A Legacy of Caring: Exploring the History of Georgia Baptist College of Nursing

Mercer University's Georgia Baptist College of Nursing stands as a testament to the enduring commitment to nursing education in the state. Its story is one of evolution, adaptation, and a steadfast dedication to preparing nurses for a lifetime of service. The Georgia Baptist College of Nursing is the oldest nursing program in the state of Georgia, having started at a time when most nurses still learned by way of apprenticeship and received little formal training. The considerable experience of the College of Nursing’s first century of educational excellence strengthens the program as professors, administrators, and students boldly embrace a future filled with promise. Students attending the College of Nursing become part of a living legacy.

From Infirmary to Institution: The Early Years

The college's roots trace back to 1902 with the establishment of the Baptist Tabernacle Infirmary Training School for Nurses in Atlanta. This two-year diploma program was founded with a clear and simple vision: to educate students to "heal the needy sick." In its early years, the school focused on providing practical training to meet the growing demand for nurses. Recognizing the need for more comprehensive education, the program expanded to three years. By 1913, reflecting the hospital's change in ownership, the school was renamed the Georgia Baptist Hospital School of Nursing.

A College Emerges: Growth and Transformation

The Georgia Baptist Hospital School of Nursing continued to flourish, adapting to the changing landscape of healthcare and nursing education. In 1989, the institution underwent a significant transformation, becoming the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing. This change reflected the college's commitment to providing a more comprehensive and academically rigorous nursing education.

A Merger and a New Home: Joining Mercer University

In 2001, the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing embarked on a new chapter in its history, merging with Mercer University. This union brought together the rich history and expertise of the College of Nursing with the academic resources and reputation of Mercer University, founded in 1833. In 2002, the newly formed Mercer University Georgia Baptist College of Nursing moved into a new academic building on Mercer’s Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus, providing state-of-the-art facilities for students and faculty.

Hall of Honor for Excellence in Mentoring

At an annual event, Peggy Cooper was inducted into the Hall of Honor for Excellence in Mentoring. She was also celebrating with the 50th Anniversary Class of 1972. The awardees for this year included the Distinguished Alumna award, the Edna Earle Teal award, the Young Alumnus Award, plus 10 alumni being inducted into the Hall of Honor.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Brenda Nave, from the Class of 1962, has been actively involved with the Alumni Board. Julie Sampey Braddy from the class of 1976 was the first nurse that Brenda hired for the Discharge Planning department. Janet Starr, class of 1966, also served on the Alumni Board with Brenda and is still serving.

Central City College: The Forerunner

Georgia Baptist College was a private grade school and college in Macon, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1899 as Central City College and was renamed in 1938. The idea for the school arose in the 1890s due to disagreements between some African American Baptists in the state and the American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS), a Baptist organization that was affiliated with the Atlanta Baptist Seminary (now Morehouse College, a historically black college in Atlanta). They argued that Atlanta Baptist should have more African American representation in its leadership, and in 1899, Central City College was formed as an African American-led alternative to Atlanta Baptist, with the project spearheaded by noted Baptist preacher Emanuel K. Love of Savannah, Georgia. William E. Holmes, an instructor from Atlanta Baptist, served as its first president. The school functioned primarily as a primary and secondary school for its first few decades of operation, adding a college department in 1920. In 1921, a fire destroyed much of the school, though it was later rebuilt. The school struggled financially for much of its existence and in 1937, it went into foreclosure. The Reverend Emanuel K.

Disagreements and New Beginnings

state of Georgia. At the time, the American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS), a New York City-based Baptist organization, was an influential group that supported several African American Baptist institutions throughout the state, including several institutions of higher learning such as the Atlanta Baptist Seminary. However, many African American Baptists were critical of the organization's leadership of these institutions, which were often led by white Americans. The Reverend Emanuel K. Love, acting under the auspices of the Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia (a statewide Baptist group that Love was the president of), acquired about 235 acres (95 ha) of land near Macon, Georgia to serve as the site of a new college. In September 1899, a representative of the school reached out to William E.

The Founding of Central City College

The new school, named Central City College, was officially established in October 1899. It was part of a regional trend of independent Baptist colleges that formed around the late 1800s and early 1900s to serve African Americans in the American South, with similar institutions including Guadalupe College and Morris College. In its initial form, the institution functioned primarily as a grade school, with the school offering a primary school, high school, and a three-year theology program. The school was coeducational, although the theology program was only offered to men, and only a small number of students participated in it. From its beginning, the school attempted to follow the educational model found in the liberal arts colleges of New England, in opposition to the industrial education favored by noted African American leader Booker T. Washington. The primary school offered sources in geometry, grammar, history, mathematics, penmanship, and reading, while the high school courses included additional history courses, advanced mathematics, bookkeeping, physiology, physics, and language courses on English, Greek, and Latin. Only two faculty members held college degrees-Holmes and the Reverend James M.

Growth and Challenges

In 1919, the school had 14 instructors. By the following year, the school officially began its college department, and the number of teachers had risen to eight. However, in May of the following year, Central City College's school buildings were destroyed in a fire. According to Holmes, the fire, which had been started by someone accused of insanity, destroyed most of the school's infrastructure, as well as "our Records and nearly everything else we had". In the aftermath of the destruction, community farmers sold some of their produce to raise money for the school's reconstruction, collecting about $164.34 for the school, while the Reverend T. J.

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Changes in Leadership and Focus

Shortly before Christmas 1921, Holmes was visited at Central City College by Hope (who by this time was president of Atlanta Baptist, which had since been renamed to Morehouse College), E. C. Sage of the General Education Board (GEB, a private organization that supported schools for African Americans) and the Reverend M. W. Reddick (president of the Missionary Baptist Convention), who came to discuss the possible future of the school. While they stated that the school was "poorly managed, and educationally amounts to very little", they were interested in redeveloping the school as "a good secondary school, linked up with the Morehouse-Americus-Spelman system". In 1924, Holmes retired as president of the school and was replaced by the Reverend J. H.

Fundraising and Foreclosure

In late 1933, Gadson launched a large fundraising campaign for improvements to the school that would elevate it to the same level of prestige as Atlanta University, another African American educational institute in Atlanta. During a trip to New York City, he was able to secure donations from the National Baptist Convention, and he committed his entire year's salary of $1,800 to the fundraising efforts. Additional contributions came from members of the Macon community and statewide Baptist groups, and James H. Porter, a local industrialist and philanthropist who was the head of Central City's white advisory board, donated $5,000. However, just a few years later in 1937, the school went into foreclosure and came under the ownership of Porter, who placed the school under the control of the Georgia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention. The next year, the school was renamed to Georgia Baptist College. The school continued to operate and promote fundraising efforts, including staging musical events before racially segregated audiences. During this time, noted theologian J.

Legacy

In a 1975 book, historian James M.

Continuing the Mission: The Accelerated BSN Track

The Georgia Baptist College of Nursing continues to honor its legacy by offering innovative programs such as the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) track. This program allows students to earn a BSN degree from a respected university in an accelerated timeframe, preparing them for a lifelong career of caring.

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