^t. ^ugusftine’s l^ecorb
V^oUime XIvI
JIAY - JUNE, 1!)36
No. 4
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT
May 27, 1936
To tlie Trustees of St. Augustine’s College
Gentlemen:
During the past year, the sixty-ninth annual
session of the Institution, there has been a total
enrollment of 325 students including 38 in the St.
Agnes Training School for J^urses and 15 in t e
Bishop Tuttle School for Church and elfare
Workers. This represents an increase of about
]0% over the enrollment of last year. About oO/c
of the students come from ?\^orth Carolina. The
remainder come from 25 states and 3 foreign
countries. There are representatives from such
distant points as Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, Ne
braska, Michigan, Quebec and the \ irgin Islands.
The aim of the college as expressed m its char
ter is to train teachers and otherwise provide lor
the education and elevation of the I^^egro people
in J^orth Carolina and elsewhere in the United
States. From the days of its founding this objec
tive has been consistently pursued m connection
with the development of our Jv^egro Church work.
It is gratifying to realize that the mission of St
Augustine’s L a Church College is meeting with
the approval of many who are familiar with its
work. In the April issue of the Spirit of
Dr. Theodore AVedel, our ^^ational SecretaiT for
College work, in a short article about St. Augus
tine’s writes; ^ m
“One would have to travel far to find a Church
(Allege which more fully lives up to ^
does St. Augustine’s College in
Carolina. Christian teaching and practice are
woven into the college life in a surprisngly ^effec
tive way. The Chapel service is inspiring.
He gles on to make other observations concern
ing thf need and value of the educational program
which we are emphasizing that s lou e
est to all who are genuinely interested in our
"^ArirTtt years the facilities of the college
have been otfered for
ferences such as the State I ub ic SppDtre
tute for Negro Workers, the Crown Sceptre
Scholarship Society, Extension classes for Teach
ers, several Federal Relief pi’ojects ‘“‘‘I ’
the Annual St. Augustine’s Confer^ice ^or Clerg
and Church Workers, including a Young - l
''“fr a.,,reh life «■ l.«vo to jpl.-
offering for Missions which amounted to about
$375.00.
Such Church organizations as the Woman’s
Auxiliary, both Senior and Junior Branches, the
Laymen’s League, the Altar Guild and the
Brotherhood of St. Andrew have continued to
function well. We are also making each year an
effort to keep in contact with those who have
been confirmed in recent years in the College
Chapel by sending them a Lenten letter and sug
gesting Passion Sunday as a day for attending a
Communion Service and renewing the promises
of their confirmation. In the college department
which has been making steady growth emphasis is
being placed on individual guidance through a
system of personal advisers. We note with satis
faction that the Dean of the College, Charles H.
Boyer is this year celebrating the fortieth anni
versary of his connection with St. Augustine’s. We
wish to congratulate him on his many years of
faithful service in which he has upheld high
standards for the Institution.
The extra-curricular activities have continued
to develop. The Choral and Dramatic clubs have
done well while in athletics we have continued our
efforts to increase interest and participation in
more varied forms of physical exercise and lessen
the traditional emphasis on intercollegiate com
petition especially in football. One of our students
made an especially brilliant record in track events.
A Student Council has been organized and en
couraged to prepare itself for really useful func
tioning. It is hoped that it will develop into a
valuable feature of our student life. The graduat
ing college class has made a gift of a handsome
stone seat for the campus. The Alumni Associa
tion has been showing new signs of vigor and en
thusiasm. It is engaged in an effort to raise a
Loan Fund for deserving students. A live and
wise organization can do much to help the college.
Through aid received from the General Educa
tion Board as the result of efforts of the American
Church Institute for Negroes the College has
been able to add to its science equipment and to
purchase additional books for the Library. This
is one bright spot in what is a rather gloomy
financial outlook. We are becoming more and more
painfully aware of the fact that the College can
not be adequately maintained or developed on its
present income. We are trying to operate on an
appropriation from the National Church through
the American Church Institute for Negroes that
has been reduced practically 50% in the past four
years. Unless by a restoration in our appropria
tion, by additional endowment, or by both, our
operating income is substantially increased the
College will continue to lack financial stability
and its slow but steady decline is inevitable. I
believe that some plans should be formulated
looking toward definite action to increase sub-
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