Thursday March 29th, 2018

 Blue Mountain College.  (2018).  http://www.bmc.edu/bmc_history.asp  Retrieved March 30th, 2018.

University of Southern Mississippi.  (1995-2017).  Historical Timeline: University milestone and campus development by decade. https://www.usm.edu/about/historical-timeline  Retrieved March 30th, 2018.

(USM Founder's Day 1962)

 (Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/usm1910/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/287104544968595464/
March 27th, 2018

Photo from the University of Southern Mississippi Website.https://www.usm.edu/about/founders-day Retrieved March 30th, 2018 by William Barber.

                                             
I arrived at the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 8:00 a.m. for the final day of my Archival Practicum. I resumed checking the Metadata of all of the Oral Histories I had digitized to make sure it was both accurate and consistent.  I chose the artist name as the person being interviewed in an oral history or giving a presentation.  For the Track Title, I provided the name given on the side of the tape and I did the same thing for the Track Number.  For Additional Comments, I treated it as a Description element and put in any information that was written onto the physical tape.   As far a years, I obtained that information from the tape.  Some did not have them written down anywhere while I was doing the process so I checked the beginning of the interview to see if the interviewer gave a date.  I finished checking the Metadata sooner than expected.  I took a late break for lunch at 1:58 p.m. and returned at 2:28 p.m.

I decided to digitize a couple of more oral histories.  The remaining ones pertained to individuals whom had been involved with Blue Mountain College.  This was originally an Independently owned All Female College which became Co-Educational and under the ownership of the Mississippi Baptist Convention (Blue Mountain College, 2018).  I finished the digitization of two more Oral Histories and then had my Timeline signed by Mrs. Heather Moore and gave her my Thanks for Giving me Such a Great Opportunity!! I left the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 4:30 p.m.

I can say my Archival Practicum at the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at Leland Speed Library at Mississippi College was an experience like no other.  Not only did I build upon my archival skills, I learned much about the Baptist Christian denomination that I was previously unaware of.  It was amazing learning of the various divisions of the Baptist Faith during the Revolutionary period and even on into the 20th Century.  It seems they still exist today as do divisions within all Christian denominations and Religions for that matter.

I also find the very timing of the conclusion of my Archival Practicum to be very ironic.  First and Foremost, it is the Easter weekend as well as the beginning of Passover.  These are two religious celebrations that are occurring right after I learned much of an element of religion.  In addition, today is the Founding Date for the University of Southern Mississippi.  The University of Southern Mississippi was founded on March 30th, 1910 (University of Southern Mississippi, 2018).  Not only am I working on my Graduate Certificate in Archives and Special Collections (I also obtained my Bachelors and Masters of Library and Information Science there as well) at USM, I also just completed the oral history of Dr. R.A, McLemore whom had much to say about the institution in addition to Mississippi College and others.  The Celebration of USM takes place this year on April 2nd which coincidentally was my late Father's Birthday (University of Southern Mississippi, 2018).  That's even more coincidental in that as I mentioned in previous blog post, as MS State Senator for Forrest County, my Father helped get the legislation passed that changed the name of the institution from Mississippi Southern College to the University of Southern Mississippi.  If that's not enough coincidence, it's also the day before my own birthday.  Yep, it was a coincidence that my Birthday is the day after my Father's.

I will cherish my experience at the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission forever.  I shall apply the skills I learned during my Archival Practicum to the remainder of my coursework of the Graduate Certificate in Archives and Special Collections program in the University of Southern Mississippi School of Library and Information Science.

Tuesday March 27th, 2018

 Mississippi Baptist Historical Commision.  (1972).  Dr. R.A. McLemore.  Retrieved March 27th, 2018.

University of Southern Mississippi.  (1995-2017).  Historical Timelines.  Retrieved from https://www.usm.edu/about/historical-timeline March 27th, 2018.



I arrived at the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 8:00 a.m.  Since Thursday will be my last day, Mrs. Moore will take a look at the directions I made for digitizing oral histories and let me know if something is not clear or needs revision.  On Thursday, I will have reached 150 hours of practicum work. 

I resumed digitizing oral histories and worked on the oral history of Dr. R.A. McLemore whose recordings you may recall me mentioning at the beginning of my Practicum. In addition to being one of the many distinguished Presidents of Mississippi College, Dr. McLemore was once the Acting President of the University of Southern Mississippi as well as the Director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.  His entire oral history encompassed three cassettes.  It was interesting learning about his early life.  Evidently, Forrest County was in its infancy as a municipality at the time.  Therefore, McLemore and his family were one of the first citizens of the county when they moved there in 1908 (MBHC, 1972).  After college, McLemore found his true passion teaching and even became a Superintendent of a local high school before moving his work to Jones County Agricultural High School.  According to McLemore, "Community Colleges were just  being built in the State of Mississippi"(MBHC, 1972).  McLemore would become the head of Jones County Junior College but resigned in 1933 to obtain a Doctorate in History from Vanderbilt (MBHC, 1972).  After receiving his Doctorate, McLemore returned to Jones County Community College as a Professor of History.  Dr. McLemore interviewed with Dr. Walker at Mississippi Southern College, now known as the University of Southern Mississippi (MBHC, 1972). 
 
Although my Practicum work is through Mississippi College, I both learned new things and reinforced my previous knowledge about the Academic Institution in which I am currently enrolled for a Graduate Certificate in Archives and Special Collections.
Before completing Masters Online through the University of Southern Mississippi, I physically attended the institution for my Undergraduate Degree.  Therefore, it was interesting hearing the names of prior College Presidents whom buildings have been named after on campus.  The Walker Science Building is obviously named after the aforementioned Dr. Walker.  Of course, McLemore Hall is named after Dr. McLemore himself (USM, 1995-2017).  At Mississippi Southern College, McLemore became Dean of Students .  The majority of his time spent in this position was under the tenure of President Joseph Cook, whom the Cook Library is named after (USM, 1995-2017).  After Cook resigned, McLemore briefly served as Acting President before Dr. William David McCain took over the reigns of the institution.  The McCain Library and Archives is named after Dr. William McCain (USM, 1995-2017). 

I took a break for lunch a little later in the day today at 2:15 p.m. and returned at 2:30 p.m.

It is worth noting that Dr. McLemore had much praise for Dr. Joseph Cook. Cook became President of the college when it was known as Mississippi Normal College before being changed to State Teacher's College in 1924 (USM, 1995-2017).

                                                           (Dr. Joseph Anderson "Joe" Cook)

                                                        Retrieved from https://www.usm.edu/president/joseph-anderson-joe-cook-1911-1928 March 27th, 2018)

Within his oral history, Dr. McLemore states that by the time of Dr. Cook's departure, "Mississippi Southern had been organized to the point where it was inevitable that it would become a University" (MBHC, 1972).

In addition to college professors, it was interesting hearing the names of past Mississippi Governors whom played a role in the evolution of the University of Southern Mississippi.  Governor Paul B. Johnson was mentioned a lot.  Under Governor Johnson's administration, the name of the institution was changed from State Teacher's College to Mississippi Southern College (USM, 1995-2017). (On a side note, the Paul B. Johnson State Park in Hattiesburg was named after the Governor). Under Governor Ross Barnett's administration, the name of the institution was changed from Mississippi Southern College to the current name, the University of Southern Mississippi (USM, 1995-2017).

                                          (Dr. Richard Aubrey McLemore) (Retrieved from https://www.mc.edu/about/history/presidents on February 27th, 2018)

My father, the late Frank Barber, was an alumnus of Mississippi Southern College, and became a Mississippi State Senator representing Forrest County, the county of Hattiesburg which is the home of the University of Southern Mississippi and where my father was from.  I had a 'much older'
 father as I was the last of his children.  It is worth noting that he was instrumental in helping pass the legislation that changed the name of the institution from Mississippi Southern College to the University of Southern Mississippi.  Here is Founder's Day with Governor Ross Barnett.  My father is located in the back, Second to Far Right, with the Dark Black Hair. 

 (USM Founder's Day 1962)

 (Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/usm1910/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/287104544968595464/
March 27th, 2018

I finished the McLemore tapes and decided to begin checking the metadata of all my digitized items since Thursday is my last day.  I left the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 22nd, 2018

 Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission.  Dr. John Barnes.  Retrieved March 22nd, 2018.

Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission.  Paul Nash Nunner.  Retrieved March 22nd, 2018.

I arrived at the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 8:00 am.  I resumed digitizing oral histories.  Dr. John Barnes was at one time chairman of the Mississippi Baptist Convention.  Within his recording, Dr. Barnes discussed the role that the Mississippi Baptist Historical Convention played in the development of Mississippi Woman's College (Not Mississippi University for Women) which eventually became William Carey College, located in Hattiesburg.  There came the argument for Mississippi Woman's College to be reorganized as either a Junior Co-Educational College or Senior Co-Educational College (MBHC).  The Convention voted for it to become a Senior Co-Educational College.  I took a break for lunch at 1:30 p.m. and returned at 2:00 p.m. 

I digitized the oral history of Paul Nash Nanner, whom was at one time the Executive Director of the Baptist Children's Village.  It was interesting learning about the ways in which Mr. Nunnery became involved in the Children's Village.  Evidently, he had been an adoptive father four times over and he and his wife had been foster parents which is why he chose to leave his law practice to be an attorney for the organization and work his way up (MBHC).  Originally, the name was Mississippi Children's Village (the term 'orphanage' was considered misleading and 'derogatory'). 

I left the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday March 20th, 2018

I arrived at the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 8:00 a.m.  I resumed digitizing oral histories.  In addition, since my Archival Practicum is coming to a close, I put together an instruction manual for whomever comes in next to volunteer to know how to digitize cassettes.  I made sure it was very detailed and in layman's terms.  I digitized the oral histories of Dr. Zach Hederman whom served on the Board of Trustees at Baptist Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi.  I took a break for lunch at 1:15 p.m. and then returned at 1:45 pm.The other oral history I digitized was of Dr. David Ruff Grant whom served as Chairman of the Gulfshore Baptist Assembly.  Dr. Grant discussed what the assembly did after Hurricane Camille.  This was very interesting to me as I survived Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when I was living in Hattiesburg, Mississippi while I was working on my undergraduate degree at the University of Southern Mississippi.  According to most people I've spoken with, Hurricane Camille was the most talked about hurricane in Mississippi before Katrina happened.  With Hurricane Katrina so ingrained within the psyches of so many Mississippians, it was interesting to revisit commentary on a storm that had a similar effect among prior generations.  I left the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 4:30 pm.

Thursday March 8th, 2018

 Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission.  (1976)  "Dr. Clarence Cranford" Baptists and the American Experience Retrieved March 8th, 2018

Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission.  (1976).  "Dr. Donald Anderson"  Baptists and the American Experience Retrieved March 8th, 2018.

I arrived at the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 8:00 a.m.  I resumed digitizing the oral history collection and completed the final two cassettes of the "Baptists and the American Experience Series."  An address from the first cassette I digitized that struck my attention was from Dr. Clarence Cranford, an academic whom had also been a pastor.  Dr. Cranford talked about the importance of religious liberty and the idea of respecting other Christian denominations and religions for that matter.  Dr. Cranford presents a quote from U.S. President Thomas Jefferson.  According to Dr. Cranford, Thomas Jefferson said to a group of Baptists in 1808, "Freedom of Religion is Compatible with order in the government and obedience to the laws" (MBHC, 1976).  Again, the idea of the separation of church and state is stressed.  I took a break for lunch at 12:40 p.m. and returned at 1:10 p.m. 

An address from the second cassette, which was the last cassette in the "Baptists and the American Experience Series", that caught my eyes was from a gentleman named Dr. Donald Anderson.  In his address, Dr. Anderson quoted from an academic paper of a gentleman named Dr. Gaddy.  The year of the bicentennial was 1976.  During this time, Gerald Ford was the President of the United States.  In quoting the paper of Dr. Gaddy, Anderson states "President Ford performed two actions that seemingly expressed American Civil Religion: the pardoning of former President Richard Nixon and the granting of amnesty" (MBHC, 1976).  In addition, Anderson states "There was a comment from the floor that President Ford's calling on a higher consciousness in pardoning President Nixon is evidence of National Civil Religion" (MBHC, 1976).  However, Dr. Gaddy didn't totally agree with this assessment.  According to Dr. Anderson, Gaddy said "Presidents in National Crisis have always called on God but no president has ever called on the God of the Bible, the Father our Savior, Jesus Christ." (MBHC, 1976).  I completed the digitization of the cassette and spent the last hour editing metadata tags for previous files.  I left the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 4:30 p.m.

Just some information that I want to add to this discussion from Dr. Anderson.  1976 was also an election year in which the aforementioned Gerald Ford faced Jimmy Carter.  Ford was defeated by Carter.  As stated, President Ford was seen by some as performing actions that expressed 'civil religion.' Jimmy Carter was a born-again evangelical Christian whom fellow evangelicals rallied behind in  the election.  However, that changed when Ronald Reagan became President.  Some of the evangelicals did stay with Carter when he was defeated by Reagan in 1980.  However, after Ronald Reagan officially became President of the United States, the evangelicals rallied behind him in full force.  I just thought those were some interesting facts, that I already knew, to add to the relation of the America's bicentennial and religion.

In relevance to the discussions in these recordings, attached is a picture of Thomas Jefferson, the Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter 1976 Presidential Debate, and a friendly picture years later with Presidents Ford and Carter.  It should be worth noting that after the two left office, the two former Presidents and their wives became close friends.

Tuesday, March 6th, 2018

Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission.  (1976).  Baptists and the American Experience.  Retrieved March 6th, 2018.

I arrived at the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 8:00 a.m.  I resumed digitizing the Baptists and the American Experience series.  The next address was from Dr. W Morgan Patterson whom discussed a paper primarily concerning the Americanization of citizens throughout American History and the relation of Baptists to the national experience.  I found this particular address very informing.  Dr. Patterson discusses the huge period of immigration that occurred at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century and the concerns that American inhabitants had about so many new people coming into the country.  The National Americanization Day Committee made July 4th, 1915 'Americanization Day' where the issues concerning immigrants were addressed.  Dr. Patterson discusses the ethnic groups of Baptist bodies that came into fruition during the period of mass immigration to the United States.  These included bodies of Swedish, German, Hungarian, and Russian origin.  I took a break for lunch at 12:45 p.m. and returned at 1:15 p.m. 

The next address, form Dr. Glenn T. Miller, is another discussion concerning the support of the separation of separation of church and state among early Baptists and where the divisions concerning the matter began.  Prior to the Civil War, there was a split among Baptists on the issue of slavery.  Certain Baptists began preaching eulogies attempting to justify slavery.  Outside of the obvious divisions between north and south, these religious divisions brought about different organizations.  The First National Organization for Baptists in the United States was the Triennial Convention.  The American Baptist Home Mission Society was formed in 1832.  The South would form its own in the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845 in Augusta, Georgia.  This still exists today.  In addition, there were also other ideological changes that would happen to Baptists as a whole.  For instance, prior to WWII, the majority of Baptists were opposed to War.  However, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, that mindset began to change.

The final address (oral history) I digitized was that of Dr. Richard G. Torbet.  In it, he discusses the different ideological divisions among Baptists such as liberal, conservative, and moderate.  In addition, he places a lot of emphasis on the practices of the Baptists in the north as opposed to the south. 

I left the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 4:30 p.m.

Thursday March 1st, 2018

I arrived at the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 8:00 a.m.  I resumed digitizing oral histories and began with part 2 of the Baptists and the American Experience recordings pertaining to the bicentennial.  The second part of the Baptists and the American Experience sereis contained discussion from James B. Colgate whom was the Professor of the History of Christianity of the Colgate Rcohester Bexley Hall Trosier Divinity School.  He discussed how Baptists from from obscurity during the American Revolution.  The third part of the Baptists and the American Experience series contains the discussions of three professors.  The first professor, Dr. C.C. Gowen, was a Professor of Church History at Wesley Theological Seminary.  Like others, Dr. Gowen touches upon the role of Baptists during the American Revolution.  The next discussion was very informative for me.  It was from Dr. Denton Lotts whom whom was a Baptist Missionary and Fraternal Representative to Eastern Europe.  In his discussion, Dr. Lotts moves past the Revolutionary era of American History and towards both the 19th and 20th Century.  Dr. Lotts mentions Christian missionary William Carey and his relevance to bringing people to not just the Baptist Christian denomination but Christianity as a whole.  William Carey College, which is in the same town as the University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg), is named after this man.  I took a break for lunch at 12:33 p.m. and returned at 1:03 p.m. Dr. Lotts mentions that "there is a tension seen in Baptist missions and this tension can be seen from two Baptist men since World War II, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Reverend Billy Graham" (MBHC, 1976).  I found this coincidental since they were mentioned in the previous audio cassette and because both Black History Month just ended and the Reverend Billy Graham is being buried tomorrow.  In describing Billy Graham, Dr. Lotts said that Billy Graham represented 'world evangelization' and helped people of the world better understand churches and Christianity as a whole (MBHC, 1976).  Martin Luther King Jr., on the other hand, "reminded Americans, Black and White, that just to fight for equality at home means nothing if we live in a world of squalor and indignity where people's rights are being denied throughout the whole world" (MBHC, 1976).  I left the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission at 4:30 p.m.