David D. Jones honored at annual vesper
by Guila B. Cooper
Who was David Dallas Jones?
What contributions did he make
to Bennett? Why is a service held
in memory of him every year?
These are questions that may have
crossed your mind as you headed
to the Sunday Vesper service this
week.
David Dallas Jones was pres
ident of Bennett College from
1926-1955 and President Emeritus
from 1955-1956. The goal of his
administration was to educate
young people to their highest
capabilities.
When David Jones was elected
president of Bennett, there was
very little physical equipment, ten
students and no money. Under his
administration, radical changes
took place. Bennett became a
woman’s college which grew and
prospered. At the close of his
presidency, the Bennett College
plant consisted of 33 buildings and
42 acres of land. The endowment
was close to $2,000,000.
Not only was David Dallas Jones
busy making Bennett the best col
lege possible, but he was also par
ticipating in civic, religious and
social movements. He encouraged
the faculty and students to do
likewise.
He was Phi Beta Kappa at
Wesleyan University. He received
the Christian Education Magazine
Award for Notable Service and
has two buildings named in his
honor including the Student Union
Building on our campus.
Providing him with much need
ed support was his wife, Mrs.
Susie Williams Jones. They had
five children.
Dr. Jones died January 24, 1956
and the Bennett College family is
honored to pay an annual tribute
to the memory of him.
Friday, January 26,1979
BENNETT COLLEGE, GREENSBORO, N. C.
VoL XL, No. 6
Colston leaving Bennett
by Betty Brown
Ellease (Browning) Col
ston, director of Alumnae
Affairs will be leaving Ben
nett June 30 after 25 years of
service.
Mrs. Colston will be leaving
Bennett because she has re
married and will be joining
her new husband, Marshall H.
Colston, vice-president for De
velopment and University Re
lations at West Virginia State
College.
Mrs. Colston is a 1953
graduate of Bennett. Shortly
after graduating she became
manager of the bookstore,
snackbar, and post office.
Along with another student
she worked every night and
every other weekend until
10 p.m. In 1969 Dr. Miller
asked her if she would do
some part-time work for the
Alumnae. Mrs. Eady had rec
ommended her to him. The
then-Mrs. Browning accepted
the job.
Mrs. Browning began to
visit other places to get chap
ters started. During this time
there were seven chapters,
but only three of them were
active. By 1970, there were
16 new additions. These chap
ters gave th Alumnae Asso
ciation $7,000 and by August
they had a total of $16,500.
On September 15, 1970, Dr.
Miller asked Mrs. Browning if
she would take on the job full
time. There was no secretary
during this time. Peggy Oli-
phant, a student, came to
help. Together, Peggy and
Mrs. Browning worked for the
alumnae, and by the end of
1971, Peggy was hired full
time. Today the Alumnae As
sociation consists of 44 chap
ters. Out of this number 37
are active and seven are not.
Mrs. Colston said, “I’m go
ing to miss Bennett.” She
added, “I feel comfortable
with the work that has been
done, and I have enjoyed it.”
Photo by Myra Davis
Mrs. Ellease R. Browning Colston, director of Alumnae Affairs. We hate to
see you leave.
David Dallas Jones, president of Bennett College 1926-1955 and President
Emeritus 1955-1956. He achieved greatness through struggle and through
public service, as a builder and statesman in the field of higher education.
Western Electric presents grant
Bennett College is the recipient
of a $50,000 unrestricted grant
from the Western Electric Fund.
Trustees of the private founda
tion, established by the company
in 1971, make educational grants
in five categories. Bennett is one
of two institutions receiving the
grant in the Predominantly Black
Colleges and Universities cate
gories.
The grants, payable over a five-
year period, are made at the initia
tive of the trustees. They accept
no applications or recommnda-
tions. Judgements are made after
extensive evaluation of the insti
tution’s program. Academic rat
ings and financial need are among
the factors examined. A spokes
man for the Fund noted that Ben
nett received favorable support
from a Ford Foundation source
and Bennett alumnae employed
with the Western Electric Com
pany.
The initial gift of $10,000 was
presented to Dr. Isaac H. Miller,
Jr., president of the United Meth-
odist-related college. The presen
tation was made by Howard R.
Jester, general manager of the
Guilford Center Administration.
The grant will assist Bennett in
upgrading its academic program
in non-traditional career prepara
tion for women. Among these spe
cial programs is the dual-degree
The Morehouse College Glee Club will perform in the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel Sunday, February 11, 1979 at 8:00 p.m. The Glee Club has traveled extensively
throughout the United States. Their repertoire includes gospel, classic, folk, and popular music.
program in engineering with
neighboring North Carolina A&T
State University. Western Elec
tric’s Guilford Center personnel
were instrumental in helping the
Mathematics Department imple
ment the program.
Career Placement
offers fellowship
Julius A. Thomas Fellowship
Applications for 1979-80 are avail
able in the Career Services Cen
ter.
The Thomas Fellowship pro
gram was devised to provide mi
nority students with the academic
experiential exposures to serve as
competent career counseling and
placement officers.
Applicants for the fellowships
should have strong motivations to
serve in the area of career coun
seling and placement and should
seek a master’s degree in the area
of career development and/or
counseling at one of the four grad
uate schools who are cooperating
in the program.
These are: Florida A. & M. Uni
versity, Tallahassee, Florida;
North Carolina Central University,
Durham, North Carolina; Texas
Southern University, Houston,
Texas; and Virginia State College,
Petersburg, Virginia.
Fellowship awards have recent
ly been extended to cover a two-
year period for the completion of
a master’s degree. The amount of
the award is up to $2,000 for tui
tion and fees with reimbursement
of up to $150 for required books
and materials.
Interested candidates should ap
ply directly to the participating
graduate schools (listed above)
and, upon receiving notice of ad
mission, should request applica
tion forms for the Julius A.
Thomas Fellowship program from
the admitting university or your
Career Services Center and Col
lege Placement Service.
Brochures and application forms
describing the program are also
available upon request from CPS.
The deadline for receipt of appli
cation forms at the CPS office is
on or before May 1, 1979.