Original: The school was renamed in honor of Frank Park Samford, chairman of the Board of Trustees and up to that time, the institution's most generous individual benefactor. (In addition, there was also a Howard University in Washington, D.C..)
Simplified: The school was renamed in honor of Frank Park Samford, chairman of the Board of Trustees and most generous personal supporter, because there was already a Howard University in Washington, D.C..