Re: E. L. Blackshear
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In reply to:
Re: E. L. Blackshear
Suzanne Stein 6/01/02
The following is an entry from "Blacksheariana" which was published by Perry Lynnfield Blackshear in 1954.
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EDWARD (EDDY) LEVISIER BLACKSHEAR, b. about 1855, at Montgomery,Ala., or Leon Co., Texas.Lived in Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, was married and had at least one son and one daughter.Occupation, College President.The date and place of his death are not known.
Cit. Last name on the Inventory attached to the Will ofWilliam Blackshear of Leon Co., Texas, value $350.00, indicating that he was quite young but sure to survive -- seevalue of other slaves in inventory.Ls. Doane College, Crete, Neb., and Prarie View Agricultural and Mechanical College Prarie View, Texas.Both Attached. From Iowa, and through the public schools of Bastrop and Austin came E. L. Blackshear, who in 1895, was elected the fourth Principal of Prairie View. He came at a time when Booker T. Washington was being lionized in a South which was already gauging for rejection the industrial education substitute for the Negro contemplated by Southern leaders at the passing of the second Morrill Act. The tall, stately, golden voiced Blackshear was a Washington disciple, and before the fully approving Board and a great throng, Booker T. Washington made Blackshear's first Commencement Address.Some form of the Washington brand of "industrial education" was being demanded by Negroes in the state for their public schools, and the A. and M. Board went on record as approving such "practical education at Prairie View.Blackshear was especially interested in the agricultural phase of industrial education and asked the Board to establish the "factory plan" used at Tuskegee.Aware, however, of the continued fight of Negroes for a University, Blackshear asked for a seven-year course for the college.The 26th Legislature changed the school's name to "Prairie View state Normal and Industrial College", and in 1901 authorized it to offer a four-year college course.The Board added only two years to the four-year Normal Course, and in 1904 Prairie View granted A.B. Degrees to G. a. Randolph, Joseph E. Davis, and Mrs. Ruth King.This was the only time a departure into collegiate status was to be attempted until the Osborne administration.Students loved Mr. Blackshear.His discipline was firm,but life at the college was rich and varied.Predominantly religious in tone, the college life was full of thatdidacticism which the cultural hunger of the negro student at the turn of the century found stimulating.Formal inter-collegiate athletics came with Blackshear in 1904, and CoachW. P. Terrell's football squad beat Wile 7-0 in their first game in 1907.Clubs and recitals grew space despite the ill-heated, ill-lighted, crowded fire-trap frame and brick structures that dotted the "hill". And compensation enough was to be found in Mr. Luckie, Mr. Woodruff, Mrs. Kimbro, Mr. Bledsoe, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Isaacs, and countless others -- always wise, profound, just, and urbane. The extensive building program during this period includedFoster and Luckie Halls in 1909; the Auditorium-Dining Hall in 1911 and Crawford Hall in 1912. From "The First Seventy-five Years 1876-1951, PRAIRIE VIEW."
DOANE COLLEGE
Crete, Nebraska
March 9, 1953
Office of the Registrar,
Col. Wm. S. Blackshear,
1215 Anacapa Street,
Santa Barbara, California,
Dear Sir:
I have your letter of February 28, 1953.I have searched therecords of Tabor College that are in safe-keeping in our office and find the following regarding Edward Levisier Blackshear: He entered Tabor College in September 1876 at the age of 14.This does not agree with your statement that he was born prior to 1861.Since the age of 14 seems rather young to be enrolling in a college I am assuming that there is some error in the record.It is clearly written in ink so there is no error on my part in reading what is recorded.)He attended from 1876 to 1881, being enrolled in the classicalcourse.He received the A.M. degree in 1881.(I am not certain as to the meaning of the A.M. degree for I can find description of only the A.B. and B.S. degree.However, since he attended Tabor for five years, and also since his grades were excellent -- 99 in Latin, 97 in Trigonometry, 98 in Greek, etc...it is very probable that an advanced degree may have been conferred upon him!)An interesting coincidencemay be of value to you.Just today, a Mr. Irwin I. Loose, ofThurman, Iowa, who graduated from Tabor in 1884 sent a contribution to Doane College!Mr. Loose would undoubtedly have known Mr. Blackshear.I would suggest that you contact Mr. Loose immediately (he must be at least 90 years old) for information that he might have about student days.I will be very glad to be of further assistance to you if there is anything else that I can do for you.
Yours truly,
Loyd C. Oleson, Registrar
PRAIRIE VIEW AGRICULTURAL, AND MECHANICAL
COLLEGE
Prairie View, Texas
December 5, 1952
Office of THE PRESIDENT
Mr. Perry L. Blackshear,
2500 North Woodward Way, N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia
Dear Sir:
In compliance with your request of December 2 we are enclosing a brochure of the first Seventy-five years of Prairie View whichcontains an account of Dr. Blackshear's life and activities at Prairie View.I do want you to know that I had the honor of knowing Dr. Blackshear personally as he was at Prairie View when I first came here as an employee.At that time he was no longer principal of the institution but was head of Negro Extension Work in Texas. Dr. Blackshear was the most brilliant and best loved president that this institution has ever had.In fact, all of Texas was very proud of him as he was an intellectual giant.Unfortunately, I do not know of the whereabouts of his family.I have been told that a son and daughter live in California but I do not have their
addresses.
If we can be of further assistance to you, please feel free to call on us.
Very truly yours,
E. B. EVANS, President
EBE:h
More Replies:
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Re: E. L. Blackshear
Suzanne Stein 12/16/03