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'i/;:V'''frr, 1 1 13: -;" "I" t: ^-î"' ••'?,s S*?'.' •!:•'"'Sl'^-«i^^%iliW#^ j: f.,:«.-^,:fef For Reference Not to be taken from this room lit t^^ *.«;"*;»"" wi'.1-'"j#' itf^- iifi-to*^ TEE N N E T M I % ^^x. \ '\ '-%> '% U.N. Security Council voted to authorize military action if Iraq did not withdraw its troops from Kuwait. Irish import Sinead O'Connor sang her way to stardom and picked up three MTV Music Video Awards: Puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of the Mup; c c -d. Van Gogh's "Portrait of Dr. Gachef sold for a record S:? r ^ Manuel Noriega was captured in Panama and will ft : ; : ; trafficking charges. "The Simpsons", with Bart Simp of the underachievers, hit the Nielsen Tbp1 with their TV cartoon series. Emperor Akihito ascended tc anese throne in a Tokyo ceremony. Footb: seball star Bo Jackson announced his Intent; r : Auburn University to finish his degree. Cincir won the World Series in four straight against - Reds' Eric Davis is shown hitting a two-run hi one. Germany united-German youths ga" Berlin to celebrate German unification ^ : : v r Lech Walesa was elected President f (US) and Gorbachev (USSR) held a s Washington and signed a series of acco jc U8, USSR, Summit Meeting ARCHIVES OAK^fyOOulOLLEGE Loaned By Donated By Li-9Li4 Date Receivi Return To Donor WE FORGET As we approach our 100th year ofpro- Jacobs of Iowa was induced to under- gressive, successful, and quahty Chris- take the job. tian Education, we pause now, in 1991, The 360 acres purchased for $6,700 by to reflect on the year ofour birth, 1896, theGeneralConferencein 1895wastobe 95 years ago. used as an industrial, normal, and theo- Itis altogethercommendable thatthe logical school for the "Negro" race. 1991YearbookEditorchosetoincludein ElderG.A. Irwin put on his overalls and this masterful prologue of accomplish- worked for two days clearing the well, ments ofboth the students and the col- digging through seventeen feet of mud lege, a bit of historical information mixedwithknives,pitchforks,rocks,etc. whichdepictstheformativeyearsofour George Graham from Birmingham and existence. Grant Royston of Vicksburg, two stu- Lest We Forget, from the rise of the dents,arrived sixmonthsbeforetheoffi- Morning Star Boat in 1895 which cial school opening day to help prepare brought education to the newly freed the grounds for school. slavesin MississippitothevisitofEllen The "Huntsville School" as Ellen G. G. White on our campus in 1904, Oak- White called it, soon became the "Oak- wood College was destined by divine wood Industrial School," the "Hunts- appointmenttobeadynamicforceinthe ville Training School," the "Oakwood academic preparation of Black young Manual Training School," the "Oak- people who would become "FINISH- wood Junior College," and 1945, Oak- ERS" ofGod's work on this earth. wood College. The richness of our heritage prompts Early educational curriculum consist- us to retain great pride in our institu- ed of doing necessary and profitable tion. Such pride creates a desire to re- work. The youngwomen were employed searchitshistory,toreexamineits prin- in housekeeping, cooking, laundry, and ciples, andtoreceivefromit, encourage- lightworkingardeningand sewing.The ment and direction for the future. young men, employed chiefly on the Researching Oakwood's history will farm, were taught improved methods of revealthat Ellen G.White, our Church's agriculture, carpentry, masonry, and prophetess and counselor, was "taken thebuildingtrades.The academicswere from place to place in the night season" taught at night. There were only 4 stu- by Minneola L. Dixon and was shown Graysville (Southern dents in the spring and summer of1896, Oakwood College Archivist College) and Huntville (Oakwood Col- butwhen schoolopenedonNov. 16, 1896, lege) in a vision. (Manuscript No. 106) sixteen studentsenrolled and paid atui- Her profound interest in Oakwood was tion of $8.00 per month. indicated by her visit to this campus in TheearlyyearsoftheOakwoodSchool 1904when she spoketothe students and were marked by hard work. Every fea- the faculty, saying, "I am so pleased to ture of school life was characterized by see the colored students who are here hard work. Diligence, application, faith- today ... He (the Lord) has given you fulness, carefulness, and thoroughness talentstobeimproved. Hehasbestowed were tenets offaith in this very unique on the colored race some ofthe best and school. The powerful, positive influence highest talents." Continuing, she said, ofthe training they received here went "The Huntsville school is a most beauti- with the students as theyleft these hal- ful place." That was in 1904. lowedgroundsforwider service in God's However, lest we forget, 95 years ago vineyard. Oakwood College's land was wild and Emphasis in the early years was primitive. It was described as looking placed upon making the best of meager likethe Floridajunglesbyourfirstprin- facilities and the value ofhard practical /cipal, Solon M. Jacobs. The old planta- labor. While the students worked, build- tion had once been a beautiful and fer- ing buildings, constructing living and tile place, butithad fallen on evil times. teachingfacilities, theywere also build- The grove ofgreat oaktreeswhich gave ing themselves as strong and positive the school its name, had been neglected Christian young men and women. until it was a mass of briars and brush As we peruse these few pages of our andlow-hanginglimbs. The oldmansion inexhaustible history, we will find that housewas in sad disrepair, and the long this Yearbookheralds the contributions row of slave cabins, built of squared ofonly afewofthosewhoplayed aprom- cedarlogsplanteduprightintheground inentrole inthe formative years ofOak- andclapboard(five ofthem, sobuilt; the wood's development. This "birds-eye" other four were ordinary log cabins), view of Oakwood's pioneering days were decaying and dropping to pieces. traces our college's history through the Even the well nearest the house, which medium of photographs, some of which rumorsaidhadbeentheburialplaceofa are almost90yearsold. Maythepastbe- Yankee cavalryman, was broken down come very real to us and inspire us to andchokedwithdebris,andtheoldbarn have a greater appreciation for "What wasleaningtoathreatenedfall. Itwasa God has wrought" and for what He is .place to begin at the bottom. In 1896, at and will do for this institution. the first sight ofthis place,J.J. Mitchell LEST WE FORGET! ofCalifornia, the first college manager, resigned, and Elder Grant Adkins, of Âtlanta took temporary charge until Our Founders College ''It was for the education of Christian workers, that, in the providence ofGod, the General Conference purchased a beautiful farm of three hundred acres near Hunts- Alabama and estabhshed an indus- ville, trial training school for colored students. I have often received divine instruction in regard to this institution, showing what manner of school it should be and what those who go there as students are to become. ELLEN (HARMON) WHITE G. 1844-1915 Co-founder ofand special messengertothe Seventh-day Adventist Church, and prohfic author and lecturer. OLE A. OLSEN — General Conference President 1888-1897 GEORGE A. IRWIN— General Conference President 1897-1901 Directed the work in the Southern part of the United States from 1895 to 1897. Original Property Scenes :'> **•*v<i3?-^ FA^" kii--«R'^': i^^^m ^ mPL i m — 1896 Old Mansion Residential Hall ii i — 1940's Oakwood Junior College's Nastalgic Fountain "The Archway of Oakwood College's Swamps M Flowers" ^^DK mi E -^[-.Nr?:* 11 "rA. m mm^^"^^^ latHwrn '^^.^c:zsss^ ^^^^^BttJi^^r^!^'^^m^m^^! ^ f^m' "- ^"mr^^ k*^C\ X \ ill m imm»'iiimmfiii''ii$»'il>:smim>' .m. mnw Our "Firsts :wo( coKege James Beardsley I. 1917-1923 He has beenremembered as akind butfirm president. HehiredthefirstBlackCollegeinstructor, F.L. Peterson. Solon M. Jacobs 1896-1902 His sound judgment and Christian kindness made many friends for the college. James L. Moran 1932-1945 A large increase in the Junior College enrollment marked hisadministration. Oakwoodwasupgradedto aSeniorCol- lege, and the Charter was amended to change the name from Oakwood Junior College to Oakwood College. The first Baccalaureate Degree was conferred during his era. — ' Our Formative Years 1920-1940 — 1920's FACULTY MEMBERS: (First Row Middle) Prof. Tucker, Jenny Stratton (Dobbins) next, Julia Baugh (Pearson), Back Row (Right End) Frank L. Peterson. Printing of the "Gospel Herald" W.C. Bird, Editor (left, M 1i1^ ti>i. itjI.iii(f.i¥-Vim/<t'fm-'im~$"i*l^.-:,ii 1Vj^. fikcif.ithAesl..»îmW&«»^ i ;^^^^K; ^L l|F<.IB. L k1î.i 'WKKKm^.Mi.<>..i»»ii»r.«ii»a.y k^'\im:^*• — 1909 Cannery and Potato House t^ ^mn pl- 1 J -^•is ss r- .'