A Place Called Homecoming - ERIC · 2013-08-02 · A Place Called Homecoming the old Hill at the...
Transcript of A Place Called Homecoming - ERIC · 2013-08-02 · A Place Called Homecoming the old Hill at the...
�
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
10
A Place Called Homecoming
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.
11
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
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.
12
A Place Called Homecoming
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
13
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
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,
14
A Place Called Homecoming
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.
15
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
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-
16
A Place Called Homecoming
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,
1�
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
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.
1�
A Place Called Homecoming
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
1�
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
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-
20
A Place Called Homecoming
port,academicexcellence,andlegacyofadvocacyillustratedbythefourwomeninthisstudy.Further,everystudentwould,asstatedintheClarion(1937),“prove[themselves]worthyofcarrying[their]partofthegreatresponsibilityofliving.”
ReferencesBrown,R.(2008).Perceived influence of societal dissonance, self-efficacy, African American
male mentorship, and institutional support on the academic success of African American males in a predominantly White Institution of higher education: An institutional case study. RetrievedfromProQuestDissertations&Theses(UMINo.3333623).
Bryd,G.,&Edwards,C. (2009).Role of historically Black colleges and universities in recruiting and retaining African American males.InH.T.Frierson,J.H.Wyche,W.Pearson(Eds.).Black American males in higher education: Research programs and academe(pp.139-167).London,UK:EmeraldGroupPublishing.
Chase,S.E.(2008).Narrativeinquiry:Multiplelenses,approaches,voices.InN.K.Denzin&Y.S.Lincoln(Eds.),Collecting and interpreting qualitative materials (pp.57-94).LosAngeles:Sage.
Clandinin,D. J.,&Connelly,F.M. (2000).Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in qualitative research.SanFrancisco:Jossey-Bass.
Creswell, J.W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches.Thousand Oaks,CA:Sage.
Darton,A.W.(Ed.).(1939).Archives [yearbook].JeffersonCity,MO:LincolnUniversitySeniorClass.
Fay,B.(1987).Critical social science.Ithaca,NY:CornellUniversityPress.Florence,C.W.(1937,June2).Partingwordstostudents.Lincoln Clarion, 6(12),1.Gainesv.Canada,305U.S.337(1938).Garibaldi,A.M.(2009).TheeducationalstatusofAfricanAmericanmalesinthe21stcentury.
The Journal of Negro Education, 76(3),324-333.Heron,J.,&Reason,P.(1997).Aparticipatoryinquiryparadigm.Qualitative Inquiry,3,
274-294.Hooker, K., & Johnson, B.J. (2011).AfricanAmerican male faculty satisfaction: Does
institutionaltypemakeadifference?Journal of African American Males in Education. 2(2),168-187.
Kemmis,S.,&Wilkinson,M.(1998).Participatoryactionresearchandthestudyofpractice.InB.Atweh,S.Kemmis,&P.Weeks(Eds.),Action research in practice: Partnership for social justice in education (pp.21-36).NewYork:Routledge.
Kim,M.M.(2004,Summer).TheexperienceofAfricanAmericanstudentsinhistoricallyBlackinstitutions.The NEA Higher Education Journal, 107-124.
Kim,M.M.,&Conrad,C.F.(2006).TheimpactofhistoricallyBlackcollegesanduniversitiesontheacademicsuccessofAfrican-Americanstudents.Research in Higher Education, 47(4),399-427.
Lewenson, S.,&Herrman,E. (2008).Capturing nursing history: A guide to historical methods in research. NewYork:SpringerPublishingCompany.
LincolnUniversity.(1937).1937 Yearbook.JeffersonCity,MO:LincolnUniversitySeniorClass.
LincolnUniversityAlumniAffairs.(2010).Let’sdoitagain:Homecoming/Convention2010.Lincoln University Alumni Line Magazine, 20(1),24-25.
LincolnUniversity.(2009).About Lincoln.Retrievedfromhttp://www.lincolnu.edu/web/
21
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
about-lincoln/about-lincolnLincolnUniversity.(1975).The way we were: A memory book. JeffersonCity,MO:Lincoln
University.Madison,C.B.(1937,June2).Partingissuchsweetsorrow.Lincoln Clarion, 6(12),1.Merritt,J.L.(Ed.).(1936).Collegian[yearbook].JeffersonCity,MO:LincolnUniversity
SeniorClass.Merritt, J.L. (Ed.). (1936).The faculty.Collegian (p.18). JeffersonCity,MO:Lincoln
UniversitySeniorClass.Minor, J.T. (2005). Faculty governance at historically Black colleges and universities.
Academe, 91(3),34-37.Moustakas,C.(1994).Phenomenological research methods.ThousandOaks,CA:Sage.Nicholson,L.(Ed.).(1938).Archives [yearbook].JeffersonCity,MO:LincolnUniversity
SeniorClass.Palmer,R.T.,&Young,E.M.(2009).Determinedtosucceed:Salientfactorsthatfoster
academicsuccessforacademicallyunpreparedBlackmalesataBlackcollege.Journal of College Student Retention. 10(14),465-482.
Price,G.N.,Spriggs,W.,&Swinton,O.H.(2011).TherelativereturnstograduatingfromahistoricallyBlackcollege:PropensityscorematchingestimatesfromtheNationalSurveyofBlackAmericans.The Review of Black Political Economy, 38(2),103-130.
Siddle-Walker,V.(2001).AfricanAmericanteachinginthesouth:1940-1960.American Educational Research Journal,38(4),751-779.
vanManen,M.(1990).Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy.NewYork:StateUniversityofNewYorkPress.
Appendix A The Lincoln Clarion,June2,1937.
22
A Place Called Homecoming
Appendix BMilaHelenLewisBanks,MissLincoln,Archives,1939.
23
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
Appendix CHelenGertrudeWhitleyBardwell,picturedcenter,Archives,1942.
24
A Place Called Homecoming
Appendix DGladysL.WilliamsBruce,LincolnUniversityHomecomingQueen,Archives,1942.
25
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
Appendix EConstance(Connie)BellLivingstonPowell,Archives,1942.
Appendix FDr.ShermanD.Scruggs,President,LincolnUniversity,Archives,1939.
26
A Place Called Homecoming
Appendix GArchives,1939.
2�
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
Appendix HPresidentCharlesW.Florence,President,Archives,1936.
2�
A Place Called Homecoming
Appendix IWomen’sLeague,Archives,1936.
2�
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
Appendix JWomen’sAthletics,Archives,1939.
30
A Place Called Homecoming
Appendix KMen’sFootballTeam,Archives,1939.
31
Shirley Marie McCarther, Donna M. Davis, & Loyce Caruthers
Appendix LCarverChemistryClub,Archives,1936.
32
A Place Called Homecoming
Appendix MCommencementProgram.