History
The Alice Freeman Palmer Memorial Institute, better known as Palmer Memorial Institute (PMI), was a school for upper-class African Americans.
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| Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown |
It was founded in 1902 by Dr. Charlotte Eugenia Hawkins Brown in Sedalia, North Carolina near Greensboro. Palmer Memorial Institute was named after Alice Freeman Palmer, former president of Wellesley College and benefactor of Dr. Brown. In the summer of 1902, Miss Hawkins began raising money to open a school. On October 10, 1902, the doors officially opened. It became a fully accredited, nationally recognized preparatory school. More than 1,000 African American students attended the school between 1902 and 1971.[1]
It originally began operating in an old, run-down blacksmith shed, providing education for local rural black youth. From the beginning, Palmer emphasized both an academic and an industrial education.[2] The Institute promoted industrial and academic education. The Institute included a farm, which provided agricultural training and provided a means by which students could work to pay for tuition. In the elementary curriculum, Brown taught spelling, drawing, hygiene, and traditional courses such as arithmetic, reading, and drawing. Students in the upper grades learned history, geography, literature, and grammar.[3] Through its transition from strictly agricultural and vocational training to a sound program in academics, sports were always encouraged at Palmer Memorial Institute.[4]
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| Memorial Hall - circa. 1910s |
In 1902, Charlotte Hawkins Brown and her students began letter-writing project to raise money for construction of a new building. This brought in $500 which was used to construct Memorial Hall in 1905, a three-story building with an inviting appearance. The first floor included classrooms, offices, a library, and a dining room. The second floor was the chapel, and the third floor was the girls' dormitory. Its wide porch ran across the entire front of the building, which made it seem like home to students and teachers alike. The kitchen was located away from the main building.[5]
In 1905, the school saw its first graduating class. At the time, grades 1-12 were offered, but not accredited. Then, in 1907, the school saw its second graduating class.[6]
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Center: Memorial Hall Left: Domestic Science Cottage Right: Grew Hall, Industrial Building circa. 1915 |
Memorial Hall brought about a genuine feeling of togetherness on the campus. It was the center of campus activity, and it may be that in this accomplishment the true Palmer spirit was born. In 1909, Mary R. Grinnell, an early PMI supporter, sent funds to Brown for a new home economics building. When completed it was dedicated as the Mary R. Grinnell Cottage. Construction began in 1914 on a barn that would be used to house the school's farm equipment. In total, about 500 men and women had graduated from PMI. By 1916, Palmer's campus included Memorial Hall (the foundation of Memorial Hall is located directly under the site of Kimball Hall, which is present on the campus today); Grinnell Cottage; Grew Hall, a dormitory for boys; and the Industrial Building, which contained workshops, as well as a YMCA with reading rooms for boys.[5][6]
Two fires, one on December 31, 1917, and another five years later in 1922, resulted in the total loss of the Industrial Building and Memorial Hall. The frame structures were replaced by modern well-equipped buildings ushering in a new academic program, which would meet the demands of a changing student body.[5]
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| Alice Freeman Palmer Building |
Named in honor of noted New England educator Alice Freeman Palmer (1855-1902), this building was the heart and soul of the PMI campus. Alice Palmer, president of Wellesley College, had been an early acquaintance, inspiration, and mentor for young Charlotte Hawkins. Dedicated on April 7, 1922, the Alice Freeman Palmer Building was the first brick structure on the campus. It contained administrative offices, classrooms, the Wellesley Auditorium, and a library, which contained an art collection of reproductions of the world's masterpieces. The latter was purported to be among the first in any Negro school in the South. The building was destroyed by fire in 1971.[5]
Also in 1922, Palmer Memorial Institute was fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, at a time when few African American high schools were. By that time, Brown had built Palmer into the only finishing school of its kind in America. It had evolved into an institution with a national reputation. At its height, the campus consisted of more than 300 acres of land and 14 buildings.[2]
Starting in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the school abandoned an attempt to develop a junior college, changed from its original emphasis on industrial education, discontinued its elementary department, and limited its focus to college preparatory work. The changes proved successful, and by the end of the 1950s Palmer had an enrollment of more than 200.[2]
By the early 1930s, the campus of Palmer Memorial Institute (PMI) had grown to include nearly 400 acres of land and 14 buildings valued at close to $500,000. Steam heated and wired for electricity, the buildings were the envy of the community. Most of the homes in the surrounding Sedalia community did not receive electricity until sometime in the 1940s.[7]
In late 1982, Maria Cole, a niece of Dr. Brown's and widow of late singer Nat King Cole, and friend Marie Gibbs of Greensboro began an effort to obtain recognition of Dr. Brown's social and educational contributions, specifically in regard to Palmer Memorial Institute. Both women, who were former students at Palmer Memorial Institute, sponsored meetings of Palmer alumni and enlisted support for this cause. They also met with North Carolina's Division of Archives and History to explore ideas.
The school enjoyed its heyday in the 1940s as one of the finest finishing schools available for African Americans. Palmer was recognized worldwide, attracting students from more than forty states and several foreign countries, including Liberia and the West Indies. The success of PMI also brought attention from prominent Americans. The acclaimed African American educator Mary McLeod Bethune, and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt each spoke at Palmer during this period. Charlotte Hawkins Brown herself traveled extensively and made inspirational speeches regularly.[7]
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| Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown onstage with PMI students in the campus chapel of the Alice Freeman Palmer Building circa. 1947 |
For decades, over 90 percent of Palmer's graduating students attended college, and 64 percent pursued postgraduate degrees. Several years after Brown's death in 1961, the school began to decline. This was partly a result of integration, which made it possible for African Americans to be admitted to white public schools, and partly because of increasing costs associated with private education. Because of this and other factors, Palmer Institute experienced tremendous financial difficulties and was finally forced to close after a disastrous fire destroyed the school's administration and classroom building in 1971.[2]
| Historical Aerial Photos[8] | ||||||||
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| Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown gravesite present day |
One of the most important features of the Palmer campus is the gravesite of the school's founder. Before the death of Dr. Brown in 1961, the Palmer founder had requested that she be buried on the grounds of the campus she loved. The family of Brown, alumni of Palmer, and Wilhelmina Crosson (second president of PMI) were influential in carrying out Dr. Brown's funeral wishes.[2]
The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History was responsible for placing the upright marker on the gravesite. E. E. Smith (former student and friend of Brown) oversaw of all funeral arrangements and was responsible for having the inscription placed upon her grave. The inscription itself was written by Richard Wharton, chairman of the PMI board of directors until 1971.[2]
Located near Dr. Brown's grave is the prayer altar. Built by Palmer groundskeeper, James Rudd Sr., the meditation, or prayer altar, was constructed from stones that students brought to PMI from all over the country and the Caribbean area. Each morning Brown meditated before beginning her long day at the school. The meditation altar also was used as a time-out area for students who did not follow Brown's strict rules. It also was a favorite place for students and faculty to enjoy the scenic beauty of the campus while relaxing and studying.[2]
Student Life
At PMI good manners, a proper dress code, and social graces were the order of the day. Social gatherings, chaperoned by teachers, and singing were always encouraged at the school.[9]
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| Lunch at Kimball Hall |
"About the campus there is a certain air of culture which is a reflection of the venerable Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown . . . Etiquette training begins at breakfast with nine school mates who all practice the correct way to eat. The boys pull back the chairs for the girls next to them and sit only after the ladies are seated.[9]
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| Dr. Brown speaks at the chapel in the Palmer Building- 1947 |
After chapel there are classes until four. Then comes study, socializing, and chores. All students are required to do two hours' work daily at the school. Assignments are changed every six weeks, and include dishwashing for girls, janitor work for boys, [and] students serve as waiters for a two-week period."[9]
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| The Sedalia Singers perform in the auditorium of Palmer Building - circa. 1930s. |
The Sedalia Singers became the most famous of Palmer's student organizations. The group enjoyed several high-profile performances, including dates at the Symphony Hall in Boston, the Town Hall in New York City, and the White House in Washington, D.C., during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt.[9]
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| Men's Baseball Team - circa. 1918 |
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| Men's Baseball Team - circa. 1930 |
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| Cheerleaders - circa. 1948 |
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| Women's Basketball Team - circa. 1952 |
In addition to the Sedalia Singers, a host of activities provided extracurricular fellowship and enjoyment for Palmer students. These included a theater group known as the Sedalia Players, a dance club, and the Grace L. Deering Literary Society (named for one of Dr. Brown's early teachers). Students also produced a school annual called the Palmerite, and a newspaper known as the Sedalia Sentinel. Sports were also encouraged at the school, and included tennis, baseball, and basketball.[9]
Religion was also very important, and Dr. Brown made sure her students learned passages from the Bible. A chapel service was held each morning before classes started, and the Hallelujah Chorus was sung by the student body at Christmastime and at Easter. Services included a religious message on Wednesday, and announcements and student performances on the other days of the week.
"Alas, in our day good manners for both races are almost outmoded. In many instances, we have lost the art of fine living. The Negro, with all his handicaps, has now the opportunity of his life to develop anew the art of fine manners as one of the means by which he may climb the ladder of success." - Charlotte Hawkins Brown from the CBS Radio program Wings Over Jordan.
Rules for School
An Excerpt from The Correct Thing to Do, to Say, to Wear by Charlotte Hawkins Brown (1941), Chapter IV: At School.
How empty learning, how vain is art, but as it mends the life and guides the heart. —YOUNG
Every school has a definite set of regulations which its students are required to follow in order to maintain discipline and assure the smooth running of the schedule. Persons with varying degrees of power are charged with seeing that the regulations are kept. Aside from this, however, there is a standard decorum that the student himself should foster in order to express himself to the best advantage, and exhibit the right attitude toward the other fellow. The cultivation of traits of honor, thoughtfulness, politeness, honesty, order, and proper appreciation of values is just as much a part of education as is the storing up in one's mind of a vast accumulation of historic, mathematical, and scientific facts.
The Classroom:
1. Always greet the teacher when meeting for the first time, whether it be morning or not.
2. Be sure that you have everything you need--text, paper, pen, etc. Don't be a carpenter without tools.
3. When called on to recite, always make some sort of reply. Don't sit dumbly in the seat and say nothing. Don't even think too long. Valuable minutes are wasted thus.
4. When standing or sitting, hold yourself erect. Don't slouch. Talk clearly and sufficiently loud for everyone in the room to hear.
5. Don't make a habit of laughing at the mistakes of others. This often hinders a person from doing his best.
6. Don't deface property. Writing on or cutting into desks or chairs, writing and drawing in books, breaking the backs, or turning down the corners of pages of texts are evidences of poor training.
7. Make it your business to keep the room in order. Straighten the shades, keep the floor and desks free of waste paper, and erase the boards when they need it.
8. Don't Cheat. You will never learn by "copying" from your neighbor or from the book.
9. Do not argue with or contradict the teacher in class. If you think that she has made a mistake, wait until the hour is over and discuss it with her quietly at the desk.
10. Do not yell out the answers to questions; wait until you are called upon. The teacher will let you know when concert recitation is desired.
11. Don't mistake the classroom for a lunchroom or a bedroom.
Presidents of PMI
- 1902-1952 - Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown
- 1952-1966 - Wilhelmina Marguerita Crosson
- 1966-1970 - Harold E. Bragg
- 1970-1971 - Charles Bundrige
Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum
Bennett College purchased the Palmer campus, but in 1980 it sold 40 acres (160,000 m2) of the main campus with major surviving buildings to the American Muslim Mission. The Muslims, who belong to the community which followed, Imam Warith Deen Mohammed; tried to establish a teacher's college but abandoned this project due to the bad condition of the campus.
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| Canary Cottage present day |
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| Carrie M. Stone Teacher's Cottage present day |
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| Charles W. Eliot Hall present day |
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| Kimball Hall present day |
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| Galen L. Stone Hall present day |
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| The Tea House present day |
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| Massachusetts Congregational Woman's Cottage present day |
Through the assistance of North Carolina Senator Bill Martin, a special bill was passed in the 1983 General Assembly that allowed for planning by Archives and History of the state's first African American state historic site as a memorial to Dr. Brown.
The restored campus buildings of the Palmer Memorial Institute are now the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum, which belongs to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and links Dr. Brown and Palmer Memorial Institute to the larger themes of African American women, education, and social history, with an emphasis on the contributions made by African American citizens to education in North Carolina.
In November 1987, the memorial officially opened as a state historic site. The museum's visitor center is located in the Carrie M. Stone Teachers' Cottage (1948), and features exhibits about Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown, the Institute and African American education in North Carolina. There is also a video about the school. Visitors can tour Dr. Brown's residence, known as Canary Cottage, which has been furnished to reflect the 1940s and 1950s, when the school was at its peak. Several dormitories, the dining hall, bell tower, teahouse and several teachers' cottage can also be seen.
The Palmer Memorial Institute Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.[1] The district encompasses 16 contributing buildings, 2 contributing sites, 3 contributing structures, and 2 contributing objects. They include the Queen Anne style Galen Stone Hall designed by Harry Barton (1876-1937), Charles W. Eliot Hall, and Kimball Hall; Alice Freeman Palmer Building (1922); Congregational Women's Cottage and Carrie M. Stone Cottage designed by Charles C. Hartmann; Rev. John Brice House (c. 1926); Bethany United Church of Christ (1870, c. 1925, c. 1975); and Robert B. Andrew Farm and Store/Post Office.
In 1994, the Historic Sites Section completed exhaustive, comprehensive research on Brown and the Palmer Institute, and restored or stabilized several other structures.
Recently, the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum received a grant from the African American Civil Rights grant program of the Historic Preservation Fund as administered by the National Park Service, Department of Interior to partially restore the Tea House.
Further Reading
- 1935 - Palmer Memorial Institute [Yearbook
- 1953 - The Palmerite yearbook
- 1953 - The Palmerite yearbook
- 1956 - The Palmerite yearbook
- 1961 - The Palmerite yearbook
- 1966 - The Palmerite yearbook
- 1968 - The Palmerite yearbook
- 1969 - The Palmerite yearbook
- 2005 - The Palmer Memorial Institute: Educator's Guide to the Exhibition booklet
- 2005 - The Palmer Memorial Institute: An African American Preparatory School in Sedalia, North Carolina booklet
Sources
- ↑ Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum - A Brief History.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum -</div></div> The School.
- ↑ North Carolina History Project Encylopedia Entry for the Palmer Memorial Institute. Citing: Jeffrey J. Crow, Paul D. Escott, Flora J. Hatley, A History of African Americans in North Carolina (Raleigh, 1997); William Powell, Encyclopedia of North Carolina (Chapel Hill 2006); Charles Weldon Wadelington, Richard F. Knapp, Charlotte Hawkins Brown & Palmer Memorial Institute: What One Young African American Woman Could Do and Palmer Memorial Institute (Chapel Hill, 1999).
- ↑ Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum Sports.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum - Former Campus.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum - Timeline
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum -</div></div> Campus.
- ↑ North Carolina Department of Transportation Historical Aerial Imagery Index.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum - Student Life.
