Spartan Stories
Tales from the UNCG University Archives
World War I
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Farmerettes
by Erin Lawrimore On April 6, 1917, the United Stated officially entered World War I. With the institutional motto of “Service,” the women of the State Normal and Industrial College (now UNCG) sought ways to contribute to the war efforts. Students came together to observe meatless and wheatless days, take classes in food conservation, raise […]
Dr. Gove Goes to War
When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, Dr. Anna Gove, resident physician at the North Carolina State Normal and Industrial College (now UNC Greensboro), began preparing to become part of the effort. Because female doctors were not allowed into the Army Medical Core, Dr. Gove looked for other opportunities to serve […]
The Flu Pandemic of 1918: The “Fourth Horseman” Comes to State Normal
by Erin Lawrimore In 1918, an influenza pandemic began to spread across the globe. In the U.S., about 28% of the population became infected, and 500,000 to 675,000 people died over the course the next two years. The campus of the State Normal and Industrial College (now UNCG) was, of course, not immune to this […]
Frank Porter Graham
by Sean Mulligan Frank Porter Graham was born on October 14, 1886 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 1909, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) with a degree in law and went on to earn his graduate degree in history from Columbia University in 1916. Graham’s teaching career began as […]
German Instruction at State Normal during World War I, part two
by Erin Lawrimore In last week’s blog post, we looked at the history of German language instruction at State Normal (now UNCG) as well as the growing anti-German sentiment in Greensboro and across the United States after the U.S. officially entered World War I in April 1917. This week, we will look more closely at […]
German Instruction at State Normal During World War I, part one
by Erin Lawrimore Our colleagues in University Archives at UNC Chapel Hill recently wrote a great blog post about a parent who, in 1918, was upset that his son was required to have two years of German courses before registering for a chemical engineering class. This letter from the parent to UNC President Edward Kidder Graham […]
Dr. Anna Howard Shaw: Noted Suffragist and Namesake of UNCG Dormitory
by Kathelene McCarty Smith Dr. Anna Howard Shaw (1847-1919) Shaw Residence Hall, located on the campus of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), is one of the few buildings not named in honor of someone officially associated with the University. Yet, the connection between the college and the noted suffragist, Dr. Anna Howard […]
Dr. Anna Maria Gove, Lady Doctress
When it came time to form the State Normal and Industrial College (now UNCG) in 1891, student health was of the utmost importance. And since the student body was comprised of young women, President Charles Duncan McIver wanted to provide the students with a campus physician who could care for all their needs. Miriam Bitting […]
Farming for Uncle Sam
by Erin Lawrimore On April 6, 1917, the United Stated officially entered World War I. With the institutional motto of “Service,” the women of the State Normal and Industrial College (now UNCG) sought ways to contribute to the war efforts. Students came together to observe meatless and wheatless days, take classes in food conservation, raise […]
The Carpenterettes and the YWCA Hut
by Kathelene McCarty Smith “The Carpenterettes,” 1918 During World War I, the students of the State Normal and Industrial College (now UNCG) took part in numerous aspects of campus work — including many of the jobs vacated by local men. In the summer of 1918, seven students calling themselves the “Carpenterettes,” banded together and built […]
