The Savannah Tribune

Morris Brown College Closes

NEARLY ELEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EDUCATION
Nurse Training Department and Fair Haven Hospital Under Supervision of College.

Atlanta, Ga., April 27.—Not only did Morris Brown University have a successful closing, but a thing out of the ordinary happened. The trustees in their annual meeting put on the table $10,038.25 for the educational work. This money came from all the charges in the state, and is the largest amount ever raised at a commencement. Another remarkable thing was the merging of the nurse training department and the Fair Haven hospital, and will be known in the future as the Fair Haven Infirmary of Morris Brown University.

The exercises were set for 10 o'clock yet people gathered in the church as early as 8 o'clock. They were here from all parts of the state. Promptly at 9:30 the procession moved from the university for Bethel A. M. E. Church, headed by President Fountain, and Bishop J. S. Flipper, followed by the members of the faculty, trustees and students. The line was half a mile long.

The programme was, the "Processional," by Miss A. A. Glaze accompanist; scripture reading by Rev. W. O. P. Sherman; invocation, Rev. S. D. Roseboro; chorus, "Heaven and Earth".

Dr. W. A. Fountain made a short address in which he said that the commencement was a little early this year on account of the general conference in Philadelphia. He expressed himself as being highly pleased with the large crowd from out of the city. "We are striving to take our place in this world as thinkers, and we are doing for ourselves," he said, "and not sitting around complaining." The programme was then rendered:

"The Might of Little Things," an essay and salutatory by Frankie Poutall; essay, "Value of an Ideal," Marie Akery; oration, "The Place of Theology in the Church To-day", Robert J. Jefferson; chorus, "Greetings to Spring"; essay, "The place of the Soul", Edith Roseboro; essay, "Vocational Education," Narve Shorter; oration, "Value of the Disagreeable," Maggie Stovall; sextette, "What from Vengences;" essay, "Normal education for our Youth," Mary Hayes; essay, "Stenography, an Important Factor in the Business World," Charlotte Jenrose; oration, "Man a Questioner" B. C. Dawson; essay, "The Aesthetic Nature of Man," Pansy Bryant; oration and valedictory, The Hypothesis of Life." Benjamin F. Cofer: chorus. "The Lost Chord."

Diplomas to the graduates were presented by President Fountain and Bishop J. S. Flipper, delivered an address. He told how the merging of the hospital had been accomplished and what it meant to the whole race as well as to Morris Brown University.

Rev. Dr. John A. Gregg, President of Edward Waters College, delivered the annual commencement sermon Sunday morning at Bethel A. M. E. church.

The Rev. Dr. R. W. Mence, of Charleston, S. C., delivered the literary address to the societies Tuesday night.

This has been perhaps the most successful year in the history of the institution, and Dr. W. A. Fountain, has won a place in the hearts of the people. He goes to the general conference in Philadelphia with the indorsement of the whole state of Georgia and the hope that he be returned to them a bishop.

For years, an effort has been made to make the nurse training department of Morris Brown University a reality, and this was accomplished by Dr. Fountain, and for which he was widely commended by Dr. W. B. Summerall, superintendent of Grady hospital, of Atlanta, one of the largest and best in the south. Dr. W. S. Elkins, Jr., of the Atlanta Wholesale Drug Company, not only delivered an address commending Dr. Fountain, but put down $10 and pledged the drug supply.