Davis administration was that these two contagiously enthusiastic artists were available for service when President Davis was inaugurated. The traditions that they were nurturing were waiting with anxiety for signs of endorsement and support from the new chiefad- ministrator in 1943. Evidently signs that came forth were unmistakably on the positive side.

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28 Student Activities. The advent of student protest activities did not cause the more traditional student ac- tivities to disappear from the campus. During the semicentennial year a student at Tennessee A. and I. had the opportunity to choose membership from among four chapters of national sororities, four chapters Ofna- tional fraternities, the honor societies, and forty-one other varied student organizations. By 196 l theatrical arts had unmistakably surfaced as one of the major areas of student activities at Tennessee A. and I. The newspaper announcement of the drama offerings for the 1961-1962 drama season identified three theatre organizations at the University. They were the Players Guild, the ChildrenTs Theatre, and the Laboratory Theatre. In 1962 intercollegiate athletics had achieved a truly distinctive status at the University. The pro- gram was well-rounded and included the major sports in the region. The souvenir program for the fiftieth year homecoming football game contained a briefhistory of athletics at Tennessee A. and I.