University of Southern Mississippi - Southerner Yearbook (Hattiesburg, MS)

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ORVILLE G. BRIM. Head of Department of Education 9

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FOREWORD This publication is a product ofthe desire on the part of the first graduates ofthe Normal College to give to the public an idea ofthe various lines of endeavor characterizing the Mississippi Normal College. It is not a souvenir and it is not an annual, nor do they, the class, intend to be only for themselves. Its name, The New Spirit, indicates its purpose. It is intended to be help- ful to those engaged in the same line of work as they and to any others into whose hands it may fall. I commend it. JOE CGOK, PRIQSIDENT. 8

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History of The Normal College Mississippi is a great state and has always been, but it was noticed by many enthusiastic and broad-minded teachers of the state that there was something lacking. These teachers, whom space will not permit me to name, thought, discussed, dreamed and thought again, and finally decided that a training school for teachers was the one thing needed most. This need bore heavily upon their minds long before the people themselves or the law-makers would take notice. But through the efforts of committees appointed by the teachers' as- sociation to arouse the interest of the law-makers of the state, a bill for the establishment of a normal college received serious consider- ation. This bili passed the senate in 1908, but was killed by a com- mittee of the lower house. In 1910 the fight was renewed and the bill passed the senate again but was favored by a committee of the house. However, the authors of the bill persisted and finally succeeded in getting the bill before the house itself. After a hard struggle and many amendments the bill went through without any appropr iations for building or support. The law-makers of Mississippi had finally given their consent to me establishment of a teacher's training college, but had declined to invest any of the people's money in the buildings. It was thought by many that this act was useless because they believed it impossible to procure funds for the establishment of the college, but the good spirit of Southern Mississippi had been left out of this consideration. As soon as the calls for bids on the location was made, three communities, Laurel and Jones County, Jackson and Hinds County, Hattiesburg and Forrest County rushed forward with bids of from rB250,000 to 53011000 each for the location of this new college which had not one penny for support. Hattiesburg and Forrest County received the award on a cash gife of 3250.000 a gift of eight hundred and forty acres of land and other valuable considerations. The first boaid of trustees were: E. F. Noel, governorg EX-officio Trustee, J. N. Powers, State Superintendent, Ex-officio Trustee, Joe Cook, President and VV. T. Lowrey, P. H. Saunders, T. C. Kimbrough, VV. li. Stokes. The report of the board of trustees submitted to the legislature in January 1912 closed with the following statement? We cannot close this report without a special w-ord of apprecia- tion and commendation for the liberal spirit that was shown by the three cities and counties that made such maginificent offers for the location of this college and especially do we wish to express our grati- tude and sense of deep obligation to the people of Hattiesburg and Forrest County for their magnificent gift. We feel that the people of Mississippi cannot but share our feeling in this matter, and we believe that they will applaud any action of their representatives in giving libera.l support to an institution that is so vitally important to our educational system. The following will show who were officers of the college, the city, Hattiesburg, and the County, Forrest, who were vitally concerned in the first movement made toward the establishment of the Normal College: E. F. Noel, Governor, EX-officio Trustee, Earl Drawer, Gover- nor, Ex-officio Trustee, J. N. Powers, State Superintendent of Educa- tion, Joe Cook, President District Trusteeg W. T. Lowrey, P. H. Saunders, T. C. Kimbrough, VV. E. Stokes, J. E. Brown, H. L. McClesky, R. E. NVilburn, H. R. St-one. Those who resigned: T. P. Scott, J. C. Fant, VV. H. Smith, Joe Cook and J. T. Thomas. The City Officers: J. D. Donald, mayor. Aldermen: M. J. McGrath, VV. E. Fail, H. C. Greer, J. R. Haney, E. J. Mitchell, R. A. Cameron, A. T. Powe and R. C. McKenzie. The County Board of Supervisors: J. C. Pace, J. C. McDonald, NV. A. Conn, J. L. Davis and S. E. Perkins. Now as trustees in the place of W. T. Lowrey, P. H. Saunders and H. R. Stone, resigned, we have E. E. Frantz, F. N. Foote and H. M. Threefoot. When it came to selecting a president for the institution it was very necessary to have one of the best men that Mississippi could af- ford. H. L. VVhitfield, president of the Industrial Institute and College was selected. Not wishing to give up his work at the I. I. and C., he decided not to accept the position. W. H. Smith, who has been and still is the leader in the development of the rural schools of the state, was selected. He, however, like Mr. Vtfhitfield, felt that he could not give up the work in which he was then engaged. There was another man