Spartan Stories
Tales from the UNCG University Archives
Charles Duncan McIver
Charles Duncan McIver and the Rise of Teachers Institutes in North Carolina
by Kathelene McCarty Smith Charles Duncan McIver, president and founder of the State Normal and Industrial School (now UNC Greensboro), had an interest in expanding women’s education which began much earlier than the founding of the college in 1891. His dedication to teaching and his commitment to meeting the challenges of educating women in the […]
The History of the Spartan Tartan!
by Kathelene McCarty Smith *Sarah Maske is a senior at UNC Greensboro, with a double major in history and archaeology. She is interning in the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collection and University Archives for the spring 2019 semester. While tartan is a popular pattern in clothing today, it has an important place in North Carolina’s […]
The First Day of Class at State Normal, ca. 1892
by Kathelene McCarty Smith When a current UNC Greensboro student walks down College Avenue, they see quite a different campus than an earlier student would have experienced. On October 5, 1892, the State Normal and Industrial School welcomed 176 students to the new girls college. There were only three building on the grounds – Main […]
Letters from Abroad: McIver’s Trip to Europe, Part 2
by Kathelene McCarty Smith McIver chose the Hamburg-Amerika line for his transatlantic crossing As the S.S. Blucher started its ten-day voyage across the Atlantic, Charles Duncan McIver and James Joyner explored the ship and began their individual routines. McIver enjoyed daily walks on the deck and was thrilled when he glimpsed “large fish and sea […]
Letters from Abroad: McIver’s Trip to Europe, Part 1
by Kathelene McCarty Smith Charles Duncan McIver had not been well. Although he was only 45, the years of hard travel, an indulgent diet, and the responsibilities of his role as founder and president of the State Normal and Industrial School had taken its toll. Those close to him were concerned about his health and […]
The Liberty Ship, S.S. Charles D. McIver
by Kathelene McCarty Smith On May 23, 1943, the North Carolina Ship Building Company, located in Wilmington, North Carolina, launched its 100th Liberty Ship, the S.S. Charles D. McIver. As founder and first president of the State Normal and Industrial School (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro), and a fierce advocate of public […]
125 Years Ago: Starting Classes at State Normal
by Erin Lawrimore On October 5, 1892 – 125 years ago this week – the doors of the State Normal and Industrial School (now UNCG) opened its doors for an initial class of 198 women from across North Carolina. The institution was originally chartered by the State of North Carolina in February 1891, with a mission of […]
The Demise of the McIver Building and its Mural
by Kathelene McCarty Smith The McIver Building is slated to be demolished in the spring and summer of 2018, making way for the new Nursing and Instruction Building. Designed by J. N. Pease and Company of Charlotte, North Carolina, when the McIver Building officially opened in October 1960, it was one of the few modern […]
Viola Boddie: Belle of the Early Faculty
by Kathelene McCarty Smith A native of North Carolina, Viola Boddie (1864 – 1940) was a charter faculty member of the North Carolina State Normal and Industrial School (now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro). Graduating at the top of her class at Peabody Teachers College in Nashville, Tennessee, her diverse teaching experience gave her […]
“A Noble Idea” The History of Peabody Park (Part Two)
Have you ever wondered how UNCG acquired such a beautiful green space on the northern edge of its campus? Well, the founding and development of Peabody Park is a fascinating story that reflects UNCG’s overall growth as a center of higher learning and a Greensboro neighbor. Given the complexity of the story, the Park’s history is being […]
