Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-12-17
DISASTROUS FIRE AT WIII}Els-
FORCE UNIVERSITY.

llSS loF cuuC'tlloHhl advantages, uiil
hopes OF the race Tor bct,er things,
and out from whose walls have gone SO
many of the men and women who have
done and are doing SO much in Il
worthwhile way Tor the establishment
Of the Negro as very vital force i'll
the affairs Of tho Nation, was complete
ly destroyed by fire, Wednesday night
December 9TH.
From an investigation On the part
Of the authorities at the University,
and also Oh Gtre part Of the State Fire
Marshal's Office, it appears that the
fire must have star,kd from defective
wiring in the attic of the north wing
of the building. The fire was discover
ed by students who were returning
from the weekly prayer service which
was conducted at Galloway Hall, at
the other side of .ale campus.
President ]. A. Gregg, who conduct
ed the prayer meeting and Secretary
Jenkins who lives directly across from
the building were the first officials IN
the building after the alarm was sound
ed. They directed the few boys who
were already striving DO put out tho
fire. They were soon Joined by Superin
tendent Berry, Bishop J. II. Jones,
Dean Tones, w. A. Anderson and 9TH
er members Of the faculty and friends
from the neighborhood. Had there
been adequate fire fighting apparatus
att hand the building might have been
saved. Appeals for help were sent TO
nearby towns but none would respond
and the authorities ut Xenia. the
nearest town, when called upon, re-
fused to come.
Everything possible was done to save
the building, and when it finally be
came certain that 1t was doomed, The
boys were directed to save whatever
they could. Very little was salvaged,
however, which left total loss ofNsev
oral Thousand uoliar;, and two hun.
dred boys without homes, and many
OF chem without clothing.
Superintendent Berry and Dean
Woodson very generously threw opsn
the doors of their departments and
committee called by President Gregg,
including Bishop Jones and tho heads
Of departments. were able to pan on
,he housing OF students and ;aie care
Of the College Department. whose
class rooms were OH the first floor If
Shorter.
Mr.. II. e. Schmidt Of Xnia was in
strumental In getting Governor Davis
to send one hundred cots and two hun
drcd blankets to President Gregg, to be
distributed to tho young men whose
bedding was lost in the cOnf1ngrati,n.
The local Red Cross unit under Miss
Sohaeffer has offered aid, and the peo
pie generally are doing all possible to
care for the wants of the young men.
President Gregg and Dean Jones, 10
Eether with the Office forces of both tho
University and G. N. and l. Depart.
ments have been busy in placing tho
boys in comfortable homes.
AT the Chapel exercises the next
morning, President Gregg spoke feel
ingly OF the great loss, and called up
on the faculty and students to show
fortitude and bravery In the face or
INC iearful disaster. Bishop Jones ns
sured the faculty and students that
the loss although staggering was no.
altogether discouraging and that steps
would be taken to Immediately re
bniid and take care Of the situation.
Miss Halle @. Brown spoke touching
~ OF the passing of Shorter Hall,
which meant so much in the hores
and inspirations Of men and womo,
scattered throughout the world Chan.
i'lh stewart offered the first one nun.
dred dollars toward the rebuilding of
inc edlllce, and he was quickly follow
ed by n promise OF five hundred do
lars from Bishop Jones, a hundred dol
lars each from President Gregg ano
Dean Jones. and Miss Halle Q. Brown
VINO wcn:f to England and secured over
Illtccn thousand dollars on Emery
Hal! promised TO raise one Thousand
dollars towardthc fund. All members
OF the faculty have pledged their SUI,
Tort toward the fund.
a very vigorous campaign for funds
VIII be started and although q goal
mas not been determined, President
Gregg estimates thai at least two hun
dred thousand dollars will have to no
raised ut once. The friends of the
community have very kindly helpel
III housing the boys, but this gives on
~ temporary relief, and President
Gregg calls upon the Alumni and
friends OF Wilberforce and those who
are interested in the development OF
Negro youth, to send in gifts for tire
purpose or raising the funds required.
Now is the time, If ever, that the p:,b
TIC mas the opportunity to give aid to
worthy cause. Contributions in any
amount will be gladly accepted and re
ceipted by Secretary C. C. Jenkins anil
the money set aside for this special
fund. The building r.nst be stated at
once In order to i.e o.<Ly for cc.upa,i.
cy by the poening OF school for the
next scholastic year in October.
How strange that just little oyel
a week before the bell which had been
calling students for over fifty years,
snou'd have tollcd the requiem Of DR..
Ihomas Jackson, the last of the first
three graduates of Wilberforcc, and
then as Miss Brown puts 1t, tolled tho
knell of the building where it had
hung since the completion Of the
building, following the destruction by
f1re or the original building OH the
nights of the assassination of Presi.
dent Lincoln, during the Presidency of
Bishop D. A. Payne And as Rishon