A Look Back: The Laws of Howard College 1846

Cover of the Laws of Howard College published in 1846. Call Number: LD2281.24.L3 1846

Howard College, now Samford University, was founded in 1841. Classes began in 1842 and started with nine students. The student body grew, but remained very small in the early days. 

In 1846, the college published a document entitled, “Laws of Howard College, Enacted September 18th, 1846” (Call Number: LD2281.24 .L3 1846). This very slim document outlines the procedures of Howard College beginning with the board of trustees, briefly covering the student enrollment and admission. The dining hall is, of course, discussed and then the document talks about the library. 

Being a library ourselves, it’s interesting to read the rules of Howard College’s Library in 1846. For example, students were permitted only to check out two books and admonished from lending them to other or taking them out of the town. 

You can read the full text of the library rules below. 

Laws of Howard College 1, Caption: Page 7 of the Laws of Howard College, LD2281.24 .L3 1846

Laws of Howard College 2, Caption: Page 8 of the Laws of Howard College, LD2281.24 .L3 1846

After the library rules are completed, there are a few other rules, such as one forbidding students from throwing trash out of windows. That seems reasonable enough. 

If you’d like to see the whole document, feel free to come down to the Special Collection and ask for the Laws of Howard College (call number: LD2281.24 .L3 1846). 

Thanks to Rachel Cohen of the Special Collection for text and photographs.

The Howard College Library Club in 1949

Generally, Special Collection struggles to identify large group photos, so we couldn't have been more pleased when we found this photo of the Library Club of 1949 with every member identified.

Library Club tea held January 16, 1949. Left to right: Miss Mabel Willoughby, Librarian, Mrs. Burton (tea table), Betty Shaffield, Gloria Tucker, Ellen Hall, Virginia Casey (secretary), George Ricker (President of the Library Club), Carolyn King, Peggy Baker, Violet Fuson, Jimpsky Marphree, Mary Vesta Barnard, Miss Evelyn Sellers, Dean of Women (seated)

 A fun vintage photo of campus activities in the late 1940's.

Celebrate National Archives Month with the Special Collection!

October is American Archives Month and Special Collection in the University Library is celebrating with our annual Open House. 

Come join us from 1 to 3 pm on Wednesday the 29th of October for some refreshments and a chance to see everything from Civil War medical kits to Howard College's first set of student records. 

Visit the Special Collection Treasure Chest to check out some of the priceless items that can be found in our collection.  

The Special Collection Welcomes the William E. Hull Collection

Some of the boxes of the 475 linear feet of the Hull collection, neatly stacked and waiting to be transferred into proper storage.

Last week, the University Library Special Collection department received the final installment of the William E. Hull Collection. The collection consists of approximately 475 linear feet of records, including book manuscripts, articles, correspondence, sermons, and research notes. Samford’s Special Collection was honored to be selected back in 1995 by Dr. Hull himself as the archive to receive his materials.

Dr. William Hull as a Senior from the Entre Nous 1951.

William E. Hull enrolled at the University of Alabama in 1948 to study medicine. During his sophomore year he felt a calling to ministry and transferred to Samford University, then Howard College, for his junior year. After graduating from Howard College in 1951, he went on to earn a master of divinity and a Ph. D from Southern Seminary in Kentucky. In addition, he did advanced studies at Harvard University and the University of Gottingen in Germany.

Dr. William Hull speaking at Samford Commencement in 2008.

For 17 years, Dr. Hull was a professor of New Testament at Southern Seminary and served as dean and provost there before becoming the pastor at First Baptist Church in Shreveport, LA in 1975. He returned to teaching after taking the position of provost and professor here at Samford in 1987.

Dr. Hull was famous for saying the same benediction at many occasions, and this is one of the copies of it.

In addition, Hull, was a world-renowned scholar, writer, and theologian. He authored 21 books on Christian topics and theology and contributed to 24 additional works. Hull was a popular speaker both locally and worldwide preaching approximately 7,500 sermons between 1949 and 2008 with a ministry reaching beyond those years.

One drawer of the many filing cabinets storing Dr. Hull's clippings, research notes, and sermon drafts.

Dr. Hull passed away on December 10, 2013 from ALS. The University Library, Special Collection department is honored to be a part of preserving his legacy. 

Text and Photographs provided by Jennifer Taylor of the Special Collection.

READ with our Scholar Athletes

Jay Galloway, Football, Communication Studies Major

This fall, the Library and the Athletics Department have teamed up to promote reading by bringing you an exhibit featuring handpicked Scholar Athletes from each major sport at Samford.

Fares Kilani, Men's Tennis, Accounting Major

Brandon Hayman, Men's Basketball, Accounting Major

The American Library Association's READ campaign started in 1985 and has featured nearly two hundred celebrities holding their favorite books, all to promote one thing-- reading.

Caroline Wilder, Softball, Nursing Major

Hope May, Freshman Selfie Volunteer

This may be just the beginning of Samford's READ campaign.  We'd love to get other team members, professors, and administrators on their own READ posters.  We also invite you to come by the library, take your very own READ selfie, and tag us with #DavisLibrary on social media.

Lauren Caballero, Women's Tennis, Marketing Major

Stop by the library today and take a look at our READ posters, or visit us on Facebook where we'll be highlighting our featured READ poster students over the next couple of weeks.

Most importantly: get out there and READ, Samford! 

A Look Back: Oxford's photographs of Marion, Alabama

Howard College, now Samford University, was originally located in Marion, Alabama.

Alexander Christopher Oxford, known as A.C. Oxford, was a photographer active in Alabama from the 1870s until the 1880s. He died in 1925.

Marion, Alabama 1872

Marion, Alabama 1872

The Special Collection is blessed to have an album of Oxford’s photographs (SCAV 1324) that contains photographs of Marion, Alabama in 1872.

Text and Photographs contributed by Rachel Cohen of the Special Collection.