Author: paula.mcgrew@gmail.com

Education: A right? A privilege? A treasure? Thank you Morris Purdy Shawkey!!!

Shawkey, Morris Purdy
West Virginia Blue Book, 1919

Education is in the news everywhere in West Virginia right now. In our society today, we often think of it as something we take for granted. Of course there have always been schools and teachers around……..haven’t there? We sometimes see this as our right. Some even complain when they “have to” go to school or read something about the world. Very rarely do we truly understand what a treasure and a privilege it is to have these opportunities.

M.P. Shawkey taught at WVWC  from 1895-1897 (or the West Virginia Conference Seminary as it was named at that time). He died 77 years ago this week, and was featured in a story on West Virginia Public Broadcasting. It seems that he is widely recognized as the father of secondary education in West Virginia. He served three terms as the West Virginia State Superintendent of Free Schools, and during that time vastly increased the number of high schools (from 6 to 116) and was a huge supporter of having libraries in every school. You can read more about him here. Go ahead — it is a really fascinating story! It includes time spent as President of Marshall and of Morris Harvey among other things. It includes political intrigue and other elements that would make for a great feature film.

Morris Purdy Shawkey also wrote several books on West Virginia History, Geography, and Industry, which includes the best description I have ever read about the development of schools in West Virginia…..and why they mattered to communities and individuals alike. Read this description here!!!  Please!!! I wish each and every person in the legislature would read it.

We must value our schools. We must value our teachers. We must value those who work with our children. We must value those who provide the opportunities for our children to grow and shape our future as a society.

To read more things like this, check out https://DreamersAndGiants.com

Leadership – Then and Now

Wark, Homer E.

On February 25, 1931, WVWC President Wark was invited to speak to the Weekly Convocation at West Virginia University on the topic of “The Problem of Leadership”. Here is a summary of that speech, and a link to the Pharos article about the event. (You should read it! It could have been written today!)

Today we talk a lot about leadership styles, and how they come to be formed. We talk about Liberal Arts education (the kind of education that teaches you to think and learn — not a political ideology). Sometimes it is referred to as a Classical Education. The very first year of existence, the West Virginia Conference Seminary was strong in this. And has been growing stronger ever since as defined by the Association of American Colleges & Universities. We now blend Liberal Arts Education with our professional programs to help students to be true leaders in their fields. The best of both!

To find more things like this, be sure to check out the DreamersAndGiants webpage.

Dreamers and Giants Faced a Calamity on February 4, 1905

In 1890, the West Virginia Conference Seminary opened in Buckhannon. The result of much planning and dreaming on the part of the West Virginia Methodist Conference, this was a state-of-the-art preparatory school and not (as we would see it from our 21st Century perspective) a place for pastors to be trained for ministry. There were few public schools at that time, and families wanted to be able to educate their children without sending them out of state to do so. All activities took place in this building – from classrooms to offices to assembly hall to library room. Students boarded with approved families in town until dormitories could be built a few years later.

But on February 4, 1905 a fire destroyed this building. Everyone made it out safely, and much of the equipment and all of the records were saved. At that time, Roy McCuskey was a Seminary Student, and years later he recalled being in the building at the time of the fire. Read his memories here. 

The next issue of the Pharos included this drawing of the building after the fire. And, included an article entitled “Our Calamity” which was written by Frank B. Trotter. (Page 1 and Page 2. ) He was the Vice President, but was in charge that day as President Wier was attending a meeting in Charleston.  It gives details about the cause, the people inside, and his appreciation for the calm cooperation and composure of the students.

We are thankful that these people took photographs, made drawings, and wrote about this experience so that we can know more about the history of West Virginia Wesleyan College. It may have seemed that a Dream went up in smoke that day, but from the ashes the Giants that worked and studied here built the new Lynch-Raine Administration Building and kept right on teaching and learning. This event happened on a Saturday (yes, they had Saturday classes!) and by Monday they were meeting as usual in churches and houses throughout Buckhannon.

George W. Atkinson – A Legacy of Leadership and Information

There is a mysterious building between the Administration Building and the Martin Religious Center. Those who walked the WVWC campus before 1967 were very well acquainted with the Atkinson Auditorium. It served as chapel and theater and lecture hall. In fact, it served as the theater until the present Virginia Thomas Law Performing Arts Center was built in 2009.

The Atkinson Auditorium was dedicated in honor of George W. Atkinson. He had a wonderful career, including the honor of being the 10th Governor of West Virginia. You can read about all of the wonderful things that he did in this profile. But he has also provided us with priceless information about the early history and leaders of our state through his books. These have been digitized and are available for us to learn from today, and the links are included on the profile page. Thank you Governor Atkinson!

 

Registration Day and New Beginnings

Registration 1970

Registration 1970 Style

As students gather in the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library today, January 8, 2018, to register for Spring Semester, it seems fitting to take a look at what that process used to look like.

In 1970, there were punch cards instead of electronic databases and tools. There were only just so many cards per class, so you could tell immediately if the class was filling up. Many is the time that the person right in front of you in line got the very last card. At times, words were exchanged!

Once everyone had been through the line, the punch cards were run through the main frame computer which was located in Christopher Hall.

Best of luck to the current Bobcats for a great semester. Work hard, learn well, and enjoy your time at Wesleyan!  Believe it or not, these ARE the good old days!

To find out more about the people who have studied and worked here for the last 127 years or so, take a look at DreamersAndGiants.com.  This website is just getting started, and more is being added every day. After all, it took us well over a century to get this far! It will take a while to gather all of the stories.

New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day is a perfect time to reflect on the past, and to share hopes for the future.  That makes January 1, 2018 the perfect time to introduce DreamersAndGiants.com.

This site, as it exists on this day, contains:

  • lists of people who have learned, taught, and worked at West Virginia Wesleyan College from 1890 to the present
  • the framework for a Chronology of events — much of it a blank canvas for the moment, but full of promise.
  • a few examples of things to come — stories and photographs to go along with the people on the lists.  See Arminta T. Baldwin for an example.
  • a few interviews and reflections — with the promise of many more to come

It is with great excitement that I begin to share the results of my work thus far.  With more than 127 years worth of stories and information, there is plenty left to do!  I invite you to join me in this endeavor by sending any additions you may have or to let me know if there are errors.  You can email me at historian@wvwc or fill in the form below.