University of West Georgia

==History==

In 1906 the decision to create the Fourth District Agricultural and Mechanical School occurred in response to a call for a "more realistic educational program for rural youth" aged 13 to 21.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.westga.edu/index_history.php|title=History of UWG {{!}} The University of West Georgia|website=www.westga.edu|access-date=7 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305195646/http://www.westga.edu/index_history.php|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Bonner plantation was chosen as the location for the school.

John H. Melson served as the school's first principal from 1908 to 1920. John Melson and his wife Penelope worked intimately alongside the students who attended the school and further enhanced the institution.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.westga.edu/specindex_6916.php|title=Special Collections {{!}} University Archives: From A&M to UWG|website=www.westga.edu|access-date=7 March 2016}}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In addition, Penelope Melson was the one responsible for creating the library at the college. In January 1908, she conducted a "book shower" which provided the school with a little over 300 manuscripts.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=From A&M to State University|publisher=State University of West Georgia Foundation|year=1998|oclc=40611930|pages=120–123}}</ref>

In 1920 Irvine S. Ingram, whom UWG's library is named after, became Melson's successor and the second principal of the A&M school. He married fellow faculty member Martha Munro in 1921 and they had one daughter, Anne, in 1924. Ingram was instrumental in developing the concept of "extension" education and adult-education offerings along with a summer school program for local teachers to develop their skills.<ref name=":0" /> The school's name ('''Fourth District Agricultural and Mechanical School''') was changed to '''West Georgia College''' in 1933 and it became a [[Community college|two-year institution]].  When this occurred, Ingram became the college's first president. He served until 1960 and was succeeded by William H. Row. Shortly after, Row died from a heart attack and Ingram filled in as president for six months in 1961 until James E. Boyd was appointed to the position.<ref name=":0" /> While president, Ingram saw West Georgia become a four-year institution in 1957.<ref name="UWGHistory" /> He can also be credited with obtaining a substantial grant of $250,000 from the Rosenwald Foundation used to expand the college's facilities and programs, including the Sanford building, originally used as a library and creating the College in the Country program, initially an adult or continuing education program that eventually involved student teachers from the college, and foreign exchange programs that brought national recognition to the college.

[[James E. Boyd (scientist)|James E. Boyd]], a graduate of the [[University of Georgia]], [[Duke University]], and [[Yale University]], became the president of West Georgia College in 1961.<ref name="nge">{{Cite web|url=http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-3028|title=University of West Georgia|publisher=[[New Georgia Encyclopedia]]|access-date=25 March 2010}}</ref><ref name="century">{{Cite web|url=http://100years.westga.edu/senior.html|title=A Century of Success: the Senior College Years (1957–1996)|publisher=University of West Georgia |access-date=25 March 2010}}</ref> Boyd is most known for peacefully [[Racial integration|integrating]] the campus (without waiting for a court order) in 1963 by inviting a young black woman, Lillian Williams, to attend the college; she would eventually earn two degrees in education and earn the college's highest honor, the Founder's Award, in 1985.<ref name="nge"/><ref name="century"/><ref name="walls">{{Cite web|url=http://100years.westga.edu/column01-07.html|title=If these walls could talk|publisher=University of West Georgia|date=January 2007|access-date=25 March 2010}}</ref>

In May 1964, Boyd invited [[Robert F. Kennedy]] to the dedication of the campus chapel as the Kennedy Chapel, as U.S. president [[John F. Kennedy]]'s death had occurred in November 1963. Robert would promote the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]] which was being debated in the [[United States Senate]].<ref name="nge"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/24741749/Georgia-History-in-Pictures|title=Georgia History in Pictures|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=5 April 2010}}</ref>

Boyd dramatically expanded the college during his tenure in both headcount and academic diversity. In sheer numbers, there were 1089 students upon his arrival and 5503 students upon his departure.<ref name="walls"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=19620215&id=PecuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aTEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2147,1346676|title=West Georgia Is Saluted By Publication|publisher=[[Rome News-Tribune]]|date=15 February 1962|access-date=25 March 2010}}</ref> In 1959, there were two degrees and five programs available; in 1969–70 there were seven degrees and 45 programs. There were 94 graduate students in 1961 and 741 in 1969, due to the first master's programs being offered in 1967.<ref name="century"/><ref name="walls"/>

In 1969 alone, 80 new faculty members were hired, a number larger than the total number of faculty members a decade prior.<ref name="walls"/> Several new buildings, including but not limited to nine residence halls and five academic buildings, were constructed. Policy changes occurred as well: in 1966, the curfew for junior and senior women was abolished, and fraternities and sororities were allowed on campus.<ref name="walls"/> In 1970, Boyd was named Georgia's first [[Chancellor (education)#United States 3|vice chancellor]] for academic development, effective once his successor was found, which occurred in 1971; it was [[Emory University]] and [[Duke University]] graduate [[Ward Pafford]].<ref name="boyd">{{Cite web |url=http://www.library.gatech.edu/archives/df/pdf/BOYDJAM.ESE.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060912061927/http://www.library.gatech.edu/archives/df/pdf/BOYDJAM.ESE.pdf|archive-date=12 September 2006|title=James E. Boyd|publisher=[[Georgia Institute of Technology]]|access-date=25 March 2010}}</ref>

===Segregation===
Until 1963, the college did not admit African-American students. In 1955 and 1956 Jeff Long, a teacher at [[George Washington Carver High School (Carrollton, Georgia)|Carver High School]], encouraged students to apply for admission to West Georgia. Every senior applied, and every student was denied admission on the basis of their race. President Boyd racially integrated the campus in 1963. The first Black student was Lillian Williams, a mother or 4 and teacher in the non-integrated [[Carroll County School System]]. In 2002, President Sethna apologized to the Carver class of 1955. A scholarship fund has been started for descendants of the Carver students who were denied admission. There is also a scholarship in the name of Lillian Williams, for any mothers who want to start or continue their education.<ref name="Journey">{{cite web |last1=Rouse |first1=Dierdre |last2=Gray |first2=Carolyn |last3=Wyatt |first3=James |title=The Journey |url=https://www.westga.edu/campus-life/diversity/assets/docs/thejourneyspring2009blackhistorymonthedition.pdf |publisher=University of West Georgia's Office of Minority Affairs |access-date=16 December 2018 |date=Spring 2009}}</ref><ref name="Diverse">{{cite web |title=Georgia College Offers Scholarship to Amend Discrimination |url=https://diverseeducation.com/article/1979/ |website=Diverse issues in higher education |date=27 February 2002 |access-date=16 December 2018}}</ref>