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MOORLAND FOliSiDATIONPAMPHLEIS
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9
FOUNDERS DAY ADDRESS
at HOWARD UNIVERSITY, March 2nd, 1922
By
WALTER DYSON
n~ke
Founding of Howard University
HOWARD UNIVERSITY rRESS
WASHINGTON, D. C.
19 2 2
FOUNDERS DAT ADDRESS
at HOWARD UNIVERSITY, March 2nd, iq22
By
WALTER DYSON
01\e
Founding of Howard University
HOWARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
WASHINGTON, D. C.
19 2 2
Tke Founding of Howard University
Mr. President, Members of the Faculty, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Howard University was opened for classroom instruction May 2, 1867.
For six months prior to that date, the plan of the school was in the process
of development. From November, 1866, to May 2, 1867, the University
existed on paper only.
In November, 1866, the Missionary Society of the First Congregational
Church of this city, now located on the corner of Tenth and G Streets
N. YV., decided to establish a school for the elevation of the freedmen—
that is, for the former slaves—who were pouring into the city. Thou¬
sands were entering Washington annually. These refugees were homeless
and friendless, many of them sick, many old and infirm and many grossly
ignorant. They were living in empty buildings woodsheds, stables and
barracks. The city was compelled to feed them, to erect hospitals for
them, to build homes for the old and infirm, and schools for the ignorant.
At first, this missionary society decided to open a Theological School
only; then, realizing the urgent need for doctors, it decided to establish
a chair of medicine within this Theological Seminary. Later, it was
decided to add a Normal Department, to prepare teachers for the ele¬
mentary schools that were springing up in the city and in the country.
The first draft of the charter (January 23, 1867) provided for a college
only. The next draft of the charter (February 6, 1867) provided for a
University with the following departments: Normal, Collegiate, Theo¬
logical, Law, Medical, a Department of Agriculture, and any other depart¬
ment desired. On March 2, 1867, this day fifty-five years ago, this second
draft of the charter was approved by the people of the United States in
Congress assembled.
It was the Normal Department only which opened on May 2, 1867.
This department occupied a small frame building on Georgia Avenue just
below W or Pomeroy Street. This building had been used as a German
dance hall and beer saloon. The University was opened in this abandoned
cabaret.
* See Howard University Studies in History No. 1, June 1921.
A Preparatory Department was soon added. Then, in order to prepare
pupils to enter these departments—namely, the Normal and Preparatory
Departments—a Model School was established in the same building, in¬
cluding the elementary grades A, B, C, and D. Finally, to prepare pupils
to enter this Model School, an ungraded class was established beneath it.
In this way, Howard University went down to the people. In this same
dance hall the Medical School met, and members of the Normal School
faculty resided. The Medical School, however, was compelled to move a
part of its course—namely, dissecting—to a woodshed in the rear when
it was learned by those living within that the cadavers were in the building.
The School of Liberal Arts of today had its beginning in this hall. An
Evening School was also conducted here.
Thus, the little building was soon overcrowded. A committee was sent
out to purchase a suitable site for the new University. It decided finally
upon this hill where we are now located, which contained about 150 acres.
Since the owner would sell all or none of this land, the trustees of the new
school were compelled to purchase the whole at $1,000 an acre. Without
one cent in the treasury, the deal was closed for $150,000. Much of the
land was immediately sold in the form of building lots, realizing about
$172,234. In this way, money was secured to liquidate the indebtedness
and improve the property. Later, what is now LeDroit Park was pur¬
chased.
The original property of Howard University was bounded then as fol¬
lows: On the west by Georgia Avenue as far as Florida Avenue; on the
south by Florida Avenue, as far as Fourth Street; on the east by Fourth
Street, as far as Elm; also on the east by Second Street, from Elm to the
Soldiers' Home. The northern line extended from Second Street, near
Soldiers' Home, to Georgia Avenue.
Within this large tract, four plots were never owned by the L!ni-
versity—one, the American League Baseball Park; another, a part of
the land now occupied by Corby's Bakery; another, the northeast corner
of Georgia and Florida Avenues, now occupied by the Koss Pharmacy,
and surrounding buildings. The fourth plot was the extreme northwest
corner of the tract, near Harvard Street and Georgia Avenue.
It may be interesting to know that this part of the city was not in 186?
within the city of Washington, but in the county of Washington. Fur¬
thermore, this section of the county where the University is now located
was a slum section, a cabaret section for white people. The American
League Baseball Park of today was then a big amusement park and beer
garden. At the northern extremity of the University property, near the
Soldiers' Home, were other beer gardens. It was for this reason, among
others, that the property was sold for a Negro School.
The price demanded, $1,000 an acre, would seem to indicate that the
property was desirably located. Not at all. The price demanded for the
land was its value estimated in the "greenback" currency of the time.
"Greenback" was the name given to the paper money that flooded this
country during the Civil War, raising all prices suddenly and abnormally.
This hill was not, at the time of purchase, a location generally desirable.
The thing which, somewhat later, improved this section of the city was a
federal enactment making it illegal to open a saloon within a radius of one
mile of the Soldiers' Home. This law was the salvation of Howard
University.
When it became known that the University was opened, two things
happened. First, applications came in from all manner of people asking
admission; second, men began to speculate as to the aims and purposes of
this new Institution.
It was impossible for some to believe that Negroes were being permitted
to enter college. Many applied, asking if it were true that Negroes could
enter. Married men applied to enter and, if possible, to bring their wives.
Many, without money, made application. Many, without preparation,
except the ability to read and write, wished to enter. They wrote to learn
if preachers only were admitted. Poor white boys, from Louisiana,
applied for admission. White students at Oberlin wished to come; they
thought it would be cheaper here. It was a new thing in the country—a
University where black and white, old and young, married and single,
ignorant and informed—all could enter, with or without money. They
brought with them in many an instance a pick or shovel or spade. They
came to dig, literally, to dig their way through school. It was they who,
in a large measure, drained this hill, graded it, and cut these streets we
now enjoy.
When the news spread abroad that the University was open, not only
did applications pour in, but also, a great curiosity arose. The people
were curious to know the aims and purposes of this new University.
There were those who saw in this new school the realization of the
dream of George Washington, who urged the establishment of a National
University and who had left in his will $10,000 in bonds for that purpose.
Representative Hoar of the United States Congress was of this opinion.
He said in Congress, referring to Howard University: "Perhaps in the
mysterious providence of God, the realization of the dream of Washington
has been deferred until the enfranchised race whose enslavement he la¬
mented could be admitted to their share of the light of knowledge."
Another member of Congress said about the same time: "One of the
first and most prominent objects that meet the eye of the visitor to this
capital is the stately and beautiful edifice (referring to Howard Univer¬
sity) overlooking the city and river, reminding him of the new and grand
progress of the nation, realizing one of the dreams of Washington, who
himself desired to found here a great university. Let it be remembered,
too, that in this institution, as in no other in the land, it is believed, the
Anglo-Saxon, the Celt, the Indian, the Mongolian, the Greek, and the
African already sit, side by side, on the same bench. All races and both
sexes have here in the pursuit of knowledge a fair and equal favor."
While there were those who believed that Howard University was that
great National Institution of which Washington dreamed, there were
others who claimed to see in this mingling of so many races upon the
same benches an attempt at amalgamation. For some time, the enemies
of the University furnished the democratic newspapers of that day with
headlines concerning amalgamation at Howard University. They failed,
finally, to discredit the purpose of the founders.
What was the purpose of the founders of Howard University? Per¬
haps we can gather what the founders of the school had in mind, concern¬
ing its aims and purposes, from a letter written by one of them, Mr. D. B.
Nichols: "On the day set apart for prayer for colleges, January 25,
1872, we organized a small church at Howard University. Since the
organization, we have had three communions. At each of these we have
added to our numbers. Last Sabbath was a day of special interest in
the history of this infant enterprise. Dr. Rankin preached the sermon,
after which two native Chinese were among the number received. * * *
At the same time a native African from the East Coast, a Creek Indian,
a young man who was a slave in the South ?t the outbreak of the war,
and our University treasurer, J. B. Johnson, were received into this infant
church. A large audience was present to witness the interesting cere¬
monies, and manifested deep interest in the exercises of the hour.
"As the writer looked upon this scene, the words of the Saviour came
forcibly to his mind: 'And they shall come from the East, and the West,
and the North, and the South, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.' "
From this statement, and from other evidence, it seems to be a fact
that the founders of Howard University were aiming to establish on this
hill not a Negro University, not a University for Negroes, not even a
National University, but rather a great International School. In the an¬
nual report of the President of Howard University for 1872 we find this
statement: "We have hoped to preserve the cosmopolitan character of the
University, drawing our pupils from all classes, conditions and nation¬
alities."
Thus, ladies and gentlemen, in brief, was founded this unique Uni¬
versity ; and thus was it inspired with a noble purpose.