Barber-Scotia College
Encyclopedia
Barber–Scotia College is a historically black college located in Concord
, North Carolina
, United States
.
southern
women (the daughters of former slaves
) for careers as social work
ers and teachers. It was the coordinate women's school for Biddle University (now Johnson C. Smith University
).
It was the first historically black female institution of higher education established after the American Civil War
. The Charlotte Observer
, in an interview with Janet Magaldi, president of Piedmont Preservation Foundation, stated, "Scotia Seminary was one of the first black institutions built after the Civil War. For the first time, it gave black women an alternative to becoming domestic servants or field hands."
Scotia Seminary was modeled after Mount Holyoke Female Seminary (now Mount Holyoke College
) and was referred to as The Mount Holyoke of the South. The seminary offered grammar, science, and domestic arts. In 1908 it had 19 teachers and 291 students. From its founding in 1867 to 1908 it had enrolled 2,900 students, with 604 having graduated from the grammar department and 109 from the normal department. Faith Hall, built in 1891, was the first dormitory at Scotia Seminary. It is listed in National Register of Historic Places
and "is one of only four 19th-century institutional buildings left in Cabarrus County." It was closed by the college during the 1970s due to lack of funds for its maintenance.
by Margaret M. Barber as a memorial to her husband. This merger created Barber-Scotia Junior College for women.
The school granted its first bachelor's degree in 1945, and became a four-year women's college
in 1946. In 1954, Barber–Scotia College became a coeducational institution and received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
. Today, the college maintains close ties to the Presbyterian Church.
which meant that students became ineligible for federal aid (an estimated 90% of the school's students depended on federally funded aid) and that many employees would be laid off. It lost its accreditation due to what the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
said was a failure to comply with SACS Principles and Philosophy of Accreditation (Integrity), as the school "awarded degrees to nearly 30 students in the adult program who SACS determined hadn’t fulfilled the proper requirements".
Former President Sammie Potts resigned in February when it became public. As over 90% of the students at Barber-Scotia received some sort of federal financial aid, when the campus lost accreditation and was therefore no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid for its students, under the Department of Education enrollment then dropped from 600 students in 2004 to 91 students in 2005 and on-campus housing was closed down.
During her tenure President Gloria Bromell-Tinubu led a strategic planning effort to change the college from a four-year liberal arts program to a college of entrepreneurship and business, and established partnerships with accredited colleges and top-tiered universities. She would later leave the college when the new Board leadership decided to pursue religious studies instead. Former President and alumna Mable Parker McLean was hired as president on an interim basis. In February 2006 a committee of the General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
voted to continue the denomination's financial support for Barber-Scotia, noting that its physical facilities were "substantial and well-secured" and that the school was undertaking serious planning for the future. In May 2006, it was reported that Barber-Scotia would rent space on its campus to St. Augustine's College
to use for an adult-education program: "Under the terms of the deal, St. Augustine's will pay Barber-Scotia for the space for its Gateway degree program starting this fall."
McLean was replaced by President Carl M. Flamer (an alumnus of the college) who accepted the position without payment and the college re-opened with a limited number of students. During this time, the "previous attempts to revive the college [which] have centered on an entrepreneurial or business curriculum" were formally abandoned "in favor of focusing more on religious studies." Flamer also worked to eliminate debt and worked with alumni and the community to save the college.
The college currently offers the following three degree programs: Bachelors of Arts in Business, Bachelors of Arts in Religious Studies and a Bachelors of Science in Bio-Energy. Each academic discipline has several fields of concentrations.
, advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
., who also started a school for black students in Daytona Beach, Florida
that eventually became Bethune-Cookman University.
Also Dr. Katie G. Cannon, the first African-American female ordained as minister by the Presbyterian Church is a graduate of the college.
"taught at the elite Scotia Seminary in North Carolina before her marriage."
Photographs
Concord, North Carolina
Concord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. According to Census 2010, the city has a current population of 79,066. It is the largest city in Cabarrus County and is the county seat. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Scotia Seminary
Barber-Scotia began as a female seminary in 1867. Scotia Seminary was founded by the Reverend Luke Dorland and chartered in 1870. This was a project by the Presbyterian Church to prepare young African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
southern
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
women (the daughters of former slaves
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
) for careers as social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
ers and teachers. It was the coordinate women's school for Biddle University (now Johnson C. Smith University
Johnson C. Smith University
Johnson C. Smith University is a private, co-ed, four-year liberal arts institution of higher learning located in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. JCSU is also a historically black college...
).
It was the first historically black female institution of higher education established after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The Charlotte Observer
The Charlotte Observer
The Charlotte Observer, serving Charlotte, North Carolina and its metro area, is the largest newspaper, in terms of circulation, in North Carolina and South Carolina...
, in an interview with Janet Magaldi, president of Piedmont Preservation Foundation, stated, "Scotia Seminary was one of the first black institutions built after the Civil War. For the first time, it gave black women an alternative to becoming domestic servants or field hands."
Scotia Seminary was modeled after Mount Holyoke Female Seminary (now Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It was the first member of the Seven Sisters colleges, and served as a model for some of the others...
) and was referred to as The Mount Holyoke of the South. The seminary offered grammar, science, and domestic arts. In 1908 it had 19 teachers and 291 students. From its founding in 1867 to 1908 it had enrolled 2,900 students, with 604 having graduated from the grammar department and 109 from the normal department. Faith Hall, built in 1891, was the first dormitory at Scotia Seminary. It is listed in National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and "is one of only four 19th-century institutional buildings left in Cabarrus County." It was closed by the college during the 1970s due to lack of funds for its maintenance.
| Luke Dorland | 1867–1885 |
| D.J. Satterfield | 1885–1908 |
| A.W. Verner | 1908–1922 |
| T.R. Lewis | 1922–1929 |
| Myron J. Croker | 1929–1932 |
| Leland S. Cozart | 1932–1964 |
| Lionel H. Newsom | 1964–1966 |
| Jerome L. Gresham | 1966–1974 |
| Mable Parker McLean | 1974–1988 |
| Tyrone L. Burkette | 1988–1989 |
| Lionel H. Newsom (interim) | 1989–1990 |
| Gus T. Ridgel (interim) | 1990 |
| Joel 0. Nwagbaraocha | 1990–1994 |
| Asa T. Spaulding Jr. | 1994 |
| Mable Parker McLean | 1994–1996 |
| Sammie W. Potts | 1996–2004 |
| Leon Howard (interim) | 2004 |
| Gloria Bromell-Tinubu | 2004–2006 |
| Mable Parker McLean (interim) | 2006–2007 |
| Carl Flamer | 2007–2008 |
| David Olah http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/3588841/ | 2008–Present |
1916-2004
It was renamed to Scotia Women's College in 1916. In 1930, the seminary was merged with another female institution, Barber Memorial College, which was founded in 1896 in Anniston, AlabamaAnniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
by Margaret M. Barber as a memorial to her husband. This merger created Barber-Scotia Junior College for women.
The school granted its first bachelor's degree in 1945, and became a four-year women's college
Women's colleges in the United States
Women's colleges in the United States are single-sex U.S. institutions of higher education that exclude or limit males from admission. They are often liberal arts colleges...
in 1946. In 1954, Barber–Scotia College became a coeducational institution and received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
. Today, the college maintains close ties to the Presbyterian Church.
2004-2008
On June 24, 2004, one week after appointing its new president, Dr. Gloria Bromell Tinubu, the college learned that it had lost its accreditationEducational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
which meant that students became ineligible for federal aid (an estimated 90% of the school's students depended on federally funded aid) and that many employees would be laid off. It lost its accreditation due to what the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
said was a failure to comply with SACS Principles and Philosophy of Accreditation (Integrity), as the school "awarded degrees to nearly 30 students in the adult program who SACS determined hadn’t fulfilled the proper requirements".
Former President Sammie Potts resigned in February when it became public. As over 90% of the students at Barber-Scotia received some sort of federal financial aid, when the campus lost accreditation and was therefore no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid for its students, under the Department of Education enrollment then dropped from 600 students in 2004 to 91 students in 2005 and on-campus housing was closed down.
During her tenure President Gloria Bromell-Tinubu led a strategic planning effort to change the college from a four-year liberal arts program to a college of entrepreneurship and business, and established partnerships with accredited colleges and top-tiered universities. She would later leave the college when the new Board leadership decided to pursue religious studies instead. Former President and alumna Mable Parker McLean was hired as president on an interim basis. In February 2006 a committee of the General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
voted to continue the denomination's financial support for Barber-Scotia, noting that its physical facilities were "substantial and well-secured" and that the school was undertaking serious planning for the future. In May 2006, it was reported that Barber-Scotia would rent space on its campus to St. Augustine's College
St. Augustine's College (Raleigh)
Saint Augustine's College is a historically black college located in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. The college was founded in 1867 in Raleigh, North Carolina by prominent Episcopal clergy for the education of freed slaves.- History :...
to use for an adult-education program: "Under the terms of the deal, St. Augustine's will pay Barber-Scotia for the space for its Gateway degree program starting this fall."
McLean was replaced by President Carl M. Flamer (an alumnus of the college) who accepted the position without payment and the college re-opened with a limited number of students. During this time, the "previous attempts to revive the college [which] have centered on an entrepreneurial or business curriculum" were formally abandoned "in favor of focusing more on religious studies." Flamer also worked to eliminate debt and worked with alumni and the community to save the college.
2009
Barber-Scotia currently has an enrollment of 20 full time students. It has submitted its application for accreditation and after a successful accreditation site visit during April 2009 has begun its Institutional Self-Study process. Documentation will be submitted to the national accrediting body for review. During January 2010 a site visit team will arrive on campus for review of documentation, staff and policies. It is the College's hope that it will be presented to the full commission for candidacy (provisional accreditaion) during April 2012.The college currently offers the following three degree programs: Bachelors of Arts in Business, Bachelors of Arts in Religious Studies and a Bachelors of Science in Bio-Energy. Each academic discipline has several fields of concentrations.
Athletics
Barber–Scotia College currently fields a men's basketball team. Barber-Scotia will field a women's basketball team in 2011. It is also exploring adding additional athletic programs, such as men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer and track and field.Notable alumni
One of Scotia Seminary's most notable alumnae was Mary McLeod BethuneMary McLeod Bethune
Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was an American educator and civil rights leader best known for starting a school for African American students in Daytona Beach, Florida, that eventually became Bethune-Cookman University and for being an advisor to President Franklin D...
, advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
., who also started a school for black students in Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
that eventually became Bethune-Cookman University.
Also Dr. Katie G. Cannon, the first African-American female ordained as minister by the Presbyterian Church is a graduate of the college.
Notable faculty
The New York Times noted that the mother of novelist Chester HimesChester Himes
Chester Bomar Himes was an American writer. His works include If He Hollers Let Him Go and a series of Harlem Detective novels...
"taught at the elite Scotia Seminary in North Carolina before her marriage."
Additional reading
- Cozart, Leland Stanford. A Venture of Faith: Barber–Scotia College, 1867-1967. Charlotte, NC: Heritage Printers, 1976.
- Gross, Leslie. "Faith Hall: A Landmark in Need of Friends." The Charlotte ObserverThe Charlotte ObserverThe Charlotte Observer, serving Charlotte, North Carolina and its metro area, is the largest newspaper, in terms of circulation, in North Carolina and South Carolina...
. May 9, 1999: 3K. - Barber–Scotia College. National Register of Historic Places designation report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior/National Park Service, 1985.
- African American RegistryAfrican American RegistryAfrican American Registry is a non-profit educational resource for the learning community to supply teachers with the information, method, and materials to provide a solid educational background in black history and heritage, in the sciences, business, the arts, and all facets of academics and...
. "History of Scotia Seminary" - Scotia Seminary 1881-82 Catalogue
- Scotia Seminary: North Carolina and Its Resources (1896)
- State Library of North CarolinaState Library of North CarolinaThe State Library of North Carolina is an institution which serves North Carolina libraries, state government employees, genealogists, and the citizens of North Carolina...
. "Scotia Seminary, Concord N.C. (1908)" - Data for Historically Black Colleges and Universities: 1976-1994 - Government publication which includes enrollment statistics for Barber–Scotia College
External links
Photographs
- Postcard images of Scotia Seminary - University of North CarolinaUniversity of North CarolinaChartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
- Photograph of Scotia Seminary, 1893
- Buds of Promise - 19th century graduates of Scotia Seminary
- Sarah Dudley Petty, Scotia Seminary - Class of 1883
- Photographs of Barber-Scotia and Marker