University of West Georgia - Chieftain Yearbook (Carrollton, GA)

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before me. There are faculty members and students who devoted time, energy, and talents so that future generations could profit from their efforts. During the depression years, competent faculty persons were available, and West Georgia College was fortunate to secure such services as those of Dr. James Boyd of Georgia Institute of Technol- ogy ;Dr. Robert Strozier, president of Florida State University; Miss Anne Weaver, Librarian; the late professor of English, Gordon Watson of Alabama State Teachers College; Dr. J, C. Bonner, Head of History Department, Georgia State College for Women; Dr. L. E. Roberts, President of Middle Georgia College; and others of comparable train- ing and experience. Dr. Gunn was the first Dean of West Georgia College and Miss Sara Ward was the first Dean of Women. Mr. Strozier was first Dean of Men. It would be quite difficult to verbally express the appreciation and esteem the students as well as fellow professors held for these people I have named. I saw the first scared, timid, and boisterous fresh- man don the now traditional red and blue rat caps which are still a very definite part of West Georgia life. The school colors of red and blue were selected by the faculty and approved by the student body. The red was to represent hardship, glory, and honor in addition to the main branch of the Red and Black in Athens. The blue was to represent hon- esty, sportsmanship, loyalty, and truthfulness. To- day ' s West Georgia students are just as proud to wave high the banners of red and blue as those were who set the precedent. After much dissension over the choice of the college emblem, the students adopted Braves in honor of Mcintosh, the half-breed Indian who aided the federal government in procuring a treaty with the Indians, which opened the western sectors of Georgia for settlement by the white man. In honor of the memory of Mcintosh, the horse block was procured and placed in the corner stone of Adamson Hall. From an editorial in The West Georgian, November 17, 1933, are taken these words, The state of Georgia, the western part, and even our campus are marked by the Indians. This horse block has been removed and now stands as a small monument near the east gate of the front campus. I become quite amused when I see today ' s stu- dents complaining about their one weekly assembly. While West Georgia began making history, she required her students to attend chapel twice each week. One chapel program was of a devotional nature and the other featured speakers and student- presented programs. Freshmen then were allowed two dates per week. For entertainment, couples and groups played games and made conversation . In the early thir- ties, social dancing was pronounced as a part of the physical education program by Dr. D. M. Bras- well, physical education director. He said, A few years ago the person who danced was automatically stereotyped and placed in the great class of people who would, by dancing, wreck their lives and be of no worth to cooperative commonwealth. Hap- pily this attitude is changing by more and more people securing opportunities to see and experience real social dancing. Today I smile as lovely belles and proud gentlemen maintain the tradition of dancing as the most popular source of recreation on the campus. Vespers were inaugurated during the first year of the life of West Georgia. These services were held ' weekly on Sunday evenings to complete the day ' s devotional services and to give all a chance to experience Christian fellowship right here on the campus. I am grateful that this facet of col- lege life has been retained by my sons and daugh- ters. Vespers has served through the years as a link between college, the students ' new home, and the churches of CarroUton. June 1, 1938, marked the adoption of the West Georgia College alma mater, which was written by

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to the campus as many students, alumni, and fac- ulty left to defend their country. The school sur- vived the Boll-Weevil Depression of 1920, at which time I. S. Ingram became its head. Enter West Georgia From my lofty height, I wit- nessed in the late 1930 ' s a col- lapse in farm prices. Suddenly, because of a rapid growth of consolidated high schools which overlapped the work of the A. and M. Schools, there was an immediate need for a revision of organizations and objectives. In the place of separate boards of trustees for individual schools and colleges, the state legislature set up a Board of Regents composed of laymen empowered to receive a lump appropriation for higher educa- tion and distribute it to the representative schools according to their needs. I had the high honor of being godfather for West Georgia College, the in- fant daughter of this wise Board of Regents which received its inspiration and authority from the Reorganization Act for Higher Education under the administration of Governor Richard Russell. The Board had abolished all District A. and M. Schools in 1932 and created new institutions, among which was West Georgia College who opened her eyes for the first time, April 15, 1933, combining Bowdon State College, Powder Springs A. and M. School, and Carrollton A. and M. School. Located in Carrollton, it was to be a junior college whose purpose was to emphasize teacher education. Irvine S. Ingram, the former principal of the Fourth Dis- trict A. and M, School, was chosen by the Regents to set up and head the new institution at the origi- nal site of the Fourth District A. and M. School. Following the instructions of the Board under the Chancellorship of Dr. Philip Weltner, this in- fant school flung open with pride her doors to an enrollment of 228 students. Of these 49 transfers from other schools graduated June 6, 1934, in ceremonies in the city auditorium, with Governor Eugene Talmadge presenting the commencement address. realized that here was a man who was fully de- voted to his school, faculty, and students. Mr. In- gram stoo d gallantly while the entire state of Geor- gia asked this question: Will West Georgia College go down to the pits of uselessness, or will it grow and prosper and become Georgia ' s leading junior college? Today we can look about us and realize that this noble man maintained a stalwart faith in God as he led his students toward the school ' s original objective: Progressive Development of Individuals to Take Their Places In and Improve Society. As I watched West Georgia y grow physically, I also saw that she was establishing traditions that would be handed down from generation to generation. But more important was the development of academics, and of places of prominence made by faculty and students. During the year 1917, a second dormitory was erected to house women students. Due to the en- larged enrollment and a new need for additional space, the dining hall was moved to a new structure situated directly behind the academic building. In 1934 the Log Cabin was built for Home Economics classes and new class rooms were added under the old dining hall, which was formerly at the site of the present Science Building. General Extension classes of the University System were set up in 1934 to be within a radius of thirty miles of West Geor- gia College. These classes would allow teachers in the surrounding communities to receive further preparations for teaching their students. Thus even the older teachers acquired invaluable knowledge during the trial years of West Georgia. One may be assured that growth and prosperity of this great institution cannot be attributed to the prominence of academics alone. Often I ob- served men and women slave, study, and strive for dreams of achievement, not only for themselves but also for their beloved school. The President As I watched Mr. Ingram, I Glancing back, a vivid array of faces appear

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Aaron Buckalew, class of 1939. Briefly these are only a few precedents, though revised somewhat, which have been handed down to West Georgia students. I watched with pride as West Georgia matured in respect of stature and as new meaning was added to the school as an educational institution. Growth In Stature To say that one organization had excelled more than all others would be to fail to give due credit to any of the many others that have been created. One of the most popular and note-worthy groups has been the choir which first began with separate men ' s and women ' s glee clubs. Through the years these have united to constitute a choir which is not only highly respected here in the college commu- nity, but also widely known for its annual series of appearances in various high schools, civic clubs, colleges, and churches. The West Georgia College Debating Team has played a prominent role as it has brought to life the words of its motto, Investigation, Discussion, Ac- tion. The first organization of West Georgia to appear publicly was the Y. M. C. A. chapter in- stalled by a student. Fielding Towns. Another group to achieve much renown has been Alpha Theta, first known as the Dramatics Club whose first presentation was Oscar Wilde ' s The Impor- tance of Being Earnest . Mu Zeta Aplha was cre- ated as an honor science club To give recognition to outstanding students in the sciences and to offer a means of expressing themselves in the scientific field. Alpha Psi, devoted to those students inter- ested in home economics, has not only given those students an opportunity to broaden their interests in this field, but has on many occasions assisted in social activities and in the making of costumes for plays. The first Chieftain, edited by Stewart Martin, present mayor of Carrollton, was published in 1934. Through the years it has been the aim of the annual to typify life at West Georgia and to present to its readers pleasant memories and important events of each school year. Behind the cherished year-books have gone myriad frustrated hours of ceaseless labor in efforts to give the students publications of which they could be proud. This effort was not in vain for on several occasions the Chieftain has won high- est awards in its class throughout the nation. The Chieftain ' s sister publication, The West Georgian, made its first appearance during the fall quarter of 1933 under the editorship of Franklin Dorsey Parker. Today this student publication rates among the best small college newspapers in the South and has received on several occasions honors from the Associated Collegiate Press. It stresses student expression, student solutions to problems and campus relations. The Voluntary Religious Association of which all students are considered members upon enroll- ment in the College, has continued for the duration of the life of West Georgia to stimulate the spiritual life and thought on the campus and is climaxed each year with Religious Emphasis Week. The Future Business Leaders of America and the Student National Educational Association were established to broaden the interests of students in those fields. The Veterans ' Club, organized in 1946, had as its purpose to help each other in both social and school activities and to encourage more veter- ans to attend college. During the years other clubs in coperation with various departments have been created. Some of these have been abolished or reorganized under new names, but many have helped in securing for West Georgia a reputation for providing a wide range of interest and opportunity for leadership and originality for its students. Since West Georgia was estab- lished to emphasize teacher edu- cation, obsers ' ' ance and practice teaching were vital parts of the educational pro- Laboratory Schools