GC&SU Then and Now…

While Georgia Tech was being founded for men, Georgia Normal & Industrial College was founded as a sister institution for women. Six name changes later, GN&IC is now Georgia College & State University.

Founded in 1889, GN&IC’s mission was to provide an education for women in Georgia so they could earn money to support themselves. GN&IC offered classes in dressmaking, cooking, stenography, typewriting, telegraphy, bookkeeping and industrial drawing.

J.W. Mozley, a student Ambassador here at GC&SU, states that Peabody was the first education program of its kind.

“Georgia College & State University established the first education program in the state of Georgia. It was founded by Susan Atkinson.”

Under President Dr. J. Harris Chappell, who served from 1891 to 1905, the Peabody Model School was established so the students could study to become teachers. During Chappell’s time as president, student activities expanded greatly. The Colonnade, The Corinthian and the former yearbook, The Spectrum, began publishing.

In 1905 Chappell became ill, and Dr. Marvin Parks became the second president.

In 1922 four-year degrees were offered for the first time, and the name of the college changed for the first time. The new name was Georgia State College for Women, or GSCW.

In the years to come, GSCW faced obstacles that could have shut the college down in its early years. The main building burned to the ground in 1924, but Parks and the rest of the community worked to rebuild the school.

Tragically, in December of 1926 Parks was struck by a car in Florida. He passed away one month later, and Dr. Jasper Luther Beeson was named acting president. In July 1928 the search for a president ended, and Beeson was officially named president.

In 1932 the GSCW became part of the University System of Georgia. During this time, the depression was felt widely across America, but Beeson was able to secure funds for buildings on campus.

Beeson was let go, however, in 1934 due to a conflict of interest between the new library and a business he owned. No evidence was ever found.

The next president to be named was Guy Herbert Wells. Times were still hard, and the university needed repairs. He invited WAVES (Women Appointed for Voluntary Emergency Service) to use part of the campus as a training site. With the money raised between that and the Public Works Administration, money was secured for repairs and the building of Beeson Hall and Sanford Hall.

Wells’ presidency ended in 1953 when he allowed three African-Americans to attend a University System meeting. He soon resigned.

To help raise enrollment, the first Masters of Education degree was offered under the direction of the new President Dr. Robert E. “Buzz” Lee. The university’s name was changed in 1961 to The Woman’s College of Georgia to emphasize the fact that the university was for women.

Chappell Hall was at a point beyond repair, so it was demolished and a new one was built. Wells Hall and Adams Hall were built, and the old Governor’s Mansion was remodeled. All of these aesthetic changes helped to increase enrollment.

In 1964 the first African-American student enrolled in WCG. And, against Lee’s will, in the fall of 1967 the first male students were admitted. The name was changed again to Georgia College at Milledgeville. Lee resigned in July of the same year.

With the admission of men, the academics changed. New graduate degrees were offered in areas such as history, management, biology and more. Campuses were established in Warner Robins, Macon and Dublin. Once again the name changed. This time it was shortened to Georgia College.

Dr. J. Whitney Bunting was the next president, serving from 1968 until 1981. The enrollment was back up to where it was before the depression. Money was secured from the Board of Regents for the student union, the library was renovated and Napier was built. The development of West complex and the expansion of athletics took place during Bunting’s presidency.

In 1987 the Department of Nursing was established under the new president Edwin Speir. The enrollment was thriving, but the standards were not.

In 1996 we were given the liberal arts mission, a new president and the final name of Georgia College & State University.

“Dr. DePaolo is the first female president,” said Mozley.
The liberal arts mission is one of the most important parts of the history according to Mozley.

“The tapping of GC&SU as a liberal arts university is something that has changed the university forever. It has had the most impact on our success and has made us stand apart from the rest,” said Mozley.

Currently, GC&SU has become a member of COPLAC and continues to raise its standards. As of December 2000, there were 5,090 students enrolled at GC&SU. 4,100 attended the Milledgeville campus, and 1,067 lived on campus. 63.7% of the students were female. The average SAT score was 1049.

Mozley said, “I think that one of the special things about GC&SU is the feeling of family. The size of the campus ties into our liberal arts mission. Because we are small our relationships with faculty are easy to make and to maintain.”

The history of GC&SU will never be erased, no matter how much the campus changes.

“One interesting thing is that the history and tradition are still here,” said Mozley, “but the campus has been modernized.”

Herby Agnew, vice-president of the Student Ambassadors, thinks the history of GC&SU is unique.

“I think some of the most important dates in the history of this college are the founding in 1889 and when we went co-ed in 1967,” said Agnew. “Going co-ed is an event that made us something that we weren’t originally. The history gives us a sense of roots and then branching out.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 28 2001. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry