A Place Called Homecoming - ERIC · 2013-08-02 · A Place Called Homecoming the old Hill at the...

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Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce CaruthersEducational Foundations, Summer-Fall 2012

Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, and Loyce Caruthers are professors in the School of Education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri.

ItwasthesecondweekinOctober,2010.Thisyearwaslikemanyinthepast,wherefordecades,everyoneconvenestocontinuetraditionsandpreparationsthathavecenteredonasingle,specialevent.Thisspecialeventorcelebrationcontextualizes theacademicandsocialexperiencesofsuccessfulgraduatesofoneHBCUlocatedinJeffersonCity,Missouri.Inthesubsequentparagraphs,weutilizetheliterarydevicesofprologueandflashbacktocontextualizetherichhistorybehindtheLincolnUniversityHomecomingtradition. Airline reservations are in hand. Cars are filledwithgas.Allsuitcasesandcarry-onbagsarereadytobetransported.PassengersonAmtrakandGreyhoundbusesareabouttoboard.Fromthenorth,south,east,andwest—theycome.Theycomeyearafteryearafteryear,sincethemid-1930s.Theycometoconvergeupon

A Place Called Homecoming:Memories of Celebration

and Tradition by SuccessfulAfrican-American Graduates

of Lincoln University in Missourifrom 1935 to 1945

By Shirley Marie McCarther,Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers

A Place Called Homecoming

theoldHillattheQuad.AllthehustleandbustlesignalstheannualpilgrimagebacktoaplacecalledHomecoming.Theyareyoungandoldandallagesinbetween.Theycomewithformersweethearts,nowwives.TheycomeasoncegridironteammatesandTigercheerleaders.TheycomeaspreviousmembersoftheStudentCouncilortheClarionStaff;asofficersoftheR.NathanielDettChoralSociety;orthe“L”Club(athleteswhoearnedlettersinoneormoremajorsports);ortheHistoryClub.TheycomeaspastparticipantsinOrchesis(nationaldancesociety),ortheCartesianOvalClub(mathematicsmajors).Theycomeasex-CarverChemistryClubmembers;oraslongtimeTauSigmaRhoenthusiasts(debatingsociety).Theycomewithyoungersiblings,children,grandchildren,nieces,nephews,andneighborhoodkids. Somearebeginningtheirprofessionaljourneyswhileothershaveretiredfromsuccessfulcareers.Theyaredoctors,lawyers,nurses,philanthropists,teachers,judges,principals,collegeprofessors,journalists,businessmenandwomen,entrepreneurs,pilots,membersofthearmedforces,artists,musicians,scientists,authors,TVanchors,actors,inventors,preachersandbishops,astronauts,farmers,andthelike.Theycomebecausetheymust.Theycomeingoodeconomictimesandbad.Theycomewearingtheblueandwhite—tomeetupwitholdfriends,assembleinfamiliarplaces,recalldaysgoneby,hug,eat,laugh,dance—andmostofall,tohonorthememoriesofthewaytheywereastheybecamewhotheyare.TheycomebecausethatiswhatLincolnUniversityalumni—orLincolnites—do.Theycometocelebrate,topassthetorchtothosenextinline.Theycometogivebacktofuturegenerations.

Lincoln, O Lincoln! We Thy Proud Children Are TheSeniorEditionoftheLincolnUniversitynewspaper,theLincoln Clarion,hasasitstagline,“…andsomedaymychancewillcome”(Madison,1937,p.1).ThisquotefromPresidentAbrahamLincolnillustratesquiteeffectivelytheoverallphilosophyoftheinstitution,establishedin1866astheLincolnInstituteandini-tiallyfundedbyCivilWarsoldiersinthe62ndand65thcoloredinfantryunits(seeAppendixA).Together,thesetwounitscontributedatotalof$6,400toestablishaneducationalinstitutioninJeffersonCity,Missouri,fortheexpresspurposeofbeing“aspecialbenefittothefreedAfricanAmericans,”andwithanemphasisoncombininglaborandstudy(LincolnUniversity,2009,p.1).Theinstitutionexpandedthisemphasistoincludeanumberofnewcoursesofstudy:

In1869,LincolnInstitutemovedtothepresentcampus,andin1870itbegantoreceiveaidfromthestateofMissouriforteachertraining.College-levelworkwasaddedtothecurriculumin1877,andpassageoftheNormalSchoolLawpermittedLincoln graduates to teach for life in Missouri without further examination.LincolnInstituteformallybecameastateinstitutionin1879withthedeedingofthepropertytothestate.UnderthesecondMorrillActof1890,Lincolnbecamealandgrantinstitution,andthefollowingyearindustrialandagriculturalcourseswereaddedtothecurriculum.(LincolnUniversity,2009,p.1)

In1921,theMissouriLegislatureapprovedchangingthenameoftheInstitute

Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers

toLincolnUniversity,andaboardofcuratorswasestablished.AccreditationfromNorthCentralAssociationofCollegesandSecondarySchoolscame in1926fortheteacher-trainingprogram,andin1934forthefour-yearCollegeofArtsandSci-ences.“Graduateinstructionwasbeguninthesummersessionof1940,withmajorsineducationandhistoryandminorsinEnglish,history,andsociology.ASchoolofJournalismwasestablishedinFebruary1942”(LincolnUniversity,2009,p.1).In1954,withtheBrown v. Board of Educationruling,Lincolnopeneditsdoorstoallapplicantsthatmetitsadmissionscriteria.Today,theuniversity’smissionstatementassertsthat,“LincolnUniversityofMissouriisahistoricallyBlack,1890land-grant,public,comprehensiveinstitutionthatprovidesexcellenteducationalopportunitiesincludingtheoreticalandappliedlearningexperiencestoadiversepopulationwithinanurturing,student-centeredenvironment,”(LincolnUniversity,2009p.1).

Purpose, Method, and Conceptual Framework OurworkinvestigatedtheoriginsoftheinstitutiontodiscoverwhyitisthatsomanyindividualscontinuetoconvergeontheHillatLincolneveryyear.Toad-dressthisfundamentalquestion,weconductedoralhistoriesofAfrican-Americanwomengraduatesinthelate1930sand1940sprimarilytolearnwhyLincolnwassospecialandwhyitsgraduatesweresosuccessful.Wefoundthatthecoloredsoldiers’initialplansanddreamsforAfricanAmericanswerebeingrealized.Inaddition,wesuggest that throughour listening to thevoicesof some longtimealumnaewhoalsodreamedforabetterfuture,wecanidentifythecharacteristicsofonehistoricallyBlackuniversitywhereindividualsengagedinsolidandsupportiveeducationalexperiencesasaresultofadeepbeliefthateverystudentshouldbevalued.Further,Lincolngraduatesspeakabouttheuniversity’sHomecominginamysticalandsomewhatreverentmanner.ForLincolnites,Homecomingseemstobemuchmorethanaseriesofweekendactivitiesorevenaneventtoattendinthefall.Whetherage33or93,thesegraduatesmakeittheirbusinesstogobackforHomecomingeachandeveryyear.Forobserverswhoarenon-Lincolnites,thispersistentdoggednessbecametheobjectofstudy. Whatwetookawayfromthegroupofwomenweinterviewed,whostudiedsolongago,isthattherearestrategieswecanemployinmanyoftoday’sschoolswhosestudentsmaybestrugglingtofindtheirvoiceandtoachieve.Further,whileweinterviewedthesegraduatesabouttheiracademicandsociallivesattheuniver-sitylevel,wefoundthattherewerecertaincharacteristicsaboutLincolnthatareimportantforanyschoolatanylevel.ThesecharacteristicsincludeaverycloseadherencetowhatVanessaSiddle-Walkertermsinstitutional caring,whereeverystudentisvaluedandwhereeverythingthathappensattheschoolisstudent-cen-tered.Herworkinvolvesacriticalanalysisofsegregatedschoolsinthesouthandsheassertsthatteachershadacommitmenttothecommunity,heldprofessionalideals,demonstratedanethicofcare,andrelatedthecurriculumdirectlytostudentneeds(Siddle-Walker,2001,p.769-771).Institutionalcaringwasandisatthecore

ofLincolnUniversity,andwerelyonthisframeworktoidentifypreciselyhoweducatorstodaycancapitalizeonthisrichhistory. For this inquiry,we focusedon theexperiencesof fourwomenwho todayremainclosefriendsandprovideaveryclearpictureofstudent lifeatLincolnUniversityduringthe1930sand1940s,bothacademicallyandsocially.Weusedoralhistorycombinedwiththetraditionsofnarratology(Chase,2008;Clandinin&Connelly,2000)andphenomenology(Creswell,2007;Moustakas,1994;vanManen)toexaminetheirstories.LewensonandHerrmann(2008)suggestthatoralhistoryis,“amicro-history,ora“historyfrombelow,”foregroundinghistoryfromamicroratherthanamacroperspective:theexperienceofpeopleintheirordinary,day-to-daylives”(p.81).Further,theauthorsassert:

Oralhistoryseekstoopposepresentationofhistoryasthegrandnarrative,whichoftenrepresentstheperspectivesofthemostpowerful,themostinfluentialandsocially dominant or ruling groups to the exclusion of the stories of the lesspowerful,theordinarypeople,orthemarginalizedones.Moreover,oralhistorycanprovideevidenceofpeople’sworkandlifeexperienceofwhichlittleotherwrittenmaterialexists.(p.81)

Alignedwithourapproach,Chase(2008)suggeststhatanarrativeis“an extendedstoryaboutasignificantaspectofone’slifesuchasschooling,work,...orpar-ticipationinawarorsocialmovement”(p.59).Phenomenology,throughtheuseofin-depthinterviews,supportedthesearchforwhatvanManen(1990)describedasthe“internalmeaningstructuresoflivedexperiences”(p.10). Atthetimeofthestudy,threeofthefourwomenlivedinthesameseniorlivingcomplex,whereweconductedafocusgroupsessiontogatherholisticallyinitialmemoriesoftheirexperiencesandtobuildtrust.Weinterviewedtheoneparticipantwholivedindependentlyatherhomeusingthesamesetofpreliminaryquestions.Informationfromthefocusgroupandthesingleinterviewprovidedaframeworkfor developing follow-up questions. Finally, for all participants, we conductedsemi-structuredinterviewswithcontextualizedquestionswithintheirhomesoverasixmonthtimeperiod.Ourintentwastodeterminewhetherandhowtheirstoriesmightservetoillustratethecharacteristicsinherentincaringinstitutions.Wealsoexaminedarchivaldata,includingyearbooks,newspapers,newsletters,photographs,andpersonallettersfromtheseparticipants.Webelievedittobecriticaltodocu-mentthelivedexperiencesof thesewomenasonevalidmethodforunderstandingnotonlywhatitmeanttobeanAfrican-Americanscholarintheearlypartofthe20thCentury,butwhatoverarchingthemesmightbeevidentbetweenandamongthem.Thus,weanalyzedalldataandidentifiedsignificantthemesthatsupportedthetenetsofinstitutionalcaring,includingstudentsupport,academicrigor,andsocialadvocacy.Ultimately,ourgoalwastomakemeaningoftheirstoriesinordertoacknowledgetheimportanceoftheworkundertakenbythemenandwomenatthishistoricallyblackuniversityandhowtheirlegaciescanimpactfuturestudentsmatriculatingthroughthisinstitutionandothersimilarinstitutions.

Life History Participants Aspreviouslystated,atotaloffourAfrican-AmericanwomengraduatesofLincoln University participated in this study: Mila Helen Lewis Banks, Helen Gertrude Whitley Bardwell, Gladys L. Williams Bruce, and Constance (Connie) Bell Livingston Powell. AnintroductiontoeachoftheseLincolnitesfollows.

Mila Helen Lewis BanksgraduatedfromLincolnUniversityin1938.ShegrewupinSpringfield,Missouri,andbecameamemberofDeltaSigmaThetaandthePan-HellenicCouncilduringhertimeatLincoln.Upongraduation,shetaughthighschoolEnglishintheKansasCity,MissouriSchoolDistrict(KCMSD)for47years.ShemarriedIsaiahBanks,herLincolnUniversitysweetheart,whoalsoworkedintheKansasCityMissouriSchoolDistrict.SheandIsaiahreturntoLincolnyearafteryearsincegraduating,andhasonlymissedoneHomecoming.TheymentoredhundredsofstudentsandshepherdedtheirLincolnUniversityexperience,providingscholarshipmoniesdirectlytostudentsandtheschool,andspearheadedafunddevelopmentdriveforthecampusduringatimeoffinancialcrisis.Theywereresponsibleforkeepingthedoorsopentostudentsduringthe1980s(seeAppendixB). Helen Gertrude Whitley Bardwellgraduatedin1939.ShegrewupinKansasCity,Kansas,andwasinvolvedinseveralactivitiesatLincoln,includingtheAlphaKappaAlpha Sorority, Secretary Senior Class,YWCA, Choral Society, Octette,StudentForum,SecondAssociateEditorArchives,Pan-HellenicCouncil,andtheHistoryClubShealsotaughtintheKCMSDthenbecamecounselorandservedfor47years.Knowninhighschoolandcollegeforherloveofhistoryandhavingakeenmemory,Gertrudemaintainedthatstatusthroughoutadulthoodashistorianforsev-eralorganizationsincludingtheTwinCitians(anAfricanAmericanladiesclubthathelpedtoorganizedsit-insindowntownKansasCityduringthetumultuous1960s).Sheisoftencalledthecommunity’shistorianbecauseshekeepsnewspaperclippings,programbooklets,andinvitationsofherfriendsandthechildrenofherfriends,andevenkeepsthoseofthegrandchildrenofherfriends(seeAppendixC). Gladys L. Williams Brucegraduatedin1942.ShegrewupinKansasCity,Kansas,andwasanelementaryeducationmajoratLincoln.HeractivitiesincludedArchives(Yearbook),Clarion(Newspaper),Stage-crafters,AlphaKappaAlphaSorority,andshewasalsocrownedMissLincoln.Upongraduation,shetaughttotalof44yearsinthreestates:Missouri(KCMSD),California,andLasVegas.ShereturnedtoKansasCitythreeyearsagoafterherhusbanddied.Knownasaprominentsocialite,thissoftspokenformerbeautyqueenbecameacivilrightsactivist.Forexample,duringthelate1950sinKansasCity,Missouri,sheenergizedseveralAfrican-Americanwomen’sorganizationsandledeffortstoboycottlocaldowntownmerchantswhotreatedthemunfairly.Shesaidthatherquietrefusaltoacceptsecondhandtreatmentwasmotivatedbyherdesiretobearolemodelforherstudentsandthatshefeltshehadtodemonstratetothemexactlywhatself-respectmeant(seeAppendixD). Constance (Connie) Bell Livingston Powellgraduatedin1944.ShewasraisedinKansasCity,Kansas,andbecameanelementaryeducationmajoratLincoln.

She wasamemberoftheDeltaSigmaThetaSororityandshetaughtfirstgradeintheKCMSDfor45years.AsamemberoftheTwinCitians,ConniemarchedwithherfriendstointegratethedowntownshopsinKansasCity(seeAppendixE). Eachofthesewomensharedherownuniquestoryandtakentogether,theirstoriesandcriticaldocumentsprovidenewopportunitiestoexaminesomeoftheunderlyingprinciplesofHistoricallyBlackCollegesandUniversitiesthatareim-portantlessonsforallofus.

Conceptual Framework:Institutional Caring and Historically Black Colleges and Universities As statedearlier,VanessaSiddle-Walker (2001)providesaveryclear lenswithwhichwemayviewtheactivitiesthattookplaceonmanyHistoricallyBlackCollegesandUniversitiesintheearly20thCentury.WhileSiddle-Walker’sresearchexaminesthelivesandworkofschoolteachersinthesegregatedsouthandtheirinteractionwithyoungerstudents,weseerealconnectionsbetweenwhathappenedforschoolchildren incaring(segregated)settingsandhowstudentsatLincolnUniversityweretreated.KeepinginmindtherealitythatthefacultyatLincolnhadthemselvesexcelledinsegregatedschoolsandweretaughtbyskilledandcaringteachers,itbecomesevidentthatmuchoftheirexperienceinwhatitmeanttobeascholarandtoachieveamidsthorrificchallengestheyprobablylearnedinaschoolthatexhibitedinstitutionalcaring.Siddle-Walker(2001)notes:

African-Americanteachersworkedindismal,unfair,discriminatorypositions,butdidnotallowthemselvestobecomevictimsoftheirenvironments.Rather,theyviewedthemselvesastrainedprofessionalswhoembracedaseriesofideasabouthowtoteachAfricanAmericanchildrenthatwereconsistentwiththeirprofessionaldiscussionsand theirunderstandingof the African-Americancommunity.Theteachers existed in a complex system where the needs of African-Americanchildren were formulated and communicated in systematic and purposefulways.This system created, sustained, and was informed by the beliefs of theAfrican-Americanteachersandthelargercommunity;itrepresentedaplanfortheeducationofAfrican-Americanchildren,thetenetsofwhichwerecommonlyagreedupon.(p.773)

AndsothefacultyandadministrationatLincolncloselymirroredthisidea—thatwhilestudentswouldbeworkingandlearningto existinaracistandsegregatedworld,theywouldalsobechallengedtoliveuptoveryhighexpectationsandtoexcelwhilefacingdifficultodds.Indeed,whatSiddle-Walkercautionsisthatwenotlimitourviewoftheteacherinthistimetoonewhosimplycared.Herdefini-tionofcaringgoesfarbeyondthenotionofamotherlyorfatherlyfigurepassivelyteachingchildrentocopewiththeirdismallotinlife.Whiletherewerecertainlyparentalqualitiesinherentintheprofession,shenotesthat,

To reduce the African-American teacher’s role to one in which they merely“care”diminishestheprofessionalandcommunityknowledgethatexplainstheircaring…[Further,]portraitsofAfrican-Americanteachersaspassivevictimsof

inequality failtoaccountfortheresistance,resilience,andagencythatwasthenatureoftheAfrican-Americanteachingact.(p.774)

Thus,therewasanactivismabouttheirprofessionalworkthatwesawevidencedinourresearchontheexperiencesofstudentsatLincolnUniversity.Facultyweredeeplyengagedinstudentlife,wereextremelyhighlyqualified,andwerededicatedtocreatinganatmospherewhereallstudentscouldthrive.

Discussions of the Lincoln Experience

Homecoming at Lincoln: A Glimpse ToillustratelifeatLincolnandsetthecontextofthelivedexperiencesofthefourwomenofourstudy,weprovideadescriptiveoverviewofHomecomingatLincoln.TheseoccurrencescenteraroundatraditionthathasbeenheldfordecadesandprovideaglimpseintothehomecomingexperienceatLincoln.(seeAppendicesF-MforillustrationsofLincolnUniversitycampusandstudentlife.)

Thursday Night: The Coronation Thursdayisthecoronation,thecrowningofMissLincolnandtheannouncementofhercourt.AllgatherinPageAuditorium.Drapedinblueandwhiteandfilledwithgreeneryfromthehorticulturesciencelab,stagelightscomeupandthebandbeginstoplay.MissLincolniscrownedasqueen.Hercourt,consistingofafemaleelectedrepresentativefromthefreshmen,sophomore,junior,andseniorclasses,isnamed.AttendingtheQueenandherCourtaretheSweethearts,electedrepresentativesofeachoftheGreekorganizationsoncampus,includingthesororitiesofDeltaSigmaThetaandAlphaKappaAlpha;andthefraternitiesofKappaAlphaPsiandAlphaPhiAlpha.TheAuditoriumeruptsinapplauseandcelebrationastheQueenofLincolnUniversityandherroyalCourtexittheauditorium.Laterintheevening,allreturntotheauditoriumthathasbeentransformedintoagrandballroom.Now,filledwithpaperstreamers,andmusicfromtheforty-threepieceLincolnUniversitySymphonyOrchestraandBigBand,thenewlycrownedroyalsdancetheeveningaway.

Friday: Soldiers’ Memorial Tribute and Soul Food Dinner HighlightsofFridayHomecominghappeningshoveraroundremembrancesofLincolnUniversity’sfoundingfathersandthesavorysmellsofgoodolddownhomecooking,bothupontheHillanddownontheFoot.OnFridayafternoonacrossthestreetfromtheStudentUnioninthecenteroftheQuad,Lincolnitesgathertopayhomagetothebravemenofthe62ndand65thcoloredinfantrywhosegenerosityandvisiongaverisetoLincolnin1866.Followingthememorialtributecurrentstudentsandreturningalumsconnectwithoneanother,formallyandinformally.WhetheratthetopoftheHillinthecafeteriaordownontheFootinoneofthefamiliar,locals’home-away-from-home,Lincolnitesclustertomeetandeatatraditionalsoulfoodmeal.Thereisfriedchicken,mashedpotatoeswithgravy,friedcatfish,spaghettired,

collardgreens,greenbeans,cornbread,candiedyams,macaroniandcheese,hotbutteredrolls,applepie,peachcobblerwithicecream,andsweetteaandlemonade.Thefoodneverrunsoutandtheconversationsgointothemidnighthour.

Saturday Festivities: Parade, Game, Socials FirstthingSaturdaymorningistheparade.TheQueenandherRoyalCourtrideincarsprovidedbyvisitingalumni.TherearemarchingbandsfromaroundthestateledbytheBigBlueandWhiteandtrucksandsomedecoratedtractorsmovewiththemarch.Thestreetsarefilledwithstudents,visitingalumni,andlocalswhogathertowatchitallincludingthedignitariesfromtheCapital,andthosefromthegovernor’soffice,whorideandwaveinthepageant.Theprocessionculminatesattheentranceofthefootballfield.Laterintheafternoonthereisthepeprallyandtheexcitementofthebiggameisfollowedbyastudentconcertandanalumniandstudentdance.InbetweenformalactivitiesstudentsandalumswalkaroundtheQuad, talking, laughing,andsharingstories.Thereis lotsofpicturetakingandcatching-up.AnotherbigthingtodoistogooffcampustoArris’Pizza,thelocalpizzaparlor,stilloperatedbyoriginalfamilymembers.Theoff-campustripalwaysconcludeswithatriptoCentralDairy,the icecreamparlorwell-knownforthebiggestscoopsoficecreamintheMidwest.Inall,thisisatimewhenpeoplecometogethertofindandshareasenseofbelongingthatwewantedtounderstand.

We Were Just Like Brothers and Sisters Thenarrativethatfollowswasdevelopedthroughaweavingofthedatafromall of the various interview sessions.What became evident through the focusgroupsessionandtheindividualinterviewswiththeseLincolngraduatesisthattheyconsiderthemselves—tothisday—tobefamily,thusillustratingthethemeofstudentsupport.Theycamefromsomeofthemostpoverty-strickencommunitiesandhomesandtobeabletoattendauniversityatallinthe1930sand1940swasconsideredamajoraccomplishment.Mostworkedotherjobsoutsideofschoolorreceivedsmallscholarshipstopaythemeagertuitionatthetime.Theywouldalsosupporteachotherinnumerousways—Gertude’sauntwouldgiveGladysaridetoLincolnfromKansasCity,forexample,anddepositheratanotherrelative’shouseneartheuniversityuntilshecouldgetsettledinadormitory.Milawouldgetajobworkingattheschool’scafeteriatomakeendsmeet,primarilybecauseafriendknewthemanager.Essentially,studentstookcareofeachotherandfacultyandtheadministrationlookedoutforeverybody.Gladysstated:

Well,wewereverypoor,andIreallythoughtwewouldn’tbeabletogotoLincoln.My fatherandmotherwerepracticalpeople.Myfatherhadajobintheshoedepartment,andmymotherhadnotfinishedhighschool—theywereyoung.Asaconsequence,IhavebeenpracticalsinceIwasfiveyearsold.IfirstwenttoseeLincolnwhenIwasaseniorinhighschool.Icamebackandsaid,‘IwanttogoLincolnU!’Igotajobwithaladyeverydaywashingupdishes.Isavedeverythingfromit.Then,IgotajobatanofficeandfinallyIgotasalary.Iworkedmywayupthroughthefirstyearandon,andthatishowIgotthroughcollege.

Connieadded:

Wewereallthesamelevelasfarasmoneywasconcerned—wewereallkindofpoor.Ijustthoughtthatwasoneofthebestthingsthateverhappenedtome.Everyonewasonthesamelevel.Ihadneverbeennearacollegeofanykind.Ihadheardaboutthem.Ididn’tknowtoomuchaboutcollege.IhadanideaofwhatitofferedandIknewthatifyouwenttocollegeyouwouldhaveabetterlife,becauseyoucouldgetamuchbetterjob.WehadafewblacklawyersanddoctorsbecausetheywouldcometoKansasCitytogetfurthertraining.Youknewyouhadtogotocollegetobeanythinglikethat.

GladysremembersexactlywhatitwasliketobeapartofthegrandeurofHome-comingandshegetsabittearytalkingaboutherdaysatLincolnandmeetingherhusbandthere.

IwasHomecoming queenmy junior yearwhen Imetmy husband.Weweremarriedinsecretbecauseatthattimeifyouwantedtobeateacher,youcouldn’tbemarried.AndIwantedtobeateacher,sowedidn’ttellanybody.Icouldn’thavegonetoaschoolthatIlikedmore.Notonlybecausetheteachersweregoodteachers,butwelearnedhowtogetalongwithfolks.Ihadanewroommateeveryyear.IstayedintouchwithpeopleafterIgraduated.TherewassomethingaboutLincolnthatwewerereallyfondofeachother.

Conniestated:

Youknoweveryonealwayssaid,‘Don’tletyourHomecomingbeyourhomegoing!’becausewe justhadsomuch fun,andgot soexcited.Wewalkedeverywherewewent;weappreciatedeverylittlebitofmoney.Itwasjustlikeafamily.Andschool…Youknow…Itwasgreat.Ienjoyeditsomuch.

MilasaidofhertimethereandofHomecoming:

Iwouldsayfrom1939to1950ImissednotasingleHomecoming.In1950,wedidmissonce,butIwouldliketothinkIhavemadeabout95%ofHomecomings.WhateverIamtoday,IowetoLincoln.WithoutLincolnUniversityandtheLordJesusChristIwouldn’tbewhoIam.Oureveryneedwasmet.

The Black Harvard—West of the Mississippi Thesecondthemecapturedinthedatacenteredonacademicrigorandhighexpectations.Mila remarkedon thequalityof the educational experiences andinparticularcommentsonthehighlevelofprofessionaltrainingamongfacultymembers:

TheotherreasonwelovedLincolnsoandreturnedeveryyearisthatLincolnwasanunusualschoolinthatprofessorswerehighlytrained,wellprepared,Ph.D.andsoforth,becausetheywereBlacktheycouldn’tgetjobsinotherschools.AndtheyallcametoLincoln,sothatiswhytheysaidLincolnwastheBlackHarvardwestoftheMississippi.

Further,institutionalcaring,witheducatorsgoingfarbeyondtheclassroomrespon-

sibilitiestoreachstudentsandtosecuretheiracademicsuccess,isevidencedbytheirwillingnesstoembracetheirstudentsasindividualsfacingtremendousoddsoutsidethesafetyoftheacademy,andwhowouldneedtofeelasenseofsecurityandfamilyduringtheirtimeatLincoln.Gertruderemarked:

Theprofessorswereallinterestedinusandexcellent.Therewerewonderfulscienceteachers.Alotofthemtookgreatinterestinourlivesandourability.IknowDr.Green—ifhecouldn’tgetitdoneinclasstime,hewouldinvitethewholeclasstohishomeintheeveningtocompletetheworkwehadtodo.Wewouldgothere,andthestudentsdidn’tmiss,either.Hiswifewasverycooperativeandwelcoming.Dr.TalbertgothisPh.D.at24yearsold.Hetaughtmathematics.Ohyes,hewassuperb,too.Studentslovedhim.Hemarriedaboutayearafterhewasthere.Wifewasnice,too.Iftheteachernotedastudentneededhelp,usuallythatteacherwouldaskoneofthebetterstudentstoworkwiththatotherstudent.Ibelieveitwasinalgebraagirlwasassignedtoworkwithme.

ThestudentbodycamemostlyfromMidwesternstates,butincludedothersfromallover thecountry,andtheoverwhelmingsentimentseemedtobeonewhere,nomatterwherestudentscamefrom,theywereimmediatelyembracedandgiven“family”status.Milaremarked:

TheotherthingthatwasmostoutstandingwasthefactthatwehadstudentsthroughouttheUnitedStatesatLincoln.MyfriendCynthiawasaBostonianandshewaslikeaboltoflightning—verybrilliant,busy,andfriendly.WehadonegirlcomefromCalifornia.TherewerestudentsfromPaloAlto,SanFrancisco,Texas,Oklahoma,Pennsylvania,Ohio,andjusttheothernightIwastalkingwithafriendinSanFranciscoandIaskedherwhyshecametoLincolnandwhysheloveditso.Shesaidneverbeforehadshehadsuchalifechange,whereshewascompletelythrilledandhappy.SoonaftershegottoLincolnherfatherdiedandshetalkedabouthowlovelytheotherstudentswerehelpinghergetpackedtogobackhomeforthefuneral.

Inaddition,thefacultyseemedtoinstillasenseofprideandprofessionalisminstudents,holdinghighexpectationsforthemandmaintainingacultureofserious-nessaboutacademicachievement.However,Milanotedthatthiscouldbedonewithhumoronthepartoffaculty:

Well,theprofessorsreallywerequiteseriousabouttheirteaching,andyet,Ithinkyoucouldsayeachandeveryonehadasenseofhumor.OnedayafriendofminenamedWilliesaid,‘Let’snotgotoclass—it’saFriday!’Isaid,‘Okay,’butIknewwhatthereactionwouldbeifwewalkedinlate.Williewentinfirst,andDr.Savagetoldhimhewastoolatefortheclass.Iwentin,andDr.Savagesaid,‘Ms.Lewisyouarelateforclasstoday,however,wewillletthestudentsvoteonthematter.’Well,thestudentsvotedthatIbepermitted.Dr.Savagesaid,‘AnyNoVotes?’Heraisedhishandandsaid,‘NO—Andsoordered.’

In1936,thestudentyearbook,theCollegian noted:

Themostprogressivestudentbodywithitsableststudentleaderscandolittlewithoutacute,energetic,andsympatheticfacultytoadviseandcooperatewiththem…EverystudentofLincolnUniversitymustneedsbeproudofitsfacultywhosemembers,

asproductsofthebesteducationalinstitutionsofthenation,manifestingbreadthofvision,maturityofthought,sobrietyofjudgmentandsincerityofdevotiontotheirstudentsareeminentlyqualifiedtoservethem.(p.18)

Thus,thereseemedtobegreatrespectonthepartofthestudentbodyregardingitsfaculty,notonlybecausetheywereindeed,eminently qualified,toservebutalsobecausetheseinstructorstookgreatpainstoprovideanatmosphereofcollegialityandscholarship,whiledemonstratinganethicofcarethatwouldinstillinstudentsabeliefthat,evenamidstthedeepinjusticesofracismandsegregation,somedaytheirchancewouldcome.

Morning, Noon, and Always, We Are Lincolnites In1937,theLincoln Clarionreportedonthenowwell-knownGaines v. Canadacase.LloydL.Gaines,aformerLincolnstudent,hadwantedtoattendlawschoolinMissouri,andatthetime,therewerenograduateschoolsoflawforAfricanAmericansinthestate.HisteamarguedthathebeadmittedtotheUniversityofMissouriSchoolofLaw.TheNationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofColoredPeople(NAACP)counsel,CharlesH.Houston,appealedtotheMissouriSupremeCourt.Eventually,theGainescasewouldbeheardbytheUnitedStatesSupremeCourtwherehewouldprevail,butforthisstudy,wenotethattheClarionreportedthatonTuesday,May18,1937,“ThereweremanystudentsfromLincolnUniversitywhocrowdedthecourttohearthearguments”(Madison,1937,p.1). Indeed,whatwelearnedfromourinterviewsubjectswasthatstudentsatLincolnnotonlytookgreatinterestinthepoliticaleventsoftheirtime,theyopenlysoughtavenuestobecomeawareofthestruggleagainstinjusticethattheywouldonedayneedtobear,whichsupportedthethemeofsocialadvocacy.Gertrudenoted,“Well,IlearnedabouttheproblemsthatpeoplehadandIlearnedhowtosolvethem,sincetherewasalotoforganizationsdownthere,andwewereabletojoinandbeapartofhelpingotherpeople.”Thesewomenwouldcarrytheseimportantlessonswiththemthroughouttheircareers.Eachofthembecameeducatorsandcommunityleaders,andtheyalsoengagedinprotestsagainstinjusticeinmetropolitanKansasCityintheyearsleadinguptotheCivilRightsMovement.Gladysnoted:

Iwasteachinghere(inKansasCity)atthetime,andsomeofthecafeterias,wehadtostandupwhenwewentshopping.Iresentedit.Wecouldn’ttryonhats,oreatthesameasotherpeople.Itwasdegrading.Wewerebuyingnicehatsandniceclothesinthestores.Italkedtotheclubandsaid,‘Weneedtodosomethingaboutthat.’Wemadesignsandwalkeddowntown.Wewenttothechurchesandsomeofthemvolunteeredtohelp.Itwasaremarkablethingthatitwasmyideatodosomethingaboutit,andpeoplevolunteered.Alotofpeoplewerecooperativeanditworkedout,becausewefinallygottositdown.

Inessence,theseLincolngraduates,nowteachersthemselves,feltaresponsibilitytoliveuptotheidealsoffellowalumslikeLloydGaines,andwiththeadventoftheMovement,theyfirmlybelievedtheyhadaplaceandvoicethatwouldbeheard.TheirteachingstylesalsocloselymatchedwhattheyhadbeenexposedtoatLincoln.

Milastated:

Therearemanywaystoencouragestudentstodobetter.Oneofthepages[intheLincolnyearbook]hasapictureofthetopoffivestudents.Gertrudewasonthatlist.Itwasyearslater,IwaslookingthroughthebookIsawtheBig Five,WhileIwasteachinghereinKansasCity,Ihadahomeroom.IannouncedthatweweregoingtohaveaBig Five.SomeweresoseriousaboutbecomingamemberoftheBig Five.IcanrememberonestudentwhowillstillcallmeandbringupthathewasamemberoftheBig Five.Hehasencouragedhischildrenandgrandchildrentodothebesttheycaninschool.

She wentontocommentonthefactthatsheconsideredeverystudentofherstobecapableofreachingtheirhighestpotential,andthatshedevelopedanoverallphilosophyofteachingwiththisinmindandbecauseofherexperiencesatLincoln.InafarewellcolumnintheClarionfromtheclassof1937,theeditorswrote:

Weperhapsdonotrealizefullythesignificanceofgraduatingfromcollege.Wedounderstand,however,thatweareexpectedtogoforwardwiththoseprinciplesofgoodcitizenshipandhighmoralstandardswhichweresofirmlyimpresseduponourminds inearlieryouth.Maywe take thisopportunity toexpressourappreciationandthankstothefacultyandstudentbodyfortheadvice,assistance,andloyalsupportyouhavetenderedusthroughoutthisschoolyear.Webelievethatthesefouryearsincollegehavebeenthemostprofitableofanyinourlives,andweanxiouslyawaitanopportunitytoproveourselvesworthyofcarryingourpartofthegreatresponsibilityofliving.(p.1)

Aswewritethis,theLincolnUniversitywebsiteisalreadyblastingits“Home-coming2012:SavetheDate!”someninemonthsinadvance.However,MilaBankswouldsaythisisnottoosoon—withparkingbeingdifficultandhotelroomshardtoget,itisimportanttoreservespaceassoonaspossible.She’llmakethetripagain,andsinceshewasMissLincoln,1939,she’llprobablybegiventheroyaltreatmentbecauseeveryonerecognizeshersignificanceasarolemodel.Butshewillnotbereturningtoreceiveaccoladesortoacceptanawardortowaveinaparade.Shewillbegoingtoseegreatfriendsandfamilyandtorememberthegoodtimesandwhatitmeanttoachieveandhavepeoplebelieveinher.Shewillbegoinghome.

Conclusions and Implications WebeganthisworkwiththeintentoflearningmoreaboutthejourneyoffoursuccessfulAfrican-American women who graduated from a historically Blackuniversityinthelate1930sand1940s,throughgivingvoicetotheirstories.Theoverarchingquestionofourinquirywas:Whatmagnetizesthesewomenandothersyearafteryear,compellingthemtoreturntoaplacecalledhomecoming–LincolnUniversity?WebelieveourfindingsrevealedanactionagendaofadvocacythatcanbeusedtosupportinstitutionalcaringforthesuccessofAfrican-AmericanstudentsinHBCUsandNon-HBCUsaswellasinpublicschoolsettings.Advo-cacysuggestschangeinpractices,aneedforempowerment,politicaldebate,and

activecollaboration(Fay,1987;Heron&Reason,1997;KemmisandWilkinson,1998).Educatorsinterestedinasocialjusticeagendashouldconsiderthefollowingtakeawaysastheystrivetocreatemeaningfuleducationalexperiences:

•TheseAfrican-Americanwomenbelievedtheiracademicandprofes-sional successeswere attributed tobeing taughtbyhighly skilled andcaringteachers.

•Theirstoriesdepictedprofessors’plannedandintentionalopportunitiestostructurerelationshipswithstudentsthatincludedinformalgatherings,tutoring,mentoring,andmodelingpositivebehaviors.Theywereviewedastrainedprofessionalswhoembracedstudentsandtheirlifeexperiences.

•Highexpectationsasanestablishednormforacademicsuccesswereexpressedbythefaculty.Thewomenunderstoodthatachievementswereexpected,recognized,andcelebrated.Further,anyacademicdeficitscouldbeovercome.

•Allofthewomenexpressedtheimportanceofacquiringtoolstomakeadifference in theirworldsanddescribedactsofgivingback to theircommunities through volunteer work, philanthropy, and as agents forsocialchange.

•Talesofinvolvementinthelifeoftheinstitutionthroughavarietyofacademic, social, and physical activities suggested that students weresupportedandnurturedinallaspectsoftheirlives.

Siddle-Walker(2001)suggeststhatinstitutionalcaringisatthecoreofstu-dentsuccess,particularly forstudentsofcolorandfor thosewhofacedifficulteducationaland/orsocialchallenges.Indeed,thisnotionofcaringthatincludesafocusonsocialadvocacyandsocialchangeiscriticalforoverallachievementandacademicsuccess.Onewaytodeterminewhetherinstitutionalcaringisinplaceistolistentovoicesofstudents.Toooftenthesevoicesaresilencedandtheirstoriesgounheard.Thus,wesoughttolookbackintimetodrawfromtheexperiencesofagroupofwomenwhoselegaciesserveasamodelfortheverybestofwhatcanbeachievedwhensociallyjuststructuresareinplace. Abriefreviewoftheliteraturerevealsseveralareasforfurtherinquiry,in-cludingafocusontheexperiencesofBlackmenintheacademy(Brown,2008;Byrd&Edwards,2009;Garibaldi,2009;Palmer&Young,2009);ananalysisofthelivesofcontemporarystudentsatHBCUs(Kim,2004;Kim&Conrad,2006;Price,Spriggs,&Swinton,2011);andalookattheexperiencesoffacultycur-rentlyservingatHBCUs(Hooker&Johnson,2011;Minor,2005).Bytakingeachoftheselinesofinquiryastepfurther,theonecentralquestionwouldexaminetheunderlyingpremiseofinstitutionalcaringanditsconnectiontostudentachievementandlifesuccess.Ultimately,wehopethetakeawayfromourresearchisthateverystudentwhoaspirestoreachherorhishighestpotentialexperiencesthesamesup-

port,academicexcellence,andlegacyofadvocacyillustratedbythefourwomeninthisstudy.Further,everystudentwould,asstatedintheClarion(1937),“prove[themselves]worthyofcarrying[their]partofthegreatresponsibilityofliving.”

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Appendix A The Lincoln Clarion,June2,1937.

Appendix BMilaHelenLewisBanks,MissLincoln,Archives,1939.

Appendix CHelenGertrudeWhitleyBardwell,picturedcenter,Archives,1942.

Appendix DGladysL.WilliamsBruce,LincolnUniversityHomecomingQueen,Archives,1942.

Appendix EConstance(Connie)BellLivingstonPowell,Archives,1942.

Appendix FDr.ShermanD.Scruggs,President,LincolnUniversity,Archives,1939.

Appendix GArchives,1939.

Appendix HPresidentCharlesW.Florence,President,Archives,1936.

Appendix IWomen’sLeague,Archives,1936.

Appendix JWomen’sAthletics,Archives,1939.

Appendix KMen’sFootballTeam,Archives,1939.

Appendix LCarverChemistryClub,Archives,1936.

Appendix MCommencementProgram.

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