SHIFTING IDSTORY, SHIFTING MISSION, SHIFTING IDENTITY: THE SEARCH FOR SURVIVAL AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI) 1866-1997 By CYNTIDA J. CHAPEL Bachelor of Science Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma 1971 Master of Education University ofCentral Oklahoma Edmond, Oklahoma 1978 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION August, 1997 1~~5'.... i 'tC/1.o Cit-b ;i. f COPYRIGHT By Cynthia Jewell Chapel August, 1997 SHIFTING HISTORY, SHIFTING MISSION, SHIFTING IDENTITY: THE SEARCH FOR SURVIVAL AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI), 1866-1997 Thesis Approved: Thesis Advisor Dean of the Graduate College 11 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to Dr. David Webster, chairperson of my dissertation committee and major advisor. It was his early instruction in. the history of higher education which launched my study of an institution's history. I also wish to express sincere gratitude to the members of my committee, Dr. Deke Johnson and Dr. Kenneth H. McKinley, both of the Educational Administration and Higher Education Department, and Dr. James M. Smallwood of the Department of History for their willingness to serve and their encouragement. I heartily thank the following people for their enthusiastic and valuable assistance: Dr. Antonio Holland, Dr. Timothy Roberts, Elizabeth Wilson, Yvette Ford, Mary Simmons, John Lowrance, and David Luther. I owe the production of this massive study to the collective family efforts, sacrifices, and skills ofmy husband, Nimrod; our son, Nimrod, Jr.; and our daughter, Cynthia. Without their consistent enthusiastic support, this study could not have been completed. Finally, I thank my parents and sisters for their unwavering faith and aid in reaching this goal. lll TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION 1 Growth of the Black Population in the Louisiana Territory 3 The Black Population at Statehood 5 The Push for Freedom and the Legacy of Education 6 Free Blacks and Slaves in Missouri Before the War 10 Black Soldiers in Missouri During the War 12 Early Education in Jefferson City, Missouri 16 The Fight for Common Schools in Missouri 20 II. THE IDEA OF LINCOLN INSTITUTE 35 The Glory of the 62nd 3 7 Mustering Out 42 III. LINCOLN INSTITUTE AND STATE GOVERNMENT 60 IV. THE FOUNDING OF AN INSTITUTION 69 Capt. Richard B. Foster, Principal, 1868-70 71 Special Work to Do 75 Walter H. Payne, Principal, 1870-71 76 A New Principal, A New Building-Rev. M. Henry Smith, 1871-1873 79 The Seminary Model 83 The School Agenda 86 The Veterans Return 87 Foster as Agent 91 The Normal Course 91 Samuel T. Mitchell, Principal, 1875-78 95 AC. Clayton, Principal, 1879-January 1880 107 V. THE GROWTH AND OPERATIONS OF A "SEPARATE" SCHOOL 109 Inman E. Page, President, 1879-98 110 The Governor's Kudos 119 IV Memorial to a Founding Board Member 125 Early Black Institute Choirs 126 Not Separate from Politics, Not Equal in Education 130 Dr. Page at Langston University 152 Next? 155 John H. Jackson, President, 1898-1901 156 Changes in Student Policy 157 Exhibiting Industrial Skills 157 Lectures and Promotional Events 158 Integrating Industrial, Agricultural, and Classical Curricula 159 Praise from the Governor 161 President Jackson's Background 165 Progress at Langston 166 Money,Money~Money 167 Memorial to the Founding Principal, RB. Foster 169 Edward E. Clarke, President, January-June, 1902 173 New Uniforms 176 President Clarke Out 181 And Next? 182 VI. LEADERSHIP FOR A NEW CENTURY 183 Benjamin F. Allen, President, 1902-18 184 Josephine Silone-Yates, Professor, 1881-89, 1902-10 189 Lincoln's Different Board Criteria 203 The Impact of Education Trends-New Rules, New Uniforms, New Courses 204 The Business of Educating-The Vision of the Administration 206 Jefferson City's Racial Environment 207 The Boarding School Philosophy 216 Memorial to a Legend-James Milton Turner 223 Clement Richardson, President, 1918-22 230 The Environment of State Politics 239 What's in a Name? 245 Inman E. Page, President, 1922-23 252 VII. THE ATTITUDE OF A UNIVERSITY 257 Nathan B. Young, President, 1923-27 258 Legacies to Build On: Growth of a University Culture 261 Fraternities and Sororities 263 The Instructional Domain 266 Working Toward the Goal of Accreditation 268 Progress Toward Accreditation 274 Memorial to Lincoln's First Black Principal 277 The Beginning of Lincoln's Athletic and Scholastic Culture 279 Traditions: Reviving, Ending, Beginning 280 V Board Business 283 Changes in Student Culture 284 New Board, Old President-Again 285 William B. Jason, President, 1928-29 288 Goodbye Mr. Jason 291 Nathan B. Young, President, 1929-31 292 Charles W. Florence, President, 1931-37 300 Yet Another Survey 303 Negro History Week 307 Changes in Student Matriculation and Faculty Upgrading 308 Dalton Vocational School 309 High School Day 312 Lincoln Receives Full Accreditation 314 Lloyd W. Gaines and Desegregation in Missouri 320 The Firing of Another President 321 Sherman D. Scruggs, President, 1938-56 322 Faculty Discipline 323 A New Academic Climate 324 The Master of Arts Degree 326 Celebrating the 75th Anniversary 326 Lucille Bluford and Desegregation at the University of Missouri-Columbia 328 The Midwest Journal: Scholarship and Creativity 328 . A Growth in Facilities 332 Memorial to an Early Educator-Clement Richardson 333 The Organized Alumni 334 Althea Gibson-Tennis Great 337 The Era of the Black College 338 New Student Involvement 340 Faculty Evaluation and Education 341 Earl E. Dawson, President, 1956-69 342 Enrollment Exceeds 1000 343 Honorary Degrees 344 Athletics in the 1950s 347 Lincoln University, Jefferson City and Integration 350 Desegregation and Enrollment 352 The School of Law Closes 359 Integration and Burgeoning Enrollment 360 Memorial to a Staunch Supporter-Dr. J. D. Elliff 363 The End of a Chaotic Era 365 VIII. LET'S HAVE A SIT-IN LIFE EVERYBODY ELSE 366 The Alumni Achievement Award in the 1960s 371 Demographic and Curriculum Changes in the Mid- l 960s 372 Campus News 375 Athletics in the l 960s-Stars and Glory 376 Vl Bowling, Lincoln and the NAACP 378 Unsettled Matters 387 Walter C. Daniel, President, 1969-73 392 A Surprise Resignation 394 James Frank, President, 1973-82 395 Forward Ideas vs. Backward Funding 398 Out of Favor 399 Dr. Frank and the Sports World 400 Revenue Woes 402 A Consultant's Review 403 Drastic Restructuring 404 IX. THE AGE OF RESTRUCTURING 420 John Chavis, Acting President, 1982-84 420 Thomas M. Jenkins, President, 1984-86 420 Wendell G. Rayburn, President, 1988-96 431 Enrollment Woes 434 The I 25th Anniversary 435 Memorial to a Former President-Walter C. Daniel 443 Reallocation Plan 443 AmeriCorps at Lincoln University 445 President Muluzi of Malawi Visits Lincoln 446 Memorial to Lincoln's 15th President 447 Board Member Voting Challenged 447 Reallocation-Part I 455 Reallocation-Part II 457 At the End of Another Administration 459 X. CONCLUSION 464 NOTES WORKS CITED 537 APPENDIXES APPENDIX A-Lincoln University Mission Statement, Revised 1992. APPENDIX B-Selected Texts vu 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Lincoln Institute began as a decision to change the course of events for countless . freed blacks following the Civil War. The decision was to establish a school that would specifically address the literacy needs of those former slaves and children of slaves residing in Missouri, a state admitted to the Union in 1821 as a slave state. Missouri law prohibited the education of slaves or freed blacks; it was a crime punishable by death as established by the slave codes enacted by the colonizing French and Spanish. That was the overriding concern of Lincoln Institute' s founding black veterans of the 62nd and 65th Colored Infantries who were stationed in Texas when troops disbanded. These black men had to petition the U.S. government to be allowed to fight in the war. They dug trenches and performed manual labor in the hot sun of their tour of duty. Several of them died from heat stroke, exhaustion, malnutrition, disease, and stray bullets. Nevertheless, these veterans did not want to return to lives of poverty and despair in Missouri, having seen bondspeople in horrible conditions on Louisiana plantations and on Texas farms. They wanted to establish a school in Missouri so their children could have better lives. Fortunately, their commanding officers complied with their desires. 2 Lincoln Institute began when one commanding officer from· the 62nd was persuaded to lead the effort to establish a school. He became the first teacher of two students who awaited his arrival in a condemned log cabin located outside the limits of • Jefferson City, Missouri, the state capitol. These students wanted skills and knowledge; however, those desires were not the product of the Civil War alone. They were legacies from the earliest generations of African captives .transported from the West Indies into the large territory west of the Mississippi River. Forty five years after statehood at the close of the Civil War, Missouri's newly freed African Americans realized that their survival depended on their paid skilled labor and the value of an education for future • generations. Literacy was essential. To that end, several forces came to bear on the evolution of Lincoln Institute. Constrain.ed by codes and laws, poverty and brutality, • racism and fear, the population of African descendants who remained in Missouri after the War knew that survival was tenuous without hope. The veterans of the 62nd and 65th Colored Infantries made that hope a reality. The black veterans who contributed to the founding of a school in Missouri were fulfilling a legacy. Their initial resolution committed them to a unique undertaking. As freedmen following their service to the Union army, their goal to change the lives of;.