Bluford Library Archives: Vintage Seasons Greetings and Reflections from A&T Alumni
A&T Register, December 19, 1933
“As we approach the holiday season, my thoughts are of you, of the things we used to do, of the things we used to say, and of each happy yesterday.”
T. A. Hamme, president of the National Alumni Association of the A&T College, A&T Register – December 19, 1933.
Thomas Arthur Hamme Sr. ‘29 (1894-1951) was the superintendent for the Oxford Orphanage in Durham, North Carolina and one of our earliest known national alumni association presidents. He was hardly alone when sharing heartfelt greetings for the Holiday season and what they mean to the A&T family. Countless traditions, charities, special moments, and opinions of the holiday season would be completely lost if not for the reporters of the A&T Register. With more than 90 years of A&T history, here are some Christmas greetings, New Year’s salutations, and touching stories, spoken by Aggies.
For decades, Aggieland is still and quiet between mid-December and early January when students are at home for the holidays. Observing this was Edward S. Houston ‘’34, the author of an A&T Register humor column called “Half Pint’s Woffs”. One of the quips from November 1933 was: “After Christmas the only difference that can be noticed between the campus and a cemetery is that you will see four or five boys going to breakfast on Mondays after the Sundays Vesper at Bennett.”
For decades the campus was not quiet around New Years Day when A&T and the local community would put on the annual “Klod Hopper” festivities. Oveta Brown Jewell ‘32 wrote about the 1930 Klod Hopper that “Everybody dressed their finest,’ and the lighting effect was just right to bring out the beauty of the dresses and the setting.”
Of course, the holidays began for students long before going home. Generations of Aggies have held parties and decorating contests in their dormitories. Caroleen Stringfield wrote of how students in Speight Hall (formerly Morrison Hall) “were among the first students ever to hear President Dowdy and his family sing Christmas carols.” The Dowdy’s singing was unplanned and a delightful surprise for their December 5, 1967 Door Decorating Contest.
A&T Register, December 14, 1967. Art by Kermit Sommerville
Thousands of Aggies have served their country in the Armed Forces, and unexpectedly celebrated the holidays overseas or in a depot. Benjamin Watkins Harris ‘48, described his Christmas Day in 1944 while stationed in an overseas replacement depot in San Francisco, Calif. “Christmas here was rather nice, although it could have been much worse, as well as much better, we had a turkey dinner on Christmas day. This was my first Christmas in a climate like this. One might pass a home and see a Christmas tree in the window and at the same time see flowers in bloom outside,” (A&T Register, January & February 1945, page 5).
Whether it is wars, political strife, or a world-wide pandemic, the holiday season has been a time when burdens can be set aside for celebration and reflection. Willa B. Eaton ’44 described Christmas as a needed interval in the dark days of World War II. “Christmas seemed to have injected something into our spirits that gave us hope and aided us to see the brighter side of life. This year (1943), we may feel that peace will soon come, in fact sooner than we had expected. Is not this the greatest New Year gift one could wish for?” (A&T Register, February 1944, Page 2)
The commercialization of Christmas and whether it had strayed from its religious meaning was a frequent topic for decades. Luther V. Dye ’55 writing in the “Inquiring Reporter” column asked students.” Do you think there is much holy put into our holidays? (A&T Register, December 1954, page 4). A majority of the posted responses said “No” like Dorothy Pryor, a sophomore from Chester, Va., who felt that “We have lost the significance of our holy holidays.” The lone exception was junior Elizabeth Wideman who noted that many people do observe the holidays in “gratitude and sober expression of their joys.”
A&T Register, December 16, 1939. Art by Sherman Williamson ‘42
Student groups, faculty and community businesses have expressed their season greetings as advertisements, cards, columns, and poems. The 1950-1951 Student Council (now the Student Government Association) extended this greeting; ‘To the family of A. & T., we wish to say, ‘In pleasant memories, happy recollections and the warmth of friendship that can make a wish sincere.’ A very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to everyone.” (A&T Register, December 1950, Page 2)
Most meaningful to students have been the Christmas greetings from our Presidents, Chancellors, Faculty and Staff. By mail, email, personalized cards, and personal addresses, the archives have found holiday greetings from our leaders dating back to the presidency of James B. Dudley (1896-1925). In 1967 Chancellor Lewis C. Dowdy and Mrs. Dowdy wanted Aggies to know that “Mrs. Dowdy and I will miss you greatly from the campus during your period of vacation. Therefore, we will be waiting eagerly for your return. BEST WISHES FOR A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!” Rev. Cleo McCoy, the longtime leader of religious activities told Aggies in 1967 that it was his “sincere prayer and fervent hope that same year that “the celebration of Jesus’ birth will produce miracles in the area of human relations presenting new evidence that “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.” (John 1:5).
Let us conclude this article with more greetings from Alumni President T. A. Hamme: “I say to every member of the alumni association, these greetings come from my heart to yours, to bring you Christmas cheer and to wish you the best of everything.”
For more holiday stories, prayers, poems, humor and art by Aggies please visit our digital collections, especially the historic A&T Registers and Ayantee Yearbooks. Use keywords, like “Christmas”, “Secret Santa”, “Season’s Greetings” and more to find great stories. For more information about A&T History please contact the F. D. Bluford Library Archives and Special Collections at libraryarchives@ncat.edu.
