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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
^Atlanta 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 be-
come.
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
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1896 Old Mansion Residential Hall ii i
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1940's Oakwood Junior College's Nastalgic Fountain "The Archway of
Oakwood College's Swamps M Flowers"
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Our
"Firsts
:wo(
coKege
James Beardsley
I.
1917-1923
He has beenremembered as akind butfirm pres-
ident. 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,
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1909 Cannery and Potato
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